It’s Not So Simple

It’s Not So Simple

Along with Elevation Offerings, Guilt Offerings, Flour Offerings and others, this week Aharon and his sons, the Kohanim, learn how to offer the Sin Offering. Last week we discussed, with regards to this offering, an exception to the rule: when one gave an offering for...
The Crime of Indifference

The Crime of Indifference

In this week’s reading, we learn about sin and guilt offerings in the Temple. One was called the “higher or lower” offering, as this offering depended upon a person’s financial situation. If a person entered the Temple without being in a pure state, or swore falsely...
First Things First

First Things First

After returning from atop Mt. Sinai, after Yom Kippur, Moshe calls the people to congregate. He is about to tell them to collect donations: gold, silver, and copper, colored cloths and skins, oil and spices. They were all to be used to construct the Tabernacle for...
Why did Moshe Smash the Tablets?

Why did Moshe Smash the Tablets?

In this week’s reading, we learn that Moshe received the entire Torah during 40 days on top of Mount Sinai, and received two Tablets that were miracles unto themselves (the Medrash tells us that letters engraved all the way through, similar to O, Q, B, etc. in...
The Light of Torah Pervades All

The Light of Torah Pervades All

Our reading this week begins, “And these are the judgments that you shall place before them” [21:1]. Rashi comments that a statement beginning “these…” rejects or supplants that which came before it, whereas “and these” means...
But It’s Not Midnight!

But It’s Not Midnight!

This week, Moshe comes before Pharaoh to warn him of the coming Tenth and Final Plague: So says G-d: at roughly midnight, I will go though Egypt…and every firstborn will die…” [11:4] Moshe told Pharaoh that at “roughly” midnight—“Ka”-chatzos Halaylah—G-d will go...