B’midbar (In the Desert) Numbers 1:1-4:20
Torah Portion: B’midbar (In the Desert) Numbers 1:1-4:20
Haftorah Readings: Hosea 1:10-2:20
Tonight, we begin the fourth book of the Torah. This book covers almost the entire time Israel spent in the wilderness. It has the fewest number of commandments of any book up until now. It is mainly a narrative that covers the coming of age of the Children of Israel before they enter the Promised Land.
B’Har (On Mount) Leviticus 25:1-26:2, B’chukkotai (By My Commandments) Leviticus 26:3-27:34
Torah Portion: B’Har (On Mount) Leviticus 25:1-26:2, B’chukkotai (By My Commandments) Leviticus 26:3-27:34
Haftorah Readings: Jeremiah 32:6-27, Jeremiah 16:19-17:14
Tonight, we finish the book of Leviticus by studying the final two portions. We begin by looking at the Shmita year found in Leviticus 25:1-7. This commandment says that the Land of Israel is to lie fallow on the seventh year. It is not to be worked and what grows on its own is to be left for whomever needs food. It is as if every seventh year the owner of the land relinquishes his ownership and the rights to the food that grows there on its own. He, as well as anyone else, can take of what grows for their immediate needs. What is the reason for G-d giving such a commandment? Also, we read where in the year before the Shmita, the Land will produce double for the owner.
Emor (Speak) Leviticus 21:1-24:23
Torah Portion: Emor (Speak) Leviticus 21:1-24:23
Haftorah Reading: Ezekiel 44:15-31
Our Torah portion today is Emor. When we read it, I would expect our initial feeling might be that theses verses have little to do with us in today’s world. However, I want to take a few minutes to see if that is an accurate way to interpret these words. I would like to do this by looking specifically at a few verses.
Acharei Mot (After the death) Leviticus 16:1-18:30 Kedoshim (Holy People) Leviticus 19:1-20:27
Torah Portion: Acharei Mot (After the death) Leviticus 16:1-18:30 Kedoshim (Holy People) Leviticus 19:1-20:27
Haftorah Reading: Ezekiel 22:1-19
This week we again read two portions of Torah. The first, coming after the death of Aaron’s two sons, and the next addressed to the holy ones, which at the time, was the Jewish people who had just come out of Egypt. Both of these sections are filled with many commandments of how G-d’s people are to live their daily life after being taken out of slavery and beginning their journey to the Promised Land.
Tazria (She Conceives) Vayikra/Leviticus 12:1-13:59 Metzora (Leper) Vayikra/Leviticus 14:1-15:33 Vayikra/Leviticus 9:1-11:47
Torah Portion: Tazria (She Conceives) Vayikra/Leviticus 12:1-13:59 Metzora (Leper) Vayikra/Leviticus 14:1-15:33 Vayikra/Leviticus 9:1-11:47
Haftorah Reading: II Kings 4:42-5:19, II Kings 7:3-20
As you know we read a double portion this week. Both of these portions had a common thread, uncleanness of a person, clothing or house. These portions also give detailed instructions on how to rid the person, house or clothing of this problem. Remember, having this condition of being unclean did not necessarily mean sin was involved. This condition, if contracted, did set the person or item apart and it could not be used in the Tabernacle and a person could not come into the Tabernacle in an unclean state.
Shemini (Eighth) Vayikra/Leviticus 9:1-11:47
Torah Portion: Shemini (Eighth) Vayikra/Leviticus 9:1-11:47
Haftorah Reading: II Samuel 6:1-7:17
Today, we look at the third Torah section of Leviticus or Vayikra. Over the last weeks we have read seven Torah sections about the gathering of supplies, building, and now consecrating the Tabernacle or Mishkan. This section brings us to the inauguration of the Tabernacle as a place where G-d’s Presence would meet the people. The last step in this process was for the priests to set everything in order as far as making sure all the objects and priests taking part in this ceremony would be ritually clean and holy. Nothing that was profane could be in the Presence of G-d Almighty.
Tzav (Command) Vayikra/Leviticus 6:1-8:36
Torah Portion: Tzav (Command) Vayikra/Leviticus 6:1-8:36
Haftorah Reading: Jeremiah 7:21-9:24
Today I would like to begin by asking each of you to do something that I believe is very important. Please pray for yourself, your family and people around you. This crisis we are all facing calls out for a spiritual awakening. It calls for G-d’s people to pray and seek the L-rd. Repentance and forgiveness is called for now.
Vayikra (And He Called) Vayikra/Leviticus 1:1-5:26
Torah Portion: Vayikra (And He Called) Vayikra/Leviticus 1:1-5:26
Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 43:21-44:23
Today we begin the third book of the Torah. It is sometimes called, “The Torah of the priests,” due to its many commandments concerning the duties of the priests in their service in the Mishkan or Tabernacle. Here we read much about the sacrifices brought to the Mishkan by the people of Israel. Interestingly when we think of this we often associate the bringing of sacrifices with some sin the person has committed. However, actually of the sacrifices brought, only one or two had to do with sins.
Vayak’hel (And He Assembled) Exodus (Sh’mot) 35:1-38:20 and P’Kudei (Accounts) Exodus (Sh’mot) 38:21-40:38
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
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.