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Lech L’cha – לָךְ-לְךָ (Genesis 12:1−17:27)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Lech L’cha – לָךְ-לְךָ (Genesis 12:1−17:27)

וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִתּ֖וֹ ל֑וֹט וְאַבְרָ֗ם בֶּן־חָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּצֵאת֖וֹ מֵחָרָֽן׃
Then Avram went forth, as Adonai had instructed him, and he went forth with Lot. Avram was seventy-five years old in his going out from Haran… (Genesis 12:4)

Avram and Sarai (later renamed Abraham and Sarah), were 75 and 65 years old, respectively, when they left everything they knew behind to start a new life. Our Torah teaches us that it is never too late to take a leap of faith and go forth into the fullness of ourselves!

Parsha Lech L’cha – לָךְ-לְךָ Torah Summary:

Abram, Sarai, and Lot go to Canaan. (12:1-9) Famine takes them to Egypt, where Abram identifies Sarai as his sister in order to save his life. (12:10-20) Abram and Lot separate. Lot is taken captive, and Abram rescues him. (13:1-14:24) Abram has a son, Ishmael, with his Egyptian maidservant, Hagar. (16:1-16) God establishes a covenant with Abram. The sign of this covenant is circumcision on the eighth day following a male baby’s birth. (17:1-27) Lech L’cha – לָךְ-לְךָ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִתּ֖וֹ ל֑וֹט וְאַבְרָ֗ם בֶּן־חָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּצֵאת֖וֹ מֵחָרָֽן׃ Then Avram went forth, as Adonai had instructed him, and he went forth with Lot. Avram was seventy-five years old in his going out from Haran… (Genesis 12:4) Avram and Sarai (later renamed Abraham and Sarah), were 75 and 65 years old, respectively, when they left everything they knew behind to start a new life. Our Torah teaches us that it is never too late to take a leap of faith and go forth into the fullness of ourselves! Lech L’cha – לָךְ-לְךָ

Noach – נֹחַ (Genesis 6:9−11:32)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Noach – נֹחַ (Genesis 6:9−11:32)

וַיְהִ֥י כׇל־הָאָ֖רֶץ שָׂפָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת וּדְבָרִ֖ים אֲחָדִֽים׃
Then, the entire world was of one language, with the same words…  (Genesis 11:1)

The Tower of Babel story begins with every human on earth trying to be exactly the same. Because of this, God scatters the peoples and gives them different languages. The sin of the Tower of Babel was hegemony, meaning that God encourages us to be ourselves! If God wants to celebrate our differences, all the more so we should celebrate our differences!

Parsha Noach – נֹחַ Torah Summary:

God decides to cause a flood that will destroy the world, sparing only Noah’s family and the animals that Noah gathers together on the ark. (6:9-8:22) Life starts over again after the Flood. The Noahide Commandments are listed, and God uses a rainbow to make a symbol of the first covenant. (9:1-17) People start to build a city and the Tower of Babel. God scatters the people and gives them different languages to speak. (11:1-9) The ten generations from Noah to Abram are listed. (11:10-29:2) Noach – נֹחַ וַיְהִ֥י כׇל־הָאָ֖רֶץ שָׂפָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת וּדְבָרִ֖ים אֲחָדִֽים׃ Then, the entire world was of one language, with the same words… (Genesis 11:1) The Tower of Babel story begins with every human on earth trying to be exactly the same. Because of this, God scatters the peoples and gives them different languages. The sin of the Tower of Babel was hegemony, meaning that God encourages us to be ourselves! If God wants to celebrate our differences, all the more so we should celebrate our differences!

B’reishit – בְּרֵאשִׁית (Genesis 1:1−6:8)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: B’reishit – בְּרֵאשִׁית (Genesis 1:1−6:8)

 אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃ וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים 
Then God created the human in God’s reflection. In the divine reflection God created it, male and female, God created them. (Genesis 1:27)

On the sixth day of creation, God creates human beings in the divine image. Being made in the divine image means we are the reflection of God in the world, and have a divine responsibility to care for one another, as if we were caring for God in each of our interactions with one another.

Parsha B’reishit – בְּרֵאשִׁית Torah Summary:

God creates the world and everything in it in six days and rests on the seventh. (1:1-2:3) Adam and Eve are placed in the Garden of Eden, where they eat the forbidden fruit and are subsequently exiled. (2:15-3:24) Adam and Eve have two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain kills his brother, Abel. (4:1-24) Adam and Eve have another child named Seth. The Torah lists the ten generations from Adam to Noah. (4:25-5:32) God regrets having created human beings and decides to destroy everything on earth, but Noah finds favor with God. (6:5-6:8) B’reishit – בְּרֵאשִׁית “And God created humankind in the divine image, creating it in the image of God—creating them male and female” Genesis 1:27. God created every person in God’s image, everyone, it does not matter what ethnicity, skin color, race, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity, we are all created in God’s image. When we hurt another person, we are hurting the image of God. When we kill another person, we are diminishing the presence of God in our world. B’reishit – בְּרֵאשִׁית

Chol HaMo-eid Sukkot – חוֹל הַמֹּעֵד סֻכֹּת (Exodus 33:12–34:26)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Chol HaMo-eid Sukkot – חוֹל הַמֹּעֵד סֻכֹּת (Exodus 33:12–34:26)

Deuteronomy 31:10-11 “During the festival/holiday of Sukkot, when all Israel comes to be seen/appear before the face of your God יהוה in the place that [God] will choose,”

Three times a year, we should appear/be seen by our God. This is the love relationship we should all yearn to have with God and humanity. To be seen, to be noticed, and to realize the presence of God in every human being.

Parsha Chol HaMo-eid Sukkot – חוֹל הַמֹּעֵד סֻכֹּת Torah Summary:

On the Shabbat during Sukkot, we are reminded of the age-old desire to know God. Moses implores God to let him see God. While God will not allow Moses to see God’s face, God tells Moses, “I will make My goodness pass before you…” Perhaps we experience the divine presence through the goodness we create in the world. The Torah then sets forth the thirteen attributes of God, among them that God is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. By emulating these very attributes, we create the goodness which allows us to know God. Chol HaMo-eid Sukkot – חוֹל הַמֹּעֵד סֻכֹּת Deuteronomy 31:10-11 “During the festival/holiday of Sukkot, when all Israel comes to be seen/appear before the face of your God יהוה in the place that [God] will choose,” Three times a year, we should appear/be seen by our God. This is the love relationship we should all yearn to have with God and humanity. To be seen, to be noticed, and to realize the presence of God in every human being.

Haazinu – הַאֲזִינוּ (Deuteronomy 32:1–52)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Haazinu – הַאֲזִינוּ (Deuteronomy 32:1–52)

Deuteronomy 32:52 “You may view the land from a distance, but you shall not enter it—the land that I am giving to the Israelite people”.

Moses does not get to enter the promised land, just to look from afar.

A well-lived life is when you get to fulfill many of your goals and wishes, and still have a few more in your ‘bucket list’ when your life ends.

Parsha Haazinu – הַאֲזִינוּ Torah Summary:

Moses sings his last song, a love poem to God and a chastisement of the people, who are not worthy of Adonai. (32:1–6) The poem recounts the blessings that God has bestowed on the Israelites, the wicked deeds they have committed, and the punishments that God then inflicted upon them. (32:7–43) God tells Moses to begin his ascent of Mount Nebo, from where he will see the Land of Israel from a distance but will not be allowed to enter it. (32:45–52) Haazinu – הַאֲזִינוּ Deuteronomy 32:52 “You may view the land from a distance, but you shall not enter it—the land that I am giving to the Israelite people”. Moses does not get to enter the promised land, just to look from afar. A well-lived life is when you get to fulfill many of your goals and wishes, and still have a few more in your ‘bucket list’ when your life ends.