In the Torah, the material world is brought into being. This is the Creation story. It’s about introducing something new in the universe. It was quite the homogenous universe before the finite and mortal one was created. The process is one of separating things. Distinguishments are the nature of Creation. Boundaries are described intoContinue reading “GOD DIVIDES, PEOPLE UNITE”
Tag Archives: Torah insight
LECH LECHA
Lech Lecha is the third parasha in the first book of the Torah, titled Genesis (Bereisheit). In this parasha, Avram – later known as Abraham – was told to leave his home town and travel to an unknown land. The Torah said God sent this message. Avram believed in the One God, and believed GodContinue reading “LECH LECHA”
STRIKE THE ROCK FOR WATER?
In the Torah, in the book of Exodus Chapter 17 and again in the Book of Numbers Chapter 20, The former Egyptian slaves complain about the lack of water. They questioned the wisdom of leaving Egypt, where they imagined things to be better than the reality of living in the desert. When you areContinue reading “STRIKE THE ROCK FOR WATER?”
A TABERNACLE IN THE WILDERNESS
In the parasha Terumah, in the Book of Exodus of the Torah, God tells Moses that the people “shall make me a sanctuary and then I will dwell in their midst.” This commandment is followed by a detailed description of the size, construction, layout, and materials for this sanctuary. Later in the Torah, very specificContinue reading “A TABERNACLE IN THE WILDERNESS”
THE MOST IMPORTANT TORAH PARASHA
The most important section (parasha) of the Five Books of Moses is Tetzaveh. The entire content is about the garments and the confirmation process of the Priests, also known as the Cohanim. Much of it is about the High Priest, the Cohan Gadol. Why is a long discussion about clothing so important? How do weContinue reading “THE MOST IMPORTANT TORAH PARASHA”
JOSEPH GOES INTO A WELL
In chapter 37, verse 24 of the first book of the Bible (Bereishit), the story of Joseph begins. He had a contentious relationship with his siblings. Joseph’s brothers were angry with him. He bragged about the coat that their father, Jacob, had given him. He told them of dreams wherein he was the master, andContinue reading “JOSEPH GOES INTO A WELL”
BLESSINGS AND CURSES
In the fifth book of the Torah, Deuteronomy, in Parasha Ki Tavo, Moses declares to his people that they must follow God. If they do, they will be blessed. If they do not, they will be cursed. It begins with 12 verses of the Levite tribe issuing curses. This is followed by ten and aContinue reading “BLESSINGS AND CURSES”
A LAND OF MILK AND HONEY
In the Bible, God described the Holy Land, the home promised to Abraham and his descendants, as “A Land of Milk and Honey.” This is certainly poetic, but a melodic characterization does not serve the spiritual purposes of the document. We are searching for meaning and symbolism here. Considering God repeatedly used this phrase toContinue reading “A LAND OF MILK AND HONEY”
Health and Spirit by Dr. Jack Zoldan 