Parashat Bereshit (Genesis): Teachings by Joseph Shulam
These are dark days in Israel, yes, Dark days, but we are waiting for the sun to shine again over the land of Israel, the Land that God Himself gave to Abraham and to his seed as an everlasting inheritance.
Parashat Acharei Mot - Kedoshim: Teachings by Joseph Shulam
This week we have a double Torah Portion to read and study. We read from Acharei Mot and Kedoshim. It is an interesting combination of Torah Portion names.
Last Shabbat we finished the book of Leviticus and this Shabbat we are starting the book of Numbers. The logical name of this book comes from the Greek translation of the Torah, the Septuagint (The LXX = 70).
Parashat Behar-Bechukotai: Teachings by Joseph Shulam
On Wednesday, May 10, in 70 A.D.,the Roman Legion X(Ten), Fratensis, entered Jerusalem singing their hymn. It was the Roman legion that destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in Jerusalem.
This is one of these great Sabbath readings from the Torah – the Portion of the Torah is called Beshalach and the special name of this special Shabbat is Shabbat Shirah, the Sabbath of the Song of Moses.
This Shabbat we will be reading from the Torah portion called in Hebrew “Chayei Sarah” (“the life of Sarah”). We will read from Genesis 23:1-25:18, and from the prophets (the Haftarah) we read from 1 Kings 1:1-31.
When we brought the Torah Scroll out from our iron, two tone safe, in the last few Sabbaths, it was clear that were approaching the end of our reading cycle of the Torah.
The State of Israel needs your prayers urgently! The second temple was destroyed by Rome not because the Romans were so strong, and they were strong. The temple was destroyed because the God of Israel allowed it to be destroyed.
The portion that this Shabbat will be read in the synagogues is called Miketz, the reading is from Genesis 41:1-44:17. This portion has one of the most dramatic scenes in the whole Bible.
This Shabbat we start the reading from Exodus. The first Torah portion from the book of Exodus in Hebrew it is called Shemot. Shemot in Hebrew means “the names”. This name is based on the first words of the book of Exodus.
The Torah portion this week is actually the only time of the year that I write about donations and financial support. I am not begging and have never begged from brothers and sisters around the world to give money to Netivyah.
This Sabbath the reading of the Torah is called “Toldot” (“history” or “genealogy”). There is also evidence that in the synagogues in the land of Israel they also read from the prophets.
We are reading the second portion of the book of Leviticus and the name of this portion in Hebrew is TZAV - Leviticus 6:8 - 8:36. From the prophets the reading is Jeremiah 7:21 – 8:3, and 9:23-24.
Reading the book of Genesis is always a wonderful and a challenging experience. Every time that I read any part of the Word of God I am challenged, and I always learn something new.
This week’s Torah portion brings us to a change of the central characters of the Torah. Up to now the patriarchs were the main characters: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their whole family.
This Shabbat our readings is from Genesis 44:18-47:27, and from the prophets (the Haftarah) we will be reading from Ezekiel 37:15-28. From the New Testament the reading will be from Acts 7:6-15.
It seems like Israel is on a self-destruct course, full speed ahead. There are laws that are being proposed in the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) that neutralize the Supreme Court of Israel.
This Shabbat, the reading is from the portion called Vayishlach (“sent messengers”), Genesis 32:3-36:43. This Torah portion is the meeting, after many years, between Esau and Jacob his brother.
The Middle East has much more than one problem and in the last few days the world has seen the forces of nature showing their power with vengeance in East Turkey and North West Syria.
This week the Torah reading is one of my favorites from the whole Torah. The reason it is one of my favorite Torah readings is because it has just about every type of narrative you can imagine.
The Torah reading this Shabbat is Vaera (Exodus 6:2-9:35). From the prophets the reading is from Ezekiel 28:25-29:21. From the New Testament the reading is from Romans 9:14-33.
Last week we finished reading the book of Numbers, and this Shabbat we will start the reading with the book of Deuteronomy, the last book of the Pentateuch (The five books of the Torah).
The reading from the Torah, the Prophets (The Haftarah) and the New Testament, this Shabbat, are from Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19, and from the prophets, Isaiah 54:1-10, and from the Gospel, Matthew 24:29-42.
The reading of this next Shabbat is named Ki Tavo, from the Torah we read from Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8. From the Prophets (The Haftarah) is from Isaiah 60:1-22 and from the Gospel we read from Matthew 4:13-24.
Parashat Shelach Lecha: Teachings by Joseph Shulam
The Torah portion that we’re going to be talking about today is probably one of the most interesting and more challenging Torah portions in the whole five books of Moses.
This Shabbat we will be reading Behaalotecha, Numbers 8:1-12:16, the haftarah from the prophets Zechariah 2:10 – 4:7, and from the New Testament we read Luke 10:1-24.
This week, the Jewish Synagogues around the world will be reading a portion that in Hebrew is called Shoftim, and translates as Judges. The reading is from Deuteronomy 16:18 – 21:9.
This week we will read a double portion from the Torah. The reading will be from the portions called Chukat and Balak: Numbers 19:1-22:1, and for Balak the reading is from Numbers 22:2 – 25:9.
There is a difference in the Torah and Haftaroth readings between the land of Israel and the Diaspora (The Exile – i.e., outside of the land of Israel.).
We’re covering the whole five books of Moses, from Genesis all the way to the end of Deuteronomy, which is what is read in the synagogues year after year.
Israel is being attacked today from Gaza, including rockets being shot toward Jerusalem and the surrounding hills, including Mevasseret Zion where we live.
