Jewish Life

When The Torah Is An Embarrassment To God

05/17/2011 | Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman | Jewish life

Candlelighting, Readings:
Candlelighting: 7:52 p.m.
Torah Reading: Lev. 26:3-27:34
Haftarah: Jeremiah 16:19-17:14
Sabbath Ends: 8:59 p.m.

Someone Just Like You

04/27/2011 | Freema Gottlieb | Special To The Jewish Week | Jewish Life

Shabbat Shalom
Candlelighting, Readings:
Candles: 7:31 p.m.
Torah readings: Lev. 19:1-20:27
Haftarah: Amos 9:17-15 (Ashkenaz);
Ezekiel 20:2-20 (Sephard)
Shabbat ends: 8:35 p.m.

Whereas Aaron’s two sons, Nadav and Avihu, die tragically for bringing uninvited offerings to God, in this week’s reading God goes out of his way to encourage the entire people, not only the crown princes of the priesthood, to “be holy” [Leviticus 19:2].

Models Of Leadership

06/29/2010 | Beth Kissileff | Special To The Jewish Week | Jewish life

Shabbat candles: 8:13 p.m.

Torah reading: Numbers 25:10-30:1

Haftarah: I Kings 18:46-19:23

Parshat Pinhas provides us with two contrasting styles of leadership, that of Pinhas and that of Moses.

The Jewish Way Of Death

06/15/2010 | Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman | Jewish life

Candlelighting, Readings:
Shabbat Candles: 8:12 p.m.
Torah Reading: Numbers 19:1-22:1
Haftarah: Judges 11:1-33
Sabbath Ends: 9:21 p.m.

How will I die? What if (anything) happens to me (if there even still is a “me”) next? How will my death impact those I leave behind? The Talmud asks these questions in response to the death of Miriam and Aaron, part of this week’s sedra.

For The Sake Of Heaven

06/08/2010 | Rabbi Neil Fleischmann | Special To The Jewish Week | Jewish life

Candlelighting, Readings:
Shabbat candles: 8:09 p.m.
Torah reading: Numbers 16:1-18:32; 28:9-15
Haftarah: Isaiah 66:1-24
Sabbath ends: 9:18 p.m.

Moses’ Greatest Gift, And Tragedy

06/02/2010 | Rabbi Shlomo Riskin | Jewish life

Candlelighting, Readings:

Shabbat candles: 8:05 p.m.

Torah: Numbers 13:1-15:41

Haftara: Joshua 2:1-24

Between the lines of the Bible, we glimpse the difficulties — even tragedy — of Moses, the greatest prophet in history who nevertheless sees himself losing the fealty of the Hebrew nation, failing to direct the people toward the very goal of their Exodus; the conquest of and settlement of the Land of Israel. Where has he gone wrong, and why?