TERUMA: Are Jews generous?
FORCED LABOR
In this week's Parasha, Teruma, we begin reading about the Mishkan or Tabernacle, which was the Temple built by the people of Israel...
MISHPATIM: Who wrote the Tora?
This week's Parasha contains a large number of Mitsvot: 53. Almost all of these precepts are categorized as mishpatim, or civil laws. This code...
TERUMA: Parasha Summary
This Parasha describes God's instructions to Moses to invite the people to contribute whatever they can or want to contribute to the construction of...
TERUMA: Respect For What You Were
This week's Parasha describes among other things the Ark of the Covenant, or aron haberit. The Ark was inside the Qodesh HaQodashim, the most...
MISHPATIM: Human Law vs Divine Law
ואלה המשפטים אשר תשים לפניהם
כי תקנה עבד עברי
This week’s Parasha contains many Mitsvot, almost all of them belonging to the category of “Mishpatim”, Civil...
MISHPATIM: The Rights Of A Jewish Wife
The Ketuba, which is the Jewish marriage document, outlines the husband's obligations to his wife. During the wedding ceremony, the groom declares that he...
TU BISHBAT, understanding why you need a new year for trees
Tu Bishbat is the "new year of the trees." This "new year or cycle" is an halakhic concept relevant to some commandments of the...
My Most Favorite Ashkenazi Tradition
TAX SEASON
Tu Bishbat is not a religious holiday and is not mentioned in the Tora. The rabbis chose this date 2,000 years ago for...
YITRO: Serving God or Using God?
DUTIES OF THE BRAIN
This Shabbat we will read the Parasha Yitro, which contains the Ten Commandments, a subject of inexhaustible depth.
One example. The First...
