Torah Commentary

Comfort in a Community of Doubters

By Clifford S. Fishman This week’s Torah portions are Behar-Bechukotai, Leviticus 25:1 - 27:34. How do our Bible and our liturgy define our relationship to God?...

The Meaning Beneath Milk and Honey

Rabbi Eitan Cooper This week’s Torah portion is Acharei Mot-Kedoshim: Leviticus 16:1 - 20:27. We’ve all heard the phrase, “Israel is the land flowing with milk...

Rethinking Tazria

Rabbi David Greenspoon, Jewtique This week's Torah portion is Tazria: Leviticus 12:1-15:33. Leviticus 12:1-5 details the rituals for a new mother. These challenging verses having invited...

Moral Authority Comes Through the People’s Consent

Rabbi Marc Israel This week’s Torah portion is Tzav, Leviticus 6:1 - 8:36. Each of the last six Torah portions have been leading to this moment....

Two types of Jewish involvement

Rabbi Eric Abbott This week’s Torah portion is Vayikra: Leviticus 1:1-5:26. Growing up, I was (as I proudly declare) a Hebrew school nerd. I loved tutoring...

The fruits of serving the gods of work

Rabbi Aaron Miller This week’s Torah portion is Vayakhel-Pekudei: Exodus 35:1-34:35. The rabbinate, like most jobs, has its busy seasons, and after a particularly hectic quarter,...

Betting the world on the goodness of people

Rabbi Evan J. Krame This week’s Torah portion is Ki Tisa, Exodus 30:11 - 34:35. eBay transformed the way people transact business. What was so revolutionary...

Dressing for the Occasion

Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner This week’s Torah portion is Tetzaveh, Exodus 27:20 - 30:10. When did “clothes make the man” come into our vocabulary and/or belief...

Turn Toward Each Other Like the Angels Do

Rabbi Deborah Megdal This week’s Torah portion is Terumah, Exodus 25:1-27:19. Angels turn toward each other, call out to each other and expand their wings of...

Why Judaism differs on ‘what is a fetus?’

Rabbi Josh Jacobs-Velde This week’s Torah portion is Mishpatim, Exodus 21:1 - 24:18. “When men fight, and one of them pushes a pregnant woman and a...