leviticus
Beginning a Child’s Education with Leviticus
The books of Genesis and Exodus are narratives, telling the stories of the Creation until the Exodus. Though these are fascinating tales that seem like prime material to tell children, there is a Jewish custom to begin a child’s Torah...
Weekly Torah Portion: Building a Holy Nation
You shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy. (Leviticus 19:2) 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...
Weekly Torah Portion: Holiness
The following is a taste of our Israel Bible Reading Plan. Follow the weekly portion with summaries, insights and lively conversation. This portion begins with an exhortation to “be holy”. The subsequent verses outline how to achieve that...
Weekly Torah Portion: Purity in the Land
Chapter 18 of Leviticus is seemingly a list of dos and don'ts, not unlike many of the rules of purity and impurity listed throughout Leviticus. But at closer examination, there is something different about the instructions listed here....
Weekly Torah Portion: The Yom Kippur Service
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 begins with the Yom Kippur service. God tells Moses to relate to...
Weekly Torah Portion: Hold Your Tongue!
This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest. (Leviticus 14:2) So begins a detailed description of the rituals involved with purifying someone who has been afflicted with...
Weekly Torah Portion: A Pox on your House!
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. While tzaraat can affect people and garments even in the desert, the Torah...
Weekly Torah Portion: Purity and Impurity, Life and Death
This week's portion continues the discussion of ritual purity. In last week's portion, the instructions regarding purity revolved around various animals that are considered pure or impure. Those animals which are impure may never be eaten...
Weekly Torah Portion: A Spiritual Affliction
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. The Torah tackles the topic of tzaraat, a spiritual affliction typically...
Weekly Torah Portion: Being Kosher, Being Chosen
This week’s portion contains one of the basic fundamentals of kosher eating – the list of animals that are permitted as well as a list of animals that are not. Chapter 11 begins: Speak to the people of Israel, saying, these are the...
