Torah
The word “Emor,” the name of this week’s Torah portion, means “speak.” In the Torah, God gives instruction to Moses to pass along to the priests. In other words, SPEAK to the priests. I’m translating Emor as “speak up.” The Department of Homeland Security tells us, “If you see something,…
There are, traditionally, 613 mitzvot in the Torah. Fifty One of them are found in this week’s parsha, Kedoshim. Kadosh, of course, means holiness. It’s the root of many words that are familiar- kiddush, the blessing over the wine, kaddish, the prayer that occurs in many forms in the prayerbook,…
The name of this week’s Torah portion is “Vaetchanan.” The word can be translated as- “I begged, I pleaded, I entreated.” It is a poignant and heartbreaking moment. Think about the times in your life when you wanted something so desperately that you begged, pleaded, or entreated someone for them? …
There is a lot of anger in this week’s Torah portion. Beginning with verbal commitments made by women which can be nullified by the men in their lives, to revenge taken against the Midianites, to the tribes that want to stay on the east side of the Jordan. Protection is…
This week’s parsha is named for Korach, who, in my humble opinion is one of the people in the Torah who gets a bad rap. What did Korach do that was so terrible? He challenged Moses’ authority, wondering who put Moses in charge and why leadership is not shared more…
Did you know that the word Elohim, God, and the word ha-tevah, nature, have the same numerical value in Hebrew? While Jews are not pantheistic, that is, we don’t believe that nature IS God, we certainly sense the deep and intimate connection between the Creator and the creation. Rabbi Joseph…
A couple of weeks ago, Ron and I were pondering a challenging situation, and he said something that I can’t stop thinking about. His comment was- “I don’t need to be right, I just want to be happy.” Personally, I so resist this wise perspective. I DO need to be…
This is probably an odd confession for a rabbi- I struggle with a sense of faith. As someone who is too often in the human tragedy business, I just can’t reconcile so much suffering as “God’s will.” I am not comforted by a thought that “Everything happens for a reason,”…
Parshat B’har speaks of fundamental issues of justice and equality. “And you shall proclaim liberty to all the inhabitants of the land, to all who dwell upon her,” the verse which adorns the Liberty Bell, has its source in this chapter. The text is concerned with distribution of resources, stressing…
Is it kosher to interrupt someone? According to an article by Kira Bindrim, “There are times when it’s okay to interrupt someone. If they have food on their face? If their dress is tucked into their tights. If a tsunami is coming up behind them. And there are times when…
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