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 July 8 – 14
Pinchas Numbers 25:10 - 30:1 We Are All Zelophechad's Children One of the most powerful stories in Torah appears in the middle of this week's portion: the story of Zelophechad's daughters. It is powerful at many levels. First and foremost, the heroes are all women,...
Torah Reflections June 10 – 16th, 2012
The Key to The Promised Land Sh'lach L'cha Numbers 13:1 - 15:41 This week's Torah portion holds the famous story of the spies that Moses sent to scout the Promised Land at the Eternal's command. For forty days and forty nights, twelve representatives of the tribes are...
Torah Reflections May 20 – 26, 2012
B'midbar Numbers 1:1 - 4:20 Too Big to Fail "Too big to fail." It seems this pithy phrase has become the new mantra of American life since 2008. Time and again our news media brandishes the fear of financial disaster if this company goes under, or that country doesn't...
Torah Reflections May 13 – 19, 2012
B'har - B'chukotai Leviticus 25:1 - 27:34 The Evolving God of Our Understanding The last Torah portion in the Book of Leviticus, B'chukotai, begins with: "If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments..." [Lev....
Torah Reflections May 6 – 12, 2012
Emor Leviticus 21:1 - 24:23 Knowing God vs. Playing God The beginning verses in this week's Torah portion are rather challenging to our current understanding of spirituality. They define an impossibly strict code of holiness for...
Torah Reflections: April 29 – May 5, 2012
Acharei Mot - Kedoshim; A Holiness Code for Tomorrow Leviticus 16:1 - 20:27 This week's Torah portion marks the beginning of what is known as the Holiness Code which will span the rest of Leviticus. This Holiness Code is a code of conduct, a guide that seeks to define...
Torah Reflections: April 22 – 28, 2012
Parashah (portion) Tazria - Metzorah – The Sacred Time of Giving Birth Leviticus 12:1 - 15:33 This week's Torah portion begins with: The Eternal One spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the Israelite people thus: When a woman at childbirth bears a male, she shall...
Torah Reflections: April 15 – 21, 2012
Parashah (portion) Sh'mini – Merging With The One Light Leviticus 9:1 - 11:47 As our weekly reading resumes, following the end of Passover, we are met by one of the most mesmerizing stories in Torah: the fiery death of Aharon's sons Nadav and Avihu. Most rabbis...
Passover Reflections: April 1 – 7, 2012
A Connection Through Time Thursday is coming to a close, and tomorrow night is the first night of Passover. I just finished cleaning our house and I can't imagine there could be any chametz left anywhere. Chametz is the Hebrew word that stands for all leavened...
Passover Reflections: March 25 – 31, 2012
The Kabbalah of Passover A few years ago, at our annual Bet Alef Community Seder, I shared with those in attendance -- members and non-members alike -- a tradition that has been in my family for, I suspect, many generations. Growing up, I remember looking forward to...
Passover Reflections: March 18 – 24, 2012
Mah Nish'tanah? What Has Changed? Although we closed the Book of Exodus last week, with Passover around the corner, its stories linger still in our consciousness. This is the time of the year, personally, when I delight in re-opening the Passover Haggadah and...
Torah Reflections: March 11 – 17, 2012
Parashah (portion)Vayak'heil - P'kudey – Building The Inner Tabernacle Exodus 35:1 - 40:38 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 the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, which...