Posted by rabbi.deutsch on 07 Aug 2012 /
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Hi, The Torah was written thousands of years ago! Sometimes it’s hard to believe. Take one of the most amazing commandments. “Love your neighbor like yourself”. I am G-d. (Leviticus, 19:18) … Picture how this would go over in Ancient Greece. Huh? “Do we have to be better than the gods? They’re jealous of each […]
Posted by rabbi.deutsch on 25 Jul 2012 /
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Hi, Hope all is well. … There’s something the Torah does very often. It mixes “ethical obligations” together with “ritual laws”. Here’s one example. “Every person must respect their mother and father and keep my Sabbaths. (Leviticus, 19:3) The Torah is making a point. That both kinds of commandments are equally important. Our obligations to […]
Posted by rabbi.deutsch on 24 Jul 2012 /
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Hi, This Saturday night and Sunday is Tisha B’av. The ninth day of the Jewish month of Av. The saddest day in the Jewish calendar. Many tragedies happened to the Jewish People on that day throughout history. Including the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem by the Romans in the year 70. … For two […]
Posted by rabbi.deutsch on 24 Jul 2012 /
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Hi, I’m sure you’ve been following the Discovery Mission developments. And today the flight crew honored the memory of all fallen astronauts. Including, of course, those lost in the Columbia disaster. While every loss is very tragic? As Jews, we especially remember Illan Ramon. And his picture came to mind when I read the following. […]
Posted by rabbi.deutsch on 22 Jul 2012 /
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Hi, “Animal sacrifices”? They’re pretty prominent in the Book of Leviticus. The same Book that taught the world many of its greatest moral values! … It’s hard for us to relate to the idea of sacrifices. It brings images to our mind. Like the pagan idea of sacrifices. Bringing sacrifices was pretty compelling to them. […]
Posted by rabbi.deutsch on 22 Jul 2012 /
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Hi, We’re ready to leave the Book of Exodus. And start Leviticus. In Hebrew, Vayikra. It’s called Vayikra because of the first word. Vayikra. “And G-d called to Moshe… (Leviticus, 1:1) … Before we get to the details of the Book? Here’s something small. With a huge lesson. If you would look at a Torah […]
Posted by rabbi.deutsch on 19 Jul 2012 /
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Hi, Only in the Torah! I’m referring to what happens just forty days after the Revelation at Mount Sinai. You may remember the scene in the movie, “The Ten Commandments”. (But don’t forget, the Book is better than the movie!) Moshe comes down from the mountain holding the Tablets. The Ten Commandments. And what does […]
Posted by rabbi.deutsch on 15 Jul 2012 /
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Hi, The Temple in the desert was built with donations. Voluntary donations. No pressure. And no mandatory “building fund”! The response was amazing. The whole nation mobilized. Men and women brought gold, silver and other materials. … And then something amazing happened. And you may want to sit down for this! … There was too […]
Posted by rabbi.deutsch on 15 Jul 2012 /
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Hi, The Jews were traveling through the desert. (I got the spelling right this time!) So the Temple was portable. And all the utensils had carrying poles. It was very practical. Need to move on? You insert the poles and transport them … But when it comes to the Ark? Something very interesting. “The poles […]
Posted by rabbi.deutsch on 15 Jul 2012 /
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Hi, I sat down at my computer to work on today’s Torah Minute. And before I got started? I figured I would click on today’s New York Times. To see what’s happening in the world. And something caught my eyes. A carved wooden bust of Tutankhamen. A.k.a. King Tut! It was an article about a […]