By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant This week’s Torah Parsha (EMOR) begins with God saying to Moses: “Speak to the Kohanim; and, say that none of them can become defiled; impure; or, ceremonially unclean; by touching a dead person, unless the one who died is a wife, or a blood relative”(1). The requisite for purity […]
Posts in the A ‘Bissel’ of Torah category:
A weekly dvar Torah from our wonderful Joy Scott.
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: KEDOSHIM (LEVITICUS 19:1-20:27)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant The second Parsha for this week (KEDOSHIM) begins with the momentous call: “You shall be holy because I, the Lord, your God am holy” (1). This statement is followed by repetition of dozens of ‘Divine’ commandments, which would enable the Israelites to consecrate their holy relationship with God. This […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: ACHAREI MOT (LEVITICUS 16:1-18:30)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant This week, we read two Parshiot, (ACHAREI MOT), followed by Parsha (KEDOSHIM). The primary focus of the first Parsha pertains to the ancient rituals of Yom Kippur, the ‘Day of Atonement’. During the period of MISHNAH (i.e. the first major redaction of the Oral Torah) in the second century, […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: TAZRIA-METZORA (LEVITICUS 12:1-15:33)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant This week, we read a double Parshiot (TAZRIA), followed by Parsha (METZORA). Each of these Parshiot describe in punctilious detail, the bewildering phenomenon of ‘TZARAAT’. In effect, this is a physical manifestation of a spiritual malaise, frequently mistranslated as ‘leprosy’. An individual afflicted with ‘TZARAAT’, would be referred […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: SHEMINI (LEVITICUS 9:1-11:47)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant For several weeks and many chapters- – the longest prelude in the Torah – – we have read of the preparations for the moment at which God would bring His Presence to rest in the midst of the people. Five Torah Parshiot (TERUMAH, TETZAVEH, KI TISA, VAYAKHEL, and PEKUDI) […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: TZAV (LEVITICUS 6:1-8:36)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant The primary theme of last week’s Torah Parsha (VAYIKRA) pertained to the five diverse sacrifices, which the Israelites presented at the Sanctuary. On the surface, this week’s Torah Parsha (TZAV) appears to be merely an extension of Parsha (VAYIKRA), differentiated solely by the focus shifting to the Kohanim, […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: VAKIRA (LEVITICUS 1:1-5:26)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant This week’s Torah Parsha (VAKIRA) is the first Parsha in the Book of Leviticus, known formally as ‘Torat Kohanim’ (instructions for the Priests) (1). The title for this Parsha defines the entire Book of Leviticus. We have just completed reading the thrilling and dramatic story of the Book of […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: VAYAKHEL-PEKUDEI (EXODUS 3:51-40:38)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant This week we read two Parshiot (VAYKHEL) followed by Parsha (PEKUDEI). Each of these Parshiot are replete with multiple, and frequently contradictory interpretations. The logical rationale for the perplexity of the sages is a remarkable concurrence of events, without apparent connection. In effect, with the exception of a few […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: KI TISA (EXODUS 30:11-34:35)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah This week’s Torah Parsha (KI TISA) begins on Mount Sinai, where God is relating to Moses some rather benign instructions, pertaining to final particulars, for completion of the Holy Sanctuary. It is expected that Moses will remain at the top of the mountain for another forty days. Here, he will […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: TETZAVEH (EXODUS 27:20-30:10)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant The primary theme of last week’s Torah Parsha (TERUMAH) was the building of the Mishkan (Sanctuary). Each Israelite donated the gold; silver; copper; fabric; and, all of the other materials required to create a dwelling of splendor, where God would live ‘within its midst’. This week’s Torah Parsha […]