moon

“Celebrating the Month of Nissan”
(updated and revised from Vayakhel-Pekudei 5764-2004)

The Jewish month of Nissan, the first month that was celebrated by the Israelites after the birth of the Jewish nation, is heralded each year by an additional reading from the Torah on Shabbat HaChodesh. This special Shabbat serves as a reminder for the Jewish people that G-d grants His people solace in times of grief, support in the face of challenge, and light in the darkest of hours. The month of Nissan signals that redemption and renewal are at hand, and will soon blossom forth.

“Can a Perfect G-d Sin?”
(Updated and revised from Pinchas 5763-2003)

In the long list of sacrifices that appears in parashat Pinchas, we learn of the sin offering that is brought on Rosh Chodesh, the new moon sacrifice. In Numbers 28:15, the Torah instructs the priest to bring one he-goat "for a sin offering unto the L-rd." However, the Hebrew “l’cha’taht la’Hashem” really means “a sin offering for G-d.” The Talmud in Chullin 60b, suggests that each month a sin offering is brought for G-d as atonement for G-d's “sin” of reducing the size of the moon. There is much to learn from G-d’s “sin offering.”

"Pardes--the Four Levels of Understanding Torah"

The weekly parasha, Bereishith, marks the renewal of the Torah reading cycle and exposes the true depths of understanding that is to be found in the study of Torah. To say that it contains a "paradise" of knowledge and understanding that is replete with Divine sparks of wisdom is in no way an exaggeration or hyperbole.

"Celebrating the Month of Nisan"

The Jewish month of Nisan, the first month that was celebrated by Israel after the birth of the Jewish nation, is heralded each year by an additional reading from the Torah on Shabbat HaChodesh. This special Shabbat serves as a reminder to Jews that G-d grants His people solace in times of grief, support in the face of challenge, and light in the darkest of hours. The month of Nisan signals that redemption and renewal are in the air.

"Can a Perfect G-d Sin?"

In the long list of sacrifices that appears in parashat Pinchas, we learn of the sin offering that is brought on Rosh Chodesh, the new moon sacrifice. In Numbers 28:15, the Torah instructs the priest to bring one he-goat "for a sin offering unto the Lord." However, the Hebrew "l'cha'taht la'Hashem" really means "a sin offering for G-d." The Talmud in Chullin 60b suggests that each month a sin offering is brought for G-d as an atonement for G-d's "sin" of reducing the size of the moon. There is much to learn from G-d's "sin offering."