Bechukosai – When the Torah puts a Price Tag on Life — By Ben
How much is a human life worth? It is a question with no ethical or moral answer. Sure you could calculate the value of various organs on the black market. […]
Category Archives: Parsha
Emor: When Right Feels Wrong: A Chillul Hashem in Our Eyes, a Kiddush Hashem in God’s — By Ben
One morning at my Sunday school, the teacher said to us, “I’m going to leave the room and you can write whatever you want on the blackboard. Well, not anything. […]
Acharei Mos – Does Judaism believe in Satan? (Updated) — By Ben
This article was originally posted 4/26/2018 – A new ending has been added. This week’s parsha details a bizarre ritual the Jews were to perform on Yom Kippur. Basically they […]
Tazria Metzora – Niddah and the Paradox of Purity — By Ben
Unclean. Contaminated. Filth. Shameful. Corrupt. Defiled. Profane. Desecrated. These are what we think of when we hear the word impure. So when the Torah labels a woman as “impure” during […]
Shemini – Aharon’s Surviving Sons: Humility in the Face of Fire
Parsha Shimini is known for the deaths of Aharon’s oldest sons, Nadav and Avihu. With the inauguration of the Mishkan (the portable Temple also known as the Tabernacle) Aharon and […]
Counting Wrong, Desperate Uncertainty: Purim and the Golden Calf
It’s an odd thing that the holiday of Purim is celebrated around the time we read Parshas Ki Sisa, the Torah portion that features the sin of the golden calf. […]
Zachor – The Greatest Trick the Devil ever Pulled WASN’T Convincing the World he Didn’t Exist.
Remember what Amalek did to you on the road, on your way out of Egypt. That he encountered you on the way and cut off those lagging to your rear, […]
Kavod and the Mishkan: Why Does an Infinite God Seek Honor?
Parsha Terumah is the first of many Torah portions dealing with the building of the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary and prototype of what will eventually become the Beit Hamikdash (aka […]
Mishpatim & Milk: When Generosity Becomes Control — By Ben
The word Mishpatim usually refers to civil laws, meaning the laws that govern society that make sense. Judges shouldn’t take bribes, if you damage someone’s property you should compensate them, […]
Yisro: Why do a Traitor, a Zealot, a Dictator, and a non-Jewish Priest get Torah portions named after them? — By Ben
There are only a handful of Torah portions named after individuals. Noach, Yisro, Korach, Balak, Pinchas, and if you want to get technical, Chaya Sarah. Putting Chaya Sarah aside (since […]
Six Degrees Of Kosher Bacon 