Parshas Vayigash: Thinking About Living a G-d Focused Life

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 ailment transmitted through normal exposure. Rather, tzara’as is the physical manifestation of a spiritual malaise, a punishment from G-d primarily for…

Devarim — Deuteronomy 1:1 – 3:11 This week we begin the fifth and final book of the Torah, Deuteronomy. This book is also called Mishna Torah, “Repetition of the Torah” – thus the Greek title ‘Deuteronomy.’ Its contents were spoken by Moses to the Jewish people during the final five weeks of his life as…

Parsha Noach As a result of Mankind’s evil, G-d brings a flood to destroy every living creature. Only Noah, his family, and at least one pair of every animal species were spared. Trivia question: Do you know the name of Noah’s wife? (hint — it is NOT ‘Joan of Ark’) When the flood waters begin…

Parshas Vaeira G-d assures Moses that He will indeed redeem the Jewish people from slavery and bring them into the land of Israel. After the Torah presents a detailed genealogy of the tribe of Levi (Moses’ family), Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh to request a three-day hiatus from work so that the Jewish people…