Shema. Deuteronomy 6:4-9. It’s featured in this week’s Torah reading, and in the daily liturgy. It was inside a gift I gave my father before he died. And in one I gave my daughter as she left home last week. More about that, below. Moses says, Shema! Listen! God is infinite being. Love God with…
Category: Torah
Women Teach Men
Biblical men learn from Biblical women. Here are two examples of women solving problems, personal or political, where the men around them copy their style. You can see the examples easily, if you do a close reading. First, think of the Torah as a great work of literature. Then, imagine the author carefully crafted each…
(Don)key to Redemption
The Biblical donkey is here, to talk about redemption. Especially about our role in it. So, let’s hear what the donkey has to say. Balaam’s Donkey King Balak of Moab hires the seer Balaam to curse the Israelites. Balaam is a dedicated follower of Hashem. So, when God comes to him in a dream and…
Land: One Indigenous Lens
Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Canada. A good day to share Indigenous teachings. And also to take them to heart. Use them to see differently. That, I hope, is a kind of de-colonizing. So, today, I’ll talk about sustainability. And about the spirituality of land. With a bit of Torah thrown in, too. Recently, I took…
Habakkuk: Day of Justice
Habakkuk, the biblical prophet. He sang about justice. And he wrote poetry, with big mythic themes. But he insisted on realism. Because he knew: change is hard. Habakkuk’s book has no date and time stamp. So we don’t know when he lived. And thus, we don’t know exactly which injustices he protests. Still, scholars have…
Leviticus: Real Community
Leviticus. In Hebrew, Vayikra. Why bother reading it year after year? Isn’t it just an old instruction manual? For a form of worship that no longer exists? YES. BUT. It’s also an instruction manual for a utopian society. An imperfect first draft, but a good start. Thus, this year, you should read Leviticus cover to…
Torah Code: Talking Politics
The Bible Code. No, not the secret number pattern. Or a special message from aliens. But a way of talking about current events. For example, today our synagogue met over the internet. We shared this week’s Torah reading. A story of a great community art project: the travelling wilderness tabernacle. Leader Moses sees its design…
Vashti: Rome Personified
Vashti. In the Book of Esther, she’s a dignified character. But in rabbinic midrash (commentary), she’s an evil villain. Why? Because she’s code for Christian Rome. Simply a Dignified Royal Let’s start with the plain text of Vashti’s story. Achashverosh rules from Persia to Ethiopia, controlling 127 provinces. He hosts a 180 day feast for…
Justice Without Prison
Justice? Yes! Prison? No! That’s one message in the Torah. It’s found in Parshat Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1-24:18). The word mishpatim means “court rulings.” So, the section gives us quite a list of sentencing guidelines. But, today, I want to look at just one set. Think, for example, about simple property crimes — like larceny, burglary,…
Micah: Theatre of Justice
Imagine. You have arrived at Speaker’s Corner in Jerusalem. Because you have heard that the prophet Micah is going to perform. He’s coming with his theatre troupe, “The Humble Justice Players.” Politically, it’s been a tense time. Just across the border, a greedy empire threatens to take over. And you know, if you do not strengthen…