Toledot 5769-2008
"The Blessings of a Tzaddik" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Toledot, we read of Isaac's desire to bless Esau, and Rebecca's scheme to divert the blessing to…
Shoftim 5769-2009
"The Torah Declares War on Bribery" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Shoftim, we again encounter the Torah's emphatic injunction against taking bribes.…
Va’etchanan 5766-2006
"A Small Verse that Started a Mighty Revolution" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Some weekly Torah portions are considered particularly significant by virtue of the large number of mitzvot…
Matot-Masei 5766-2006
"Taking a Stand Against the Banality of Evil" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In the first of this week's double parashiot, Matot-Masei, we read of the battle that the people of Israel waged…
Haazinu 5762-2001
"The Ten Days of Teshuvah: A Propitious Time for Repentance" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald On Wednesday night, September 26th, the tenth of Tishrei, Jews the world over will gather in…
Yom Kippur 5760-1999
"How does G-d Judge?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald How does one prepare for Yom Kippur, the Day of Judgment, when our deeds of the past year, and especially the past week, are evaluated…
Chayei Sarah 5772-2011
“The Mystery of Machpelah” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Chayei Sarah, we read of the passing of Abraham’s wife, the matriarch Sarah, at age 127, and her…