Parashat kedoshim - 6th May 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
In this portion God tells Moses to instruct the entire Israelite community the laws of Kedoshim (Leviticus 19:1-20:27), the laws of holiness.
tent's thought for the end of Pesach and the Counting of the Omer- 27th April 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
5765 being a leap year has provided a rather odd annual cycle that has created much excitement for our Orthodox brothers and sisters at this season of Pesach.
Parashat acharei mot- 22nd April 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
This weeks parasha takes its name from the theme of the opening two verses, Acharei Mot (Leviticus 16:1-18:30) – after the death of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu who ‘drew to close to the Divine presence and died.’
Parashat metzora - 14th April 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
Parashat Metzora (Lev 14:1-15:33) continues on from Tazria, focussing on the rites ordained for the purification of those who had suffered from tsara’at. The procedures are incredibly detailed and illustrate how important this issue was to the biblical Israelites.
Parashat tazria - 7th April 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
This weeks portion, Tazria, and next weeks, Metzora, is one of seven designated occasions that two portions can be read as one to insure that the entire Torah is read in a year. This week they are separate and Tazria (Lev 12:1-13:59) begins with the regulations concerning the ritual status of a mother after childbirth.
Parashat shemini - 31st March 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
The opening of this week’s portion describes the first celebration of sacrifice after the seven days of ordination. Thus, the portion Shemini (Leviticus 9:1-11:47) meaning the eighth day. The main purpose of the sacrifice is, “For today the Eternal One will appear to you.”
Parashat vayikra - 11th March 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
This Shabbat we begin reading the third book of the Torah, Leviticus. Leviticus contains many of the laws and precepts of Judaism.
Parashat vayakhel - 4th March 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
This week's Torah portion is Vayakhel (Exodus 35:1-38:20) which begins "And Moses congregated (vayakhel) the entire community of Israel" (Exodus 35:1). Basically, this portion finds Moses recounting to the Israelites the instructions that he had received from God on Mt Sinai. He reminds them to observe Shabbat and that on Shabbat they are not to do any work. It is added that there also should be no lighting of any fires.
Parashat ki tissa
- 25th February 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
Just to remind ourselves,
Moses is still in the cloud at the top of Mt Sinai as
we begin parashat Ki Tissa (Exodus 30:11-34:35).
God instructs Moses to collect a half-shekel from every
person over the age of 20when he takes a census of the
community. He is told to make a copper container, fill
it with water and place it in the sanctuary that the priests
might wash themselves before approaching the altar; he
is also to create a special anointing oil for consecrating
the furniture of the mikdash.
Parashat tetzaveh
- 18th February 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
Last Shabbat we heard how
the Children of Israel were to build the mishkan,
the desert tabernacle, in which they were to worship God.
These instructions are presented as being given to Moses
on Mount Sinai. This week's portion (Exodus 27:20
- 30:10) begins with the Hebrew words "ve'atah
tetzaveh," which translate as "And you shall
further instruct". The Torah as self-assembly instruction
manual continues.
Parashat terumah
- 10th February 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
We
left last week’s parasha mishpatim, literally
in a cloud. Anat Gueta writes of this: “Moses climbs
the mount in order to receive the Holy Scribes from God
and vanishes inside a cloud. Abruptly the dramatic scene
is cut, only to continue 7 chapters later when God indicates
to Moses the importance of the Shabbat and gives him the
original tablets.” We are then held in suspense
as, up in the cloud, God describes to Moses the proper
way to worship God, whilst down below, the Israelites
demonstrate just how not to worship.
Parashat mishpatim
- 3rd February 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
In last Shabbat's Torah portion
Moses made the journey up Mount Sinai, where the Torah
tells us, he received the Ten Commandments and then stayed
for forty days during which - following a traditional
understanding - the remainder of the written and oral
Torah was revealed to him, the written Torah being that
which we read on Shabbat mornings, otherwise known as
the five books of Moses, the oral Torah being the sum
total of the remaining authoritative, in Orthodox terms,
Jewish wisdom from the beginning of time to the present
day.
Parashat yitro
- 30th January 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
One of my favourite Torah
portions is named after Moses' father-in-law, Jethro or
Yitro (Exodus 18:1 - 20:23), a Midianite priest
who, according to Rabbinic tradition, converted to the
Israelite cult (not all agree, me included!). Personally,
I find cause to celebrate that a non-Israelite - at least
as I read it - has a portion named after him and indeed
one of the most important, as it contains the 10 Commandments
(Decalogue).
Parashat bo - 14th
January 2005 - Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
In
Parashat Bo (Exodus 10:1-13:16), God inflicts the last
three plagues upon the Egyptians and gives the instructions
for the observance of the festival of Passover. The
previous Parasha - Va'era covered the first seven plauges
- those of blood, frogs, lice, swarms of insects, pestilence,
boils, hail and fire.
