As God Commanded Moses Towards the end of this week’s Torah reading, the Torah records the completion of the building of the Mishkan (the Tabernacle – center of worship), as […]
Weekly Torah Portion
Insight and themes on the weekly Torah portion (parshah) read aloud in synagogue.
The Call to Build the Mishkan This week’s Torah reading continues with the project of the building of the Mishkan (the Tabernacle – center of worship). Moses gathers the Jewish […]
Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make me a Match… A Roman matron asked R’ Yosi ben Chalafta (Bereishit Rabbah 68:4), “Since He created the world what is God busy doing?” He answered that […]
Take a Contribution or Give a Contribution? In the beginning of this week’s Torah reading, the Almighty gives the order to initiate a fundraising campaign to finance the Mishkan (Tabernacle). […]
Equal Opportunity In this week’s Torah reading, Parshat Mishpatim, the Torah warns a judge to reject false claims. It would be superfluous to say that one cannot accept outright false […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz Before bringing the Great Flood (Mabul), God declared that man is so evil that He regrets having created him. Since God knows everything […]
Confounding Criticism In this week’s Torah reading, Yitro (Jethro), the father-in-law of Moshe (Moses), joins the Jews in the desert. The following day, after Yitro enters the camp of the […]
Fear before Belief? In this week’s Torah reading, as the Torah describes the splitting of the Yam Suf (Red Sea), the Torah says that the Jews became fearful of God […]
A Miraculous Change of Heart In this week’s Torah reading, Parshat Bo, prior to the Jews being liberated, the Torah relates a surprising fact. The Torah tells us (Shemot 11:3,12:36) […]
Jealousy in the Torah לֹא תַחְמֹד בֵּית רֵעֶךָ לֹא תַחְמֹד אֵשֶׁת רֵעֶךָ וְעַבְדּוֹ וַאֲמָתוֹ וְשׁוֹרוֹ וַחֲמֹרוֹ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר לְרֵעֶךָ Do not covet your fellow’s house. Do not covet your fellow’s wife, or his servant […]