Rabbi Sacks writes about challenges in understanding the instructions regarding the scapegoat; in particular, 2 similar goats but with different treatments decided by a throw of the dice. Traditionally, the interpretation relates to atonement and purification, but doesn’t address the lots or the similarity of the coast.
In her blog, Rabbi Barenblat muses about the ancient agrarian traditions that resulted in the rituals with the etrog and the 4 species, whether they relate to parts of the body, or the agricultural prayer for rain.
Last March I shared a special concert in Tel Aviv, titled “Nusach America”, where I was reunited with Shlomo, a wounded IDF soldier I visited in the hospital in October. The prayer Avinu Malkeinu was dedicated to him.
As we mark the one-year anniversary of October 7th, we reflect on the enduring strength of our friends and family in Israel, who continue to live through the ripple effects of war. Today, we remember the hostages still waiting for freedom, and we stand with their families in their suffering. We pray for peace.
Rabbi Barenblat writes about Deuteronomy 26:15 – “Look down from Your holy abode, from the heavens”. She considers the meaning of the Ishbitzer, who saw God observing the community as a whole, one person clarifying another. What does it mean for one person to clarify another?
The idea that Torah knowledge belongs to everyone, that education should be universal, is one of the most powerful ideas in Jewish history. So many societies, religious and secular, control access to knowledge, either through finances or technical vocabulary, in direct contrast to Judaism.
On October 2, Rabbi Barenblat posted a beautiful writing for what we cannot fix and what we can fix
The meaning of the text regarding the scapegoat is puzzling. The term Azazel only appears in this parashah. Several theories regarding its meaning are: “a steep rocky place”, “a desolate area”, which imply death, or to a demon, Azazel. Finally, it could also simply be a compound noun meaning “the goat that was sent away”. Sages and scholars diverge on the purpose of this unique rite for washing away sins.
Rabbi Sacks comments on the textual nuances of the verb “to bring”: Moses tells Joshua to “go with” the people—tavo. God says to Joshua “you will bring the Israelites…and I…will be with you” – tavi. Despite the slight nuances, the phrases are very different. Rabbi Sacks refers to Rashi: Moses instructs Joshua to ensure that “the elders of the generation are with you.” In contrast, God implies that he is to bring them into the land that God promised them, even if against their will.
The parashah begins with gratitude for an abundant harvest, but the pivotal focus is on the dichotomy of blessings and curses that are encompassed by the daily lives of the Israelites, and by extension, into the lives of all who engage in the teachings.