Teachings
Below are the teachings from our weekly Torah Studies. If you would like to join us, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. so we can let you know where and when we meet.
Vayak’hel (And He Assembled) Exodus (Sh’mot) 35:1-38:20 and P’Kudei (Accounts) Exodus (Sh’mot) 38:21-40:38
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- Created on Saturday, 21 March 2020 14:04
Torah Portion: Vayak’hel (And He Assembled) Exodus (Sh’mot) 35:1-38:20 and P’Kudei (Accounts) Exodus (Sh’mot) 38:21-40:38
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 7:13-26, 7:40-8:21
Today we finish the book of Exodus by reading the last two portions of the book. Both of these books have a great deal to say to us in our life today as G-d’s people. These Torah portions are especially important to us in light of the world events that either has or will affect us all in one way or the other.
I would like to start with my thoughts on the first section of Vayak’hel. This word, Vayak’hel, can mean either “gather” or “assemble.” Interestingly we also saw this same word in our section last week. In Exodus/Sh’mot 32:1 we read where the people assembled around Aaron and demanded he make them gods to go before them since Moshe was absent. Today, in our opening verse of Vayak’hel, we read this word. Here we read where Moshe assembled the people to contribute to and take part in the construction of the building of the Mishkan or Tabernacle.
Ki Tisa (When You Take) Exodus (Sh’mot) 30:11-34:35
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- Created on Saturday, 14 March 2020 13:20
Torah Portion: Ki Tisa (When You Take) Exodus (Sh’mot) 30:11-34:35
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 18:1-39
This week our Torah portion is Ki Tisa meaning, “When you take.” The Hebrew word tisa means to carry a load, or to undertake a necessary burden.
In this portion we read of G-d’s instructions on how the census was to be taken. You may remember in II Samuel 24 and I Chronicles 27 where King David, in his later years, decided to take a census of the people of Israel with disastrous results. Why was it wrong for him to take this census? G-d had not ordered it done. David did this on his own and brought calamity on Israel. Keep this in mind as we go through these scriptures today.
Tetzaveh (You shall command) Exodus (Sh’mot) 27:20-30:10
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- Created on Saturday, 07 March 2020 13:41
Torah Portion: Tetzaveh (You shall command) Exodus (Sh’mot) 27:20-30:10
Haftorah Reading: Ezekiel 43:10-27
Tonight, there are several things I want us to look at that I think are important for us today. The first thing is the coming holiday of Purim. Purim begins on Monday evening, March 9th, at sundown. The Torah portion we read tonight can be connected to this holiday and in fact is always read before Purim.