Toledot 5775-2014
“Good Families Bad Children, Bad Families Good Children” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Toledot, we read of the birth of Esau and Jacob, the twin sons who…
Kee Tavo 5776-2016
“The Power of the Word אָמֵן--‘Amen’” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Kee Tavo, Moses prepares the Jewish people for the experiences that that they will soon…
Tetzaveh/Purim 5777-2017
“Transformations" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Almost half of this week’s entire parasha, fully 43 verses of parashat Tetzaveh, are devoted to the detailed description of the priestly…
Kee Teitzei 5777-2017
“Lessons from the Wayward Son” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Kee Teitzei, we learn of the law of the “Ben soh’rayr oo’moh’reh,” בֵּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה ,…
Vayishlach 5779-2018
“Jacob’s Challenging Life” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As this week’s parasha, parashat Vayishlach, opens, we find a fearful patriarch Jacob sending a huge tribute of flocks and…
Shemot 5768-2007
"Who Were the Midwives?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Shemot, we read that Pharaoh, king of Egypt, orders the Hebrew midwives to kill the male children as…
Harari. Michael Harari
Most people have never heard the name Michael “Mike” Harari. Given his vocation, he probably would approve of his anonymity. Born in Tel Aviv, Michael Harari (1927-2014), enlisted in the…
It’s About the Relationship
Marriage, in the construct of Jewish law, is a practical agreement by which, at its most basic, a woman is guaranteed support and protection and a man has the prospect of progeny to carry…
Cover Your Ears
Understanding proper speech, according to Jewish tradition, is critical to one’s personal development. Proper speech does not refer to manners or etiquette, but rather to avoiding a broad…
The Portuguese Dreyfus
The deathbed confession by his grandfather of a secret Jewish identity had a profound and life-changing effect on Captain Artur Carlos de Barros Basta (1887 - 1961). He began to educate…