Balak 5767-2007
"The Enemy Within" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald One of the most intriguing and perplexing patterns found in Scripture is the frequent emergence of evil from good and good from evil. Adam…
Lech Lecha 5773-2012
"To the Land that I Will Show You" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Lech Lecha, G-d instructs Abram (his name had not yet been changed to Abraham), to begin…
Chayei Sara 5762-2001
"Raising Jewish Children in a Challenging Environment" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, parashat Chayei Sarah, begins with the death of Sarah. Less widely known…
Noah 5774-2013
"Making a Name for Ourselves" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Noah, contains a plethora of fascinating narratives. The most famous story recorded in this week’s…
Kee Teitzei 5774-2014
“Restoring Lost Possessions--Revisited” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Among the 74 commandments (47 negative and 27 positive) that are found in parashat Kee Teitzei is the mitzvah of…
Vayeishev 5775-2014
"Who Sold Joseph?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayeishev, we read of the sale of Joseph. The sale of Joseph plays a key role in Jewish history, drawing…
Vayeira 5776-2015
“The Trials of Abraham” by Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Vayeira, includes at least three of the ten trials that Abraham faced during his life. Pirkei Avot, Ethics of…
Tetzaveh 5776-2016
"Feeling the Pain of Others who are in Need" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Tetzvah focuses almost entirely on the holy vestments that are worn by the כֹּהֲנִים, the lay and the…
Pinchas 5777-2017
"Pinchas and King David" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald At the close of last week’s parasha, parashat Balak, we read of the zealous act of Pinchas, the grandson of Aaron the High Priest,…
Devarim 5777-2017
“The Transformation of Moses is Completed” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald With this week’s parasha, parashat Devarim, we begin reading the fifth and final book of the Torah, known as…