The Torah

Lech Lecha opens "Go you" and is interpreted as go to yourself or go from yourself, but the imperative of journey is clear. Abraham is commanded to leave his land, birthplace and father's house to travel into the unknown. The history of the Jews is begun with the covenant established between ...

Parsha HaAzinu, the shortest parasha section, is called the Song of Moses. It is the last parasha read on a Friday evening following Yom Kippur before the Torah is begun again with Bereshit. The last parasha, V'zoth HaBerach, the Blessing of Moses, is read on Simcha Torah. HaAzinu is tightly related ...

Ki Thavo opens with the dedication of first fruits. By offering the first fruits to the temple, they acknowledge the sovereignity o God and His goft of the land. Ki Thavo also contains the second Tochacha, series of curses, given to the Israelites. The first tochacha, spoken to the first generation ...

Shoftim echoes the need for social legislation and courts of justice. The Rabbi Judah haNasi warned that we should live in awe of three things: a seeing eye above, a listening ear and all our deeds written in the Book of Life. (Pirkei Avos 2:1). Talking about Divine Justice and the ...

Moses warns the Israelites that choices come with blessings or curses depending on their observance of God's commandments. Customs of a foreign religion are forbidden. They must destroy all forms of idolatry and pagan worship within their midst. Previously the Israelites would build altars and have sacrifices throughout their journey, but ...

Moses emphasizes the dependency of the Israelites on God. He repeats his warnings to follow after the commandments and decrees given to them at Mount Sinai, harshly reminding them of their hasty retreat to idolatry with the fabrication of the Golden Calf and the breaking of the Tablets and his pleas ...

A reflection on the name, Benedict, taken by Josef Ratzinger when he ascended the chair of St Peter and how it might relate to Jews and Judaism. Links to articles regarding his visit to the Cologne Synagogue, the papal encyclical, Brennender Sorge, and his namesake Benedict and Benedictines given.

Moses relates his plea with God to enter the Promised Land a second time. God calls Moses up Mt Pisgah to view the it from the distance. He is told to transfer leadership to Joshua. Moses continues his narrative of receiving Torah at Mt Sinai, repeating the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy ...

Devarim opens the last book of the Torah with "these are the words that Moses spoke..." In the other four books of the Torah, the Israelites are instructed by the words of God through Moses's mouth; but in Devarim, Moses addresses the community of Israel directly. Deuteronomy is a Mosaic repetition ...

Massei gives a summary of the marches that occured during the Exodus from Egypt, listing the various places where the Israelites strayed. Forty-two places are named relating to forty-two levels of spirituality. After the mention of Aaron's death on Mt Hor, the account of travels becomes more detailed in preparation for ...