Weekly Torah Lesson

Weekly Torah Lesson Parasha: Ki Tavo – when you go in Torah: Devarim 26:1 – 29:9 Devarim 26:16 This day Avinu Elohekah has commanded you to do these statutes and judgments: you shall therefore keep and do them with all your heart, and with all your soul. 17 You have avouched Avinu this day to be your El, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his mitzvot, and his testimonies, and to listen to his voice: 18 And Avinu has avouched you this day to be his peculiar people, … [Read more...] about Avouch – Affirmed or Chosen

Weekly Torah Lesson Parasha: Ki tetze when you go forth Torah: Devarim 21:10 – 25:19 74 of the 613 mitzvot are contained in this week’s parsha; ** A verse in this week’s Torah portion gives us some insight on how the Apostolic writers used the Scriptures to support their positions on seemingly unrelated issues. “You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the corn.” (De 25:4) … [Read more...] about The Muzzled Ox

Weekly Torah Lesson Parasha: Shoftim – Judges Torah: Devarim 16:18 – 21:9 Devarim 17:15 Avinu Elohekah will raise up to you a Prophet from the middle of you, of your brothers, like to me; to him you shall listen; 16 According to all that you desired of Avinu Elohekah in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Avinu my Elohim, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And Avinu said to me, They have well spoken that which they … [Read more...] about Mystery Prophet

Weekly Torah Lesson Parasha: Re eh (to see) Torah: Devarim 11:26 – 16:17 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse:” (De 11:26 ) “Three times a year all your males shall appear before Avinu Elohekah at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. They shall not appear before Avinu empty-handed.” (De 16:16) See…appear…do not appear empty! ** We are commanded to “see” and to “be seen”. … [Read more...] about What Do We “See”?

Weekly Torah Lesson Parasha: Ekev (as a result) Torah: Devarim 7:12-11:25 Devarim 8:1 All the commandment which I command you this day shall you observe to do, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Avinu swore to avoteinu. ** In this verse, as in several others, the word translated “commandment” is “mitzvah”. Mitzvah is the singular version of the word that is usually used, “mitzvot”, the plural version, usually translated commandments. So we learn … [Read more...] about Quality vs Quantity

Weekly Torah Lesson Shabbat Nachamu (Comfort) Parasha: V’et chanaan “and I pleaded..” Torah: Devarim 3:23 – 7:11 ** I remember the time in my life when I decided that I had to remove every “image” from myself and my home. At that time I had a couple of gold crosses, a gold “pepper corn”, statues of elephants and a large wooden fountain that had a human like face carved into it. It took a couple of days but I managed to give away the gold, throw away the elephants and burn the … [Read more...] about Forbidden Images