February 2019

Half Shekels and Whole People

Parashat Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11-34:35)

Although Parashat Ki Tisa covers a wide range of topics and events, the opening paragraph of this portion is our focus for this week’s insight. It is the LORD’s command for each of the Israelites who are at least twenty years old to bring a half-shekel offering to the LORD:

The Invisible Leader

Parashat Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20-30:10)

Parashat Tetzaveh is unique from all of the other Torah portions from the beginning of Exodus to the end of Numbers in an unusual way. How so? The name of Moses is curiously missing from the text. In every other portion we hear his name mentioned at least once, if not multiple times. This week, however, the Torah is silent when it comes to actually naming Moses. Why is this the case?

Lessons From The Holy Ark

Parashat Terumah (Exodus 25:1-27:19)

This week’s Torah portion begins with a request from Hashem for materials to use in the construction of the Mishkan, the Holy Tabernacle. It continues with detailed instructions for how the Tabernacle and its furnishings should be made. One of these furnishings was central to the Tabernacle. It was the Aron, the Holy Ark, about which Hashem instructed Moses, “You shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you” (Exodus 25:16). He gave Moses specific instructions for making the Ark, saying:

Are Gentiles Really Dogs?

Parashat Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1-24:18)

Both the Gospels of Matthew and Mark record Yeshua’s encounter with a Gentile woman who had come to him begging that he exorcise a demon from her daughter. With our modern, egalitarian perception of Yeshua we would think that he would immediately have compassion on this unfortunate girl and agree to help. However, the Gospels record for us what may be the Master’s most shocking response to our Western ears. He told the woman, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs” (Matthew 15:26).