The Obligation to Pay Wages On Time
Among the many mitzvot (commandments) listed in the Torah portion of Kedoshim (Leviticus 19:1-20:27) is an incongruous commandment telling the Jews to pay wages on time: The wages of a laborer shall not remain with you until morning. Leviticus 19:13 Though paying...
Agricultural Gifts for the Poor
Chapter 19 of Leviticus introduces agricultural-based charity: When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not pick your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen fruit...
What Does it Mean to Be Holy?
Leviticus Chapter 19 begins with a deceptively simple commandment: You shall be holy, for I, Hashem your God, am holy. Leviticus 19:2 There has been much speculation about this verse. At first glance, the imperative seems impossible as it requires the nation of...
What is Tu B’Shevat?
Tu B’Shevat, the New Year for the Trees, is considered a minor festival in Judaism. There is no reference to the holiday of Tu B’Shevat in the Bible, but the Mishna (Rosh Hashana 1:1) notes that there are four distinctive New Years in the Jewish calendar:...
Weekly Torah Portion: Building a Holy Nation
Throughout Leviticus, God commands Moses to teach the Children of Israel, or to instruct them in various commandments and rules of behavior. With this scripture, God introduces a few laws pertaining to our relationship with God, such as the Shabbat and the prohibition...Related Content
The Portion of Kedoshim (Leviticus 19:1-20:27)
Respectful Disobedience
Five Things Man Can Learn From a Tree
The Difference Between Politicians and Leaders
Put the Brakes on the Messiah: There are Trees to Plant
Lag BaOmer: Sparks of Joy Lighting Up the Darkness
Kil'ayim: Why Does the Torah Forbid Mixtures of Animal Breeds, Plants and Cloth?
The Obligation to Pay Wages On Time
Orlah: The Prohibition Against Eating Fruit Produced by a Tree During the First Three Years After Planting
