Parsha (double) Tazria-Metzora: Don’t Make a Problem Worse than It Is

This week we are treated to a double parsha.  A parsha is the portion of the Torah that is read on a particular week.  If you want to understand what a double parsha is, and why they exist, I suggest going to this blog entry where I explain it. Our parsha is called Tazria-Metzorah; the first word is the name of the first parsha, and the second word is the name of the second parsha.  Tazria is Hebrew for She … Continue reading

Parsha Shmini: When to Be Clear Headed

This week we return to our normal weekly Torah readings (called parshas).  The parsha for this week is called Shmini which means 8th and refers to the 8th day after Aharon and his sons started their initiation into the priesthood (which we read about 3 weeks ago, before Pesach/Passover).  The intiation was a 7 day process, and now we are in the 8th day. Our parsha describes the days events, how Aharon does the sacrifices and blessings that lead to … Continue reading

Holy Day Parsha: Freedom is not Just Another Word – It is about Giving

This week’s parsha (Torah portion) is an interesting parsha because what we read depends on where we are. If you are in Israel, then you will be reading parsha Shmini. If you are outside of Israel, then you will be reading a special Pesach (Passover) parsha. Is this because we Jews like to make things difficult? Not really. It goes back to our roots. Without going into all the details, it has to do with how a Jewish month begins … Continue reading