We are almost to the end of the five books of Moshe (Moses). This week’s parsha (Torah portion), the one we read this shabbat, is called Key Taytzay which means: When you will go out. Out to where? In this case, our parsha is telling us about going out to war. Our parsha begins by talking about what to do when you fight your enemies and capture women whom you wish to marry. A strange way to start a parsha, … Continue reading
This week we finish the fourth book of the Torah, b’Meedbar (Numbers). The final parsha (weekly Torah portion) is called Mas’ay which means travels, and the parsha starts off by reviewing 40 years of travels by the children of Yisrael. At the end of this review, we read that haShem (god) once again talks to Moshe (Moses) telling him to tell the people something. This time it is what to do when they cross the Jordan river: remove the people … Continue reading
Top of creation folks, This shabbat, according to the Yaakov (Jacob)/Israel family tradition is the anniversary of the first day of creation. Rosh haShanah, one of the 4 Jewish new years, celebrates the anniversary of the creation of the Adam. With the beginning of a new creation, we find in this parsha (weekly Torah portion), an explanation of what the last few parshas have been leading up to… But first, let us review the parsha. This is actually a double … Continue reading
Come on in, the water’s great! Just don’t forget to thank our host. This is how our parsha (weekly Torah portion) starts out. The parsha is called Key Tavoh which means, “Because you will come,” and begins by saying that because you will be coming in to the land haShem (god) promised to give you, you should take the first fruits of the ground and bring them to haShem’s house. We then read of the thanksgiving ritual we do with … Continue reading
We are coming down to the wire and the Torah portions are fast and furious. This week we read from the parsha (Torah portion) called Key taytzay which means when you go out. Our parsha starts out talking about what happens when we go out to war and find a beautiful woman among the captives. This leads into a bit regarding a man having two wives, one whom he loves and the other he hates, and if the hated wife’s … Continue reading
First, what is an Omer? And why do we count them? And how does counting these… omers lead to self improvement (which I am implying by the title of this post)? The answer to the first two questions are easy. Omer is the Hebrew word for a sheaf of grain. The main Jewish sacred text, the Torah, tells us that we should bring sheaves of barley to the sacred place, the place where the divine infinite safely intersects our finite … Continue reading
Last Thursday was Purim, and I was very busy preparing a Purim Seuda (meal) for adults, and then enjoying the party. So, I didn’t get a chance to write anything for the Thursday Shmooze. It is now Thursday again, and I am wondering what to write about. I keep going around with the same thoughts, over and over again in my head, desperately hoping a new thought will take hold. And finally a new thought flickers to life. The thought … Continue reading
Hi y’all, Today is the first day of the first month of the year. Yeah, I know Rosh haShanah (the Jewish new year – literally: head of the year) is the new year, but I am just telling you what it said in one of the two parshas (weekly Torah portions) that we read this week. For those who don’t know, the Jewish calender is lunar based and needs to add an extra month every other year or so to … Continue reading