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, […]
Posts in the A ‘Bissel’ of Torah category:
A weekly dvar Torah from our wonderful Joy Scott.
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: TERUMAH (EXODUS 25:1-27:19)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant In last week’s Torah parsha, Mishpatim, Moses provided clarification of the Ten Commandments given to the Israelites by God at Mount Sinai. Additionally, the Children of Israel learned the nature of numerous other laws, commandments, prohibitions and the consequences for disobedience. This week’s Torah parsha, Terumah, begins with […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: MISHPATIM (EXODUS 21:1-24:18)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant In last week’s Torah parsha, Yitro, the Ten Commandments rang out from Mount Sinai in a symphony of sound and vision, thunder and lightning – and the world was forever changed. Although this week’s parsha, Mishpatim, lacks the ’Pyrotechnic Accompaniment’, its message is, in effect, a qualification and […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: YITRO (EXODUS 18:1-20:23)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant This week’s Torah parsha, Yitro, consists of two episodes which appear to be a study in contrast. In the first (Chapter 18, Yitro), Moses’ father-in-law, a high level Midianite, provides Moses lessons in management and governance. In the second, the prime mover is God, Himself, who, in an […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH: BESHALACH (EXODUS 13:17-17:16)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant The splitting of the ‘Sea of Reeds’ is one of the seminal events in Jewish history. This week’s Torah parsha, Beshalach, begins with a description of how the Israelites finally left Egypt and the yoke of the Pharaoh. What had been considered impossible had occurred! The mightiest army […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: BO (EXODUS 10:1-13:16)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant This week’s Torah parsha, Bo, continues with the story of Exodus. God had already inflicted seven devastating plagues on Egypt, subsequent to the Pharaoh’s perpetual denial to free the enslaved Israelites. In parsha Bo, it becomes apparent that from the very first time that God approached Moses (behind […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: VA’EIRA (EXODUS 6:2-9:35)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant Last week’s Torah parsha, Shemot, ended with Moses and Aaron both discouraged, as the Pharaoh of Egypt denied their request to free the enslaved Israelites. This week’s parsha, Va’eira, describes with precise detail, the first seven of the ten plagues which would eventually decimate all of Egypt. A […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: SHEMOT (EXODUS 1:1-6:1)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant The opening chapters of Exodus plunge us into a midst of epic events. Moses passes from Prince of Egypt, to Midianite shepherd, to leader of the Israelites. The narrative begins with a new Pharaoh of Egypt, “who did not know of Joseph” (1). However, the descendants of Jacob […]
A ‘BISSEL’ OF TORAH: VAYECHI (GENESIS 44:28-50:26)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant In last week’s Torah parsha, Vayigash, Joseph became overwhelmed with emotion when he learned that his father, Jacob, was still alive. He revealed his identity to his eleven brothers and urged them to bring his father and all of their wives and children to Egypt. The brothers were both […]
A ‘Bissel’ of Torah: VAYIGASH (GENESIS 44:18-47:27)
By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant Last week’s parsha, Mikietz, ended with a somewhat disturbing enigma. Jacob’s ten sons had returned to Egypt to procure additional food as the famine continued. Based on the demand of the ‘Viceroy of Egypt’ (now, their brother Joseph, whom they did not recognize), they were also to bring […]