by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 29, 2022 | Bamidbar, Israel
The Book of Bamidbar, which literally means ‘in the desert’, is referred to in English as Numbers. Rather appropriately, it begins with a census of the Children of Israel (Numbers 1). This is, in fact, the third census taken during the two years since the...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 2, 2022 | Adar, Antisemitism, Happiness and Joy, Nisan, Purim, Redemption
The Bible does not name the Hebrew months, but declares that the month containing the holiday of Passover, the month we refer to as Nisan, is the first month. The month preceding Nisan is Adar, and therefore, according to the Biblical manner of counting months, it is...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 28, 2022 | God, Holiness, Temple, Vayakhel
The Torah describes how the Children of Israel brought so many voluntary offerings for the construction of the Tabernacle that Moses called a stop to donations. The people gave so enthusiastically that there was enough for the construction of the Tabernacle and there...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 23, 2022 | Adar, Covenant, Ki Tisa, Purim, Temple
Shabbat Shekalim is the last Shabbat preceding the beginning of the Hebrew month of Adar*, or the 1st of Adar itself if the month begins on Shabbat. In synagogues, the Torah portion describing the bringing of the silver half-shekel is read (Exodus 30:11-16) in...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 13, 2022 | Adar, Community, Israel, Ki Tisa, Temple
In the beginning of the Torah portion of Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11-34:35), God commands the Children of Israel to take a census by collecting a silver half-shekel from every male over the age of 20. What is the meaning of half shekel in the Bible? The half shekel is a...
![Michelangelo's iconic sculpture of Moses. [Photo: Jörg Bittner Unna / Wiki Commons]](https://tibretired.kinsta.cloud/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Moses_by_Michelangelo.jpg)