Sefer Vayikra Archives | Page 7 of 15 | Academy for Jewish Religion

11 05, 2018

Parshiyot Behar-Behukotai 5778

By Bruce Alpert|2018-05-11T17:43:13-04:00May 11, 2018|

A D’var Torah for Bahar-BeHukkotai
by Rabbi Bruce Alpert ’11

We are surrounded by layers of reality. . . There are swarms of ghosts, spirits, phantoms, souls, angels and devils. . . The smallest pebble has a life of its own. . . Everything is alive. And everything is God or God’s intention. . .

These lines are from Ingmar Bergman’s film Fanny & Alexander. They are attributed to a pious Jew who seemingly magically saves two children from the clutches of their evil stepfather. One of the children, the sensitive Alexander, has perceived this layered reality all along as his father’s ghost has become his companion in grief.

I have never been much into mysticism. My hesitancy is not so much based on rational skepticism but rather on my inability to understand mysticism’s subtlety and nuance. But the juxtaposition of two verses in this week’s double Torah portion, Behar-Bekhukotai, have led me to wonder whether Read More >

26 04, 2018

Aharei Mot/Kedoshim 5778

By Rabbi Irwin Huberman|2018-04-26T09:59:12-04:00April 26, 2018|

Torah, sexuality and #MeToo
A D’var Toroh for Aharei Mot/Kedoshim
by Rabbi Irwin Huberman ’10

Within Judaism, there exists a debate regarding the reading of some explicit sexual material on the afternoon of Yom Kippur.

Orthodox Judaism encourages us to read from the Torah what are commonly referred to as the arayot – forbidden sexual relationships.

Conservative Judaism offers an alternative — suggesting a second reading dealing with interpersonal relationships, business practices, ritual behavior and criminal law.

Reform Judaism often bypasses sexuality, choosing Biblical texts that highlight reconciliation, ethical behavior and social justice.

Indeed, the discussion of forbidden sexual practices on the holy and reflective day of Yom Kippur is a challenging one.

Yet, is it possible that the same Torah reading, which so many rabbis and congregations have struggled with in recent years, demands a rereading in light of so many sexual abuses and allegations that have come to light this past year?

More specifically, is there a thematic connection between the Read More >

12 04, 2018

Shemini 5778

By Cantor Sandy Horowitz|2018-04-12T09:01:33-04:00April 12, 2018|

What is Holy?
A D’var Torah for Shemini
Cantor Sandy Horowitz ’14

In response to gun violence incidents, the press often seeks to provide information about the shooter in an attempt to determine motive. Was he a Muslim terrorist or a white disgruntled employee, a bully or bullied, a cop or a criminal, or a known sociopath who slipped through the cracks of law enforcement bureaucracy? All have been true. And no matter who they are, the outcome of their actions remains unquestionably disastrous.

Similarly, with regard to this week’s Torah reading, there are numerous possible explanations for the actions of Aaron’s sons Nadav and Avihu, who bring strange, unsanctioned sacrificial fire to God, and die as a result. In the context of the culture that God is establishing for the ancient Israelites, theirs is a serious transgression.

This disturbing event occurs following a lengthy, detailed description of the sacrifices offered at the newly Read More >

22 03, 2018

Parashat Tzav, 5778

By Rabbi Heidi Hoover|2018-03-22T10:24:18-04:00March 22, 2018|

A D’var Torah for Tzav
by Rabbi Heidi Hoover ’11

This week’s Torah portion, Tzav, continues detailed discussion of the sacrifices, though this week’s text is addressed to the priests and focuses on their duties, while last week’s text was addressed to the Israelite people.

We frequently talk about how alien animal sacrifice is to us now, and it can be very difficult to feel any affinity to these Torah portions. But the Israelites did get something out of the sacrificial system, and one thing I believe they got is something that we still want today. I suggest that the sacrificial system supported communal life.

Everyone knew the rules and followed them. When a person came to make a sacrifice, it was not something they did alone. A person would bring the animal and give it to the priest—so there were at least two people involved. Read More >

15 03, 2018

Parashat Vayikra 5778

By Bruce Alpert|2018-03-15T09:20:35-04:00March 15, 2018|

A D’var Torah for Parashat Vayikra
Rabbi Bruce Alpert, ’11

Egg yolks, oil, water, flour, sugar and yeast. For nearly twenty years I have been adding these ingredients to my bread machine on Friday morning. When I return home in the afternoon, I have dough with which to braid and bake challah.

The bakers among you may notice that I have left out an ingredient; by far the smallest of all. Yet that one teaspoon of salt is the difference between a challah that tastes rich and sweet and one that is poor and flat.

What got me thinking about challah and salt are the detailed descriptions of meal offerings and their preparation in this week’s Torah portion, Vayikra. I was struck particularly with this verse: “You shall season every offering of meal with salt; you shall not omit from your meal offering the salt of your covenant with God; with all your offerings you must Read More >

17 05, 2017

Parashat Behar-Behukotai

By Rabbi Len Levin|2017-05-17T13:26:55-04:00May 17, 2017|

A Society of Free Landholders
by Rabbi Len Levin

“You shall proclaim release [liberty] throughout the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you: each of you shall return to his holding and each of you shall return to his family.” (Leviticus 25:9)

Three years ago I discussed how the Jubilee law served as a beacon to both the American republic and the reborn Jewish homeland, informing their visions of liberty and economic opportunity for all citizens. (See Levin, Dvar Torah Behar 2014.)

To review: “In order to have a chance to remain free, people needed to have a material sufficiency to earn an independent livelihood. Hence, at periodic intervals — every fifty years — the primary source of wealth, the land itself, was to be redistributed to the ancestral families to which it had presumably been apportioned at the original Israelite conquest.”

The Israeli philosopher Eliezer Schweid, in his book, Philosophy Read More >

12 05, 2017

Parashat Emor

By ahsilver|2017-05-12T08:29:59-04:00May 12, 2017|

by Rabbi Michael Pitkowsky

This week’s parashah is a priestly delight. It’s filled with numerous teachings that were relevant to the lives of priests, kohanim, in the past, and for some kohanim, still today. Many people, not only kohanim, are challenged by some of the restrictions that were placed on the priests. Along with the numerous benefits that came along with the priesthood, there were also prohibitions, some related to whom they could marry, while others addressed certain physical characteristics that disqualified a priest from performing his priestly duties.

“The LORD spoke further to Moses: Speak to Aaron and say: No man of your offspring throughout the ages who has a defect shall be qualified to offer the food of his God. No one at all who has a defect shall be qualified: no man who is blind, or lame, or has a limb too short or too long; no man who has a Read More >

3 05, 2017

Parashat Aharei Mot-Kedoshim

By Cantor Sandy Horowitz|2017-05-03T14:13:49-04:00May 3, 2017|

by Cantor Sandy Horowitz

Parashat Aharei Mot-Kedoshim: A Look Back

Max: Aaron has asked us to divide into groups and share our reflections about what we heard from Moses today. So many laws! I lost track after fifty.

Hannah: “You, who are on the road, must have a code that you can live by….”*

Max: What?

Hannah: I heard that in a dream once.

Shira: How long will this take? Miriam’s doing folk-dancing tonight and I promised her I’d bring my timbrel…

Shmuel: What’s with all those Ani Adonai (“I am Adonai”)s? He kept repeating it.

Max: Perhaps it helps us remember a Higher Purpose whenever we consider these laws.

Shmuel: Or maybe he’s still mad about the golden calf…

Max: I was struck by hearing the laws regarding land: we’re commanded to leave the corners of our fields for the poor and hungry, fruit-trees grow unpicked for three years and then we sacrifice the first fruits before we can Read More >

3 05, 2017

Parashat Tazria-Metzora

By ahsilver|2017-05-03T14:00:56-04:00May 3, 2017|

The double parshiyot of this week’s Torah reading, Tazria-Metzora, are for many commentators a challenge. Many parshiyot in the Book of Leviticus are challenging, but much of this week’s Torah reading reads like a zombie apocalypse in which people are still concerned whether they are pure or impure.

One theme that keeps returning throughout the reading is that of isolation and loneliness. Law after law describes how people were to be isolated from the rest of the Israelite encampment and whose entry into the sanctuary was forbidden.

She shall remain in a state of blood purification for thirty-three days: she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until her period of purification is completed. (Lev. 12:4)

But if it is a white discoloration on the skin of his body which does not appear to be deeper than the skin and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest shall isolate Read More >

20 04, 2017

Parashat Shemini

By ahsilver|2017-04-20T21:10:10-04:00April 20, 2017|

by Rabbi Michael Pitkowsky

This week’s parashah begins with Moses’s instructions to Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel:

On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel. He said to Aaron: “Take a calf of the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and bring them before the LORD…” (Leviticus 9:1-2)

Much of the parashah consists of instructions regarding the sacrifices and other regulations regarding dietary restrictions. Near the beginning of the parashah Moses relayed the following instructions to the Children of Israel. “Moses said: “This is what the LORD has commanded that you do, that the Presence of the LORD may appear to you.” (Leviticus 9:6)

The midrash Yalkut Shimoni (13-14th century) brings the following interpretation (par. 521):

Moses said to Israel: Remove that [evil] urge from your hearts in order that you all be of one feeling of awe and Read More >

All shall unite to do God's will with an open heart.

All shall unite to do God's will with an open heart.

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