On His Terms
In this week's reading, G-d instructs Moses to make the anointing oil, describing its composition. He tells Moshe to anoint the holy items and vessels, and the Kohanim Gedolim (High Priests) of future generations. (Kings from the House of David were also anointed with...
Crushed to Shine
There is an interesting interruption at the beginning of this week's reading. Last week we learned about the construction of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, and this week we learn about the garments worn by the Kohanim, the Priests, when they served within it. Yet the...
Ready for the Super Bowl
When I saw the headline for the article on Torah.org, "Murder and the Super Bowl," I knew I had to have a look. The article is by Rabbi Yisroel Ciner, whom I've known for many years, long before he became Rabbi of Beth Jacob Congregation in Irvine, CA. And with such a...
And Yisro Heard
If everyone heard, what was unique about Yisro? Why does the Torah say that he heard, implying everyone else did not?
Changing the Times
From the entire Book of Genesis, we learn only three Commandments: be fruitful and multiply, circumcision, and to not eat the sinew in the thigh (the same touched by the angel that fought with Ya'akov). The first Commandment given to the nascent Jewish nation, under...
Pharoah and the Jews: a Case Study in Anti-Semitism
It’s possible to read the story of the Exodus repeatedly, yet fail to notice: the same lies that Pharoah told about the Jews over 3300 years ago are the same ones circulated today.
