Ritual Unites
Jewish rituals work, and given their uniformity throughout the Jewish world, unite Jews around the globe.
Shoftim 5761-2001
"Security for Citizens and Caring for Guests" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Shoftim, Deuteronomy 21, we encounter the ritual of the Eglah Arufah,…
Chukat-Balak 5766-2006
"The Sanctity of Human Life" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In the first of this week's two parashiot, Chukat-Balak, we learn of the law of the Parah Adumah, the Red Heifer. In Numbers…
Metzorah,Weekly Message,Tazria
Tazria-Metzorah 5777-2017
“Insights to be Gleaned from the Metzorah, the Person Stricken with the Tzaraat Disease" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s double parasha, Tazria-Metzorah, we learn of the…
Sukkot I 5767-2006
"Sukkot - The Festival of Joy" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald The festival of Sukkot is regarded as the most joyous of all the Jewish holidays. In fact, there is not a single reference in the…
Metzorah,Tazria,Weekly Message
Tazria-Metzorah 5773-2013
"Ritual Impurity and Tzaraat: A Contemporary Understanding" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s double parashiot, Tazria and Metzorah, are among the most complex Torah portions for…
Naso,All Audience,Weekly Message
Naso 5780-2020
The Ordeal of the Sotah -- Barbaric or Enlightened? (Revised and Updated from Parashat Naso 5761-2001) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s Torah portion, Naso, with 176 verses, is…
Shoftim 5780-2020
"Security for Citizens and Caring for Guests” (updated and revised from parashat Shoftim 5761-2001) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Shoftim, we encounter…
Metzorah 5779-2019
“The Ultimate Value and Sanctity of Human Life in Judaism” (Revised and updated from Metzorah 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Metzorah, continues the…
Naso 5761-2001
"The Ordeal of the Sotah - Barbaric or Enlightened?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's Torah portion, Naso, with 176 verses, is the longest parasha of the Torah, and always…