What might it mean if the Torah’s opening “call” is meant for each of us? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Yiscah Smith open the Book of Vayikra by exploring the meaning of God’s “calling” to Moses. Rather than seeing…
Podcast series, Pardes Parsha Podcast, Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Vayikra
What can the cycle of giving teach us about our relationship with the Divine? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Rabbi Leon Morris to explore the opening of Sefer Vayikra (Leviticus) and the relevance of the ancient sacrificial…
Podcast series, Pardes Parsha Podcast, Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Vayikra
Join Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield this week as he delves deep into the rich theological tapestry of Purim alongside Rafael Polisuk. Together, they explore the intricate messages woven into the fabric of the holiday and the profound challenges encountered by the…
Jewish calendar, Purim, Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Vayikra
So much of Sefer Vayikra (the Book of Leviticus) is steeped in concepts that are foreign to us today – the temple cult, the offering of sacrifices – that it’s de rigueur to assume we won’t understand or care very…
Podcast series, Pardes Parsha Podcast, Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Vayikra
Parashat Vayikra 5782: Calling. Listening. Giving. Description: This week, Rabbi Alex Israel discusses some of Rashi’s opening remarks to Vayikra highlighting some critical spiritual messages for our fast-paced world. Please let us know your comments and thoughts about the podcast, write…
Podcast series, Pardes Parsha Podcast, Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Vayikra
The rabbis tended to focus on the communal daily Tamid sacrifice as a spiritual model for prayer, but Vayikra puts the individual voluntary sacrifices front and center. By doing so, the Torah emphasizes the importance of choice and volunteerism in…
Podcast series, Pardes Parsha Podcast, Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Vayikra
Why is salt such an important part of the sacrifices? Salt is traditionally placed alongside the bread at our Shabbat table (Orach Chayim 167:5). The source for the Jewish practice of dipping the bread into salt comes from our parsha…
Educator resources, Meaning-making, Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Vayikra
What do we do when angels of discomfort land on our planet? What are they calling us to do and how can we respond in a way that empowers us to create a new ‘normal’ for our lives? Revealed and…
Podcast series, Pardes Parsha Podcast, Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Vayikra
Amalek’s assault on the newly-freed people of Israel looms large in our collective Biblical memory. Why did Amalek attack and why did the Torah demand that we preserve that memory forever? Please let us know your comments and thoughts about…
Podcast series, Pardes Parsha Podcast, Jewish calendar, Shabbat Zachor, Tanakh, Torah
This week’s parsha begins the third book (out of five) of the Torah. What do you think would be a good title for this particular book? Well, think of the name of one of your favorite books. Why did the…
Educator resources, Meaning-making, Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Vayikra
When you look at a book or any page of text, beyond, around, and between the print there are margins, spacing, and paragraph breaks. Why are these important? This is known as the “white space” without which the eye finds…
Educator resources, Meaning-making, Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Vayikra
The notion of sacrificial offerings was an anathema in the shaping of a modern Jewish life. These most ancient forms of divine service were understood as primitive and outmoded. To the sensibilities of modern Jews attempting to shape a modern…
Podcast series, Pardes Parsha Podcast, Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Vayikra
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