Torah – Page 7 – "A Song Every Day"

Gathering Sources: Tazria

Some thoughts and resources for exploring the Torah portion, “Tazria,” Leviticus 12:1-13:59. (Not many alternative spellings — occasionally: Thazria.) This is part of a series of weekly “gathering sources” posts, collecting previous material on the weekly Torah portion, most originally part of a 2010 series called “Opening the Book.”

Tazria is next read beginning at minchah on Shabbat 3/30/19 (Shabbat Shemini). NOTE: Although most there are usually four posts for a portion, this series was written in a year when Tazria and Metzora were read together as a double portion, so there are only two posts on Tazria (and two on Metzora).

A Path to Follow — Lawrence Hoffman on circumcision and blood

Great Sources — Menstruation and “covenant of blood

Gathering Sources: Shemini

Some thoughts and resources for exploring the Torah portion, “Shemini,” Leviticus 9:1-11:47. (Sometimes spelled “Sh’mini” or “Shmini.”) This is part of a series of weekly “gathering sources” posts, collecting previous material on the weekly Torah portion, most originally part of a 2010 series called “Opening the Book.”

Shemini is next read beginning at minchah on Shabbat 3/23/19 (Shabbat Tzav).

A path to follow — mourning and hair

Great Souces-1 — a father’s silence

Great Sources -2 — strange crossings

Something to Notice — hairy goat, Torah’s center

Language and Translation — son who remained

Gathering Sources: Tzav

Some thoughts and resources for exploring the Torah portion, “Tzav,” Leviticus 6:1-8:36. (Sometimes spelled “Tsav” or maybe “Zav.”) This is part of a series of weekly “gathering sources” posts, collecting previous material on the weekly Torah portion, most originally part of a 2010 series called “Opening the Book.” Tzav is next read beginning at minchah on Shabbat 3/16/19 (Shabbat Vayikra).

A Path to Follow — on taking out the ashes and Seder night misgivings

Something to Notice — changing clothes and gait on Shabbat

Language and Translation — a foreshadowing of disaster

Great Sources — “The Altared Table”

Image by Riala on Pixaba

Gathering Sources: Vayikra

Some thoughts and resources for exploring the Torah portion, “Vayikra,” Lev 1:1-6:7, which also begins the new book, Vayikra/Leviticus. Posting a little early for anyone who wants to get (re-)oriented as we leave the Book of Exodus and enter The Book of Leviticus. (Less variation in transliteration for this portion, but sometimes appears at “Va-Yikra” with a hyphen, older sources sometimes use “W” rather than “V” for that initial vav, so wayikra.)

This is part of a series of weekly “gathering sources” posts, collecting previous material on the weekly Torah portion, most originally part of a 2010 series called “Opening the Book.”

Great Sources — some general background sources on the Book of Leviticus/Vayikra

Something to Notice — that tiny aleph at the start of Vayikra

Language and Translation — when a “Soul Unintentionally Fails”

A Path to Follow — calling out and Derekh Eretz

Also “Women, Vayikra, and Progress”
“And He Called“/Stop Street Harassment.

Gathering Sources : Pekudei

Some material for exploring the weekly Torah portion, Pekudei — sometimes transliterated as Pekude(y) or P’kude — (Exodus 38:21-40:38):

A Path to Follow — weaving and women’s work

Language and Translation — storytelling continuity

Something to Notice — the colors!

Great Sources — Chapters into Verse and Charles Reznikoff

This is part of a series of weekly “gathering sources” posts, collecting previous material on the weekly Torah portion, most originally part of a 2010 series called “Opening the Book.”

Gathering Sources: Vayakhel

Some material for exploring the weekly Torah portion, Vayakhel — sometimes transliterated as Vayak’ hel or Vayak’heil —
(Exodus 35:1-38:20):

Something to Notice: Constructive Wisdom

Language and Translation — “Betzalel”

A Path to Follow: Women, children, and other usually invisible Israelites

Great Sources: Midrash on mirrors

This is part of a series of weekly “gathering sources” posts, collecting previous material on the weekly Torah portion, most originally part of a 2010 series called “Opening the Book.”

Gathering Sources: Ki Tisa

Some material for exploring the weekly Torah portion, Ki Tisa, Exodus 30:11- 34:35. A Path to Follow on the 13 Attributes of God Something to Notice, regarding arguing with God. A note on two interesting words in Language and Translation and some Great Sources.

Third of new weekly “gathering sources” posts, collecting previous material on the weekly Torah portion, most originally part of a 2010 series called “Opening the Book.”

Gathering Sources: Tetzaveh

Some material for exploring the weekly Torah portion, Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20-30:10) — also transliterated as Tetsaveh or T’tzavveh:

Something to Notice regarding “ner tamid” and more on “ner” in Language and Translation.

A Path to Follow from bell and pomegranate, including some poetry by Judah Halevi, and some Great sources.

This is the second of new weekly “gathering sources” posts, collecting previous material on the weekly Torah portion, most originally part of a 2010 series called “Opening the Book.”

Gathering Sources: Terumah

This is the first of what I hope will be a post per week “gathering sources” from previous material on the weekly Torah portion. This is is response to one reader’s confusion about navigating what is now more than a decade of posts and pages and project and portfolios (depending on WordPress organizational flavor of the season), and to my own realization that I rely on “A Song Every Day,” more and more, to find — and remember — things I cannot.

As it happens, this is the anniversary of my first dvar torah, so it seems a good place to start. In addition, beginning here gives me the opportunity to honor Esther Ticktin (z”l, 1925-2017), who provided moral support for that first presentation, Max Ticktin (z”l, 1922-2016), who spoke while others were “gathering their thoughts,” so I wouldn’t be too freaked out by the silence that followed my remarks; and the Fabrangen community for listening on Shabbat Terumah 5758 (2/28/98) and responding after Max gave folks a moment.

Here is the first drash, “I will meet with you there.” And a follow-up missive in response to a request for my materials.

Here are four posts in an old Weekly Torah series: Great Sources, Great Sources-2, Language and Translation, and A Path to Follow.

And, just for the sake of organization, ultimately, I am including a link to “The wingCatz of Terumah” so it will be with other Terumah resources later on.

Graphic: 1728 illustration of the Ark at the erection of the Tabernacle and the sacred vessels, as in Exodus 40:17-19. By illustrators of the 1728 Figures de la Bible, Gerard Hoet (1648–1733) and others, published by P. de Hondt in The Hague in 1728 –

Shabbat Mishpatim: One Woman’s Conclusion

“Aaron suggested looking for Moses, who’d disappeared by then, but Miriam and I agreed — a rare event in our acquaintance…and about something concerning her brother, at that! — to let Moses pursue his experience as we pursued ours. So, we saw God, and we ate and drank.” — From One Woman’s Conclusion (A Haftarah): Exodus 24:1-11 AKA “Lunch with God”

This midrash, written in the year 2000, I think, is based on the last verses of Parashat Mishpatim. So I share it again for this Shabbat.