These are such loaded Parshiot! So many things to discuss, it’s hard to pick. Books can be written in modern politically correct world about the lines devotes to who is allowed to come close to the “congregation of GD” Books can be also written on the question of a blemished sacrifice and why it is…
Tag: haiku
A Few Verses Before Passover
Just a few verses combining the events of the day. The life of this world never seizes to amaze, both in good and bad ways. Oh Egypt, “how the mighty has fallen”! Egypt, the giant of old With your gold and your gems, with you valley of kings Where does your golden queen cry…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Vayikra
Having missed two full weeks due to an enormous amount of new work that poured on me because some people cannot resist trying to do anything they can to disrupt the life of the Jews, I am back discussing the holy texts. This book, Leviticus – וַיִּקְרָא is, possibly, the one that serves as the reason…
Lost in Winter
It’s one of these days when I feel I am lost again. Lost without the people in my life gone forever. Lost without the main man in my life, my dad whose birthday is coming up in two days. Lost without my sister who was the epitome of the things a true woman possesses. Lost…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses –Trumah
Once in the desert and having received the 10 Commandments, the Jews are told to start building a “dwelling place” for Divine Presence. To start the process everyone (every man to be precise) is asked to bring an offering, but only if they wish. ב דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיִקְחוּ-לִי תְּרוּמָה: מֵאֵת כָּל-אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ, תִּקְחוּ אֶת-תְּרוּמָתִי….
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses –Mishpatim
After the Bnei Yisrael are finally out of Egypt, they find out that life is not going to be easy. There are laws to follow, and rules to live by. א וְאֵלֶּה, הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים, אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים, לִפְנֵיהֶם. 1 Now these are the ordinances which thou shalt set before them Did you think this is it? You left…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses –Beshalach
Wow! What a parshah! It is very true that no matter how many times you read Torah on Shabbat, you will always be astonished by something in it. It seems that I have read this one – Beshalach – for the first time, as I don’t think I ever realized how many fundamental events are in…
New Random (Sad?) Verses
New world order is coming Is it new indeed? Listen to Navi, read the books Everything happens the way He said Don’t hide from the real truth Nothing else matters in the end of days What has the world come to? Jews hating each other for the fun of the rest of them Will…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Vaeira
This is a parshah of Gd’s names. ב וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה; וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו, אֲנִי יְהוָה. 2 And God spoke unto Moses, and said unto him: ‘I am the LORD; ג וָאֵרָא, אֶל-אַבְרָהָם אֶל-יִצְחָק וְאֶל-יַעֲקֹב–בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי; וּשְׁמִי יְהוָה, לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם. 3 and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses -Vayeitze
This week’s Parshah is full of family stories, deceit and internal Torah connections. Michael Hattin is making some great comments juxtaposing the story of Yaakov with the story of the Jews’ exodus from Egypt. Do listen to his view on these connections based on the use of verbs, mostly, in both parashot. We see Yaakov running…
Gil Marks’ Yahrzeit
Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of Gil Marks‘s death. Even though I met Gil only a couple of times, I feel that I have to write about this amazing man. I was sad to see that his webpage was taken down. The man was not only the real walking food encyclopedia, but a Rabbi writing…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses –Toldot
This Parshah seems to contain many inner family struggles. First, it reminds us again that each birth is a miracle. As other imahot – אִמָּהוֹת – pra-mothers, Rivka did not immediately give birth. כא וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק לַיהוָה לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ, כִּי עֲקָרָה הִוא; וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ יְהוָה, וַתַּהַר רִבְקָה אִשְׁתּוֹ. 21 And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife,…
