{"id":29652,"date":"2011-02-05T20:15:49","date_gmt":"2011-02-06T04:15:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lukeford.net\/blog\/?p=29652"},"modified":"2011-02-14T14:36:13","modified_gmt":"2011-02-14T22:36:13","slug":"this-weeks-torah-portion-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lukeford.net\/blog\/?p=29652","title":{"rendered":"This Week’s Torah Portion Is Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20-30:10)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Watch the complete video.<\/a><\/p>\n

I discuss<\/a> the weekly Torah portion<\/a> with Rabbi Rabbs<\/a> every Monday at 7pm PST on my live cam<\/a> and YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20-30:10)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

* Do you find some Torah portions more interesting than others? These sanctuary details are hard to get through. <\/p>\n

* Being natural is not a Torah ideal (Dennis Prager). Clothing is civilization. I had a friend who was an Orthodox nudist, the only one I’ve known.<\/p>\n

* Purity, separation, distinction are major themes of this week’s parsha and all of Torah. What you wear matters. Some things in life, such as the altar, are more holy than others.<\/p>\n

* This week’s Torah portion introduces the office of priest. Do we need such holy men? Do you like Roman Catholic priests and nuns in their habits?<\/p>\n

* There are no benefits to being a priest or a rabbi in Judaism. There are only obligations.<\/p>\n

* Priests are to be obsessed with life and to have nothing to do with the dead.<\/p>\n

* Priests have to wash their feet and hands before going into service.<\/p>\n

* A physically blemished priest can not serve in the sanctuary.<\/p>\n

* Priests can’t marry hookers or divorcees. Widows are fine, except for the high priest.<\/p>\n

* Divination forbidden. Substitute Urim\/Thummim, but it could only be used by the national leader on national questions. It’s use died out with King David.<\/p>\n

* Does Judaism care about art? There’s verse after verse about artistic details for the sanctuary. After the destruction of the temple, is art unnecessary?<\/p>\n

* The Jews used artistic beauty to come to God. Is secular art dangerous?<\/p>\n

* In Judaism, you can’t live a religious life alone.<\/p>\n

* We have more “spiritual” people than ever before. People want to build their own tabernacles to God.<\/p>\n

* This new Jewish religion burns rams and bulls, gods in Egypt. It would be like burning the Academy Awards (Dennis Prager).<\/p>\n

* You can’t perpetuate values without rituals.<\/p>\n

* Why is Africa such a wasteland?<\/p>\n

* Ex. 29:46: And they shall know I am God. If Jews do not do the Torah, the world won’t know God.<\/p>\n

* If you wear holy garb and you’re a jerk, that’s terrible!<\/p>\n

* Always ask yourself if what you are doing is bringing you closer to God.<\/p>\n

* Judaism uses all five senses. The Sabbath, for example, has distinctive smells. Passover has particular tastes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Watch the complete video. I discuss the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Rabbs every Monday at 7pm PST on my live cam and YouTube. This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20-30:10). * Do you find some Torah portions … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[590],"tags":[23559,25399,25401,7905,25400,7902],"class_list":["post-29652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-torah","tag-artistic-details","tag-dead-priests","tag-national-leader","tag-parsha","tag-thummim","tag-torah-portion"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t