Weekly Sidra: Lech Lecha (Go for youself) Torah Portion: Bereshit / Genesis 12:1-17:27 Haftorah: Yeshayhu / Isaiah 40:27-41:16 In this week we find two covenants which God makes with Abraham – the covenant between the pieces and the covenant of circumcision. I will focus on the former covenant. This covenant was placed after Abraham’s victory over the conquerors of Canaan when he set out to rescue Lot. After the covenant, we find Hashem’s commitments for the Promised Land, pledging its conquest, outlining its boundaries and detailing the people who will be replaced by Abraham’s seed. “When the sun set and it was very dark, there appeared a smoking oven, and a flaming torch which passed between those pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your offspring I assign this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: the Kenites, the [...]
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Weekly Sidra: Noach (Noah) Torah Portion: Bereshit / Genesis 6:9-11:32 Haftorah: Yeshayahu / Isaiah 54:1-54:10 The portion of Noah presents two accounts of sins committed by the early generations, the generation of the flood and the generation of the Tower of Babel. According to Rabbi Elazar “The actions done by the peopl ...
Weekly Sidra: Bereshit (In beginning) Torah Portion: Bereshit / Genesis 1:1-6:8 Haftorah: Yeshayahu / Isaiah 42:5-42:21 One of the fundamental questions we face as the Torah begins is the question of what is good and evil. To examine this question we will look at two figures – Adam and Cain. We see that Adam was placed in ...
Weekly Sidra: Vezot Haberachah (And This is the Blessing) Torah Portion: Devarim / Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12 Haftorah: Yehoshua / Joshua 1:1 – 1:9 “After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ attendant: "My servant Moses is dead. Prepare to cross the Jordan, togethe ...
Weekly Sidra: Shemini Atzeret (the Eighth [day] of Assembly) Torah Portion: Devarim / Deuteronomy 14:22-16:17 Maftir: Bamidbar / Numbers 29:35 – 30:1 Haftorah: Melachim Alef / I Kings 8:54 – 8:66 On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Festival of Sukkot, seven days for HaShem… on the eighth day, there sha ...
Weekly Sidra: Sukkot (Tabernacles) Torah Portion: Vayikra / Leviticus 22:26 – 23:44 Maftir: Bamidbar / Numbers 29:12 – 29:16 Haftorah: Zecharya / Zechariah 14:1-21 What about Sukkot (Tabernacles). The central element for the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles is the booth we call the sukkah. Five days after the Day o ...
Weekly Sidra: Sukkot (Tabernacles) Torah Portion: Vayikra / Leviticus 22:26 – 23:44 Maftir: Bamidbar / Numbers 29:12 – 29:16 Haftorah: Zecharya / Zechariah 14:1-21 “All who survive of all those nations that came up against Jerusalem shall make a pilgrimage year by year to bow low to the King Lord of Hosts and to obs ...
Weekly Sidra: Ha’azinu (Give ear) Torah Portion: Devarim / Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52 Haftorah: Sh’muel Bet / II Samuel 22:1-51 This week in Sidra Ha’azinu we read of Moshe final instructions to Benei Israel. The word Ha’azinu (האזינו) literally means “give ear,” an expre ...
Weekly Sidra: Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Torah Portion: Vayikra / Leviticus 16:1-16:34 Maftir: Bamidbar / Numbers 29:7 – 29:11 Haftorah: Yeshayahu / Isaiah 57:14 – 58:14 Yom Kippur is a day when, according to Leviticus we “afflict our souls”. This is taken to mean that we fast for approximately 25 hou ...
Weekly Sidra: Vayelech (Standing ones) Torah Portion: Devarim / Deuteronomy 31:1-31:30 Haftorah: Hosea 14:2-10; Micah 7:18-20 I realized growing up that if I did something wrong I would be punished by my dad. I also knew that he would love me and care for me if I apologized for what I had done. This week we read a special Hafta ...
Weekly Sidra: Rosh HaShana (New Year) Torah Portion: Bereshit / Genesis 21:1 – 21:34 Maftir: Bamidbar / Numbers 29:1-29:6 Haftorah: Sh’muel / I Samuel 1:1-2:10 The year 5773 is fast approaching. The two Haftarot for Rosh Hashanah are a reflection of pain and joy. On day one we read of Hannah’s prayer to ...
Weekly Sidra: Nitzavim (Standing ones) Torah Portion: Devarim / Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20 Haftorah: Yeshayahu / Isaiah 61:10-63:9 As the high holidays approach so many thoughts swirl through my head. I have to prepare food for Rosh Hashanah, there will be fasting on Yom Kippur and a Sukkah still needs to be built. All this w ...
Weekly Sidra: Ki Tavo (When you come) Torah Portion: Devarim / Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8 Haftorah: Yeshayahu / Isaiah 60:1-60:22 The month of Elul is a time for reflection. As the last month of the year we look back on our lives. We seek to repent of any actions we have done and continue to draw near to HaShem by reading His ...
Weekly Sidra: Ki Teitzei (When you Go) Torah Portion: Devarim / Deuteronomy 21:10–25:19 Haftorah: Yeshayahu / Isaiah 54:1–54:10 I recall when my wife and I first met I couldn’t wait to see her and wanted to spend every waking minute talking with her. We were in love. I am happy to say that 22 years ...
Weekly Sidra: Shofetim (Judges) Torah Portion: Devarim / Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9 Haftorah: Yeshayahu / Isaiah 51:12-52:12 How welcome on the mountain Are the footsteps of the herald Announcing happiness, Heralding good fortune, Announcing victory, Telling Zion, "Your God is King!" (Isaiah 52:7) This week’s Torah portio ...
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