Shattering the Tablets...For Our Sake
"As soon as Moses came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he became enraged; and he hurled the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain." (Exodus 32:19)
Where Will God Live?
Exodus began with birth in a time of death, when God appeared as midwives'hands and as a path through raging waters. And then Moses became God's mouth, and the rabble became a people. After Sinai, where will God live?
Building the Sacred
The Torah is filled with great drama. Moviemakers and even animators turn to the text repeatedly for its stunning visual imagery and profound drama. This week's Torah portion, Vayak’heil, is replete with both.
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.
Chazak, Chazak, V'nitchazeik
As we complete each book of the Torah, it is customary to repeat the words "Chazak, chazak, v'nitchazeik." These words, understood as "Congratulations!" actually have a more profound message.
Spiritual Authenticity
I think it's fair to say that just about everybody knows that the Israelites were condemned to wander in the wilderness for forty years, a biblical generation.
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).