Words for Shabbat - A community blog for this week's parashah

Weekly Torah Blog

Words for Shabbat

""Turn it over and turn it over, be absorbed in it" is what is said about the Torah: Study the Torah from all sides, because each time a different and new aspect and interpretation of the Torah can be revealed. This year we are renewing ourselves with a new section in the newsletter: "Words for Shabbat" - each week we will publish in the newsletter and on the Beit Tefilla website a Torah passage - a few words about the week's parashat from one of the community members and Beit Tefilla staff. And just as their faces are different, so are their opinions - we will wait to read the personal interpretation and learn what the encounter with the parashat brings up in them.

פרשת כי תבוא

Parashat Ki Tavo

The Torah portion of the declaration of the first fruits teaches us that our national story becomes meaningful only when we see it as part of our personal story, express gratitude for the good we have received, and translate memory into responsibility toward the other.

פרשת כי תצא

Parashat Ki Teitzei

Parshat Ki Teitzei (To War): How do we emerge from war moral?
By Willie Siegel

פרשת שופטים

Parashat Shoftim

Rivi Dror on Parashat Shoftim – How do we guard our gates?

פרשת ראה

Parashat Re'eh

Between Blessing and Curse – On Living in the Land with Responsibility. Brigitte Biggar on Parashat Re'eh

פרשת עקב

Parashat Ekev

Amir ruled on the Ekev case.
.Between Love and Fear: Two Paths to Faith

פרשת ואתחנן

Parashat Va'etchanan

Ronen Keller on the "V'Etchanan" affair:
Why did Moses' leadership end, why was it Joshua's time, and what is the connection to our present day?

דברים

Things

Words on the weekly Torah portion

פרשת דברים

Parashat Devarim

Dr. Esti Doron on the Parashat D'varim – Between Moses" "Eichah" and Isaiah's "Eichah"

מטות-מסעי

Camps and Journeys

Rivi Dror on the Parashat Matot-Masei:
Design the present with responsibility for the future

פרשת פנחס

The Pinhas Parasha

Esteban Gottfried on the Pinchas incident. Is the "covenant of peace" a reward for extreme zeal or a call for moderation?

פרשת בלק

Parashat Balak

Parashat Balak - The Evil Eye, The Good Eye
From: Meir Tzoar

פרשת חוקת

Parashat Chukkat

Parashat Chukat – Leadership of Speech vs. The Coerciveness of Royalty
From: Rabbi Rani Yeger

פרשת קרח

The Korach Incident

The Parashah of Korach: From Claiming the Priesthood – To Consecration to Holiness
By Rebecca Bakalash

פרשת שלח לך

Parashat Shelach

What is the connection between the "Lech Lecha" portion, Ben-Gurion, "The Silver Platter" by Nathan Alterman, and Aharon Barak?
By Ruth Shapira

פרשת בהעלותך

Parashat Beha'alotcha

Living in the Cloud: On Uncertainty, Doubt, and the Wisdom of the "Now"; Between Sinai and Tokyo - by Willy Siegel

פרשת נשא

Parashat Naso

So what does God do all day?
Parshat Naso by Meir Tzar

פרשת במדבר

The Book of Numbers

On the Parashat Bamidbar – Who is Responsible for Preserving the Legacy of the Children of Israel? By Ofra Palmer Granot

פרשת בהר- בחוקותי

Parashat Behar-Bechukotai

"And your brother shall live with you" – On mental health in the weekly Torah portion"
Rabbi Kobi Weiss on Parshat Behar-Bechukotai

פרשת אמור

Parshat Emor

Parashat Emor – Bringing holiness into the reality of our lives.

פרשת אחרי מות- קדושים

Parashat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim

"and the land will not vomit you out"
Yaakov Castel on the Parshat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim

פרשת תזריע מצורע

Parashat Tazria-Metzora

Dr. Esti Doron on the Parshat Tazria-Metzora: The path to closeness sometimes goes through distance, stopping, and a process of return.

פרשת שמיני

Parashat Shemini

Parashat Shemini: Between Responsibility and Guilt – Leadership in Times of Crisis. By Ronen Keller

שבת חוה"מ פסח

Passover Intermediate Days Shabbat

On the Connection Between Passover and Song of Songs – Rabbi Esteban Gottfried

פרשת צו

Parashat Tzav

Rivi Dror on the Tzav Affair: A Light That Does Not Consume: Starting Over in the Midst of a Burning Reality

פרשת ויקרא

The Book of Leviticus

On the Distinction Between Compassionate Sacrifice and Immoral Sacrifice by Rani Yeger

פרשת ויקהל-פיקודי

Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei

The Tabernacle as the Perfection of Peace: Rivka Baklash on the Parashah Vayakhel Pikudei

פרשת כי תישא

Parashat Ki Tissa

Meir Tzohar on the Ki Tissa portion. What happens when the leader disappears?

פרשת תצווה

Parashat Tetzaveh

On brotherhood, mission, and giving space
By Ruth Shapira

פרשת תרומה

Parashat Terumah

Among them: Where does holiness reside?
By Willie Siegel

פרשת משפטים

Parashat Mishpatim

Ofra Palmer Granot on the Mishpatim portion—is this our moral and cultural foundation?

פרשת יתרו

The Parashah of Yitro

Amir Sheft on the story of Jethro and the leaders we would like to have today.

פרשת בשלח

Parashat Beshalach

Talia Birkan on the Beshalach story: The Song of the Sea on the path to inner growth.

פרשת בא

Parashat Bo

Ronen Keller on the weekly Torah portion: Taking responsibility for time as the foundation of hope in the portion "Bo.".

פרשת וארא

Parashat Vaera

Dr. Esti Doron on the story of Vayera, on hope and gratitude.

פרשת שמות

Exodus

Rabbi Esteban Gottfried on the Torah portion of Exodus – I will be what I will be – what kind of name is that for God?

פרשת ויחי

Parashat Vayechi

Rivi Dror on forgiveness and healing in the parashah Vayechi

פרשת ויגש

Parashat Vayigash

Tal Yalon on the story of Vayigash – "And his soul is bound up with his soul" – the longing to see the faces of loved ones again.

פרשת מקץ

Parashat Miketz

Rabbi Dr. Rani Yeger on the Torah portion Miketz, and on the spark of courageous solidarity that paves the way for repair and redemption.

פרשת וישב

Parashat Vayeshev

Rebecca Bekelash on the parashah Vayeshev – on ups and downs, breakthroughs and dawns, and deciphering the code.

פרשת וישלח

Parashat Vayishlach

Meir Tzohar on the parashah Vayishlach: the reconciliation between Jacob and Esau, Dinah's actions and collective punishment, and the journey from Jacob to Israel.

פרשת ויצא

Parashat Vayetze

Ruth Shapira writes about the parashah Vayetze and its journey of becoming a leader and father of the nation.

פרשת תולדות

Parashat Toldot

Dr. Aharon (Willy) Siegel writes about our ability to accept complex realities surrounding the story of Toldot.

פרשת חיי שרה

The Story of Sarah's Life

Ofra Palmer Granot on the Sarah affair, the commission of inquiry, marriage deals, and women's rights.

פרשת וירא

Parashat Vayera

Amir Sheft on Faith and Awe – Words for the Weekly Torah Portion Vayera 5786

פרשת לך לך

You have a problem.

Brigitte Bigar on the Lech Lech affair, leaving and home

פרשת נח

Noah's Parsha

Ronen Keller, chairman of an Israeli prayer house, on the Noah story and activism.

פרשת בראשית

Genesis

Dr. Esti Doron on the Genesis story, in light of the historical events of the past week.