What are we Building, Anyways?
In this week’s reading, Moshe gathers the entire nation of Israel together. He says, now it’s time to build the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. Everyone with a giving heart should bring their gifts. But first, he tells them that they have to observe the Sabbath. “For six days you shall do the labor, but the seventh day shall be holy for you, a Sabbath of Sabbaths to G-d” [35:2].
A Little Less Chutzpah
In this week's reading, we're told that the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, was to wear a Tzitz, a band of gold across his forehead. And the band said "Kadosh LaShem," Sanctified to G-d. The Talmud tells us that the Tzitz atoned for azus panim, literally "boldness of...
Judgement Place
Immediately following the Ten Commandments in last week's reading, G-d instructs Moshe to tell the people to build a Mizbeyach, an Altar. And then, He goes on to say, at the beginning of this week's portion: "And these are the judgments which you shall place before...
Mission Statement
The Medrash says that when all the Jews were told to assemble at Mount Sinai, the souls of all their descendants, and those of all future converts, were brought to join them. Everyone had to be there, personally, at the moment when G-d Himself spoke to the Jewish...
Let’s Get To Work!
The Jews turned to Moshe and said, “was it due to a lack of graves in Egypt, that you took us out to die in the desert?” [Ex.14:11] From which we learn that sarcasm is an ancient Jewish tradition.
Teaching Torah to our Children
After the plagues had killed the Egyptian's animals and most of their crops, Moses and Aharon tell Pharoah that unless he lets the Jews go into the desert to worship G-d, locusts will be sent to finish off whatever the hail didn't destroy. Pharoah asks them, "exactly...
