Weekly Torah Reading, ‘Ekev, August 20, 2022

Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25   Not Only Bread This week’s Torah reading includes a famous saying. Human beings do not live “by bread alone,” that is, we don’t survive merely by the material things of life. Rather, we survive thanks to the …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Devarim, August 6, 2022

  Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22   An Ox and a Donkey Know This week’s Torah reading, from the beginning of the book of Deuteronomy, is always read on the Shabbat preceding the Ninth of Av (Tish‘ah be-Av), a day of mourning that …

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Weekly Torah Reading (In Israel), Mas‘ei, July 30, 2022

Weekly Torah Reading (in Israel), Mas‘ei, July 30, 2022 Numbers 33:1-36:13   The Lex Talionis One of the most widespread legal principles in the ancient world was the lex [or “ius”] talionis, the law [or “right”] of retribution. A person …

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Weekly Torah Reading (in Israel), Mattot, July 23, 2022

Numbers 30:2-32:42 Taking Care of Business   In this week’s reading, Moses is commanded to punish the Midianites for their role in leading Israel astray with the Midianite women. The blunt language hardly requires explanation. “Exact revenge from the Midianites,” …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Balak and Pinehas, July 16, 2022

Weekly Torah Reading (in Israel) Pineḥas, July 16, 2022 Numbers 25:10-30:1 The Return of Pineḥas   Last week’s Torah reading ended with a certain Israelite hero slaying a flagrantly offending couple, thereby turning aside God’s wrath. The name of the hero …

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Weekly Torah Reading (in Israel) Balak, July 9, 2022 (outside Israel) Hukkat

Numbers 22:2-25:9 A People Dwelling Apart? In this week’s Torah reading, the pagan seer Balaam is hired to curse the people of Israel, but every time he tries, he ends up blessing them instead. In the first of these blessings …

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Weekly Torah Reading, (In Israel), Hukkat ha-Torah, July 2, 2022

  Numbers, 19:1-22:1   Strike the Rock   This week’s reading relates that, toward the end of their forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites ran out of water. They complained bitterly to their leaders, Moses and Aaron: …

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Weekly Torah Reading, (In Israel and Outside), July 2, 2022

Weekly Torah Reading, (In Israel), Hukkat July 2, 2022 Numbers 19:1-22:1 Overconfident This week’s reading relates that, toward the end of their forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites ran out of water. They complained bitterly to their …

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