Power Parsha

Emor: Exposure to Violence

“Hate is contagious… Ultimately hate is both destructive and self-destructive.” – Elie Wiesel It is difficult not to feel shaken by the hate and violence we have been exposed to this past week. Fittingly, Parshat Emor offers a framework for understanding the contagious nature of hate – and the responsibility it places on us to…

Power Parsha

Acharei Mot-Kedoshim: True Holiness

The book of Vayikra teaches about holiness – of place, through the Mishkan, and of time, through Shabbat and the festivals. Parshat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim introduces another powerful dimension: kedusha is accessible to every person. How? The command “Kedoshim tihiyu” (“You shall be holy”) is followed by interpersonal mitzvot, teaching that holiness is achieved through how…

Power Parsha

Tazria-Metzora: Repairing our Home and Homeland

There is an unusual phenomenon described in Parshat Tazria–Metzora: a plague of tzara’at affecting one’s home. According to the Talmud, this never actually occurred, and was recorded in the Torah so that we might gain merit through its study. Yet if a plague on an individual home was meant to teach a lesson, perhaps –…

Power Parsha

Shemini: The Day After?

This week, Israelis (other than those up north) were asked to shift almost overnight – from 39 days of war marked by sirens, running to shelters, and sleepless nights – to a return to routine: work, school, and, hopefully, a full night’s sleep. How do we understand this “day after” in light of all we…

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About Me

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 or by whatsapp here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CKLpCygJaBf20sKbNmRV1u