…Core Idea. According to that Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 43:4) the original act of Divine forgiveness on which Yom Kippur is based came about through the annulment of a vow, when Moshe annulled the vow of God. The Sages understood the verse, “Then the Lord relented from the evil He had spoken of doing to His people” (Shemot 32:14) to mean…
The Parsha in a Nutshell With Shemot, the defining drama of the Jewish people begins. In exile, in Egypt, they multiply, until they are no longer a family but a nation. Pharaoh, fearing that they pose a threat to Egypt, enslaves them and orders their male children killed. Moshe, an Israelite child adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter, is chosen by God…
…us examine the text. God said to Moshe, “Let them build Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them.” (Shemot 25:8) The key word in this passuk is the verb sh-ch-n, meaning ‘to dwell’. Never before had it been used in connection with God. It later became a keyword of Judaism itself. The root of this word is also…
…for Bnei Yisrael, later replaced by the Temple? More than that, the Mishkan’s inclusion in the book of Shemot is puzzling. Shemot is about the birth of a nation. It covers slavery, Paroh, the 10 Plagues, the Exodus, the journey through the sea, and the Aseret Hadibrot given at Har Sinai – events central to the people’s collective memory. The…
…people? Parsha Puzzle Question There are three words in parshat Ki Tissa which are palindromes (meaning they read the same forwards as backwards). How many can you find? (See below for the answer) This Week’s Parsha Puzzle Answer: The three words are “mayim” (Shemot 30:18), “v’natnu” (Shemot 30:12), and “shalosh” (Shemot 34:23). This question has been adapted from Torah IQ by…
…their array were completed.” (Bereishit 2:1) “All the work of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting was completed” (Shemot 39:32) “And God completed all the work that He had done” (Bereishit 2:2) “And Moses completed the work” (Shemot 40:33) “And God blessed” (Bereishit 2:3) “And Moses blessed” (Shemot 39:43) “And sanctified it” (Bereishit 2:3) “And you shall sanctify it and all its vessels” (Shemot 40:9)…
Genesis ends on an almost serene note. Jacob has found his long lost son. The family has been reunited. Joseph has forgiven his brothers. Under his protection and influence the family has settled in Goshen, one of the most prosperous regions of Egypt. They now have homes, property, food, the protection of Joseph and the favour of Pharaoh. It must…
…this principle of Jewish leadership? 3. Leadership is vision-driven Shemot Chapter 3 Shemot 19:1-6 Mishlei 29:18 Great leaders, be they CEOs or simply parents, have the ability to connect a large vision with highly specific details. Without the vision, the details are merely tiresome… Great leaders communicate a vision. But they are also painstaking, even perfectionists, when it comes to…
…Paroh: Forgetful of the past, fearful of the future. Will not let God’s people go. Moshe: Born to lead, his leadership was born out of his courage and morality. Bnei Yisrael: A nation who yearns for freedom, but must also learn about unity. Parsha Philosophy In Shemot we can explore the nuanced balance between humility and authority in leadership. Moshe…
…literally have human body parts, this week we read of the zeroa – arm (Shemot 6:6), the yad – hand – (Shemot 7:5) and the etzbah – finger (Shemot 8:15) – of God. This question has been adapted from Torah IQ by David Woolf, a collection of 1,500 Torah riddles, available on Amazon. DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THE FAMILY EDITION >…