Shelach (Send Forth) – Numbers 13:1 – 15:41

by Katie Eacrett | Jun 27, 2024 | Shabbat Shalom, Shmuel Shabbat Shalom

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Shabbat Shalom. This week’s Torah portion Shelach, recounts a dramatic moment in Israel’s history: the sin of the spies. This familiar story raises questions, like why did the spies, leaders among the children of...

Beha’alotcha (As You Raise Up) – Numbers 8:1 – 12:15

by Katie Eacrett | Jun 21, 2024 | Shabbat Shalom, Shmuel Shabbat Shalom

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Shabbat Shalom! This week Shmuel shares his thoughts all the way from Inverness, Scotland.  Portion Behaalotcha opens with the lighting of the menorah. Shmuel’s ideas on the portion cover obedience, gratitude and the importance of...

Naso (To Carry/Appoint) – Numbers 4:21-7:89

by Katie Eacrett | Jun 13, 2024 | Shabbat Shalom, Shmuel Shabbat Shalom

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Shabbat shalom. This week we read the portion of Naso. There is something in this portion that is sure to be familiar: the priestly blessing! In modern Israel this blessing is said by priests over the people and said by fathers...

Bamidbar (In The Desert) – Numbers 1:1 – 4:20

by Katie Eacrett | Jun 7, 2024 | Shabbat Shalom, Shmuel Shabbat Shalom

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Shabbat Shalom! This week we begin the portion and book of Bamidbar (“In the desert”, also known as the book of Numbers).Why did the children of Israel receive the Torah in the desert of all places? The desert is often a lawless...

Behukotai (My Statutes) – Leviticus 26:3 – 27:34

by Katie Eacrett | May 30, 2024 | Shabbat Shalom, Shmuel Shabbat Shalom

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Portion Behukaotai lays out blessings, rewards, curses and punishments. Shmuel shares a story about the Sanz Rebbe, a famous rabbi whose family perished in the Holocaust. The Sanz Rebbe had experience with curses and darkness, but...