Eikev 5761-2001

"The Intermarriage Conundrum" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The opening verses of this week's parasha, parashat Eikev, conclude the theme that was the focus of the final part of last…

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Vayeira 5769-2008

"'Shalom Bayit', Little White Lies" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Vayeira, Abraham receives the stunning news from the three "guests" whom he has welcomed into his home, that…

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The Fast Of Gedaliah (Tzom Gedaliah)

Tzom GedaliahThe Fast of Gedaliah Table of Contents What When Do’s & Dont’s What The Fast of Gedaliah is…

Yitro 5773-2013

"The Third Commandment: Against Perjury and Profane Swearing" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Yitro, we encounter the first of the two references to the Ten…

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Eikev 5780-2020

“The Intermarriage Conundrum” (updated and edited from parashat Eikev 5761-2001) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The opening verses of this week’s parasha, parashat Eikev, conclude the…

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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…

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Shoftim 5777-2017

“Judaism and the Principle of the Sanctity of Human Life” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   This week’s parasha, parashat Shoftim, focuses, for the most part, on the principle of the…

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The Best Defense

The Mishna, as quoted in Sanhedrin 73a, says: “The following must be saved [from sinning] even at the cost of their lives: he who pursues his neighbor in order to slay him...” In other…

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Everything Except

A man is attacked by a gang of anti-semites. Totally drunk, they demand that the man eat a ham sandwich or else they will kill him. What should the victim do? According to Jewish law, he…

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Kee Teitzei 5760-2000

"Polygamy, Illegitimacy and Punishing the Innocent" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Kee Teizei, is the parasha that contains more mitzvot than any other parasha…

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