Rabbi Chanan Morisson The Torah portion of Tazria begins with the special offerings of women who recently gave birth. Amazingly, it was over these birth-offerings that a family of priests was disqualified from serving in the Temple. Even worse: according to the Talmud in Yoma 9a, this sorry affair led to the destruction of the … Read more
by Chanan Morrison In the midst of the great public joy during the Tabernacle dedication, tragedy struck the family of the Kohen Gadol: “Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, each took his fire pan, placed fire on it and then incense. They offered before God a strange fire that God had not instructed them. Fire came … Read more
Moshe Kempinski Hashem places before us a momentous goal,” After Hashem your G-d shall you walk, and Him shall you fear, and His commandments shall you keep, and unto His voice shall you hearken, and Him shall you serve, and unto Him shall you cleave. ( Deuteronomy 13:5) . That “Cleaving(Dveikut) is the ultimate goal. … Read more
Rabbi Chanan Morisson One type of offering brought in the Temple was thekorban Todah, the Thanksgiving offering: “This is the law of the Peace offering (Shelamim)… If offered as a thanksgiving offering, then it is presented along with unleavened loaves.” (Lev. 7:11-12) Who brought this offering? The Talmud mentions several examples: “Four need to give … Read more
by Sara Yoheved Rigler Unmasking the Divine on Purim. Nineteen years ago, during my first month living in Israel, I was riding a bus up Jerusalem’s main thoroughfare, Jaffa Road. The bus stopped for a red light, and I gazed out the window. I saw an elderly, overweight woman trudging up the hill, schlepping many … Read more
by Michael Freund The Jerusalem Post February 25, 2014 http://www.michaelfreund.org/14460/palestine-ahmad-adwan What a welcome breath of fresh air: for the first time in recent memory, a Muslim scholar in Jordan has had the courage to speak out, demolishing the mythology and deceit that lie at the heart of the Palestinian narrative. In a post on his … Read more
By rabbi Chanan Morrison ( note art found on this site www.yaelbakalstudios.com ) “Moses informed the Israelites: God has selected Betzalel… and has filled him with a Divine spirit of wisdom, insight, and knowledge in all craftsmanship.” (Ex. 36:30-31) What exactly were these three gifts of wisdom, insight, and knowledge that God bestowed upon Betzalel? … Read more
Israel at a Point of No Return ¬ In the Right Direction, by David P. Goldman I should like to advance a conjecture which I lack the qualifications to adequately develop: The global Left, and the Israeli Left most of all, perceives that the clock is running out, and has worked itself up into a … Read more
