Vayechi 5783-2022
“How Important is Timing?” (updated and revised from Vayechi 5763-2002) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Vayechi, contains a series of exalted poetic verses…
Weekly Message,Vayigash,Uncategorized
Vayigash 5784-2023
Urgent message: Given the most challenging situation in Israel at this time, I urge all to pray for the bereaved families, the hostages, the missing and the many casualties. Please try…
Shelach 5766-2006
"Who was Caleb?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Shelach is probably the saddest parasha in the Torah. It is in this weekly portion that the Israelite men of the Exodus generation…
Shoftim 5770-2010
"Enmity" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Shoftim, we once again encounter the concept of the City of Refuge. It is to the City of Refuge that an…
The Vanishing Conquerors
Politics do not change much from millennium to millennium. There have always been superpowers, great and powerful nations, vying for control of the world. In the seventh century B.C.E.,…
Va'etchanan,Weekly Message,Tisha b'Av
Va’etchanan-Tisha B’Av 5769-2009
"Tisha b'Av: Never Beyond Redemption" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Va'etchanan, we read the portion from Deuteronomy 4:25, which is read on Tisha b'Av,…
A Famous Family of Translators
In the early Middle Ages, the global Jewish community was basically divided between those living in lands controlled by the church and those in lands controlled by the Arabs. The dominant…
What’s in the Book- the Twelve Prophets – Micah
The Book of Micah contains prophecy directed at both Samaria (Israel) and Jerusalem (Judah) by the prophet Micah, who lived in Judah during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings…
Origin of the “Jew”ish Species
If the nation that was redeemed from Egyptian bondage and experienced revelation at Sinai was known as the Israelites, or the Children of Israel, why are they now called “Jews”? After…