Halachah and Aggadah: The Interplay between Law and Narrative to Determine God’s Will for Us
In Parashat Yitro, we are overwhelmed by the power of the encounter of God and the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. The people respond to God's Presence saying, "All that the Eternal has spoken we will do!" (Exodus 19:8).
When Moses Is with God for 40 Days and 40 Nights, It’s Back to the Idols
Parashat Ki Tisa recounts the incident of the Golden Calf in a multilayered narrative about faith and leadership. In Exodus, chapter 32, we read that Moses remained on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights. In his absence, the Israelites demanded that Aaron fashion an idol so God would be present with them.
Sanctifying Time and Space, Shabbat, and the Building of the Mishkan
At the beginning of Parashat Vayak'heil Moses convokes the entire community and reiterates the commandment on Shabbat observance
Sanctifying Time and Space, Shabbat, and the Building of the Mishkan
At the beginning of Parashat Vayak'heil Moses convokes the entire community and reiterates the commandment on Shabbat observance.
The Moral Imperative of the Stranger
A Concrete Relationship with God
In Parashat Ki Tisa, the Israelites wait for Moses to return from the mountaintop. Feeling insecure with a lack of leadership, they tell Aaron to create a Golden Calf.
Surprising Insights from the Grasshopper
Much of how we come to know ourselves is the result of human encounters.
Shabbat: Positives and Negatives
The last instruction that Moses receives on Mount Sinai, before God gives him the inscribed tablets, before the incident of the Golden Calf, is the reminder about the importance of the sabbath.
The Holiness of Wholeness - And of Brokenness
This week's Torah portion contains one of the most dramatic events in the entire Torah, the incident of the Golden Calf. Moses has been on Mount Sinai for a very long time, too long for those Israelites who still carry Egypt in their hearts to wait.