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
Hello everyone, I hope you-all are doing well. We are into the home stretch of the torah cycle, and like a marathon, it is grueling. Let’s see what we are dealing with before we try to make some sense of it. This week’s parsha (Torah portion) picks up almost from where the previous parsha left off: with war. We start with the question of what to do when we capture women. From there we talk about a couple of issues … Continue reading
We have entered the Jewish month of Elul which is the month before the Jewish new year… well one of the 4 Jewish new years. We Jews are a bit funny that way. We celebrate the new year on the 7th month of the year. And then there is the new year for the trees, and the new year that actually is at the beginning of the year, and lastly a new year for the vegetables and animals. Crazy really. … Continue reading
hello everyone, Last week’s parsha (weekly Torah portion), we listened to Moshe review our journey from Mount Sinai to the edge of the promised land. In this week’s parsha, Moshe (Moses) talks about haShem (god) turning down his request to enter the land, all that haShem has done to get the people to this point, what will happen if the people forget haShem, which cities east of the Jordan are safe havens for unintentional murderers, the 10 statements (commonly referred … Continue reading
Hello everybody, This week we start the final chapter in the drama that we call the Torah. The book is called D’varim (Deuteronomy) which means “words” in Hebrew, for these are Moshe’s (Moses) final words to the family of Yisrael before they go and take the land haShem (god) has promised them. This week’s parsha (weekly Torah portion), btw, is also called D’varim. 🙂 So, what does Moshe tell the people? Before I start, remember that he is talking, not … Continue reading
I hope everybody has been enjoying their summer. Currently we are in the Jewish month of Tammuz, in the middle of a period called: The 3 weeks. This is a 3 week period from the 17th of Tammuz until the 9th of the month of Av, and it is the worst period of time in the Jewish year wheel. Both days are fast days and the 9th of Av (tisha b’Av) is the day that the 2 temples got destroyed, … Continue reading