Yom HaZikaron/HaAtzma’ut Deut. 8:1-8; 11:8-12; 26:1-11; 30:1-16  Rabbi Gary Pokras  Four passages from Deuteronomy are assigned to Israel’s Memorial Day (Yom HaZikaron) and Independence Day (Yom HaAtzma’ut). Just as Yom HaZikaron morphs into Yom HaAtzma’ut, so that they we can better appreciate what those who sacrificed their lives help to build, so too, these four […]

Tazria – Metzorah 5783 Lev. 12:1 – 15:33  Rabbi Baht Yameem Weiss   Tazria Metzorah used to be one of the most difficult Torah portions in which to relate.  It discusses a mysterious skin rash that appears on a person, often explained as a discoloring or whitening of the skin.  Rather than go to a doctor, […]

Yom HaShoah 5783 Deut. 4:30-40  Rabbi Gary Pokras   Emil Fackenheim, the noted 20th century Jewish philosopher and Reform rabbi, is most famous for positing what he called the 614th commandment. The holy torah contains 613 distinct commandments. Following the Shoah, Fackenheim felt the moral imperative to add another: “Thou shalt not hand Hitler posthumous victories. […]

Shemini 5783 Lev. 9:1 – 11:47  Rabbi Gary Pokras   In parashat Shemini we read about the physical characteristics necessary for an animal to be kosher: it must have true hooves (with clefts) and it must chew its cud. Then, to make sure that we understand that both characteristics are necessary, the Torah gives us several […]