The Torah Portion Vayakhel begins with the following: “and Moses assembled all of the congregation of the Children of Israel and said to them, “These are the things that the Lord commanded to do them: Six days work shall be done, and in the seventh day you shall have a holy thing, a Sabbath, aContinue reading “A Ten Commandments’ Moment From Vayakhel: Sabbath Rules”
Category Archives: torah
A Ten Commandments’ Moment from Ki Tisa: Coveting
Ki Tisa brings forth the Torah’s ultimate vision of fairness and accountability. With respect to the costs for thr Tent of Meeting, the following edict was issued: “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: When you take the sum of the Children of Israel according to their numbers, let each one give to the Lord anContinue reading “A Ten Commandments’ Moment from Ki Tisa: Coveting”
In Every Generation A Light: Tetzaveh
“… you shall command the Children of Israel that they shall bring clear pressed olive oil to you for the light, to keep up a lamp always.” Exodus 27:20. The lighting of this lamp was “an eternal law through their generations from the Children of Israel.” Exodus 27. When leaving our houses, to save energy,Continue reading “In Every Generation A Light: Tetzaveh”
A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Civil War
The Book of Judges’ disturbing conclusion is the tale of Levite Traveler and his Concubine Wife. In the story, an older man from Gilbeah took the Levite and his wife in for the night as an act of hospitality. The town was Benjamite. Judges 19. There, “the people of the city, lawless people, surrounded the house, bangingContinue reading “A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Civil War”
Teruma’s Ten Commandments’ Moment : InTent
The Torah Portion Teruma bolsters the Exodus’ historicity. Teruma explicitly details construction matters for the Mishkan aka Tabernacle. The Tabernacle’s discuss is part of Richard Elliott Friedman’s argument that an Exodus did occur. Scholars have connected the Tabernacle’s design to another structure from antiquity. The Mishkan’s design bears similarity to Pharoah Ramses II’s War Tent that wasContinue reading “Teruma’s Ten Commandments’ Moment : InTent”
A Ten Commandments’ Moment From Mishpatim: God As My Witness?
As a practicing lawyer for over 33 years, I have spent decades litigating newly enacted legislation. No matter how well-crafted or conceived, laws always contain ambiguity. After the provision of the Ten Commandments in the Yitro, the Torah Portion Mishpatim follows with the announcement of seminal laws shaping Judaism. One of the most notable from Mishpatim is theContinue reading “A Ten Commandments’ Moment From Mishpatim: God As My Witness?”
A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Jephthah
Of all the Book of Judges’ gut wrenching episodes. Jephthah’s is one of the most problematic. He is a mighty warrior of valor who has acceptance issues. Judges, in providing his background story, alludes that he most likely carried with him emotional insecurity; The tale unfolds with his estrangement from his father’s family. The story takes off with theContinue reading “A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Jephthah”
Yitro’s Ten Commandments’ (Truman Show) Moment
Years ago, my Brother and I were watching the Superbowl. At Halftime, I suggested that we visit a sick relative who was at the nearby hospital. With everyone pre-occupied with watching the bloated halftime performance of some aging music group, the streets were clear; we made it to his hospital room in record time. When we arrived, heContinue reading “Yitro’s Ten Commandments’ (Truman Show) Moment”
Yitro’s Ten Commandments’ Moment
My wife and I tried to recall the date of a past trip. We remembered being stunned, on the way home, to hear on the radio that Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and others tragically died in a helicopter crash. Having lived in Los Angeles since the days when Sabre Tooth Tigers and Whooly Mammoths cruised WilshireContinue reading “Yitro’s Ten Commandments’ Moment”
A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Succession
The Book of Judges is not for the faint hearted. While Gideon’s leadership as a Judge sparked a thirst for Israelite monarchical rule, his post-mortem was sobering to that national ambition. Succession, in antiquity, was heavily nepotism. Gideon, not be outshined by the Elon Musk’s or Nick Cannon’s of the world, amassed seventy sons and hadContinue reading “A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Succession”
The Ten Commandments Project 