The Sin of the Golden Calf

The Sin of the Golden Calf

This section begins with God giving Moses the two tablets of stone upon which He has written with His own hand. After an extended break, the narrative returns to the people, awaiting Moses at the base of the mountain. They notice that Moses is late in returning, and...

Weekly Torah Portion: A Man, not a Superhero

This week’s portion begins with the commandment to conduct a census among the Children of Israel through the donation of a half shekel.  Other commandments follow, but the focus of the portion is the story of the Golden Calf.   It has long puzzled commentators how the...

Weekly Torah Portion: The Half-Shekel

The following is a taste of our Israel Bible Reading Plan. Follow the weekly portion with summaries, insights and lively conversation. To register, click here. Our portion opens with God’s instructions on how to take a census. Rather than count the people straight up,...

The Half-Shekel and Finishing Touches

Our portion opens with God’s instructions on how to take a census. Rather than count the people straight up, He tells Moses that any time the number of people in the nation is needed, he should collect half a shekel (a biblical unit of weight, the inspiration for...