Naso and Shavuot: Celebrating Teachers
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” –Benjamin Franklin Shavuot and parshat Naso contain wisdom on the role of teachers and leaders in Judaism and on the importance of engaging with students in learning. Birkat Kohanim, which is in this week’s parsha, is one of the oldest…
Parshat Bamidbar: Diversity within Communities
Parshat Bamidbar describes the layout of the camp of the twelve tribes around the mishkan. This is a springboard to contemplate the value of community, without uniformity. The Torah states that Bnei Yisrael should camp according to his “standard” (דגלו), under the “signs” (אתת) of their ancestral house. Rashi comments that these unique flags highlight…
Parshat Behar-Bechukoti
“Od yavo shalom aleinu” – Mosh Ben Ari Why does this week’s double parsha, Behar-Bechukotai, contain not one but two blessings for peace and security in the land of Israel? The answers are especially resonant for Israel today. God promises that if we follow God’s laws and mitzvot, we will receive God’s blessings. Rashi sees…
Parshat Emor: The Spiritual & the Physical
As Lag BaOmer approaches, how appropriate that this week’s parsha, Emor, contains the biblical source for Sefirat HaOmer. What is the purpose of counting the days between Pesach and Shavuot? In rabbinic literature, these two holidays are characterized by an emphasis on the historic religious events of the Exodus and Matan Torah. However, in Torah,…
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I’m Karen Miller Jackson, a certified Matan Morah l’Halakha, Jewish educator and writer. Welcome to my blog which provides Torah from a woman’s perspective for modern, busy people. To subscribe via email please sign up!
Karen Miller Jackson 