A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH Parashat KI TAVO (DEUTERONOMY 26:18-29:8)

This Parsha begins as Moses continues his last speech before the Israelites. “When you dwell in the promised land, take a selection of the first fruits and bring them to the place G-D chooses for G-D’s Name. With a Priest beside you, make an offering saying: ‘We remember when we were slaves in Egypt. We […]

A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH Parashat SHOFTIM (DEUTERONOMY 16:8 – 21:9)

Taking into account circumstances and life-style in Biblical times, compared to life in the late 1770’s, G-D’s words, warnings, and directives are hauntingly similar to those written in the U.S. constitution and the Bill of Rights. First, G-D instructed every Jewish community to appoint a ‘Judge’, and officials for each tribe. The mission of these […]

A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH Parashat EIKEV (DEUTERONOMY 7:12- 11:25)

The heart of our worship service is our declaration of love and loyalty to the one and unique G-D – – -the prayer that we know as ‘SHEMA’. The first six words are deeply embedded in every Jew’s soul – ‘Here O’ Israel, the Eternal is our G-d; the eternal is one. (1). There are […]

A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH Parashat DEVARIM (DEUTERONOMY 1:1 – 3:22)

The Parsha, DEVARIM is comprised primarily of a complete repetition of the Torah, spoken by Moses to the Israelites, in the last days before his passing. In fact, the translation of the Hebrew word ‘DEVARIM’ is ‘re-telling’. It is somewhat extraordinary that throughout Moses’ recalling of each event, each commandment, each transgression, and each miracle […]

Shabbat Shalom from Student Rabbi Tamara – 11/1/2013

Dear Members of Am Haskalah: One of the most powerful and yet simple lines of dialogue in the entire Torah, in my mind, occurs in this week’s Torah portion, pashat Toldot. Towards the beginning of the parasha, Rebekkah, out of the pain of feeling the wrestling of the two fetuses within her womb (to be […]