In this portion we find an obscure rule about the thanksgiving offering: it must be eaten on the day that it is offered. Turns out there is an important lesson there about our need for community. --------------------------------- __ __
This week's Torah portion is about sacrifice in the ancient Jewish Temple. It's a good opportunity for us to talk about the purpose(s) of prayer, and about how we can relate to prayer if we're not sure that God is on the other end listening. --------------------------------- __ __
The book of Exodus ends with the completion of the Mishkan - the portable sanctuary in the desert. Why do the Rabbis compare the creation of the Mishkan with the creation of the entire world? --------------------------------- __ __
In this episode we explore a Midrash on the Torah portion, in which the Rabbis talk about what it means to have a "good name." --- __ __
A midrash blames the Golden Calf incident on the "mixed multitude" that accompanied the Israelites in the desert. What can we learn from it about acceptance and xenophobia in Jewish life? --- __ __
This Torah portion is about clothes: colors, fabrics, hems, designs - the details of the priestly clothing. We talk about why the Torah goes into such a meticulous description, and what it has to do with our own spiritual lives. (Plus I sing for you!) --- __ __
In the midst of a tedious Torah portion, the Rabbis tell a story that connects the building of the Mishkan (the portable sanctuary in the wilderness) with an audacious act of hope by Jacob 400 years earlier. --- __ __
We explore one of the Torah's most infamous laws - the "eye for an eye" passage in Exodus 21 - to discovery what it's REALLY about, and what it says about the imperative for building a just society. We also briefly explore how this law undergirds Jewish views of abortion. To sign up for Rabbi Leah Berkowitz's class on Reproductive Justice in Judaism (this Thursday, February 8), visit https://laasok.org/current-offerings/#repro --- __ __
We are traditionally taught that we ALL stood together at Sinai. And yet the Torah reveals that certain people and certain voices were excluded from that pivotal moment. I talk with Rabbi Dalia Marx about finding and recapturing those silenced voices, in order to create a more inclusive Judaism. Rabbi Dalia Marx is author of From Time to Time: Journeys in the Jewish Calendar http://time.ccarpress.org. --- __ __
In this parashah, the Torah tells the story of the parting of the Red Sea. The Rabbis tell the story of the brave person who made that miracle possible. In doing so, they turn the story on its head - they make it about OUR capacity for miracle-making. --- __ __
The story of Pharaoh and the plagues is a story of how fear leads us toward actions that don't reflect our best selves. --- __ __
The idea that God "hardened Pharaoh's heart" is a major theological conundrum. Does it mean there's no free will?? We explore what some of the commentators have said about this, and what it means for our own lives. --- __ __
As we start a new book of the Torah, why does it sound like we're right in the middle of something? We talk about the significance of this transitional moment for Jewish identity and continuity, and for both Jewish and Palestinian self-understanding. --- __ __
One of the subtexts of the Joseph story is the ongoing growth of Judah, who increasingly demonstrates an ability to take responsibility and to care about the needs and well-being of others. This makes him a secondary "hero" of Joseph's story. --- __ __
Joseph's story is the story of how holding a vision of a better world helps us work toward a better world. --- __ __
The terrible story of the rape of Dinah, Jacob's daughter, teaches about cycles of violence and vengeance, and about how victims' voices can so easily be erased or ignored. --- __ __
What does it mean when Jacob exclaims, "God is in this place and I did not know it!" How can we work to recognize, and bring, the Divine into the world during dark times? --- __ __
The story of Isaac quarrelling with the Philistines over the digging of wells is a reminder that living in the land of Israel has always meant sharing the land and its resources, making space for multiple peoples and multiple stories. --- __ __
The story of the death of Sarah and Abraham is also a story about their children, and how we are all family. --- __ __
Abraham's argument with God over the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah is actually a message - an eminently relevant message - about seeing the humanity in each person. --- __ __
A prominent feature of this week's Torah portion is the name changes of Abraham and Sarah. We discuss the meaning of their names, and what it means to have a name. --- __ __
The story of Noah's flood begins with a world "filled with lawless violence." With a nod to Donniel Hartman and the "For Heaven's Sake" podcast, we look at how this might apply to Israel's current moment. --- __ __
In the wake of last weekend's horrific acts of terror, and in the midst of a mounting crisis in Israel, I talk to poet Alden Solovy about life in Jerusalem, about Bereshit, and about how words can uncover layers of meaning and connection. --- __ __
In his final blessing to the people of Israel, Moses leaves us with a message for moving forward. --- __ __
The Torah's penultimate parashah is a poem about covenant, fidelity, adversity and growth. A perfect message for the High Holy Days, and for every day. --- __ __
Moses dies at the age of 120. In this episode, we explore the meaning of that "age" in Jewish tradition and Jewish life. Turns out it may not be about age after all. --- __ __
This week's Torah portion describes a ritual that, according to the Rabbis, must be recited in Hebrew. But what if not everyone knows Hebrew? We look at a Talmudic text and a Hasidic story about the importance of praying both in Hebrew and in words that we can understand. --- __ __
In a parsha packed of laws, a series of statements about not "mixing" things (seeds, animals, materials) leads to a discussion about our responsibility to safeguard the world. --- __ __
This week's parashah is about various kinds of leaders in ancient Israel. It's also about the way Judaism is constantly evolving - and our ongoing responsibility to find new meanings in ancient traditions. (An encore of our 2022 podcast for Shoftim.) --- __ __
This parashah describes the dietary laws - what Jews traditionally may and may not eat. We'll talk about a liberal Jewish approach to keeping kosher. (An encore of our 2022 podcast on Re'eh) --- __ __