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Parashat Behar/Bechukotai
Parashat Behar, which focuses on the laws concerning land ownership in Israel, urges Bnai Yisrael to support members of their community in need (Leviticus 25:35-38). The Midrash in Leviticus Rabbah...
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Behar/Bechukotai: Holy Garbage
Once every seven years, the Torah forbids any planting, pruning, plowing, or harvesting of the land in Israel. This year-long rest for the land of Israel, which is called the Shmita year, is one of the...
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Parashat Emor
A few months ago the guest list to my Shemini Atzeret dinner was growing quickly as the holiday approached. Even though I had cooked enough chicken to feed twenty, I asked a friend to pick up a pound...
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Emor: Biblical Purell
Working in a school surrounded by Purell dispensers at every corner, it seems that the theme of purity and impurity highlighted in Parashat Emor continues to manifest in modern society. As the Kohanim...
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Parashat Acharei Mot/Kedoshim
Holiness: Coming to a Community Near You – Parashat Kedoshim opens with the famous line of God telling Bnai Yisrael: “You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). The Torah...
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Acharei Mot/Kedoshim: Sticks & Stones
Parashat Kedoshim covers many laws that govern the interactions between people. The Parasha states, “Do not go as a talebearer among your people” (Vayikra 19:16). Unlike the saying “sticks and stones...
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Parashat Tazria/Metzora
This week’s double Torah portion, Parashat Tazria/Metzora, focuses on the laws concerning a “Metzora,” a person with leprosy, as well as the leprosy that spreads on garments and the walls of homes....
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Tazria/Metzorah: The Birds & The Bees
Parashat Tazria describes how the mother of a newborn is required to bring sacrifices to God in gratitude for a successful pregnancy. The Midrash in Vayikra Rabbah 14:3 asks: “If a person carries a...
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Parashat Shemini
In the fast paced world that we live in, sometimes we do things a little too fast. In some cases, we may be so eager to reply to an email that our tone is inappropriate or unprofessional. In other...
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Shemini: Strange Fire
In Parashat Shemini, Aharon’s sons Nadav and Avihu are killed by fire for bringing an “Esh Zarah,” a strange offering, to God. The rabbis utilize several explanations for why Nadav and Avihu received...
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Parashat Tzav
At times, reading through the details of the sacrifices mentioned in the book of Leviticus can be an exhausting exercise. The authors of the book of Midrash entitled Leviticus Rabbah, compiled around...
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Tzav: Holy Fashions
Just as we witnessed the installation of a new pope last week, Parashat Tzav describes the details involved in the ordination of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest. Fashion plays a major role in the...
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Parashat Vayikrah
When I was in the tenth grade I had to memorize each step of the sacrifices, from the slitting of the birds to the sprinkling of their blood on the altar. At the time, I found this learning experience...
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Vayikrah: BBQ Time
Vayikrah: BBQ Time You know that summer has arrived when the air is filled with the smell of local barbeques. In Parashat Vayikrah, we learn that God enjoyed the smell of barbeques. Biblical barbeques,...
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