Mishpatim 5760-2000
"From Seemingly Obscure Laws, the Torah Teaches the Ultimate Value of the Sanctity of Human Life" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, Parashat Mishpatim, which…
Pinchas 5771-2011
"'Pinchas'--What’s in a Name?" Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Pinchas, we learn that G-d praises Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the Priest, for…
Passover II 5776-2016
“The Final Days of Passover: Love and Hope" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald According to tradition, on the seventh day of Passover the sea split and the ancient Israelites marched…
Pinchas 5776-2016
“Pinchas the Zealot, and King David" by Ephraim Z. Buchwald The opening verses of this week’s parasha, parashat Pinchas, contain the conclusion of the dramatic narrative concerning…
Passover 5777-2017
“לֶחֶם עֹנִי --Lechem Oni: The Bread of Affliction by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Two primary scriptural verses provide reasons for eating matzah, unleavened…
B’shalach 5778-2018
“The Exalted Spirituality of Miriam the Prophetess” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat B’shalach, the long-awaited redemption of the Jewish people from…
Tisha b'Av,Weekly Message,Va'etchanan
Va’etchanan-Tisha B’Av 5768-2008
"A Hopeful Message for Jewish Future" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Va'etchanan, we find the well-known citation from Deuteronomy 4:25-40, "Kee to'leed…
The Great Shabbat
The Shabbat immediately preceding Passover is known as Shabbat HaGadol, the Great Shabbat. It is best known for being the Shabbat on which the rabbi of the community (or another…
Rock of Ages
“Rock of Ages let our song / Praise thy saving power / Thou amidst the raging foes / Wast our sheltering tower....” This is the first verse of Maoz Tzur as loosely translated…
Come My Beloved
The Talmud (Shabbat 116a) describes how the sages would greet Shabbat: “Rabbi Chaninah would wrap himself in his cloak and say: ‘Come, let us go and greet the Shabbat Queen.’ Rabbi…