Parsha: Bereshit (Genesis 1:1 – 6:8) A Level and Firm Foundation B’resheet בְּרֵאשִׁית‎ (“In the Beginning”) Genesis 1:1 – 6:8 This Shabbat marks the beginning, the starting again of the yearly cycle of synagogue readings. Genesis is called in Hebrew...

Parsha: Noach (Genesis 6:9 – 11:32) The Urgency of the Task Noach נֹ֫חַ (“Rest”) Genesis 6:9 – 11:32 This week’s Torah portion is entitled Noach, covering Genesis 6:9 to 11:32. It tells us about the catastrophic world-wide Flood which destroyed...

Parsha: Lech Lecha (Genesis 12:1 – 17:27) Go… Now! Lech L’cha לֶךְ-לְךָ (“Go forth!”) Genesis 12:1 – 17:27 The Torah portion this morning is entitled Lech L’cha (“Go forth!”) and spans Genesis 12 through 17. Let me invite you to open your Bibles to Genesis...

Parsha: Vayeitzei (Genesis 28:10 – 32:3) Wheeling and Dealing Vayetze וַיֵּצֵא (“And he went forth”) Genesis 28:10 – 32:3 The parasha for this week is named Vayetze, which means “and he went forth”. Jacob has to flee from Be’ersheva to escape the wrath of...

Parsha: Vayeishev (Genesis 37:1 – 40:23) What Dreams Portend Vayeshev וַיֵּשֶׁב‬  (“And he dwelt”) Genesis 37:1 – 40:23 This Shabbat’s parasha is entitled Vayeshev, meaning, ‘and he dwelt’. Jacob is again living in Canaan. Our focus turns to Joseph, Rachel’s...

Parsha: Mikeitz (Genesis 41:1 – 44:17) The Reallocation of Assets MiKetz מִקֵּץ (“at the conclusion”) Genesis 41:1 – 44:17     The parasha for this week is entitled MiKetz, meaning “at the conclusion” and covers Genesis 41:1-44:17. Joseph has been in...

Parsha Vayigash (Genesis 44:18 – 47:27) The Unveiling! Vayigash וַיִּגַּשׁ‬  (“And he drew near”) Genesis 44:18 – 47:27 The parasha for this week is entitled Vayigash (from the verb meaning to draw near) and covers Genesis 44:18-47:27. Judah, completely unaware that...

Parsha: Shemot (Exodus 1:1 – 6:1) Being on the Right Side of (Repeated) History Shemot שמות (“Names”) Exodus 1:1 – 6:1 Our Torah reading this Shabbat bears the same name as the book it introduces: Shemot meaning “names”. The English name for the book, Exodus, is...

Parsha: Va’eira (Exodus 6:2 – 9:35) Lying Lips and a Hard Heart Va’era וָאֵרָא (“And I appeared”) Exodus 6:2 – 9:35   The parasha for this Shabbat is entitled Va’era, meaning “…and I appeared” and covers Exodus chapters six through...

Parsha: Bo (Exodus 10:1 – 13:16)   A Flawless Lamb Bo בֹּא (“Go!”) Exodus 10:1 – 13:16 The parasha for this Shabbat is entitled Bo, meaning “Go!” and takes us from Exodus chapters 10 through most of 13. Despite God’s repeated...

Parsha: Beshalach (Exodus 13:17 – 17:16) An Event to Remember Forever! Beshalach בְּשַׁלַּח (“In his sending”) Exodus 13:17 – 17:16 This Shabbat’s parasha is Beshalach which means “in his sending“, referring to Pharaoh finally...

Parsha: Terumah (Exodus 25:1 – 27:19) Terumah תְּרוּמָה (“Offering”) Exodus 25:1 – 27:19 These days we have quite an array of tired, overused clichés at our disposal, such as “At the end of the day…” “When the rubber meets the road…” and so on…...

Parsha: Tzav (Leviticus 6:1 – 8:36) The Antithesis of Minimalism Tzav צַו (“Give the Command!“) Leviticus 6:1 (6:8) – 8:36 The Torah reading for this Shabbat is entitled Tzav, meaning, “Give the command!” and covers Leviticus chapters six...

Parsha: Shemini (Leviticus 9:1 – 11:47) The Peril of Self-Willed Religion Shemini שְּׁמִינִי (“The Eighth“) Leviticus 9:1 – 11:47 The parasha this Shabbat is entitled Shemini, meaning “the eighth” and spans Leviticus chapters 9-11. Aaron and his sons...

Parsha: Achrei Mot - Kedoshim (Leviticus 16:1 - 20:27) No Blood = No Atonement Acharei Mot אַחֲרֵי מוֹת (“After the death”) Leviticus 16:1-18:30 Our parasha for this Shabbat is entitled Acharei Mot, meaning “after the death” and spans Leviticus...

Parsha: Kedoshim (Leviticus 19:1 – 20:27) You Are to be Holy K’dosheem קְדֹשִׁים (“Holy ones”) Leviticus 19:1-20:27 Our parasha this Shabbat is entitled K’dosheem which means “holy ones” and covers Leviticus chapters nineteen and twenty. It opens with these...

Parsha: Bechukotai (Leviticus 26:3 – 27:34) The Big “IF…” B’chukotai בְּחֻקֹּתַי (“In My Statutes”) Leviticus 26:3-27:34 How many times have you heard it said that God’s love is unconditional? Maybe you’ve said it yourself.  Now if what you mean by that is...

Parsha: Bamidbar (Numbers 1:1 – 4:20) The Yeshiva of Hard Knocks BaMidbar בְּמִדְבַּר (“In the Wilderness”) Numbers 1:1-4:20  The Torah portion for this Shabbat is BaMidbar, meaning “In the Wilderness”. It marks the beginning of the book...

Parsha: Chukat - Balak (Numbers 19:1 – 25:9) The Terms of Redemption Chukat חֻקַּת‬ (“Statutes”) Numbers 19:1 – 22:1 Our parasha for this Shabbat is entitled Chukat, meaning “Statute (of the Law)” and covers Numbers 19 – 21. Chapter 19...

Parsha: Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1 – 3:22) The High Price of Disobedience D’varim דְּבָרִים (“Words”) Deuteronomy 1:1 – 3:22    This Shabbat brings us to the introduction of the fifth book of Moses, known in the English Bible as Deuteronomy and in the Hebrew...