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 …
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 …
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,” …
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 …
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 …
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: …
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 …
Weekly Torah Reading (in Israel), Beha‘alotekha, June 11, 2022
Weekly Torah Reading (in Israel), Beha‘alotekha, June 11, 2022 The Good Old Days In the book of Ecclesiastes, the author advises, “Don’t say, ‘How has it come about that things were better in earlier times than now?’ for you …