Posts Tagged ‘torah portion’
Weekly Torah Portion – That Still Small Voice
Parshat Balak: Numbers 22:2-25:9; Micah 5:6-6:8 Sometimes wisdom comes from the voices we least expect. In Balak, it comes from an ass. Sometimes wisdom comes from the voices we hold close to our hearts. In my life, that voice is often my late father-in-law, Robert Long. These vastly disparate voices come together for me in…
Read More
Weekly Torah Portion – Try, Try Again
Parshat Shelach Lecha: Numbers 13:1-15:41; Joshua 2:1-24. In this week’s Torah portion, 12 spies are sent to check out the land God promised the Israelites. Among them is Joshua, Moses’ personal assistant, chosen from the tribe of Ephraim. It was Joshua’s first big solo assignment, his first shot at real leadership. He must have been…
Read More
Weekly Torah Portion – Wants Vs. Needs
Parshat Bachaalotekha: Numbers 8:1-12:16; Zachariah 2:14-4:7 Think back to your childhood, and I’m sure you can remember a time you received a birthday or Chanukah gift that you did not like. Possibly the giver of the gift perceived your explicit or implicit disappointment. Now, jump ahead to adulthood, and you realize that a polite “thank…
Read More
Weekly Torah Portion – Building Trust
Parshat Naso: Numbers 4:21-7:89; Judges 13:2-25. Jealousy — it is the “jaundice of the soul” as Dryden said. It is “a monster begot upon itself, born on itself” as Shakespeare proclaimed. The Hebrew word for jealousy is Kin’ah — and in this week’s Torah portion, we see the disastrous effects of what jealousy or suspicion…
Read More
Weekly Torah Portion – A Road Map For The Journey
Parshat Bamidbar: Numbers 1:1-4:20; Hosea 2:1-22 This Shabbat, we begin the reading of the book of Bamidbar, Numbers, which chronicles much of the journey of the Exodus. We always begin the reading of Bamidbar very close to the holiday of Shavuot, the holiday commemorating the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. While this is…
Read More
Weekly Torah Portion – Survival Of The Land
Parshat Behar-Bechukotei: Leviticus 25:1-27:34; Jeremiah 16:19-17:14. The Jewish people are commanded to observe a day of rest every seven days. While many know about Shabbat, fewer are aware that the land is supposed to have a Shabbat as well. What exactly is a Shabbat for the fields? In Israel, every seven years is known as…
Read More
Weekly Torah Portion – Embodying Empathy
Parshat Emor: Leviticus 21:1-24:23; Ezekiel 44:15-31. Our actions in the world can either bring sanctity (kiddush HaShem) or desecration (chillul HaShem) to God’s name. In portion Emor, the Torah is clear that how we act in the world has a direct effect on the level of holiness present in each of our relationships. In Leviticus…
Read More
Weekly Torah Portion – The Laws Of Impurity
Parshat Tazora/Metzora: Leviticus 12:1-15:33; II Kings 7:3-20. As we open the Torah this week, we find ourselves reading the double portion of Tazria-Metzora. As the natural continuation of last week’s animal purity laws, Tazria-Metzora continues describing the laws of impurity for humans and our surroundings and then provides the path toward a return to a…
Read More
Weekly Torah Portion – Perfecting Imperfection
Parshat Shemini: Leviticus 9:1-11:47; I Samuel 20:18-42. (Shabbat Machar Chodesh) My great-grandfather Avrum Nachman, of blessed memory, was accustomed to starting seder in a unique manner. Picture a table set with spotlessly clean white linens and the fine china that only appears for seder: a table that is clearly ready for the perfect order of…
Read More
Weekly Torah Portion – Disobedience And Faith
The summer we moved to Detroit, Mike Brown was murdered by police in Ferguson, Mo. That fall, when the non-indictment was announced, Justin and I joined with hundreds of Detroiters in protest. Parshat Tzav: Leviticus 6:1-8:36; Malachi 3:4-24. (Shabbat HaGadol) Business, the protesters claimed, must not go on as usual. Justin participated in a march…
Read More