Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Kedoshim YOU SHALL RISE BEFORE THE AGED AND SHOW DEFERENCE TO THE OLD; YOU SHALL FEAR YOUR GOD: I AM THE LORD. (Vayikra 19:32) "You Shall Rise Before The Aged And Show Deference To The Old" –An Expression Of Human Dignity One must rise before one who is very old, even if he is not a wise man; even a young man who is wise must rise before a very old man, but he...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Achary Mot AND FROM THE ISRAELITE COMMUNITY HE SHALL TAKE TWO HE-GOATS FOR A SIN OFFERING AND A RAM FOR A BURNT OFFERING. (Vayikra 16:5) The Azazel Goat As Symbolic Carrier of Sins It appears to me that the reason that all the chattat (sin) offerings, both individual and public, are goats, i.e., the goats of the festivals and the goats of New Moons, and the goats of Yom HaKippurim and the goats...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Pesach "ACCORDING TO HIS INTELLIGENCE, HIS FATHER TEACHES HIM" (Mishna, Pesahim 10:4) Change, Question, and Story Our Rabbi taught: If his son is wise, he – the son – asks him. If he is not wise, his wife asks. If not – he asks himself. Even two scholars, who are well versed in the laws of Pessach – they ask each other, "In what way is this night different from all other nights? On all...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Metzora IF A MAN LOSES THE HAIR OF HIS HEAD AND BECOMES BALD, HE IS PURE. AND IF ON THE EDGE OF HIS FACE HIS HEAD BECOMES SMOOTH, HE IS FOREHEAD-BALD, HE IS STILL PURE. BUT WHEN THERE IS ON THE BALD SPOT OR ON THE FOREHEAD AN AFFECTON, WHITE AND REDDING, IT IS SPROUTING TZARAAT, ON HIS BALD SPOT OR ON HIS FOREHEAD. WHEN THE PRIEST LOOKS AT HIM, AND HERE: THE SWELLING OF...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Tazria AS FOR THE PERSON WITH A TZARAAT (Although traditionally translated as 'leprosy', tzaraat is now understood as a kind of skin disease, not as serious as true leprosy. In the Bible, it was, however, often taken as a sign from God of wrongdoing on the part of the victim. – (Everett Fox The Five Books Of Moses)) AFFECTION, HIS CLOTHES SHALL BE RENT, HIS HEAD SHALL BE LEFT BARE, AND HE SHALL COVER OVER...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Shmini AHARON LIFTED HIS HANDS TOWARD THE PEOPLE AND BLESSED THEM; AND HE STEPPED DOWN AFTER OFFERING THE SIN OFFERING, THE BURNT OFFERING, AND THE OFFERING OF WELL-BEING. MOSHE AND AHARON THEN WENT INSIDE THE TENT OF MEETING. WHEN THEY CAME OUT, THEY BLESSED THE PEOPLE; AND THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD APPEARED TO ALL THE PEOPLE. FIRE CAME FORTH FROM BEFORE THE LORD AND CONSUMED THE BURNT OFFERING AND THE FAT PARTS ON THE ALTAR. AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAW, AND SHOUTED, AND FELL ON...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vayikra The Sacrifice Symbolizes The Way One Approaches God Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Come and see how God is considerate of Israel's possessions – He said to them: If one is obliged to bring an offering, if the offering is to be an olah – a burnt offering – let him bring from his cattle – "If his burnt offering is a burnt offering from the herd (Vayikra 1:3); and should he not find from the herd, let him...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Tzav THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSHE, SAYING: TAKE AHARON ALONG WITH HIS SONS, AND THE VESTMENTS, THE ANOINTING OIL, THE BULL OF SIN OFFERING, THE TWO RAMS, AND THE BASKET OF UNLEAVENED BREAD; AND ASSEMBLE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE TENT OF MEETING. AND MOSHE DID AS THE LORD COMMANDED HIM. AND WHEN THE COMMUNITY WAS ASSEMBLED AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE TENT OF MEETING, MOSHE SAID TO THE COMMUNITY, "THIS IS WHAT THE LORD HAS COMMANDED TO BE DONE." (Vayikra 8:1-5) ...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Pekuday THE CLOUD COVERED THE TENT OF MEETING, AND THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD FILLED THE TABERNACLE. MOSHE COULD NOT ENTER THE TENT OF MEETING, BECAUSE THE CLOUD HAD SETTLED UPON IT AND THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD FILLED THE TABERNACLE. (Shemot 40:34-35) "But will God really dwell on earth? Even the heavens to their uttermost reaches cannot contain You, how much less this House that I have built!" (I Kings 8:27) There was this man who walked along, saying: When our love was...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vayakhel MOSHE THEN CONVOKED THE WHOLE ISRAELITE COMMUNITY AND SAID TO THEM: THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT THE LORD HAS COMMANDED YOU TO DO: ON SIX DAYS WORK MAY BE DONE, BUT ON THE SEVENTH DAY YOU SHALL HAVE A SABBATH OF COMPLETE REST, HOLY TO THE LORD; WHOEVER DOES ANY WORK ON IT SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH. YOU SHALL KINDLE NO FIRE THROUGHOUT YOUR SETTLEMENTS ON THE SABBATH DAY. "You shall kindle no fire" – The fire of Hell and the fire of...