Weekly Torah Reading, Beha‘alotekha, June 22, 2024
Numbers 8:1-12:16 The Inverted Nuns This week’s reading includes a minor oddity, one that has puzzled scholars from ancient times to the present. Numbers 10:33-34 reports that when the Israelites left Mount Sinai, they traveled for three days …
Weekly Torah Reading, Naso, June 15, 2024
Numbers 4:21-7:89 The Priestly Blessing (bis) Among all the different items covered in this week’s reading is a brief commandment to Aaron and his sons. As is well known, Aaron’s sons will henceforth be the kohanim, the hereditary priests …
Weekly Torah Reading: Shavu‘ot, June 12, 2024
Weekly Torah Reading: Shavu‘ot, June 12, 2024 Half the Story The festival of Shavu‘ot, which starts tonight, commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. It is marked nowadays with special celebrations and readings in synagogue, and many …
Weekly Torah Reading, BeMidbar, June 8, 2024
Numbers 1:1-4:20 Without Looking This week’s Torah reading begins with a detailed census of Israel’s tribes. However, the Levites are not included in the census; they are listed separately afterwards. According to the Torah, there were three main …
Weekly Torah Reading, Be-ḥukkotai, June 1, 2024
Leviticus 26:3-27:34 Very, Very Much During this time of year, many congregations make a practice of reading successive chapters from Pirkei Avot, the “Sayings of the Fathers.” Among the book’s various wise sayings, one in particular catches the eye: …
Weekly Torah Reading, Emor, May 18, 2024
Leviticus 21:1 – 24:23 Number One, Forever This week’s reading includes a detailed list of the holy days (mo‘adim) that make up Israel’s sacred calendar—Passover, Shavuot, and so forth. “These are the Lord’s fixed times,” God tells Moses, “which …
Weekly Torah Reading, Kedoshim, May 11, 2024
Leviticus 19:1-20:27 To Love Your Neighbor No doubt the most famous verse in this week’s reading, Kedoshim, is Lev 19:18, “You shall love your neighbor like yourself.” Rabbi Akiva declared that this verse was nothing less than the “great …
Weekly Torah Reading, Shabbat ha-Gadol, April 20, 2024
Some Tips for the Haggadah The whole reason for having a Passover seder is to carry out the Torah’s commandment, “And you shall tell your children” about the exodus from Egypt. But telling your children is often not so …