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
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
I am constantly surprised each week at the parsha (weekly Torah portion) because there is always so much there. This week’s parsha is yet another example of this: there are the teachings I have learned in the past, two wonderful teachings I heard recently, and a few more that I discovered as I read the parsha. I don’t know yet which I will share here and now. let’s see and find out. The parsha starts out with Aharon being told … Continue reading
Welcome to the Torah parsha (portion) of the week. I hope you all had a nice Shavuot and Shabbat. This week’s parsha had lots of things in it and I am not sure which I will actually share. So, hang in there and let’s find out! Once again I have been enjoying the names of the tribal leaders, so let me give them to you: for the tribe of Judah (thanksgiving): divination son of my-people-volunteer for the tribe of Yisachar … Continue reading
At last we are getting to the weekly Torah portion (parsha) called Shmini. I say, “At last,” because our parsha has been preempted, for the last two shabbats, by the holy days involved with our becoming a people: Pesach (Passover). Shmini is an interesting parsha, recounting the first sacrifices made by the newly anointed priests in the newly created mishcan (tabernacle). At the climax, after haShem (god/dess) comes down on the people and eats the sacrifices, two of Aharon’s … Continue reading
This coming shabbat is called Shabbat Gadol (big or great shabbat), and I am hearing a lot about why this shabbat is called Shabbat Gadol. I am also hearing a lot about Pesach (Passover) which is less than 2 weeks away. I am hearing so much that I feel our poor little parsha (weekly Torah portion) is being left out in the cold. After all, it is kind of boring compared to Pesach. Pesach has lots of nooks and … 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
This week’s parsha (Torah portion) is a very full parsha. It starts with the taking of a census and how to avoid a plague while doing it. Then it tells how important it is for Aharon and his sons to wash before serving in the tent of meeting, in order to keep from dying. Next we are told of the anointing oil and the incense, and then we read who the main builders of the mishcan (tabernacle) will be. Next … Continue reading
What strikes me as I read this week’s parsha (weekly Torah portion) was how I have been seen the first two books of the Torah: Genesis (Breshiet in Hebrew) and Exodus (Shmot in Hebrew). In Breshiet I found myself seeing some little aspect within a parsha, while in Shmot I am finding much larger themes; themes that exist over many parshas. I don’t know why that is. At the moment, I just find it an interesting observation. If anybody out … Continue reading