Congregation Beth Mordecai
Congregation Beth Mordecai
An inclusive congregation affiliated with the Conservative Movement.
Your Jewish Home for the Soul!
An inclusive congregation affiliated with the Conservative Movement.
Your Jewish Home for the Soul!
July 22, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Mattot 2014/5774 (Triennial 1): Insights on the Road to War
Much of our attention this week is focused on the situation in Israel and the Gaza strip. As Israeli troops enter Gaza to protect the Israeli people from Kassam rockets, we read in this week's Torah portion (Mattot) of a different war, this one between the Israelites and the Midianites (Numbers Chapter 31). Are there any insights from this week's reading that will help us understand the issues of war and provide some insight on the challenges facing Israeli troops as they enter this conflict? Join us for this timely lesson!
Photo taken from Wikipedia -- http://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Portal:Bible/Featured_article/2008
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : family Gaza Hamas IDF israel Midianites Moabites online learning online parashah class war
July 18, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Korah 2014/5774 (Triennial I) Israel: The Only Land of Milk and Honey
Today's learning will be for the sake of adding the light of Torah to the efforts undertaken to safely bring home Naftali Fraenkel, Eyal Yifrah, and Gilad Shaar.
In this week's Torah portion, the rebellious Korah challenges Moses by saying "Is it not enough that you brought us from a land flowing with milk and honey (i.e. Egypt) to have us die in the wilderness?" (Numbers 16:13). But isn't Israel the only land of milk and honey? We'll investigate how the Panim Yafot (an 18th Century rabbi from Poland & Germany)[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Uncategorized Tag : honey israel korach korah milk online learning online parashah class panim yafot terrorism קרח
June 13, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Sh’lah L’kha: The Religious Value of Doubting What You See and Desire
In this week’s Torah portion we read the stories of twelve leaders of Israel who are commanded to “spy” (la-tur) the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:2). Yet at the end of the Torah portion, the root t-u-r that was used earlier for the positive command “to spy” is used here as the negative command for the Israelites to “not follow (v’lo taturu) what they feel in their hearts and what they see with their eyes (Numbers 15:39). What can we learn from the juxtaposition of different meanings for this same root? Why[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : desire doubt eyes God heart online learning online parashah class rashbam rashi see shelach lecha shelach lekha shelah lekha shelakh lekha sotah spies talmud tzitzit weekly torah portion
June 6, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat B'ha-alot'khah 2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- Does God Need Light?
At the beginning of this week's Torah portion, we learn how the Israelites (and particularly the Levites) are instructed to light the m'norah in the Temple. But why is that light there? Do the people need the light to see in the Temple? Or does God need the light of the people? Or is there another purpose to this light altogether! Come join us for this fascinating conversation about the usage of light in our sacred spaces.
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : b'ha-alot'khah behaalotecha candles God light m'norah menorah online learning online parashah class parasha parsha rabeinu bachya rashi weekly torah portion בהעלותך
May 23, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat B'midbar 2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- Size Doesn't Matter
In this week's Torah portion we read how the Tent of the Meeting is the place for Israel to gather and the place to house God's Presence in their journey through the desert. But how can one small place contain so many people and so much glory? It seems too small! Yet, there are other places in the Bible where "what is less is able to contain what is more." Can this teach us about the importance of "size" in the Bible, especially given the small size and great impact of the Jewish people? Is it possible that when it comes to things that[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : b'midbar bamidbar chosen people numbers online learning online parashah class parashah parsha parshah size tent of meeting weekly torah portion במדבר
May 16, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat B'hukkotai 2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- Is The Earth At Fault
We normally think of the earth and all it contains as being some of the most beautiful creations of God. Throughout the Torah, the earth is laid to waste when humans commit sins, a trope that has become very popular today in environmentalist circles. But is it possible that according to our Torah portion today, Parashat B'hukkotai, the blame for human transgression should not be laid solely at the feet of humanity? Should the earth bear some responsibility for the transgressions that lay it bare? Check out today's class for this fascinating conversation!
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : abundance earth environmentalism human impact human nature k'li yakar keli yakar keli yaqar online learning online parashah class parasha parsha parshah torah weekly torah portion בחוקותי
May 9, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat B'har 2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- What's a Jubilee?
In this week's Torah portion we read about the "yoveil," the commemoration of the Jubilee every 50 years. But what is a Jubilee? Where does the term come from and what is it all about? Join us as we discuss the physical and spiritual qualities of the Jubilee and its message for our day.
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : b'har behar blasts d'ror jubilee liberty online learning online parashah class parsha parshat Rosh Hashanah shofar yoveil בהר דרור יובל שופר תרועה
May 2, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Emor Triennial I (2014/5774) -- A Disabled Priest?
This week's Torah portion, Parashat Emor, we learn that any priest who has a "defect" is not allowed to participate in the sacrificial offerings (Lev 21:17). Can we learn anything from this verse on the Torah's treatment of people with disabilities, including how they can participate in our communities? Join us for this important conversation!
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : emor online learning online parashah class parashah parsha parshat אמור
April 18, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Shabbat Hol Ha-Moed Passover 2014/5774: Time for a Festival In the portion for this Shabbat of Hol Ha-Moed Passover, we read the term "moed" as it refers to the holiday of Passover...or as it refers to the time of Aviv (Spring). So which is it? Does "moed" mean "festival" or "time"? We will explore this question as it will help us understand the unique qualities of Jewish festivals like Passover and how these holidays have special significance for us today. Classes from other years...Shabbat Hol Ha-Moed Passover 2013/5773 -- Keeping Shabbat in Passover
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Uncategorized Tag : akitu bounty chizkuni ear festival food grain grateful harvest hizkuni hol hamoed joy keter yonatan moed online learning online parashah class passover shabbat time חזקוני כתר יונתן מועד עת פסח
April 11, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Triennial I (2014/5774): There Is No Earlier and There Is No Later in Torah
The first words of our Torah portion begin with the words "aharei mot sh'nei b'nei aharon -- after the deaths of Aaron's sons." Yet the demise of Aaron's sons, Nadav and Avihu, happened three Torah portions earlier in Parashat Sh'mini, so why does the Torah have to teach us that our Torah portion occurs after their death! One explanation is that this proves that there is no earlier (past) or later (present) when it comes to the chronology of events as it is written in the Torah. During today's class we will explore this explanation to try to understand it's implications for the meaning of Torah -- should[...]
Category : home Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : chronology exegesis future history ibn ezra online learning online parashah class or hachayim or hahayyim past rashi torah