Temple Beth El Women Support Women of the Wall
TBE Women stand united with Women of the Wall and for pluralism in Judaism, in Israel and everywhere!
When everyone is human, everything is personal
Torah-Inspired, Reflection of The Day: Today we look at B’midbar, Numbers 1:1 – 4:20 – the opening of the Book of Numbers, the book we call B’midbar, “In the wilderness”, in Hebrew. The census of the Israelites for the sake of taking account of their military capacity takes place in these opening chapters. One of […]
Realistic Theology
Torah-Inspired, Reflection of The Day: Today we look at B’chukotai, Leviticus 26:3 – 27:34 – two chapters, almost, with the first focused on the outcomes of following or not following God’s commandments, and the second on the rules about vows, concluding with the last verse of Leviticus: These are the commandments that Adonai commanded Moses […]
Avoid idolatry and avoid materialism
Torah-Inspired, Reflection of The Day: Today we look at B’har, Leviticus 25:1 – 26:2 – rules of economic fairness – forgiveness of debts; as well as rules about allowing land to rest on the seventh year. The text sums up the intent of these laws in the final lines which remind the Israelites that they […]
Leviticus Says Nothing About Homosexuality
Torah-Inspired, Days of Awe Reflection of The Day… Today we look at Acharei Mot, Leviticus 16:1 – 18:30 – the offerings required of Aaron, including the one for all of the sins of the Israelites on the Day of Atonement, prohibitions against hunting, and a host of laws about prohibited relationships. After that long list […]
Help each other leave judgment behind
Torah-Inspired, Days of Awe Reflection of The Day… Today we look at Tazree-ah, Leviticus 12:1 – 13:59 – skin eruptions, ritual impurity, and how the ancient priest diagnosed these things. We should remember that the Torah does not serve as a medical manual, even for its ancient time. Rather, we recognize that the Torah offers […]
Good Citizenship Requires Individual Participation
Shanah Tovah everyone! Happy Second Day of 5773! Today we look at Va-Yikra, Leviticus 1:1 – 5:26 – the first reading of Leviticus. Leviticus opens with a lot of talk of offerings – the different kinds of things we must offer up on an altar in ancient Israelite religious practices. We no longer do these, […]
Listen closely, go forward together
Rosh HaShanah starts tonight – last daily post of 5772! May everyone have a sweet and good new year! Today we look at P’kudei, Exodus 38:21 – 40:38 – the final Torah reading of Exodus. We read about a full inventory of the things that went into the building of the Mishkan, the portable Temple-Tent […]
Remembering 9/11 and Thinking About Elul
Today we look at Mishpatim, Exodus 21:1 – 24:18 – lots of laws, the promise of a guardian that will go before the Israelites and vanquish our enemies as we enter the Land of Israel, and the call to approach Mount Sinai. Of the many laws, here are two: Exodus 23:4 When you encounter your […]
