In this week’s parashah, the scene is set at the beginning: אַתֶּ֨ם נִצָּבִ֤ים הַיּוֹם֙ כֻּלְּכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י ה’ אֱלֹ-יכֶ֑ם רָאשֵׁיכֶ֣ם שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֗ם זִקְנֵיכֶם֙ וְשֹׁ֣טְרֵיכֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ל אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל You stand this day, all of you, before your G!d ‘ה —your tribal heads, your elders, and your officials, every person in Israel (Deut. 29.9) The narrative which follows indicatesContinue reading “Shabbat Nitzavim: Be Consoled”
Monthly Archives: September 2025
Shabbat Ki Tavo: Two Jews, Three Opinions
In this week’s parashah the sense of Deuteronomy’s perspective – different from that of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers – is noticeable. In the last third of the reading, as we read according to the Triennial Cycle, there is evidence of an ancient division among our people. אֵ֠לֶּה יַֽעַמְד֞וּ לְבָרֵ֤ךְ אֶת־הָעָם֙ עַל־הַ֣ר גְּרִזִ֔ים בְּעׇבְרְכֶ֖ם אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן שִׁמְעוֹן֙Continue reading “Shabbat Ki Tavo: Two Jews, Three Opinions”
Shabbat Ki Tetze: Respecting Boundaries
וְזָכַרְתָּ֗ כִּ֣י עֶ֤בֶד הָיִ֙יתָ֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וַֽיִּפְדְּךָ֛ ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ מִשָּׁ֑ם עַל־כֵּ֞ן אָנֹכִ֤י מְצַוְּךָ֙ לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה Remember that you were a slave in Egypt and that your God ה redeemed you from there; therefore do I enjoin you to observe this commandment. (Deut. 24.18) Our teacher Gershon Winkler has pointed out that the Hebrew word forContinue reading “Shabbat Ki Tetze: Respecting Boundaries”
Shabbat Shoftim: Judges and Us (Not Police)
צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽחְיֶה֙ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you. (Deut. 16.20) On this Shabbat Shoftim I have a hiddush to share with you. In Torah study, a hiddush – חידוש – isContinue reading “Shabbat Shoftim: Judges and Us (Not Police)”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 