by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 11, 2023 | Community, Israel, Masei
In this Torah portion, the final portion in the book of Numbers, we review the journeys made by the Israelites in the desert and learn about the plan for their arrival in the Holy Land, including the division of the land. Finally, we return to the story of the...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 12, 2022 | Community, Emor, God, Justice, Kindness and Compassion, Redemption
Leviticus (chapter 24) relates the story of a fight between an Israelite man and a half-Israelite man. The half-Israelite man was the son of Shelomith, daughter of Dibri, from the tribe of Dan, and his father was an Egyptian. In the course of the fight, the...
by Rabbi Tuly Weisz | f 28, 2022 | Mishpatim
Abortion is a very serious issue in today’s society, with more unborn children being terminated every year than any other cause of death. Judaism goes far to protect the life of an unborn child and even allows for the violation of the Sabbath to save the life of...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 26, 2022 | Hebrew Language, Repentance, Responsibility, Yitro
In the Book of Exodus, directly after God presented the Ten Commandments to the Hebrews which explicitly prohibit murder, the Torah restates the rule but adds an exception: He who fatally strikes a man shall be put to death. If he did not do it by design, but it came...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 19, 2016 | Devarim, Israel, Joshua, Maps, Masei, Responsibility
A city of refuge in the Torah is a place where someone who murdered unintentionally can seek asylum. God commanded the Israelites to set aside six Levitical cities in the Land of Israel to be cities of refuge. Three of those cities were to be on the west side of the...
