Behar 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Behar, BeHar, Be-har, or B’har (בְּהַר — Hebrew for “on the mount,” the fifth word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 32nd weekly Torah portion (פָּרָשָׁה, parashah) in the annualcycle of Torah reading and the ninth in the Book of Leviticus. The parashah […]
𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Emor (אמור): The thirty-first reading from the Torah is called Emor (אמור), a title that comes from the first verse of the reading, which says, “Then Yah said to Moses, ‘Speak (emor) to the priests, the sons of Aaron …’” (Leviticus 21:1). Emor begins with special laws of […]
Kedoshim #ThisWeeksTorahPortion 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Kedoshim, K’doshim, or Qedoshim (קְדֹשִׁים — Hebrew for “holy ones,” the 14th word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 30th weekly Torah portion (פָּרָשָׁה, parashah) in the annual cycle of Torah reading and the seventh in the Book of Leviticus. It constitutes […]
Acharei Mot 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Acharei Mot After the death — אַחֲרֵי מוֹ is the 29th weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah reading. It is the sixth weekly portion (פָּרָשָׁה, parashah) in the Book of Leviticus, containing Leviticus 16:1–18:30. It is named after the fifth and sixth Hebrew […]
𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Terumah Heave offering — תְּרוּמָה or Terumoh, Terimuh, or Trumah (תְּרוּמָה—Hebrew for “gift” or “offering,” the twelfth word and first distinctive word in the parashah) is the nineteenth weekly Torah portion (פָּרָשָׁה, parashah) in the annual cycle of Torah reading and the seventh in the Book of Exodus. […]
The original name of the people who are called the “Hebrews” in the Bible is EƲE. Abraham is the first person called a Hebrew (Genesis 14:13) Abraham’s 5th Great Grandfather was Ever/Eber. We know this because Genesis 10:24 tells us that Shalach bore Ever. Ever is spelled עבר(EB/VR). According to the dictionary […]
Except from Prophetic Whirlwind: Uncovering The Black Biblical Destiny On April 11, 2017, I was invited to give the opening reflection for the Lab Shul Freedom Feast Passover Seder. For the Seder Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie assigned me a passage from Exodus, which when read in Hebrew shows that the Hebrew […]
Then Yah Opened Her Eyes…. “This is an example of him intentionally not seeing you, of intentionally not seeing a woman.” This quote was from a work conversation but reminded me of this week’s Torah portion. When I was in seminary I learned that African-American women theologians who started Womanist […]