How to tell when someone is unethical or immoral? In the time in the desert, when someone acted this way, their very skin, clothing, and even walls of their spaces, would discolor. There are ten causes for these markings – tazria – that the rabbis mention – from bottom right going up and around –…
How to honor the high and the low. In this parsha which centers on the How to honor the high and the low. In this parsha which centers on the korbanos – the sacrifices – there is the contemporary challenge of relevance. In this image appear two stimulating concepts: one is that the wood used to…
This first parsha of this new book of Vayikra begins with the varieties of sacrifices – korbanos – which is translated as “growing near.” These animal sacrifices are challenging for us today. Yes, the animals represent us, die for us, but which of these sacrifices talk to us today? One is called the peace offering, where…
To live in a time of miracles. With all the materials to construct the Mishkan, it was at first too difficult for people to build it, so the Midrash says that Moses himself was able to make it take form, magically lifting the planks and setting them in place. The Shekhinah – the ‘dwelling’ – associated…
Who are the most generous? In this case, when gold and silver and copper were requested to construct the implements in the Mishkan, it was the women who came forward first. It is said they didn’t participate in the chaos of the golden calf and therefore, unlike the men who were embarrassed, the women readily stepped up. But…
What do we worship? Who do we trust? Here the people who had escaped slavery after two hundred years and have just had a spiritual revelation at Mount Sinai, now 40 days later, thinking their leader Moses has disappeared on the mountain, some demand of his brother Aaron that he create an image for them to pray to. Frightened that…
This parsha continues the iteration of the details of the Mishkan in the desert, here describing the garments that the kohen gadol was to wear. And what covered his heart was a breastplate called this choshen and on it were 12 precious stones and on each were the letters from the names of the 12…
This week’s parsha is about the construction of the Mishkan – a physical reflection of the order and purpose of the holy structure of our lives. It is filled with symbols like the menorah made from one nugget of gold that formed first in four burning colors which then became the seven-armed golden menorah reminding us that…
The angels did not want the Torah to be given to humans and complained about the presence of a mortal amongst them. Moses was told by Hashem to respond and he argued that each of the ten commandments were declared for us, not for angels, as they don’t covet, or give false testimony, or steal, or commit…