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 …

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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 …

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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 …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Shemini, April 6, 2024

Leviticus 9:1 – 11:47   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 Torah …

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Weekly Torah Reading Shabbat Zakhor, March 23, 2024

  Exodus 27:20-30:10, Deuteronomy 25:17-19 Remembering to Forget   The Shabbat just preceding Purim is called “Shabbat Zakhor” because the Torah reading on that day ends with the commandment of Deut 25:17-19:   Remember what Amalek did to you on …

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Weekly Torah Reading Shabbat Zakhor, March 23, 2024

Weekly Torah Reading, Pekudei, March 16, 2024

Exodus 38:21 – 40:38 Keep Saying That   In general, rabbinic interpreters avoided recognizing repetitions in the biblical text as mere repetitions. The interpreters’ motto was “every word counts,” and this meant that no verse, or even part of a …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Vayyakhel, March 9, 2024

Exodus 35:1-38:20 The More Mitzvot   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 Holy …

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