Category: Sefer Vayikra / Book of Leviticus

Elevating the Matriarchs, and the Women, in Judaism

Elevating the Matriarchs is important. Rabbi Goodman encourages this with a midrash on Parashat Shemini, urging that representation matters.

Rabbi Mark Asher Goodman December 6, 2023 Inclusion Learning

Humanity: The Incurable Illness

The haftarah for Bechukotai is from the book of Jeremiah and discusses two words, Eikev and Enosh, and what these words mean.

Bex Stern Rosenblatt, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 28, 2023 Parashat Bechukotai Parashat Bechukotai Haftarah

Study Guide: The Vessel of Blessings

The study guide for Bechukotai explores how "peace" is used in this week's parashah, as well as the commentary surrounding this.

Vered Hollander-Goldfarb, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 28, 2023 Parashat Bechukotai Parashat Bechukotai Study Guide

Showered in Blessing

Parashat Bechukotai consists of a litany of blessings and curses that will befall the Jewish people depending on whether or not we obey God.

Ilana Kurshan, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 28, 2023 Parashat Bechukotai Parashat Bechukotai Dvar Torah

Words Don’t Reach

Jeremiah tends to find himself left speechless as he is our prophet through the destruction of Judah, Jerusalem, and the First Temple.

Bex Stern Rosenblatt, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 26, 2023 Parashat Behar Parashat Behar Haftarah

Study Guide: For the Land is Mine

The study guide for Behar focuses on the concept of Shmitah, the rest year, and the language used to refer to it.

Vered Hollander-Goldfarb, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 26, 2023 Parashat Behar Parashat Behar Study Guide

Given Over to the Heart

While this week's parashah mainly focuses on shmitah, this Dvar Torah explores a line in the parashah, focusing on how to treat others.

Ilana Kurshan, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 26, 2023 Parashat Behar Parashat Behar Dvar Torah

Working Behind the Scene

Our haftarah expands on the parasha, limiting priestly work in the mikdash to only the descendants of Zadok.

Bex Stern Rosenblatt, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 25, 2023 Parashat Emor Parashat Emor Haftarah

Study Guide: Sticks and Stones?

This week's study guide focuses on the curse of a person accused of violence. Discuss blasphemy versus blessing in this context.

Vered Hollander-Goldfarb, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 25, 2023 Parashat Emor Parashat Emor Study Guide

Among the Bearded Barley

Parshat Emor describes the Omer offering must be brought on the “day after the Sabbath," the second day of the Passover holiday.

Ilana Kurshan, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 25, 2023 Parashat Emor Parashat Emor Dvar Torah

Perspective

Our haftarah starts bold and bloody, and connects the destruction in Amos to the destruction in the story of Noah and the flood.

Bex Stern Rosenblatt, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 19, 2023 Parashat Kedoshim Parashat Kedoshim Haftarah

Study Guide: Plugging of the Loophole

The study guide for Kedoshim synthesizes Rashi, Rashbam, and Ramban to discuss a text from Vayikra about holiness.

Vered Hollander-Goldfarb, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 19, 2023 Parashat Kedoshim Parashat Kedoshim Study Guide

How Old Is Old?

Public buses in Israel feature a sign that quotes from a verse in this week’s parashah: “You shall rise before the aged'' (Leviticus 19:32).

Ilana Kurshan, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 19, 2023 Parashat Kedoshim Parashat Kedoshim Dvar Torah

I Need Your Sacrifices After All

This week’s parashah contains God’s instructions to Moshe concerning Aaron’s entrance into the Holy of Holies to achieve atonement.

Ilana Kurshan, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 17, 2023 Parashat Acharei Mot Parashat Acharei Mot Dvar Torah

Parashat Acharei Mot Study Guide: Biblical Sartyrs

Study Guide: Biblical Satyrs

This study guide follows the word "se'irim," meaning sartyrs, through multiple biblical texts, tying this in with Ibn Ezra's commentary.

Vered Hollander-Goldfarb, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 17, 2023 Parashat Acharei Mot Parashat Acharei Mot Study Guide

Fathers

This week, we read 1 Samuel 20, the story of Jonathan helping David escape from King Saul, in conjunction with Parashat Achrei Mot.

Bex Stern Rosenblatt, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 17, 2023 Parashat Acharei Mot Parashat Acharei Mot Haftarah

Zealous Duo

This final Shabbat before Pesach, Shabbat HaGadol, our haftarah positions us, juxtaposing Moses with the future coming of Elijah.

Bex Stern Rosenblatt, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 16, 2023 Parashat Metzora Parashat Metzora Haftarah

Study Guide: When Walls Speak

The study guide for this week's parashah, Meztora, discusses the impact that tzaraat has on the physical objects it touches.

Vered Hollander-Goldfarb, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 16, 2023 Parashat Metzora Parashat Metzora Study Guide

One Mouth Per Person

The dangers of inappropriate speech are connected to the parashah, Metzora, the person stricken with leprosy.

Ilana Kurshan, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva April 16, 2023 Parashat Metzora Parashat Metzora Dvar Torah

Finding a Prince Charming

This week's haftarah, from the book of Ezekiel, discusses the changing power structures and leadership in the changing times of Israel.

Bex Stern Rosenblatt, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva March 29, 2023 Parashat Tazria Parashat Tazria Haftarah

Study Guide: A Wonder Is Born

The study guide for Tazria focuses on pregnancy and childbirth and the outcomes of purity versus impurity derived from this.

Vered Hollander-Goldfarb, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva March 29, 2023 Parashat Tazria Parashat Tazria Study Guide

Far From the Tree

Tazria takes its name from conception and childbirth. Ilana Kurshan connects this to bearing fruit, both literally and metaphorically.

Ilana Kurshan, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva March 29, 2023 Parashat Tazria Parashat Tazria Dvar Torah

On Shame

Connected Parashat Shemini's Haftarah, in Ezekiel, Bex Stern Rosenblatt explores the intersection of shame, guilt, and embarrassment.

Bex Stern Rosenblatt, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva March 26, 2023 Parashat Shemini Parashat Shemini Haftarah

Study Guide: Why Did They Die?

This week's study guide focuses on Nadav and Avihu, Aaron's sons, bringing "foreign flames" to give an offering to God.

Vered Hollander-Goldfarb, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva March 26, 2023 Parashat Shemini Parashat Shemini Study Guide

Keeping Our Cool

When we lash out angrily at others, it is not really we who are speaking, but the evil inclination that takes control of us from ...

Ilana Kurshan, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva March 26, 2023 Parashat Shemini Parashat Shemini Dvar Torah

Unwanted Offerings

This week's haftarah explores human sacrifice. While the Tanakh seems to be mixed about it, God may command human sacrifice in this haftarah.

Bex Stern Rosenblatt, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva March 19, 2023 Parashat Tzav Parashat Tzav Haftarah

Study Guide: A Fraught Appointment

This week's study guide focuses on the consecration of Aaron and his sons and Kohanim and what that means.

Vered Hollander-Goldfarb, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva March 19, 2023 Parashat Tzav Parashat Tzav Study Guide

The Perpetual Flame

Parashat Tzav teaches us that in those moments when we don’t feel we have anything to offer, we offer nonetheless.

Ilana Kurshan, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva March 19, 2023 Parashat Tzav Parashat Tzav Dvar Torah

Study Guide: Treachery by Mistake

This week's study guide focuses on two words, ma'al and me'ilah, and what it means, both literally and in terms of this week's parashah.

Vered Hollander-Goldfarb, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva February 28, 2023 Parashat Vayikra Parashat Vayikra Study Guide

Moshe, Hillel, and Frederick the Mouse

At start of Leviticus, the Mishkan becomes the domain of Aaron and the priests, who are responsible for the system of sacrificial worship.

Ilana Kurshan, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva February 28, 2023 Parashat Vayikra Parashat Vayikra Dvar Torah

Can God Change?

Can God change? Is the essence of eternity and divinity to never change or to be constantly evolving? Is change a human quality?

Bex Stern Rosenblatt, Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center — Conservative Yeshiva January 29, 2023 Parashat Vayikra Parashat Vayikra Haftarah