Passover 5782 – 2022
Exodus 12:21-51
Numbers 28:16-25

When the Israelites came to the banks of the Red Sea, on the seventh day after leaving Egypt, they were too afraid to obey God’s command that they “keep moving forward!” (Ex. 14:15) The Talmud (BTSotah 37a) records a tradition that only one person had the nerve – and the faith – to jump into the waters, Nahshon (identified later in the Torah as the head of the tribe of Judah). It was only after Nahshon demonstrated his courage and pioneering leadership by jumping into the surging sea that the sea split open and the waters parted. Then the rest of the people were able to walk through the sea on dry land.
(more…)

Torah Sparks
Leviticus 14:1 – 15:33

How much control do we have over our bodies? What do we experience when we lose control of our body? Starting with last week’s Torah portion (- which is often combined with this week’s portion as one reading) and continuing into the reading for this Shabbat, the Torah gives us a few examples of a person enduring loss of control over their body or of some bodily function.

Last week we began with the experience of childbirth. Whatever preparations might be undertaken, the birth of a baby (- in times before inducing labor was possible) happened whenever it did, without the decision of the mother (or anyone else, of course). The next example discussed is a strange skin affliction, tzara`at. The affliction comes upon a person unbidden, and seems to leave the person without the Torah explicitly giving a reason or cause. And our Torah portion mentions other bodily problems – the involuntary discharge and emission of genital pus or seed or blood.

(more…)

Parashat Tazri`a/Shabbat Rosh Hodesh/Shabbat Ha-hodesh
Leviticus 12:1 – 13:59
Numbers 28:9-15
Exodus 12:1-20 

Most of our Torah portion deals with the phenomenon called tzara`at – a surface affliction that can affect a person’s skin and hair. If the priest examines the person and determines that their condition is not a medical one of disease, but is really this unique problem, the person becomes ritually impure. (To be clear: Disease does not render someone ritually impure; only this particular condition has such an effect.) The person is instructed to leave the encampment and dwell alone. They must leave their hair disheveled and wrap themselves in a cloak and call out: “Impure! Impure!” (Lev. 13:45) (more…)

Parashat Shmini/Shabbat Parah
Leviticus 9:1-11:47

Our Torah portion concludes with an extensive section devoted to laws of kosher and un-kosher animals, birds and fish. These directives are meant to lead us toward becoming holy. (Lev. 11:44-45) How does this system help to do this?
(more…)

Parashat Tzav
Leviticus 6:1-8:36

The name of our Torah portion, “tzav,” means “command.” God tells Moses to command Aaron and his sons to follow the rules of the priesthood rigorously. This sense of command is also mentioned at the close of our Torah reading – by Moses, as something he feels personally. (Lev. 8:35) (For a discussion of this last instance see Sparks for 2013.) The force and urgency of a command is called forth to reinforce the importance of the task to be performed and to galvanize the will of the person who is to fulfill that command. The Torah, God’s Voice, is heard to say, “That’s an order!” (more…)