And it was on the eighth day

(Leviticus 9:1)

Nisan 25, 5777/April 21, 2017

G-d created the world in six days and on the seventh day He rested. What happened on the eighth day? This week's Torah reading comes to answer this question: "And it was on the eighth day, that Moshe summoned Aharon and his sons and the elders of Israel." (Leviticus 9:1) What was the occasion? The inauguration of the Tabernacle in the desert. The children of Israel completed the work of the Tabernacle on the 23th day of the month of Adar. The next seven days were called in Hebrew yamei miluim - literally - "days of filling." On each of these seven days Moshe would construct the Tabernacle in the morning and break it down in the evening. Despite being called "days of filling" G-d's presence did not rest upon and fill the Tabernacle until the eighth day, the day in which "Moshe summoned Aharon and his sons and the elders of Israel." Moshe instructed Aharon to make the initial offerings upon the altar, and this is what happened next:

Spiritual Fire

Don't be a spiritual thrill seeker. The quality and sincerity of true worship is not manifest in emotional highs and ecstatic exuberance.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Shemini (שמיני | Eighth)

Torah: Leviticus 9:1-11:47

Haftarah: 2 Sam. 6:1-7:17

Gospel: Mark 9:1-13

I will sing to HaShem, for very exalted is He

(Exodus 15:1)

Nisan 20, 5777/April 16, 2017

The seven day festival of Passover begins and ends with a holy day, a festive day in which no work shall be done. The first day of Passover commemorates the Hebrew slaves midnight exodus from Egypt. In preparation for their leaving Egypt forever, the Hebrews were given by G-d specific instructions to fulfill. Taking a lamb into their households on the tenth of the month, and slaughtering that same lamb, an object of worship in Egypt, on the fourteenth of the month, required extraordinary courage by the Hebrews, a courage that was born out of their deep faith in the G-d of their fathers, the G-d of Israel. They performed G-d's commandment to a "T" and perhaps even more outrageously, they diligently followed G-d's commandment to paint their doorposts with the blood of the lambs that they had slaughtered. A more provocative and politically incorrect display of faith in G-d's promise to carry them out of Egypt could not even be imagined. We owe our forebears a tremendous debt of gratitude. G-d promised and delivered, but for the courage they displayed it would all have been for naught.

Blessed be He who kept His promise to Israel - blessed be He!

(from the Passover Haggadah)

Nisan 18, 5777/April 14, 2017

"And I will stretch forth My hand and smite the Egyptians with all My wonders that I will wreak in their midst, and afterwards he will send you out." (Exodus 3:20)

With these words, spoken to Moshe at the burning bush, G-d explains His plans for the children of Israel. He is referring specifically to the ten plagues which He will visit upon the Egyptians to prepare the way for the exodus from Egypt, but not just. The splitting of the Sea of Reeds, receiving Torah at Mount Sinai, manna from heaven, water from a rock and all the other miraculous wonders that accompanied Israel throughout the desert were also part of the plan.

Shabbat Chol haMo'ed Pesach

The Saturday that falls during the seven days of Passover is the anniversary of our Master's sojourn in the grave. He rose that night, at the conclusion of the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Chol HaMo'ed Pesach (חול המועד פסח | Intermediate Day of Passover)

Torah: Exodus 33:12-34:26

Haftarah: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Aharon and his sons

(Leviticus 6:2)

Nisan 11, 5777/April 7, 2017

This week's Torah reading, Tzav, deals in its entirety, with detailed instructions for performing the Temple offerings. "And HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying, command (tzav) Aharon and his sons, saying, this is the law of the burnt offering... " (Leviticus 6:1-2) All the manifold commandments conveyed in parashat Tzav concerning the offerings are directed toward Aharon and his sons, the kohanim (Temple priests). The entire parasha of dos and don'ts ostensibly don't concern all of us who are not the sons of Aharon. Nevertheless, Torah insists on sharing with us all these technical details, and for thousands of years, even after the destruction of the Holy Temple, we study and internalize these commandments, just as we study and internalize all the commandments and teachings which Torah encompasses and reveals to us anew each time we approach it.

The Imperishable

The holy Temple and all the sacrifices that take place in it point toward immortality and incorruptibility. The sacrifices are not about death; they are all about life.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Tzav (צו | Command)

Torah: Leviticus 6:1-8:36

Haftarah: Jeremiah 7:21-8:3, 9:22-23

Gospel: Mark 7:31-8:38

A special portion for Shabbat HaGadol is read this Shabbat!

Shabbat HaGadol (שבת הגדול | The Great Sabbath)

Haftarah: Malachi 3:4-24