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Torah Reflections

Each week, Rabbi Olivier prepares a written reflection on the weekly Torah portion. These provide yet another way to discover the texts sacred to Judaism and to prepare for Shabbat each week.

Torah Reflections Oct. 21 – 27, 2012

Lech Lecha Genesis 12:1 - 17:27 Abraham: A Promise For The Future This week's Torah portion marks the beginning of the Patriarchal story in the Book of Genesis. Abraham receives God's call to leave his home and travel to an unknown land with the assurance of God's...

Torah Reflections – Oct. 14 – 20, 2012

Noah Genisis 6:0 - 11:32 Noah:  A Righteous Man in His Generation? There is a thought-provoking Midrash about Noah from this week's Torah portion that details a debate between two rabbis as to why the biblical author begins with introducing Noah as "a righteous man in...

Torah Reflections Oct. 7 – 13, 2012

Bereshit Genesis 1:1 - 6:8 Cain And Abel: A Teaching on Generosity Abel was a Shepherd and Cain tilled the soil. And it was, after the passing of days, that Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the Eternal; and as for Abel, he too brought [an...

Torah Reflections August 12 – 18, 2012

Re'eh Deuteronomy 11:26 - 16:17 Blessings -- OK, bring them on; but why curses?       This week's Torah portion is close to my heart. It was the Torah portion of the week of my wedding, thirteen years ago, and is called Re'eh, which means "See!" It begins:   See!...

Torah Reflections July 15 – 21, 2012

Mattot-Masei Numbers 30:2 - 36:13 These Are The Journeys                                                  The second of this week's double Torah portion, Masei--the last Torah portion of the Book of Numbers--acts as a prelude to the book of Deuteronomy which...