For the week of April 27, 2024 / 19 Nisan 5784 Pesach Torah: Shemot/Exodus 33:12 – 34:26; B’midbar/Numbers 28:19-25 Haftarah: Ezekiel 36:37 – 37:14 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth? (Shemot/Exodus 33:16) This week’s parsha (Torah reading portion) is a special mid-Pesach Shabbat Torah reading. It covers the time following Israel’s worship of the golden calf and Moses’ breaking the original tablets of the Ten Commandment ..read more

For the week of April 20, 2024 / 12 Nisan 5784 Metzora Torah: Vayikra/Leviticus 14:1 – 15:33 Haftarah:  Malachi 3:4-24 (English: 3:4 – 4:6) Previously posted the week of April 16, 2016 / 8 Nisan 5776 Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst. (Vayikra / Leviticus 15:31) This is perhaps one of the most important statements in the Torah that helps us to understand the implications of the New Covenant. Vayikra (the Book of Leviticus) contains detailed instructions regarding ho ..read more

For the week of April 6, 2024 / 27 Adar II 5784 Shemini Torah: Vayikra/Leviticus 9:1 – 11:47; Shemot/Exodus 12:1-20 Haftarah: 2 Shmuel/2 Samuel 6:1 – 7:17 Replaced by: Ezekiel 45:16-46 Note: This following message was intended to be based on this week’s Haftarah (selection from the Hebrew Prophets). From time to time, the regularly scheduled Haftarah is preempted by a special selection due to that particular Shabbat’s proximity to a festival or other special occasion (see this article for more information). This is something I am usually aware of when preparing my weekly TorahBytes message. H ..read more

For the week of March 23, 2024 / 13 Adar II 5784 Image taken from Haman and Mordecai by Paul Alexander Leroy 1884. Wikimedia Vayikra & Zachor Vayikra/Leviticus 1:1 – 5:26 (English 1 – 6:7); D’varim/Deuteronomy 25:17-19 Haftarah: 1 Samuel 15:2-34 And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was filled with fury. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus. (Esther 3:5-6) The Festival of Purim b ..read more

For the week of March 16, 2024 / 6 Adar II 5784 Pekudei Torah: Shemot/Exodus 38:21 – 40:38 Haftarah: 1 Kings 7:40-50 Originally posted the week of February 1, 2014 / 1 Adar 5774 (revised) Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. (Shemot/Exodus 40:34) A major component of the Torah is the instructions God gave Moses for the building of the Mishkan (English: Tabernacle), the large and elaborate, yet mobile structure designed for the offering of sacrifice. It was the precursor of the permanent Temple first built many centuries later under King ..read more

For the week of March 9, 2024 / 29 Adar 5784 Vayakhel & Shekalim Torah: Shemot/Exodus 35:1 – 38:20; 30:11-16 Haftarah: 2 Kings 12:1-17 (English: 11:21 – 12:16) Originally posted the week of March 5, 2016 / 25 Adar 5776 (revised) Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing that the LORD has commanded. Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD’s contribution…” (Shemot/Exodus 35:4-5) I was brought up with an unhealthy relationship to money. It was the subject that my parents seemed to co ..read more

For the week of March 2, 2024 / 22 Adar 5784 Ki Tissa Torah: Shemot/Exodus 30:11 – 34:35 Haftarah: 1 Melachim/1 Kings 18:1-39 Originally posted the week of February 27, 2016 / 18 Adar 5776 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. (1 Melachim/1 Kings 18:21) This week’s Haftarah (selection from the Prophets) was likely chosen because of the Torah’s reference to the sin of the golden calf when Israel became impatient waitin ..read more

For the week of February 24, 2024 / 15 Adar 5784 Tetzaveh Torah: Shemot/Exodus 27:20 – 30:10 Haftarah: Ezekiel 43:10-27 Originally posted the week of February 16, 2019 / 11 Adar 5779 You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel. (Shemot/Exodus 27:20-21) One ..read more

For the week of February 10, 2024 / 1 Adar 5784 Mishpatim Torah: Shemot/Exodus 21:1 – 24:18; B’midbar/Numbers 28:9-15 Haftarah: Isaiah 66:1-24 But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. (Shemot/Exodus 23:22) I find reading something like this difficult in light of what’s been going on in Israel since October 7. Frankly, I am hesitant to bring it up mainly because I fear those who might weaponize it against my people. “See!” they say. “If the people of Israel were truly godly, they wouldn’t be constan ..read more

For the week of February 3, 2024 / 24 Shevat 5784 Yitro Torah: Shemot/Exodus 18:1 – 20:23 Haftarah: Isaiah 6:1 – 7:6; 9:5-6 (English: 9:6-7) Originally posted the week of January 30, 2016 / 20 Shevat 5776 (revised) And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” (Shemot/Exodus 20:1-3) The Ten Commandments function in a most special way within holy Scripture. You may not be aware that they are never actually called the “ten commandments,” but rather, eseret ha-devarim ..read more