Our parashat hashavua this week, Pekudey, could be known as “the Accountants’ Parashah”. Pekudey means “records”, and our text begins with אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת, אֲשֶׁר פֻּקַּד עַל-פִּי מֹשֶׁה: עֲבֹדַת, הַלְוִיִּם, בְּיַד אִיתָמָר, בֶּן-אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן These are the accounts of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of the Testimony, as they were rendered under Moses’s supervision: the work done by the Levites, under Itamar, son of AaronContinue reading “Shabbat Pekudey: Get Over Yourself and Go Learn”
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Shabbat Shekalim: the power of a half-shekel
As of our hearing the haftarah chanted on Shabbat tomorrow, we begin the formal countdown to Pesakh. Yes, we have not celebrated Purim yet; but Purim, as much fun as it can be, is a minor holiday, and we are beginning to prepare for the most important Festival of the year. Pesakh, the commemoration ofContinue reading “Shabbat Shekalim: the power of a half-shekel”
Shabbat Ki Tisa: You, Too, Belong to Shabbat
This parashat hashavua is famous for a terrible breach in the relationship between G-d and the People Israel. That golden calf tends to overshadow the rest of the parashah even for those of us on the Triennial Cycle, who only read that specific passage once in three years! This year we read the first thirdContinue reading “Shabbat Ki Tisa: You, Too, Belong to Shabbat”
Shabbat Tetzaveh: The Gold and the Wood
This week’s parashah, called Tetzaveh, describes the blueprint for the sacred space that the Israelites are commanded to create so that the Presence of G-d might be immanent in their midst. For the ancient Israelites, there is much excitement in defining and beautifying every little detail of this special place. And hiddur mitzvah, the urgeContinue reading “Shabbat Tetzaveh: The Gold and the Wood”
Shabbat Terumah: Keep the Fire Burning
In parashat Terumah we read of the ner tamid. You have perhaps noticed this light, since its direct descendant brings illumination in every shul in the world, usually somewhere near the Ark. It is often referred to as the “Eternal Light”. But as we look at the verse that presents it, we see something aContinue reading “Shabbat Terumah: Keep the Fire Burning”
Shabbat Mishpatim: Kavanah is in the Details
In contrast to other religious paths, Judaism offers spiritual growth within a clear and coherent framework. The word halakhah – our “path” – is understood more commonly as our “law” because of the many mitzvot (“obligations”) which serve us as signposts along the way. Our parashat hashavua for this week contains fifty-three such mitzvot, and eachContinue reading “Shabbat Mishpatim: Kavanah is in the Details”
Shabbat Yitro: What Makes a Jewish Leader?
Our parashat hashavua is Yitro. This parashah, in which we find described the revelation of the Jewish path symbolized by the Ten Words, is not named “Great Moments At Sinai” but Yitro [usually vocalized as Jethro in English], which is the name of Moshe’s father in law. Yitro is a Midianite priest – and so our parashahContinue reading “Shabbat Yitro: What Makes a Jewish Leader?”
Shabbat BeShalakh: Birds, Trees, and Song
Shabbat BeShalakh describes a moment in Jewish religious history that still reverberates throughout our study and practice. This is the parashah which retells our exodus out of Egypt. We tell the story over and over again: * in the Shabbat Kiddush over wine: ki hu yom mikra’ey kodesh, zekher l’tziyat Mitzrayim – “this is aContinue reading “Shabbat BeShalakh: Birds, Trees, and Song”
Shabbat Bo: It Starts Here
Our parashat hashavua is significant in several ways, one of which is that starting here, the Torah begins to be full of the 613 mitzvot that it is so famous for. Up until this point, there has been a narrative describing generations of Israelites, but next to no commands. The famous medieval commentator Rashi asksContinue reading “Shabbat Bo: It Starts Here”
Shabbat Shemot 5776: what do you see in that bush?
One of the useful things about Torah is that every word of the sacred document has been pored over for so many generations, by so many devoted readers, that the commentaries are legion, and a well-worn path of interpretation lies before us as we in our own day consider what insights our Torah might divulge.Continue reading “Shabbat Shemot 5776: what do you see in that bush?”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 