The last Parsha of the Book of Vayikra is one of two examples of a brief promise of good things if we obey God followed by a long dire warning of what will happen if we disobey. To us it seems strange that the Torah goes into such a lengthy litany of horrible things that will befall us. Did God…
Parsha Behukotai
Herem
Towards the end of this week’s double portion of the Torah there is a reference to the word Herem. Most people think of Herem as the Jewish equivalent of excommunication, banning someone from the community. The most famous and highly controversial example was Spinoza (1632-1677), the brilliant and ethical Dutch philosopher descended from Spanish Jews. He rejected Judaism and challenged…
Self Valuation
The book of Vayikra ends with the various ways one can make gifts to the Tabernacle, Temple. These include self-valuations. I donate my value on the open market to the Temple. Obviously some preferred to give this monetary equivalent rather than animals or birds. When new look at the Torah we might find the valuations difficult to understand. A male…