Jacob, A Perfect Ten
Parshah Vayeitzei – Genesis 28:10-32:3 The imagery of the Temple is captured in the “place” Jacob laid his head and in the service he performed in the Holy of Holies as High Priest. Although...
Category: Torah/OT
Two Kingdoms in Conflict from Birth
The oldest conflict in the world begins in the garden where the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil serve as metaphors for two opposing kingdoms, the Kingdom...
Why is Isaac in the Field?
“Now Isaac came from having come to B’ir Lachai Ro’i (Well of the Vision of Life) for he dwelt in the land of the south. Isaac went out to pray in the field (l’su’ach...
Lech Lecha: The Spreading Out of the True Seed
The Torah portion, Lech Lecha, lays out the promise God made to Abraham and his seed. The context of this promise deals with the backdrop of the Temple. The House of God on earth...
Beresheet: In the Beginning
The Foundation Stone – “Even Shetiyah” The key to the ministry of “Foundations in Torah” is connected to the foundation stone (even shetiyah) of the Temple, which is said to be the bedrock in...
Ha’azeinu (Hear)
Ha’azeinu, one of the final Torah portions for the year, is always read just before Yom Kippur. It is very eschatological in nature and many of its themes point to the final redemption at...
Nitzavim (Standing)
Nitzavim begins with Moshe telling the heads of the tribes, the elders and officers, that is, all the men of Israel, that they are standing before God for the purpose of bringing all the...
Ki Tavo: When you Come
The nation was instructed to take the firstfruits of all their crops, when they came into the land, and set them in the place where God chose to have His name. These were the...
Ekev (because)
This week’s portion took me on a major “rabbi trail” that completely caught me by surprise. After a full day of research, which included taking copious amounts of notes, my entire file disappeared when...
V’et’chanan: I Pleaded
The following quote probably best expresses the power of the words of the Shema, “Hear O Israel the Lord our God the Lord is One” (Shema Israel Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad). “Throughout the entire...