Torah Reading
-
Portions Named after Korach and Balak
Why is a Parsha (Weekly Torah Portion) named after Korach and Balak? Wouldn’t Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob be more appropriate? Answer: Unfortunately I do not know the particulars about the naming of the different portions. It seems that the name…
-
Names of the Torah Portions
Who named the Torah Portions and when did this start? Answer: Hi! You’re asking an interesting and difficult question. I’m not sure that anyone named the portions. We don’t even really know where they came from; the Torah itself doesn’t…
-
What’s a Levite?
I have just been told that my fathers family were Leviim (Levites) which makes me a Levi. I would like a detailed description of what this means and the best way to make my children understand how important this is.…
-
What’s the Parsha?
What is the Parshas HaShavua? Answer: The Torah (5 books of Moses) is divided into 54 sections and 1 or 2 of them are read every week so that a public reading of the Torah is completed once a year.…
-
Why is it called a Tikkun?
Why is a the book used for learning Torah readings called a Tikkun? Answer: Good question. I do not think I’ve ever seen an answer quoted from a specific source but I would think it is because you can fix…
-
Pronouncing the Name of G-d
Why do we say “Ado-noi” instead of pronouncing the name of G-d as it is spelled – Yud- Hey-Vav and Hey. Is it written anywhere that we should not say G d’s actual name? Answer: Thank you for a great…
-
Mourning for Fallen Soldiers
When should the Goldwasser and Regev families sit shivah for their murdered son/brother/husband? It could be two years since their deaths, but it was only confirmed today… Answer: That is a good question, although it is tragic that it must…
-
Number of Judges
In the weekly portion of Yitro, Moses appoints judges over 10’s, 50’s, 100’s, and 1000’s (see Exodus 18:25). With the exception of the judge over 50, each judge was in charge of a group of 10. Why was there a…
-
Correcting the Torah Reader
What is the (Hebrew) title/name for the individuals who follow the Torah reading and correct the person doing the Torah reading? Thank you for your question. In general there is not one person who follows along and corrects. Usually all…