Peace with God

When a person is not at peace with God, he has no peace. God is the absolute subject of reality, so to be at war with God is to be at war with reality.

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

And He called to Moshe

((Leviticus 1:1)
Adar II 8, 5776/March 18, 2016

It begins with a barely audible voice and then launches into a detailed manual ostensibly relevant only to the Temple priests who will be handed the responsibility for conducting the service being described. What is Sefer Vayikra - the Book of Leviticus - all about, and who is it speaking to?

"Vayikra - and He called - el Moshe - to Moshe" - the opening words of the book of Leviticus, is the heart and soul, the life breath and spirit of the world of the korbanot - the Temple offerings - that Leviticus goes on to describe. The book of Exodus concluded with the establishment of the Tabernacle. G-d's presence - His "glory" as it is called in Exodus - fills the Tabernacle and Moshe cannot enter: Israel has created a sanctified space for G-d in the world, as He commanded them, and now it is G-d's turn to create within this sacred space a place for man to enter. "Vayikra - and He called" - is G-d doing just that. His name is not referred to, signifying a withdrawing of His presence in the Tabernacle - just a bit - to create a space for man, for Moshe. This newly created opening for man to get back in to the Tabernacle is further embellished by the unique way in which the word vayikra is written in the Torah scroll: the final letter of the word -alef - is written smaller than the other letters. The alef, which symbolizes the ani - Hebrew for me - the ego, the I Me Mine of the self, is diminished. G-d is calling to Moshe, saying, "You let Me be in your sacred space, now I will let you be in Mine." And thus the world of the Tabernacle, which would become the Holy Temple, begins. A place for man and G-d .

THE IDIOMATIC (i.e. NON-LITERAL) USAGE OF THE PHRASE "THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS" IN THE BIBLE AND RABBINIC LITERATURE

"For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Mat 12:40).

A Soothing Aroma

 When the Torah describes the sacrificial service, it says that the smoke of the offerings rises to heaven as a "soothing aroma to the LORD." Does God really like the smell of burning meat?

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Vayikra (ויקרא | And he called)

Torah: Leviticus 1:1-5:26

Haftarah: Isaiah 43:21-44:23

Gospel: Mark 7:1-30

* Special readings for Shabbat Zachor are applicable this Shabbat.

Shabbat Zachor (זכור | Remember)

* Maftir: Deuteronomy 25:17-19

* Haftarah: 1 Samuel 15:1-34

The Tabernacle of the Testimony

(Exodus 38:21) Adar II 1, 5776/March 11, 2016, Rosh Chodesh Adar II The book of Exodus closes this week with a tabulation of all the materials that went into the Mishkan and an accounting of all the work and types of work that went into the building of the Tabernacle. Every grain, every fiber is accounted for. All the materiel necessary for the Tabernacle is part of the Tabernacle. All the gold and silver and fabrics of blue and purple and red that G-d inspired the Egyptians to hand to their Hebrew slaves, has made its way toward the Mishkan, has reached its final destination. Every speck of matter and every spark of energy that made up and is part of the completion of G-d's world exists within the Mishkan. G-d was pleased and Moshe blessed G-d's people. G-d's creation is accounted for.

The Glory and the Tabernacle

Wood, and metals, skins and curtains—it seemed impossible that God would take up residence in such a place. Could this be the dwelling place of the living God? Would the LORD really come down and dwell in a tent?

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Pekudei (פקודי | Countings)

Torah: Exodus 38:21-40:38

Haftarah: 1 Kings 7:51-8:21

Gospel: John 6:1-71

An offering for HaShem; every generous hearted person shall bring it

(Exodus 35:5)
Adar I 24, 5776/March 4, 2016

Our sages teach that G-d first "thought of" creating the world, and then, in order to enable the future world's ability to endure, first created the concept of "teshuva," that is, the capacity to both repent and to forgive. Only after teshuvah was brought into being did G-d proceed to create the world in six days, as recorded in the opening verses of Genesis.