Parshat BeHaalotecha This week’s Torah reading begins with Hashem instructing Aharon the High Priest on how to light the Menorah as part of the daily Tabernacle service. When lighting the Menorah, Aharon had to position both the three wicks on the right…
Parshat Naso These were exciting times for the Jewish people. Almost a year had passed, and it was again Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the month in which they left Egypt. So much had happened in such a short time. First, they walked…
Shavuot The president of the local JCC was once confronted by an angry board member at a meeting. This person was upset because the JCC was closed on all Jewish holidays, including Shavuot. “I understand the JCC being closed on the…
Bechukotai תשפ"ב When the Jewish people committed the sin of the golden calf, Hashem said to Moshe (Exodus 32:9,10): (ט) וַיֹּאמֶר יְדֹוָד אֶל משֶׁה רָאִיתִי אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה וְהִנֵּה עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף הוּא: (י) וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִּי וְיִחַר אַפִּי בָהֶם וַאֲכַלֵּם…
Behar תשפ"ב The first verse in this week’s parsha, Behar (Leviticus 25:1), begins in a peculiar way. א) וַיְדַבֵּר יְדֹוָד אֶל משֶׁה בְּהַר סִינַי לֵאמֹר 1) And Hashem spoke to Moshe on Mount Sinai saying. Why, here, does the…
Parshat Emor תשפב In this week’s portion, Emor, the Torah (Leviticus 23:10) instructs us to bring the Omer barley sacrifice: (י) דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם וּקְצַרְתֶּם אֶת קְצִירָהּ וַהֲבֵאתֶם…
Kedoshim תשפב The third verse in this week’s portion Kedoshim (Leviticus 19:3) tells us: (ג) אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ וְאֶת שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ אֲנִי יְדֹוָד אֱלֹקֵיכֶם 3) Every man, your mother and father, you shall fear, and my Shabbats, you shall…
Acharei Mot תשפב Last week we celebrated the Festival of Passover, commemorating the Jewish nation’s exodus from 210 years of Egyptian slavery. In this week’s portion, Acharei Mot, the Torah instructs us (Leviticus 18:3): (ג) כְּמַעֲשֵׂה אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר יְשַׁבְתֶּם בָּהּ לֹא…
Pesach The Festival of Pesach is, by far, the most celebrated holiday in the Jewish calendar. In terms of popularity, it trumps even Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the “High Holidays.” The theme of freedom that we celebrate on Pesach…
Pesach תשפב The Pesach holiday which commemorates the release of the Jewish nation from 210 years of slavery in Egypt, is celebrated for seven days (in the diaspora 8) beginning the 15th of the month of Nissan. Nevertheless, we are commanded to…