The Torah portion, or parasha, this week is Ki Tavo and is found in Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8. In this parasha the people are reminded that, once they are settled in the land, each Israelite farmer is to bring a portion of his first fruits to the central sanctuary. Standing before the priest, he recites the declaration expressing gratitude for all the […]
The Torah portion, or parasha, this week is Ki Teitzei and is found in Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19. This parasha is rich in reminders of mitzvot–religious obligations we perform that in turn, bless God. In fact, over 70 mitzvot are named in this passage. Many of these mitzvot are actually righteous and just actions we do for others and not directly to God. For […]
The Torah portion, or parasha, this week is Shoftim and is found in Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9. In this parasha, Moses reminds the people of God’s admonition to appoint judges and officers in the all their communities to insure the administration of justice. “Justice, Justice, shall you pursue that you may thrive and occupy the land the Lord, your God, […]
The Torah portion, or parasha, this week is Re’eh and is found in Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17. In this parasha, Moses reiterates the parameters of the covenantal relationship God sets before the people. In particular, the people are admonished to abolish idols and not sacrifice at Canaanite shrines, but worship only God. Moses also reminds the people of the importance […]
The Torah portion, or parasha, this week is Eikev and is found in Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25. In this parasha, Moses reiterates to the people that if they obey the commandments, God will reward them. With God’s help, they will destroy the Canaanite nations, paying particular attention to wiping out all their idols. Moses calls on the Israelites to remember […]
The Torah portion, or parasha, this week is Vaetchanan and is found in Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11. In this parasha, Moses continues his speech to the people, giving them the first of several exhortations in this parasha about the importance of obeying God’s commandments, with particular emphasis on the prohibition of idolatry. Moses again exhorts the people to study […]
The Torah portion, or parasha, this week is Matot-Masei and is found in Numbers 30:2-36:13. This portion first talks about vows made by women (vows made by men were addressed in an earlier Torah portion). If a woman makes a vow but her father (while she is living at home and too young to leave) or her husband forbids […]
The Torah portion, or parasha, this week is Pinchas and is found in Numbers 25:10-30:1. In this passage, we have two primary stories. In the first, Midianite women have entered the Israelite community to encourage the men to engage in idol worship and related sexual practices. God responds by sending a plague upon the people. Pinchas, the grandson of Aaron, stops […]
The Torah portion, or parasha, this week is Balak and is found in Numbers 22:2-25:9. In this passage, Balak, the king of Moab, sees that the Israelites have defeated the neighboring Amorites and he is afraid. He joins forces with the Midianites to hire the prophet Balaam, asking him to curse the Israelites to insure their defeat. […]
The Torah portion, or parasha, this week is Chukat and is found in Numbers 19:1-22:1. In this passage, the people continue to struggle with wilderness living. Miriam dies along the way and is buried in Kadesh. Soon after, the people again complain about a lack of water. Specifically, their complaint is that they should have died when Korach […]