Torah Study Date Saturday, June 22, 2024 Verses Covered Exodus (Sh’mot) 23:24-23:33 Next Session Saturday, June 29, 2024 Starting at Exodus 24:1 Last week Rabbi Sara described much of what the Israelites are being commanded to do under the heading of “Don’t assimilate!” That made it somewhat easier to digest passages like the first […]
Treaty with an Angel
Torah Study Date Saturday, June 15, 2024 Verses Covered Exodus (Sh’mot) 23:18-23:23 Next Session Saturday, June 22, 2024 Starting at Exodus 23:24 Last week we discussed YHVH’s prohibition on offering the blood of my sacrifice on leavened bread and the prohibition on letting the fat of YHVH’s festival remain until morning. Commentators assume the first […]
More Mishpatim
Torah Study Date Saturday, June 8, 2024 Verses Covered Exodus (Sh’mot) 23:8-23:17 Next Session Saturday, June 15, 2024 Starting at Exodus 23:18 Last week we discussed the prohibition on oppressing the stranger or sojourner (ger) for you know the feelings (nefesh) of the stranger since you were strangers in the land of Egypt (Exodus 23:9). […]
What is Justice?
Torah Study Date Saturday, June 1, 2024 Verses Covered Exodus (Sh’mot) 23:2 – 23:8 Next Session Saturday, June 8, 2024 Starting at Exodus 23:9 Last week we returned to discussion of what “you shall be holy (kadosh)” means. R. Sara told us that it means set apart. For example, the bride and groom are set […]
Law and Compassion in Mishpatim
Torah Study Date Saturday, May 25, 2024 Verses Covered Exodus (Sh’mot) 22:25-23:1 Next Session Saturday, June 1, 2024 Starting at Exodus 23:2 Last week we had an interesting discussion about the law requiring that a garment taken as a pledge be returned before sunset. We assumed it means that, if you lend money (or an […]
How to Treat the Vulnerable
Torah Study Date Saturday, May 11, 2024 Verses Covered Exodus (Sh’mot) 22:20-24 Next Session Saturday, May 18, 2024 Starting at Exodus 22:25 Last week we discussed the prohibition, “You shall not wrong (toneh) or oppress (tilchazenu) a stranger (ger), for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:20). R. Sara explained that toneh […]
Law, Bride Price and Witches
Torah Study Date Saturday, May 4, 2024 Verses Covered Exodus (Sh’mot) 22:15-22:19 Next Session Saturday, May 11, 2024 Starting at Exodus 22:20 Last week we had a wide-ranging discussion. We discussed why all the minute laws being established are important (rather than just finicky). Rabbi Sara mentioned that the Israelites are creating a civil society. […]
Unveiling Nuance: From Kidnapping to “Eye for an Eye”
Torah Study Date Saturday, April 13, 2024 Verses Covered Exodus (Sh’mot) 21:16-21:27 Next Session Saturday, April 20, 2024 Starting at Exodus 21:28 Rabbi Sara started off by saying that this is a very difficult section of the Torah. We should keep in mind that the Torah is talking about a hierarchical society which does not […]