This week’s parashah is Va-yaqhel [Exodus 35:1-38:20]. It is also Shabbat Parah, the third special Shabbat before Passover. Shabbat Parah always falls the Shabbat before Shabbat Rosh Hodesh Nisan or, as this year, two shabbatot before Rosh Hodesh Nisan.The weekly parashah is often combined with next week’s parashah [Pequdai] to …
Parashat Ki Tissa [Exodus 30:11-34:35] is perhaps best known for the episode of the Golden Calf and the repairs entailed by that grievous sin. Our conversation focused on the לוחות, generally understood as the stone tablets on which were incised the Ten Commandments. We discussed the significance of the material, …
Parashat T’tzavveh [Exodus 27:20-30:10] coincides with Shabbat Zakhor, the second of the four special shabbatot before Passover, each with its own maftir …
Parashat B’shallach [Exodus 13:16-17:16] includes the Song of the Sea [15:1-19], which has been incorporated in the daily morning liturgy. It concludes …
Parashat Bo [Exodus 10:1-13:16] is jam-packed with interesting passages. The eighth and ninth plagues take place as well as the announcement of …
