Tag: end

Vayak’hel (He Assembled) Exodus/Sh’mot 35:1-38:20

Vayak’hel(He Assembled)Exodus/Sh’mot 35:1-38:20
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 7:13-26
 
Today I want to urge you to be in prayer concerning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, going on now. We as G-d’s people have a responsibility to hold this situation before the Father. Many people have already died and sadly many more will likely die. However, we know the Ruler of the universe and we must seek His answer to this tragic conflict.
 
In some ways our Torah portion this week should encourage us. In this portion we read one of the two times the details of the construction of the Mishkan is laid out. We read the details of the construction already in Exodus 25:1-31:17. Now, again in Exodus 35:1-38:20 we read another account of the instructions to build this structure. However, there is one marked difference in these two accounts. In Ki Tisa, Exodus 25, the command of the Sabbath appears at the end of the details of construction while here today we read of the command of the Sabbath at the very beginning of Moshe speaking to the people Why the difference? On a simple level we might say that when G-d created man he, Adam, experienced Shabbat as his first day living on this earth but as G-d’s saw it, it was the last day of creation or the seventh day.

Vayechi (And He Lived) B’resheet/Genesis 47:28-50:26

Vayechi(And He Lived)B’resheet/Genesis 47:28-50:26

Today I would like us to look at the last Torah portion of Genesis. In this portion we read of the death of both Jacob and Joseph. This portion, like Chayai Sarah in Genesis 23:1, follows an interesting thought. Even though both are called by a name meaning life, they include the death of the main character.  

Vayechi (And He Lived) B’resheet/Genesis 47:28-50:26

Torah Portion: Vayechi (And He Lived) B’resheet/Genesis 47:28-50:26

Haftorah Reading: I Kings 2:1-12

Tonight, we read the last portion of Genesis. This portion covers the end of Jacob’s life as well as that of his son Joseph. It is interesting that the name of this portion is, “And He Lived,” but then goes into great detail of Jacob’s last days. If you remember we saw this same thing in the portion about the death of Sarah. What point do you think is being made here in our portion and also in the one about Sarah?  I believe the important point being made is how have we lived our life; how did we spend our days? I pray for each of us this urgency of living over-rides the death that comes to us all.