RELEVANCE “In the third month from the Exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt, on this day, they arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai.” So begins the narrative of ma’amad har Sinai, the assembly at Mt Sinai, the most transformative event in Jewish history. The...

THE VICTIM AND HIS CHEERLEADER “If your brother becomes impoverished and his means falter in your proximity, you shall strengthen him – proselyte or resident – so that he can live with you.” (Vayikrah 25:35) This verse describes the plight of a person who has fallen on...

CHOOSING YOUR SOULMATE “A licentious woman, or a profaned woman, they shall not marry and a woman divorced from her husband they shall not marry, for he [the cohen], is holy to his God.” (Vayikrah 21:7) Cohanim are limited in their choice of marriage partners. When seeking...

 A HOLY PEOPLE “You shall not follow the practices of the land of Egypt in which you lived, and you shall not follow the practices of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, and you shall not follow their statutes.” (Vayikrah 18:3) The above verse...

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE TIMING “And on the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.” (Vayikrah 12:3) The Torah, in parshat Lech Lecha (Bereishit 17), has already dealt with the subject of brit milah, circumcision, in detail. Why, then, is the command to perform...

IS IT KOSHER? “The Lord spoke to Moshe and to Aharon, saying to them: Speak to the children of Israel, saying: These are the living creatures that you may eat from all the animals that are on the earth.” (Vayikrah 11:1-2) At the beginning of 2021, I...

THE FINGER OF GOD I was once driving along Koeberg Road when I noticed a sign indicating the way to Finger Of God Ministries. Intrigued by the name of this church, I searched for more information on the internet. The rather sparse website explained that “Finger...

EVERY SINGLE DAY “Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: Command Aharon and his sons, saying: This is the law of the elevation-offering: It is the elevation-offering that stays on the flame, on the Altar, all night until the morning, and the fire of the Altar should remain...

PANCAKES AND DOUGHNUTS “If your offering is a meal offering on a machavat, it shall be made of high-quality flour, mixed with oil, and it shall be unleavened bread. Break it into pieces, and pour oil on it, it is a meal offering. If your offering...