Parasha of the Week

  “God went before them… in a pillar of cloud by day and a column of fire at night… .” Exodus 13:21 God lit the way before the people.  He provided a clear sign and direction to the people so they would always know they were under the protective care of the Almighty.  This was an ongoing reassurance of God’s ongoing love to the people He just redeemed. Rabbi Yehuah HaNasi commented, “Antoninus, my friend and confidante was the Roman emperor.”  He went on to tell, “When Antoninus, and his family would venture out at night, he would carry a torch to light their way.  When his servants approached him to carry the torch, the emperor refused saying, “It is not that I cannot find anyone to carry the light for my family.  I want everyone who sees us to know how much I love them, so I will always carry the torch.” Rabbi Yehuah HaNasi said, “This is what HaKadosh Baruch Hu did for us.  He wanted for everyone to know how deep is His...

  Parashat Ki Taytze   The many problems we encounter life are found in this parasha.  From relationships with people, to taking a bird’s eggs the Torah insists on being good.   Consider:  If you see someone’s pet wandering away, you must return it to them.   Consider:  If the owner cannot be found you must keep the animal in your home until the owner returns.   Consider : This applies not just for their animal but anything that belongs to another person.   Consider : do not pretend that you don’t see the missing object. Looking the other way is bad, even if you do not like the person who owns it.   Property is important. What belongs to you and what belongs to them is the stuff of Torah. If people ignore property rights, if they do not respect ownership they will fight. In fact, this is how most wars begin. Nations argue over what belongs to them and then go to war.  Here’s what the Talmud has to say: Bab Metzia queries: if yo...

What is the value of a human being?  How much is a person worth?  The Sidra this week addresses the idea of a person's value.  Their value will be dependent upon their age.  children from one to five have a value of five shekels, from five to twenty, twenty shekels and sixty years old and upward is reduced to fifteen shekels.  And unsurprisingly, these figures are less for females.  What does all this mean? These figures, these valuations, concern what one chooses to donate to the Temple.  If they say, "I want to give myself to the Temple" (a modern day version might be the person who states I want to give my valuation, my worth, to Beth Shalom as an act of tzedaka).  Many synagogues throughout the country are doing this now.  They have dispensed with a dues structure and are asking people to give a free-will offering, what they think they can afford based on their earnings, as their donation to be a part of the community and as a measure of ...

16:12  Moshe rabbenu is directed to tell the Kohen Gadol (the Graet Kohen, Aaaron, his brother) that he should not come within the  kapporet .  Interesting word.  Some say  kapporet  means “lid.”  Others declare that it means, “curtain.”  Yet others say that it indicates the “seat of mercy.”  So what does it mean?  Understanding the Torah is paramount.  The root of the word  kapporet  is the same as  kippur .  It is not accident that the next few p’suekim (sentences) refer to the holy day of Yom Kippur.   Often when we are in the midst of deep pain or anxiety we come to holy places and thoughts. The Torah warns us, “Man may not see Me and live.” (Exodus 33:20) That may be what happened when Nadav and Avihu died (Aaron’s sons).  While the Torah is vague about what actually occurred and why they perished it is possible they were simply trying to see the face of...

A question is raised in the Mishna, “Who is wise?”  Ben Zoma answered in Pirkay Avot, “The one who leans from every person.” (4:1) However, in the Talmud the same question gets a different response,  “The one who sees what will be born.”  (Tamid 32a).  In other words, the outcome of their actions.   It is the second answer is quoted by the Ishbitzer Rebbe regarding this week’s Torah portion, Shmini.  He supplies this response because of what happens at the beginning of the parasha.  A strange fire brought to the altar of God consumes the two sons of Aaron, Nadav and Avihu.  They die in a conflagration.     The Rebbe goes on to explain that it is not enough to act but we must think  first, for sometimes we are doing something wrong for what we believe is the right purpose.  A person’s intent should always be doing what is good and right, not placing one’s own ego or cleverness ab...

Do people need a place to worship? After all, God may be everywhere but they want to find holiness in a single place. That is why they want to build a Mishkan. The root of the word Mishkan, literally “dwelling place,” has to do with the place where God can be found. We build Synagogues for the same reason, it is a place to assemble and find God. In fact, we even have a name for the Lord comes from the same Hebrew root as Mishkan, Shechinah.   Shechinah is the name we use for God when we feel him most closely. Every name that we for HaKadosh Baruch Hu means something different. And this word comes closest to the aspect that is most proximate to us. This Sidra is preceded by the laws of Shabbat.  The sages therefore indicate that we are to learn that even labors for God do not outweigh the holy Shabbat. While we may be involved in many activities that seem to be very important to us, even making a Mishkan, this one aspect of living the life of a Jew is critical to...

Tzedaka is collected, One half shekel from each person.  Everyone could afford it so that all Israel contributed the same amount for the creation and dedication of the Mishkan, the sanctuary. There is a small but meaningful lesson in this: all we have do is our part.  We are not asked to move mountains, make miracle, and change the universe: all we need do what we can.  And when we play our small but significant role everything in nature and the universe works.  Just like the poem attributed to Benjamin Franklin, “For the want of a nail the shoe was lost, For the want of a shoe the horse was lost, For the want of a horse the rider was lost, For the want of a rider the battle was lost, For the want of a battle the kingdom was lost, And all for the want of a horseshoe-nail.” Everything matters.  Everyone matters. We are not tasked to do the impossible just our part in making the world a little more perfect.   Then we come to the story...