Weekly Torah Lesson

Weekly Torah Lesson Parasha: Mishpatim - judgmentsTorah: Shemot 21:1 – 24:18 This Parasha contains thirty negative and twenty three positive of the 613 mitzvot found in the Torah. Ex 20:1 “..These are the words…” Ex 21:1 “And these are the judgments..that you shall set before..” v’elle (and these) connect this week’s parsha with chapter 20. The vast majority of the six hundred and thirteen “mitzvoth” (instructions) are defined by one of these three types. This … [Read more...] about Beyond the Letter

Weekly Torah Lesson Parasha: Yitro Torah: Shemot 18:1 – 20:26 Shemot 18 appears to be out of chronological order. Some place it after 11 Tishrei 2449which is after Moshe returns from his third , forty day, meeting with Avinu on Mount Sinai. This would put it near Shemot 35. However, whether it fits better as chapter 18 or 35 isn’t relevant for what I want to discuss. Today, we are going to focus on the type of men who were chosen to teach the people and how these attributes roll over … [Read more...] about Choosing Leaders

Parasha: B'shalach  "When he let go" Torah:  Shemot 13:17 – 17:16 The Lesson of the Manna Led by Avinu’s pillar of cloud, the people proceeded on their journey toward Mount Sinai. On the 15th day of the second month, Israel ran out of matzot. Avinu then began to feed them with manna, a type of flaky, powdery food that descended from heaven each morning. Avinu  told Moses to tell the people . . .  The people will go out and gather each day’s portion on that day. Exodus … [Read more...] about Weekly Torah Lesson

Parasha: Bo – come, enter Torah: Shemot: 10:1 – 13:16 Observing Passover Today Shemot 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Mitzryim this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Mitzryim, both man and beast; and against all the demon-idols of Mitzryim I will execute judgment: I am Avinu. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token on the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you, when I … [Read more...] about Weekly Torah Lesson

Parasha: Va Era – and I appeared Torah: Shemot 6:2 – 9:35 The Mystery of Avinu’s Name 6:2-3 And Elohim spoke to Moshe, and said to him, I am YHVH: 3 And I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya’akov, by the name of El Shaddai, but by my name YHVH was I not known to them. ** From BeReishit 12:1 through Shemot 6:3 and possibly further, the fathers and possibly their descendants that were in Egypt for hundreds of years, called YHVH “El Shaddai”. There are dozens of “names” … [Read more...] about Weekly Torah Lesson

Parasha: Shemot – Names Torah: Shemot 1:1 – 6:1 “9 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us. 11 There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after. 12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I set … [Read more...] about Weekly Torah Lesson