Parashat B’midbar
Friday, May 22, 2020 /28 Iyar, 5780 Parashat B’midbar Numbers 1:1−4:20 Dear Friends, This week, we begin a new book of Torah, a new chapter in the history of the Jewish people. Parashat Bamidbar literally means “in the desert.” So many of us have been feeling as though we are traversing through the Midbar these […]
Bamidbar 5780
Egalitarian Society, Jewish-Style The parsha of Bamidbar is generally read on the Shabbat before Shavuot, z’man matan torateinu, “the time of the giving of our law,” the revelation at Sinai. So the Sages, believing that nothing is coincidental, searched for some connection between the two. To find one is not easy. There is nothing in the […]
Parashat B’har-B’hukotai
Friday, May 15, 2020 /21 Iyar, 5780 Parashat B’har-B’hukotai Leviticus 25:1-27:34 Dear Friends, Yesterday, I had the privilege of participating in a clergy workshop with the Central Conference of American Rabbis. My friend, the liturgical poet, Alden Solovy, led us in a prayer-writing exercise. Over the past few months, I know many of us have […]
Behar-Bechukotai 5780
The Power of a Curse The book of Vayikra draws to a close by outlining the blessings that will follow if the people are faithful to their covenant with God. Then it describes the curses that will befall them if they are not. The general principle is clear. In biblical times, the fate of the […]
Parashat Emor
Friday, May 8, 2020 /14 Iyar, 5780 Parashat Emor Leviticus 21:1-24:23 [For] six days, work may be performed, but on the seventh day, it is a complete rest day, a holy occasion; you shall not perform any work. It is a Sabbath to God in all your dwelling places. (Leviticus 23:3) My love affair with […]
Emor 5780
Radical Uncertainty There is something very strange about the festival of Succot, of which our parsha is the primary source. On the one hand, it is the festival supremely associated with joy. It is the only festival in our parsha that mentions rejoicing, “And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.” (Lev. […]
Parashat Acharei Mot – K’doshim
Friday, May 1, 2020 /7 Iyar, 5780 Parashat Acharei Mot – K’doshim Leviticus 16:1-20:27 Dear Friends, This week we come to the heart of the Torah. Appearing in the center of our middle book of Torah, Leviticus 19 is often called, “The Holiness Code.” It is so named because of its opening verse which reads […]
Acharei Mot – Kedoshim 5780
The Ethic of Holiness Kedoshim contains the two great love commands of the Torah. The first is, “Love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” (Lev. 19:18) Rabbi Akiva called this “the great principle of the Torah.” The second is no less challenging, “The stranger living among you must be treated as your native-born. Love […]
Parashat Tazria M’tzora
Friday, April 24, 2020 /30 Nisan, 5780 Parashat Tazria M’tzora Leviticus 12:1-15:33 Dear Friends, When Rabbi Kail asked me to send out the introduction for this week’s Shabbat email, I should have checked the Torah portion before agreeing. Tazria-M’tzora, this week’s portion is every B’nai Mitzvah family’s nightmare. So often we hear, “I’d like to […]
Tazria-Metzora 5780
Words That Heal At the risk of disclosing a spoiler, I would like to begin this week’s Covenant & Conversation by discussing the 2019 film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Tom Hanks plays the beloved American children’s television producer/presenter Mister Rogers, a legendary figure to several generations of young Americans, famous for his musical invitation, “Won’t You […]