Parshat Toledot Genesis 25:19-28:9 This week’s Torah portion Toledot is about Isaac, the second of our Patriarchs. And yet the Torah portion never really tells us much about it him as it does about the people surrounding him. We only get glimmers of who Isaac is. We learn of his marriage to Rebekkah and the…Read more »
Tag: parshat hashavua
Standing before the New Year
Parshat Nitzavim Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20 This week we read the Torah portion right before Rosh Hashanah, Nitzavim. Shabbat Nitzavim comes literally a day before the New Year. As we read the words, we are literally standing at the edge of the New Year. The Israelites too are standing at the edge of the Promised Land. …Read more »
Spiritual Purity and Holiness
Parshat Emor Leviticus 21:1-24:23 The Torah portion for the week is Emor. This Torah portion continues instruction to the priesthood that is the theme of most of Leviticus. The priesthood is holy to God. In fact, Aaron wears a crown with those very words engraved upon them. The priesthood had special obligations to maintain their…Read more »
Open Your Eyes
Parshat Pekude Exodus 38:21 – 40:38 We come to the end of the book of Exodus this week. Often this portion is linked together with Vayakhel. But this is a leap year and we have two months of Adar. And so these portions fill their own week. Jewish tradition teaches us that when Adar enters…Read more »