Corporate Torah

Shabbat Tzav Dvar Torah - The Eternal Flame: A Light for Everyone In this week’s Torah portion, Tzav , we find a specific command regarding the Tabernacle: "A continuous fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall not go out."   For centuries in the Temple of Jerusalem, this flame was meticulously kept and never flickered out and in our times it’s the source for the Ner Tamid (the Eternal Light) present in every synagogue today. But there is a fascinating question: Why on the altar? There were other lights in the Temple, like the golden Menorah, which was kept in the more sacred space of the sanctuary. The altar, however, was different: Visibility: The altar was located outside in the courtyard. Its smoke and fire were visible for miles to anyone looking towards Jerusalem. Inclusivity:  The wood used for the altar’s fire could not become ritually impure, essentially enabling anyone to contribute to it. Universality:  The altar was the one place in the Temple where everyon...

Shabbat Vayikra Dvar Torah The book of Leviticus opens this week with a prescription of the various offerings brought in the Tabernacle. While animal sacrifice is foreign to the modern eye and its reconciliation with contemporary Judaism is a subject of fascinating philosophical discussion – the foundations of the Temple service are a core tenet of our observance. One such idea which is highlighted in this week’s portion is the universality of observance. In two places, the Torah show us that the privilege and obligations of our relationship with Hashem is not limited to a specific class of people. When introducing the sin offering, the Torah focuses first on special cases – the sin offering brought by the High Priest and the Nasi (essentially the king) – only later describing the offering brough by commoners. The message is clear, in a just society accountability starts at the top, and nobody is exempt from admission and atonement. Later, when introducing a sin offering broug...

Shalom Friends, These past few weeks have been a whirlwind for all of us in Israel - naturally bringing a hiatus to our regular Divrei Torah on this channel. Having a chance now to pause and reflect, I wanted to offer a brief dispatch from Israel and a continuation to our communal Torah learning. On Thursday we’ll celebrate the beginning of the Hebrew month of Nissan, the month of Passover and the beginning of spring. The Talmud teaches us that there is a special blessing recited only once a year in Nissan upon seeing fruit trees in blossom. Our Sages teach that there are two reasons for this blessing - firstly in recognition for the beauty of seeing trees in the wonderful colors of full blossom, and secondly in recognition for the wonder of creation that after the harsh cold of winter, the trees emerge into spring and bring forth new life. In essence, this blessing is an annual recognition highlighting the sublime in the cyclicality of our everyday existence. We stop for a moment...

Shabbat Terumah Dvar Torah The Torah portion opens with Hashem telling the Jewish people to build the Tabernacle which will become the center of the camp and the worldly home of the Shechina – the Divine Presence. A massive fundraising campaign ensues, with the people generously giving gold, silver, precious stones and fabrics — but there are two critical conditions to participate. First, there is a specific list. Not everything is accepted and the materials must match what G-d asks for. Second, the Torah instructs to accept donations specifically from “ every man whose heart maketh him willing ” with Rashi explaining this as a wholehearted gift of goodwill. As the spiritual epicenter of the Jewish people, the Tabernacle and later the Temple needed to be built on solid foundations. To create a true home for G-d we first have to understand that it’s not about us. It’s not about our egos and what we want to give, but what is needed from us. It’s also not enough to give begrudging...

Shabbat Mishpatim Dvar Torah In last week’s Torah portion, Yitro, the Jewish people stood at Mount Sinai. It was a singular  spiritual high with thunder and lightning, the mountain trembling, and the entire nation hearing the Ten Commandments. A dramatic, awe-inspiring, and unforgettable event. This week’s portion, Mishpatim, is quite the opposite. It’s about the day to day laws of respecting your neighbors, dealing with property, and settling disputes. My teacher, Rabbi Moshe Lichtenstein, often described this transition with a simple metaphor: After the wedding — the music, the celebration, the fireworks — comes real life. The excitement at the outset is critical. But what truly builds a relationship is the day-to-day work that follows. That is what Mishpatim is about. Instead of thunder and revelation, we read about ordinary responsibilities: lending money to someone in need and doing so with sensitivity; treating a borrower’s collateral with dignity; listening to the c...

Shabbat Yitro Dvar Torah – Jewish Unity for Generations The Jewish people, newly freed from slavery in Egypt arrive at Mount Sinai. Describing their arrival, the Torah uses an unusual phrase: “Vayichan sham Yisrael neged hahar” — “Israel camped there opposite the mountain.” Strikingly, the entire people are described in the singular – deviating from the narrative until then – addressing them as one individual rather than a multitude. Rashi explains that at that moment, the people were united “like one person with one heart” a singular moment of full and unequivocal unity across the Jewish people with Moses soon after ascending Mt. Sinai and receiving the Torah Perhaps, we can understand this detail not just as a situational description of the encampment at Sinai, but as an explanation of why the Torah was given at Sinai. Accepting the Torah — entering a lasting covenant built on shared responsibility — required an unusual depth of unity. It demanded a commitment strong enough ...

  Shabbat Beshalach Dvar Torah After decades of slavery, what would you pack when leaving Egypt? The Exodus story offers surprising details. The Israelites carried Joseph’s remains to honor his final wish, weapons for self-defense, and matzah, since there was no time to let bread rise. The list goes on. One item, however, stands out: drums and tambourines. After the splitting of the sea, in a dramatic end to a dramatic scene, thousands of women suddenly take out these instruments as Miriam leads a song of gratitude. It is a powerful moment—but it raises a question. In a rushed escape where there was not even time to bake bread, who thought to bring musical instruments? The medieval commentator Rashi explains that the righteous women of the generation were confident they would witness miracles, and prepared in advance to celebrate them. This reflects not only deep faith, but also deep personal responsibility to fulfilling Hakarat Hatov (recognizing the good) a core Jewish value th...