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torah commentary
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Our firstborn no longer belong to God
Bamidbar, Numbers 1:1-4:20 Once upon a time, a long time ago, every firstborn belonged to God. We were always supposed to give the first of all “our fruits” to God, literally. Now, let’s go way b...
May 09, 2013 | 0 0 comments | 1 1 recommendations | email to a friend
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<i>Rabbi Aaron Bisno</i>
Shabbat as a utopian ideal
Behar-Behukotai, Leviticus 25:1-27:34 This week’s Torah reading is drawn from a double portion, Behar-Behukotai. Behar is associated with the laws of sabbatical; that is, we are instructed to al...
May 02, 2013 | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend
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<i>Rabbi Scott Aaron</i>
You kiss your mother with that mouth? Blasphemy then and now
Parshat Emor, Leviticus 21:1 – 24:23 This week’s portion ends with a troubling story of blasphemy, social isolation and death.  (I know … a lot of our Torah portions have troubling stories of bla...
Apr 25, 2013 | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend
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<i>Rabbi James Gibson</i>
‘Can’t we all just get along?’
Achare Mot–Kedoshim, Leviticus 16:1-20:27 Those famous words, “Can’t we all just get along?” were plaintively said by Rodney King, whose beating at the hands of the Los Angeles Police more than ...
Apr 18, 2013 | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend
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<i>Rabbi Joe Hample</i>
Getting it together
Tazria-Metzora, Leviticus 12:1-15:33 Just between you and me, I feel a lot of ambivalence.  I’m full of faith and doubt, calm and stress, gloom and hope.  I’m an introverted extrovert, a sloppy p...
Apr 10, 2013 | 1 1 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend
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<i>Rabbi David Novitsky</i>
That which enters your mouth is also important
Shemini, Leviticus 9:1-11:47 There are those who believe that the Jewish dietary laws were given to the people of Israel primarily for health concerns.  They maintain that the unclean animals enu...
Apr 04, 2013 | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend
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Archives
Sticks and stones
Parshat Balak Numbers 22:2-25:9
by Rabbi James A. Gibson
Temple Sinai
Jun 24, 2010 | 1 1 comments | 10 10 recommendations | email to a friend
You all know the chant from our childhood: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.” And when we think about it, we realize that not all childhood wisdom rings true. This ...
When a fruit is more than just a fruit
Shelach, Numbers 13:1-15:41
by Rabbi Eli Seidman
Jewish Association on Aging
Jun 03, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 13 13 recommendations | email to a friend
On the ship over from Hungary to America, my wife’s grandmother encountered a banana for the first time. It may seem strange to us, but she did not even know to remove the peel before eating the fr...
Who is blessing whom?
Naso, Numbers 4:21-7:89
by Rabbi Ron Symons
Temple Sinai
May 20, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 12 12 recommendations | email to a friend
May God bless You and keep You. May God enlighten you and be gracious unto you. May God’s presence be upon you and grant you shalom. The Torah ear knows no more spiritually poetic a passage, no mo...
Bamidbar, Shemot, Bereshit — what’s in a name?
New Castle Bamidbar, Numbers 1:1-4:20
by Rabbi Martin Shorr
Temple Hadar Israel, New Castle
May 13, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 15 15 recommendations | email to a friend
I always bring to my congregants’ attention that the actual definitions of the names of each of the Five Books of Moses are not correct. Beginning with Bamidbar. The book is identified as Numbers i...
Proclaim true liberty
Behar-Bechukotai, Leviticus 25:1-27:34
by Rabbi Eli Seidman
Jewish Association on Aging
May 06, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 13 13 recommendations | email to a friend
The inscription on the Liberty Bell is a verse from Leviticus, which is part of this week’s Torah portion: “And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto ...
Bringing holiness into our lives
Emor, Leviticus 21:1-24:23
by Rabbi Beth Jacowitz Chottiner
Temple Shalom, Wheeling W.Va.
Apr 29, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 12 12 recommendations | email to a friend
Mother’s Day is next Sunday. This comes as no surprise, and most of us have already figured out how to mark this special day. Similarly, we know that Memorial Day will fall at the end of May and ...
Love, love, love
Achare-Kedoshim, Leviticus 16:1-20:27
by Rabbi Jessica Locketz
Temple Emanuel
Apr 22, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 18 18 recommendations | email to a friend
The Bershider Rebbe said: Do you want people to love you? Love them first. This is undoubtedly one of the messages of this week’s double Torah portion, Achare-Kedoshim, a portion considered by man...
Avarice
Tazria/M’tzora Leviticus 12:1-15:33
by Rabbi Paul Tuchman
Temple B’nai Israel, White Oak
Apr 15, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 16 16 recommendations | email to a friend
Plagues that infect houses are the subject of a difficult paragraph in this week’s double sedrah. Just what is the nature of “greenish or reddish streaks that appear to go deep into the wall?” (Lev...
To be or not to be … kosher
Shemini, Leviticus 9:1-11:41
by Cantor Richard Berlin
Parkway Jewish Center
Apr 08, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 10 10 recommendations | email to a friend
Before you choose to skip this column, let me tell you that you will not be subjected to a regimented discussion of how you should keep kosher. Nor will you be subjected to exhortations to change y...
Change is within our power
Congregation Chol HaMoed Pesach
by Rabbi Aaron Bisno
Rodef Shalom
Apr 02, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 13 13 recommendations | email to a friend
Three weeks ago, this paper ran an editorial cartoon that portrayed “Non-Orthodox Israelis” as prisoners to “Ultra-Orthodox Rules.” The cartoon struck a nerve with me as I am troubled by the relig...