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 […]
Posts with the Torah tag
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 […]