Monthly Archives: February 2013

HALF A SHEKEL Ki tissa by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

HALF A SHEKEL – Ki tissa – Exodus 31           Call it a census.  Counting heads.  Registering for the draft.  Whatever name we use, we are talking about a government determining how many people they are governing.  Sometimes that can be an expensive process.  Not long ago, we … Continue reading

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A FEW PURIM THOUGHTS by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

      Of all the holidays of the Jewish year, Purim stands out as the most light-hearted, high-spirited, almost frivolous of celebrations.  Wear funny costumes with crazy hats.  Have a party.  Yes, it’s a mitzvah to hear the Megillah – the Book of Esther – … Continue reading

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A MITZVAH TO REMEMBER Shabat Zakhor by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

       On the Sabbath before Purim we read Deuteronomy chapter 25:17-19, which commands:“Zakhor —Remember what Amalek did to you when you came out of Egypt, attacking you from the rear and killing the stragglers.  He did not fear G-d.”            This is one of … Continue reading

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RINGS ON THE ARK by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

RINGS ON THE ARK – Parsha T’rumah           Chapters 25-27 of Exodus provide a description of the first Jewish sanctuary in complete detail.  All it lacks is a blueprint, and succeeding generations of construction-minded scholars have supplied that.  Some modern editions of the Torah … Continue reading

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GETTING DOWN TO CASES – Mishpatim by Rabbi Baruch Cohon

GETTING DOWN TO CASES – Mishpatim – Ex.21-24           Last week the Torah gave us principles of conduct.  General rights and wrongs.  Now we get into some specifics.  We know murder is wrong, but what actually constitutes murder?  And what penalty should a … Continue reading

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