It’s the Love: Parashat Acharei Mot

Parashat Aharei Mot 
Leviticus 16:1-18:30

Philosophers have wondered about the necessity for a scriptural component to a religion. If what the Torah, for instance, tells us comports with our own moral judgments, then those human conceptions of morality should be sufficient without a redundant expression in a text. What is added by the Torah telling us not to steal when we know this is wrong already? Indeed, wherever the Torah deviates from our moral convictions we feel compelled to find a way to get the Torah to align with our values. Our own reason seems to be the authority, not the Torah’s revelation.
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To Their Last Breath: Passover 5782 – 2022

Passover 5782 – 2022
Exodus 12:21-51
Numbers 28:16-25

When the Israelites came to the banks of the Red Sea, on the seventh day after leaving Egypt, they were too afraid to obey God’s command that they “keep moving forward!” (Ex. 14:15) The Talmud (BTSotah 37a) records a tradition that only one person had the nerve – and the faith – to jump into the waters, Nahshon (identified later in the Torah as the head of the tribe of Judah). It was only after Nahshon demonstrated his courage and pioneering leadership by jumping into the surging sea that the sea split open and the waters parted. Then the rest of the people were able to walk through the sea on dry land.
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Wholeness: Parashat M’tzora/Shabbat Ha-gadol

Torah Sparks
Leviticus 14:1 – 15:33

How much control do we have over our bodies? What do we experience when we lose control of our body? Starting with last week’s Torah portion (- which is often combined with this week’s portion as one reading) and continuing into the reading for this Shabbat, the Torah gives us a few examples of a person enduring loss of control over their body or of some bodily function.

Last week we began with the experience of childbirth. Whatever preparations might be undertaken, the birth of a baby (- in times before inducing labor was possible) happened whenever it did, without the decision of the mother (or anyone else, of course). The next example discussed is a strange skin affliction, tzara`at. The affliction comes upon a person unbidden, and seems to leave the person without the Torah explicitly giving a reason or cause. And our Torah portion mentions other bodily problems – the involuntary discharge and emission of genital pus or seed or blood.

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Stealthy Slanderer: Parashat Tazri`a/Rosh Hodesh/Shabbat Ha-Hodesh

Parashat Tazri`a/Shabbat Rosh Hodesh/Shabbat Ha-hodesh
Leviticus 12:1 – 13:59
Numbers 28:9-15
Exodus 12:1-20 

Most of our Torah portion deals with the phenomenon called tzara`at – a surface affliction that can affect a person’s skin and hair. If the priest examines the person and determines that their condition is not a medical one of disease, but is really this unique problem, the person becomes ritually impure. (To be clear: Disease does not render someone ritually impure; only this particular condition has such an effect.) The person is instructed to leave the encampment and dwell alone. They must leave their hair disheveled and wrap themselves in a cloak and call out: “Impure! Impure!” (Lev. 13:45) Continue reading

Choose to hear? Parashat Tzav

Destruction by Russian attack of peasant village of Yakovlivka in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

Parashat Tzav
Leviticus 6:1-8:36

The name of our Torah portion, “tzav,” means “command.” God tells Moses to command Aaron and his sons to follow the rules of the priesthood rigorously. This sense of command is also mentioned at the close of our Torah reading – by Moses, as something he feels personally. (Lev. 8:35) (For a discussion of this last instance see Sparks for 2013.) The force and urgency of a command is called forth to reinforce the importance of the task to be performed and to galvanize the will of the person who is to fulfill that command. The Torah, God’s Voice, is heard to say, “That’s an order!” Continue reading

Bloodshed: Parashat Vayiqra/Shabbat Zakhor

Parashat Vayiqra/Shabbat Zakhor
Leviticus 1:1-5:26

“Bloodshed” is what we call it – the harm and death we inflict on living creatures, most especially upon our fellow human beings. The first time the Torah mentions blood is after a murder of a man, Abel, by his own brother, Cain. Or we call it “spilling blood,” as if we knocked over a milk container, only it’s blood that the vessel contained, blood that has spilt. We are constantly, senselessly, shedding and spilling blood. Is there any use crying over it?
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Hidden Contours: Parashat P’qudei 

Parashat P’qudei
Exodus 38:21 – 40:38

Our Torah portion gives the final report on the construction of the Tabernacle. Last week we considered one of its essential elements – the ark – and we noticed the special feature of carrying rods that were attached to it so that it could be taken from place to place. This week we turn to another special element, the menorah. In contrast to the altars, the table and the ark, the menorah has no carrying poles!

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Enveloped In Love – Our Kiddush Experience

On Feb 26, 2022, my family hosted the kiddush for Brian’s 10th  birthday party – first time double digits is an exciting chapter! The moment we entered synagogue, congregants wished Brian a happy birthday. Rabbinic Intern, Lily Lucy, welcomed us into the Hinei Ma Tov JLC event, by wishing Brian a good birthday and pointing out to the other students that the birthday table covers, balloons and food items were all set up so that the congregation could celebrate Brian entering his double-digit birthday. It made Brian feel so special. Continue reading

Hidden Presence: Parashat Vayaq’hel/ Sh’qalim

Parashat Vayaq’hel/ Sh’qalim
Exodus 35:1-38:20

This Torah portion tells us that God’s instructions for the construction of a portable shrine – mishkan – were finally conveyed to the Israelites and that they responded with energy and passion. The descriptions of each of the elements of the Tabernacle follow, and they are often verbatim repetitions of the instructions given earlier in the Torah. (See Sparks 2011) So the commentary on this and the next portion is usually thin. On the other hand, we are given another opportunity to consider what we have read one more time and to revisit some of the details of this multi-detailed text. Continue reading