v’Zot Habracha-Simchat Torah 5770-2009
"The Confluence of v'Zot Habracha and the Holiday" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The festival of Simchat Torah, the rejoicing with the Law, is one of two major festivals during which we…
Vayakhel-Pekudei 5773-2013
"The Jewish Connection" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald With this week’s double parashiot, Vayakhel-Pekudei, the reading of the Book of Exodus is concluded. The exacting architectural and…
Masei 5774-2014
“On the Road: The Lessons of Hindsight” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Masei, concludes the fourth book of the Torah, the Book of Numbers. Parashat…
Va’etchanan 5764-2004
"The Dialectic of Body and Soul" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Va'etchanan, we encounter several weighty and significant texts. Among the most prominent…
v’Zot Habracha-Simchat Torah 5776-2015
“The Confluence of v’Zot Habracha and the Holiday” (originally posted in 5770-2009) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The festival of Simchat Torah, the rejoicing with the Law, is one of two…
Behar,Bechukotai,Weekly Message
Behar-Bechukotai 5769-2009
"Impoverishment: In those Days, in these Times" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Until the recent financial meltdown, it was difficult to conceive of impoverishment, especially in the Jewish…
Behar,Weekly Message,Bechukotai
Behar-Bechukotai 5781-2021
“The Extraordinary Mitzvah of Tzedakah--Charity” (updated and revised from Behar-Bechukotai 5762-2002) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Once again, this week, we read two combined parashiot…
Acharei Mot,Weekly Message,Kedoshim
Acharei Mot-Kedoshim 5770-2010
"Loving Thy Neighbor" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Kedoshim, the second of this week's double parashiot -- Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, we read the famous, indeed, revolutionary…
Judaism,Passover Resources,Passover,Literacy ResourcesLiteracy,Judaism,Passover
The Seder Plate
The Seder Plate With today’s vast variety of Passover products, grape flavored matzah, chocolate covered matzah, and…
Pinchas 5783-2023
“The Conundrum of Pinchas: Do His Actions Set an Unacceptable Precedent?” (updated and revised from Pinchas 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Pinchas,…