This week Parasha is Beha’alotekkha which means “When You Go Up”, and it covers numbers 8:1 – 12:16. We begin in chapter 8.  The Lord spoke to Moses and instructed him to make the seven lamps and how to make them and that they would shine light on what was being done just as the […]

This week’s parasha is a double portion. The first is entitled B’Midbar which translates to “In the Wilderness”. The second is entitled Naso, which means “Take Up” and it covers Chapters 1 through 7 in the Book of Numbers. Two years after the nation of Israel left Egypt by The Lords mighty hand, Adonai commanded […]

This week’s Parasha is B’chukotai and brings us to the conclusion of the book of Leviticus, covering chapters 26 and 27. In chapter 26 Adonai outlines the blessings for obedience and punishments for disobedience.  These blessings and curses depended on whether or not Israel would keep the Covenant that Almighty God gave His people. In […]

Do you remember the funny TV commercials for Staples with the “easy button”? You press it and whatever the problem is, it’s solved, or the price goes down? Imagine if you could press a button and get a financial do-over; like restarting your computer, only it actually does fix the problem? This Shabbat’s reading, Leviticus […]

The name of this week’s parasha is Emor, which means “say” and covers Leviticus chapters 21 through 24.  Adonai commanded Moses to instruct the priests on the need for holiness.  Priests must not become ceremonially unclean when dealing with the death of an Israeli unless it is a close relative.  They weren’t to shave their […]

Our parasha this Shabbat is entitled K’dosheem which means “holy ones” and covers Leviticus chapters nineteen and twenty. It opens with these words, The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.’” These chapters define more […]

This week our parasha is Acharei Mot, which means “After The Death” and covers Leviticus 16:1 – 18:30. In this parasha we see the importance of atonement, accomplished only through the Lord’s will and not our own. Leviticus 16 begins after the death of Aaron’s two sons, who were killed for making an offering to […]

The name of this week’s parasha is M’tzora, which means ‘leper” and covers Leviticus 14:1 – 15:33.  Adonai gave Moses instructions on cleansing a person from leprosy. The priest would go outside the camp and examine the person.  If the person was healed from leprosy, the priest ordered that two live clean birds, cedar wood, […]

Parasha Tazria begins with the laws of ritual impurity and purity as it pertains to childbirth.  A new mother is treated as a niddah (a woman on her cycle) and is considered “impure” (tamei) and not allowed in the sanctuary for 40 days (if a boy) or 80 days (if a girl).  On the 8th […]

This week’s parasha is a double portion. The first is entitled Va’Yikra which translates to “And He Called”. The second is entitled Tzav, which means “Give the command”.  Together, these passages tell of how Adonai commanded Moses concerning various offerings. The first parasha VaYikra describes 5 types of offerings that were to be made upon […]