Divrei Torah - Guests/Members

December, 2009/5770

mamas dvar

I began thinking of this Torah portion two years ago, or so, when we decided that this would be the date of my daughter Nellie’s bat mitzvah. The date for her birthday weekend was taken, so we thought, why not pick a cool portion and, heck, get a Hallel service to boot? And the cake possibilities for Vayeshev were just too good to pass up.

Until about three months ago, I was...Read more...

5769

Vayikra

I. Introduction

Today we started reading the third book of the Torah, called Vayikra. This is also the name of the first parsha in this book. The name derives from the first Hebrew word in the parsha “And He called” – referring to Adonai calling out to Moses from the tent of Meeting (Mishkan).

Vayikra is commonly known by its Greek name, Leviticus, so called because it contains the...Read more...

Burning bush? What burning bush? 

“An angel of the lord appeared to him in a blazing fire out of a bush. He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed. Moses said ‘I must...Read more...

D'var Torah on Parashat Vayeishev -- Bat Torah of Cindy Rivka Marshall:

16 December, 2006/5766

Experiences in the Pit

OK – so, some of you are probably thinking: she doesn’t look 13! What is this woman doing? Well, as some of you may know, a Jewish person becomes a Bat or Bar Mitzvah when they turn 13, no matter whether or not they have a ritual to mark it. I did not have a ritual when I turned 13. I was raised...Read more...

5764

Parsha Ki Tisa – March 13

God’s Thirteen Attributes of Mercy

[First, let me start with a summary of this week’s parsha.]

At the heart of this week’s parsha is the story of the Golden Calf. The Israelites, fearing that Moses (who they credit with their liberation from Egypt, rather than an invisible God) will not return from his ascent of Mount Sinai, create a Golden Calf in the desert, and...Read more...