Kedoshim 5765-2005
"Living a Sanctified Life" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The message of this week's parasha, parashat Kedoshim, is surely one of the most exalted messages for humankind. In the Torah…
Sukkot 5771-2010
“A Turning Point for Humankind” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald To most observers, Sukkot is a festival that is closely associated with the celebration of nature. The Torah (Exodus 34:22)…
Noah 5773-2012
"The Power of Unity" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Noah, is known primarily for the story of the flood that inundated the world in response to the evil…
Tetzaveh 5773-2013
“The Centrality of Light” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Tetzaveh, speaks at length of the priestly vestments. The parasha closes with a description of the…
Re’eh 5775-2015
“The Prohibition of Eating the Limb of a Live Animal” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Re’eh, contains 55 mitzvot--17 positive and 38 negative commandments. It…
Yitro 5776-2016
“Apparently, Not All Converts are Created Equal” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, arrives in the wilderness to join Moses…
Vayakhel 5776-2016
“The Wise-Hearted Person” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald One of the dominant terms found in this week’s parasha, parashat Vayakhel, is the expression חֲכַם לֵב, a wise-hearted person.…
Va’etchanan 5776-2016
“Blessing G-d for the Good and the Bad" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Va’etchanan, includes the שְׁמַע--“Shemah,” the central Hebrew prayer in which Jews,…
Vayeira 5777-2016
“There is But No Fear of G-d in this Place” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayeira, Abraham relives the trauma of his wife’s abduction in Egypt when he…
Lech Lecha 5778-2017
“The Beautiful, Barren Matriarchs” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Lech Lecha, G-d commands Abram and Sarai (their names had not yet been changed), to give…