200 Words of Torah

In a world of ideas – and a university is such a world, as is a religion – it is vital to look up from time to time, and to see each other. “And he lifted up his eyes,” our Torah-reading says of our father Abraham, “and saw – and behold, three people...

Our story starts with a call to Abraham, impelling our forefather on an unprecedented journey. Well, that’s how it reads if the story begins where our rabbinic ancestors demarcate the start of this week’s Torah-reading. If we look back to the verses at...

“Were it not for My covenant day and night, I would not have set the ordinances of heaven and earth.” This reading of God’s statement through the prophet Jeremiah suggests that a compact between humankind and the Divine is not merely an occurrence that...

The reading is called Nitzavim – “standing” – but really the essential word is kulchem – “ all of you are standing today before the Eternal One your God.” Our sacred teaching, Moses says, is not remote or inaccessible; “it is in your mouths and in your...

The tradition of Passover Hagadah – the ritual retelling of our story – has roots in this week’s reading. “Higad’ti” – from same root as Hagadah – “I recount,” says the Israelite, bringing his first fruits before the Temple priest, “that I have come into...

The “ki” – ‘when’ or ‘if’ – of “Ki Tetze” – “When you go out to war against your enemies” – suggests not just situation but consequence. In view of the chain of unfortunate circumstances addressed by the troubling laws we read here – captive brides...

“Rise and shake yourself from the dust, Jerusalem,” says the prophet this week, poignant as rockets and responding airstrikes cease – and, too, as student life returns to these halls and to this campus. The Torah this week prescribes Shoftim ve-Shotrim...

Re’eh – “See,” says the Blessed Holy One in this week’s reading, “I have set before you blessing and curse, life and death – now choose life.” Sounds simple, no? Given the choice, who wouldn’t opt for life and blessing? The challenge may be not so much...

Many blessings will come, our Torah reading this week says, “ ’ekev” – “pursuant to” or “following upon” our heeding the covenantal imperative to walk in divine ways. The word “' ekev” is built on the same Hebrew letters as the name of our ancestor Jacob...