Rabbi Lewis M. Barth
Slander and Sliding Scales: The Legacy of Parashat M'tzora
Parashat M'tzora is one of those Torah portions that-at first glance-contains subject matter that doesn't seem to speak to the religious strivings or spiritual sensibilities of contemporary Reform Jewry. Its topics include purification rites for people with leprosy or other skin eruptions and for houses in which mold appears. Leviticus
Biblical Sacrifices and Choosing a President
The season of electioneering is upon us. Following the four-year cycle, as in the past, citizens of our nation currently face the awesome responsibility of choosing our next president. In the coming months, we will be courted and regaled with tales and testimonials about the various candidates' best and worst
Appreciating the Giver as Well as the Gift
The Torah portion Vayak’heil (Exod. 35:1-38:20) presents Moses' speech to the Israelite community at one of the many special gatherings or convocations of the Hebrews during their wanderings in the desert. The speech opens with a brief restatement of the commandment to keep the Sabbath. However, the topic of Moses'
Perplexing Problems of Divine Power
Parashat B'shalach (Exodus 13:17-17:16) contains a startling mixture of themes and symbols: manifestations of God's power and miracles, God and Israel testing each other, complaints against Moses and Aaron, water, manna, and the staff of God. It is the bridge between the redemption from Egyptian slavery and the revelation at
The Power of Deathbed Promises
Parashat Va-y'chi concludes the Book of Genesis. It is a mixture of narrative and poetry, of blessings and curses, of promises and anxiety about the future. As we shall see, the last moments in the lives of the patriarch Jacob and of his son Joseph come to represent crucial foundational
