Torah Portions

A few portions ago, I asked a rhetorical question about whether or not there was an enemy as detrimental as idolatry. The answer is yes, and we will learn about that enemy in the next Torah Portion in review. Leviticus 12:1-15:33 explores the uncleanliness of a human in the portion labeled Tazria-Metzora or “Bearing a […]

Leviticus 9:1: It came to pass on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. The Torah Portion labeled Shemini is described in Leviticus 9:1-11:47 and means “Eight.” Shemini, or the eighth day, is not just a day in the calendar but a day of eternity, the day after […]

So, we have dipped our toes into Leviticus, a pretty intense Torah book describing the Tabernacle’s sacrificial worship system. The next Torah Portion in review is Tsav, including chapters 6:1-8:36, and means “command”. I started Leviticus with the altar, and today, we will focus on a fire that God commanded to be continually burning. A […]

The altar, a profound symbol of the human heart, serves as a conduit for offerings and sacrifices. Since the destruction of the Temple, Judaism has sought to understand the symbolic significance of the sacrificial system and the Temple. The sages describe the altar as a family table, a place of reconciliation within relationships, compassion, hospitality, […]

Exodus 39:30: Then they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold and wrote on it an inscription like the engraving of a signet:                                                               […]

Vayak’hel, meaning “And he gathered,” can be explored in Exodus 35:1-38:20. This Torah Portion starts by giving instructions for the Shabbat. The Shabbat is one of the most essential appointed times we could understand. More than just a day of physical rest, the Shabbat is a time of spiritual rest, when we can enter a […]

I would be interested in learning if there was a greater enemy than the one we find in the following Torah Portion, Ki Tisa, which means “When you lift up” or “When you take.” You can explore Kit Tisa in depth by reading Exodus 30:11-34:35. At this point, Moses and God have been having quality […]

The next Torah Portion in review is Tetzaveh, meaning “command,” and is detailed in Exodus 27:20-30:10. This portion describes the commandments about the Priests’ garments. We just learned in the last Torah Portion how the building of the Tabernacle could symbolize God creating a human as a dwelling for the Divine Presence. Now, we will […]

In Exodus 25:1-27:19, we learn about the building of the Tabernacle. This Torah Portion’s name is Terumah, meaning “offering” or “uplifting” because the construction of the Sanctuary, or Tabernacle, began with the offering of a willing heart.    Exodus 25:8: They shall make for Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell amidst them. A Jewish […]

As the title suggests, impartial judgment is an enemy we must avoid in the next Torah portion. The name given to the scriptures, including Exodus 21:1-24:18, is Mishpatim, meaning judgments. The community of Israelites chose upright and just men from each tribe to be judges for them. They were not self-appointed and formed what became […]