Category: Torah

  • The Ritual Keeps Us

    The reason that we have so much detail in the Torah about building the Tabernacle is that people need ritual in order to remember. As has been observed, more than the Jews have kept Shabbat, the Shabbat has kept the Jews.

  • Why All The Rules

    The Torah goes into detail about everything in the building of the Tabernacle. Why? To avoid misinterpretation by the artist.

  • Jewish Unity Defeats All

    The main lesson of Purim is that we are required to have a festive meal with our neighbors, give charity, and give each other gifts. This is to promote Jewish unity. As Rabbi Kook mentions, the Temple will be rebuilt through senseless love.

  • Take a Stand

    In the story of the Book of Esther all the action revolves around the fact that Mordechai refuses to bow down to Haman. What frustrated Haman was the opposition of Mordechai. That Mordechai stood against evil.

  • Why an Inherited Priesthood

    The institution of the Priesthood was an inherited position. Why? The idea was to take politics out of the service in the Tabernacle. When politics mix with religion it is usually bad for both. By making the priesthood inherited the Torah was accomplishing this goal.

  • Moses & True Humility

    True humility is not being quiet and living a sheltered life. True humility is that when we take on a leadership position, we remember that it not about me but getting the job done and not caring who gets credit.

  • Clothes Make the Man

    The Torah spends a lot of time describing how the Priests in the Taberbernacle should dress. The reason is what they represent. They represent God to the people and the people to God.

  • Shabbat is Holier than the Tabernacle

    The pasha ends with an admonishment to the Jews that the observance of Shabbat overrides the building of the Tabernacle. This is to teach us that as important as the Tabernacle was, without observance of Shabbat it is meaningless.

  • We All Have Talent on Loan From God

    Bezalel was chosen to be the architect of the Tabernacle. His name translates as “a shadow of God. This is to teach us that we all have talent from God and it is up to us on how we use it.

  • We Need the Tabernacle

    The purpose of the Tabernacle was not for God but for us. God does not need us to build Him a home. Just as our prayers are more for us than for God.