Weekly Torah Reading, Kedoshim, April 30, 2022

Leviticus 19:1 to 20:27   Standing by My Word   This week’s reading begins with the much-discussed, perhaps over-discussed, commandment, “You shall be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” What’s not to understand? But in English we …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Aḥarei Mot, April 23, 2022

Leviticus 16:1-18:30 An Alternate Temple At the beginning of this week’s reading, the Holy One commands Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to enter the Holy of Holies (the most sacred part of the sanctuary) at any time… lest he …

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Weekly Torah Reading, the Shabbat Before Passover, April 9, 2022

Telling the Children   The whole purpose of the Passover seder (which is celebrated a week from today, on next Shabbat) is to carry out the biblical commandment for parents to tell their children about Israel’s enslavement in Egypt and …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Shabbat ha-Hodesh, April 2, 2022

April 2, 2022 In addition to this week’s regular Torah reading (Tazri‘a) in the annual cycle, this Shabbat also includes two special readings, one to mark the first day of the new month (Shabbat Rosh Hodesh) which falls on this …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Shemini, March 26, 2022

Leviticus 9:1-11:47 Aaron’s Silence   Why were Aaron’s two sons, Nadab and Abihu, struck dead in the desert tabernacle (mishkan)? Everything was all set for the inauguration of regular sacrificial worship in the mishkan, and then this tragedy—why?   The …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Vayyikra, Leviticus 1:1-5:26

Leviticus 1:1-5:26 Can a convert to Judaism keep his or her old name? Nowadays it is customary (though not obligatory) for someone who converts to Judaism to take on a Hebrew name, if only for the inside world of the …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Pekudei, March 5, 2022

Exodus 38:21-40:38 Why Keep Repeating?   A short comment on a short Torah reading, Pekudei:   In general, rabbinic interpreters (and some of their predecessors) shied away from recognizing any cases of repetition in the biblical text. “Every word counts” …

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Weekly Torah Reading Vayyakhel February 26, 2022

Exodus 35:1-38:20   The Real Sanctuary   It is customary in different Jewish communities to recite regularly a certain rabbinic saying—a saying found in the Mishnah which, on reflection, seems a bit odd:   “Rabbi Ḥananya ben ‘Akashya said: ‘The …

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