The narrative arc of the Tabernacle reaches its culmination in Vayakhel. What began with the divine blueprints in Parashat Terumah now becomes a human achievement. The Torah lingers over the construction with remarkable detail, signaling that something essential is being revealed—not only about Israel’s worship, but about Israel’s relationship with God and the world.
Many years ago, a young lady came to my office to discuss the possibility of her conversion to Judaism. She was raised in Saudi Arabia to American parents in the American military. She grew up hating Israel and hating Jews—although she had never met either an Israeli or a Jew.
In 1966, the Nobel Prize for literature was awarded to S. Y. Agnon. This was a major event for the Jewish world at large and for Israel in particular. Agnon was the first Israeli to win a Nobel in any field, and he remains the only Hebrew-language author ever to have received the Nobel Prize in literature. He died February 17, 1970 at age 82.
The core of Jewish liturgy traces back to the early rabbinic period. Over the centuries, Sephardim and Ashkenazim developed different nuances in their prayer liturgies. It is valuable to learn about the differences that emerged, to see how rabbinic interpretations and cultures shaped the religious experiences underlying prayer.
Tseniut is not simply a system of prevention from sin. Rather, it encompasses a positive philosophy relating to the nature of human beings. While acknowledging the power of human sexuality, tseniut teaches that human beings are more than mere sexual beings.
The Haggadah is a prime example of using words to convey Jewish history and tradition. The word Haggadah means ‘telling,’ and we ‘tell’ the story of our liberation from bondage with words of praise and study. But like most things, words are a two-edged sword. They can sustain a nation and its heritage and, as the Haggadah reminds us, they can cause great suffering.
By placing the account of Jethro’s visit immediately before the invitation to be “a nation of
priests,” the Torah illustrates the kind of priests that God calls us to be: people who act with
wisdom, justice, compassion and humility.
It has been said that no one on their death bed says they wished they would have spent more time at the office! People tend to regret that they devoted so much time and energy to their work and social obligations that they shortchanged their own families. We need to put our lives in perspective: our responsibilities to our families must be prioritized
This week’s Torah reading includes the “shirat hayam,” the song sung by Moses and the people of Israel after they miraculously crossed the Sea of Reeds. The Torah scroll presents the song in an unusual formation. Instead of the words following one another in order, the words of the song are interspersed with blank spaces. This format suggests a deeper lesson about life itself.
When I read or hear about a scandal involving a Jew, I bristle. I feel pain when Jews are accused (and convicted) of massive frauds, sexual misconduct, or any other criminal activity. Maybe you feel this way too.