Parsha (double) Acharai-Kedushim: Repeating Torah

This week the Torah tells us that after death is holiness. How can this be? Easy. It is the translation of Acharai Mot-Kedushim, which is the Hebrew name for our parsha (weekly Torah portion). I added the word Mot, which means death, because some people feel it is part of the title due to the fact that Acharai (after) is not a unique enough word. The hard part is understanding what the Torah could possibly be trying to tell us … Continue reading

Parsha Mishpatim: Torah Beyond the Words

This week we read a parsha (weekly Torah portion) called Mishpatim which means sentences in Hebrew.  The word can be used, just like the English word, for both a sentence like the one you are reading, or for what a judge pronounces. In the parsha it is used in the latter way, for the parsha Mishpatim is almost all about laws concerning how to live.  First we read about how to treat a Hebrew slave.  We then read of laws … Continue reading