by RabbiOlivier | Sep 15, 2017 | Torah Reflections
Nitzavim-Vayelech Deuteronomy 29:9 – 31:30 Embracing Our Unpreparedness My heart is beating a little bit faster than usual today. No, I didn’t have one cup of coffee too many. But it just so happens that the combined Torah portions for this week are Nitzavim and...
by katie@betalef.org | Sep 8, 2017 | Torah Reflections
Ki Tavo Deuteronomy 26:1 – 29:8 Let Your Heart Crack Open This week’s Torah portion begins: When you enter the land that the Eternal your God is giving your as a heritage, and you possess it and settle in it, you shall take some of every fruit of the soil, which...
by katie@betalef.org | Sep 7, 2017 | Torah Reflections
Ki Teitzei Deuteronomy 21:10 – 25:19 On Being Commanded This week’s Torah portion is the last in Deuteronomy to present us with a collection of laws. With this kind of portion, we find ourselves struggling with some aspects of the text and truly moved by others....
by katie@betalef.org | Aug 28, 2017 | Torah Reflections
Shoftim Deuteronomy 16:18 – 21:9 The Healing Power of Self-Awareness This week marks the beginning of the month of Elul, the last month of the Jewish year. Less than 29 days separate us from Rosh HaShanah, New Year’s Day. Elul is a month of preparation ahead of...
by katie@betalef.org | Aug 21, 2017 | Torah Reflections
Re’eh Deuteronomy 11:26 – 16:17 Waking Up From Our Collective Amnesia See! I place before you today a blessing and a curse. The blessing, that you listen to the mitzvot of the Eternal your God, that I enjoin upon you today; and the curse if you do not...
by RabbiOlivier | Jul 21, 2017 | Torah Reflections
Mattot-Masei Numbers 30:2 – 36:13 First, Break All Your Vows Yom Kippur is fast approaching. Rabbis don’t need to look at the calendar to figure this out. We know. This is Mattot-Masei, the weekly Torah portion that is ten weeks away from Yom Kippur, and whose...
