For those of you who went to religious school or cheder as children, I’d like you to think back and try to remember what part of the Torah you first learned. Was it the Sh’ma? The Ten Commandments? Love your neighbor as yourself? Chances are, your religious school started at the beginning of Genesis, with the account of creation, followed by Adam and Eve, maybe Cain and Abel, and so forth.

This week’s Torah portion, Vayakhel-P’kudei, describes the completion of the mishkan, the portable sanctuary where the Israelites will worship God while they are wandering in the wilderness. The project has required many contributions from the people – all the materials for building the structure and its furnishings, including the Ark that will hold the Ten Commandments.

During the pandemic, there were a few phrases that became ubiquitous. Social distancing, flatten the curve, essential worker. In my line of work, the phrase that everyone seemed to use was “now more than ever.” We need our community now more than ever. We need prayer and ritual now more than ever.

Make for me a sanctuary, and I shall dwell among them." The verse is almost hidden in our Torah portion, tucked in between a list of materials – precious metals and fabrics, dolphin skins and acacia wood – and instructions for building – how many cubits for this and how many sockets for that. A short verse that contains not only the reason for the whole project, but the key to understanding some of the fundamental principles of Jewish theology.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I’d like to share one of the most romantic stories in Jewish tradition. It’s from a midrash on the Song of Songs:

Pop quiz: Who can name the Ten Commandments? If you’re having trouble, there is a good reason for that, or actually, several good reasons. The first reason is that there are two versions of the Ten Commandments in the Torah, one in this week’s parashah, Yitro, and again in Deuteronomy, and they aren’t identical, so you might be confused over which one is “right.”

Parashat Bo is a portion with a short name and a large impact. It includes one of the great dramatic climaxes in the Bible

As Rabbi Jonah Winer explains, “The Jewish relationship to state power has never been one of simple obedience. Our tradition has consistently elevated moral clarity above compliance.

Many years ago, I was teaching a class for parents of B’nei Mitzvah students. In preparation for the blessing that parents would offer their children during their B’nei Mitzvah service, we invited the parents to reflect on what their hopes and dreams for their children were. One mother left the room in tears...