Public Officials Need To Be Honest and Appear Honest
Parshiyot Vayak’heil and P’kudei each cover the many details of the building of the Tabernacle. But the first blueprint is found in Parashat T’rumah, when Moses receives the instructions for how to build the Tabernacle. Now, in Vayak’heil, construction finally begins, and we hear the instructions again. Then in P'kudei, where Moses gives an accounting, there’s still another itemization of every component used to build the Tabernacle.
Adding to the Fire of Prayer That Never Goes Out
Putting Prayers on Your Calendar Every Day
A few years ago I put a reminder on my Google Calendar for 12:30 p.m. every day to get up and do some part of Minchah, the afternoon service. ... I keep coming back to daily prayer as a source of the personal affirmation and renewal I need to serve as the leader I hope to be.In this week’s Torah portion, Tzav, Aaron and his sons, the priests of the Israelite community, are commanded to make their own daily, humble, personal sacrificial offerings as part of their regular work of Temple service.
How Can We Strengthen Ourselves If God Seems Hidden?
The Torah reading for this intermediate Shabbat of Passover, Chol HaMo-eid Pesach (Ex. 33:12-34:26), starts after the story of the Golden Calf. Moses, keenly aware of the failure in leadership that led to this disaster, reasonably asks for God’s help and direction. But then, he follows up with something truly extraordinary: Moses asks to actually see God, saying, "Oh, let me behold Your Presence!"
What Is the Body Language of Prayer?
As a teenager, I had the unique experience of participating in a joint Reform/Orthodox retreat up at OSRUI, our URJ camp in Wisconsin. I remember walking over to the Orthodox service after the Reform service had ended and seeing one of the participants standing in front of the congregation, barefoot, with a tallit over his head and his hands spread wide. I learned that I had seen a ritual sometimes called Birkat Kohanim (the Priestly Benediction or Priestly Blessing). ...The origins of this ritual come from this week's portion, Sh'mini.
What Is the Proper Attire to Wear in the Sanctuary?
Anyone who sees young children in “dress-up” clothes knows that a magical transformation has taken place. ... In Parashat T’tzaveh, we read a detailed description of the special clothing that Aaron and his sons, the recently appointed Israelite priests, are to wear when attending to their duties. God tells Moses: