Terumah 5769-2009
"The Delicate Balance" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Terumah, begins a series of four and a half parashiot that deal extensively with erecting the Mishkan,…
Metzorah 5784-2024
Urgent message: It’s hard to believe that more than six months have passed since the murderous attack on October 7th, and that the most challenging situation in Israel continues, with…
Weekly Message,Passover,Uncategorized
Passover 2024-5784
Urgent message: It’s hard to believe that after all these months since the murderous attack on October 7th, that the most challenging situation in Israel continues, not only with little…
Tetzaveh 5768-2008
"Clothes Make the Person" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Tetzaveh, we read about the priestly vestments--the clothes that the kohanim wore when they served…
Vayakhel,Pekudei,Weekly Message
Vayakhel-Pekudei 5764-2004
"Celebrating the Month of Nisan" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming Shabbat, the final Shabbat in the Hebrew month of Adar, is also known as Shabbat Parashat HaChodesh. An…
Behar,Weekly Message,Bechukotai
Behar-Bechukotai 5761-2001
"Setting A New Standard of Ethics" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald This coming week, we once again read two parashiot, Behar and Bechukotai. In parashat Behar, Leviticus 25, verse 14, we find…
Bamidbar 5770-2010
"The Meaning of the Wilderness" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The fourth book of the Torah, Bamidbar, opens with the following words (Numbers 1:1): "Vah'y'dah'bayr Hashem el Moshe…
Naso 5760-2000
"Traditional Judaism: Fundamentalist or Ascetic" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Naso, we encounter the curious law of the Nazir, the Nazarite. In…
Pinchas 5767-2007
"Rosh Chodesh, the Modest Holiday" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Pinchas opens with the Al-mighty praising Pinchas, grandson of Aaron the High Priest, for fatally stabbing Zimri,…
Passover I 5765-2005
"In Every Generation" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Although the scheduled Torah portion for this week is Acharei Mot, I would like to dwell on the theme of Passover, since the festival…