sabbath

“Shabbat as a Priority in Jewish Life”
(updated and revised from Kee Tisah 5765-2005)

In the middle of the Torah portions that deals with building the Tabernacle and the sin of the Golden Calf, the Torah, unexpectedly, reaffirms the sanctity of the Sabbath day. From this, our rabbis deduce that Shabbat is a foremost priority that supersedes even the building of the Tabernacle, the Mishkan. This same overriding principle profoundly impacts on Jewish life in contemporary times.

“Judaism Sanctifies Time, Not Space”
(Updated and revised from Vayakhel-Pekudei 5761-2001)

Unexpectedly, in the midst of the Torah’s plans for the construction of the Tabernacle, the Torah in parashat Vayakhel exhorts the Jewish people to observe the Sabbath. While the Tabernacle and the Temple were sacred spaces, far more important is the sanctity of time. Lost land, earth or space, can often be recovered. But time that passes, can never be recovered. Time is truly sacred.

"The Preeminence of Shabbat"

Smack in the middle of the Torah portions dealing extensively with the building of the Tabernacle, the Torah boldly exhorts the people to observe the Sabbath day. What is the relationship between Shabbat and the building of the Temple and Tabernacle?

"The Ten Commandments: The Differences"

The fact that there are two versions of the Ten Commandments in the Torah with slight differences in the texts raises significant questions. These questions are confronted head-on by the incredibly intellectually honest approach of Jewish scholarship. This educational legacy of Judaism, which encourages students to constantly search for truth, has shaped young Jewish minds for millennia, resulting in unparalleled intellectual achievements.

"The Message of the Rainbow"

What is the origin of the rainbow that the Al-mighty showed the survivors of the Great Flood? What is the symbolic meaning of this beautiful natural phenomenon?

"Shabbat as a Priority in Jewish Life"

In the middle of the Torah portions that deals with building the Tabernacle and the sin of the Golden Calf, the Torah unexpectedly reaffirms the sanctity of the Sabbath day. From this, our rabbis deduce that Shabbat is a foremost priority that supercedes even the building of the Tabernacle, the Mishkan. This same overriding principle profoundly impacts on Jewish life in contemporary times.

"Jews Sanctify Time, Not Space"

Unexpectedly, in the middle of the plans for the construction of the Tabernacle, the Torah in parashat Vayakhel exhorts the Jewish people to observe the Sabbath. While the Tabernacle and the Temple were sacred spaces, far more important was the sanctity of time. If we lose or forfeit space, land or earth, they can often be recovered. But time that passes can never be recovered. Time is truly Israel.