Count-Off to Pentecost

The Torah tells us to count the forty-nine days until the festival of Shavu'ot, the anniversary of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai and the anniversary of the giving of the Spirit in Jerusalem.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Emor (אמור | Say)

Torah: Leviticus 21:1-24:23

Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31

Gospel: Luke 11:1-12:59

Which Bible Translation Is Best? All the Good Ones.

I am on a mission to end Bible Translation Tribalism. If you don’t know what I mean by “Translation Tribalism,” see if any of these tribal stereotypes (some borrowed from another blogger) ring true for you:

• The NIV 2011 is the Bible of the broad swath of centrist evangelicals.
• The TNIV is the Bible of egalitarian leftist evangelicals.
• The ESV is the Bible of complementarian, conservative, neo-Reformed evangelicals.
• The NASB is the Bible of conservative evangelical serious Bible students.
• The KJV is the Bible of fundamental, independent Baptists.
• The HCSB is the Bible of Southern Baptists.
• The NLT is the Bible of seeker-sensitive evangelicals.
• The NET Bible is the Bible of computer nerds.
• The NRSV and CEB are the Bibles of Protestant mainliners

Greater than his brothers

(Leviticus 21:10)
Iyar 5, 5776/May 13, 2016

This week's Torah reading, Emor, opens with a series of commandments stipulating the qualifications and requirements of kohanim (priests) serving in the Holy Temple. These stipulations include both physical attributes which are beyond the control of the individual kohanim and life decisions by which kohanim who wish to serve in the Holy Temple must abide. While some of these requirements may seem unjust to our modern sensibilities, (akohen with a physical deformity cannot perform offerings upon the altar), and others may seem unfair or even inhumane, (a kohen may not attend the funeral of a loved one), these and other strict requirements are nevertheless imposed by Torah upon the sons of Aharon who desire to fulfill their G-d given mandate to serve in the Holy Temple.

Face to Face

The Day of Atonement is a day for coming face to face with God. In a spiritual sense, we are to regard ourselves on that day as if we are standing in the holy of holies, face to face with the Almighty.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Acharei Mot (אחרי מות | After the death)

Torah: Leviticus 16:1-18:30

Haftarah: Ezekiel 22:1-19

Gospel: John 7:1-52

You shall be holy, for I, HaShem, your G-d , am holy

(Leviticus 19:2)
Nisan 28, 5776/May 6, 2016

"You shall be holy, for I, HaShem, your G-d , am holy." (Leviticus 19:2) What do these words mean and where have we heard them before? The Book of Leviticus, in Hebrew'Vayikra - And He Called' - is, in fact, the book of holiness - kedusha. Vayikra opens with the words, "And He called to Moshe..." Who is He? He is G-d . What did He say? We don't know, the verse ends there. We didn't hear G-d's voice. Only Moshe did. But the words that open this weeks reading of Kedoshim, "You shall be holy, for I, HaShem, your G-d , am holy," G-d says to "to the entire congregation of the children of Israel." (ibid) This, indeed, is the very same message G-d spoke to Moshe when "He called to Moshe..." and invited him into the newly established Tabernacle. Be holy for I your G-d am holy. With what other words could G-d possibly call Moshe to draw near Him?