by katie@betalef.org | Sep 14, 2022 | Torah Reflections
Ki Teitzei: Deuteronomy 21:10 – 25:19 “Tuning in to God’s Voice” As the rabbis of Talmudic times ordered the daily prayer schedule, they made sure we recite the Sh’ma—the central affirmation of our tradition—at least three times a day;...
by katie@betalef.org | Sep 7, 2022 | Torah Reflections
Ki Teitzei: Deuteronomy 21:10 – 25:19 “Bridging Heaven and Earth” As we find ourselves entering the second half of the book of Deuteronomy, our weekly parasha/portion contains a record of individual, familial, and communal laws...
by katie@betalef.org | Sep 1, 2022 | Torah Reflections
Shoftim: Deuteronomy 16:18 – 21:9 “Humility is Not Humiliation” This week is the first week of Elul, the month leading up to Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year. It is traditionally a time dedicated to introspection, to reviewing the year that...
by katie@betalef.org | Aug 24, 2022 | Torah Reflections
Re’eh: Deuteronomy 11:26 – 16:17 “Waking up From Our Collective Amnesia” See! I place before you today a blessings and a curse. The blessing, that you listen to the mitzvot of the Eternal your God, that I enjoin upon you today; and the...
by katie@betalef.org | Aug 17, 2022 | Torah Reflections
Eikev: Deuteronomy 7:12 – 11:25 “You Are a Stiffnecked People!” In the middle of our Torah portion Moses, once again, admonishes our people for our intractable stubbornness: “Know, then, that it is not for any virtue of yours that the Eternal...
by katie@betalef.org | Aug 10, 2022 | Torah Reflections
VaEt’chanan: Deuteronomy 3:23 – 7:11 “The Blueprint of a Spiritual Journey” This week’s Torah portion is awash in an abundance of themes. It includes Moses’ plea to God to upend His death sentence so that he, too, may enter the Promised...
