Bible

Summary of the Book of Ruth

The Book of Ruth is one of five megillahs that are part of Ketuvim, or Writings, the last third of ...

Parashat Behar-Bechukotai: The Dark Side of Torah Ethics

Engaging with difficult passages in the Torah requires sitting with complexity and tension.

Parashat Emor: Sacred Time, Sacred Connections

An unusual juxtaposition in this Torah portion highlights an oft-overlooked piece of observing the major festivals.

Parashat Tzav: Bread in Abundance

Why does the Torah require that a gratitude offering be accompanied by loads of bread?

Parashat Vayikra: I Give, Therefore I Love

This Torah portion teaches that it’s better to give than receive.

Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei: Our Bodies, Our Holiness

This Torah portion teaches that holiness is not meant to suppress our physicality, but to elevate it.

Parashat Tetzaveh: Pinterest for Priests

The Torah’s elaborate description of the priestly vestments reminds us that clothing has the power to change how we feel.

Parashat Terumah: Hidden Gifts

In building a sanctuary in the wilderness, God calls on the Israelites to contribute the gifts they don’t even know they have.

Parashat Mishpatim: Overcoming Victimhood

This Torah portion offers a vital ethical message for a people who have suffered centuries of oppression.

Parashat Yitro: On Leadership and Family

In a Torah portion long understood to be a lesson in leadership, we are led to believe Moses all but ignored those closest to him.

Parashat Beshalach: Sustaining Creation Through Song

Why the creation of the Jewish nation in Parashat Beshalach was marked by singing praises to God.

Parashat Bo: The Miracle of Mixed Multitudes

Parashat Bo reminds us of the beautiful world that can be built in an instant, even after destruction and heartache.