by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 11, 2022 | Emor, Marriage and Relationships, Purity, Temple
Until the Exodus from Egypt, the patriarchs had an individual relationship with God, bringing sacrifices wherever and whenever they felt the calling. But when God brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt, what had been a clan, a loose conglomeration of individuals,...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 8, 2022 | Emor, God, Leadership, Miracles, Temple
By the time we read the Torah portion of Emor (Leviticus 21-24), the Tabernacle has been built along with all of its necessary utensils. The Kohanim (priests) stand at the ready in the Biblically mandated clothes. But some necessary elements are still missing. God,...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 25, 2022 | Acharei Mot, Holiness, Humility, Purity, Repentance, Shabbat, Temple, Yom Kippur
The Torah portion of Acharei Mot (Leviticus 16-18) describes the Temple service on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The Bible mandates 15 specific sacrifices and many other rituals for Yom Kippur, or Yom HaKippurim, outlined in Leviticus chapter 16. The literal...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 18, 2022 | Holiness, Naso, Passover, Prayer, Sukkot, Temple
Twice a year, during the intermediary days of Passover and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), a mass priestly blessing takes place at the Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem. This event is usually attended by tens of thousands of Jews who are blessed by hundreds of Kohanim...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 4, 2022 | Israel, Metzorah, Purity
After dealing with tzaraat, a spiritual affliction similar in presentation to leprosy, that appears on the body and clothing, the Torah goes on to describe the tzaraat that afflicts houses. If the walls became discolored with streaks of red or green and tzaraat was...
![The Scapegoat, by William Holman Hunt. In Temple times, the scapegoat was a central part of the Yom Kippur service. [Image: Wiki Commons]](https://tibretired.kinsta.cloud/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/William_Holman_Hunt_-_The_Scapegoat.jpg)
![Ruins overlooking the Dead Sea. Homes like this could be afflicted with tzaraat during Biblical times. [Photo: Wiki Commons]](https://tibretired.kinsta.cloud/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Ruins_2809390144-e1460380727597.jpg)