Vayikra 5773-2013

"Achieving Spiritual Ascendance Through Sacrifice" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Vayikra, is the opening Torah portion of the book of Leviticus. As the Latin…

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Kee Tavo 5773-2013

"Not Rushing to Judgment" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Kee Tavo, we learn of the Jewish farmer’s obligation to bring Bikurim from the first produce of the…

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Vayeishev 5774-2013

"Reuben is Credited with Saving Joseph’s Life" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Joseph is dispatched by Jacob on a fateful mission to check on the well-being of his brothers who had gone to…

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Eikev 5775-2015

“‘D’vay’kut’--Bonding with the Al-mighty” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Eikev, we read of the deeply spiritual mitzvah of דְּבֵקוּת “D’vay’kut,” of…

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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’…

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Passover 5780-2020

“The Essential lessons of Chametz and Matzah” (Updated and Revised from Passover 5763-2003)   by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week, the normal weekly Torah portion is preempted by…

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Emor 5768-2008

"Creed or Deed" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The two opening chapters of parashat Emor, Leviticus 21 and 22, deal with laws that pertain to the Kohanim (priests) and to safeguarding the…

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Re’eh 5768-2008

"A Tale of Two Mountains" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Re'eh, Moses sets before the Jewish people a blessing and a curse, assuring them that the blessing…

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The 10th Cow

Parashat Chukat opens with the very cryptic and inexplicable law of the Red Heifer. This completely unblemished red calf, with no more than two non-red hairs, and that had never been…

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Mordecai Manuel Noah

While one of the founding principles of the United States of America is freedom of religion, any historian would agree that in the early days this was often more principle than practice.…

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