Bereshith 5778-2017
“The Torah Promotes the Work Ethic” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Bereshith, after six days of creating the world, G-d rested on the seventh day, blessed it and designated it…
Noah 5778-2017
“Rebuilding the World Through the Children of Noah” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Although this week’s parasha, parashat Noah, focuses primarily on the Flood, it also traces the history of…
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…
Vayeira 5778-2017
“The Alliance with Abimelech” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Vayeira, is a rich parasha containing many important topics, including the destruction of Sodom,…
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…
Tetzaveh 5778-2018
“The Brothers: Moses and Aaron” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Tetzaveh deals almost exclusively with the Kehuna, the office of the priesthood. It focuses on the priests’…
Kee Tisah 5778-2018
Safeguarding the Covenant by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, focuses primarily on the sin of the Golden Calf and Moses' successful invocation of…
Naso 5778-2018
“Counting the ‘Special’ People” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In last week’s parasha, parashat Bamidbar, after conducting a census of all the tribes of Israel and assigning each tribe a…
Chukat 5778-2018
"The People of Israel are Taught to be More Independent" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Chukat, opens with the laws of the פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה, Parah Adumah, the…
Va’eira 5780-2019
“G-d Hardens Pharaoh's Heart: Reconciling Omniscience with Free Will” (revised and updated from Va’eira 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Va'eira,…