Weekly Words of Torah

Parashat Terumah 5786

by Rabbi Margie Cella Now that the people had experienced Revelation at Mount Sinai, they needed to construct a sanctuary where they could continue to encounter God’s presence. Many raw materials were...
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Parashat Mishpatim 5786

by Rabbi Margie Cella This week’s parashah contains 53 mitzvot covering a wide variety of subjects governing our relationships with God and our fellow human beings.  I am going to concentrate on the...
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Parashat Yitro 5786

by Rabbi Margie Cella Now that the people of Israel had passed safely through the Red Sea, with the threat posed by Pharaoh and his army finally eliminated, they traveled towards Sinai, where they would...
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Parashat Beshalach 5786

by Rabbi Margie Cella This week we read the story of the nation of Israel leaving Egypt, pursued by a reluctant Pharaoh and his army of six hundred chariots. Paralyzed with fear, the people turned to Moses...
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Parashat Bo 5786

by Rabbi Margie Cella Often when I am preparing to write each week, I refer to what I wrote in my book to jog my memory. This week I was drawn to my commentary on the ninth plague, which I wrote on January...
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Parashat Vaera 5786

by Rabbi Margie Cella Here we see Moses and his brother, Aaron, taking on the task of negotiating with Pharaoh for the release of the nation of Israel from Egyptian slavery. The brothers make multiple...
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Parashat Shemot 5786

by Rabbi Margie Cella This week we begin the study of Exodus, the second book of the Torah. It opens with a listing of the names of the sons of Jacob who had come down to Egypt. With the passage of time,...
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Parashat Vayechi 5786

by Rabbi Margie Cella Seventeen years after moving to Egypt, Jacob’s death was now at hand. Calling Joseph to him, he made him promise to bring his body back to Canaan for burial. Joseph brought his sons...
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Parashat Vayigash 5786

by Rabbi Margie Cella Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to obtain food a second time. This time they brought Benjamin along. To test them, Joseph accused Benjamin of stealing his goblet and threatened to...
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Parashat Miketz 5786

by Rabbi Margie Cella Pharaoh was disturbed by two dreams he had that he was unable to interpret. When his butler recounted Joseph’s dream interpretation skills from his encounter with him in prison, Pharaoh...
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