This week’s parsha (Torah portion) is called Toldot (generations in English). Let’s look at what this word, generations, means. Generations implies cycles, and cycles are circles. Each generation is born, lives, and dies. That is its cycle or circle. However, before a generation dies, it creates a new generation, turning the circle into a spiral. I find it strange to call this parsha Generations when most of this parsha talks of one generation and prior parshas have also mentioned lineages … Continue reading
Category Archives: Torah Ideas
This week’s parsha (Torah portion) has a lot in it. A very quick summary goes like this: Sarah dies and Abraham buys the cave called Macpelah to bury Sarah in. Then he sends his servant Eli-ezer to find a wife for his son Yitzchak (Isaac). After Eli-ezer returns with Rivka (Rebecca), Abraham dies and Yishmayil and Yitzchak bury Abraham next to Sarah in the cave called Macpelah. What is interesting about the name of the cave is that it comes … Continue reading
This week’s parsha (portion of the Torah we read this week) is called Vayera. It has a lot in it including the destruction of Sdome and Gemorah, and the roots of where King David. However, none of those things are what I feel like talking about today. Today, I want to talk about one of the lesser known things that I found interesting in our parsha: The story regarding Abraham, Sarah, and Avimelech (which translates to, “My father the king,” … Continue reading
As I read the parsha (weekly Torah portion) in Hebrew, I like to to pretend that names are not just names, but that they mean something. This give me the freedom to translate them. The text takes on a new meaning in the process. For example, in this week’s parsha, Lech lecha (go to yourself is a translation from Hebrew), we find Avram setting up an alter between two towns: Bet-El and Ai, and from there he calls to god … Continue reading
I heard this from a friend of mine, Drew Tik (I mention him because it is always good to name your sources). This week we read about Noah and the flood, followed by the tower of Babel, followed by being introduced to Abram. Why was the tower story put in between the two? Noah, in Hebrew means to rest; so, Noah was a laid back kind of guy. Ok, he did what god told him to do, but outside of … Continue reading
Is it time to write about our weekly parsha (Torah portion) already? It seems like I just wrote one. Ah, yes. This is what happens when we finish our cycle of the Torah and begin again. There really is no time, which means no rest for my Torah thoughts. Such is life. So, here we are, back to the beginning. The parsha is called Breisheit and has many, many meanings. It is normally translated as, “In the beginning.” However it … Continue reading
The Torah really does not have a beginning and an ending. Today (Sunday) is the end of Succot, and on its heals is Simchat Torah which means, “Happiness of Torah.” On Simchat Torah we finish reading the Torah, and start again to read the Torah. We also dance with the Torah and celebrate simultaneous endings and beginnings. If there was only one thing to learn from the Torah, then this cycle would be a circle. However, when you read the … Continue reading
Hello everybody, This Shabbat we read the torah portion (parsha) which is the song that haShem (god) told Moshe (Moses) to teach to the people. As with most songs, this one is very poetic. The parsha is entitled, “My ears,” which is the first significant word in the parsha, and it starts with a request to listen to the words about to come. God is perfect and just, problems come from the children. (Stay with me folks; I know to … Continue reading
Hello and welcome to the days of returning. We are now in the 10 days between Rosh haShanah (head of change in Hebrew) and Yom Kippor (Hebrew for day of atonement. It is also called Yom haKipporim which means: the day like Purim). These 10 days are called days of repentance, however the Hebrew word for repentance, tshuvah, really means an answer or a return. You see, on Rosh haShanah we invoked the beginning of change. Now we are in … Continue reading
Hello everybody, It is almost Rosh haShanah and I wish you were here. 🙂 The parsha (weekly Torah portion) we we are reading this week is called Nitzavim, which is Hebrew for, “To stand,” and the parsha begins with Moshe (Moses) telling us how everyone, from the highest elder, to the wood-cutter and water-carrier is standing today before haShem (god) in order to pass into the covenant and become a nation for god, and have haShem be our god/power. Moshe … Continue reading