If the Torah Portion B’reishit is Shakespearean in its turbulent interplay of human and divine actions and reactions, the second Portion, Noach, is absolute Disney! Presenting for your life long learning pleasure – “Noah, The (computer animated) Musical!” (or, as it’s been dubbed, “The original Singin’ in the Rain.”) As the scene opens, God sadly […]
Torah Commentary – B’reishit
The Talmud teaches that “All beginnings are arduous.” (Mechilta Yitro) The beginning Torah Portion, B’reishit; our world’s Beginning; our Beginning; the Beginning of our relationship with God – all certainly “arduous” (as well as wondrous) on many levels. From the first resoundingly simple seven Hebrew words, B’reishit bara Elohim et ha shamayim v’et ha-aretz,we recognize […]
Torah Commentary – V’zot Hab’rachah
For a variety of personal reasons, I haven’t been able to post commentaries on the last few Torah Portions. Torah Study demands mental focus and dedicated time. Torah Portions aren’t for skimming or speed reading. They don’t include bullet-point summaries. Key words aren’t hi-lited. Torah Portions aren’t compatible with multi-tasking! All the while that I […]
Torah Commentary – Ki Tetze
Although the Torah Scroll is gloriously dressed, repeatedly blessed, and read in a ritually prescribed manner, the Torah is not a divine relic. It’s a part of our ongoing reality. The Torah teaches us God’s commandments for everyday living. Even though our concept of reality changes with time and maturation, we remain humanly flawed and […]
Torah Commentary – Shoftim
The Torah Portion, Shoftim, focuses on justice, leadership, and moral responsibility. Conquest, with God’s help, and settlement in Canaan are just the beginning. If the children of Israel are to endure as a strong, ethical community, there must be leaders to guide them in the fulfillment of God’s commandments – judges, Levite priests, kings, prophets, […]
Torah Commentary – Re’eh
The Torah Portion Re’eh begins with God’s words as communicated by Moses. “See: I’m putting in front of you today a blessing and a curse:” (Deuteronomy 11:26)* We learn that we’ll receive God’s blessing if we listen to (and act upon) God’s commandments. We’ll be cursed if we don’t listen and allow ourselves to be […]
Torah Commentary – Ekev
The Torah Portion, Ekev, begins with Moses teaching the children of Israel that if they listen to, observe, and do what God has commanded, they will be God’s partners in the covenant which God made with their ancestors. If they behave according to God’s laws, God will bless the children of Israel with fertility, prosperity, […]
Inspired by Pirkei Avot
For many years, my husband has studied with pre-B’nai Mitzvah students and guided them in the preparation of their D’vrei Torah. Two of his recent students expressed an interest in further text study, so my husband prepared a lesson on Pirkei Avot (The Ethics of the Fathers). As part of their exploration of this body […]
Torah Commentary – Va-Etchannan
I have four words to introduce the Portion, Va-Etchannan – “midrash” and “back-to-school.” Let’s start by making a midrash. A midrash (plural-midrashim) is a story commentary which Rabbis throughout the ages have created to “fill in the blanks” in the Torah narrative and to answer perplexing questions which the narrative raises. In the opening lines […]
Torah Commentary – Devarim
We have become accustomed to studying Portions where God speaks through Moses, but in Devarim, the first Portion in the Book of Deuteronomy (Sefer Devarim), Moses speaks on his own. Moses is fully aware that this is his final chance to address the children of Israel; that his death is imminent; that he won’t be […]
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