Weekly Torah Reading Vayyera’ November 7, 2020
(Genesis chapters 18:1-22:24) “Now I know…” The Torah’s account of Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son Isaac has raised questions among readers since ancient times. Among other things, commentators wondered why God needed to test Abraham in the first …
Weekly Torah Reading, Lekh-Lekha, October 31, 2020
Genesis 12:1-17:27 Melchizedek’s Mistake When Abraham (technically, still “Abram”) learned that his nephew Lot had been taken prisoner by an army invading Canaan, he did not hesitate to act. “He led forth his trained men, 318 of them, …
Weekly Torah Reading, Noah, October 24, 2020
Genesis 6:9-11:32 The Holy Language This week’s Torah reading ends with a somewhat mysterious incident, the building of the Tower of Babel. The Torah recounts that a ragtag band of people (apparently all of humanity at the time) traveled …
Weekly Torah Reading, Bereshit, October 17, 2020
Genesis 1:1-6:9 Blind Luck This week’s reading opens with an account of the creation of the world, including the creation of the first two human beings, Adam and Eve. These chapters are so significant that we tend to overlook …
Weekly Torah Reading, Shemini ‘Atzeret/ Simḥat Torah, October 10, 2020
The Eternal Return Within the land of Israel, the end of the seven-day Sukkot festival is followed by a special, one-day festival, Shemini ‘Atzeret, the “Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly.” But since Jews living outside of Israel must observe …
Weekly Torah Reading, Ha’azinu, September 26, 2020
Deuteronomy 32:1-52 Changing Direction This week’s reading consists of Moses’ farewell song, known in Hebrew by its first word Ha’azinu (“Give ear!”). In it, Moses recounts Israel’s prior history, starting back in “days of yore,” when things were fine, …
Rosh ha-Shanah, September 19-20, 2020
Realizing the Distance Rosh ha-Shanah means, literally, “the beginning of the year.” But it’s an interesting fact that this name never occurs in the Torah, in fact, this name for the New Year’s festival never occurs anywhere in the …
Weekly Torah Reading, Nitzavim-Vayyyelekh, Sept. 12, 2020
Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30 Tribes of Just One “Today, you are all standing before the Lord your God,” this week’s reading opens, “your chiefs, your tribes, your elders, your officials, every man of Israel.” But there’s something wrong with this list …