Once again we have a double parasha this week. According to our minhag, we’ll read a bit from the first third of both parshas, depending on what catches our eye and looks intriguing. It must be admitted, though, that the first several verses of parashat Behar already contain a world. “The Eternal spoke to Moshe on Mount Sinai saying, speak toContinue reading “parashat Behar-Behukotai: what does shemitta have to do with Mt. Sinai?”
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parashat Emor 5773, and 32nd Day of the Omer
This week’s parashat hashavua is called Emor, “speak”. As in, “G-d said to Moshe, speak to the children of Israel and say to them….” – a not-uncommon idea in the four books of the Torah in which Moshe is a primary figure. In this case, however, G-d is telling Moshe to speak to a particularContinue reading “parashat Emor 5773, and 32nd Day of the Omer”
Parashat Akharei Mot-Kedoshim: Reason to Live
This week we read a doubled parasha, just as we did last week. The words that provide the title of the first parashah are Akharei Mot – “after the death”. The words refer to the deaths of Nadav and Abihu, Aaron’s two sons who died suddenly, without warning, tragically, only a few verses of Torah ago. The second parashah is named Kedoshim – “holy ones”, takenContinue reading “Parashat Akharei Mot-Kedoshim: Reason to Live”
parashat Tazria-Metzora: Jews At Our Best Are Women
The opening of this week’s double parashat hashavua, linking Tazria and Metzora, begins with a passage which is often understood as negative, even misogynist. A woman giving birth goes into seclusion: “she shall be impure” for a time, and then her period of “blood purification” will continue for thirty-three days upon the birth of a boy, and sixty-six upon a girl’sContinue reading “parashat Tazria-Metzora: Jews At Our Best Are Women”
parashat Shemini: Tragedy
In parashat Shemini, the Jewish world’s Torah reading for this week, the long process of building the first Jewish sanctuary – the mishkan – is completed, the priests – Aaron and his four sons – are ordained, the mishkan is dedicated, and the first sacrifices are finally being brought. The Israelites are thrilled to see the work of the entire community brought toContinue reading “parashat Shemini: Tragedy”
The Shabbat of Hol HaMo’ed Pesakh: The Door is Still Open
The parashat hashavua for this Shabbat depends on which day of Pesakh we are in. This year, since Pesakh began on Monday night, we are deep into the hol hamo’ed part ofPesakh, the “normal” part of the Festival of our Freedom (and our Matzah). “Normal”, in this context, means neither the first two days nor the last day of theContinue reading “The Shabbat of Hol HaMo’ed Pesakh: The Door is Still Open”
Pesakh: You Must Remember This
The following is a teaching of Rabbi Yehudah Leib Alter of Ger (1847-1905), author of the Sefat Emet, a book of his insights into the parashat hashavua and also the Jewish holy days. This is an edited paraphrase of one of his Pesakh teachings: Of Pesakh it says, “this day will be a remembrance for you” (Ex.12.14) and “so thatContinue reading “Pesakh: You Must Remember This”
The Shabbat before Pesakh: a Big Deal
This Shabbat is called HaGadol (“The Great Shabbat”) because it is the last before Pesakh and there is so much to review and reinforce of the halakha of Pesakh. It is also the Shabbat on which we read parashat Tzav, “command”. In a neat little nutshell these two terms cover much ground. gadol – the word means “big”, and alsoContinue reading “The Shabbat before Pesakh: a Big Deal”
The Meaning of Sacrifice
On this Shabbat we begin the Book VaYikra (in English, “Leviticus”, because the book is really an instruction manual for the Levites and Kohanim, priests). This book records for us the ancient ritual of sacrifices as they were offered to our G-d (other sacrifices offered in specifically different ways were offered to other gods). What are we, two thousand yearsContinue reading “The Meaning of Sacrifice”
parashat Ki Tisa/Parah 5773
The coincidence of reading parashat Ki Tisa and the special text for Shabbat Parah on the same Shabbat brings us, among other things, an embarrassment of cows. The weekly parashah has brought us to the narrative of Moshe on the mountain with G-d, receiving the teaching that will serve as the document of the Covenant between G-d and the Israelites.Continue reading “parashat Ki Tisa/Parah 5773”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 