By Rav Reuven Tradburks The book of Devarim is Moshe’s soliloquy in the last week of his life. A rather long soliloquy, the better part of 28 chapters. He has a lot to say. He will not enter the land of Israel. The Jewish people will....
By Rav Reuven Tradburks In the march to the land of Israel, leadership has transitioned to the new generation. Elazar has replaced Aharon. Yehoshua has been appointed successor to Moshe. There has been military success, with the surrounding nations showing deference and fear of the success...
By Rav Reuven Tradburks The story of the rebellion of Korach parallels the story of the spies from last week. Both are a rejection of the Divine, albeit in the rough and tumble of human dynamics. In the sin of the spies, although G-d promised the...
Parshat Emor 1st aliya (Vayikra 21:1-15) Cohanim are not permitted to come in contact with the dead except for their nuclear family. Nor are they to adopt non Jewish mourning practices such as balding their head and beard or cutting their flesh. Cohanim need be holy...
Achrei Mot-Kedoshim 1 st aliya (Vayikra 16:1-17), 2 nd aliya (16:18-24) Aharon is instructed to enter the Holy of Holies only through an elaborate process of offerings. He is to bring a private sin offering. And a communal sin offering of 2 identical goats, one as an...
1st aliya (Vayikra 14:1-12) Purification from Tzarat: When the Cohen determines that the Tzarat of the skin has subsided, the Metzora undertakes a process to allow him to reenter the camp, though for 7 additional days he may not enter the Mikdash. Outside of the...
1st Aliya (Vayikra 9:1-16) On the eighth day of the inauguration of Aharon and the Cohanim, Moshe gathers the people. He instructs Aharon to offer a chatat and an olah. The people are also to bring a chatat, olah, shlamim and mincha. For today, G-d...
1st aliya (Vayikra 6:1-11) Instructions are given to the Cohanim: while the offerings must be done during the day, the burning of the fats and limbs continue all night. In the morning the Cohen shall take some of the ashes from the altar and place...
The theme of the parsha is sacrifices. Different offerings will be required in a variety of circumstances later in the book of Vayikra. This parsha outlines the rules of those offerings, so that when they come up later, their procedure will be familiar. The parsha outlines...
By Rav Reuven Tradburks The commandments concerning the special garments of the Cohen Gadol as well as the garments for the regular Cohanim are given. The Cohanim and the altar are inaugurated in a 7-day inauguration. The commands of the daily offering and the altar for...
