Shelach (Send) B’midbar (Numbers) 13:1-15:41
Torah Portion: Shelach (Send) B’midbar (Numbers) 13:1-15:41
Haftorah Readings: Joshua 2:1-24
Today we read one of the most perplexing Torah portions of the year. In this portion we see G-d instructing Moshe to send twelve men to go up and check out the Land of Promise, the Land He had promised Avraham. This is the dream that had been before the people for hundreds of years and now here is the fulfillment of that dream.
Naso (Take) B’midbar (Numbers) 4:21-7:89
Torah Portion: Naso (Take) B’midbar (Numbers) 4:21-7:89
Haftorah Readings: Judges 13:2-25
Tonight we read and study the longest Torah portion of the year. It contains many subjects we could spend hours studying. However, tonight we will only look at two or three topics that I think will give all of us a deeper insight into spiritual principles that can help us in our life.
First, I want to start with Numbers 5:6-7. In these verses we read the process to be taken when we have sinned. In verse 7 we read, “Then they shall confess their sin which they have done.” Let’s talk about this for a moment. We are to speak out loud our confession to G-d. Why do we have to verbalize our words of remorse and confession of guilt before G-d? He knows our every thought and action. So why are we to speak it out loud? Maybe the point of speaking our confession out loud is for our own benefit. When we speak the words out loud they become more real to us, more intense. The sin is no long just in our memory but the words have been spoken. I believe when we speak the words out it cannot be easily swept under the rug. We can’t pretend it didn’t happen. The sin becomes more real to us. It causes us to consider just how we could have done such a thing. Our actions are out in the light. We can look at our actions more clearly.
Ki Tavo (When You Come) D’Varim (Deuteronomy) 26:1-29:8
Torah Portion: Ki Tavo (When You Come) D’Varim (Deuteronomy) 26:1-29:8
Haftorah Reading Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 60:1-22
Tonight, we read the Torah portion Ki Tavo. This portion begins with the bringing of the First Fruits offering. This offering was to be distributed to the priests, Levites and the poor. You also might notice each person was to recite the words of D’Varim/Deut. 26:5-10. One effect of this declaration was to solidify in the minds of the people who they were and where their harvest came from. They were part of a people who stretched back to Avraham and G-d’s promises.
Shelach (Send) B’midbar(Numbers) 13:1-15:41
Torah Portion: Shelach (Send) B’midbar(Numbers) 13:1-15:41
Haftorah Reading Joshua 2:1-24
Tonight, we study a Torah portion that is possibly one of the saddest portions we will look at this entire year. It is mainly concerned with the sin of the scouts. As a result of their mission Israel had to spend another forty years in the desert rather than being in the Land of Promise.
D’Varim (Deut.) 1:1-3:22 2018
Torah Portion D’Varim (Deut.) 1:1-3:22
Haftorah Reading: Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 1:1-27
Today we study the first portion of the last book of the Torah. This book is mainly made up of the last words of Moshe to his people before he ascends the mountain and dies there. Also, tonight, at 7:30, the day of Tisha B’Av begins. On this day Jewish people remember the destruction of both the First and the Second Temple. It also harkens back to the day of the bad report of the spies and the people refusing to enter the Land. It is note worthy to know that many other tragedies occurred on this day. The Spanish Inquisition and the Night of Broken Glass, which signaled the beginning of the Holocaust, are two such events. On this day the book of Lamentations is read to remember the penalty of not taking action in going up to settle the Land.
Va’era (And I appeared) Sh’mot (Exodus) 6-9
Torah Portion Va’era (And I appeared) Sh’mot (Exodus) 6-9
Haftorah Reading Ezekiel 28:25-29:21
This week our portion begins with G-d appearing to Moshe and telling him that He had appeared to the Patriarchs as G-d Almighty, El Shaddai but not as G-d Almighty, or the infallible name of G-d. However, we read in previous scriptures that Abraham used this same name when addressing G-d (Genesis 15:2). So how are we to understand these verses? One way might be to look at this verse in light of the promises of G-d. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had known the promises of G-d, of bringing them into the Land and making them a great people. However, they had never seen this promise fulfilled in their life times. They held on to the promise, in faith, knowing that El Shaddai was trustworthy and would, at some time in the future, bring it to pass.
Hayei Sarah (Sarah’s Life) B’resheet (Genesis) 23-25
Torah Portion: Hayei Sarah (Sarah’s Life) B’resheet (Genesis) 23-25
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 1:1-31
Tonight we read a Torah portion dealing with death in that the passing of both Sarah and Avraham are covered. However, we also read of the purchase of the first plot of the land of Promise and of the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah. These sequences of events bring up a question that each of us must deal with in our life. To help us I would like to look at the life of Avraham and see how he dealt with what could have been crippling disappointment.
Lekh L’Kha (Get Yourself Out) B’resheet (Genesis) 12-17
Torah Portion: Lekh L’Kha (Get Yourself Out) B’resheet (Genesis) 12-17
Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 40:27-41:16
In this Torah portion we become acquainted with Avram, who later became Avraham. It is in the first two words we learn a very important lesson for our daily life as G-d’s people. We have read the words many times before, but tonight I want us to look at them from a new perspective. The first two words in Hebrew are Lekh L’Kha. We usually translate this phrase as, “go out.” That translation misses completely the Hebrew meaning of the words. A clearer translation would be, “go to yourself.” What does that say to us in our life? From this phrase we can understand G-d wants us to become who we really are in Him.
Vayechi (And He Lived) B’Resheet (Gen) 47-50
Torah Portion: Vayechi (And He Lived) B’Resheet (Gen.) 47-50
HafTorah: I Kings 2:1-12
This Torah portion is the last of the book of Genesis. Interestingly, it is named “And He Lived” while included in this portion we read of the death of both Jacob and Joseph. This brings me to the first point I would like to talk about. Why would a Torah portion named, “He Lived” devote much of its time to the death of these two men? I think it has to do with the way scripture looks at time. For example the Greeks looked at time as cyclical, never reaching an ending point but always starting over again, there will always be another tomorrow. The Jews, and I believe we would be the same, look at time as covenantal. For example, here in Genesis in chapter 12 we read of G-d’s promise to Avraham that his descendants will be as the stars in the heavens. He would be given a Land for his people. Yet by the end of Deut./D’Varim the people have not crossed into the Land. The people did not despair, the promise was always before them.
Vayera(He Appeared) B’Resheet (Gen.) 18-22
Torah Portion: Vayera (He Appeared) B’Resheet (Gen.) 18;1-22:22
HafTorah: II Kings 4:1-37
Tonight we read a Torah portion filled with much to say to us about our life of faith. We read in these chapters a great swath of Avraham’s life, the promise of a child, bargaining with G-d over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, the time with Avimelech where the king took Sarah after Avraham told him she was his sister. We also read of the banishing of Hagar and her son and ending with what is known in Hebrew as the “Akedah” or Binding. It is here that I want to spend most of our time this evening. Here we see G-d test Avraham and the result of that test. As we talk about this I ask that each of us put ourselves in his place and consider how we would have replied to this test. In fact, I would say all of us have or will have our faith tested in our walk with G-d through life. It probably will not be as dramatic as Avraham’s test but when it comes it will require us to plum the depth of our faith.