Parashat Kedoshim
By Rabbi Shari Chen
“God spoke to Moses saying speak to the children of Israel and tell them you shall be holy for I the Lord your God, am holy.”
These words begin this week’s Torah parashat Kedoshim – our Holiness code. Many years ago, I was told by my Rabbi, that each rabbi has one biblical verse that defines them. My verse just so […]
Passover Shabbat Message
by Rabbi Shari Chen
This year, for the first time in over 25 years, I will not be celebrating Passover at Congregation Bene Shalom with my cherished friend, Rabbi Dr. Douglas Goldhamer. Rabbi Douglas loved our Passover celebrations – from the recitation of the 10 plagues, using a bag of 10 stuffed toys to recreate the plagues, to negotiating for the Afikomen, to […]
Parashat Metzora
By Rabbi Dr. Douglas Goldhamer, z’l
The Zohar teaches that there was a special light called the Or Ganuz that God created to be hidden away for the righteous. This light teaches awareness of wholeness, that we are all one with God. With awareness of this light, we also recognize that we should seek to maintain God’s Masculine and Feminine form within us. When […]
Parashat Shemini
By Rabbi Tirtzah Israel, Hebrew Seminary alumna & Assistant Professor of Spirituality
This week’s Torah portion Shemini is the third story in a series of continuous narration following parshiot Vayikra and Tzav in the book of Vayikra.
First, the book of Vayikra opens with Moses being called by G-D from the newly built Mishkan (Tent of Meetings). Moses was told to instruct the Children of Israel […]
What does it mean to be holy? In this week’s Torah portion Tzav, we read about the consecration of Aaron, his sons and the mishkan, the tabernacle, by Moses. Everyone who entered, and everything used within the mishkan, needed to be holy.
But what does that really mean? How can we be holy? According to our Holiness code in parsha Kedoshim, we are told that […]
Parashat Vayikra
By Rabbi Dr. Douglas Goldhamer
Leviticus 1:1-5:26
This week, we begin the holy book of Vayikra or Leviticus, which deals at length with sacrifices or offerings. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch understands a “sacrifice” as “giving up something that is of great importance to oneself so that another can benefit.” An offering is a gift that enhances the receiver. On the p’shat level of our scripture, […]
Parashat Toldot by Rabbi Dr. Douglas Goldhamer
In 586 BCE, Babylon attacked Israel and destroyed the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. The Jews were exiled to Babylon. And for the first time in our history as a people, we no longer lived in Judah or in Israel, but we lived in a foreign country. About 100 years later, King […]
