Kol Ramah

Parashat Acharei Mot-Q’doshim [Leviticus 16-20] includes, according to Rabbi Aqiva, the great principle of the Torah [Lev. 19:18], “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”. This verse is actually the second half of the verse, which begins with the injunction to not take vengeance or bear a grudge against members of your people, which in turn is preceded by the command to not hate your kinsmen in...

Parashat Tazri-Metzora [Leviticus 12-15] is well-described by this morning’s Bar Mitzvah student as yucky. There are four chapters which focus on the removal of impurity introduced by childbirth [chapter 12], skin diseases [chapters 13-14], and discharges from sexual organs [chapter 15]. As Baruch Levine explains in his JPS Commentary on Leviticus, purity and impurity in the Bible might be best un...

Parashat Sh’mini [Leviticus 9-11] features the strange story of Nadav and Avihu, and the even stranger haftarah from 2 Samuel [6:1-7:17], as well as the levitical version of the dietary laws [there is a close parallel in Deuteronomy 14]. We found ourselves recording during Chol Ha-mo’ed Pesach, wondering whether we should talk about the parashah, or something else, since the last 2 days of yom tov...

Parashat Tzav [Levicus 6:1-8:36] presents the principal sacrifices discussed last week, but this time from the perspective of the priests. Beginning with chapter 8 is the inauguaration of priestly office, which will conclude in parashat Shmini, in two weeks. Because Passover begins next week and we will not be recording, we devoted our conversation to the Haggadah, discussing some of our favorite...

We begin a new book this Shabbat, Va-yiqra [Leviticus], which is also the name of the parashah [Leviticus 1:1-5:26]. The rabbis call the book torat kohanim. In his JPS Commentary, Baruch Levine discusses the double meaning of the phrase: it is both the teaching for the priests and the teaching of or by the priests. The book is at once an instruction manual for priests and a distillation of priestl...

Parashat Va-yaq'hel-P’qudai [35:1–40:38] concludes the Book of Exodus, echoing the parts of the three previous parashiyot which contain the instructions for the Tabernacle. This week, the parashah describes the building of the Tabernacle, concluding with the note that “when Moses had finished the work, the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. Moses...

Parashat Ki Tisa [Exodus 30:11-34:35] this year coincides with Shabbat Parah [maftir, Numbers 19:1-22; haftarah, Ezekiel 36:16-38], the third special Shabbat before Pesah. It comes the week before Shabbat Ha-Hodesh, which occurs on Shabbat Rosh Hodesh Nisan, or the Shabbat before, as is the case this year. There are some final details about the plans for the mishkan [Tabernacle] and a concluding c...

Parashat Tetzaveh [Exodus 27:20-30:10] this year corresponds with Shabbat Zakhor, the 2nd of the 4 special parashiyot before Passover, marked on the Shabbat before Purim, celebrated Monday evening and Tuesday, March 2-3. Passover begins 4 weeks from Wednesday! The parashah continues last week’s parashah, with this week focusing on priestly clothing and the installation of the priests., and conclud...

Parashat T’rumah [Exodus 25:1-27:19] begins the lengthy section describing the mishkan [tabernacle] and its construction, which will take us through to the end of Exodus. There are a few verses that stand out, such as the three-fold repetition of t’ruman [gift] in verses 25:1-2 and the plural verb cconstruction in verses 8 and 10, the former describing the making of the sanctuary [miqdash] and the...

Parashat Mishpatim [Exodus 21:1-24:18] is largely taken up by the Covenant Code. One way to look at the Covenant Code is to see it as the details for which the Ten Commandments, read last week, are, so to speak, the chapter headings. The end of the parashah is narrative, entitled by Sarna in his JPS Commentary on Exodus as “The Renewal of the Divine Promises” and “The Ratification of the Covenant”...

Parashat Yitro [Exodus 18:1-20:23] features the organization of the judiciary, prompted by Yitro’s suggestion to Moshe on how he could reduce the burden on him, and the revelation at Mt. Sinai, where depending on one’s belief system, Moshe received the Torah, the Ten Commandments, or something else. It is hard not to get caught up in chapter 19, which is the description of the revelation itself, p...

Parashat B’shallach [Exodus 13:17-17:16] is the 4th parashah in the Book of Exodus. It features the dramatic crossing of the Sea of Reeds [14:1-31] with the companion poem [15:1-19], and a number of misfortunes: the lack of water, the lack of food, another lack of water [the Exodus story of Moses & The Rock, reprised in Numbers 20:1-13], and the attack of Amalek, which will reverberate through bib...

Parashat Bo [Exodus 10:1-13:16], which includes the final 3 plagues, also has one of my favorite chapters in the entire Torah. Chapter 12 is read twice a year for those who complete the Torah reading annually, for the first 20 verses are read on Shabbat Ha-Hodesh, the shabbat coinciding with Rosh Hodesh Nisan or just before it, and the final 31 verses are read on the 1st day of Passover. The chapt...

Parashat Va’era [Exodus 6:2-9:35] is the second parashah in the Book of Exodus, and a lot happens. Moses returns to Egypt and takes the mantle of leadership, appearing before Pharaoh with his brother, Aaron, his mouthpiece. In one place, God tells Moses, who is concerned about his public speaking deficiencies, that he will be like God, and Aaron his prophet. Very quickly, the text moves through th...

Parashat Sh’mot [Exodus 1:1-6:1] is the first parashah of Sefer Sh’mot [the Book of Exodus]. The book opens up with a quick summary of the end of Genesis, detailing that Jacob and his sons came to Egypt. Very quickly these b’nai Yisrael, the children and grandchildren of Israel, the patriarch Jacob, become b’nai yisrael, the people Israel. In just a few verses, a family three-generation family of...

Parashat Va-yehi [Genesis 47:28-50:26] is the last parashah in the Book of Genesis. It records the end of Jacob’s life and the end of Joseph’s life. In between we have the adoption of Menasheh and Ephraim, raising them to traibal status, and the elevation of Ephraim over Menashe, even though Menashe is the older. There is also the testament of Jacob [chapter 49], in which Jacob’s offers his final...

Parashat Va-yiggash [Genesis 44:18-47:27] is the penultimate parashah in the Book of Genesis. It is hard to believe that it has been well over two months since we began our annual reading in the synagogue! This parashah provides the climax to the saga of Joseph and his brothers, with the big reveal, the reunion of the brothers, now each known to one another, and the reunion of Jacob with all of hi...

Parashat Mi-ketz [Genesis 41:1-44::17] is the second parashah in the extended Joseph saga, which stretches over 4 parashiyot, taking us to the end of Genesis in two weeks. This year, it coincides with Rosh Hodesh and Hanukkah, an occurrence which happens with some frequency. In 1991, this triple Torah header took place on the 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, and my senior sermon. It allowed me to...

Parsha Talk Vayeshev Rabbi Kalmanofsky 2025 5786 by Camp Ramah in the Berkshires

Parsha Talk Vayeshev Rabbi Malomet 2025 5786 by Camp Ramah in the Berkshires

Rabbi Eliezer Diamond was a distinguished scholar, a deeply respected spiritual leader, and a transformative interpreter of the Talmud. For more than 35 years, he taught Talmud and Rabbinics at JTS, retiring only about a year ago. Generations of students were profoundly influenced by his passionate and insightful teaching. His writings on prayer, asceticism, rabbinic storytelling, and environmenta...

Rabbi Eliezer Diamond was a distinguished scholar, a deeply respected spiritual leader, and a transformative interpreter of the Talmud. For more than 35 years, he taught Talmud and Rabbinics at JTS, retiring only about a year ago. Generations of students were profoundly influenced by his passionate and insightful teaching. His writings on prayer, asceticism, rabbinic storytelling, and environmenta...

Rabbi Eliezer Diamond was a distinguished scholar, a deeply respected spiritual leader, and a transformative interpreter of the Talmud. For more than 35 years, he taught Talmud and Rabbinics at JTS, retiring only about a year ago. Generations of students were profoundly influenced by his passionate and insightful teaching. His writings on prayer, asceticism, rabbinic storytelling, and environmenta...

Rabbi Eliezer Diamond was a distinguished scholar, a deeply respected spiritual leader, and a transformative interpreter of the Talmud. For more than 35 years, he taught Talmud and Rabbinics at JTS, retiring only about a year ago. Generations of students were profoundly influenced by his passionate and insightful teaching. His writings on prayer, asceticism, rabbinic storytelling, and environmenta...

This recording is from the Radio Kol Ramah archives 2012. If you were curious which music our scholar-in-residence listens to, you will not want to miss this episode of Rabbi Eliezer Diamond’s weekly radio show on Kol Ramah 102.3 FM. Featuring music of Debbie Friedman, Doc Watson and the Band.