Cruel and Unusual Punishment
One of the most repeated instructions in the Torah is that judges must do everything possible to provide equitable justice. In Deuteronomy 1, Moses reiterated this point once again,…
Reward and Punishment
While the existence of Divine reward and punishment is one of the primary tenets of Jewish faith, the question always arises: Why do the righteous suffer and the wicked appear to…
Tzav 5767-2007
"Karayt--The Dreaded Heavenly Punishment" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Warning: This week's Dvar Torah is not for the fainthearted. In this week's parasha, parashat Tzav, the Al-mighty…
Mishpatim 5772-2012
"Capital Punishment: Revenge or Restitution?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald With fifty-three commandments--thirty negative and twenty-three positive, parashat Mishpatim ranks fourth among…
Mishpatim 5777-2017
“Majority Rule " This week’s parasha, parashat Mishpatim, is one of the most content-rich parashiot in the entire Torah. Mishpatim, which literally means “laws” or “rules,” serves as the…
Mishpatim 5773-2013
"Judaism’s Take on ‘Majority Rules’" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Mishpatim is a treasure-trove of Jewish law that serves as the basis for much of Jewish…
Off With His Head
Capital punishment is one of the modern era’s great controversies. Does a judicial system have the right to sentence a person to death? Like most such controversial topics, similar…
Matot-Masei 5773-2013
“Pinchas Avenges the Midianites” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In last week’s parasha, parashat Pinchas, we read of how Pinchas the son of Elazar kills Zimri and Cozbi, who had performed a…
Emor 5772-2012
"Lessons from a Priest’s Wanton Daughter" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Emor, highlights the special status of the Kohanim, the priests, in the community of…
Masei 5765-2005
"The Role of Witnesses and Testimony" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As last year was a leap year, this year is one of the rare occasions where, outside of Israel, parashat Masei is read…