Va’eira 5765-2005

"Teaching a New Reality About Divine Power Through The Ten Plagues" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Va'eira, we learn of the first seven plagues that…

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Bo 5768-2008

"Is This What You Call Borrowing?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Bo we learn that after the ninth plague, the plague of darkness, Pharaoh has reached his wit's end, and agrees…

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B’shalach 5769-2009

"Pharaoh Sends the People of Israel out of Egypt" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat B'shalach opens with a well-known verse describing Israel's dramatic exodus from Egypt. The Bible,…

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Terumah-Purim 5760-2000

"The Mishkan: Underscoring the Centrality of the Home in Jewish Life" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, Parashat Terumah, we begin a series of four parashiot…

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Shelach 5764-2004

"Where Did the Spies Go Wrong?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Shelach, G-d tells Moses (Numbers 13:2): "Sh'lach l'chah ah'nah'shim, v'yah'too'roo et Eretz…

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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…

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Terumah 5779-2019

“The Mishkan: Underscoring the Centrality of the Home in Jewish Life” (Revised and updated from Terumah 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week’s parasha, parashat…

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Bo 5761-2001

"The Slave Mentality" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, parashat Bo, concludes the narrative of the ten plagues by recounting the final three plagues, locusts,…

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Toledot 5762-2001

"The Deception of Isaac" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Toledot, we encounter in Genesis 27 the well known story of Isaac's attempt to bless Esau.…

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Shelach 5781-2021

“What’s in a Name?” (updated and revised from Shelach 5762-2002) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s Torah portion, parashat Shelach, the Torah recounts the fateful saga of the…

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