Category: Parsha

Parsha Shelach Moses is pressed by the Jewish people to send twelve spies to the Land of Canaan (later to be called the Land of Israel). Forty days later they return carrying a gigantic...

Beha’aloscha – בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ Beha’aloscha (Hebrew for “when you step up”) is thematically diverse, beginning with the daily lighting of the golden menorah in the Mishkan. The Levites are initiated into the Tabernacle service. The...

Bechukosai, the last Torah portion in the book of Leviticus, begins by briefly listing some of the blessings and rewards that the Jewish people will receive for diligently learning and following the Torah. The...

Behar focuses primarily on mitzvos concerning the land of Israel, beginning with the command to observe a Sabbatical (Shemitta) year. During the Sabbatical year one’s fields are to remain uncultivated every seventh year, refraining...

Following the command in last week’s portion to be sanctified and holy, Parshas Emor begins by discussing various laws directed specifically to the Kohanim and the Kohen Gadol (High Priest). Included is the command...

Parshas Kedoshim The portion begins with G-d’s command to the entire nation of Israel to be holy, emulating the supreme sanctity of G-d Himself. The Torah goes on to delineate a multitude of mitzvos...

Parshas Metzora discusses the purification process for the metzora. A metzora was a person inflicted with tzara’as – a skin or hair abnormality caused by certain spiritual illnesses. After the Kohen declares him to...

Parshas Tazria This week’s parsha describes in great detail the varying manifestations of the disease called tzara’as. Although it has commonly been mistranslated as leprosy, this skin disease bears little resemblance to any bodily...