Friday, January 29, 2016

The Impassioned God

Is God jealous in the sense of a petty, selfish jealousy that takes offense when attention and affection are directed anywhere else?

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:
Yitro (יתרו | Jethro)
Torah: Exodus 18:1-20:23
Haftarah: Isaiah 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-8:1

Is HaShem in our midst or not?


(Exodus 17:7)
Shevat 12, 5776/January 22, 2016

Parashat Beshalach chronicles the exodus of the children of Israel from their enslavement in Egypt. For the first time in their lives they are no longer under the thumb of the Egyptians. For the first time in their lives they are free as individuals, unburdened as families, independent as a community, and standing on their own two feet as a nation - the nation of Israel! But liberty brings great challenges and independence requires tremendous responsibility.

Nachshon's Leap

The rabbis teach that Nahshon earned merit for the entire tribe of Judah when he leap into the sea, earning his tribe the right to the kingdom of the house of David.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:
Beshalach (בשלח | When he sent)
Torah: Exodus 13:17-17:16
Haftarah: Judges 4:4-5:31
Gospel: Matthew 5

It is a Passover offering to HaShem


(Exodus 12:27)
Shevat 5, 5776/January 15, 2016

Suddenly, in this week's Torah reading, Bo, after delivering nine straight devastating blows to the Egyptians way of life, their livelihood, their possessions, their livestock and food supply, their way of perceiving the world, their belief system, their sense of self and leaving their faith shaken and shattered, G-d calls for a time out, and focuses His attention on the children of Israel. He instructs Israel to mark the upcoming new moon, and fourteen days hence to slaughter the lambs that they will have acquired on the tenth of the month. This is the Korban Pesach - the Passover offering. G-d makes it clear that the Korban Pesach is Israel's ticket out of Egypt. Those who slaughter their lamb as commanded and smear the blood of the lamb on their doorposts will be spared when G-d releases His destroying angel to kill the first-born of every household in Egypt.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

These Signs of Mine

The slayer of the firstborn took no account of merits of innocence or guilt as he passed through Egypt. Faith and creed did not enter the equation.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:
Bo (בוא | Come)
Torah: Exodus 10:1-13:16
Haftarah: Jeremiah 46:13-28
Gospel: Mark 3:7-19

And you will know that I am HaShem your G-d

 

(
Exodus 6:7)
Tevet 27, 5776/January 8, 2016

Why did G-d create the world in six days when He could have done so in a single nano-instant? To this timeless question can be added: Why did G-d employ ten plagues to compel Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, when He could have effected the exodus of Israel in a micro-second? In either case what was to be gained by a slow, deliberate, step-by-step process?
The classic answer, given by our sages of old to the first question is that G-d expanded His instantaneous creation into an ordered process so that man would be able to intellectually grasp the meaning of the world which G-d created, study and increase his knowledge of G-d's world and thereby draw closer to G-d Himself. An unexplainable, opaque world would have presented an impassible obstacle between man and G-d , and that would have contradicted G-d's intention in creating the world.

A Matter of Reputation

Why did God harden Pharaoh's heart and smite Egypt with so many plagues? Why the gratuitous show of power? Was their some divine point to the all the frogs, hail, blood, and locusts?

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:
Va'era (וארא | I appeared)
Torah: Exodus 6:2-9:35
Haftarah: Ezekiel 28:25-29:21
Gospel: Matthew 12:1-14

Friday, January 1, 2016

My servant Moshe; he is faithful throughout My house


(Numbers 12:7)
Tevet 20, 5776/January 1, 2016

"Not so is My servant Moshe; he is faithful throughout My house." (Numbers 12:7) These words, spoken by G-d , describing His prophet Moshe, are delivered at some point during Israel's forty year sojourn in the desert. G-d's praise for Moshe couldn't be greater: "My servant... faithful... My house..." G-d is testifying to His complete confidence in Mosheand to the depth of their intimacy. But when did this relationship begin? G-d first speaks to Moshe at the burning bush revealing His plan to liberate and redeem Israel, but Mosheis more than a little evasive in responding. He shows reluctance, skepticism, perhaps even pessimism: Who am I? why should Israel believe me? What should I tell them? What sign of proof will they accept? Why should Pharaoh believe me? Who are You? Who should I say sent me? Our sages learn from a careful reading of the Hebrew verse,"Moshe said to HaShem, 'I beseech You, HaShem. I am not a man of words, neither from yesterday nor from the day before yesterday, nor from the time You have spoken to Your servant, for I am heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue,'" (Exodus 4:10) thatMoshe actually argued with G-d for seven whole days at the burning bush before finally relenting! He demanded G-d's name, he demanded signs, he demanded a spokesman, he demanded a plan. G-d delivered to Moshe all these things, but Moshe was not an easy sale. Even later, when he saw the initial results of his first meeting with Pharaoh, Pharaoh's arrogance and the imposition of greater hardships on the children of Israel,Moshe returned to G-d with a searing question: "HaShem! Why have You harmed this people? Why have You sent me?" (ibid 5:22)

The Death of a Dream (God had the best plan)

What was Moses planning to do? Did he plan to kill every Egyptian in Egypt and hide them all in the sand? God had a better plan.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:
Shemot (שמות | Names)
Torah: Exodus 1:1-6:1
Haftarah: Isaiah 27:6-28:13, 29:22-23
Gospel: Luke 5:12-39

You shall take up my bones out of here


(Genesis 50:24)
Tevet 13, 5776/December 25, 2015

"In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)
"And Yosef died at the age of one hundred and ten years, and they embalmed him and he was placed into the coffin in Egypt." (ibid 50:26)

Like Ephraim and Manasseh

Imagine a world where fathers openly affirm their children by speaking blessings into their lives every week. That world is called the Sabbath.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:
Vayechi (ויחי | He lived)
Torah: Genesis 47:28-50:26
Haftarah: 1 Kings 2:1-12
Gospel: Luke 4:31-5:11

I am your brother Yosef


(Genesis 45:4)
Tevet 6, 5776/December 18, 2015

The reconciliation and reunion of Yosef and his brothers, which takes place in this week's Torah reading, Vayigash, is suspenseful, tender, tearful and heartwarming. What could be more wonderful than brothers overcoming their differences, forgiving and embracing one another, and being together once again, spiritually, emotionally and physically. Yet the warm, fuzzy feeling is not without its thorns. There is a melancholy lurking behind the joyful happenings, as a bitter-sweet reality unfolds. After all, this new-found unity comes at the price of a long exile from the land of Israel. How much nicer it would have been had the brothers overcome their differences while still in the land of Israel, and not in a foreign land.