I discuss the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Rabbs every Monday at 7pm PST on my live cam and YouTube.
This week’s parasha is Pekudei.
For the first time, we’re going to do Torah Talk Monday night at the House of Rabbs.
* All the details about the construction of the mishkon (sanctuary) militate against cheating.
* There’s one act of creation allowed on Shabbos — conception.
* Is it OK to brush your hair on Shabbat? You can create electricity and sparks.
* Why does the Torah have so many details on what the priests wear? Because what you wear is profoundly important for the way it affects you and others. The more serious the yeshiva student, the better he dresses. I act differently in a suit than in shorts. People react to me differently when I wear a suit versus my mankini.
* If God hovered over us as He did for the Israelites in the desert, would things be great? Is God a loving therapist? Or would He start judging and smiting?
* Thank God there is no sex in this week’s parsha. If there were, we would learn how Torah not only removes sex from religion (no hookers in the temple) but brings religion to sex (within marriage).
* God is the only thing that does not demand that you compromise your principles. The stronger you are with your religion, the less likely you are to compromise yourself.
* This week’s parasha is all about keeping God alive in your life.
* Men gathering with men to worship God only helps women. It does so more than men gathering with men to chant, “The goalie sucks” or some such sports chant. (Dennis Prager)
* A commitment to ethics is not enough to govern a people or to keep it together. Ethics are not enough to perpetuate any organization, even one primarily devoted to ethics. You don’t need to belong to any people or religion to be ethical.
