Pikudei Exodus 38:21 – 40:38 God understands our need to feel His presence among us. And, like Moses who is reluctant to enter the Tabernacle, when we hesitate, God beckons to us.                                                                                                                                   The closing chapters of the Book of Exodus complete the section that deals with the construction of the Tabernacle.  The last verses […]

Vayelech Deuteronomy 31:1-31:30   The Bible says that the stranger within our gates should be invited and we wanted to make sure our modern-day, loving “strangers” were included as well.   Deuteronomy 31:11-12 records a very special commandment:   You shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, men, women, and […]

Nitzavim Deuteronomy 29:9 – 30:20   The first initiative towards repentance must come from man himself, but once a man begins the process, God will assist him in continuing. This week’s portion includes Moses’ last speech to the nation before the final poem that is Chapter 32 and the blessings in Chapter 33.  Chapter 30 is […]

Ki Tavo Deuteronomy 26:1 – 29:8   Our relationship with God is inherently connected to our presence in the Land of Israel and the blessings that God will bestow upon us when we settle and farm that land.    This week’s portion opens with the ceremony of first fruits that is performed in the Temple, after […]

Ki Tezeh Deuteronomy 21:10 – 25:19   The Bible applied to its time and it is in that context that it must be read, but it is also an eternal book, applicable to those of us living thousands of years after it was first written. This week’s Torah portion includes the largest number of commandments […]

Shoftim Deuteronomy 16:18 – 21:9   Our political leaders would do well to follow the guidelines for the kings of Israel, to ensure their righteousness and the absence of corruption in their kingdom. In this week’s Torah portion, we read about the restrictions placed on a king of Israel. Only he must not acquire many […]

Re’eh Deuteronomy 11:26 – 16:17 Particularly today, it is imperative that we weigh everything we see, every impression we absorb, against the immutable word of God. This week’s portion includes a number of laws pertaining to people who exert an undue influence over others in order to sway them away from obeying God’s commandments.  The first […]

Naso Numbers 4:21 – 7:89  It is indeed a challenge to aspire to holiness while living in an incredibly secular world. But that is the lesson of the “Nazirite” and that is the ultimate challenge. This week’s portion includes the laws regarding the “Nazirite” who takes an oath of abstention from wine, refrains from coming into […]

Kedoshim Leviticus 19:1 – 20:27 Through acts of compassion and charity we can indeed become holy and worthy of the description, ‘A kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ You shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy. (Leviticus 19:2) Throughout Leviticus, God commands Moses to teach the Children of Israel, or to […]

Tazria Leviticus 12:1 – 13:59 The rules of purity and impurity enable us to deepen our understanding of the overwhelming power of life and the overarching value that the Bible ascribes to it. This week’s portion continues the discussion of ritual purity. In last week’s portion, the instructions regarding purity revolved around various animals that are […]