Who is responsible? Much of this parsha is devoted to issues of caring for the other and the Zohar speaks of our duty to feed the hungry and release the slaves. The image of us being bound to Hashem by a heavenly yoke (here emblazoned with the letters of the Tetragrammaton and the radiating colors of the Sephirot that…
The Zohar addresses the 49 days of the omer – seven weeks, with seven sephirot each with seven aspects for each of the seven days of each week – all leading to the receiving of the Torah, likened to the wedding night. Union. And amidst the changing moon, the Zohar mentions the use of a straight shofar…
The Zohar speaks of this parsha as a special blessing and that to study Torah particularly around midnight offers an opening so that our consciousness expands – here indicated by the colors of the four worlds that Kabbalah tells us that we live in simultaneously. And to make love at this time too is a blessing. And it also speaks…
Who is to take on the challenging work for us? Actually all of us participate, as did the entire congregation in the desert, when once a year one of two goats would be selected by lot by the Kohen Gadol – the high priest – and all would contribute to the purchase of this creature, and…
What are the consequences for evil speech? The Zohar speaks of those who speak with a vicious tongue attacking others. Their behavior will revert back on themselves. A form of leprosy will attest to their cruelty. In the past their homes would reveal their sinister activities and have to be destroyed and out of this would emerge combating spirits…
How do we celebrate? This week’s parsha has the very troubling story of the two sons of Aaron who entered the Holy of Holies, and their souls were pulled out from them in a fire stream from Hashem. Sages have discussed the causes for this and among them is that the two were drinking before they came…
How do we get rid of evil thoughts? This week’s parsha speaks of the various sacrifices made to deal with intentional and unintentional sins and guilt. This all revolves around fire. Burning the sacrifices are substitutes in a way for ourselves. The Zohar expands on this saying that there is a river of fire that will incinerate our negative…
This week’s parsha speaks about the sacrifices made at the Mishkan. Today these seem like ancient primitive endeavors. But the Zohar points out that though there were those who could offer the more valued ox or goat, it was the poorest – like this woman here – who, making their offering with doves for peace and forgiveness,…