Parahat Korach

       Did it ever happen to you, that you felt jealous of someone else’s success?  Did a thought ever cross your mind:   Why did he or she get it and not me? Did you ever have a sharp criticism of how he or she does things, and thought that you probably would have done […]

Parshat Sh’lach l’cha

Parshat Sh’lach l’cha Complaints come in all kinds of shapes.  “If only I were …” or I should have … “ It comes from a perspective that focuses on what is missing, who sees what has not been done, and diminishes what has been done.  It shrinks and prevents the flow and expansion of energy. […]

Parshal B’ha’aloteycha

  The portion of the week Be’haloteycha opens with reference to light (,אור in Hebrew,  ‘or’) Speak to Aharon and tell him, raise the candles onto the front of menorah, let the seven candles cast their light.  (Bamidbar, 8, 1-3) And it ends with a reference to the skin (עור, also ‘or’ in Hebrew) “And […]

Parshat Naso

  Parshat Naso    The narrative of SOTA – the perverted woman — which is at the center of NASO portion reading of the week, is one of the most disturbing stories for the modern reader, especially in our era where the issue of the status of women is uniquely sensitive.    The gist of […]

Parshat Bamidbar

  Parshat Bamidbar Finally, we return to the narrative that was halted in the Book of Exodus. We return to the story — Returning to the journey, on the way to the Promised Land. But wait!    What’s going on here? It is very difficult to locate a thread of a story. The episode begins with: […]

Parshat Behar

Parshat Behar   To lead or to be lead? The portion of “Be’har” which is read together with “B’chukotai” discusses two important issues: The year of the sh’mita (to let the land rest, to let go its agricultural cultivation, to give it freedom every 7 years) And the Yovel — the Jubilee year (freeing all […]

Parshat Aharey Mot-Kedoshim

      The portion describes, among other things, a shamanic ceremony of choosing two goats: One of them takes on the role of bearing the sins of the people and is sent to the wilderness; the other is offered as a sacrifice to God.    Before you continue reading, I suggest you stop for a […]

Parshat Tazria-Metsorah

      The Tazria-Metsorah portion of the week is particularly challenging.      It describes situations in which a person is prevented from entering the tabernacle / holy place for a certain period of time.      The two portions focus on a large system of shamanic rituals, with a specific purification ritual for each case that […]

Parshat Shemini

  His heart was pounding fast; the first time is always exciting. The situation stressed him out a little. He was fully present, and followed exactly the instructions, with complete intention and without distractions —   and yet he did not succeed. He tried again and nothing happened. Then, it seemed to him that he heard […]

Parshat Tzav and the burning Bush

  Dedicated to my father’s Yartzite   Parashat Tzav describes the ordination ceremony of Aharon and his sons to the office of priesthood, and their anointing with the anointing oil before their first appearance as priests before the people and the precise instructions they must observe regarding each type of sacrifice: “Olah”-ascendant, “Chatat”-sin, “Asham”-guilt, “Shleymim”- […]