This week we have another of our famous double parshas (weekly Torah readings) and it is called Tazria-Metzora. Tazria is the name of the first parsha and means, “She will cause seed to be sewn.” Metzora is the name of the second parsha and refers to a person who has Tzaraat which is a spiritual malady and often mistranslated as leprosy. Seeing as we had our first double parsha a few weeks ago, I think I will go straight into … Continue reading
The parsha (weekly Torah portion) for this week is called Shmini and means, “8th,” as in the eighth day after Aharon and his sons began their initiation ritual. I find it very interesting that this is the first time we have moved beyond a concept of seven days. Seven is the directions: north, east, south, west, up, down, and center. It is also the number of days god took to create the world. So it represents the physical world or … Continue reading
The parsha (weekly Torah portion) is called Tzav which is the verb, “To command,” and one of the roots of the word mitzvah (or commandment). The parsha starts with god telling Moshe (Moses) to command Aharon and his sons on the laws of the olah offering – the olah offering on the flame of the altar all night until morning. The priests, who are Aharon and his sons, are then told how to deal with the ashes from the altar, … Continue reading
This week we start the third of the five books of haShem’s (god) words as scribed by Moshe (Moses). The book, and the parsha (weekly Torah portion) that we read are called vayikra which means, “And he called,” as in, “And he called to Moshe and haShem spoke to him,” which is how our parsha starts. God is calling to Moshe to tell the people about offerings or sacrifices. First we read that the acceptable animals that a person can … Continue reading
This week begins the season of double parshas (weekly Torah portions). For those of you asking yourselves what I am talking about, let me explain. The calender of the family of Yisrael is lunar based meaning that each month begins with the sighting of the new moon. Ordinarily, the year has twelve of these months. However, haShem (god) mentions that the month that includes the holiday of Pesach (Passover) is the month of spring. So, to keep the month of … Continue reading
This week’s parsha (weekly Torah portion) is called, “Key tisa,” which literally means, “That you will raise.” The verse continues with, “The heads of the children of Yisrael to redeem them and give a man atonement of his soul to haShem (god) in redeeming them and there will not be in them a plague in their redemption.” Basically we are talking here of the first census of the people, but I do find it interesting that the raising of the … Continue reading
Once again it is time for our visit with the parsha (weekly Torah portion). The parsha for this week is called T’tzveh which can mean you will command and/or you will join. The parsha starts with haShem (god) talking to Moshe (Moses) and saying, “Atah t’tzveh,” or, “You will command/connect the children of Yisrael and they will take to you pure pressed olive oil for lighting the eternal candle.” One shabbat a few years back, someone pointed out that this … Continue reading
The name of the parsha (weekly Torah portion) we read this week is called Trumah. I received a request (Hi mom) 🙂 to include the name of the weekly parsha, so there it is. The parshas take their name from the first significant word found in them. The word, “Trumah,” has as its root the word, “Rom,” which means to raise up, and is the word used to designate certain tithes that only the priests (cohanim in Hebrew) and their … Continue reading
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 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 regarding … Continue reading
What an exciting shabbat we are going to have this shabbat! The parsha (weekly Torah portion) we will read includes haShem (god) actually talking to us. Imagine being in a group of 600,000+ looking up from the base of a smoking, shuddering mountain, with the sounds of shofars (ram’s horn horns) trumpeting, and hearing/seeing the voice of god talking to each and every one of us… However, I get ahead of myself, for this is near the end of the … Continue reading