In our tradition the last Shabbat before Pesach is called Shabbat HaGadol, which literally means the “Great Shabbat”. This was one of the two Shabbats throughout the year on which Rabbis would give a long sermon explaining to the members of their communities the commandments related to Pesach, especially the laws related to koshering the […]

Thoughts on Parasha Shemini In this week’s Torah portion (Leviticus/Vajikra 9:1-11:47) Aaron and his sons begin to fulfill the duties of kohanim (priests). God sends a fire which consumes the sacrifices on the altar; thereby the Divine presence begins to live in the Tent of Meeting, in Hebrew also called the Mishkan.1 [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” […]

Beit Warszawa, March 22th, 2019 – The Torah portion for this week contains a lot of ritual instructions for the different sacrifices. On the surface these instructions are, for many readers, rather boring, certainly repetitive and essentially irrelevant. I can understand this point of view, but I do not wholly share it. For me they […]

BEIT WARSZAWA, 20TH MARCH 2019 – The Purim story as described in the Book of Esther is rather embarrassing and I do very much hope it will not upset any of the local political leadership if we read this story, as recorded in the ‘Megillat Ester’, here today. Clearly it has been politically influenced and […]

Thoughts on Parasha Vajikra [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]…Indifference to evil is worse than evil itself…, in a free society, some are guilty, but all are responsible. Abraham Joshua Heschel[/perfectpullquote] [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]If it is the anointed priest who has incurred guilt, so that blame falls upon […]

Thoughts on Parasha Vayachel In this week’s Torah portion Moses assembles the Israelites and reminds them of the commandment to observe Shabbat. Then he announces the instructions which he received from God regarding the construction of the Mishkan. The people donate the required materials in abundance, bringing gold, silver and copper; blue-, purple- and red-dyed […]