Light of Torah
Blessed are your comings and your goings
In this reflection we explore rabbinic thought patterns and the insights of Jewish commentators concerning a single verse of Scripture:...
weekly insights
Light of Torah
- Sep 9
- 3 min
Concern for the Bride
In Deuteronomy 21-24 we come across a number of laws that reflect a concern for the welfare of women. For example: “When a man has taken...
63 views
Light of Torah
- Sep 1
- 3 min
An Unsolved Homicide
“If, in the land that the LORD your God is assigning you to possess, someone slain is found lying in the open, the identity of the slayer...
47 views
Light of Torah
- Aug 25
- 3 min
How Do You Tell a True Prophet from a False one?
“If prophets or those who divine by dreams appear among you and promise you omens or portents, and the omens or the portents declared by...
44 views
Light of Torah
- Aug 18
- 3 min
Gifts and Temptations
In the Torah (Old/First Testament) we find repeated instances of the Israelites being warned to ‘remember’ and ‘observe;’ that is, to...
49 views
Light of Torah
- Aug 11
- 3 min
Listen, Israel!
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 is a passage that finds a central place in Jewish liturgy. The first verse constitutes a Jewish credal statement, known...
53 views
Light of Torah
- Aug 5
- 3 min
To Fight or Not to Fight?
The opening verse of Deuteronomy reads, “These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel . . .” Words. What ‘words’? These are the...
50 views
Light of Torah
- Jul 29
- 3 min
Life ... A Journey of Many Steps
“These were the marches of the Israelites…” Thus begins Numbers 33. This chapter reviews the travels of the Israelites from their...
57 views
Light of Torah
- Jul 22
- 3 min
Stepping down. Moving Aside. Moses' Leadership Struggles
In Numbers 27, the Israelites are close to entering the promised land. God prepares Moses for his death, reminding him that he is not to...
56 views
Light of Torah
- Jul 15
- 3 min
The Lord opened the mouth of the Donkey...
Numbers 22-24 tells the story of a pagan king (Balak) who commissions a magician (Balaam) to curse the people of Israel. Despite his best...
42 views
Light of Torah
- Jul 8
- 3 min
Why was Moses Excluded from the Promised Land?
In the Israelites’ wilderness journey, Moses and his two siblings, Aaron and Miriam, play a critical leadership role. The Book of Numbers...
53 views
Light of Torah
- Jul 2
- 1 min
Christian-Jewish Relations - the Journey Continues
Tomorrow, in Australia, Catholics enter the Second Assembly of the Plenary Council (3-9 July 2022). It is a significant period of...
83 views
Light of Torah
- Jun 23
- 3 min
What was the sin of the spies?
The story of the scouts (or ‘spies’) in the book of Numbers (13:1-14:45) provides intriguing insights into the workings of community, of...
60 views
Light of Torah
- Jun 17
- 3 min
Spirit-filled prophets? Or just a couple of trouble-makers?
In order to assist Moses in the heavy task of leadership, the Lord instructs him (in Numbers 11:16-30) to gather seventy elders around...
50 views
Light of Torah
- Jun 3
- 1 min
A Conversation: Shavuot & Pentecost
Enjoy this video conversation between Jewish Educator Abe Schwarz and Catholic Scripture scholar Professor Mary Coloe pbvm, as they talk...
45 views
Light of Torah
- Jun 3
- 5 min
Shavuot . . . . Pentecost
This weekend, at sundown on 4 June 2022, Jewish communities commence the Jewish festival of Shavuot. Meanwhile, many Christians...
75 views
Light of Torah
- May 27
- 3 min
The 'walk' and 'work' of Torah
In the Book of Leviticus we read: If you follow my statutes and keep my commandments and observe them faithfully, I will give you your...
94 views
Light of Torah
- May 13
- 3 min
A Year of Rest for the Land
“The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai: Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When you enter the land that I assign to you, the...
67 views
Light of Torah
- May 6
- 3 min
Be Holy!
"Holiness" is a familiar word, yet its meaning is complex and multi-layered. Leviticus 19 invites us to reflect on what it means to "be...
68 views
Light of Torah
- Apr 29
- 3 min
Resisting Enslavement
In both Jewish and Christian understandings, true freedom comes through living life in sync with the desires and designs of God for...
76 views