“Vayachel” means “and he assembled.” The verb is derived from KAHAL, Hebrew word for “assembly, congregation.” After a brief sermon on the importance of Shabbat, Moshe then gets the Israelites to work on the manifold details of building the Tabernacle and related furniture and objects.
“Pekudei” means “these are the records/expenses” …

“Ki-Tissa” means “when you take,” referring to what Israel is to do when it takes a census of all the people. Most censuses in the ancient world are used for the purposes of taxation. This census is no different, except the “tax” is not for an emperor, but for YHWH’s …

From a grudge that dates back to Jacob and Esau, to a feast Yahweh commands the Israelites do while still in Egypt that did not happen, to waiting nearly a thousand years for that placeholder of a feast to be fulfilled, few feasts have a greater reach both backwards and …

“Tetzaveh” means “you will charge/command,” which opens with requirements for worship that are so important that failure to comply is simply not an option. If these needs are not met, nothing good will ever come about from that nation of Israel. We then get a lot of details about the …

Terumah means “the contributions” concerns a list of the offerings Israel gives to help build the Tabernacle in the wilderness as well as detailed instructions for building the Ark of the Covenant and other “divine furniture. Video #3 also contains the “Windows of Heaven” teaching which I get requests on …

“The Judgments” concerns a list of rules and regulations that Abba YHWH is giving to Israel. They involve practical examples from the root commands given at Sinai. However, there is much more going on here than a mere laundry list of obligations. Sandwiched between these rules are some of the …

It is very significant that this parsha is named “Jethro” and not “The Ten Words” or Commandments that it contains. In a sense the advice that Jethro gives Moshe is just as important as the Ten Commandments because it shows YHWH’s plan. First Moshe needs to keep himself from getting …

“Be’shelach” means “let go,” and the portion begins with Pharaoh regretting his decision to free the Hebrews, so he musters his chariots in an attempt to bring them all back. Instead however Abba YHWH parts the waters of the Reed Sea and destroys Pharaoh’s army. But even as Israel rejoices, …

“Bo” means “go,” and that’s exactly what the Israelites do! After the last three plagues of locusts, darkness and killing the first born of Egypt do their damage, Pharaoh at last relents and lets Israel go. In the stunning aftermath of these events, the Pesach meal is instituted as an …

Va’Era means “and I appeared,” as in Abba YHWH explaining that He appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and this thought of course follows from His introduction in Shemot that Moshe is a descendant of these people, “I am the El of your fathers.” After the initial “Bricks Without Straw” …

Plagues and Scandal! Round 1 of this tremendous struggle has clearly been won by Pharaoh, with the Bricks Without Straw debacle literally breaking the spirits of the Israelites. Now Moshe must regroup and prepare for something much worse: The divine destruction of his adopted homeland. And yet Moshe himself has …

The new adventure begins. It’s been 144 years since Joseph died and was buried at the end of Genesis. Judah and all the other tribal heads, the sons of Jacob, are now all dead. A dynasty died and a new re-unified Egypt has emerged, stronger than ever, and determined to …

The Final Act. In a drama literally more than 2,300 years in the making, the book of Genesis comes to a climactic close. Joseph has made himself known to his brothers, but even though he has promised forgiveness and restoration to them, the guilty siblings are not so sure they …

“You didn’t send me to Egypt…Elohim did, so I could save lives!” Thus says Joseph to his brothers as they finally reconcile in a moment 22 years in the making. In the end, Joseph needed to have a picture painted of the suffering of his father Jacob to finally relent, …

Due to the Hanukkah Special and regular parsha (Mikkets) hitting within days of one another, Torah 101 is taking Hanukkah off and will return with “Vayigash”!

Reconciliation! In a stunning climax to 20 years of grief, Jacob and Esau finally reconcile. But there are still many more challenges awaiting Jacob, not the least of which are his own children who betray the Shechemites and defy their own father to avenge the sexual assault of their sister …

Torah 101 will return next week with “Vayishlach”!

Birthrights and blessings, prophecy and family deceptions and the most stable marriage perhaps in all Tanakh faces some of its most grievous moments, and that’s just one chapter! In terms of family drama, this is about as intimate and fascinating as it gets. One brother is is forced into the …

One generation ends and another begins, but not before Abraham undertakes through his servant the most personal mission of them all–finding a wife for his beloved son Isaac. And while Isaac is still grieving over his mother Sarah’s death, a distant cousin named Rebecca is coming to soothe his broken …

Welcome to the parsha of extremes! From the most personally traumatic test possible–Abraham being ordered by Father Yah to sacrifice his son Isaac–to creating a near international incident with a Philistine king due to a lack of faith on his part–Abraham does it all this week. He also tries to …