God . . .Near or Far?
In the Torah portion of this week, T’rumah , God tells Moses that, having received the Torah on Mount Sinai, the Israelites in the desert are to build a Tabernacle, here called a mikdash , and gives him specific instructions as to how they must set it up.
Creating a Mikdash: Then and Now
Focal Point
And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. Exactly as I show you—the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings—so shall you make it. (Exodus 25:8–9)
D'var Torah
A Patriarchy Is, After All, a Patriarchy
Parashat Lech L’cha contains the first of three wife-sister episodes in the Book of Genesis. These moments are disturbing. As the original patriarch and matriarch of the Jewish people, we want to see a strong and loving relationship between Abraham and Sarah.
Your Call Is Very Important to Us . . .
Perhaps the Western world’s most common experience when attempting contact with an entity greater than ourselves is the dreaded phrase: “Your call is very important to us.” In these words, all too often, is a sentiment that simply does not inform the painful experience that follows—a seemingly en
The Never Ending Journey of Spiritual Growth
The organized Jewish community in North America is an extraordinary success story. Our communal institutions are impressively organized, privately funded, and efficiently run.
The Journey, Interrupted
Parashat Lech L’cha sets the stage for the historical, geographical, and spiritual journey of the Jewish people. We meet Abram, who at God’s instruction leaves his home in Mesopotamia to begin a pilgrimage to Canaan.
And Sara Laughed (and Laughed, and Laughed)
“A day without laughter is a day wasted,” Charlie Chaplin.1 “Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand,” Mark Twain. “Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion.
Hearing the Silent, Seeing the Invisible
Throughout Parashat Vayeira, beings both divine and mortal use powerful words. Equally profound throughout this portion, however, are the volumes unspoken.