Weekly Torah Reading, Shemini, April 15, 2023

Leviticus 9:1-11:47   After the Crisis   After the crisis, people weren’t sure what had caused it, and they didn’t know what to do next. After the crisis, some people weren’t even sure there had been a crisis. It’s always …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Shabbat ha-Gadol, April 5, 2023

Haggadah Tips In four different passages of the Torah, Jewish parents are commanded to tell their children about the exodus from Egypt ((Exodus chap. 12:26-27, 13:8, 13:14, and Deuteronomy 6:20-21). We fulfill this commandment next Wednesday night by reading the …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Vayyakhel-Pekudei, March 18, 2023

Exodus 35:1-40:38 The Message in Repetition   In general, rabbinic interpreters (and some of their predecessors) shied away from acknowledging repetition in the biblical text. “Every word counts” meant that no verse, or even some part of a verse, could …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Ki Tissa, March 11, 2023

Exodus 30:11-35:1   Hur Explained   Moses was on Mt. Sinai for forty days and forty nights, during which time God revealed to him the various laws and regulations to be included in the Torah. But as this period dragged …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Book of Esther, Purim and Shushan Purim, March 7-8, 2023

  When Kings Go Bad   It’s easy to identify the Persian king’s problem: he’s an alcoholic.    When we first see him he is presiding over a huge banquet celebrating the third year of his ascension to the throne. …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Terumah, February 25, 2023 Exodus 25:1-27:19

Exodus 25:1-27:19   By Human Hands   This week’s reading contains God’s instructions for the building of the mishkan, the traveling tabernacle (i.e., a big tent) in which the Israelites will offer sacrifices to God. An obvious question arises: Why …

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Weekly Torah Reading, Mishpatim, February 18, 2023

  Exodus 21:1-24:18   A One-Man Court   Anyone who witnessed the mass protest in Jerusalem this week could not but be impressed. An estimated 100,000 people turned out to express their opposition to the Netanyahu government’s plan to fundamentally …

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A One-Man Court

Exodus 21:1-24:18   A One-Man Court   Anyone who witnessed the mass protest in Jerusalem this week could not but be impressed. An estimated 100,000 people turned out to express their opposition to the Netanyahu government’s plan to fundamentally change …

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