By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant In the Book of EXODUS, we read how God miraculously overcame all obstacles to finally liberate the Israelites from over 400 years of slavery and bondage, in Egypt. The primary focus of the Book of LEVITICUS (which follows the Book of EXODUS) is to create a civilized society […]
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A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH PARSHA: KEDOSHIM (LEVITICUS 19:1-20:27)
In last week’s Torah Parsha (ACHAREI MOT), we read about how, as a community, we atone for an enumeration of sins and Transgressions, during the Yom Kippur service. This week’s Parsha (KEDOSHIM) begins with the Lord speaking to Moses: “Bring the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them, you shall be […]
A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH PARSHA: ACHAREI MOT (LEVITICUS 16:1-18:30)
by Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant For the last two weeks of Shabbat, we interrupted our Torah reading of LEVITICUS, first to repeat specific chapters of EXODUS, for the first two days of Passover; and, subsequently to read several portions of DEUTERONOMY for the eighth and final day of Passover. This week, we return […]
A Bissel of Torah Pesach
by Joy Scott, Congregant When the eighth and final day of Passover coincides with Shabbat, we read extracts from seven different Parshot of DEUTERONOMY. On the first day of Passover, we revert back from LEVITICUS to the book of EXODUS, and how “on this very day God took the children of Israel out of Egypt” […]
A Bissel of Torah: Parshat Pesach
by Joy Scott, Congregant 14 NISSAN 5776: When Passover coincides with Shabbat, we intercept our reading of Leviticus, and return to the portion of EXODUS, to repeat the miraculous story of how our ancestors escaped slavery in Egypt, and became a free nation. We reiterate the tenth and final plague, which God imposed on the […]
A Bissel of Torah – Parshat Metzora
by Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant The essence of this week’s Torah Parsha (METZORA) pertains to ritual impurities. There are references to spiritual impurities within a home (detected by the appearance of dark colored patches on its walls); and, impurities engendered by nature of intimate relations between a husband and his wife. However, the predominant […]
A Bissel of Torah – Parshat Tazria
by Student Rabbi Shelley Goldman The Talmud teaches, “One who wishes to acquire wisdom should study the way money works, for there is no greater area of Torah study than this. It is like an ever flowing stream…” I thought of this wisdom after reading this week’s Torah portion, Tazria[1], and reflecting on the themes […]
A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH PARSHA: 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 portions (TERUMAH, TETZAVEH, KI TISA, VAYAKHEL and PEKUDEI) describe […]
D’var Torah by Student Rabbi Shelley Goldman
Our Torah portion begins with the following words: “God spoke to Moses, saying: Command Aaron and his sons thus: This is the ritual of the burnt offering…” (Leviticus 6:1-2a.) In Hebrew the final phrase is, “Zot Torat HaOlah.” Is there a word in this phrase that sounds familiar to you? “Torat?” What does the word […]
A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH PARSHA: VAYIKRA (LEVITICUS 1:1-5:26)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant This week’s Torah Parsha (VAYIKRA) is the first Parsha in the book of LEVITICUS, a section of the Torah, which most rabbinical students ‘love to hate’. We just completed reading the thrilling and dramatic story of the book of EXODUS, which captivated our imagination like an award winning action […]