By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant 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 Pharaoh […]
Posts with the Bissel of Torah tag
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 (VAKIRA) 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 (VAKIRA), differentiated solely by the focus shifting to the kohanim, who […]
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)
This week we read two Parshiot: VAYAKHEL followed by 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 modifications, these two Parshiot are virtually exact […]
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 […]