Torah Reflections

Korach: Number 16:1 - 18:32 "The Rebel Within"   This week’s Torah portion retells the famous story of the rebellion of Korach. Korach challenges Moses and Aharon’s authority and their system of rule over the Hebrews. “All the community are holy, each and every...

Sh'lach L'cha: Number 13:1 - 15:41 "They Warned Moses and They Were Right"   This week’s Torah portion begins with the famous episode of the spies. Much has been said and written about this episode as it is a turning point in the unfolding drama of our exodus...

B'haalot'cha: Number 8:1 - 12:16 "Receiving Torah with a Kiss"   Arguably, the most important moment in the entire Jewish Bible, is that of the Revelation at Sinai and of matan Torah, of God gifting Torah. Torah means “teaching.” There, atop the trembling smoking...

Nasso: Numbers 4:21 - 7:89 "Freedom From The Yoke of Desires"   As we often hear, mindfulness practice is the art of being present to each moment, of paying attention to each experience in our everyday life. Interestingly enough, in Hebrew, the expression for...

Emor: Leviticus 21:1 - 24:23 "An Eye for an Eye;" Retributive or Restorative Justice?   Toward the end of this week’s Torah portion we find the verses that have fueled centuries of antisemitism and often been a pretext for abandoning one’s Jewish (or Christian)...

Kedoshim: Leviticus 19:1 - 20:27 "Love Your Neighbor as Yourself?"   Tucked in-between the verses of what is known as the “Holiness Code” that spans this and last week’s Torah portion, is one of the best-known proclamations in Torah: “Love your neighbor as...

Acharei Mot: Leviticus 16:1 - 18:30 "A Holiness Code for Tomorrow"   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 a...

Passover 5782 "Mandatory Generosity at Our Seder"   A week from today, at our first Passover Seder, we will begin telling the story of our exodus from Egypt raising the matzah and saying in one voice:                Ha lachma anya… This is the bread of...

Tazria: Leviticus 12:1 - 13:59 "The Sacred Time of Giving Birth"   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 be impure seven days; she...

Sh'mini: 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. “BaYom...

Tzav: Leviticus 6:1 - 8:36 "The Light of Our Heart"   My approach to Torah understands the text as myth or spiritual parables and definitely not as reality. I presuppose that, as such, the stories it conveys speak of universal archetypes relating to the human...

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...