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Monthly Archives: April 2020
Acharei Mot – Kedoshim (Lev. 16:1 – 20:27)
(Comments from 2018, slightly edited. I found Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ comments, quoted at the end, particularly insightful.) This week: Sex and holiness. Acharei Mot (Lev. 16:1-18:30) is the first part of this double portion and means “after the death of,” … Continue reading
Tazria-Metzora (Lev. 12:1 – 15:33), Shabbat Rosh Chodesh (Num. 28:9 – 15)
Diagnosis by qualified personnel. No real treatment, just waiting it out. Quarantine until cleared. No, I’m not referring to COVID-19, but to the skin ailment called tzara’at, which takes up most of this week’s double portion. (Comments from 2013, links … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Alan Cooper, ashipu, asu, Channel Theory, childbirth, diagnosis, Egyptian medicine, impurity, Isaiah, isolation, Leviticus, Mesopotamian medicine, Metzora, mildew, mold, priests, purification, Rosh Chodesh, skin affliction, Tazria, tzara'at
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Shemini (Lev. 9:1 – 11:47)
Ordination with a spectacular finish. Self-inflicted disaster. Kosher and unkosher animals. That’s this week’s Torah portion. I’m currently zonked from Pesach and pandemic weirdness. But think how much worse it is for others and how still worse it could be. … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Aaron, Avihu, High Priest, holiness, identity, kashrut, kosher and unkosher animals, Leviticus, Mary T. Douglas, Nadav, priests' ordination, Purity and Danger, Shemini, testing
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Pesach
I am not going to riff on the 4 Questions. We all know why this night (and the next and the next, etc.) is different from all other nights. Nor the 4 Sons/Children (wise/wicked/simple/doesn’t even know to ask a question). … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged counting the omer, David, Deuteronomy, Egypt, Exodus, Ezekiel, Haggadah, Hallel, Isaiah, Jewish holidays, Joshua, Joshua Kulp, King Josiah, Leviticus, Moses, numbers, Passover, Psalm 18, redemption, seder, singing, Song at the Sea, Song of Songs, splitting of the sea, spring, The Simpsons
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Tzav (Lev. 6:1 – 8:36), Shabbat HaGadol
I doubt anyone is really thinking a whole lot about Parashat Tzav. That’s often the case anyway when it is read right before Pesach (Passover), which starts Wednesday night, April 8 this year, most of us being preoccupied with the … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged ashes, chametz, cleaning, humility, Malachi, Mishnah, Pesach, priests' ordination, reconciliation, sacrifices, sermon, Shabbat HaGadol, Tractate Zevachim, Tzav
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Torah Portion Humor Weekly 