Dan Has Questions About The First Laws: Parshat Mishpatim
02/15/2023 12:00:06 PM
Last week's Parshah laid out the 10 Commandments, the framework for all of the laws that come afterward. This week's Parshah is called Mishpatim, which means "laws". In case you thought 10 laws was all we needed, in this week's Parshah, God begins to
provide many more laws for us to follow.
The Parshah begins with laws...Read more...
Dan Has Questions About Disputes, Rules, and The Voice Of God: Parshat Vitro
02/07/2023 08:54:11 AM
So, we are free! We are saved from the Egyptians! We are trekking to the land that will be ours! And we are worried, and afraid, and disobedient, and complaining! What's going on here?
Moshe's family (his wife, children, and father-in-law) join him in the desert. This week's Parshah is called Yitro - that's the...Read more...
Dan Has Questions About Songs, Skepticism, and Freedom: Parshat Beshalach
02/01/2023 05:22:22 PM
Last week, we discussed freedom and the struggle that typically accompanies achieving it. This week that story continues in Parshat Beshalach, which means "when he sent". Pharaoh has released us from our enslavement and sent us out of Egypt - at last! It is a happy coincidence that we usually study these stories of our ancient freedom around Martin Luther King Day (this yearRead more...
Dan Has Questions About The Path To Freedom: Parshat Bo
01/26/2023 06:11:32 AM
So here we are, in the midst of winter in California, where the sun has finally returned, and in the midst of the plagues in Egypt, where things are getting darker, figuratively and literally.
This week's Parshah is entitled Bo, which means "come" - God tells Moshe and Aaron to come to Pharaoh and warn him that...Read more...
Dan Has Questions About Plagues And Stubbornness: Parshat Va'era
01/18/2023 04:40:45 PM
At the end of last week’s Parshah, Moshe’s first attempt to get Pharaoh to free the Jewish slaves (only for three days, to go away and worship) has failed. The slaves have been given more work to do, and are angry at Moshe. Moshe has asked God, “why did you send me only to make thing worse for your...Read more...