Parashat Ki Tisa: Golden Calf
Ki-Tisa (“When You Elevate”) opens as God tells Moses to collect a half-shekel donation from all Israelites and to anoint the Mishkan (Tabernacle), its vessels, and the priests. The Israelites worship the golden calf and Moses breaks the tablets. Moses beseeches God to forgive, and returns with a second set of tablets.
Parashat Tetzaveh: Priestly Garments
Parashat Tetzaveh reports God’s commands to bring olive oil for the lamp (מְנוֹרָה, Menorah), make sacred garments for the priests, conduct an ordination ceremony, and make an incense altar.
Parashat Terumah: Tabernacle Plans
Terumah (“Donation”) opens as God tells Moses to collect donated materials in order to build a dwelling place for God called the Mishkan (Tabernacle). God describes how to build the vessels that will fill the Mishkan – including the ark, table, menorah, and sacrificial altar – as well as the Mishkan’s walls and curtains.
Parashat Mishpatim: Laws and Justice
Parashat Mishpatim sets out a series of laws, which some scholars call the Covenant Code. It reports the people’s acceptance of the covenant with God.
Simchat Torah
Dancing with joy as we celebrate the cycle of Torah reading
The Gifts of the Torah
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֘ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֒ – Observe and practice כִּ֣י הִ֤וא חָכְמַתְכֶם֙ וּבִ֣ינַתְכֶ֔ם לְעֵינֵ֖י הָעַמִּ֑ים- For it is your wisdom and intelligence in the eyes of the nations אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֚ת כָּל־הַחֻקִּ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה – Who, upon hearing all these laws וְאָמְר֗וּ רַ֚ק עַם־חָכָ֣ם וְנָב֔וֹן הַגּ֥וֹי הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּֽה – Will say “this great nation is wise and intelligent.” This […]
Sweet, Sweet Torah!
Moshe mobilized the Israelites away from the Sea of Reeds. They came out to the desert of Shur, and they walked three days in the dessert, without finding water. They came to [the lake of] Marah, but they could not drink the water of Marah, for they were bitter, therefore it was named Marah. The […]
You and God
First Two of the Ten Concepts וַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֗ת אֵ֚ת דִּבְרֵ֣י הַבְּרִ֔ית עֲשֶׂ֖רֶת הַדְּבָרִֽים He [Moshe] wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten concepts (Ex. 34:28) This passage teaches us that the term “Ten Commandments” is a misnomer. There are two other references to the Ten Commandments (Deut. 4:13 and 10:4), and […]
The Book of life
The Torah is the Book of Life, and, as we understand in retrospect, the Tree of Life. It is the forbidden fruit which God denies humanity so it will be able to discover it on its own. In the opening chapters of Genesis, the story of creation is told in two fabulously contradicting versions. The […]
