Parashat Pekudei
And Moses completed the work of building the Tabernacle….And Moses could not enter …for the cloud rested upon it and
Parashat Ki Tisa
Half the Story There is a Jewish way to take a census. When God tells Moses to count the
Parashat Tetzave
And you shall dress them, Aaron your brother and his sons with him, and you shall anoint them, and you
Parashat Teruma
You shall make the boards for the Tabernacle of acacia wood…The use of the definite article, the boards troubles both
Parashat Mishpatim, Rosh Chodesh
You shall not follow the many for evil, and you shall not respond to an argument, to decide – follow
Parashat Yitro, Shabbat Mevarechim
In the preamble to giving the people the Torah on Mt Sinai, God instructs Moses: “Thus shall you say to
Parashat Beshalach, Shabbat Shira
Standing at the edge of the sea, God tells Moses: “Why do you cry out to me? Speak to the
Parashat Bo
Warning Pharaoh about the imminent plague of locusts, Moses predicts: “And they will fill your houses and the houses of
Parashat Va’era
…they did not heed Moses out of shortness of spirit and hard bondage. (Exodus 6:9). What is shortness of spirit?
Parashat Shemot, Shabbat Mevarechim
Abraham is the first person to reply – argue with – God: And Abraham replied and said (vayomar), “Here, pray,
Parashat Vayechi
When Jacob blesses Joseph’s children he says: let them teem like fish multitudinous in the midst of the earth…R. Hirsch
Parashat Vayigash
In managing the Egyptians, Joseph moved them around: And the people he moved town by town, from one end of
Parashat Miketz
And I heard about you – this phrase occurs just once in the Bible and once in Rabbinic literature. In
Parashat Vayishlach
Jacob used different methods to meet Esau: he sent gifts to appease him, he prepared for war, and he prayed.
Parashat Veyetze
Your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth…(Genesis 28:14). The ancient Aramaic translation of Onkelos adjusts this straightforward
Parashat Toldot
And there was a famine in the land besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham, and
Parashat Chayei Sarah, Shabbat Mevarechim
And Abraham said to his servant, elder of his household, who ruled over all things that were his, “Put your
Parashat Vayera
On the day of the Binding of Isaac, we are told: And Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled
Parashat Lech Lecha
And the LORD said to Abram, “Go forth from your land and your birthplace and your father’s house to the
Parashat Noach
And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives came into the ark…of the clean animals and
Parashat Bereshit, Shabbat Mevarechim
When God began to create heaven and earth, and the earth then was welter and waste and darkness over the
Shemini Atzeret, Simchat Torah
Ecclesiastes directly touches our deepest questions about purpose, meaning, love, work, life and death. A recent study argues that the
Sukkot
This year, the first day of Sukkot coincides with Shabbat. Two commandments animate the festival of Sukkot – living in
Parashat Ha’azinu, Shabbat Shuva, Yom Kippur
Maimonides opens the Laws of Repentance as follows: If a person transgresses any of the mitzvot of the Torah, whether
Parashat Nitzavim-Vayelech, Selichot
It is not in the heavens…And it is not beyond the sea…But the word is very close to you…Rashi suggests