Tips for the Reading of the Passover Haggadah, April 1, 2026
In four different passages of the Torah, Jewish parents are commanded to tell their children about the exodus from Egypt ((Exodus chap. 12:26-27, 13:8, 13:14, and Deuteronomy 6:20-21). We carry out this commandment by reading the little booklet (Haggadah) …
Weekly Torah Readings, Vayyakhel-Pekudei, March 14, 2026 Exodus 35:1-40:38
Exodus 35:1-40:38 For the last three weeks, the Torah has given us all the details of the moveable desert sanctuary, the mishkan, that the Israelites were commanded to put together: the different wooden beams and boards, curtains, cloths, …
Weekly Torah Reading, Tetzavveh, February 28, 2026
The Temple’s Splendor This week’s Torah reading describes the special garments to be worn by the kohanim (priests) in the Temple. Those garments were no minor detail. In ancient Israel, clothes made the kohen. Kohanim couldn’t serve in …
Weekly Torah Reading, Terumah, February 21, 2026
A New Garden At first glance, there might have seemed no reason for God to instruct the Israelites about building the mishkan, Israel’s sanctuary-in-the-desert, as recounted in this week’s reading. At this stage of things (that is, well …
Weekly Torah Reading, Mishpatim, February 14, 2026
If the Mother Lives…? This week’s reading contains numerous laws governing various aspects of daily life. At first, some of these might seem far removed from our own daily lives. You’re probably not going to pay anyone compensating for …
Weekly Torah Reading, Yitro, February 7, 2026
Answers in the Numbers? Ancient readers asked a question about the Ten Commandments, one that occurs to few people nowadays: Why did the Ten Commandments need to be written on two stone tablets? Surely all ten could have been …
Weekly Torah Reading, Beshallaḥ, January 31, 2026
One Song or Two? This week’s reading prominently features the Song of the Sea—the song of victory that the Israelites sang after their miraculous crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 15). For this reason, this Shabbat is also …
Weekly Torah Reading, Bo’, January 24, 2026
Laws Endowed with Life The great medieval scholar Rashi began his commentary on the Torah by quoting a certain question: If the whole purpose of the Torah is to teach us what to do, then why didn’t the …