The Torah portion we read this week is Pekudei, which means accounting. In it, Moses accounts for every donation collected for the Tabernacle and lists them in precise detail.
This got me thinking about the accounting we must make every so often to clear up unsettled issues. I am talking about …
Shemot : Heaven And Earth
There was a steep mountain pass just outside Premishlan that was impassable during the winter because of its treacherous icy conditions. The Chassidic master, Rabbi Meir of Premishlan, would navigate this pass on a regular basis. When asked for his secret he answered simply, “One who is bound to the …
Oral Tradition : Part One
In the first part of this lecture series we established that G-d must
have given Moshe an oral tradition in tandem with the written text.
This begs a number of questions: What is the oral tradition? If it
comes from G-d why do our rabbis disagree on so many issues?
In the third part …
Oral Tradition : Part Two
The Oral tradition was taught to Moshe Rabeinu on Mt. Sinai this is indicated by a number of versus.
Reading #1
“Come
up to me on the mountain and I will give you the stone tablets and the
Torah Commandments, “Torah” refers to the written Torah,
“Mitzvah” refers to the oral tradition, “that I have …
Vayechi : Where Did the Disconnect Occur?
Growing Into Our Own
His parents want him to apply for business school but he is committed to music. Throughout college he is subjected to veiled comments and nuanced complaints but the young man holds firm. Four years later he graduates with honors and his parents attend the commencement ceremony. They …
Vayigash : Talking to G-d
I was driving on the New York State Thruway late one afternoon and parked on the shoulder to recite the Mincha prayer. I closed my eyes and tried to tune out the sounds of passing cars when a police cruiser pulled up behind me and asked over his loudspeaker if …
Bo : Light and Dark Intertwined
The Ninth Plague
The plague of darkness was such that “no person could see his brother, nor could any person rise from his place for three days. (However) the children of Israel had light in all their homes.” (1)
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Miketz : Divine Providence
The Jewish quarter in the northern Israeli City, Tzefas, was subjected to a five-month siege during the 1947 war for independence. When the siege lifted venerated rabbis in the community, renown for their piety and sharp wit, had this to say.
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Vayeshev : Travel Begins and Ends At Home
True Treasures are At Home
Listening to the car radio on my way home from a particularly long trip I heard an accomplished, world famous traveler declare that her most amazing travel experience was accomplished within the confines of her own home. She had observed the most exotic sights in the …
Parsha Insights »
Ki Tavo: Faith and Trust
The Last Sermon
Shortly before his passing Moses addressed the nation: “You have seen all that the Lord has done before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to all his land; the great trials which your eyes beheld and those great signs and wonders. …
Yearly Cycle »
Purim: The Meaning of Masquerade
The Purim Ritual
Each Jewish holiday has a unique method of celebration. Chanukah is celebrated with the kindling of eight lights. Passover is celebrated with a special diet that requires Jews to eat unleavened bread and prohibits the use of leavened bread. Shavuot is observed through the study of Torah. Each …
Concepts »
Pekudei: Learn to Love It
A Generous Text
This week’s Parsha continues the theme from the previous Parsha in describing our ancestor’s enthusiasm for building the Mishkan (tabernacle) and their exacting commitment to its great detail. After transmitting G-d’s detailed instructions for building the Mishkan the Torah could have simply concluded with the words “Vayasu Ken,” …
Rabbi’s Desk »
What Can We Do?
These past two days have been the most difficult for our people in the last fifty years. It was Simchat Torah, a time for rejoicing, yet it was a time of horror. Nearly a thousand members of our family were brutally murdered, more than a hundred were taken hostage, and …
