by RabbiOlivier | Apr 21, 2014 | Adult Learning, Torah Reflections
Tazria Leviticus 12:1 – 13:59 Sin is a Divine Gift Our weekly Torah reading begins laying out spiritual practices connected to human birth: “Ishah ki tazria… – When a woman conceives…” [Lev. 12:2] In his commentary on these three...
by RabbiOlivier | Apr 21, 2014 | Adult Learning, Torah Reflections
Tzav Leviticus 9:1 – 11:47 Joy And The Possibility of Forgiveness The inaugural ceremony of the Tabernacle’s dedication and the ordination of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood which began with last week’s Torah portion, concludes this week....
by RabbiOlivier | Mar 14, 2014 | Adult Learning, Torah Reflections
Tzav Leviticus 6:1 – 8:36 The Light of Our Heart In my approach to Torah, I see the text as myth, not reality. I presuppose that, as such, the stories it conveys speak of universal archetypes relating to the human spiritual journey, and seek to unpack the deeper...
by RabbiOlivier | Mar 7, 2014 | Adult Learning, Torah Reflections
VaYikra Leviticus 1:1 – 5:26 The Fire of Divine Love The last few Torah portions of the Book of Exodus were, as we have seen, focused on the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness; a Sacred Space amidst the traveling Israelite tribes where God came to...
by RabbiOlivier | Feb 28, 2014 | Adult Learning, Torah Reflections
P’kudei Exodus 38:21 – 40:36 Building The Inner Tabernacle This week’s Torah reading brings us to the close of the Book of Exodus. In these final moments the Israelites build all the many pieces of...
by RabbiOlivier | Feb 14, 2014 | Adult Learning, Torah Reflections
Ki Tissa Exodus 30:11 – 34:35 What If Moses Never Came Back? When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, the people gathered against Aaron and said to him: Arise, make us a god who will go...
