Leviticus, 16:1-18:30—19:1-20:27 This Week’s Torah Portion | Apr 28 – May 04, 2024 – 20 Nisan – 26 Nisan, 5784 In A Nutshell The portions, Aharei Mot (After the Death) and Kedoshim (Holy), are connected. In the portion, Aharei Mot, following the death of Aaron’s two sons—Nadav and Avihu—the Creator details before Moses various rules concerning the way Aaron may approach the Holy in the tabernacle: it requires offering several sacrifices. Aaron must choose between two male goats, one to be sacrificed as a sin offering, and the other to be sent to the desert ..read more

Leviticus, 12:1-13:59 – 14:1-15:33 This Week’s Torah Portion | Apr 14 – Apr 20, 2024 – 6 Nisan – 12 Nisan, 5784 In A Nutshell In the portion, Tazria (When a Woman Delivers), we learn about laws related to a woman who has delivered. If she delivers a boy, she is considered impure for seven days. On the eighth day the boy is circumcised and the woman begins a 33 day purification period. If the woman delivers a girl she is considered impure for fourteen days, and the purification period lasts 66 days. The portion also details rules concerning afflictions. A person who is inf ..read more

Leviticus, 12:1-13:59 – 14:1-15:33 This Week’s Torah Portion | Apr 07 – Apr 13, 2024 – 28 Adar II – 5 Nisan, 5784 In A Nutshell In the portion, Tazria (When a Woman Delivers), we learn about laws related to a woman who has delivered. If she delivers a boy, she is considered impure for seven days. On the eighth day the boy is circumcised and the woman begins a 33 day purification period. If the woman delivers a girl she is considered impure for fourteen days, and the purification period lasts 66 days. The portion also details rules concerning afflictions. A person who is infect ..read more

Leviticus, 9:1-11:47 This Week’s Torah Portion | Mar 31 – Apr 06, 2024 – 21 Adar II – 27 Adar II, 5784 In A Nutshell The portion, Shmini (On the Eighth Day), deals with the events of the eighth day after the seven days of filling.[1] This is the inauguration day of the tabernacle. Aaron and his sons offer special sacrifices on this day. Moses and Aaron go to bless the people, and finally, the Creator appears to the people of Israel. Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu sin with offering on a foreign fire, and the fire consumes them. Aaron and the remaining sons receive spec ..read more

Leviticus, 6:1-8:36 This Week’s Torah Portion | Mar 24 – Mar 30, 2024 – 14 Adar II – 20 Adar II, 5784 In A Nutshell The portion, Tzav (Command), deals with rules of sacrificing, especially those related to priests. The portion mentions the commandment to donate the fertilizer, the gift offering, sin offering, guilt offering, peace offering, and the prohibition to eat animal fat. Tzav also mentions punishments for those who eat non-kosher meat, as it is written, “The soul that eats from it shall bear iniquity (Leviticus, 7:18). One who eats fat from the offerings ..read more

Leviticus, 1:1-5:26 This Week’s Torah Portion | Mar 17 – Mar 23, 2024 – 7 Adar II – 13 Adar II, 5784 In A Nutshell The portion, VaYikra (The Lord Called), deals with rules of sacrificing and the priests serving in the tabernacle. Some offerings are optional; some are mandatory. Some of the offerings are burnt to ashes on the altar, and some remain for the priests and the giver of the offering. The rules of offerings speak of a “burnt offering” that a person brings voluntarily from the cattle, flock, and poultry. There is also a “gift off ..read more

Exodus, 35:1-38:20, 38:21-40:38 This Week’s Torah Portion | Mar 10 – Mar 16, 2024 – 30 Adar – 6 Adar II, 5784 In A Nutshell The portion, VaYakhel (And Moses Assembled), begins with the commandment, “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day” (Exodus, 35:2). The portion also deals with the donation of the people. The donation is in gold, silver, copper, precious fabrics, and so forth. Moses determines that Bezalel and Ahaliav will be the ones performing the holy work because they were wisehearted ..read more

Exodus, 35:1-38:20, 38:21-40:38 This Week’s Torah Portion | Mar 03 – Mar 09, 2024 – 23 Adar – 29 Adar, 5784 In A Nutshell The portion, VaYakhel (And Moses Assembled), begins with the commandment, “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day” (Exodus, 35:2). The portion also deals with the donation of the people. The donation is in gold, silver, copper, precious fabrics, and so forth. Moses determines that Bezalel and Ahaliav will be the ones performing the holy work because they were wisehearted a ..read more

Exodus, 30:11-34:35 This Week’s Torah Portion | Feb 25 – Mar 02, 2024 – 16 Adar – 22 Adar, 5784 In A Nutshell The portion, Ki Tissa (When You Take), begins with a request of each one of the children of Israel to donate half a shekel for the building of the tabernacle. The portion mentions some other details about the tabernacle such as the anointing oil, the table, and the menorah and its vessels, appointing Bezalel, son of Uri Ben Hur, as chief craftsman, Ahaliav Ben Ahisemech as his assistant, and commanding the children of Israel to observe the Sabbath. Later, Mos ..read more

Exodus, 27:20-30:10 This Week’s Torah Portion | Feb 18 – Feb 24, 2024 – 9 Adar – 15 Adar, 5784 In A Nutshell In the portion, Tetzaveh (Command), the Creator provides Moses with additional details regarding the tabernacle, and commands the children of Israel to take olive oil to light the everlasting candle in the tent of meeting outside the veil, so it may burn from dusk to dawn. The Creator instructs Moses to appoint Aaron and his sons, Nadav, Avihu, Elazar, and Itamar to be his priests. He elaborates on the commandment of preparing the holy garments ..read more