Kee Tisah 5780-2020

“The Levites and the Golden Calf: Transcending One’s Own Nature” (Updated and revised from Kee Tisah 5761-2001)   by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   In this week’s parasha, parashat…

Read More

Tzav 5779-2019

"Remembering Amalek: A Contemporary View” (Revised and updated from Tzav 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Rather than focus on this coming week’s parasha, parashat Tzav, I have…

Read More

Vayakhel 5779-2019

"Jewish Women and Jewish Destiny" (Revised and updated from Vayakhel 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The vast majority of this week’s parasha, parashat Vayakhel, deals with…

Read More

Mishpatim 5779-2019

“From Seemingly Obscure Laws, the Torah Teaches the Ultimate Value of the Sanctity of Human Life”(Revised and updated from Mishpatim 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming…

Read More

B’shalach 5779-2019

“The שִׁירָה --Shira: The Source of All Song” (Revised and updated from B'shalach 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week’s parasha, parashat B’shalach, we encounter…

Read More

Devarim 5778-2018

“The Final Rebuke"   With this week’s parasha, parashat Devarim, we begin to read the fifth and final book of the Torah. The book of Deuteronomy is known in rabbinic literature as…

Read More

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…

Read More

Yitro 5778-2018

“Striving as a Jewish Ideal” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   In this week’s parasha, parashat Yitro, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law advises Moses to delegate authority when he sits in…

Read More

Sukkot 5778-2017

“Jewish Unity and the Festival of Sukkot” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Of all the Jewish holidays, the one holiday that is singled out as a “Festival of Joy” is Sukkot. As the Torah in…

Read More

Yom Kippur 5778-2017

According to tradition, the Torah was given to the People of Israel at Mount Sinai in the Hebrew year 2448 (1312 BCE), on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan. On the seventh day of…

Read More