To better understand the Jewish scriptures cycle and my approach to my sermonizing versus my blogging, see my explanation. This dvar Torah on Parshat Vayehi (Genesis 47:28-50:26) first delivered on January 6, 2012 at the second gathering of a new traditional, egalitarian minyan in Prospect Heights/Crown Heights. I felt a need for more wholeness this Shabbat. [...]
Archive for the 'D’var Torah' Category
Parshat Mishpatim: If heaven were a Congress
To better understand the Jewish scriptures cycle and my approach to my sermonizing versus my blogging, see my explanation. This dvar Torah on Parshat Mishpatim (Exod. 21:1 – 24:18) first delivered at Kol Zimrah on January 28, 2011, and where in 2006-2007 I served on the organizing committee. This parsha is part of the extensive story [...]
Jan 29th, 2011 #18 Mishpatim and D'var Torah 0 Comments
Parshat Vayigash: Hiding and Opening
To better understand the Jewish scriptures cycle and my approach to my sermonizing versus my blogging, see my explanation. In Parshat Vayigash (Genesis 44:18 – 47:27), Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. Rather than brotherly reconciliation or trends in assimilation, this week I think more interesting is a mediation on hiding and opening. “Hiding and [...]
Dec 26th, 2009 #11 Vayigash and D'var Torah 0 Comments
Parshat Chayei Sarah: Reconsecrating Hebron means giving it up
(To better understand the Jewish scriptures cycle and my approach to my sermonizing versus my blogging, see my explanation. Genesis 23:1 – 25:18) Hevron, the holy city. The city full of holiness and holes, birthrights and burials. The coins dropped by Abraham into the palms of the Hittites in this parsha echo down the halls [...]
Nov 15th, 2009 #05 Chayei Sarah and D'var Torah 4 Comments
Judging How We Judge: Parshat Ki Tetsei
Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19, Isaiah 54:1-10 (An introduction to my divrei torah.) It is now the Hebrew month of Elul, when we shift focus to beginning a new year and atoning. We read this week lists and lists of rules. Ki Tetsei contains some of the most sweeping calls for justice and fairness in the whole Torah: [...]
Aug 29th, 2009 #50 Ki Tetsei and D'var Torah 0 Comments
A primer on my parsha reflections
Jewish tradition has divided the Torah into weekly portions sized to read it beginning to end in a year. A secondary reading is an excerpt from another book in the Old Testament canon, thematically related. The major portion is the parsha, the secondary the haftarah. The dvar torah, “word of teaching,” is the sermon. For [...]
Aug 29th, 2009 D'var Torah 1 Comment
Parshat Toldot: Evil Esau & Forgiveness
Parsha Toldot brings us Isaac’s and Rebecca’s travels, as well as the division between Esau and Jacob, a curious tale of four wells, and two roots of enmity against the House of Abraham, the Philistines and the House of Ishmael. In summary, the parsha covers a story we all know very well: Jacob and Esau. [...]
Dec 2nd, 2005 #06 Toldot and D'var Torah 0 Comments