B’Har(On Mount) B’chukkotai (By My Regulations) (Lev.) Vayikra 25-27
Torah Portion: B’Har(On Mount) B’chukkotai (By My Regulations) (Lev.) Vayikra 25-27
Haftorah Reading: Jeremiah 32:6-27 and Jeremiah 16:19-17:14
This week we finish the book of Vayikra or Leviticus. The last two portions of this book contain many commandments that have in some ways a common thread. Beginning with the Shemita/Sabbatical year and continuing through the blessings and curses we see the issue of faith being at the forefront. Whether it is not planting crops for the year of Shemita or holding on during the horrible happening of the curses, one thing is evident, faith is what will get us through, not dogma, not institutions or any other thing but faith in the Father. That is our only hope. My question this week had to do with our definition of faith. I got some good answers to which I would like to add my own thoughts.
B’resheet (In the Beginning) Genesis 1-6
Torah Portion: B’resheet (In the Beginning) Genesis 1:1-6:8
HafTorah: Isaiah 42:5-43
So here we are at the beginning. So much to look at and study; we have creation, the first couple, first children, first sin. Our task is to see how it all applies to us today. What are those spiritual principles that will help us to live our life as the Creator intended? We see the hand of G-d as He moved through His creation, a creation unlike any since, something from nothing.
Va’era (I Appeared) Exodus 6-9
Torah Portion: Va’era (I Appeared) Sh’mot (Exodus) 6:2-9:35
HafTorah: Ezekiel 28:25-29:21
Tonight we read the portion of Torah that covers most of the plagues that G-d was to bring on the people of Egypt and to rescue His bride. We could see this as a contest between G-d and a man who thought he was god and others thought he was god. So, Pharaoh could not relent to the demands of a shepherd and a bunch of slaves. In fact last week we read in Exodus 5:2, “Who is the L-rd that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the L-rd and I will not let Israel go.” The word, know, here is the Hebrew word for intimate knowledge. Maybe he had heard some reference somewhere to a Jewish G-d but he had no personal knowledge and deemed it beneath him to listen to this shepherd.