Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on April 5, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
in this week’s parshat metsora, we continue to delve in-depth into the procedure of ridding a leprous person of his eruptive affections. after reading pages and pages of how to determine whether a person is unclean and therefore off-limits to society, i was bewildered when i arrived to the conundrum of how to detect a Continue Reading »
Posted on March 31, 2011 by Barer
Inspired by Avi’s haiku project, I began writing weekly haiku’s for each parsha, which I will now share here as well as at my own blog: This week’s parsha, and next, talk in detail about the laws surrounding leprosy after briefly explaining the ritual days of impurity and purity a woman goes through immediately following Continue Reading »
Posted on March 29, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
this week’s parsha, parshat תזריע, focuses on the nitty gritty details of how the cohen diagnoses someone as unclean, either as result of some scaly infection, inflammation, or good ol’ leprosy. after analyzing the tell-tale signs on the skin, more than not, the confirmed or even suspected leprous person is sent out of the camp Continue Reading »
Posted on March 27, 2011 by David Bogomolny
Pardes Alum Ben Barer has followed Avi Strausberg‘s lead, and written a poem for the ‘Haiku Torah Project’. Check it out below: After secluding Aharon and his sons for seven days, this week’s parsha begins with the first official atoning sacrifices. Rashi, bolstered by the Re”em (sp?) note that it is not by accident that Aharon Continue Reading »
Posted on March 24, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
following the priestly induction ceremony, the cohanim are required to camp out in the tent of meeting for seven full days. they are warned to remain inside day and night, lest they come out and die. what an incredibly high-pressure, terrifying way to start a new job. this week’s parsha shmini marks the eight day Continue Reading »
Posted on March 18, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
in this week’s parsha צו (tsav), moshe, following God’s instructions, performs the ritual sacrifices and ceremony necessary to induct aharon and his sons into the priesthood. the Torah uses the same word להקריב both meaning “to induct” when referring to the cohanim (priests) as well “to offer” when referring to the animal sacrifices. strikingly, this Continue Reading »
Posted on March 10, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
parshat vayikra is basically consumed with the bloody details of offering korbanot (sacrifices) and sin-offerings to God. throughout all the different variations of how we may sin and what we need to do to be forgiven, over and over, we’re instructed to lay our hands upon the animal to be sacrificed directly before its Continue Reading »
Posted on March 8, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
in the beginning of sefer shmot, בני ישראל did not yet know their God. when God recruits moshe to make the initial introduction between He and the people, God first must tell moshe by what name He can be called before moshe is even willing to make this giant leap. sefer shmot is the book Continue Reading »
Posted on March 1, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
in this week’s parsha, פקודי, the משכן is finally built. thanks to the work of bezalel and his team of craftsmen, the tabernacle, the priestly clothing, and all of their accoutrements are constructed exactly as God commanded through moshe. God then instructs moshe to set up the משכן on the 1st of the 1st month, Continue Reading »
Posted on February 23, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
when i first read this week’s parsha, in which the תרומה (gifts offered to God) and the building of the משכן (tabernacle) is detailed, i experienced a sense of de-ja-vue in their descriptions. i thought, i’ve literally just read all of these same words about how the skilled should offer their services, these vessels will Continue Reading »
