For decades, Western society has been making concerted efforts to be more accepting and inclusive of those who have physical and mental disabilities. This means that accommodations must be made for impediments that have historically restricted people from living fully…
Category: Torah Commentaries
Kedoshim – A Call to Holiness in a Cynical Age
It’s no surprise that many Americans are increasingly skeptical of organized religion. For years, rumors of abuse circulated within Catholic parishes, and when the truth emerged, few were truly shocked. What did shock—and appall—many was the extent of the cover-up…
Tazria – Doctors of the Soul
Listen to an audio version The kohen shall look at the affliction on the skin of the flesh: If the hair in the affliction has changed to white, and the affliction’s appearance is deeper than the skin of the flesh—it…
Passover Lambs and Chesed Community
Among messianic Jews much has been said concerning the parallels between the sacrifices of the paschal lamb and that of Yeshua. After all the paschal lamb was the Korban Pesach, the essential sacrifice which God commanded the children of Israel…
He Ain’t Levi, He’s My Brother
Parasha Vayikra marks the beginning of the accounting of the Levitical responsibilities within the Mishkan. Much of what follows concerns the sacrificial system of Israel. On a transactional level, these rituals may seem like ancient practices with little relevance to…
Pekudei – The Future Is Now
Listen to an audio version When I was a boy in the 60’s my two favorite cartoons were the popular Flintstones and Jetsons. While Hanna-Barbera Studios produced both, the Flintstones was “the modern stone-age family” while the Jetsons was the…
Ki Tisa – A Perfect Fall
Listen to an audio version “Look what your kids are doing! Go see what your kids are making so much commotion about.” Parents, have you noticed that when your children fail to perform at acceptable levels they cease to be…
Tetzaveh – The Sweet Aroma of Prayer
Listen to an audio version I cannot recall ever smelling incense burning in shul. In my mind, such practices seemed to belong categorically to Roman Catholic or Orthodox churches, or to Buddhist shrines. Most of my own experiences with the…
Terumah – The Presence of God in Our Homes, Hearts, and Worship
The central question in the book of Exodus is simple yet profound: “Is God with us or not?” This is not just a theological inquiry but a matter of practical living for the Israelites as they journey through the wilderness.…
Yitro – Chosen? For What?
In the classic Broadway musical “Fiddler On the Roof” the main character Tevye the dairyman ironically quips while entreating G-d, “I know, I know. We are Your chosen people. But, once in a while, can’t You choose someone else?” In…