by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields The maftir portion, the final aliyah for this week’s Torah reading, Parashat Ki Teitzei is the same maftir reading for Shabbat Zachor, the Shabbat before Purim, verses...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Parashat Shoftim has many important lessons for all people, and specifically for Am Yisrael, the people of Israel. The name of the Torah reading, Shoftim,...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields We read in Parshat Eikev, “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams and springs and fountains issuing from plain and hill; a land...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields This Shabbat, we read the double Torah reading of Matot-Masei, which concludes the Book of Numbers, Sefer Bamidbar. The children of Israel, B’nai Yisrael,...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Although the story of Korach and his rebellion, and being swallowed up by the earth was in the Torah Reading several weeks ago, in this week’s Torah Reading, Parashat...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields In this week’s Torah Reading, Parashat Balak, Balaam, the non-Israelite prophet and diviner, describes the Children of Israel, B’nai Yisrael, as “a people...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Towards the conclusion of this week’s Torah reading, Parashat Chukat, we read that as the children of Israel make their way to the Land of Israel, they interact...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Pirkei Avot 5:17, Ethics of our Ancestors, teaches. “Every argument that is for [the sake of] heaven’s name, it is destined to endure. But if it is not for [the...
by Rabbi Margie Cella At God’s command, Moses sends 12 men to scout out the land of Canaan before entering it. They spent 40 days traversing the land, returning with a cluster of grapes that required two...
by Rabbi Margie Cella After designating the Levites to take the place of the firstborn in administering the service of the Tabernacle, God instructed that the people observe Pesach on the 14th day of the...