Tag Archives: Shemot

Vayak’hel/Pikudei: Kindling a different kind of fire

Posted on March 6, 2013 by

Positive vs negative. We need both, according to the markings on my batteries, but in general, we tend to agree that the positive is more…well, positive. “A pat on the back is only a few vertebrae removed from a kick … Continue reading →

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Ki Tissa: Rebuilding the trust

Posted on February 28, 2013 by

Last Sunday, while others were listening to the Megillah for Purim, (or recovering from hearing it the night before!) I was spending some hours with the lovely, thoughtful and spiritual folks of St Giles Episcopal church, under the wise and … Continue reading →

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Tetzaveh: The colors of the world

Posted on February 20, 2013 by

Sometimes you can hold the whole world in one piece of cloth. Like when it’s your wedding veil.  Or your baby’s blanket.   Or a departed beloved’s shirt.  Or  your great-grandmother’s challah cover.  The whole world, for just a moment, is … Continue reading →

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Terumah: Ark-itechture

Posted on February 14, 2013 by

Talk about extremes.  A couple of weeks ago, we were having an out-of-communal-body experience, watching thunder and hearing lightning (things were a little unusual that day), experiencing the ultimate God moment: Revelation at Sinai. This week? We’re in  T’rumah, aka … Continue reading →

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Mishpatim: Bullet points of justice

Posted on February 7, 2013 by

“When you see the ass of your enemy lying under its burden and would refrain from raising it,you must nevertheless raise it with him” (Ex. 23:5) I love this week’s parasha, Mishpatim, which means “laws”.  Here we are, fresh off … Continue reading →

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Be’shallach: Toggling between two pillars

Posted on January 23, 2013 by

Just last week,  having gone through the 10 plagues, and Pharoah’s letting the Israelites  out of slavery, into the wilderness, we come to the essence of the Book of …..Bereshit. Wait. What?  Bereshit? Genesis?   The first book of the Torah?  … Continue reading →

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Bo: Finding yourself in the crowd

Posted on January 16, 2013 by

Over the course of the this week and last week’s parashiot, it’s been all about the plagues.  In last week’s parsha, Va’era, we read of the first seven signs, or plagues.  They were (come on now, can you remember them … Continue reading →

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Va’era: See me, feel me, touch me, hear me

Posted on January 10, 2013 by

“The Israelites would not listen to me; how then should Pharaoh heed me?” (Ex 6:12) Moses is such a reluctant leader at the beginning of his mission.  He’s already turned God down a few times back at the Burning Bush.  … Continue reading →

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Shemot: They came to pray

Posted on January 2, 2013 by

Good morning class and welcome to Civil Disobedience, 1:15 (Exodus chapter) , or as the saying goes, “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” Today we meet two of those uppity women, Shifra and Puah, Hebrew midwives during the time of the … Continue reading →

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Vayakhel: The fabric of a community

Posted on March 15, 2012 by

Torah portions are usually named after the first word or two in the section.  This week, it’s “vayakahel” –it’s a verb based on the word for community (kahal), and it’s often translated as “convoked”.  Moses “communitied the community”.  Since leaving … Continue reading →

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