Dvar Torah Shemini March April 6, 2024 B’nai Brith Somerville Good Shabbos. I am again honored to be able to bring words of Torah to you. Our torah portion this Shabbat is Shemini, Leviticus Chapter 9-11. Chapter 11 goes into great detail on kosher and non-kosher animals. It is helpful for understanding the background for Jewish kashrut. On Shabbat Ha Chodesh, which we have today, we also read Exodus 12:1-20 in preparation for Passover. Today, I am focusing only on Leviticus chapters 9 and 10, on the enigmatic and mysterious story of Nadav and Avihu, who offer outsider fire – Eish Zarah – Ruach HaYam teaching presented by Penina Weinberg April 3, 2022 The story of the of the death of Aaron’s sons Avinu and Nadav in a blast of all consuming fire is both strange and compelling. Did they die because of sin? accident? too much love? hubris? We’ll do a close reading of Leviticus 9 and 10, and also consider a commentary by Reuven Ben Amitai on https://eishzarah.wordpress.com/why-eish-zarah/ What is the relevance of strange fire for queer folks? What is the relationship to the eternal flame referenced earlier in our Torah? Here we will consult also the commentary on parsha Tzav… Ruach HaYam teaching presented by Penina Weinberg February 27, 2022 The book of Daniel contains such famous lines as “the writing on the wall,” and “into the lion’s den” but over all is probably not well known. We’ll take an excursion through the tales of Daniel, Belshazzar’s feast, the fiery furnace, the lion’s den, and the apocalyptic world view. We’ll find hints of Joseph as dream reader and of Esther and the outsized and comical Ahasuerus. Reading the book of Daniel in advance https://www.sefaria.org/Daniel could be helpful to those unacquainted, but is by *no* means required. Look here https://tinyurl.com/RuHay-Daniel for… Ruach HaYam teaching presented by Penina Weinberg January 23, 2022 This is the week (or the Sunday after) of the Torah portion Yitro, Exodus 18:1-20:23. We will explore one or more of the fabulous topics in this section of the Torah. —> Why did Zipporah disappear and reappear? —> Burnout/Self Care [Yitro and Moses] —> God as Eagle [gender considerations of the Eternal] —> According to the story of the Revelation at Sinai/ Synesthesia, we access revelation in different ways, but they are all equally valid ways of access [Disability Justice issues – R Lauren Tuchman might be our supplementary… Ruach HaYam teaching presented by Penina Weinberg December 5, 2021 This evening is the 8th candle of Chanukah. If you celebrate, bring your menorah!! We’ll dip into texts appropriate to the season: a few excerpts from Judith, midrash about Chanukah, interesting texts and poetry. Judith is a truly multifaith heroine so we have stories for everyone. Feel free to contribute a memory from our intensive study of Judith in the Time Before and/or a favorite song. The study will be eclectic, relaxed, hopefully a tad festive Banner is a Hanukiah depicting Judith, Italy, 19th century(?) The Jewish Museum, NY. At… Ruach HaYam teaching presented by Penina Weinberg October 17, 2021 At the end of the Jewish liturgical year, in the fall, after Yom Kippur, on Simchat Torah, Jews read Parashah V’Zot HaBerachah, which is the very end of Deuteronomy, the last book of the 5 books which make up the Torah, and which are read portion by portion though the cycle of one year. On the very same evening, Jews read the beginning of the Torah, Genesis 1:1–2:3. What does it mean to envision the end of the life of Moses as deeply connected to and leading to the Creation… Ruach HaYam teaching presented by Penina Weinberg August 26, 2021 The Hannah Narrative is recited by Jews every year on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, the New Year (this year falling on September 7). Through a close reading of 1 Samuel 1 we will prepare ourselves to hear the thunder of change and the quiet inner voice of our souls. You will find source sheets here: https://tinyurl.com/RuHay-Hannah Although Hannah is held up as a model of prayer by Jews and Christians alike, how often do we ask what Hannah is actually praying for? What is her heart crying out… Ruach HaYam teaching presented by Penina Weinberg June 24, 2021 In 2 Kings chapters 5-7 we find stories of three different types of men affiliated with tzara’at. Usually (mis)translated in the Bible as “leprosy,” it is an unsightly skin affliction which generally results in the sufferer being excluded from community until they can become cured and purified. In this cycle of stories, we have the non-Israelite King Naaman who is leprous; Gehazi, the servant of the prophet Elisha, who becomes leprous; and four lepers sitting outside the gates of Samaria waiting to die. We will read these stories for comic… Ruach HaYam teaching presented by Penina Weinberg May 20, 2021 The book of Ruth poses hard questions about the relationship between humanity and God, and between one human and another. Like Job, Naomi agonizes over being abandoned by God, even afflicted by God. The community of Naomi’s birth rejects her upon her return. Yet Ruth is able to transform the village and effect Naomi’s restoration to respected elder. What does it mean that God can afflict human beings? Ruth and Naomi sit outside the gates at the beginning. What is the role of women in transforming society? What is the… Ruach HaYam teaching presented by a fabulous guest teacher, Liam Hooper, author of “Trans-Forming Proclamation: A Transgender Theology of Daring Existence”!! April 22, 2021. Reading I Kings 17 (especially, vs 2-16) as literature moves us beyond the surface narrative and overt prophecies to reveal the messages below the narrative that are conveyed in the allegory. Delving into the elements of the story allows us to apprehend some implications of the values and priorities held by the god-character. In his book, “Trans-Forming Proclamation: A Transgender Theology of Daring Existence”, Liam Hooper develops the following conclusions: “For God, no element of creation…
Parashat Shemini 2024
I dedicate this dvar torah to my brother, Robert Weinberg, of blessed memory whose yarhtzeit is this week.Strange Fire and Flaming Queers: Topics in Leviticus (Apr 3, 2022)
The Book of Daniel: Reading the Writing on the Wall and other Queer Things (Feb 27, 2022)
Queers look at parashat Yitro (Jan 23, 2022)
Chanukah queer Torah schmooze for all (Dec 5 2021)
Moses Views the Promised Land in the Middle of the Creation of the World (Oct 17, 2021)
Hannah Narrative: Thunder, Trouble, and Following Our Inner Voice (August 26 2021)
Tzara’at (“leprosy”) and Salvation – Inside and Outside the Gates (June 24 2021)
Ruth and Naomi: The Divine of Human Relationship (May 20 2021)
“Beyond the Gates of the City”: Locating G-d’s Social Torah (April 22, 2021)
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