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 […]
Pesach – Did the Oppression have to be so Bad? — By Ben
I couldn’t get a full post out this week, however I did have a thought I wanted to share. We focus so much on the story aspect of this holiday. […]
Getting Passed Over: Is Pesach a Misnomer or Have we Missed the Point? — By Ben
The name Passover has always bothered me. God passed over the Israelite houses as He wrathfully slaughtered the firstborn of Egypt. Sure, the Egyptians deserved it and it’s a moment […]
Total Solar Eclipses only happen on Earth. The Reason Why is the Secret of Passover — By Ben
There’s a story in the Midrash that when God created the celestial bodies, He made the sun and the moon equal in size. But the moon complained saying, “It is […]
Why Shabbat Changes its Gender Pronouns — By Ben
I have been attending Shabbat services for almost a decade and it turns out I may have been praying it wrong this whole time. When you recite the Shabbat Amidah […]
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 