By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant This week’s Torah parsha, Lech Lecha, begins with God’s words to Abram: “Go forth from your birthplace to the land which I will show you; and I will make you into a great nation, bless you and aggrandize your name”(1). The writers of the Midrash had many obvious […]
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A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: NOACH (GENESIS 6:9-11:32)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant This week’s Torah parsha begins: “These are the generations of Noah; Noah was a righteous man for this generation; Noah walked with God”(1). Numerous commentaries have emerged, pertaining to the implication that ‘Noah was a righteous man’. In a rare ‘Torah Moment’, Torah scholars are actually in agreement […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: BEREISHIT (GENESIS 1:1-6:8)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant “In the beginning of God’s creation of the heavens and earth, God said: “Let there be light; and there was light”(1). The first Torah parsha of the Book of Genesis, Bereishit, is probably the most familiar of any other portions of the Torah. The wondrous origination of the […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: HA’AZINU (DEUTERONOMY 32:1- 32:5)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant Every year, either in proximity, or during the ‘Ten Days of Repentance,’ we read the penultimate Torah parsha, Ha’azinu. It is no coincidence that when we are experiencing a heightened sense of spirituality, we are enjoined to hear Moses’ final words to The Children of Israel. For a […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: NITZAVIM-VAYELECH (DEUTERONOMY 29:9-31:30)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant This week, we read a double parshiot: Nitzavim-Vayelech. After hearing the list of 98 terrifying curses at the end of last week’s parsha (Ki Tavo), the people were devastated and questioned whether they could possibly withstand such frightful punishments. Moses responded with the opening statement of parsha […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: KI TAVO (DEUTERONOMY 26:1-29:8)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah congregant This week’s parsha, Ki Tavo, begins with instructions from Moses to the Children of Israel. They are directed that on the very day that they cross the Jordan, to create two huge stones on which each word of the Torah will be clearly written. At that point, The […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: KI TEITZEI (DEUTERONOMY 21:10-25:19)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant This week’s Torah parsha, Ki Teitzei, occurs as the Children of Israel are at the brink of embarking on war with hostile nations, as they tirelessly struggle to reach the ‘Promised Land.’ The parsha comprises seventy-four of the Torah’s six hundred and thirteen commandments. The separate commandments pertaining […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: SHOFTIM (DEUTERONOMY 16:18-21:9)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant In previous parshiot we learned how God began preparing for the establishment of a new nation in the ‘Promised Land.’ Equal portions of the land were allotted, according to the population of each of the tribes. Last week’s Torah parsha, Re’eh, emphasized the importance of ‘tzedakah’ (charity), whereby […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: RE’EH (DEUTERONOMY 11:26-16:17)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant “See, I am setting before you today the blessing and the curse: the blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your GOD, which I am giving to you today; the curse if you disobey the commandments of the Lord, your GOD”(1). These are the first words […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: EKEV (DEUTERONOMY 7:12-11:25)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant In this week’s parsha, Ekev, Moses continues his closing address to the Children of Israel, which he began in parsha Devarim, and expanded upon in last week’s parsha. Moses clearly was aware of the risks for this new generation. They may not remember the miracles, which God had […]