Tazria (Leviticus 12, 1 – 13, 59) – why a sin offering after the birth of a child?
The Torah reading of Tazria begins with laws relating to childbirth. Strikingly, a woman who gives birth to a son or daughter is to bring a sin offering - “she…
Shmini (Leviticus 9, 1 – 11, 47) – dietary laws
The Torah reading of Shmini contains dietary laws referred to in the Jewish tradition as laws of kashrut (from the Hebrew word kosher) - however, the term kosher does not…
The orthoprax nature of Biblical faith
In my book on the Hebrew Bible, Reconciling a Contradictory Abraham, I argue that, in spite of the enormous influence of the Hebrew Bible upon western culture, the Hebrew Bible…
Tzav (Leviticus 6, 1 – 8, 36) – the importance of sacrificial offerings in the Bible
The Torah reading of Tzav delineates different types of sacrificial offerings - however, these sacrificial offerings had already been delineated in the previous Torah reading of Vayikra. Nechama Leibowitz (a…
Vayikra (Leviticus 1, 1 – 5, 26) – the Book of Leviticus, law and morality
The Book of Leviticus is known in the Jewish tradition as Torat Kohanim - literally, the priestly Torah (law), and the name Leviticus means relating to the Levites, as the…
Pikudei (Exodus 38, 21 – 40, 38) – the Divinity of the Torah (the 5 Books of Moses)
The term pikudei means accounts or recordings as in the opening verse of the Torah reading Pikudei (Exodus 38, 21) - “These are the accounts of the tabernacle”. The Tabernacle…
Vayakel (Exodus 35, 1 – 38, 20) – the Sabbath precedes the Tabernacle in Holiness
The Torah reading of Vayakel concerns the building of the Tabernacle, which is a portable tent like structure that is seen as the dwelling place of the presence of God,…
Ki Tisa (Exodus 30, 11 – 34, 35) – walking in the ways of God (the 13 attributes of God)
As part of the story of the golden calf (after the making of the calf), Moses makes two requests of God - "make known to me Your way, that I…
Tetzaveh (Exodus 27, 20 – 30, 10) – the hereditary priesthood
The Torah reading of Tetzaveh is the only Torah reading since the beginning of the Book of Exodus, when the story of Moses begins, until the end of the Torah…
2 Terumah (Exodus 25, 1 – 27, 19) – the need to give and contribute
The Tabernacle occupies a central position in the Torah (the 5 Books of Moses), and is the center of ritual and sacrificial worship of the Israelites in their wanderings in…