A Haftarah is part of the Torah Reading Service. The Haftarah reading- a supplemental reading from non-Torah scripture- is a passage selected because it relates to the Torah Portion that is read. One theory advanced as to why there are Haftarah readings is that they began at a time when public Torah reading was forbidden;Continue reading “The Bereshit Haftarah’s Ten Commandments’ Moment”
Category Archives: torah
Next Level Common Knowledge: Sukkoth
Steven Pinker examines Common Knowledge in his work: When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows…: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life (2025, Scribner.) Dr. Pinker’s Common Knowledge is a term meant to describe human interactions and the knowledge of the individuals interacting. The Sukkoth Holiday- the Festival of Booths- Torah PortionContinue reading “Next Level Common Knowledge: Sukkoth”
V’zot Haberachah’s Ten Commandments’ Moment
Before the Torah’s finale, Moses charged parents to educate their children. In the Torah’s final portion, V’zot Haberachah, Moses charges the Levites to educate the Israelite nation. In Moses’ blessing to the tribe, he assigns them a special assignment. Forever more, the Levites were tasked to provide covenantal education to the nation. This tasking raisesContinue reading “V’zot Haberachah’s Ten Commandments’ Moment”
Institutionalized Randomness: The Goat, A Yom Kippur Thought
Who will live, and Who will die Yom Kippur’s Torah Portion is the goat on randomness. What should we take away from the universe filled with uncertainty? Yom Kippur- the Day of Atonement- is a moment in which life’s uncertainty is brought to the forefront. It is done with the reading of one of theContinue reading “Institutionalized Randomness: The Goat, A Yom Kippur Thought”
Ha’Azinu’s Ten Commandments’ Moment
These go to eleven Nigel Tufnel Moses, in the Ha’Azinu Torah Portion, lectures to the Children of Israel their covenantal responsibilities. In his speech, Moses raises parental responsibilities of the requirement to teach their progeny the commandments. While the Decalogue served as a Community Code of Conduct, the Commandments did not fully lay out theContinue reading “Ha’Azinu’s Ten Commandments’ Moment”
Who’s Testing Who? The Akedah
Who’s actually being tested with the Akedah? Rosh Hashanah’s Second Day Torah Portion feature the famous Binding of Isaac. With its holiday reading, Abraham is not tested for his near sacrifice of his son Isaac. His test was a few thousands of years ago on Mt. Moriah. Rather, those presently reading, listening, and discussing theContinue reading “Who’s Testing Who? The Akedah”
Well, Well, Well: A Rosh Hashanah Tale
During the holiday season, sometimes we have to be the “bigger” person. Being largesse is often necessary during the High Holiday season. Rosh Hashanah- the New Year- and Yom Kippur- the Day of Atonement- often come with close encounters of the uncomfortable kind. This especially happens on neutral grounds; synagogues and places of worship. Frankly,Continue reading “Well, Well, Well: A Rosh Hashanah Tale”
In Abstentia: Nitzavim
We were all at Mt. Sinai To fully understand the Ten Commandments, one must not only explore the law, but also the spirituality attached to it. Legally, the Decalogue presents as a contract; a covenant. With contracts, there are parties. The Ten Commandments’ two parties are God and the Children of Israel. These two areContinue reading “In Abstentia: Nitzavim”
Forbidden Fruit? Ki Tavo
Deuteronomy’s Garden of Eden connection is undeniable. The Torah’s beginning and ending theologically converge in Ki Tavo’s fruit-filled moment. A particular Ki Tavo commandment addresses an ultimate Torah issue. It brings a greater understanding of God’s role with humanity. In the end, Ki Tavo breathes new understanding into the Tree of Knowledge of Good andContinue reading “Forbidden Fruit? Ki Tavo”
The Bigger Picture: Ki Teitzei
What is the Torah’s Big Picture? The answer can be achieved by making sense of a one particular perplexing commandment from the Torah Portion Ki Teitzei. Before doing so, one must understand that the Pentateuch, some opine, was intended to be a nation’s law. To accomplish this goal, the Torah is crafted with commandments thatContinue reading “The Bigger Picture: Ki Teitzei”
