Torah Portion

Bechukotai

בחקתי

Leviticus 26:3–27:34
Jeremiah 16:19–17:14

A Fetus Is Not an Independent Life: Abortion in the Talmud

A Fetus Is Not an Independent Life: Abortion in the Talmud

The rabbis distinguish four stages in the fetus’ development towards personhood. For the duration of the pregnancy, until the commencement of active labor, “a fetus is like its mother’s thigh” (עוּבָּר יֶרֶךְ אִמוֹ).

Dr.
Ronit Irshai
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What Ancient Scrolls Teach Us about the Torah’s Formation

What Ancient Scrolls Teach Us about the Torah’s Formation

Examining ancient Egyptian papyri, as well as scrolls from animal skins in Levantine sites such as Deir Alla and Qumran, highlights how scribes would add text to preexisting scrolls and showcases the limited size of scrolls intended for regular use.

Prof.
David M. Carr
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Sin Is a Debt that Must Be Repaid

Sin Is a Debt that Must Be Repaid

What do the curses in Leviticus 26 mean by saying that Israel will רצה ratzah their sins and the land will רצה ratzah its Sabbatical years?

Prof.
Joseph Lam
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As Solomon Builds the Temple, God Warns “Follow My Laws” in MT Not LXX

As Solomon Builds the Temple, God Warns “Follow My Laws” in MT Not LXX

The description of Solomon building and dedicating the Temple in the Masoretic Text (MT) of 1 Kings 6 and 8 differ from their parallels in the Septuagint (LXX). These expansions are written in Pentateuchal language, uncharacteristic of Kings, and reflect the attempt of a later scribe(s) to make these scenes cohere with Priestly theology and style, especially of Leviticus 26.

Dr.
Guy Darshan
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How All Kohanim Became Sons of Aaron

How All Kohanim Became Sons of Aaron

The Bible knows about many priestly families, including the Levites, the Mushites (descendants of Moses), and the Zadokites. By the time of Ezra and Chronicles, however, only Aaronide priests were legitimate, and other families either merged with them or were demoted.

Prof.
Mark Leuchter
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Does God’s Property Belong to the Priesthood? Hittite Versus Biblical Law

Does God’s Property Belong to the Priesthood? Hittite Versus Biblical Law

Leviticus allows priests and their families to enjoy the donations and sacrifices to YHWH. This differs from Hittite practice of forbidding priests access to holy objects outside of limited ritual contexts. What is the reason for the difference between these two priestly systems?

Prof.
Ada Taggar-Cohen
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Parents Eating their Children – The Torah’s Curse and Its Undertones in Medieval Interpretation

Parents Eating their Children – The Torah’s Curse and Its Undertones in Medieval Interpretation

Early rabbinic interpretation connected the curse of child eating (Leviticus 26:29; Deuteronomy 28:53-57) with the description of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in Lamentations (2:20 and 4:10) and the Roman destruction of the Second Temple. In the Middle Ages, however, Jewish commentators de-emphasize this connection. The reason for this lies in the 12th c. development of Christian Bible commentary.

Dr. Rabbi
Wendy Love Anderson
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Comparing Curses

Comparing Curses

Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 are often lumped together, as the two great curses, but their careful comparison reveals some fundamental and surprising differences.

Prof.
Marc Zvi Brettler
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Jeremiah’s Teaching of the Trees

Jeremiah’s Teaching of the Trees

The verdant tree and the desert shrub: Jeremiah’s wisdom psalm (17:5-8) uses this arboreal simile in poetic parallelism to offer a poignant message: A person who trusts in God will still confront challenges.

Prof. Rabbi
Andrea L. Weiss
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Obliterating Cherem

Obliterating Cherem

The Torah describes a practice of declaring people cherem, which means that the person, and—in some cases—his family, would be annihilated, and his possessions donated to the Temple. The rabbis were unhappy with this law and used their homiletical approach to “obliterate” it.

Dr. Hacham
Isaac S. D. Sassoon
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Bechukotai

בחקתי

Leviticus 26:3–27:34

וְרָדְפוּ מִכֶּם חֲמִשָּׁה מֵאָה וּמֵאָה מִכֶּם רְבָבָה יִרְדֹּפוּ...

ויקרא כו:ח

Five of you shall give chase to a hundred, and a hundred of you shall give chase to ten thousand...

Lev 26:8

Leviticus

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