Vayeitzei 5778-2017
“Three Wells ” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayeitzei, Jacob leaves Beer Sheba to escape the wrath of Esau and travels to Haran to be with his uncle,…
Two Mondays and a Thursday
The Jewish calendar includes two week-long, Torah-ordained holidays: Passover and Sukkot (the latter of which ended a little over a week ago).* These holidays fill our spiritual needs…
Eikev 5777-2017
“Stages of Religious Growth” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Eikev, Moses continues his exhortation of the People of Israel, in preparation for their entry into the Promised…
Matot-Masei 5777-2017
“Vows and Oaths” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashiot Matot and Masei are the last two parashiot of the book of Bamidbar--Numbers. The focus of these two final parashiot shifts from…
Tazria,Metzorah,Weekly Message
Tazria-Metzorah 5777-2017
“Insights to be Gleaned from the Metzorah, the Person Stricken with the Tzaraat Disease" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s double parasha, Tazria-Metzorah, we learn of the…
Vayikra 5777-2017
“רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ --A Sweet Savor unto the L-rd” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald With this week's parasha, parashat Vayikra, we begin reading the third book of the Torah, Vayikra, which is…
The Sabbath of Remembering
This Shabbat is Shabbat Parashat Zachor, the Sabbath of Remembering. The Torah portion that is read as the Maftir (additional) portion, after the conclusion of the regular…
Yitro 5777-2017
“The Earthen Altar: Reaching up to Heaven" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald At the very end of this week’s parasha, parashat Yitro, immediately following the Ten Commandments, the…
If I Forget Thee
“If I forget thee O’ Jerusalem, let my right hand wither” (Psalms 137:5 -Im esh’kachech Yerushalayim, tishkach y’meenee)...poignantly expresses the Jewish people’s longing for Jerusalem.…
Bechukotai 5776-2016
“The Tochaycha–G-d’s Daunting Reproof of Israel" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Bechukotai, contains the first of two Tochaychot--תּוֹכֵחוֹת, G-d’s reproofs or…