Matot-Masei 5770-2010

"Do Not Pollute the Land...Do Not Defile the Land" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In the second of this week's double parashiot, Matot-Masei, the Torah describes the contours of the Levite…

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Kee Teitzei 5777-2017

“Lessons from the Wayward Son” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Kee Teitzei, we learn of the law of the “Ben soh’rayr oo’moh’reh,”  בֵּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה ,…

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Lech Lecha 5762-2001

"Understanding Ishmael" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Lech Lecha, we encounter the birth of Abrams's oldest son, Ishmael. The bible, in Genesis 15, tells…

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Yom Kippur-The Day

Yom Kippur - The Day Table of Contents Customs and Laws Yom Kippur Prayers Focusing on Vidui Afternoon Service Yizkor…

Bo 5769-2009

"It's Payback Time!" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In the concluding chapter of this week's parasha, parashat Bo, G-d commands Moses to inform the people to sanctify the firstborn. The…

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Re’eh 5765-2005

"The Sanctity of Land and its Implications" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Among the topics discussed in this coming week's parasha, parashat Re'eh, is the sanctity of the Land of Israel.…

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Chayei Sarah 5775-2014

“Are Marriages Made in Heaven?” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Chayei Sarah, we read of the death and burial of Sarah, and of Abraham’s concern in his old…

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Va’etchanan 5764-2004

"The Dialectic of Body and Soul" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Va'etchanan, we encounter several weighty and significant texts. Among the most prominent…

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Eikev 5769-2009

"Feeding the Animals–Beasts and Humans" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Eikev, we encounter the well known second paragraph of the daily Shema prayer…

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Va’etchanan 5781-2021

“Loving the Land of Israel” (Updated and revised from Va’etchanan 5762-2002) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s Torah portion, parashat Va’etchanan, is an extremely rich parasha.…

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