This week, I am going to share music of a different nature. Our Torah portion, Behukotai, includes a long warning about what can happen to the Israelites if they do not adhere to God’s commandments. It’s not a pretty picture, and it seems that societies unmoored from basic decency are liable to fall apart. Their decline Continue Reading »
Parshat Behar is small but mighty! It introduces us to Shemittah and Yovel, the sabbatical and jubilee years. Its focus is economic, not environmental. It also emphasizes the transitory nature of property, both real estate and moveable assets. The forgiveness of debt is a powerful reminder that nothing is truly ours to own forever. Judaism Continue Reading »
From the moment we began reading about the building of the Mishkan, we have been immersed in a pursuit of orderliness. That is the primary fascination of the Priestly strand of the Torah, and it continues to dominate this week’s Torah portion, Emor. Our portion can be divided into three units. The first two are laws governing Continue Reading »
This week we read Parshat Kedoshim, continuing the unit of Leviticus known as the Holiness Code. Chapter 19 is in many ways the epicenter of the Torah, its moral and ethical foundation, as it prescribes behavior for the ideal society in its pursuit of kedushah. We ought to be able to find some good music connected to Continue Reading »
This week, instead of my usual musical selections that are connected to the Torah portion, I’m sharing some of the songs I’ll be referencing in my dvar Torah Shabbat morning. With Yom Ha’atzmaut just days away, it’s great for us to get in the mood to celebrate Israel with some great Israeli music! Please click the links below for Continue Reading »
On Shabbat HaGadol, our attention turns even more sharply to Pesah. It’s a time for great excitement, anticipation, and joy. At the same time, these past two weeks have been very difficult for our People, with a spate of terror attacks on Israelis in residential settings. So this week’s musical selections focus more on the events that Continue Reading »
This Shabbat, we will experience what can only happen at most twice a year: reading from three Sifrei Torah. We start with the weekly portion, Tazri’a, and continue the priestly emphasis on holiness and ritual purity. Since it’s Rosh Hodesh Nisan, we read the passage from Numbers that ordains additional sacrifices (musaf) for special occasions, starting with Continue Reading »
Like the rest of Leviticus, this week’s Torah portion, Shemini, is laser-focused on holiness. It’s important to appreciate what kedushah meant in ancient religion: it was all about distinctions. The new priestly family of Aharon and Sons had to maintain distinctiveness in dress and in behavior. Whatever Nadav and Avihu did in offering “strange fire,” their deaths are a Continue Reading »
We continue reading the instructions about the different sacrifices this week in Parshat Tzav. Once the Torah lays out all these details, it’s time to plan the big event–the initiation of formal worship in the mishkan. This is shaping up to be a great event in the lives of Aharon, the new High Priest, and his sons. Continue Reading »
This week, we begin reading the third book of the Torah, which has several names. In Hebrew, it’s known by its opening word, Vayikra, which literally means “And He called.” But the rabbis of antiquity referred to this book as Torat Kohanim, “the Priestly Instruction.” That name actually bears more than just a passing resemblance to the Continue Reading »
