Thinking Torah Blog

Distinguishing ourselves from the surrounding communities is a fundamental directive of the Torah. Whether it is God or Moses speaking to the Israelites, this theme appears repeatedly in the Torah, including in this week’s portion, Re’eh. Through Moses, God instructs the people to destroy the holy places of other nations when they enter the land and warns them against worshipping God in the ways other people worship their gods....Read more...

My teacher, Dr. Michael Zeldin, an emeritus professor of Jewish Education at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles, often reminded us, "A teaching session isn't over until you reflect on it." He emphasized that crafting a great lesson plan and delivering it effectively isn't enough. Without reflection, an instructor misses a vital aspect of teaching. Reflection allows us to...Read more...

This past Sunday, many members of TBE joined me on a Zoom call with Rabbi Arik Ascherman from the West Bank, along with Palestinian villagers his organization, Torat Tzedek, has been defending. Rabbi Ascherman described the escalating situation, where a de facto policy is forcing Palestinians off their grazing lands and out of their villages, allowing extremist settlers to take over these areas. We heard firsthand from the Palestinians, who...Read more...

In this week’s Torah portion, Chukat, Miriam dies, and the people are without water. The rabbinic tradition attributes this lack of water to Miriam’s death, maintaining that Miriam merited a well for the Israelites, which would travel with them through the wilderness. With Miriam’s death, that well dried up, and the Israelites grew thirsty, a problem anywhere, especially in the desert.

Water metaphors abound, some of which come...Read more...

This week’s Torah portion, Sh’lach lecha, provides the context for the Israelites' 40-year journey through the desert. God instructs Moses to send scouts from each tribe to explore the Promised Land. Ten scouts return with reports of insurmountable obstacles, while two believe they can conquer the land. The Israelites choose to listen to the ten scouts, and as a result, their journey extends from a few weeks to 40 years. This period marks...Read more...

This week in Parashat Nasso, we encounter the Priestly Benediction, the profound three-fold blessing our ancestor priests offered to the people on behalf of God. Today, Jews invoke this blessing during special moments, often when blessing children at the Shabbat table. In some communities, though typically not Reform communities, Jews who trace their ancestry to the Cohanim, still bless the entire...Read more...

If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments, I will grant your rains in their season, so that the earth shall yield its produce and the trees of the field their fruit. - Leviticus 26:3-4

TORAH, Leviticus 26:3-27:34

SUMMARY

• God promises blessings to the...Read more...

The Eternal One said to Moses: "Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: None shall defile himself for any [dead] person among his kin, . . ."  - Leviticus 21:1

TORAH, Leviticus 21:1−24:23

SUMMARY

-Laws regulating the lives and sacrifices of the priests are presented. (21:1-22:33)

-The set times of the Jewish calendar are named and described: the Sabbath, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and...Read more...

I am a spiritual seeker. Every time I step onto the bimah, lead morning blessings, or say a blessing as I stand in awe of the natural world, I hope to be spiritually moved and feel my soul alight. It doesn’t always happen. No, spiritual fulfillment is a practice; it doesn’t happen on demand, but regular participation helps prepare me for these moments; it helps ensure I am ready to hold onto the...Read more...

Mitzrayim is the Hebrew name for Egypt. Our sages famously suggest rereading that name, not as an actual place but as a reference to meitzar, narrowness. For our sages, Egypt (Mitzrayim) was a place of restriction or narrowness (meitzar).  

This Passover will be unlike any most of us have ever observed; with the ongoing war in Gaza, the possibility of a regional war with Iran, and the hostages literally being held in narrow...Read more...

There are many ways to categorize the mitzvot in the Torah, positive and negative, between people and God or people and people; commandments that apply only in the Land of Israel and those that apply everywhere are just some of the ways commandments are discussed in rabbinic literature. Another classic categorization is between Chuk and Mishpat. Both words mean “law,” but our sages distinguish...Read more...

The Eternal One called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying: "Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When any of you presents an offering of cattle to the Eternal: You shall choose your offering from the herd or from the flock." - Leviticus 1:1-2

TORAH, Leviticus 1:1−5:26

SUMMARY

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I am a Zionist. I feel that more strongly today than ever before in my life. While living in Israel during the Second Intifada, I witnessed horrifying bus bombings and saw the carnage left at cafes after an attack. Yet, the intifada never instilled in me a sense of existential threat to Israel. However, everything changed on October 7th, leaving an indelible mark on my consciousness. My subsequent trip to...Read more...

You shall further instruct the Israelites to bring you clear oil of beaten olives for lighting, for kindling lamps regularly. - Exodus 27:20

TORAH, Exodus 27:20−30:10

SUMMARY

• The children of Israel are commanded to bring pure olive oil for the ner tamid "a constantly burning light,"...Read more...

These are the rules that you shall set before them. - Exodus 21:1

TORAH, Exodus 21:1−24:18

SUMMARY

• Interpersonal laws ranging from the treatment of slaves to the exhibition of kindness to strangers are listed. (21:1-23:9)

• Cultic laws...Read more...