Matot-Masei 5784-2024
“Taking a Stand Against the Banality of Evil” (updated and revised from Matot-Masei 5766-2006) by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Parashat Matot, the first of this week’s double parashiot,…
A Woman in Charge
Mizrachi Women’s Organization of America - MWOA (known today as AMIT- Americans for Israel and Torah) began as part of the religious Zionist organization known as Mizrachi of America. The…
Smashing the Tablets
The sages declare that five tragedies occurred on the Seventeenth of Tammuz, today's date which we observe as a fast day. Days of what we might now call “bad karma” (on which bad things…
Pinchas 5784-2024
"Whatever Became of the Sons of Korach” (updated and revised from Pinchas 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Pinchas, opens with the Al-mighty’s…
Written for Their Sons
Imagine traveling forward 500 years in time and discovering multitudes of people studying something you had written for your child. Imagine walking into a bookstore and finding multiple…
A Day to Firgun
In the age of the internet there seem to be an incredible number of new “holidays.” This coming week alone we “celebrate” National Caviar Day (18th), Moonday (20th) and National Junk Food…
Balak 5784-2024
“Bilaam, Prophet to the Nations” (updated and revised from Balak 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The Jews and their philosophers have long been troubled by the concept of the…
Miraculous Water
Human beings have several basic needs: food, water and protection from the elements. In the desert, these necessities can be difficult to come by. During the Children of Israel’s sojourn…
Chukat 5784-2024
“Moses gets Battered by the Commentaries” (updated and revised from Chukat 5765-2005) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Chukat, we learn of the sin of מֵי…
Korach 5784-2024
“Lessons from the Rebels” (updated and revised from Korach 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Korach, we learn of the infamous rebellion of Korach…