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I love this part of the Jewish calendar - when the weekly reading of the Torah in synagogues begins all over again, with the opening chapters of the Book of Genesis ('Bereshit', 'In the beginning', is its Hebrew title). I t always feels like a fresh start. A moment of renewal. In whatever way my annual commitment to Torah reading might have lagged or been interrupted over the past twelve months, now is my opportunity to begin again at Genesis 1:1. And what beautiful stories fill this opening book of the bible, so enticing to my mind, heart and creative energies. This year, our fresh 'beginning' in the Torah cycle coincides with momentous events in Israel, Gaza and the world stage, with the return of all living hostages, the cessation of the Hamas-Israel war and fragile steps towards peace. It is a precarious and bitter-sweet moment. Let us pray and hope that the joy and relief of what has been achieved deepens into a period of lasting peace, healing, safety and rebuilding for Israelis and Palestinians, their families and societies. With all this complexity - and in our own personal lives too - we enter another year of Light of Torah reflections. Week by week, we read and explore and reflect upon some verses of the weekly Torah portion, with the aid of the insights of Jewish interpreters. So, let's begin... In the opening two chapters of Genesis the reader finds two different accounts of the creation of humankind. What are we to make of these differences? Read the two accounts closely in Genesis chapters 1 & 2, preferably with a friend, and with a pencil or highlighter to underline and circle key words, ideas, repetitions and poetic elements that strike you as unusual or interesting. So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it...' (Genesis 1:27-28) So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:21-22) What do you notice as you compare the two stories of the creation of humankind? How would you describe the persona of Adam/Eve 1 compared to Adam/Eve 2? Perhaps you noted that Adam 1 is characterised by a decisive commissioning to ‘subdue’ the earth. He, along with his female counterpart, is a man of action, productivity, initiative. He is empowered by God to call the shots, in control of himself and his environment. Adam 2, on the other hand, although given authority over the animals, is immediately led into an experience of sacrifice and surrender. He is overpowered by God as he succumbs to sleep and relinquishes part of his own body in the creation of woman. Do you agree with these observations? What else did you observe in the text? How might we explain or reconcile these different Adams/Eves? If we were examining Genesis from an historical viewpoint we might suggest that the two stories represent two distinct storytelling traditions preserved in the text. But let’s set aside such theories here and hear instead from Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, an esteemed Torah scholar of the 20th century, who interprets Genesis with a compelling synthesis of traditional biblical wisdom and modern religious anthropology. According to Soloveitchik, in these Torah texts we see two kinds of instincts in the human person, both willed by God. God wants us to be both active and submissive, victory-bent and humble, disciplined and docile. Enshrined in our existence is a creative tension between self-expression and covenantal relationship; individuality and community. Thus Genesis reveals something of the mysterious, complex depths and paradoxes of the human person, setting humankind apart in the order of creation. • Table topic: Integrating the diverse qualities of the two Adams/Eves is the great challenge of human and spiritual growth. Can you name somebody who exhibits this integration? Discuss the challenge that Genesis 1-2 poses in your life. Do you most resemble Adam/Eve 1 or 2? Can you recognize the tension mentioned above in other sacred stories (e.g., Christians might consider the gospel story of Mary and Martha, Lk.10:38-42)? Bibliography: Joseph Soloveitchik, The Lonely Man of Faith (New York: Doubleday, 1965). Scripture: NRSV. Image: Shutterstock via Wix © Teresa Pirola, 2013, 2025.   lightoftorah.net   This article may be reproduced for non-commercial use with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version . Light of Torah is a Sydney-based grassroots ministry encouraging Christians to learn more about Torah and Jewish traditions from Jewish texts, teachings and commentaries . More...   T he reflection above refers to Parashat Bereshit (Genesis 1.1 - 6:8) which is the Torah portion read on the coming Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical calendar. Shabbat shalom! You can now download the latest edition of the Jewish and Christian Liturgical Calendar which is published each year by Etz Hayim - Tree of Life Publishing , thanks to the work and generosity of Elizabeth Young in making this resource freely available. In the interests of promoting interfaith awareness and learning more about other religious communities, the calendar assists readers to follow the key liturgical dates and their relevant scripture readings in both Jewish and Christian traditions over the course of the year.   Download your copy here .

Teresa Pirola | October 7, 2025 The first detail I notice is the bullet holes. They disfigure everything in sight — walls, ceiling, floor, furniture — telling the story of a murderous frenzy. It is May 2025, and I am standing among the remains of a home at Kfar Aza, one of the small farming communities (kibbutzim) on Israel’s side of the border with the Gaza strip. It was here, on the morning of October 7, 2023 that hundreds of Hamas terrorists breached the gates to murder, rape and terrorize . Of the 850 members of this kibbutz, 64 residents perished. Whole families were slaughtered, while 19 people were taken hostage. Eerily, mundane realities still make their presence felt: cups, fridge magnets, laundry basket, garden tools. Trashed, burnt and dirt-laden, the small domestic items that survived the carnage now bear silent witness: this had been somebody’s home.  It is the cruelest of ironies that a person’s life here was destroyed, yet his coffee mug remains intact. A further incongruous detail catches my eye: the tranquil view framed by the living room window. Moving closer to the windowpane I look out upon green trees swaying lazily in the warmth of the sun beneath a clear blue sky. Stepping back from the window, my view takes in utter destruction and chaos. The contrast could not be starker. Contradiction and incongruity are constant companions on my visit to Kfar Aza. With its modest village-like simplicity, environmental beauty and close familial ties, life on the kibbutz was readily described by its members as “paradise”. Yet, within a few short hours on October 7, it had become hell on earth . Those living in communities like Kfar Aza have long been known for their advocacy of intercultural coexistence, dubbed the “peaceniks” of Israeli society. Even while enduring 18 years of recurrent rocket fire by Hamas from across the border, they never relinquished their aspirations for peace. They welcomed Gazan workers onto their properties, advocated  for Palestinian rights, transported Gazan children to Israeli hospitals, and provided other meaningful expressions of support. Their dreams  of harmony were shattered in the horrific assault of October 7. At the site of the Nova Music Festival massacre, further scenes of incongruity await us. Smiling faces of Israeli youth leap out from photographic memorials at the place of their deaths, where mass murder was accompanied by other unspeakable atrocities. Joining other visitors, I wander among the portraits of the victims. The atmosphere is quiet, the natural surrounds are gentle, and the sense I have is of walking through a labyrinth of prayerful remembrance. Suddenly, without warning, a deep, resonant “boom” of artillery fire breaks the peace. It seems unnervingly close and even our guide is momentarily startled. We are, after all, just a few kilometers from the Gaza border, beyond which hostages taken by Hamas two years ago are still being held and a war claiming tens of thousands of lives still rages. This, too, is part of the grief being processed in this place. My gaze turns to the landscape adjacent to the Nova site. I find myself wondering where on earth these young people could have found shelter as they ran to escape white pickup trucks carrying armed terrorists with lethal weapons. I think of the desperate text messages sent home, at first pleading for help, then succumbing to final goodbyes. I ponder, too, the heroism of those who risked - and lost - their own lives to save others. Standing in these places, a surreal aspect for me is the sense of having already been here. Not physically, but virtually, and perhaps spiritually too. Having followed the unfolding catastrophe since October 7, each scene is strangely familiar. I have seen a great deal of Hamas video footage and read official reports . I have listened to the stories of survivors, first responders, returned hostages, grieving relatives and long since joined my own grief and prayers with theirs. Nothing here is a total surprise. The difference, of course, is the immediacy of presence. I am seeing and hearing not through a computer screen or zoom link up, but in person. As a rebuttal to those who would deny, downplay or even excuse the crimes of Hamas on October 7 , I am an eye-witness to the lives of courageous, albeit traumatised, Israelis: mourning their dead, healing their wounded, rebuilding their lives , advocating for the hostages, worried sick about sons and daughters called up for military service, horrified at the destruction of Gaza, debating fraught political issues, besieged by a global outpouring of antisemitic hate, and, in the case of the residents of Kfar Aza, left in bewildered confusion as to whether their own aspirations for peace were ever those of their neighbours. We mark anniversary dates for good reasons. Whatever our views on war and geopolitics, may we never forget the victims and survivors of October 7.   Dr Teresa Pirola is a Sydney-based writer, faith educator and author of October 7 : A Response to the 2023 Massacre in Israel and Surging Antisemitism in Australia  (The Story Source, 2023)   and Catholic-Jewish Relations : Twelve Key Themes for Teaching and Preaching  (Paulist Press, 2023). Photos by T. Pirola, May 2025. Destroyed home on kibbutz Kfar Aza; Window view - serene natural scenery outside, destruction within; Memorials at site of Nova Festival massacre. Ways you can help: Contribute to the rebuilding of Kfar Aza here . Make a prayer pledge for the remaining hostages here .

Festival greetings to Jewish friends for Rosh Hashanah, with heartfelt wishes and prayers for all the goodness & sweetness of the new year. Shana Tova U'Metuka At time of posting, Jewish communities have entered the High Holiday period, having just celebrated the two-day festival of Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year. Rosh Hashanah celebrates the 'birthday of the world'. Front and centre is the conviction that G-d, Creator and Sovereign of the world, continues to renew creation and calls human beings to account for their decisions and actions. Despite the fragility of our lives, we are expected to live the gift of each day to the fullest. Thus, the sound of the shofar (ram's horn) on Rosh Hashanah might be described as a 'wake-up' call. Rosh Hashanah leads into an extended period of introspection and self-examination, known as the Days of Awe or Days of Repentance. It culminates ten days later in Yom Kippur ('Day of Atonement'), a solemn day of fasting and repentance, girded by a deep trust in G-d's mercy. So what are some of the key messages and insights of Rosh Hashanah for Jews? And how might they also inspire other peoples of faith and good will? The late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (1948-2020), an English Orthodox rabbi, a scholar and author - widely respected as a faith leader by people of many traditions - articulated the following Ten Themes. Rosh Hashanah instills an awareness that: Life is short, but it is a gift from God, to be lived as a free response to the God of freedom. Life is inherently meaningful, however life is not easy and too often involves immense suffering. Yet, because God never leaves us, life can still be sweet; and what we create with our lives is our greatest work of art. In life, we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. God asks great things of us and, by responding to this call, we discover our own greatness. Paradoxically, human beings are both dust and spirit. We are formed from the dust of the earth and the living breath of God (Genesis 2:7). This brief summary is gleaned from "What Rosh Hashanah says to us" by Jonathan Sacks, at The Rabbi Sacks Legacy website. The link takes you to a family-friendly version of his teaching that lends itself to a meaningful discussion around a family or community dining table. A closing prayer: May the memory and work of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks continue to bless the world and be a beacon of moral guidance. And we pray for Jewish people everywhere during their High Holy Days - for continuing vitality and strength in their covenantal life with G-d, and for safety, health and happiness for their families and communities, after what has been a terribly painful and difficult year. We pray that all the hostages still held by Hamas will be released and be brought safely home soon; t hat hope will prevail over despair; that a lasting peace will be found in the Middle East; and that the suffering of all innocent victims of war will come to an end. Light of Torah is a Sydney-based grassroots ministry encouraging Christians to learn more about Torah and Jewish traditions from Jewish texts, teachings and commentaries . More...   © Teresa Pirola, 2022, 2025.   lightoftorah.net

Moses and the Israelites are encamped on the plains of Moab, poised to enter the promised land. There Moses gives a final speech, restating the obligations of the covenant between God and Israel. As he speaks, we hear this arresting statement: “ I am making this covenant, sworn by an oath, not only with you who stand here with us today before the L ORD our God, but also with those who are not here with us today.” Deuteronomy 29:14-15 (NRSV) Who are those “who are not here with us this day”? Surely it can’t mean absentees on the day, since just a few verses earlier we were told that all Israelites from all groups are assembled. According to the great medieval Jewish scholar known as Rashi, the souls of all future generations of Jews were present at this covenantal moment, just as they were at Mount Sinai. This concept is of profound importance to Jewish understanding of what it means to be God’s people, bearers of the divine promises and the covenant from generation to generation. The fact that this verse uses the word “stand” when referring to those “here” and then omits it when speaking of those “not here” can perhaps be taken as a distinction between those bodily present and those spiritually present. [1] But how can a covenant made long ago obligate generations to come? Surely this is not possible! Abravanel, a 15th century Spanish-Jewish Torah commentator, tells of an argument he had with other sages over this very question. Before we hear how Abravanel replied, what reflections do you bring to the discussion? [Pause to discuss with a friend, or havruta partner.] Perhaps you made the observation that what occurs in the present does indeed impact on future generations. Every family, for instance, is shaped by the actions and choices of their ancestors, for good or for ill. Abravanel compares Israel to a family debt. “Just as the children inherit their father’s property, so they inherit his debts. Even though the children were not alive when the debt was incurred they are still liable to repay it. Similarly, God conferred a privilege on Israel and they were indebted to God for it.” [2] What was that privilege that makes future generations “indebted” to God and bound to the covenant? Abravanel names first and foremost the Exodus miracle. Remember the verse that introduces the Decalogue: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2). The serious obligation brought to bear upon the Jewish people derives from the wonder of being called into a relationship with God who liberates and calls them into a life of freedom as God’s people. Our Torah passage invites reflection on what God has done and continues to do for the people of God as they live in covenant with God. Naturally, there will be similarities and differences in the way that Jews and Christians interpret this passage, according to their respective understandings and experiences of what it means to live in covenant with God. One aspect to note for Jews is that the all-embracing nature of their covenant with God has been experienced through history as both a joyful privilege and a heavy burden. Says Abravanel, writing at the time of the Inquisition and various forms of persecution: “ Many of our people have forsaken the religion of their forefathers as a result of persecution and wished to be like the nations of the world... Though they and their descendants would do all in their power to assimilate they would not succeed. They would still be called Jews against their own will and would be accused of Judaizing in secret and be burnt at the stake for it.” [3] These are sobering words for Christians to hear, in light of church history. This week's Torah portion draw us to ponder the privilege and burden of being not only a believer, but part of a people of faith. It leads us to view our present experience in light of the past and the future, knowing that our faithful God is with us always. May this exercise in interfaith listening enrich and deepen our spiritual lives, lived in community, with all its joys and struggles. 1. See Elie Munk, The Call of the Torah, vol. 5 (New York, 1995), 319. 2. Quoted in Nehama Leibowitz, Studies in Devarim (New York, 1996), 299. 3. Leibowitz, Studies in Devarim, 302. © Teresa Pirola, 2013. lightoftorah.net . Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version . Light of Torah is a Sydney-based grassroots ministry encouraging Christians to reflect on Torah with the help of Jewish insights . More... T he reflection above refers to Parashat Nitzavim (Deuteronomy 29:9 - 30:20), which is the Torah portion read for this coming Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical calendar. Shabbat shalom ! ROSH HASHANA Parashat Nitzavim is read on the Sabbath that comes before Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year). Rosh Hashana commences in 2025 on the evening of 22 September. Here's wishing Jewish friends a good and sweet year! L’shana tova u’metuka ! NEW! You can now download the latest edition of the Jewish and Christian Liturgical Calendar which is published each year by Etz Hayim - Tree of Life Publishing , thanks to the work and generosity of Elizabeth Young in making this resource freely available. In the interests of promoting interfaith awareness and learning more about other religious communities, the calendar helps readers to keep track of the key liturgical dates and their relevant scripture readings in Jewish and Christian traditions over the course of the year. Download your copy here .

At last! After forty years of desert-trekking, the G-d-given homeland of the Israelites is within their grasp. But are they ready for this miracle? In Deuteronomy 29, Moses stands at the edge of the Promised Land and reminds the Israelites that the past forty years have been a story of the signs and wonders at the hand of the Lord, and yet it is also a story of the people’s rebellion. Why this contradiction? Why have the Israelites been unable to fully see and hear God’s miracles? Let’s take a closer look at Moses’ words in Deut. 29:1-3 with an ear to creative Jewish insights into this text. [1] "You yourselves have seen all that [the L ORD ] did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, the great trials that your eyes saw, those great signs and portents. But [the L ORD ] has not given you a mind to know or eyes to see or ears to hear, until this day." (Deut. 29:2-4) Traditional Jewish commentators wrestled with these verses, especially with the last statement which seems to suggest that the Lord G-d was the cause of the people’s blindness. How might we interpret this text? Moshe Hefez, a 16th century Italian commentator interprets it as a statement about the dangers of familiarity and habit. The closer we are to the miracle, the less we appreciate it: “We do not appreciate [miracles] until they are far away from us, since familiarity breeds contempt and they are regarded as natural not supernatural phenomena. This is what Moses meant. You witnessed all those great wonders but only appreciated their full significance just now, at this time, after they had receded from view, as if you had heretofore lacked sight and hearing.” [2] Ponder this. Have you had the experience of recognizing a sign, a wonder or a miracle only after the event? What prevented you from ‘seeing’ it at the time? Rabbi Meir Simha (19th century, Dvinsk, Russia) interprets the text this way: The Israelites often mistakenly attributed divine powers to Moses, forgetting that he was a mere mortal like themselves. For years they presumed the miracles to be Moses’ doing. Only when he died did they come to terms with his mortality and acknowledge the Almighty as the true author of the signs and wonders that they had witnessed. Indeed, one tradition has it that this speech was delivered on the day of Moses’ death. But do either of these views really account for the reference to ‘the L ORD ’ in our text? This is the question posed by Nehama Leibowitz (20th century, Israel) who goes on to offer another view: At the end of his life Moses looked back on forty years of toil as he had tried to bring his people into relationship with the Lord. Nothing had worked! Overcome by the mystery of this human ‘failure’ he looked for an answer in divine providence. Perhaps the people’s resistance was not their fault, he reasoned, it was somehow part of the divine plan. Thus, what we hear in this verse is a great sigh of disappointment, that trustingly lays itself to rest in the unfathomable mystery of God’s ways. Our three commentators touch on critical tasks in the journey of life. We might name them as follows: The ability to look back on the past with clarity and to recognize the footprints of grace in even painful events. The importance of distinguishing God’s message from the messenger; and acknowledging God as its true author. The willingness to accept that we can’t solve everything in life, to surrender our imperfect lives to the divine mystery. Three interpretations are presented from three different centuries of Jewish Torah study. Which one ‘speaks’ to you and in what way does it resonate (or not) with your own reflections on this text? • Notes: 1. Following the teaching of Nehama Leibowitz in Studies in Devarim (New York, 1996). 2. Quoted by Leibowitz, Studies in Devarim , 292. Scripture: Everett Fox © Teresa Pirola, 2013 . lightoftorah.net . Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version. Light of Torah is a Sydney-based grassroots ministry that encourages Christians to reflect on Torah with the help of Jewish insights . More... The reflection above refers to Parashat Ki Tavo (Deuteronomy 26:1 - 29:8), which is the Torah portion read for this Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical calendar. Shabbat shalom !

In the Torah some legal rulings involve public officials. Others are directed at ordinary people—families, employees, neighbours. Let’s take one from the latter rulings (Deut. 23:25-26) and explore it through the perspectives of the Jewish sages over centuries of Torah study. “When you enter a fellow [Israelite]’s vineyard, you may eat as many grapes as you want, until you are full, but you must not put any in your vessel. When you enter a fellow [Israelite]’s field of standing grain, you may pluck ears with your hand; but you must not put a sickle to your neighbour’s grain” (Deut. 23:25-26). Join the sages in pondering this passage. Who is the ‘you’? Whose interests are being protected by the permission granted? In a Talmudic opinion, ‘you’ refers to a hired worker, not a passerby. This opinion is supported with reference to the Hebrew word bo (‘come,’ ‘enter’). Just as the sun ‘comes’ down at sunset (see 24:15), so does our text speak of the hired worker at the end of the day.1 Is this far-fetched reasoning? Not at all, says Malbim,2 with his clear grasp of the Hebrew language. Bo can have two connotations—a chance coming or a deliberate one. He goes on to show how the content and structure of the text suggests deliberation. Just as the sunset is a regular, expected event, the hired worker is expected and enters the field at a regular time. Maimonides3 draws the same conclusion but uses a direct, legal approach: the ‘you’ must refer to hired workers or they would not have permission to ‘come’ and ‘enter’ the field in the first place. What is your view? How did you arrive at it? The sages discuss the fact that the permission to eat is restricted and conditional. Says Rashi,4 the text sets up an opposition: eat as much as you desire (lit: ‘as your soul’), but only your fill. A hungry worker should not have to endure the sight of forbidden fruit, but nor should the land owner be exploited by a glutton. While detailed interpretations vary according to translation (and you may wish to consult more than one), the sages generally agree that the Torah is protective of both labourer and land owner. The Talmud observes that permission to eat keeps the worker in good health and so increases productivity; but storage and removal of the produce is not in the owner’s interests. The Mishnah5 notes that by urging self-control the text is protective of the labourer lest he ruin his own employment prospects. Meanwhile, other opinions in the tradition stress the Torah’s humane quality: permission to eat is not a form of payment on top of existing wages, but simply a gesture of kindness. Strict justice in employment relations does not eliminate the need for goodwill and compassion. Continue to reflect on these perspectives, bringing to bear your own reading of the text, your questions and interpretative contributions. Notes 1.Bava Mezia, Mishnah 7,3; 87b. 2. Malbim, 19th c. 3. Maimonides, 12th c. 4. Rashi, 11th c. 5. The Mishnah: an early compilation of rabbinic teachings (2nd century onwards) which was later incorporated into the Talmud. Bibliography: Eskenazi and Weiss, eds., The Torah: A Women’s Commentary (New York, 2008); Herczeg, trans., The Torah: With Rashi’s Commentary (New York: Mesorah, 2011); Leibowitz, New Studies in Devarim (New York: Lambda, 1996); Scripture: NJPS. © Teresa Pirola, 2011. lightoftorah.net . Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version. Light of Torah is a Sydney-based grassroots ministry, encouraging Christians to reflect on Torah with the help of Jewish insights . More...    T he reflection above refers to Parashat Ki Teitze (Deuteronomy 21.10 - 25.19) which is the Torah portion read on the coming Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical calendar. Shabbat shalom!

The focus for our Torah reflection today is a tithing law in Deuteronomy 14:22-26. Taking a tenth of the year’s agricultural produce, plus the firstlings of his herds, the Israelite is to present an offering to the Lord in Jerusalem. Read this passage for yourself, then let’s join the Jewish sages in their Torah conversation. “Set apart a tithe of all the yield of your seed that is brought in yearly from the field. In the presence of the L ORD  your G-d, in the place that he will choose as a dwelling for his name, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, your wine, and your oil, as well as the firstlings of your herd and flock, so that you may learn to fear the L ORD  your G-d always.” (Deut. 14:22-23) Two things caught the attention of Jewish sages over centuries of Torah reflection. First, the tithe, while presented to G-d, is used for the tither’s benefit; i.e., he feasts on his own produce in Jerusalem (“the place”). Second, the whole point of the tithe is “so that you may learn to fear the Lord your G-d always” (14:23). Which raises the question: how does this act of feasting instil awe and reverence for G-d? How do you respond? How can an act of feasting instil awe and reverence for the Lord? The sages approach this issue in a variety of ways, but they all agree that the location— Jerusalem—is significant. Note that the tithing rules allow for the produce to be exchanged for money so as to make the pilgrimage easier for farmers living far from the holy city. Upon arrival in Jerusalem they can then buy the items required for the offering and the feasting. The sages also focus on the reference to “learn”. Were these details part of your own reflections above? What questions do they invite? Perhaps you are asking, ‘Precisely how does the act of offering/eating in Jerusalem teach the Israelite to revere the Lord?’ With agile imaginations and insight, several commentators focus on the intellectual environment of Jerusalem. Says the Sefer HaHinukh: [1] “When each person would offer up the tithe of his cattle, year by year, in the place devoted to Torah observance and study—Jerusalem, the seat of the Sanhedrin and the religious and intellectual authorities—then the owner of that wealth will go there to study Torah or send one of his sons to study there...” Says the Ha’amek Davar, [2]  since it is impossible to consume his tithe all at once, pilgrims delay their stay in Jerusalem and “there is nothing else to do there but study Torah...or leave one’s surplus money to the upkeep of Torah students.” Rashi and Rambam,[3] on the other hand, take the view that it is the Temple of Jerusalem that inspires and has an ennobling influence. One may object that our text says nothing of Torah study or Temple services; if anything its emphasis is on eating! Which leads Alshikh [4] to prefer the explanation that the tithing practice calls attention to the true source of one’s bounty. By going to the holy city to consume it, it is as if they are feasting “from the table of the Most High.” This is what teaches reverence for the Lord. Then again, Abravanel [5] offers the most straightforward of explanations of what the Israelite “learns” from this particular offering in Jerusalem. Just the act of being faithful to the precept is what instils reverence. Says Abravanel, it’s good practice for a lifetime of fidelity! “Habituation will implant in the soul humble acknowledgment of the overlordship of G-d.” Notice the variety of interpretation in the tradition. Continue to ponder this text and converse with the insights of the sages over generations of Torah study. • Notes 1. 13th century education work 2. 19th century Torah commentary 3. Two revered Jewish scholars: Rashi: 11th century; Rambam: 12th century 4. Alshikh: 16th century commentator 5. Abravanel: 15th century commentator Bibliography: Leibowitz,  Studies in Devarim  (New York, 1996); Munk,  The Call of the Torah: Devarim  (New York, 1995). Scripture: NRSV. Photo: Israeli vineyard, T. Pirola, 2007 © Teresa Pirola, 2013.  lightoftorah.net . Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version. Light of Torah is a Sydney-based grassroots ministry, encouraging Christians to reflect on Torah with the help of Jewish insights . More...    T he reflection above refers to Parashat R'eih (Deuteronomy 11.26 - 16.17) which is the Torah portion read at this time of year in the Jewish liturgical calendar.

In the Book of Deuteronomy Moses delivers a series of speeches as he prepares the Israelites for entry into the Promised Land. In chapter 10, after a lengthy recollection of the people’s struggles during their desert trek, Moses seems to turn a fresh page and looks to the future, beginning with the words “So now, O Israel...” (10:12). “So now, O Israel, what does the L ORD your G-d require of you? Only to fear the L ORD   your G-d, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the L ORD   your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the L ORD   your G-d and his decrees which I am commanding you today, for your own well-being.” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13) In the reflections of the Jewish sages over the centuries, a subtlety in the wording of this text caught their attention. That Moses says “only” (to fear, reverence the Lord) posed a difficulty. Is Moses suggesting that G-d is asking for something minor? Yet holy awe or ‘fear of the Lord’ is a major matter indeed! Say some commentators, this passage sums up the essence of the whole Torah. Why would Moses appear to undervalue its weight? Creatively, prayerfully, with the help of modern-day Torah commentaries, let’s enter the conversation of the Rabbis. Perhaps you are thinking that for Moses, who is so advanced in faith and virtue, fear of the Lord comes naturally and therefore to him it does seem a simple matter. This is one rabbinic opinion. Yet other commentators wonder why Moses would assume it to be a simple matter for everyone else. Nahmanides [ 1] offers the explanation that “only” infers that what G-d asks of human beings is ultimately for their own happiness and well-being. The difficulties of reverencing G-d are a small price compared to the benefits. Like a parent offering guidance to a reluctant child, we can hear Moses saying “I’m only saying this for your own good!” A different response comes from Joseph Albo, a Jewish philosopher of the Middle Ages. Joseph Albo’s insight is that this text refers to the way in which people grow into a life of holding G-d in awe. No one can reach the spiritual heights of being a truly G-d-fearing person easily or immediately. To even contemplate the ‘requirement’ of our quoted passage is daunting! But G-d shows us a way to succeed; G-d gives us a way to follow: small daily acts of love which, over time, allow our entire lives to become infused with holy awe and reverence. We might say that G-d doesn’t ask for sudden saintliness; G-d asks “only” that we commit ourselves to the unspectacular daily steps of living the values and teachings of our faith community. In Albo’s words: “The meaning of the passage is therefore this: Now, Israel, consider the wonderful kindness of G-d. What does he ask of you? .... G-d does not ask anything that is hard to acquire. He asks merely the performance of the commandments of the Torah, because the quality of fear [awe] through which one may obtain human perfection follows from the performance of the commandments of the Torah.” [2] Discuss the interpretations of the sages in conversation with your own thoughts on this text. Attend to the context, what goes before and after vv.12-13. Reflect on your own experience of awe/reverence/fear of the Lord. How does repeated action (a daily commitment to religious ritual, deeds of love, acts of justice) shape, confirm and deepen the experience of faith? Notes : 1. Also known as Ramban. His full name: Rabbi Moshe BenNahman (1194-1270). 2. See Leibowitz, Studies in Devarim  (New York, 1996) , 101-102. *Bibliography: Leibowitz, Studies in Devarim (New York, 1996); Munk, The Call of the Torah: Devarim (New York, 1995). Scripture: NRSV. © Teresa Pirola, 2012. lightoftorah.net. Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version. Light of Torah is a Sydney-based grassroots ministry, encouraging Christians to reflect on Torah with the help of Jewish insights . More...    T he reflection above refers to Parashat Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12 - 11:25), which is the Torah portion read for this Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical calendar. Shabbat shalom !

In the Book of Deuteronomy, as Moses continues his farewell discourse just outside the promised land, he reminds the Israelites of the momentous events on Mount Sinai when the Lord gave the Torah (the ‘teaching’, the ‘law’) and established a covenant with his people. “Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them: Hear O Israel, the laws and rules that I proclaim to you this day!” (Deuteronomy 5:1) What follows this verse is a repetition of the Decalogue (‘Ten Commandments’) given at Sinai. Read this, along with Moses’ added comments, in Chapter 5. As you do, place yourself in the biblical story: you are one of the new generation of Israelites preparing to enter the promised land. Your parents are dead, and Moses will soon die. At Sinai your parents had fled Egypt: the danger lay behind. Here, on the plains of Moab, an unknown future awaits you: the danger lies ahead. In what way does Moses’ recitation of the Sinai teaching impact upon your heart and soul? “It was not with our fathers that the Lord made this covenant, but with us, the living, every one of us who is here today” (5:3). Were you puzzled by the statement: ‘not with our fathers’? Yet we know from the book of Exodus that the covenant was made with ‘our fathers’! Perhaps you understood this statement as underlining the timelessness of the covenant. As the sages taught, and Jewish tradition continues to teach, the Torah was not given to only one generation of Israelites in one place; it was given to every Jew in every time and place. “Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day” (6:6). Noting the word ‘this day’ (‘today’) in the above verse, the medieval scholar Rashi comments on the present-day urgency of G-d’s commands: “They should not be in your eyes like an old edict to which a person does not attach importance, but rather, like a new one, towards which everybody runs.” G-d’s word is a living word, eternally fresh, relevant. It addresses the hearer in the ‘now’, calling for a response. The sages teach that this ‘now’ extends not only to obedience to the law but to the experiences of Sinai which can still be felt today. The biblical event has lost none of its flavour, its power to reveal divine glory and move us. In the Midrash it is said that at Sinai: “G-d’s voice, as it was uttered, split up into seventy voices, in seventy languages, so that all the nations should understand” (Exod. R. 5:9). Originating as G-d’s gift to Israel, the Torah goes forth to the nations. Says the prophet Isaiah: “For instruction shall come forth from Zion, The word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (2:3). Reflection Ponder the vitality of Torah as understood by the Jewish sages. Ponder, too, this vitality as heard and felt in your own life as a 21st century Christian who embraces Jesus, the living Word, “God’s living Torah”. Discuss practical ways to live this vitality in daily life, and to avoid staleness, complacency. Further reflection A poignant scene is described in Deut. 3:23-28 where Moses begs the Lord to allow him to enter the promised land. Read these verses pondering: How uncharacteristic it is of Moses to pray for himself rather than others. The urgency of Moses. His death is near and he pleads with the Lord one last time. The pathos of the scene; Moses’ humanity, vulnerability. Bibliography: Freedman & Simon, eds., Midrash Rabbah: Exodus (London/New York, 1983); Leibowitz, New Studies in Devarim (New York: Lambda, 1996); Plaut, The Torah: A Modern Commentary (New York, 2006); Rashi: Commentary on the Torah (New York: Mesorah, 2001). Scripture: NJPS. © Teresa Pirola, 2013. lightoftorah.net . Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version . Light of Torah is a Sydney-based grassroots ministry, encouraging Christians to reflect on Torah with the help of Jewish insights. More... The reflection above refers to Parashat Va-et'chanan (Deuteronomy 3:23 - 7:11), which is the Torah portion read for this Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical calendar. Shabbat shalom !

In Deuteronomy 1:6-18, Moses retells (and embellishes) a story already told in Exodus 18: how he appointed and instructed a number of judges to assist in the leadership of the people. From this passage, generations of Jewish commentators have derived detailed reflections on the regulations of judicial procedure which help to create a just society. Let’s explore a little of this text drawing on the interpretations of some of the sages. “Now I commanded your judges at the time, saying: hear-out (what is) between your brothers, judge with equity between each-man and his brothers or a sojourner” (Deut. 1:16). [Note: here we are using Everett Fox’s translation which seeks to echo the sound-structure of the Hebrew. Compare with the translation in your bible.] The sages ask, what is the point of telling the judges that they must ‘hear’ the case at hand? Surely that is obvious... The sages ask, what is the point of telling the judges that they must ‘hear’ the case at hand? Surely that is obvious... that’s what judges do! And why the repeated use of ‘between’? These ‘clues’ or ‘irritations’ in the text signal a place to dig deeply into the word of G-d. What insights can be found there? The sages note the unusual form taken by the verb ‘hear’: shamo’a. Rashi [1] takes it as a verb of continuous action in the present, i.e., ‘be listening’, give the case your continual, undivided attention. The author of Or Ha-hayyim [2], concurs, saying that the Torah is implying that: “The judges must be patient and hear them out. If one of the litigants wishes to bring more evidence or arguments, the judges should not cut him short but they must ‘hear’ continuously” and without intermission or delay, even if the case is tedious. “The Torah thus prohibits the injustice of protracted legal proceedings and demands swift justice.” And what of the repetition of ‘between’? In the Talmud we read: “Said Rabbi Hanina: this constitutes an admonition to the court not to hear the words of one litigant before his opponent has arrived” (Sanhedrin, 7b). The hearing of one party without the other present may undermine the impartiality required for good judgment, and the Torah specifically warns against this: “You are not to (specially) recognise a face in judgment, as the small, so the great, you are to hear-them-out” (Deut. 1:17). The Or Ha Hayyim interprets the word ‘between’ this way: “The judge must not serenely look at one and avert his gaze from the other, but his hearing must be ‘between’, equally balanced.” The Torah, then, can be seen to highlight the importance of intense listening and impartiality in judicial procedure. “You are not to be-in-fear of any man, for judgment—it is God’s!”( Deut. 1:17; cf. 2 Chronicles 19:6-7) The administering of justice is a serious duty and privilege entrusted to human beings by the Almighty. It is not only for courtrooms. Settling disputes and upholding a just order are part of life in homes, parishes, schools... Drawing upon your life experience and with reference to the text, share your own insight into what it means to bring justice to bear in a situation. • Notes: 1. Revered 11th century French Torah scholar. 2. Torah commentary by R. Hayyim Ibn Attar (1696-1743) Bibliography: Fox, The Five Books of Moses (New York, 1995); Herczeg, ed., RASHI. Commentary on the Torah Vol.5 (New York: Mesorah, 2001); Leibowitz, Studies in Devarim (New York, 1996). Scripture: Everett Fox. Image: Shutterstock. © Teresa Pirola, 2012. lightoftorah.net. Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF Light of Torah is a Sydney-based grassroots ministry encouraging Christians to reflect on Torah with the help of Jewish insights. More...    The reflection above refers to Parashat Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1 - 3:22), the Torah portion read for this Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical calendar. Shabbat shalom !

Our focus this week is Numbers 33:1-49, a review of the travels of the Israelites from their departure from Egypt to the steppes of Moab where they stand poised to enter the promised land. Commentators have long been fascinated by the detailed itinerary and apparent tedium of this text. In fact, in view of this so-called ‘tedium’, here is a suggestion... Create a meditative environment for your reading of Numbers 33:1-49. Light a candle. Relax your mind. Don’t rush. Approach it as a meditation. Settle into the rhythm of the text. Let the word of G-d massage its way into your mind and heart... “Moses wrote down their starting points, stage by stage, by the command of the Lord” (33:2). As we ponder the text, let’s hear from two great Torah scholars in Jewish history: Maimonides (12th century) and Nahmanides (13th century) Nahmanides interprets the above verse as meaning that the act of recording was itself a divine command. Think about it: Why would the Lord want such a listing of Israelite campsites in the wilderness journey? Is it simply a matter of geographic record, or something more? Nahmanides cites the view of his predecessor, Maimonides: The Lord asks Moses to write it all down so that Israel will forever more remember the miracles and wonders that the Lord performed to sustain the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years. Without such a record, future generations will forget the wonders; they will disbelieve the miracle of the manna that fed their ancestors in the desert. They will think that talk of miracles is exaggerated, that their ancestors camped at places fertile, pleasant and safe. The Lord predicted this temptation to doubt and therefore told Moses: write it all down! The geographic details in Numbers 33 ensures that the journey will be remembered for what it truly was: a trek through places distant, arid, dangerous, deathly. The Be’er Yitzhak [1] adds a further creative thought: The record was ‘required reading’ for the marchers after they settled into their homeland! By reviewing where they had been and what they had gone through, “they would accordingly take to heart the kindness shown to them by the Omnipresent and the sufferings they endured for their disobedience so that, in future, they would act rightly and not sin.” According to this view, to remember is to gain perspective. Memory opens up a path; it provides lessons and guidance for the future. In the present moment we don’t always comprehend the full impact of what is said or done. We look back, so as to look forward. The power of memory in shaping the future is captured in a 1912 reflection by Asher Ginzberg. [2] He says of Moses: “The past and the future are the Prophet’s whole life... In the present he sees nothing but wilderness, a life far removed from his ideal; and therefore he looks before and after. He lives in the future world of his vision and seeks strength in the past out of which that vision-world is quarried.” Reflection • How did this Torah reading affect you? Do you agree with the above interpretations? What insight of your own can you contribute to the discussion? • What are some of the important ‘marches’ and ‘campsites’ in your own life’s journey? Notes : 1. 19th century supercommentary to Rashi. See Leibowitz, 390. 2. Russian-born Jewish philosopher. See Plaut, 1133. Bibliography: Leibowitz, Studies in Bamidbar (New York: Lamda, n.p.d.); Plaut, The Torah: A Modern Commentary (New York, 2006); Ramban: Commentary on the Torah Vol.6 (New York, 2009). © Teresa Pirola, 2012. lightoftorah.net. Non-commercial reproduction permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version . Light of Torah is a Sydney-based grassroots ministry encouraging Christians to reflect on Torah with the help of Jewish insights. More...    The reflection above refers to Parashat Matot-Mas'ei (Numbers 30:2 - 36:13), the double Torah portion read for this Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical calendar. Shabbat shalom !

“Then the daughters of Zelophehad came forward” (Numbers 27:1). Do you know the story of Zelophehad’s daughters? The Bible depicts them as five sisters who find themselves in a perilous economic situation. Because they do not have husbands or any living male relatives, they cannot inherit their father’s land. Through a successful appeal to Moses they draw attention to the injustice and bring about a permanent change in the Israelites’ legal code. Read the story of the five sisters in Numbers 27:1-11. Then, with the help of traditional Jewish wisdom—with all its creativity and attention to detail— let’s ponder the sacred text. Perhaps you noticed that, like their ancestors (v.1), each sister is introduced by name: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. Note, too, how they plead their cause. It is before the whole assembly (v.2). They clarify that their father was not part of the Korah rebellion (v.3). They appeal on account of kinship and their father’s honour (v.4). Their choice of words is bold (‘Give to us a possession’) and not couched in self-effacing language. With prayerful and imaginative attention to this Scripture, what wisdom do you uncover in this ancient text? In Jewish storytelling traditions we find these five women held in high esteem. A famous midrashic anthology ( Yalkut Shimoni ) observes that the sisters correctly identified an injustice in its deepest sense: “When the daughters of Zelophehad heard that the Land was being divided among the tribes—but only for males, not for females —they gathered and took counsel. They decided that...flesh and blood is apt to be more merciful to males than to females. But [the One] who spoke and the world came into being is different—[divine] mercies are for males as well as females...”[1] Rashi comments: “Their eye saw that which the eye of Moses did not see.” [2] In Midrash Rabbah and in the Talmud we find the rabbis praising the five sisters for the way they approached their petition. The sisters are knowledgeable in the law (v.5 tells us that Moses brings to the Lord their ‘case’ or ‘judgment’, not just their query), and they are practical, timing their petition as Moses engages with the subject of inheritance. “They were wise and righteous women. What shows their wisdom? They spoke at the appropriate moment...” [3] Likewise, they are praised for their integrity. In case you were wondering why none of them were married at the time of the petition, the sages venture to tell us: they were uncompromising in their high standards! “They were righteous inasmuch as they married none but such as were worthy of them.” [4] Rashi adds that they “held the land precious” just as their ancestor Joseph held the land precious (see Num. 27:1; Gen. 50:25). “The daughters of Zelophehad are right in what they are saying” (Num. 27:7). Emphatic divine approval results in a legacy of land for the sisters and an altered law for Israel. As you continue to probe, question and debate this passage, ponder: How might it speak to us about the respectful and transformative interchanges that are possible between community members and their leaders in the quest for fullness of truth and a just society? 1. See Bialik & Ravnitzky, 97 (slightly adapted here for inclusive language). 2. Rashi: revered 11th century Torah scholar, France. 3. Num. R. xxi, 11. Also, Bava Batra 119b. 4. Num. R. xxi, 11. Bibliography: Bialik & Ravnitzky, eds., Sefer Ha-Aggadah (New York, 1992); Elper & Handelman, eds., Torah of the Mothers (New York, 2006); Midrash Rabbah: Numbers (New York: Soncino, 1983); Rashi: Commentary on the Torah (New York: Mesorah, 2001). Scripture: NRSV. © Teresa Pirola, 2013. lightoftorah.net Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version here . Light of Torah is a Sydney-based grassroots ministry encouraging Christians to reflect on Torah with the help of Jewish insights. More... The reflection above refers to Parashat Pinchas (Numbers 25:10 - 30:1), the Torah portion read for this Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical calendar. Shabbat shalom !