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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
Moses’ pep talk has lessons for today
Nitzavim-Vayelech, Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30
by Rabbi Michael Werbow
Congregation Beth Shalom
Sep 02, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 11 11 recommendations | email to a friend
For each one of us there are times when we find ourselves all stressed out about some upcoming event. We may be giving a big presentation; we may be changing jobs or moving to a different city. W...
Introducing non-Jewish Europeans to Jewish life
by Ruth Ellen Gruber
JTA
Sep 01, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 15 15 recommendations | email to a friend
PITIGLIANO, Italy -- In Italy, where there are only about 25,000 affiliated Jews in a population of 60 million, most Italians have never knowingly met a Jew. "It's unfortunate," said the Italian J...
Blessings or curses
Ki Tavo, Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8
by Rabbi Sara Rae Perman
Congregation Emanu-El Israel, Greensburg
Aug 26, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 10 10 recommendations | email to a friend
In my college years, I traveled to Israel with a classmate. For each of us, it was not our first trip to Israel. Idealistic and naïve, we traveled on our own with plans to volunteer on a kibbutz. ...
Count us in
by Rabbi Joseph S. Weiss
B’nai Emunoh Congregation
Aug 19, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 14 14 recommendations | email to a friend
The 110 verses of this week’s Torah portion contain an assortment of laws that cover practically every area of human endeavor. Seventy-four separate Mitzvos each with their attendant particular la...
Use these 40 days to rebuild
Shoftim, Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
by Rabbi Barbara AB Symons
Temple David, Monroeville
Aug 12, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 11 11 recommendations | email to a friend
The Jewish world just entered into the month of Elul, the final month before Rosh Hashana.  In this portion, we read: “Judges and officers you shall appoint to you (emphasis mine) ... and they shal...
On recognizing the significance of Jerusalem
Re’eh, Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17
by Rabbi Aaron Bisno
Rodef Shalom Congregation
Aug 05, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 11 11 recommendations | email to a friend
The Torah portion we read this week, Re’eh, opens with God setting before the people both “blessing and curse;” the one we receive is based on how we respond to God’s commandments. How then to meri...
The everyman’s (and woman’s) Torah
Vaetchanan, Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11
by Rabbi Nosson Sachs
UPMC Shadyside Hospital
Jul 22, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend
In synagogues everywhere we raise the Torah after we finish reading it and recite a verse from this week’s parsha: “V’zot hatorah asher sam Moshe” (This is the Torah that Moshe presented before the...
Here to hear, hear to do
Devarim, Deuteronomy 1:1 - 3:22
by Rabbi Mark Joel Mahler
Temple Emanuel of South Hills
Jul 15, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 11 11 recommendations | email to a friend
As the Book of Deuteronomy begins this Shabbat, Moses and the people of Israel stand on the far side of the Jordan River. As rivers go, the Jordan is not nearly as impressive as the three rivers t...
All for one?
Mattot-Masei Numbers 30:2-36:13,28:9-15
by Rabbi Sara Rae Perman
Congregation Emanu-El Israel
Jul 08, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 7 7 recommendations | email to a friend
We are at the end of the Book of Numbers. In fact, this Shabbat is a double portion. The children of Israel are preparing to enter the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness....
God’s compassion extends to men and women alike
Pinchas, Numbers 25:10-30:1
by Rabbi Ronald B.B. Symons
Temple Sinai
Jul 01, 2010 | 0 0 comments | 11 11 recommendations | email to a friend
This week’s Torah Portion, Pinchas, tells the precedent-making story of Zelophehad’s daughters. It reads: “The daughters of Zelophehad, of Manassite family — son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Ma...