Tetzaveh(Command) Ex.(Sh’mot) 27:20-30:10
1.Purim usually comes close to the time of the reading of the Parshat Tetzaveh. One connection between these two passages of scripture is the importance of clothing. Several times in the book of Esther clothing is mentioned. In the Parasha this week priestly clothing is described in detail. In Hebrew the word for clothes is begged […]
T’rumah (Contribution) Ex. (Sh’mot) 25:1-27:19
T’rumah (Contribution) Exodus (Sh’mot) 25:1-27:19 1.What difference do you see in the Israelite’s relationship with G-d and the relationship Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had with G-d? Do you see the difference causing any problems? G-d spoke directly to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah intimately, like a friend. He told Abraham and Sarah […]
Mishpatim (Judgments) Exodus(Sh’mot) 21:1-24:18
1.Exodus 21:1, “And these are the judgments which you shall set before them.” The very first two words of our Torah portion are the Hebrew words, Va’eleh, which means “and these.” It is followed by mishpatim or judgments. Why are these first two words important? In Hebrew the two words, Ve’aleh, are always used to connect thoughts or […]
Jethro(Yitro) Exodus(Sh’mot) 18:1-20:23
Jethro(Yitro) Exodus(Sh’mot) 18:1-20:23 1.Exodus 20:17 says, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” What does it mean to covet? What does it say about us, our spiritual state, if we covet what […]
B’shallach (And It Came to Pass) Exodus (Sh’mot) 13:17-17:16
1.Exodus 13:17-18, “When Pharaoh let the people go, G-d did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For G-d said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So G-d led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went […]
Bo (Come) Ex. (Sh’mot) 10:1-13:16
1.In Exodus 12:7 G-d instructed the people to put the blood of a lamb on the two side parts and the upper part of the door to their home. Why did G-d pick this sign for the people? Sheep were an important symbol to the Egyptians. This was the form given to one of their […]
Va’era (And I Appeared) Exodus (Sh’mot) 6:2-9:35
1.In Exodus/Sh’mot 7:10 we read where Aaron threw down his rod before Pharaoh and in English it says it became a serpent. However, in Hebrew the word is “taneem”. This word in Hebrew means crocodile, sea monster. Snake was listed as the fourth meaning with crocodile being the first meaning. Earlier in Exodus Moshe was […]
Sh’mot(Names) Exodus(Sh’mot) 1:1-6:1
1.In Exodus 4:2-4 G-d turned Moses’ rod into a live snake. Then G-d told him to pick up the live snake by the tail. Why didn’t G-d tell Moses to carefully grab the snake behind the head so it wouldn’t bite him? Are there similarities in this story and in Jeremiah chapter 1? I believe that when […]
Metzora (Vayikra) Lev. 14-15
Torah Portion: Metzora Vayikra Lev. 14-15
HafTorah: II Kings 7:3-20
Tonight I want us to look at the person with leprosy and the process involved with the person becoming clean again. Look at Lev. 14:1-3 which introduces us to this process. It is important to keep in mind that the process we are looking at did not cure the leprosy but was the process to declare the person clean so they could reenter the religious life of Israel.
Hayei Sarah (Sarah’s Life) B’resheet (Genesis) 23:1-25:18
1.In Genesis 24:12 we read where Abraham’s servant prayed about the tasks before him. We see him invoking the name of Abraham when he prays to G-d. He asked for chesed (loving kindness) toward Abraham. He was basically praying in Avraham’s name. Why would he do that? We as believers usually end our prayers with, “In […]