The Big Kahuna Or Kehuna (כְּהֻנָּֽה)?

the torah portion korach- beginning at numbers 16- utilizes the word, כְּהֻנָּֽה, kehuna. hawaiian contains a similar word- kahuna. beyond sounding alike, their meanings bare similarity; in hebrew, kehuna refers to priesthood while the kahuna in hawaiian refers to a wise man or shaman. for some, being a kahuna is not enough. thus, we haveContinue reading “The Big Kahuna Or Kehuna (כְּהֻנָּֽה)?”

The Most Important Word; Shlach

one word in the english language terrifies most individuals- accountability. acceptance of failure, fret over more labor to be done, and the feeling of being trapped are among the emotions that cause us to wake up in a pool of sweat. these emotions come with accountability. the shlach torah portion takes us to an existentialContinue reading “The Most Important Word; Shlach”

Was The Greatest Find A Blessing? The Portion Naso: A Ten Commandments’ Tale

what was the most significant biblical archeological find? the dead sea scrolls? others may argue that another discovery evidencing the torah portion naso brings us historically closer to mt. sinai. in 1979, israeli archaeologist mr. gabriel barkay, with the help of one of his young workers, found a silver amulet in a jerusalem burial tomb.Continue reading “Was The Greatest Find A Blessing? The Portion Naso: A Ten Commandments’ Tale”

Sometimes, There Is No Simple Answer; Shavuot: A Ten Commandments’ Tale

as a lawyer, i am besieged with questions upon which there is no simple answer. likewise, there is the conundrum of giving an abbreviated answer. with short answers, there is the fear that i will be accused of providing something inaccurate or misleading. at times, when there is no simple answer, i often tell theContinue reading “Sometimes, There Is No Simple Answer; Shavuot: A Ten Commandments’ Tale”

Being of Service: Behar-Bechukotai: A Ten Commandments’ Tale

“you’re gonna have to serve somebody” bob dylan bob dylan’s gospel classic “gotta serve somebody” craftily lists a variety of individuals-some with power and prestige- with the reminder that there is a higher power that must be reckoned with. the song, composed during dylan’s christianity phase, presents the choice of service to either the devilContinue reading “Being of Service: Behar-Bechukotai: A Ten Commandments’ Tale”

PETA’s Unethical Treatment of the Bible: A Ten Commandments’ Tale

ancient words have meaning; ancient words from the master of the universe- even more. bearing this in mind, the people for the ethical treatment of animals (peta), according to a foxnews report, have created their own self-serving artificial intelligence crafted vegan version of the bible. equally disturbing is the foxnews reporting which presents as journalisticContinue reading “PETA’s Unethical Treatment of the Bible: A Ten Commandments’ Tale”

Controversy Starter, The Torah Portion Emor: A Ten Commandments’ Tale

the torah portion emor pronounces “one law shall be exacted for you, convert and resident alike.” leviticus 24:22. this expression alone- if it was the torah’s only statement- would be sufficient to appreciate the scripture’s long standing impact upon the world. the united states constitution’s 14th amendment echoes the divine words when its provides “norContinue reading “Controversy Starter, The Torah Portion Emor: A Ten Commandments’ Tale”

The Cost Of Omission: A Ten Commandments’ Tale

as a big fan of books and religious learning materials, i picked up “the bible from scratch the old testament for beginners” authored by donald l. griggs. i started reading it and found it educational and a valuable resource. chapter three, which addressed the narratives of genesis, was problematic. the sodom and gemorrah story wasContinue reading “The Cost Of Omission: A Ten Commandments’ Tale”

Do We Count? The Portion Mishpatim: A Ten Commandment’s Tale

do we count? in the present day, there are a lot of people that don’t count; individuals with severe substance abuse problems, homeless, and those solely dependent on living off of government handouts are among them. members of wealthy families whose existence is dependent upon family money, and adults choosing to spend their days andContinue reading “Do We Count? The Portion Mishpatim: A Ten Commandment’s Tale”

The Image vs. The Word, The Parsha Yitro: A Ten Commandments’ Tale

this blog’s torah analysis examines texts through a ten commandments’ lens. thus, an ultimate challege occurs with the parsha yitro. how can the deliverance of the ten commandments be viewed with a ten commandments’ lens? the previous week’s haftarah reading from judges offers insight mt. sinai’s events being greater that the deliverance of the tenContinue reading “The Image vs. The Word, The Parsha Yitro: A Ten Commandments’ Tale”