January 29, 2012

Torah Online

February 2012

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B’shalach – Shabbat, February 4, 2012/11 Sh’vat 5772

God leads the Israelites by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Pharaoh has a change of heart, pursuing them with his army. God parts the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross, and closes it back over the Egyptians. Having miraculously escaped the Egyptians, Moses and Miriam lead the Israelites in songs of praise to God. The people continue on their journey for three days without water, causing them great distress and complaining. God provides them with water; they then complain about the lack of food. God provides them with quail in the evening and manna in the morning dew. They are instructed to gather a double portion of manna on the 6th day so that they can rest on the seventh day. This does not quell their complaining, so God instructs Moses to strike a rock with his staff, and water flows forth. Amalek and his people attack Israel, and Joshua leads the Israelite forces against them. With the help of Aaron and Hur, Moses raises his hands and the Israelites are victorious. God instructs Moses to remember Amalek as Israel’s eternal enemy.


Yitro - Shabbat, February 11, 2012/18 Sh’vat 5772

Jethro (Yitro), Moses’ father-in-law (a Midianite priest himself), brings Moses’ wife and two children to where Moses and the Israelites are encamped in the desert. Jethro praises God for all that God has done for the Israelites. Before returning to Midian, Jethro advises Moses to delegate his judicial duties, which Moses heeds. The Israelites then enter the wilderness of Sinai and set up camp at the base of Mount Sinai. God tells the people, through Moses, that if they keep God’s covenant, they will be a holy nation to God, God’s treasured possession. They respond, affirming that they will do all that God has spoken. The people are instructed to prepare themselves for three days, following which God appears to them in a cloud of smoke and fire on the mountain. From this cloud, God proclaims 10 utterances (The 10 commandments!). The people are awe-struck by hearing God’s voice and back away from the mountain. They ask Moses to be God’s spokesperson instead. God tells Moses to remind the people that they themselves heard God speak, and commands them to make an altar to bring sacrifices.


Mishpatim – Shabbat, February 18, 2012/25 Sh’vat 5772

While the people remain at a distance, God proclaims (through Moses) a series of laws related to slavery and to injuries, to crimes that are punishable by death, and regarding injuries to person and property. Some laws relate to the fair use or misuse of property, which requires payment of compensation to the owner of the property. There are also laws regarding proper moral conduct. God proclaims laws related to ritual and festival observances – the Shabbat, the observance of the three Festivals (Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot), and the prohibition of boiling a kid [goat] in its mother’s milk. God promises to drive out everyone in the land the Israelites are to occupy to keep them from becoming tempted to worship the gods of other nations. Moses leads the people in making a burnt offering to God. The people are repeatedly reminded of their obligation to observe these laws, a reflection and reminder of the fact that they ‘were strangers in the land of Egypt.’ Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons Nadav and Avihu, along with the 70 elders of Israel ascend the mountain to see the glory of God. God tells Moses to go all the way up to receive the stone tablets inscribed with the commandments. Moses ascends the mountain and remains there for forty days and forty nights.

In addition, on this Shabbat, we mark Shabbat Shekalim, where we additionally read Exodus 30:11-16 in preparation for Purim. This section of Torah requests each adult male Jew contribute half of a Biblical shekel for the upkeep of the Tent of Meeting. This Shabbat takes place on the Shabbat before the 1st of the Hebrew calendar month of Adar, or on the 1st of Adar itself if it falls on Shabbat, just prior to Purim. The reading describes a census of the Jewish People which was taken while the Jews were in the Wilderness, after their Exodus from Egypt. The Torah, here and in other places, teaches that it is forbidden to count Jews in the ordinary manner; rather, the people should be called upon to contribute items, which would then be counted. In the case of this census, the item which was contributed, by rich and poor alike, was a half shekel (coin). Shabbat Shekalim therefore recalls the time of Purim, which was also a time of Divine scrutiny and judgment for the Jewish People.


Terumah – Shabbat, February 25, 2012/ 2 Adar 5772

God instructs Moses regarding the construction of a desert sanctuary. God tells Moses to accept gifts from the Israelites, to be given as their hearts so move them, which are to be used in the construction of this sanctuary so that God may dwell among the people. God provides Moses with the instructions for the building of this sanctuary (Ohel Moeid), which is to include an ark to contain the stone tablets of the commandments. The entire structure is designed to be portable, moving with them through the desert. It includes a description and instruction for building the furnishings of this sanctuary, including a special lampstand.