Professor Benjamin Sommer explores a pivotal idea in this week’s Torah reading: that God’s law, though sacred and foundational, is not static—it evolves through dialogue with the people. Through examples in Leviticus and Numbers, he demonstrates that even in the Torah itself, questions, challenges, and suggestions lead to clarification, refinement, and amendment of the law. This spirit of sacred conversation, he argues, is at the heart of Conservative Judaism: a tradition rooted in obligation, but responsive to change—where questioning is not rebellion, but reverence.

Excerpt from Shabbat morning services. May 17, 2025, Beth Tzedec Congregation, Toronto, Canada.