Friends of Jewish Renewal in Poland
This Shabbat, as we read the combined portion Parashat Tazria-Metzora (Leviticus 12:1–15:33) and celebrate Rosh Chodesh Iyar, we turn to the section in Leviticus 14:21–32 that details the purification ritual for a healed metzora who is poor.[…]
Shalom. During the first two days of Pesach, Jewish communities around the world gather at the Seder table to retell the story of the liberation from Egypt. This is the founding narrative of the Jewish people – the moment when a nation of slaves became a people bound by covenant and responsibility. […]
We have Shabbat HaGadol this week. This Great Shabbat stands just days before Pesach, our festival of liberation. Parashat Tzav begins with one strong word: Tzav – “Command!” God says to Moshe: “Command Aaron and his sons…” (Vayikra 6:2). This command focuses on the daily duties of the priests: clearing the ashes, arranging the wood, ensuring the offerings continue with precision and zeal. As Rashi explains, “tzav” carries a sense of urgency.[…]
Parashat Vayikra opens not with thunder, but with a gentle call: “Vayikra” – “And He called” – written with a tiny aleph at the end. Rashi explains that God used an aleph of affection and closeness, unlike the distant “vayikar” (by chance) for Bilam. Yet Moses, the humblest of leaders, made that aleph small – a quiet act of self-diminishment. He didn’t want to broadcast his intimacy with God; he preferred to step back so the Divine voice could shine fully.[…]
