MATTOT - NUMBERS 30:2 - 32:42

This SIDRAH discusses three subjects: 1) The making of vows. Men and women would take upon themselves special obligations beyond those required by the Law. It might be a promise to contribute something special to the service of God, such as providing special sacrifices. Or it might be a promise to avoid certain food or drink. Because these were considered sacred promises, vows, a certain procedure had to be followed when a person could no longer fulfill them. Promises made were not to be treated lightly. 2) War against Midian. The Midianites had tried to corrupt the Israelites by tempting them to worship their pagan god, Baal-Peor. Twelve thousand Israelite soldiers, one thousand from each tribe, were led into battle by Pinhas. They defeated the Midianite enemy. 3) Tribes remaining east of the Jordan River. Having arrived in the territory east of the Jordan, two tribes, Reuben and Gad, together with one-half of the tribe of Manasseh, requested of Moses that they be permitted to settle there. Moses criticized the two and one-half tribes. Did they plan to separate themselves from the rest of Israel who would be settling on the west side of the Jordan River, in Canaan? The leaders of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh assured Moses that they were fully loyal and that they would share in every responsibility of Israel.

MASE - NUMBERS 33:1 - 36:13

This SIDRAH reports on the wanderings of Israel from the time that they left Egypt to the time they reached the borders of Canaan. Forty encampment places are named - beginning with Rameses in Egypt and ending with the Plains of Moab by the Jordan River at Jericho. Soon they would be entering the land promised them by God. Moses warns Israel that, when they settle in Canaan, they must destroy all of the pagan temples of the Canaanites. Israel must take no part in the Canaanite idol worship. If Israel failed to comply with this command they would run into great trouble.

The SIDRAH gives a detailed description of what were to be the boundaries of the Land of Israel. Moses appointed ten Israelite leaders, under the supervision of Eleazar and Joshua, to deal with the distribution of land among the tribes. The tribe of Levi, whose members were to serve as the religious teachers of the Israelites, was to be distributed among special residential cities, with land attached to each, spread among the territories of the other tribes. There were to be about forty-eight of these Levitical cities.

The SIDRAH reports on cities of refuge, of which there were to be six, in various parts of the land. Should a man kill another by accident, he could seek refuge in these specially assigned cities from those who might want revenge. In these cities a man was safe until his case could be tried.

The SIDRAH and the Book of Numbers ends with laws concerning the inheritance of property by women.

• Our Question For The Week •

HAZAK HAZAK
(After Numbers 36:13)

So we come to the end of our reading of The Book of Numbers (B'MIDBAR - In The Wilderness)

What have we learned from our reading? What lessons can we take from the experiences of our ancestors that will maintain us on our journey "toward The Promised Land?"

PINHAS - NUMBERS 25:10 - 30:1

In this portion we read that Pinhas, the grandson of Aaron, is rewarded for his zeal in dealing summarily with the idolatry of Baal-peor by having the priesthood become the possession of his descendants for all time. We now turn to the preparations for the conquest of the Promised Land. Moses takes a census of the generation born in the wilderness to determine the number of fighting men and the number of families who would share in the division of the land. God gives Moses instructions for apportioning the land, and we learn of a decision affirming the right of daughters to inherit property when there are no sons. Moses is told to ascend the mountain to prepare to die and to designate Joshua as his successor. The reading concludes with a calendar of the Festivals of the year and the public sacrifices that are to be offered daily and on every Shabbat and Festival after the Israelites have entered the land. Maintaining this calendar is to be a means of tying together God, the land and the People of Israel.

• Our Question For The Week •

All these you shall offer to the Lord at the stated times, in addition to your votive and freewill offerings, be they burnt offerings, meal offerings, libations, or offerings of well-being.
(Numbers 29:39)

Chapters 28 and 29 are devoted entirely to outlining the sacrifices to be brought at the central place of worship on ordinary days and on the various holy days.

We are far removed from the sacrificial system, since there have been no authorized animal sacrifices in Judaism for more than 19 centuries. Because we have moved on to other forms of worship, we are tempted to dismiss the sacrificial system as primitive. In light of the content of this week's Torah reading, it may be appropriate for us to attempt to understand the sacrificial system on its own terms, without letting our twenty-first century values exercise an automatic veto upon the religious activities of our ancestors.

What did people in ancient times seek to express through the offering of a sacrifice? Why was it considered important that the sacrifice represent the finest quality specimen that a person or a community had to offer? It has been said that in our era prayer is designed to take the place of sacrifice. Do we offer enough of ourselves, in praying, to make this happen? How might we seek to heighten the devotional component of our prayer services?

BALAK - NUMBERS 22:2- 25:9

Balak, King of Moab, is afraid that the Israelites will attack and defeat him. He summons the renowned prophet Balaam from Mesopotamia to curse the Israelites. God intervenes, and Balaam goes to Moab, but once there blesses the Israelites three different times as well as prophesying the destruction of Moab and the neighboring countries. The future of Israel now seems bright indeed, but the promise is immediately dashed when the people are enticed to participate in the idolatrous cult of BAAL-PEOR. The unique relationship with God is till not firmly enough established.

• Our Question For The Week •

Then Balak said to Bilaam, "What have you done to me? Here I brought you to damn my enemies, and instead you have blessed them!"
(Numbers 24:11)

Are we always in control of what we say? In this regard, what can we say about "Freudian slips"? Have you ever spontaneously or suddenly changed your impression or opinion of someone? What do you think cause it to happen?

HUKKAT - NUMBERS 19:1 - 22:1

In this portion we cover the 38 years of the wilderness wandering. The reading opens with instructions for the most peculiar ritual in the Torah - the slaughtered red cow whose ashes, mixed with water, are used to purify anyone who comes in contact with a corpse. In the purification process, people who are already pure and touch the mixture become impure and must themselves undergo a different process of purification. The reading skips over most of the events of the wilderness wandering without comment and continues in the land of Moab. The people again complain of lack of water, and God tells Moses and Aaron to speak to the rock and produce water. Moses, however, strikes the rock with his staff. Water comes forth, but God declares that this action shows lack of faith and neither Moses nor Aaron will be permitted to enter the Promised Land. The Israelites wage several battles and win, thus demonstrating that the new generation is ready to attempt the conquest of the land. However, the problems of obedience to God and understanding the responsibilities of leadership have still not been completely resolved.

• Our Question For The Week •

Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as He had commanded him. Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock; and he said to them, "Listen, you rebels, shall we get water for you out of this rock?" And Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. Out came copious water, and the community and their beasts drank.
(Numbers 20:9-11)

It is for this incident of rebuking the people and striking the rock that Moses was denied entry into the Promised Land. Did the people warrant such rebuke? If yes, what kind of rebuke should they have been given? Who has the right o rebuke whom? Under what circumstances? How should a rebuke be rendered?

KORAH - NUMBERS 16:1 - 18:32

In this portion we find a major challenge to the leadership of Moses and Aaron. The reading details the rebellion led by Korah, a Levite, and two members of the tribe of Reuben, Dathan and Abiram. They accuse Moses and Aaron of unduly raising themselves above the community of Israelites, all of whom are holy. Moses tells the people that God will resolve the issue by accepting or rejecting an incense offering. He further declares that if the rebels die an unnatural death it will be a sign of vindication for him and Aaron. Following the test, Korah and his associates are swallowed up by the earth, and fire destroys 250 of the rebels. Aaron is further vindicated in a test involving his staff which sprouts almond blossoms overnight. With the roles of Aaron, his sons and the Levites in connection with the Mishkan firmly established, a list of emoluments is granted to them in return for their work. Thus, the leadership of the Israelites is made secure at a time when the people are still struggling to define itself and determine its destiny.

• Our Question For The Week •

It shall be an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord for you and your offspring as well
(Numbers 18:19)

What is the significance of mentioning salt here? Our text may be indicating, as some suggest, that among other things, it symbolizes the lasting nature of the Covenant. That being the case, what meaning would you want to attach to the tradition of putting salt on our SHABBAT HALLAH? Can it give rise to thoughts of Jewish continuity?

Can you think of other Jewish symbols, rituals or natural phenomena which serve as a reminder of the lasting nature of some kind of covenant?

SHELAH - NUMBERS 13:1 - 15:41

In this portion the Israelites approach the border of Canaan, and Moses sends 12 princes of the tribes to scout the land. Among them are Caleb and Joshua. The scouts' mission is to investigate the natural properties of the land and evaluate the strength of its people. After 40 days the scouts return bearing a single cluster of grapes so heavy that it takes two men to carry it on a pole between them. They report that the land is indeed bountiful, but it is inhabited by powerful people living in fortified cities. Ten scouts maintain that the Israelites are too weak to conquer the land, but Caleb and Joshua argue that if the people have faith in God and His promise they will be able to overcome the inhabitants. The people accept the majority report, thus incurring God's wrath. He decrees that they will spend 40 years in wilderness until an entire generation dies out and a free generation grows up. Only Caleb and Joshua will survive to enter the land. Thus begins the wilderness wandering. The portion ends with instructions to the Israelites to tie fringes (tzitzit) on the corners of their garments to remind them of God's commandments.

• Our Question For The Week •

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you to settle in, and would present an offering by fire to the Lord
(Numbers 15:1-3)

Why does this commandment appear here, given that it can only be performed after the Israelites enter the Land of Israel?

Ibn Ezra: This passage was juxtaposed to the preceding one [wherein they are told that their generation will die in the wilderness]. Since they had repented and were in mourning, [God} comforted them and told them that their children would settle the land.

Why is this comfort necessary at this point in our story? What is the balance between justice and mercy that is presented here? Is justice always tempered with mercy? If one is merciful, can there ever be justice?

BEHAALOTEKHA - NUMBERS 8:1 - 12:16

In this portion the march to the Promised Land finally begins. Among the last details dealt with at Sinai are preparation of the lamps of the menorah, dedication of the Levites to their duties, observance of the Passover on the 14th day of the first month in the second year after the Exodus, establishment of a substitute Passover one month later for those ritually unable to offer the Passover sacrifice at the proper time, and the making of two silver trumpets to be sounded as a signal to assemble, to break camp or to take note of other special occasions. As soon as the people begin their march, they begin to complain. In response to Moses' cry for help, God instructs him to gather 70 elders to assist him in leading the people. Miriam and Aaron then challenge Moses' role as prophet and God vindicates Moses by punishing Miriam. These incidents of selfishness even in the face of God's miracles set a pattern that becomes a prominent theme of Scripture - the struggle to raise man above himself.

• Our Question For The Week •

The people took to complaining bitterly before the Lord. The Lord heard and was incensed: a fire of the Lord broke out against them, ravaging the outskirts of the camp. The people cried out to Moses. Moses prayed to [or "against" as the text may also be read] the Lord, and the fire died down.
(Numbers 11:1-2)

Impudent? Chutzpadik? What allows Moses to think that he can talk to God that way - to challenge His ways? Why does God reward Moses with a positive response? What is it about Moses that makes his "insolence" acceptable to God? Does his frankness of address have anything to teach us about theology? About prayer? About dealing with other people?

NASO - NUMBERS 4:21 - 7:89

In this portion, we continue the final preparations at Sinai for the resumption of the journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land. The numbering of the Levitical families and assignment of porterage duties for the Mishkan is concluded. Several laws dealing with the purity of the camp and the family are then promulgated, including a trial by ordeal for a woman suspected of adultery. These are followed by a description of the restrictions incumbent upon any person who takes a Nazirite vow as an act of special piety. Nazirites must refrain from drinking wine or alcohol, from cutting their hair and from coming into contact with the dead for a specified period of time. Moses is then instructed to teach Aaron a special three-fold blessing which he is to use in blessing the people. The portion ends with a detailed account of the gifts brought by the princes of the tribes on the occasion of the dedication of the Mishkan. The gifts were identical, yet they had different symbolic meanings for each tribe. The offering of identical gifts by the tribes, regardless of their size, emphasized the equality of each tribe and each person before God.

• Our Question For The Week •

On the day that Moses finished setting up the Tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it and all its furnishings, as well as the altar and its utensils. When he had anointed and consecrated them, the chieftains of Israel, the heads of ancestral houses, namely, the chieftains of the tribes, those who were in charge of enrollment, drew near and brought their offering before the Lord.
(Num. 7:1-3)

As straightforward as the Biblical text might be, the Rabbis were sometimes a bit ambiguous about the completion of the Tabernacle. Certainly a lot to be joyous about happened on that day. But recall that after the Tabernacle was finished and erected and the priests installed, Nadav and Abihu died offering a strange fire. Also, the princes bring gifts, but there appears to be no quick acceptance of them by God. So too - have you ever had a day that should have been a celebration and then it turned from happiness, to sadness? Have you ever completed a long held dream only to find it is not the dream you thought it would be? Do we, as a people, take our happiest moments and often temper them by finding a cloud that comes with every silver lining? At a Jewish wedding, we break a glass. What does all of this tell you about the "personality "of the Jewish People?

BEMIDBAR - NUMBERS 1:1 - 4:20

In this portion, we begin the Book of Numbers. For about a year the Israelites have been camped at the foot of Sinai where they witnessed the revelation, built the Mishkan and were instructed in its operation. Now they are ready to resume the journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land. The people are organized into a military camp to enable them to undertake a march through hostile environments, both natural and human. The first order of business is a census of all males over 20 except Levites. The tribes are then assigned positions in a square surrounding the Mishkan. Finally, the Levites are assigned special duties in connection with the Mishkan and numbered separately. The physical arrangement of the camp will serve to remind the people on the march of the monumental events they have recently experienced. The Mishkan will become a "mobile Sinai," and its location at the center of the camp will provide focus for the Israelites on their journey.

• Our Question For The Week •

Take a census - from the age of thirty years up to the age of fifty, all who are subject to service, to perform tasks for the Tent of Meeting.
(Numbers 4:2-3)

We live in a time when adult responsibility is often deferred. The average age of marriage is postponed, college and graduate school continue longer, even second careers are more frequent. Meanwhile young leadership is sought for an aging Jewish community. At what point should we expect someone to take on such leadership? When is the right time for someone to step up and be an adult?

BEHAR - LEVITICUS 25:1 - 26:2

In this portion, the Holiness Code continues with a group of laws that are to take effect when the Israelites enter the Promised Land. The people will be permitted to work the land for six years, but the seventh year is to be a Sabbatical year of complete rest for the land. In order to provide sufficient food, God promises that the crop of the sixth year will yield enough for three years. Further, after seven cycles of seven years, the 50th year is to be a Jubilee - a year of release for the land and all its inhabitants. There follow a series of laws concerning redemption of land and persons. The basic principle of land redemption is that all the land belongs to God, and human owners posses it only as land holding. It is not the owners' right to dispose of as they wish, and it cannot be permanently alienated. As for persons, if one had to indenture himself to work off debt, he was not to be abused and was to be redeemed as quickly as possible. The portion ends with a prohibition against idolatry and an admonition to keep God's Sabbaths.

BEHUKOTAI - LEVITICUS 26:3 - 27:34

This portion concludes the Book of Leviticus. The Holiness Code ends with a promise and a curse. If the Israelites follow God's laws and commandments, they will be blessed with peace, prosperity and security. If they do not obey, however, a long list of the most dire consequences will ensue. The final chapter of Leviticus deals with providing funding for the Mishkan. Offerings may be made in silver equivalent to the value of a person, and a scale of equivalents is provided. Offerings may also be made in the form of animals and property. Finally, provision is made for tithes. Thus, the entire description of the sanctuary, its functioning and the type of life it is supposed to engender in the Israelites concludes with the establishment of a pattern of generosity toward our places of worship which continues down to our own time and become a basic element of community life wherever Jews settle.

• Our Question For The Week •

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When anyone explicitly vows to the Lord the equivalent for a human being, the following scale shall apply:
(Leviticus 27:1-3)

The concluding chapter of Leviticus discusses the system by which, those who wished, could/should make a vow of support for the maintenance of the Sanctuary and the services held within. When it comes to support of or for the Sanctuary (read Synagogue in our day), giving money is the easy part. The more important question is: What do we give in terms of our selves toward the future of the Sanctuary (Synagogue)? Do we attend in spirit? in body? at all? How do we begin to measure how valuable the Synagogue is to us? How can the Synagogue better share with you how valuable your presence is to it/us? What would it take for "you" to strengthen your tie with your Synagogue?

EMOR - LEVITICUS 21:1 - 24:23

In this portion the holiness Code continues with laws concerning the maintaining of ritual purity by the priests. In particular, we find laws regulating the marriage of priests, limiting their participation in funerals and specifying the blemishes which may disqualify a priest from officiating. This section ends with an admonition not profane God's holy name, but to hallow it among the Israelites. The Code then turns to the sacred seasons and presents a calendar of the festivals on which cessation from work is mandated. The list begins with Shabbat and continues chronologically from Pesach. Cessation from work is a crucial element in the account of creation and, by observing the festivals, periodically the Israelites are led to emulate one of God's major characteristics and thereby achieve holiness.

• Our Question For The Week •

So Moses declared to the Israelites the set times of the Lord
(Leviticus 23:40)

So, if God set them, why do we not observe them? The Festivals which are described within these verses are some of the most beautiful and sacred times of our calendar year. As the days are observed, so are our lives made that much more meaningful and significant, our families made that much more as families. And yet, for the most part, the meaning of those moments is ignored. We (as has been said in so many other contexts) "never miss the opportunity to miss an opportunity!" Why? Why is it that we can always find a day to take off from work for "a personal matter" - such as an extra day of vacation or a special trip to the mall - while we are too busy to celebrate who and what we are as Jews?

AHARE MOT - LEVITICUS 16:1 - 18:30

In this portion we conclude the laws of ritual purity and begin the section known as the "Holiness Code". The reading opens with a description of the ritual of Yom Kippur. This ritual with its distinctive rites of riddance, including the symbolic transferal of the transgressions of the Israelites and their priests onto a goat (the scapegoat) which is driven into the wilderness, never to return, is the climax of the laws of purification. In the Torah, Yom Kippur is an annual ritual of purification of the Mishkan (sanctuary). In later Judaism, however, the emphasis shifts to atonement for the sins of the people. The laws of the "Holiness Code" serve to implement the idea that the Israelite people is collectively obligated to seek to achieve holiness in order to be like God, who is holy. The Code begins with consideration of the family and details forbidden sexual unions. Whereas purity and impurity pertain to states of being, holiness has to do with interpersonal relationships and modes of behavior.

KEDOSHIM - LEVITICUS 19:1 - 20:27

In this portion the Holiness Code continues with laws concerning interpersonal relationships and modes of behavior. Some of these laws echo the Ten Commandments and deal with such matters as reverence for parents, the Sabbath, idolatry, stealing and deceitful conduct, false oaths and the identification of God as the redeemer from the slavery of Egypt. Other laws of secular and religious nature touch upon agriculture, testimony, social ethics and certain rituals connected with sacrifice. In the second part of the portion, the Torah reiterates its concern with the family in a religious context and reformulates rules previously stated concerning incest and forbidden sexual activity. Here, however, the rules are presented from a slightly different perspective. The portion concludes with an admonition that possession of the land of Israel will be dependent upon faithfully observing these laws of holiness.

• Our Question For The Week •

You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord
(Leviticus 19:28)

This is one of the core texts used to teach the prohibition against tattooing (and piercing). As controversial as the thought of tattooing might be for some generations, so is it not even an issue for others (it is just something that o\one might or might not do!). If the concern would consider the terms of Jewish Law there are several issues which would need to be considered: 1) Is tattooing (or piercing for that matter) an acceptable practice, or is it "mutilation" (remember, both tattooing and piercing are "surgical procedures). 2) Is the acquisition of a tattoo or a pierce "soul driven"? 3) How (or!) does the concern for TZ'NI'UT (modesty) apply? What are you asking people to look at and where?! 4) Is the acquisition of a tattoo or a pierce a Jewish thing to do, or is it so we can be like everyone else (is it a "Holy Act," or one more reflection of how far we have assimilated)? What do you think?

TAZRIA - LEVITICUS 12:1 - 13:59

This portion and the next, deal with laws of ritual purity. Such purity is conceived as a prerequisite for the pursuit of kedusha. Furthermore, because the Mishkan (sanctuary) was located within the camp of the Israelites, great care had to be taken to ensure its purity. The portions deal with specific physical conditions which give rise to impurity. The first is childbirth. The next is a complex of diseases known as tzaraat (translated "leprosy", but clearly not the modern disease). The priests are charged with the task of determining the nature of the ailment when it appears in humans or in fabrics and leather and the method of purification. Since all Israelites were obligated to strive to be kadosh in accordance with God's demand, the matter of maintaining a state of purity was of great significance.

TMETZORA - LEVITICUS 14:1 - 15:33

This portion continues the presentation of the laws of ritual purity. In particular, the priests are instructed as to the purification rites for a person determined to be afflicted with tzaraat as described in the previous portion. Instructions are also given for dealing with tzaraat in building stones (some kind of mold, blight or rot that showed up in the plaster). Finally, procedures are set forth which are required when an Israelite, male or female, experiences discharges from the sexual organs. The Torah here seems to be classifying illness and disease as forms of impurity. Thus, they are placed in the realm of religious concern. All these impurities threatened, directly or indirectly, the purity of the sanctuary, which was located within the area of settlement. Therefore, for all Israelites, maintaining a state of purity was of great importance.

• Our Question For The Week •

As for the person with a leprous affliction, his clothes shall be rent, his head shall be left bare, and he shall cover over his upper lip; and he shall call out, "Unclean! Unclean!" He shall be unclean as long as the disease is on him. Being unclean, he shall dwell apart; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.
(Leviticus 13:45-46)

The leper is required to call out to warn others of his own illness. We assume that this is done because of a concern that the disease may be communicable, thus threatening others. The community clearly has a legitimate need to know that overrides our possible concern for the leper's privacy.

We often face a different situation in our synagogues, as well as in our personal lives nowadays. When we learn that a neighbor or friend is in the hospital (or being treated at home), we would like to tell others about this illness, not as an exercise in gossip, but as an opportunity for peers to extend a helping hand or a word of encouragement to the sick person. Yet it is quite possible that the person who is ill is not yet ready to share the private fact of being sick with the world at large. How should we balance the community's natural desire to know against the individual's legitimate right to privacy?

Extensive medical privacy laws are widespread throughout the United States; clearly the legal community has found the right to privacy of greater value than a community's need to know in order to provide support and help for patient and caregivers. How should our congregational communities deal with this tension? As we extend our prayers to those who are ill from the pulpit, how can we best maintain the balance between "needs": the needs of the person to whom our hearts are extended for privacy, and our need to offer our support and encouragement?

SHEMINI - LEVITICUS 9:1 - 11:47

In this portion we conclude the laws of the sanctuary. The reading opens with a description of proceedings through which the priests begin their duties. In the midst of this, we find an account of two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, who take it upon themselves to bring some kind of unprescribed offering to the altar and are summarily struck down. Their death becomes the occasion for God to issue specific warnings to Aaron and all the priests to take special care in carrying out their duties. The remainder of the Book of Leviticus deals with the law of daily life and provides rules and regulations whose purpose is to raise every aspect of human life to the level of kedusha (holiness). The first matter to be dealt with is forbidden quadrupeds, fish, birds and insects. The reason given for these prescriptions is that since God is kadosh (holy) and Israel is His people, they also must be kadosh. However this is understood, kashrut serves to help make the basically animal function of eating, something uniquely human.

• Our Question For The Week •

These are the creatures that you may eat from among all the land animals: any animal that has true hoofs, with clefts through the hoofs, and that chews the cud - such you may eat. The following, however, of those that either chew the cud or have true hoofs, you shall not eat: the camel - although it chews the cud, it has no true hoofs: it is unclean for you.
(Leviticus 11:2-4)

If you keep Kosher, think about your "Kashrut Story." Have you kept Kosher since you were a kid? Did you take on this Mitzvah as an adult? Have you changed the way you keep Kosher over the years? What have your challenges been? Your greatest satisfactions with keeping Kosher? From the time that you first encountered Kashrut (were aware that you were keeping Kosher - and not just eating a bit differently from your friends and neighbors), what has been most interesting to you? Most challenging?

TZAV - LEVITICUS 6:1 - 8:36

In this portion we find further details concerning the burnt offering, the meal offering, the guilt offering and the peace offering, as well as details of the thank offering. With the types of sacrifices fully described, we now move to a description of the institution of the service in the Mishkan and the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood. The ceremonies consist of dressing the priests in their special vestments, anointing the Mishkan and all its furnishings with oil, anointing the priests with oil, offering sacrifices and putting blood of the sacrifices upon the right ears, the right thumbs and the right toes of the priests. The aim of the entire proceedings was to highlight the special duties and responsibilities of the priests as representatives of the people before God. The pattern which is described here continued to be the manner of anointing the priests for over a thousand years.

• Our Question For The Week •

Behold, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, before the coming of the day of the LORD, the great and terrible day. And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers
(Malachi 3:23-24)

So is the image of redemption (the hope and prayer - meaning and purpose) of our observance of Passover envisioned by the Prophet in the HAFTARAH for SHABBAT HaGADOL. What are we looking for as we celebrate Passover? What would have to happen for us to feel "redeemed"? How close do you think we will ever get? What makes us keep trying?

VAYIKRA - LEVITICUS 1:1 - 5:26

In this portion we begin the Book of Leviticus. The last chapters of Exodus detailed the construction of the Mishkan, the portable wilderness sanctuary, and the designation of the priests who were to serve in it. Leviticus constitutes an instruction manual for the priests, as well as setting forth rules to achieve personal holiness and the sanctification of human life. The reading describes five main types of sacrifices that were to be brought: the burnt offering, the meal offering, the peace offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering. For each type, details are provided of the circumstances under which it is to be brought, who brings it and of what it consists. The Hebrew word translated "sacrifice" or "offering' is Korban, from the root k-r-v, "to draw near." The offerings were means of drawing near to God and, in a sense, drawing Him near to the offerer. Although we no longer offer sacrifices in the way our ancestors did, the goal of the system, to move one to a more Godly life, is still to be pursued.

• Our Question For The Week •

And when a person, without knowing it, sins in regard to any of God's commandments about things not to be done, and then realizes his guilt, he shall be subject to punishment.
(Leviticus 5:17)

Why should someone be punished when, possibly, no offense has been committed? The commentaries over the centuries have noticed that the penalties for unintended wrongs are stiffer than those for known acts of sin, a condition that seems counter-intuitive. Why is the Torah so concerned that people take responsibility for unintentional mistakes? Can you think of instances where you have hurt or been hurt by another person as a result of careless words or behavior?

VAYAKHEL - EXODUS 35:1 - 38:20

In this portion, we return to the account of the building of the Mishkan. It is significant that the original instructions call for building the furnishings before the structure, and the list begins with the Ark. This is meant to highlight the symbolic nature of the Mishkan: its purpose is to focus the people's attention constantly on the covenant with God. Here, however, we are told that Bezalel and the artisans built the structure before the furnishings in the proper practical order. Accordingly, we find that the tent itself was constructed with two chambers - the inner Holy of Holies and the outer Holy Place. Outside the tent was a courtyard constituting the third area of the Mishkan. The building of the furnishings is described in descending order of holiness. First comes the Ark, to be put in the Holy of Holies. Next come the table, the menorah and the alter of incense, to be put in the Holy Place. Finally, the altar of burnt offering and the laver are built, to be placed in the outer court. The descriptions of the actual building repeat exactly the instructions given in previous portions to indicate that the final product emerged precisely as God had designed it.

PEKUDEI - EXODUS 38:21 - 40:38

With this portion, we conclude the account of the building of the Mishkan and the Book of Exodus. It is stressed repeatedly that each item was made precisely in accordance with God's instructions. The completed parts and appurtenances of the Mishkan are brought to Moses for his inspection. He approves the work and blesses it in a manner reminiscent of the Genesis account of the completion of God's creation. This reinforces a connection between the Mishkan and the Creation narrative which has been apparent throughout these chapters. The connection suggests that with the building of the Mishkan and the implementing of God's covenant with His people, a whole new order of history begins. This theme is further stressed by the account of the date on which the Mishkan is actually erected - the first of Nisan, New Year's Day on the new calendar of freedom.

• Our Question For The Week •

For over the Tabernacle a cloud of the Lord rested by day, and fire would appear in it by night, in view of all the House of Israel throughout their journeys.
(Exodus:40:38)

The forty years wandering was made more bearable by a sense of the light of God's Presence. How did the Jewish people maintain themselves during other exiles and wanderings? Assuming the absence of such a physical sign of Gods Presence, what sustains us, as individuals and as a people? Would things be easier or harder if we had Tabernacle and Cloud to guide us? Are there any modern parallels?

KEE TISSA - EXODUS 30:11 - 34:35

In this portion we find the final details of the instructions for building the Mishkan, the portable wilderness sanctuary. The reading actually begins with directions for conducting a census of all men of military age by collecting a poll tax or half a shekel. The money was to be used for the maintenance of the Mishkan. A reminder to keep the Sabbath serves as an indication that the sanctification of time is more important even than building a sanctuary. At this point, we read that the Israelites panic over Moses' protracted absence on Mt. Sinai and demand that Aaron make them a god they can see. The outcome is the golden calf. When Moses sees this egregious breach of the covenant, he breaks the tablets of the Ten Commandments. God, for His part, wants to destroy the people. Moses punishes the people and manages to assuage God's anger. Moses then returns to Sinai to rewrite the tablets. With the covenant renewed, the construction of the Mishkan can proceed.

• Our Question For The Week •

And the Lord said, "See, there is a place near Me. Station yourself on the rock and, as My Presence passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and shield you with My hand until I have passed by.
(Exodus 33:21-22)

Where do you go when you want to see God? What do you expect to find there? When we speak of God's presence, what do we mean? Who is harder to find, God or ourselves?

TETZAVEH - EXODUS 27:20 - 30:10

In this portion we move from instructions for the creation of the physical Mishkan to details concerning the officiants. At the outset, Moses is directed to see to it that a light is kept burning in the Mishkan, a task that is to be performed by the priests. He is then directed to appoint Aaron and his sons to the priestly office. There follows a detailed description of the vestments of the High Priest and the ordinary priests. Finally, the rituals of installation for the priests are laid out. The Mishkan, as sacred space, is differentiated from profane space by its design. In like manner, its officiants are to be distinguishable from the laity by their attire and insignia of office. In particular, the High Priest is to wear vestments which symbolize his role as representative of the entire community before God. The High Priest, who presided over sacrificial rites, evolved into the prayer leader of today's synagogue. That individual is still designated shaliach tzibur, the representative of the congregation.

• Our Question For The Week •

You shall further instruct the Israelites
(Exodus 27:20)

PARASHAT TETZAVEH continues the description/instructions regarding the building of the Tabernacle and all of the items associated with it. And, more often than not, this SHABBAT is also SHABBAT ZAKHOR. Is there more than a coincidence here? What has the building of the Tabernacle to do with "Remembering Amalek"? If there is more than a coincidence, how is it that we can best fulfill this/these commandment(s) in our day and age? Are these commandments to be understood as "linked"?

TERUMAH - EXODUS 25:1 - 27:1

In this portion we find a description of the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary which was built in the wilderness to house the ark with the tablets of the Ten Commandments. The purpose of the Mishkan was to serve as a sign that God dwelt among His people. Moses is directed to gather from the Israelites a free will offering of all manner of precious metals, jewels, fine wood, fine materials and spices to use in constructing the Mishkan and its appurtenances. Specific instructions are then given for building the furnishings of the Mishkan and the special tent that house them. The Mishkan as a whole was meant to be a symbol, a portable Sinai, reminding the Israelites on their journey through the wilderness of their unique experience at the mountain. The Mishkan evolved, by way of the Temple in Jerusalem, into the synagogue, but the purpose remained the same. To this day, whenever we open the ark and look upon the Torah scrolls, we stand again at Sinai.

• Our Question For The Week •

Place the table outside the curtain, and the lampstand by the south wall of the Tabernacle opposite the table, which is to be placed by the north wall.
(Exodus 26:35)

And so the structure, especially the internal design of the Tabernacle, is presented to us in great detail with the Altar in the middle of it all.

One of the innovations of the early Reform and Conservative moments was to change the lay-out of synagogue construction from the traditional (imitating the Tabernacle) center-BIMAH form to auditorium style seating. During the last decade, many synagogues (including our own Summer Shul!) have been moving back to the center-BIMAH plan. What difference does it make to the experience of worship to have the service led from the middle of the worshipping congregation rather than from the front? Why do you think the center-BIMAH is enjoying a revival?

MISHPATIM - EXODUS 21:1 - 24:18

In this portion, we find details of the covenant entered into between God and Israel. Since the relationship is all-inclusive, we find here rules pertaining to social conduct, morality, ethics, civil and criminal law and ritual concerns. Like the Ten Commandments, the source of these rules is divine. The legal material set forth here is not a code in the strict sense, since there are significant subjects not touched upon. (These subjects are, however, dealt with elsewhere in the Torah.) On the other hand, the material does make clear that God's demands on His people cover matters of conscience as well as matters usually subject to juridical control. The portion concludes with an account of the ratification of the covenant, and Moses ascends Mt. Sinai to remain there 40 days and nights for the purpose of writing down the specific details. Thus, the freedom gained at the Exodus has now been confirmed and institutionalized in law. The next step will be to create a physical institution that will serve as the embodiment and reminder of the experience at Sinai.

• Our Question For The Week •

Moses went and repeated to the people all the commands of the Lord and all the rules; and all the people answered with one voice, saying, "All the things that the Lord has commanded we will do!" Then he took the record of the covenant and read it aloud to the people. And they said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will faithfully do!"
(Exodus 24:3,7)

What do you hear God (our tradition - your identity as a Jew) saying to you? How do you respond? What are you hearing as what it is God wants of us? And, what are you doing about it?

YITRO - EXODUS 18:1 - 20:23

The SIDRAH tells of the continuing experiences of our ancestors after they had left Egyptian slavery. They are now in the Sinai Desert country making their way slowly north, towards Canaan. Moses is reunited with his wife and children who had been separated from him during the long period when he was negotiating with Pharaoh. Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, brings his wife and children to him. Jethro sees what a great responsibility Moses has in governing and in judging the several hundred thousand Israelites, and makes a number of very good suggestions about government, particularly about a system of law courts. With such a court system, justice can be properly carried out for the people. It is now two months that the people have been free, and Moses prepares them for the receiving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai. Now, the greatest event in all of Israel's history is about to take place. With the acceptance of the Ten Commandments they are to become God's covenanted people. The Ten Commandments are to become the foundation on which Israel is to build a life of justice and holiness. These commandments, revealed to Israel at Mt. Sinai, made right living a part of religion for the first time. Living up to the Ten Commandments became (and remains) the great challenge to our people.

• Our Question For The Week •

God spoke all these words, saying:
(Exodus 20:1)

Here are ten questions to think about concerning the Ten Commandments:
1. I am the Lord Your God: Must a person believe in God in order to be "a good Jew?" What are the most basic beliefs about God in Judaism beyond a belief in one God?
2. You shall have no other gods before me: Moses Maimonides suggested that anyone who attributed physical form or characteristics to God is guilty of idolatry. This would mean that we should not talk of God as a He or a She. How should we talk about God?
3. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain: How do we misuse the name of God in contemporary society? Is this the same thing as making promises in the name of God that you can't keep?
4. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy: Come up with five things that you could do in your daily life to make the Sabbath feel special and holy.
5. Honor your father and mother: Argue the following issue: The Simpsons is a subversive show and a bad influence on kids because it encourages them to treat their parents with disrespect.
6. You shall not kill: What is the difference between murder and killing. Under what circumstances is killing justified.
7. You shall not commit adultery: To what extent do you think television, movies and the media encourage sexual immorality. How should we respond to these issues when we see them on television and what should we say to our children about these issues.
8. You shall not steal: How would you apply the prohibition against stealing to the following situations: cheating on your income tax, copying a DVD illegally for your own personal use, and lying about your age to get into a movie or a show for a less expensive ticket.
9. You shall not bear false witness: Is it ever appropriate to lie? If not why not? And if so under what circumstances?
10. You shall not covet: What is the difference between wanting something and coveting something? Do you think coveting should be included in the Ten Commandments?

BESHALAH - EXODUS 13:17 - 17:16

In this portion we follow the Israelites' journey to the Red Sea, where they find themselves trapped by pursuing Egyptian forces. God effects the miraculous crossing of the sea and the destruction of the Egyptians, and the Israelites rejoice, singing the "Song of the Sea". The journey to Sinai may now be resumed, but three challenges are immediately encountered. The people complain that they have no bread. In response, God provides the manna and gives directions for gathering it during the week and for the Sabbath. They further complain that they have no water, and God provides it from a rock. Finally, when the people are attacked by the Amalekites, Joshua leads a band of soldiers who defeat the attackers while Moses holds up the staff of God to encourage the Israelites. These incidents all serve to highlight the difficulty of transforming slaves into free men, who can rely on God yet act on their own behalf.

• Our Question For The Week •

Setting out from Elim, the whole Israelite community came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt. In the wilderness, the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, when we ate our fill of bread! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to starve this whole congregation to death."
(Exodus 16:1-3)

Out of Egypt, on the way to the Promised Land - the fulfillment of their destiny - and what do the people do? They complain! They "revise" the history of their slavery to make it seem much more pleasant, and their food much more filing, than it actually was. What drives them to do this? How susceptible are we to the need to romanticize and build up the past? What is it about the present that causes us to be so nostalgic for the figment of an imaginary past ("The good old days!")?

BO - EXODUS 10:1 - 13:16

In this portion we continue the account of the ten plagues with the last three. The plagues of locusts and darkness are described, and then the account is interrupted in order to record a detailed set of instructions that God gives to Moses and Aaron to prepare the Israelites for freedom. They are first directed to establish a calendar starting with the month of liberation, Nisan. The calendar is meant to provide social and religious cohesion as well as to symbolize the free man's ability, indeed responsibility, to mark time. Then follow directions for offering the paschal sacrifice - to be eaten in haste - and for smearing blood on the doorposts and lintels so Israelite houses will be spared the final plague. God then passes over the land and kills all the first-born sons of the Egyptians, whereupon Pharaoh finally sends the Israelites out and they begin their journey toward Sinai. The Exodus is the key event in all of Jewish history, and the instructions given here are by way of assuring that we remember God's role as redeemer to eternity.

• Our Question For The Week •

The Israelites had done Moses' bidding and borrowed from the Egyptians objects of silver and gold, and clothing. And the Lord had disposed the Egyptians favorably toward the people, and they let them have their request; thus they stripped the Egyptians.
(Exodus 12:35-36)

Why did the Egyptians give away their wealth? Did they feel that they owed it to the Israelites? Were thy afraid of further retribution from God if they did not comply? How do you think the Israelites felt when they were told to "borrow objects of silver and gold"? Do you think they felt it was owed to them? Were they embarrassed? Did this "payment" excuse the Egyptians for their poor treatment of the Israelites - exonerate them from any guilt or responsibility? What would you have done?

VAERA - EXODUS 6:2 - 9:35

In this portion God reiterates His pledge to redeem His people from slavery and promises severe punishment for the Egyptians. A contest then ensues between the will of God and the will of pharaoh. Moses and Aaron make another appeal to pharaoh and in the process humiliate his magicians. The appeal, however, is again rejected. There follow the first seven of ten plaques that God must inflict on the Egyptians in order to achieve the release of the Israelites. The plaques of blood, frogs, lice, swarms of insects, pestilence, boils and hail (as well as locusts, darkness and the slaying of the first-born, which are related in the next portion) demonstrate God's ability to manipulate nature and to protect His people. Since a number of the plaques were directed against Egyptian divinities, we also have here the beginning of the Israelite war on polytheism.

• Our Question For The Week •

Now the flax and barley were ruined, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud; but the wheat and the emmer were not hurt, for they ripen late.
(Exodus 9:31-32)

It seems that the miracle done here was simply bringing a plague that would not destroy unripe crops, although the Egyptians deserved to have all their crops destroyed. Instead, God destroyed only the flax and the barley, while sparing the wheat and spelt, itself a great wonder.

Humans plan the complete destruction of an enemy, but G-d seems to have a different strategy. Each of the plagues seems to have a purpose and a reason. Why? What is it that God wants from the Egyptians and what does God want to teach the People of Israel? How does this plague help Pharaoh understand the God of Israel?

Why do you think the plagues do not stop here? Why are the next plagues part of the next PARASHAH?

SHEMOT - EXODUS 1:1 - 6:1

In this portion we begin the book of Exodus and move from the account of the history of a clan to the history of the Hebrew nation. A new king, who does not know Joseph, ascends the throne of Egypt and enslaves the Israelites. Moses is born to Israelite parents, but owing to a set of strange circumstances, he grows up in Pharaoh's palace as an Egyptian prince. He goes out to observe the Israelites at work and kills an Egyptian taskmaster for beating a slave. He is then forced to flee for his life to Midian where he marries and becomes a shepherd for his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. While tending his flock at Mt. Horeb (Sinai), Moses encounters God in a burning bush and is commissioned to return to Egypt and free his people. Accompanied by his brother, Aaron, he makes an appeal to Pharaoh, which is totally rejected. Events are thus set in motion which will lead to the Exodus and Moses' lifelong task to bring his people back to their land.

• Our Question For The Week •

Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Let My people go that they may celebrate a festival for Me in the wilderness."
(Exodus 5:1)

When dealing with an evil authority, what is the best form of resistance? Submission? Passive, non-violent resistance? Open rebellion? Who are the "Pharaohs" of today? How should we, or our government, be responding to their presence in this world? How much evil can (should) one overlook before beginning to do something about it?

VAYIGASH - GENESIS 41:1 - 44:1

In this portion, the Joseph narrative is continued as Judah makes a moving appeal to Joseph (still unrecognized by his brothers) on behalf of his brother Benjamin, who has been accused of stealing Joseph's goblet. Judah's words convince Joseph that his brothers have truly changed since they sold him. He reveals himself to them, inquires after his father's health and assures them that their action was part of God's plan to put him in a position to save lives. He invites the entire family to come to Egypt to live out the five remaining years of the famine. When Jacob arrives, Joseph presents his father at court and settles the family in a choice area of the land. In the following years, he continues his work and brings great benefit to the crown. Jacob's journey to Egypt connects him with Abraham, who also went to Egypt because of famine, but it is also the first step in the transformation of the patriarch's family into the people Israel.

• Our Question For The Week •

So when Pharaoh summons you and asks, 'What is your occupation?' you shall answer, 'Your servants have been breeders of livestock from the start until now, both we and our fathers' - so that you may stay in the region of Goshen. For all shepherds are abhorrent to Egyptians."
(Genesis 46:33-34)

There remains a constant tension in Judaism whether to remain separate or to assimilate outside society's values. Each of us is challenged to find the appropriate balance. What lessons might we derive from the Joseph story to help us achieve a balance in our assimilation prone North American Jewish communities?

MIKETZ - GENESIS 41:44:17

In this portion, the Joseph narrative is continued after two years. Pharaoh has two dreams which no one can interpret. The cup-bearer finally remembers Joseph, who is called from jail and interprets the dreams to mean that there will be seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine. Joseph advises Pharaoh to store up food during the years of plenty, as a reserve for the famine. Pharaoh designates Joseph to implement such a plan. When the famine comes, Jacob sends his sons to Egypt for food. There they come face to face with Joseph, whom they do not recognize, though he recognizes them. By way of testing their character, Joseph puts his brothers through a series of tests, involving their father and youngest brother, Benjamin, as well. In these episodes we see the prediction of Joseph's dreams realized as God moves His plan inexorably forward through human agency.

• Our Question For The Week •

He searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest; and the goblet turned up in Benjamin's bag.
(Genesis 44:12)

Judah replied, "What can we say to my lord? How can we plead, how can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered the crime of your servants. Here we are, then, slaves of my lord, the rest of us as much as he in whose possession the goblet was found."
(Genesis 44:16)

The MIDRASH suggests that when Judah speaks of "my lord", it is as if he were referring no only to Joseph, the viceroy of Egypt who stands before him, but also to God an to their father Jacob. I is before them that Judah and his bothers know they are guilty for their past sinful behavior. Have they truly come to accept their sins? How do we know if someone is truly sorry for what they have done? How do we know when we are truly repentant for our misdeeds?

VAYESHEV - GENESIS 37:1 - 40:23

In this portion we begin the cycle of Joseph stories. Joseph, Jacob's favorite, angers his brothers by tattling and by recounting dreams in which he is clearly designated lord over his family. In retaliation, the brothers sell him into slavery and he is brought to Egypt. The story is interrupted at this point to recount an incident in the life of Judah. The narrative resumes with the account of Joseph's fortunes in Egypt. He is sold to a high official and becomes his major domo, but he runs afoul of his master's wife and is jailed. There, Joseph interprets the dreams of two fellow prisoners, Pharaoh's chief cup-bearer and chief baker. The cup-bearer is subsequently restored to his office, but he completely forgets about Joseph. The events of this story demonstrate the working out of God's carefully devised plan for His people and serve as the prelude to the drama of oppression and redemption which is the heart of biblical narrative.

• Our Question For The Week •

Now Joseph was well built and handsome.
(Genesis 39:6)

Just as an aside, the text uses extremely similar words to describe his mother Rachel.

Why is this of any concern? What is the reason the comment is included? What is the message? What is the relationship between our appearance and our personality? How does the way we look impact upon the way we act? Does who we are have any influence on the way we look (present ourselves to others)? How would you like to see yourself described by others? As someone who is attractive? Or, as someone with a wonderful personality?

VAYISHLAH - GENESIS 32:4 - 36:43

In this portion we conclude the independent stories about Jacob. In the remainder of the book of Genesis his life is intertwined with the biography of Joseph. Jacob prepares to encounter Esau by dividing his camp as a safety precaution and sending a large gift of livestock to his brother. He wrestles all night with a mysterious assailant from whom he wrests a blessing at daybreak in the form of a change of name from Jacob to Israel. Following the successful meeting with Esau, Jacob travels on and settles down. His daughter, Dinah, is ravished by a local prince, and two of her brothers take fearful revenge. Other events serve to sever decisively the connection of the patriarchs with Mesopotamia. By the end of this portion, our focus is shifted from the lives of individuals to the emerging people of Israel.

• Our Question For The Week •

That is Esau, father of Edom
(Genesis 36:43)

For the Rabbinic Tradition, Esau is more than Esau. He is the paradigm of a wicked person. And, we are taught that there is much to learn from Esau - we should learn to do and be the opposite of him. What are his particular negative traits? The trick to learning form the wicked is not just to condemn their behavior, but to look into ourselves, to ask ourselves, "Is there a bit of that in me?"

VAYETZE - GENESIS 28:10 - 32:3

In this portion, we follow the fortunes of Jacob as he leaves the land of Canaan to travel to the ancestral home in Mesopotamia, spends 20 years there and leaves to return to Canaan. Jacob, fleeing for this life, stops for the night at a place near the border and has a dream in which angels ascend and descend a ladder to heaven. God confirms the blessing of Abraham for Jacob, and Jacob, upon awakening, names the place Beth El - the House of God. Arriving in Mesopotamia, Jacob encounters Rachel, his cousin, at a well and falls in love with her. He negotiates with his uncle, Laban, for Rachel's hand, is tricked by Laban, then decides it is time to return home. He leaves with two wives, two concubines, 11 sons, one daughter and much livestock. These events show how Jacob begins to become worthy of the blessing he has been given and of being the successor to Abraham and Isaac.

• Our Question For The Week •

Jacob went on his way, and angels of god encountered him
(Genesis 32:2)

Why is Jacob's life filled with images of angels? At which times in Jacob's life do they appear? What do you think is meant by "angel"? Do you believe in angels?

In Hebrew, they are called "messengers." In what way are angels messengers of God? What kind of messages do they deliver? What do angels do for Jacob?

TOLEDOT - GENESIS 25:19 - 28:9

In this portion we follow events in the lives of Isaac and Rebekah. Twin sons - Esau and Jacob - are born and their struggles before birth foreshadow later conflicts between the nations they are to found. Although Jacob is the younger, he tricks Esau out of his birthright. Isaac, like Abraham, meets a number of challenges and is assured by God that he will have many descendants and possess the land of Canaan. When Isaac feels his end approaching and arranges to pass the blessing of succession on to Esau, Rebekah connives to have Jacob trick his father and get the blessing for himself. Jacob must then flee to the ancestral homeland to escape Esau's wrath, but before he leaves, Isaac intentionally passes on to him the blessing of Abraham. This action attests that the leadership of the Jewish People depends on God's plan, not an accident of birth.

• Our Question For The Week •

Then his (Jacob's) father Isaac said to him, "Come close and kiss me, my son"; and he went up and kissed him. And he smelled his clothes and he blessed him,

And Esau said to his father, "Have you but one blessing, Father? Bless me too, Father!" And Esau wept aloud.
(Genesis 27:26-28; 38)

There certainly is a whole lot of blessing going on! And, each son seems to want it all! If/As a parent, how do/would you bless your child/children so that there would be no envy, jealousy, rivalry or selfishness? What is the greatest blessing we can give to our child/children? As a child, what is the one blessing you would like to receive (or wish that you had received) from your parent(s)? How close did they come"?

HAYE SARAH - GENESIS 23:1 - 25:18

In this portion, we conclude the cycle of Abraham and Sarah stories. Sarah dies at the age of 127, and Abraham purchases a burial site, the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron, from the local Hittite inhabitants. This cave becomes the burial place for the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their wives, Sarah, Rebekah and Leah. As Abraham faces the prospect of his own death, he arranges a marriage for Isaac by sending his chief servant back to the family homeland to negotiate for the hand of a family member. When the servant returns with Rebekah, Isaac installs her in Sarah's tent and marries her, and in their love he finds comfort after his mother's death. Thus, God's plan of history unfolds through a series of commonplace and natural events.

• Our Question For The Week •

Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurim, the Letushim, and the Leummim. The descendants of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Enoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah --These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the first-born of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedmah. These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names by their villages and by their encampments: twelve chieftains of as many tribes. (Genesis 25: 1-4, 13-16)

Sometimes the Torah tells us more than the modern reader wants to know. For example, the genealogical lists that surface periodically do not seem to advance our understanding of religious values in any obvious way. There are also passages in the Torah that are surprisingly sparing in the details they transmit (A case in point is the identity of Abraham's trusted servant in Chapter 24). Although these silences are purposeful, they are frustrating to today's readers.

Why do you think the text is constructed as it is? Why is it that we often seem to be told what we do not care about, while we cannot get enough of what is omitted? How would you like your story told - what details would you like to see emphasized, and which do you hope would forever be omitted?

VAYERA - GENESIS 18:1 - 22:24

In this portion, Abraham is informed by angels and he and Sarah will have a son, and that the wicked cities of Sodom (where Lot lives) and Gemorrah are to be destroyed. Abraham argues with God about justice, and God agrees to spare the cities if there are at least 10 righteous men in them. Lot turns out to be the only righteous man, the cities are destroyed, but Lot and his family are saved. Sarah gives birth to the long-awaited son, Isaac, and demands that Abraham expel Hagar and her son, Ishmael. God further tests Abraham's faith through the near-sacrifice of Isaac. These incidents serve to illustrate Abraham's expanding concept of God and also reveal his human failings.

• Our Question For The Week •

Some time afterward, God put Abraham to the test. He said to him, "Abraham," and he answered, "Here I am." And He said, "Take your son, your favored one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the heights that I will point out to you." (Genesis 22:1-2)

Many of us were raised on a version of the story that pictures Isaac as a young child. This picture has been reinforced by countless paintings and other graphic portrayals of the binding of Isaac. Jewish tradition tells a different story. Although Isaac's age is not given within this narrative, it is assumed that he was at least 13 years old. If he were not, he would be considered an extension of Abraham. We would like to believe that Isaac, too, earned a share of the credit for obeying God's difficult command. The maximum age for Isaac at the time of this incident would be 37. This is derived from the fact that Sarah, who had given birth to Isaac at age 90, dies shortly after the binding of Isaac, at a reported age of 127. Thus, if she died right after the incident, Isaac would have been 37 years old.

How do the possible variations in Isaac's age affect your understanding of the story? After reflecting upon the different age-possibilities, which age makes the most sense to you? When is our influence on our children the most profound: when they are young children, or when they are as adult as we are?

LEKH-LEKHA - GENESIS 12:1 - 17:27

In this portion we meet Abraham who, at 75, leaves his home in Mesopotamia, at God's command, and travels to Canaan with his wife, Sarah, and his nephew, Lot, to become the father of a great nation. Abraham meets a number of challenges that test his faith in God and his resourcefulness. He has a son with Hagar, Sarah's handmaid, since Sarah appears to be barren. He also enters into a covenant (B'RIT) with God that is symbolized by circumcision (B'RIT MILAH), thus laying the ground for the develop.m.ent of the Jewish people and its special relationship to God.

• Our Question For The Week •

Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, "Look, the Lord has kept me from bearing. Consort with my maid; perhaps I shall have a son through her." And Abram heeded Sarai's request. So Sarai, Abram's wife, took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian-after Abram had dwelt in the land of Canaan ten years-and gave her to her husband Abram as concubine. He cohabited with Hagar and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was lowered in her esteem. And Sarai said to Abram, "The wrong done me is your fault! I myself put my maid in your bosom; now that she sees that she is pregnant, I am lowered in her esteem. The Lord decide between you and me!" Abram said to Sarai, "Your maid is in your hands. Deal with her as you think right." Then Sarai treated her harshly, and she ran away from her. (Genesis 16:1-6)

Why does Sarah hate Hagar so bitterly? Isn't it her idea to give her slave to Abraham? If you were in Sarah's position, how would you feel? How would you behave? Hagar is silent in this story. What do you think was going on in her head as this story unfolds? And how do you judge Abraham's behavior in this situation? He questions God, but he never questions his wife. Is there another path he could have taken?

NOAH - GENESIS 6:9 - 11:32

In this portion, we read of the destruction of the world by the great flood and the re-creation of the world. By the tenth generation after Adam, human evil has sunk to such depths that God can no longer tolerate it, and the world must be purged of its corruption. Noah and his family alone, of all mankind, are saved along with seven pairs (male & female) of all clean animals and one pair of all unclean animals found on earth. The description of the flood is in many respects a reversal of the process of creation. When the waters subside and the occupants of the ark emerge on dry land, the narrative largely parallels the creation story. Noah is portrayed as the second Adam, but the world after the flood is a significantly different place. Although Noah's sons become the progenitors of a world full of people, the complete harmony of all creation is gone. This change is symbolized by the permission given to mankind to eat meat, albeit with the prohibition of eating the blood. God establishes the rainbow as the sign of His promise that the earth will never again be destroyed by flood. The account of the Tower of Babel shows how that unity is shattered by mankind's pride. God's plan is again thwarted, but this time He responds by narrowing His focus to one segment of mankind that will be the instruments of achieving His purpose. The reading concludes with an account of the line of Noah's son, Shem, which brings us - after ten generations - to Abraham and the birth of the Jewish People.

• Our Question For The Week •

And they said, "Come, let us build us a city, and a tower with its top in the sky, to make a name for ourselves; else we shall be scattered all over the world." . (Genesis 11:4)

What was so bad about "making a name for ourselves"; i.e. becoming as one? We speak today about striving to be "a village", or living in a global society. Is there reason for trying to retain our individuality as a people? What do we lose by striving to become as one? What do we gain? What "demographic" serves our survival as Jews the best - a global society where all are as one, or a stratified society where every people has its own identity? What "demographic" serves our survival as people as a whole?

B'REISHEET - GENESIS 1:1 - 6:8

In this portion we begin the reading of the Torah anew. The creation of the world is described in two accounts. The first account focuses on the creation of all the elements of the physical universe, including humanity, and comes to a climax with the establishment of a day of rest. The second account focuses on the creation of humanity and comes to a climax with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. As a result of transgressing, a strict prohibition on eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve are banished from the Garden. God proclaims that henceforth they will get their food by hard toil and women will bear children in pain. Adam and Eve have two sons, Cain and Abel, who become a farmer and a shepherd, respectively. As a result of anger when God accepts Abel's offering but not his own, Cain kills his brother. Adam and Eve have a third son, Seth, from whom Noah descends.

• Our Question For The Week •

This is the record of Adam's line. When God created man, He made him in the likeness of God; male and female He created them. And when they were created, He blessed them and called them ADAM. (Genesis 5:1-2)

Is there really such a unity to humanity? Are we "one"? What does it mean to believe that we are all descended from a common ancestor? What are the implications for how we should be treating each other if we are "all the same"?

SUKKOT

Sukkot is one of the three major pilgrimage festivals of the Jewish year. At the time of the Temple in Jerusalem, Jews would come from all over Israel to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival. Sukkot is known by a number of different names, each signifying a different aspect of the holiday.

THE FEAST OF BOOTHS Sukkot reminds us of the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness after our freedom from Egypt. During those years, the Jews could not live in a permanent home so they lived in huts and booths. Remembering that wandering of our ancestors, the Torah commands us by saying, "Ye shall dwell in booths seven days - that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt."
Thus, the first aspect of the holiday relates to the Sukkah, so we are commanded to build and live in a hut or tabernacle. The first two days of Sukkot are Yom Tov, festival days, with many of the laws similar to those of the Sabbath. Next there are five intermediary days called Hol Hamoed, which, while still the holiday, are much like weekdays in that we can go to work and resume most usual activities. Then there begins a new holiday, which in the Diaspora is celebrated on two days. The first is called Shemini Atzeret, and is followed the next day by Simhat Torah. These two days are also Yom Tov, full holy days, in which we are not permitted to go to work.

THE FESTIVAL OF INGATHERING Sukkot also has a strong agricultural component. Our ancestors completed the fall harvest and thanked God for the bounty they had received. Sukkot is really the first recorded celebration of Thanksgiving.

THE SEASON OF REJOICING Because of the great joy with which the festival was celebrated, Sukkot is referred to as the most joyous of all festivals, and thus is called in the Prayer Book, "The Season of Our Rejoicing."

SUKKOT OBSERVANCES The two main ritual observances of the festival are eating in the Sukkah, and fulfilling the obligation of making the prayer with the Lulav and Etrog during each of the days of Sukkot, except for the Sabbath. A Sukkah is a building consisting of a minimum of two walls and the beginning of a third, supporting a temporary roof holding the Sechach, which is anything that grew in the ground and is no longer attached.

LULAV AND ETROG The other significant and unique ritual for Sukkot is the taking together of the four species. In one hand we hold the Lulav, which is a palm frond attached to willows and myrtle twigs. In the other hand we hold the Etrog, the citron. Holding all four together, each day we make the blessing, and at services we have a procession called Hoshanot at which time all of the people who have the set of four species parade in a circle around the sanctuary while chanting special prayers.

HOSHANAH RABBAH The seventh day of Sukkot is known as Hoshanah Rabbah. During the morning service, the procession with the Etrog and Lulav is repeated seven times while the Hazzan chants the Hoshanot hymns asking for God's help. Towards the end of the service, branches of willows are beaten so that our sins, symbolically, fall just as the willow leaves drop off.

SHEMINI ATZERET Shemini Atzeret, the eighth day of Sukkot, is in effect, a separate holiday. We are no longer obligated to remain in the Sukkah. During the service, we pray for rain in Israel to nourish the crops. YIZKOR is also said on SHEMINI ATZERET. Our service this year will be held on Saturday, October 10 at 9:00 am, and will include both YIZKOR and the dedication of YAHRTZEIT Plaques installed during the course of the past year.

DANCE WITH ME ON SIMHAT TORAH For generations, our people have closed our observance of the Fall Festivals (Sukkot & Shemini Atzeret) with the celebration of Simhat Torah (rejoicing with the Torah). It is on Simhat Torah that we complete the reading of the Torah and immediately return to the beginning of the Book of Genesis to start the cycle of reading again. During both the evening and the morning services, the Torah scrolls are removed from the Aron Kodesh and paraded around the Sanctuary in festive processions of song and dance. Everyone in attendance is encouraged to carry a scroll and share the joy of Torah. An effort is also made to ensure that everyone in attendance is called to the Torah for an Aliyah. Here at CAI, Simhat Torah has always been a fun time for all. The children watch in awe as their parents teach them of love of Torah, and the parents glow as their children extend that love into the next generation. Plan on joining us for our SIMHAT TORAH celebrations on Saturday, October 10 at 6:30 in the evening, and Sunday, October 11 at 9:00 in the morning, we will be saving a dance for you!

• Our Question For The Week •

Mark, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the yield of your land, you shall observe the festival of the Lord [to last] seven days: a complete rest on the first day, and a complete rest on the eighth day. On the first day you shall take the product of HADAR trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. You shall observe it as a festival of the Lord for seven days in the year; you shall observe it in the seventh month as a law for all time, throughout the ages. You shall live in booths seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in booths, in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I the Lord your God. (Leviticus 23:29-43)

These verses describe the commandment to take the four species and the commandment to live in Sukkot (huts) for seven days. Notice that the commandment to live in huts has a reason associated with it and the taking of the four species is not associated with a reason. What are some of the reasons that you find most moving for "taking" the four species (LULAV & ETROG)? If you do not normally fulfill this MITZVAH, is there any explanation or reason that might persuade you to do so?

HAAZINU - DEUTERONOMY 32:1 - 32:52

In this penultimate portion of Deuteronomy (the last of the weekly readings), Moses gives a final message to his people in the form of a song. Just a Moses began his ministry with a song of triumph at the Red Sea, he concludes it with a hymn of joy on the banks of the Jordan, in sight of the Promised Land. The song begins with praise of God for the special care He has given Israel. The people, however, have spurned God and His laws. Because of their unfaithfulness, they will suffer God's wrath, but ultimately He will show mercy and deliver the Israelites from their enemies. Moses adjures the people to take his words seriously and remember that the laws of the Torah are the essence of their lives. God then directs Moses to ascend Mt. Nebo and look at the land promised to the Israelites. Moses is destined to die without entering the land, but he has successfully completed his mission of bringing the people through the wilderness. It will be for another leader to take them into the next stage of their lives.

• Our Question For The Week •

Remember the days of old, Consider the years of ages past; Ask your father, he will inform you, Your elders, they will tell you: (Deuteronomy 32:7)

What is your favorite Jewish memory? You are a fly on the wall of your children's HAVURAH, 30 years from now. They have just heard the same question. What will they say? If we learned about YIDISHKEIT from our BUBBIES and ZAYDES, from whom will our grandchildren learn?