Weekly Torah Reading, Bereshit, October 17, 2020

Genesis 1:1-6:9 Blind Luck   This week’s reading opens with an account of the creation of the world, including the creation of the first two human beings, Adam and Eve. These chapters are so significant that we tend to overlook …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Shemini ‘Atzeret/ Simḥat Torah, October 10, 2020

The Eternal Return   Within the land of Israel, the end of the seven-day Sukkot festival is followed by a special, one-day festival, Shemini ‘Atzeret, the “Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly.” But since Jews living outside of Israel must observe …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Ha’azinu, September 26, 2020

Deuteronomy 32:1-52   Changing Direction This week’s reading consists of Moses’ farewell song, known in Hebrew by its first word Ha’azinu (“Give ear!”). In it, Moses recounts Israel’s prior history, starting back in “days of yore,” when things were fine, …

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Rosh ha-Shanah, September 19-20, 2020

Realizing the Distance   Rosh ha-Shanah means, literally, “the beginning of the year.” But it’s an interesting fact that this name never occurs in the Torah, in fact, this name for the New Year’s festival never occurs anywhere in the …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Nitzavim-Vayyyelekh, Sept. 12, 2020

Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30 Tribes of Just One   “Today, you are all standing before the Lord your God,” this week’s reading opens, “your chiefs, your tribes, your elders, your officials, every man of Israel.” But there’s something wrong with this list …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Ki Tavo, September 5, 2020

Deuteronomy 26:1-28:69 By the Book   This week’s reading contains a curious provision. Moses instructs the Israelites that as soon as they cross the Jordan River to enter their future homeland, they are to write down the words of “this …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Ki Tetze, August 29, 2020

Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19   The Slave’s Lot   Most people know that slavery was an accepted institution in many parts of the ancient world. In Israel, there was no debtors’ prison: among other ways, a person could become a slave if …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Shofetim, August 22, 2020

Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9   Chasing the Hard-to-Catch   I suspect many speakers of modern Hebrew are fooled by the second word in this week’s Torah reading. In today’s Israel, shoterim are policemen—and this same root also underlies the collective mishtarah, “police.” …

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