Torah Tidbits and Haftarah Highlights By Rabbi Steven Silberman

 Torah Tidbits and Haftarah Highlights By Rabbi Steven Silberman (All page numbers refer to Etz Hayim) 

March 31 - Special Torah reading, First day of Pesach - pp. 385 - 390 
Why do we read this passage on the first day of Pesach? Do we observe any elements of this Torah reading in our own lives today?
Haftarat Pesach - March 31 – pp. 1300 - 1302
Which ritual do the People of Israel perform under Joshua’s leadership? Why? Does this surprise you?

April 7 - Special Torah Reading, Last day of Pesach - pp. 399 - 403
What is familiar to you? What have you never noticed before? (Check out p. 401, verse 5.)
Haftarat Pesach - pp. 1316 - 1319 
Why is this Haftarah, which describes David, read on Pesach? Hint: which theme is represented by the holiday of Passover? (Think about Elijah.)

April 14 - Parshat Shemini – pp. 636 - 640
Perhaps no greater symbolic element of Jewish identity exists than eating kosher food. Consider the power of voluntarily refraining from eating certain foods and pledging to remove blood from one’s diet. Kashrut is a spiritual selfdiscipline which emerges from the mindset of a people which demanded purity of the mind and focus of the heart. The many aspects of Kashrut boil (ha ha) down to three specifics - specific animals are edible, specific slaughter is required and specifics in preparation are carried out - all to establish a specific awareness of our place in the world as partners with God and animals.
Haftarat Shemini - pp. 645 – 647 
The main element of the Haftarah touches on King David’s desire to build a Temple for the Ark. Does David do so? Do you know why?

April 21 – Tazria–Metzora - pp. 658- 663 
This passage presents the strange rituals associated with perceived ‘contagions’ known as leprosy which affected woven fabrics and human skin. A ceremony was conducted by the Cohen over a person or garments. If you were afflicted with an unknown rash and a ritual leader came to your home to pray with you and to offer you support, how would you respond? Perhaps we should not look askance at every element of this ritual.
Haftarat Tazria-Metzora – pp. 676 - 678 
These lepers, seen as threatening, were kicked out of the city. How did they react to their banishment? How would you have reacted if you had been in their situation?

April 28 - Parshat Acharei Mot- Kedoshim - pp. 687 - 695
What is the link between not cursing the deaf, not taking advantage of the blind, not consuming blood, refraining from sexual contact with relatives and paying your employees on time?
Haftarat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim - pp. 707 – 708 
This is the shortest Haftarah in our cycle! Skim page 707 and ask yourself what the message is. How does it link to the Torah reading?