Light of Torah | Bat Kol Institute

The Ligth of Torah at http://www.lightoftorah.net

We are happy to announce the start of the 2009-2010 “Light of Torah” series which has been appearing weekly on the Bat Kol website since October 2008. As in the 2008-2009 series, the issues in the current series will be made available in batches of three or four weekly postings to allow homemakers, parishes, study groups, and other media organizations sufficient lead time for posting and distribution on their networks. Lord God, let there be blessings on our Talmud Torah (study and doing of Torah.) "But those who study the Torah give forth light wherever they may be. It is like one standing in the dark with a lamp in his hand” (Exodus Rabbah 36,3).

Designed to offer insight in to scripture from a Jewish perspective, the Light of Torah is a an insightful exploration of the first five books of the Bible within the context in which it was first received.
We at Bat Kol invite you to enrich your inner journey by joining us in the exploration of the biblical text in the Light of the Torah.

Oct. 17 2009, Bereshit, Torah portion: Genesis 1:1–6:8

The invitation today is to open our Bible at its very beginning: Genesis chapter 1. It begins with an account of the creation of the world (1:1-2:4), not in scientific language but in theological language. In a simple story profound religious truths are expressed. Chances are, you are familiar with the story, perhaps having known it since childhood. Herein lies a challenge: to listen again. Even better, to speak it aloud. And better still, to voice it aloud with a friend...

What fresh insight does the Word of God hold in store for me, for us, this day? Prayerfully, let’s read let’s ponder, let’s question and--in a reverent way--even 'play' with the text. The following comment are offered to assist your journey into Torah. read more.

Oct. 24 2009, Noah, Torah portion: Genesis 6:9–11:32

The story of Noah’s Ark is well known and loved by Christians from childhood. Yet how many have ever heard an exploration of the character of Noah through the Jewish biblical tradition? Read the Noah story (or read, at least, chapter 6 of Genesis). Then focus on the opening verses and join the sages of Israel as they open up a surprising topic of debate... read more.

Oct. 31 2009, Lech Lecha, Torah portion: Genesis 12:1–17:27

This week’s Torah portion includes the story of Abraham’s call. It leads us to marvel at the impact of God’s call on the lives of individuals , and on the path of history.
In baptism we Christians become ‘children of God’, yes, but only because through faith we become ‘children of Abraham and Sarah’. How marvellous that a promise made to a specific race, the Jewish people, should be extended (by the invitation to faith) to every race on earth, to the Gentiles, to people like us! read more.

Nov. 07 2009, Vayera, Torah portion: Genesis 18:1–22:24

This week’s Torah portion contains a number of engaging stories: thebirth of Isaac, the binding of Isaac, the Sarah-Hagar conflict, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah... Yet our discussion will move barely beyond the first line! The sages of old taught that even the tiniest and apparently irrelevant parts of Torah can impart a divine message. Join us as we test this teaching! Begin by reading Gen. 18:1-15. (Hint: read the verses preceding Ch.18 as well.) read more.

Nov. 14 2009, Sara, Torah portion: Genesis 23:1–25:18

How do you choose a spouse in marriage? What qualities do you seek? What virtues do you hope and pray that your children will find in their husband or wife? This week’s Torah portion tells the story of Abraham's quest to find a wife for his son Isaac. With heartfelt instructions Abraham sends his most trusted servant to the land of his birth. There, at a well, the servant approaches his match- making task with a surprising strategy. Read the whole story in chapter 24 of Genesis. read more.

Nov. 21 2009, Tol'dot, Torah portion: Genesis 25:19–28:9

In this week’s Torah portion, God’s promise to Abraham passes to an- other generation via the complex family life of Isaac and Rebekah and their two sons. The narrative has all the hallmarks of a soap opera: a painful pregnancy, two warring siblings, parents with ‘fa- vorites,’ competition and cunning, deception and betrayal... Can this really be the way the divine plan is worked out?! Read the whole portion for yourself and embrace the mayhem and mystery of our ancestral story. read more.

Nov. 28 2009, Vayetze, Torah portion: Genesis 28:10–33:3

"Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and broke into tears" (29:11). Thus be- gins the passionate and troubled love affair between Jacob and Rachel. This Torah portion is best read as a whole (and the story is engaging enough to keep you hooked!) It recounts Jacob’s flight to the land of Haran (punctuated by a fascinating dream episode), his dealings with his relative Laban and how he comes to marry both of Laban’s daughters: Leah the elder, and Rachel the younger. Birth stories, of both humans and animals, feature large in this portion. read more.

Dec. 05 2009, Vayishlah, Torah portion: Genesis 32:4–36:43

In this week’s Torah portion the story of Jacob’s family contin- ues for five chapters filled with episode upon episode of the human drama: the meeting of two estranged brothers; the night-long wrestling of Jacob with an unnamed stranger; the rape of Dinah (Jacob’s only daughter among thirteen children) and its conse- quences; Jacob’s homecoming; the deaths of Rachel and Isaac; the future of Esau. Fascinating turns of events; too much for one week. We need to limit our study. read more.

Dec. 12 2009, Vayeshev, Torah portion: Genesis 37:1-40:23

Have you ever seen a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”? It tells, in song, dance, theatrical energy and raucous humor, one of the most well known and well loved bible stories. Read it aloud for yourself in today’s Torah portion. It is a dark story, a story of envy, resentment, betrayal and murderous throughts. It is also a story of hope, revelation and redemption. It is the story of a family: Jacob and his sons. In the ancestry of our faith family, it is our story too. read more.

Dec. 19 2009, Mketz, Torah portion: Genesis 41:1–44:17

The story of Joseph continues this week. In an earlier Torah portion, Joseph’s dreams get him into trouble because of the envy of his brothers, however in this week’s portion his talent with dreams works for his benefit. Unlike the Egyptian magicians and wise men, Joseph is able to present a satisfying interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams. He wins the favor of Pharaoh, is released from prison and rises to power in the Egyptian court. Let’s look closely at the interaction between Joseph and Pharaoh in chapter 41. read more.

Dec. 26 2009, Vayigash, Torah portion: Genesis 44:18–47:27

This week we find ourselves in the midst of one of the greatest of the Torah narratives as Joseph, in the palace of the Egyptian Pharaoh, reveals that “I am Joseph your brother.” It is a line that has mean- ing for interreligious dialogue in our times. At the historic meeting between Pope John XXIII and Jewish leaders at the time of Vatican II, Pope John (whose Christian name was Giuseppe, ‘Joseph’) opened his address with the words “I am Joseph your brother” thus marking a new era of Jewish-Christian reconciliation. read more.

Jan. 02 2010, Vayehi, Torah portion: Genesis 47:28–50:26

As the Book of Genesis draws to a close, we find the elderly Jacob and his sons and their families still living in Egypt, having gone there to survive a famine. Our Torah portion contains two deathbed scenes: that of Jacob and his son Joseph. Both of them die what we might call ‘a good death;’ surrounded by family, mentally alert, able to impart blessings, say their ‘goodbyes’ and tie up loose ends. Not every family is so lucky. Even so, the history of tensions in Jacob’s and Joseph’s family life continue to emerge in this portion. Read the story for yourself, especially Gen.47 and Gen.50:14-26. read more.

Jan. 09 2010, Shemot, Torah portion: Exodus 1:1—6:1

Today we begin a new book of the Torah: the Book of Exodus. The title immediately brings to mind images of Moses the great liberator, the Israelites’ wandering in the desert, the Ten Commandments, and so on. For many of us, our fa- miliarity with this Book comes from childhood bible stories, or perhaps from film and song. Now we have a chance to explore it afresh, ideally with a friend, perhaps taking turns to read the text aloud. What buried treasure can we uncover? Read on, with particular attention to the first two chapters of Exodus. read more.

Jan. 16 2010, Vaera, Torah portion: Exodus 6:2–9:35

Our Torah portion presents a sequence of encounters between Pharaoh and the two Hebrew brothers, Moses and Aaron. The encounters have a larger stage too, for this is really a dramatic confrontation between the egomaniacal powers of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, versus the Lord God, King of the universe (of whom Moses and Aaron are agents). Today we will focus especially on Ex. 6:1-13 in which God’s name is revealed and the Covenant reaffirmed. We will also recall some of the narrative from the previous Torah portion in chapter 5. read more.

Jan. 23 2010, Bo, Torah portion: Exodus 10:1–13:16

Our Torah portion this week contains the story of a momentous event that shapes Israel as a people and is told and retold down through the generations to this very day. What event? The Passover; the ritual meal which the Jews shared on the night of their exodus out of Egypt. With this story comes the first comprehensive list of religious precepts that we find in the Torah. Many more will follow in other books of the Torah, especially in Leviticus. But here, at the critical turning point of the Passover, we find the first. Read this passage in Exodus 12:1-28. read more.

Jan. 30 2010, Beshalach, Torah portion: Exodus 13:17—17:16

In Exodus 14:15-16 the Lord speaks to Moses in the midst of a dramatic and terrifying scene: Having escaped from Egypt, the Hebrew refugees find themselves trapped on the shore of the Red Sea: an expanse of water on one side and, on the other, Egyptian chariots in pursuit with murderous intent. In their terror the people cry out to the Lord and even accuse Moses of leading them to their death (v.11). Now, in verses 15-16, God intervenes... read more.

Feb. 06 2010, Yitro, Torah portion: Exodus 18:1—20:23

Our Torah portion this week, set in the wilderness of Sinai, includes a momentous event: the giving of the Ten Commandments, a story familiar to both Jews and Christians. However, we put this scene aside for now and focus on the Torah narrative leading up to this event. Let’s look at Exodus 18:1-27, where Moses’ father-in-law takes centre stage. It is a story much less familiar to Catholics, yet it is there in our Scriptures awaiting our prayerful exploration... read more.

Feb. 13 2010, Mishpatim, Torah portion: Exodus 21:1—24:18

This week’s Torah portion continues the narrative of the Mt. Sinai Covenant. A further code of conduct is introduced in the form of a list of judicial rulings. The list twice makes mention of the obligation to treat the ‘stranger’ justly. The sages of Israel were sensitive to this, noting that it is most frequently quoted of all the commandments in the Torah, mentioned no less than 36 times, even more often than the commandment to love God. Let’s look at this ancient rule about the treatment of strangers in Ex.22:20; 23:9... read more.

Feb. 20 2010, Terumah, Torah portion: Exodus 25:1—27:19

As this week’s Torah portion opens, the revelation at Sinai has concluded and the sacred text turns its attention to the spiritual welfare of the Israelites during their desert trek to the promised land. This requires elaborate plans for the building of a mobile sanctuary, known in English as the ‘tabernacle.’ Let’s look closely at the opening nine verses of our Torah portion (25:1-9), verse 8 in particular... read more.

Feb. 27 2010, Tetzaveh, Torah portion: Exodus 27:20—30:10

In last week’s Torah portion God instructed Moses in how to make an altar and a court for the tabernacle. In today’s portion he is instructed about the ritual lighting of Temple lamps (Ch. 27), the making of priestly vestments (Ch. 28), the ritual steps for ordaining priests (Ch. 29) and how the incense altar is to be constructed (Ch. 30). In meticulous detail the Israelites are guided to create a system of worship... and all in the midst of the desert!... read more.

Mar. 06 2010, Ki Tissa, Torah portion: Exodus 30:11–34:35

Today’s portion includes the story of the rebellion at the foot of Mt Sinai where the Israelites erect a golden calf. Up until this point the Israelites had witnessed miracle after miracle at the hand of God who had delivered them from Egypt. Having been lifted so high, how could they fall from grace
so suddenly, embracing pagan idolatry in the blink of an eye? This question intrigued Israel’s Sages and commentators down the ages. Let’s join in their discussions... read more

Mar. 13 2010, Vayak'heil, Torah portion: Exodus 35:1—40:38

Last week’s Torah portion told the story of the Golden Calf. Now that this crisis has been resolved, the story returns to God’s instructions for building the Tabernacle, i.e., the portable dwelling and site of worship which indicates the abiding presence of God amidst the Israelites.
Just before these instructions begin, two verses appear (35:2-3) where God reminds the people to keep holy the Sabbath. What is the significance of the placing of these verses? This question intrigued the Sages and com- mentators through the ages, right down to our own day. Let’s listen to some of those voices now... read more

Mar. 20 2010, Vayikra, Torah portion: Leviticus 1:1—5:26

Today we begin the Book of Leviticus. Compared to the action-packed stories of Genesis and Exodus, we are struck by a lack of movement. The entire book is set in one place: at the foot of Mount Sinai. There, in the wilderness, God speaks, forming the people by unveiling a series of laws or instructions: how to worship, how to behave, how to deal with transgressions. Through a system of order and repetitive ritual, the identity of God’s people is solidified... read more

Mar. 27 2010, Tzav, Torah portion: Leviticus 6.1—8.36

Today’s Torah portion continues with instructions about systems of worship. It begins with further details about how to bring sacrificial offerings near to the altar, and it ends with the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests. Of particular interest to us today are two verses prohibiting the consumption of blood (7:26-27)... read more

Apr. 03 2010, Torah portion: Exodus 14.1—15.21

As the band of Hebrew refugees flee from Pharaoh’s army, God intervenes by parting the Red Sea and bringing them through on dry ground. Safely encamped on the other side, the Israelites break into song and dance, celebrating their salvation by the mighty hand of God... read more

Apr. 10 2010, Torah portion: Leviticus 9:1—11:47

Today's Torah begins with the first priestly acts carried out by Aaron (Lev. 9). It continues with the story of an illicit rite carried out by two of Aaron's sons, with disastrous consequences (Lev.10). Finally, in Lev.11, we hear of the distinctions between 'clean' and 'unclean' foods. This latter chapter concerning dietary laws forms the basis of our discussion here... read more

Apr. 17 2010, Torah portion: Leviticus 12:1—15:33

Today’s Torah portion continues the theme of ritual purity. Par- ticularly jarring to contemporary ears are the opening verses that declare a woman who has just given birth to be in a state of ritual impurity:

“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel, saying: If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days...(Lev.12:1-2)

Does this statement bother you? It has certainly bothered Jewish biblical commentators through the generations! Join with the rabbis in exploring these verses... read more

Apr. 24 2010, Torah portion: Leviticus 16:1—20:27

What does it mean to be holy as God is holy; to live our earthly lives in partnership with the divine? Today’s Torah portion shows Israel establishing a code of conduct that makes it 'different' in belief and custom to the surrounding cultures. Of particular interest to us in this discussion are the verses (18:1-5) that precede a long list of rules forbidding incest... read more