Torah Portion

Rabbi Howard Alpert Lag B’Omer and Parshat Behar May 23 is Lag B’Omer — the 33rd day of the counting of the omer. Marking the occasion, bonfires...

By Rabbi Daniel Levitt Parshat Emor Of the many laws in this week’s Torah portion, one of the most fundamental is that of kiddush hashem. Literally...

By Charles K. Briskin Parshat Kedoshim While the spring season brings about much joy, light and warmth, it also provides us with some of the more...

By Rabbi Eric Yanoff Parshat Acharei Mot For the six years that I was a rabbi in Detroit, I found myself in a precarious position —...

By Rabbi Shawn Zevit Passover The Pesach seder remains the most observed Jewish festival home gathering to this day. Whether you observe one or two sedarim, the...

By Rabbi Fred V. Davidow Passover The story of the Ten Plagues is well-known enough for us to recognize the phrase “And God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.” If...

By Rabbi Linda Holtzman Parshat Metzora Metzora is a strange and complicated Torah portion. Mostly, it’s about skin disease and the sacrifices and times of separation...

By Rabbi Daniel Levitt Parshat Tazria In this week’s parshah, Parshat Tazria/Metzorah, we are taught about tzara’at, a spiritual sickness which had physical symptoms. If a...

By Rabbi Abe Friedman Parshat Shmini There may be no outward signs of Jewish observance more obvious than Shabbat and kashrut. Throughout history, these practices set our...

Parshat Tzav By Rabbi Eliezer Hirsch Parshat Tzav is unique on our calendar, because of its proximity to both Purim and Passover. In most years, it...