This double portion is all about the laws of ritual purity and impurity in the context of the Tabernacle. Tazria starts off detailing the laws of purification for a woman after childbirth, including different periods of impurity for the birth of a boy or a girl, followed by offerings to complete her return to ritual cleanness. The majority of both portions centers on tzara’at, often translated as leprosy, as well as other infections of the same type that can appear on clothing or the walls of a house. The Torah details how the priest examines, diagnoses, quarantines, and ultimately purifies the affected person, garment, or home. Metzora continues with the purification ceremony for someone healed from tzara’at and concludes with the laws about various bodily discharges, both normal and abnormal, that render a person unclean and the process for becoming clean again. These chapters emphasize the importance of distinguishing between clean and unclean and the path to restoration and return to holiness.

Shemini means “eighth.” This portion opens on the eighth day following the seven days of ordination for Aaron and his sons described in Parashat Tzav. On this day, the offerings are carried out exactly as the Lord had commanded. The service begins successfully: Aaron blesses the people, God’s glory appears before the entire congregation, and fire from the Lord consumes the burnt offerings on the altar. | However, tragedy strikes when Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu offer unauthorized “strange fire” before the Lord, and fire comes forth from the Lord and consumes them. Later, Aaron refrains from eating the sin offering as commanded. When Moses becomes angry, Aaron explains his grief over the death of his two sons, and Moses accepts his reasoning. The portion concludes with the detailed laws distinguishing between clean and unclean animals that the children of Israel may eat. Support my work! www.ashsoular.com/donate

Parashat Tzav is the second Torah portion in the Book of Leviticus. God commands Moses to instruct Aaron and his sons on the precise procedures for the burnt offering, meal offering, sin offering, guilt offering, and peace offering, including how the priests must handle the portions and keep the altar fire burning continually. By this point the Tabernacle has already been built, and this Portion recounts how these detailed priestly instructions were carried out, stating that Moses and Aaron did everything exactly as the Lord commanded. The portion concludes with the seven-day ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests. Support my work to make these videos and more: www.ashsoular.com/donate Thank you!💗

Parashat Vayikra is the first portion of the Book of Leviticus also called Vayikra in Hebrew. This portion begins the detailed laws of worship in the Tabernacle. God calls to Moses from the Tent of Meeting and instructs him on the various offerings that form the sacrificial system. These offerings serve as a means to draw closer to God, express devotion, give thanks, and achieve atonement for sins, even unintentional ones. These are the five main types of offerings: Olah (Burnt Offering) — A voluntary offering where the entire animal (except the hide) is completely burned on the altar as an offering by fire, a pleasing aroma to the Lord, to make atonement for the offerer. Minchah (Meal/Grain Offering) — A voluntary gift made from fine flour, oil, and frankincense. Part is burned on the altar as an offering by fire, a pleasing aroma to the Lord, and the rest goes to the priests. Shelamim (Peace/Well-Being Offering) — A voluntary offering where the fat portions are burned on the altar as an offering by fire, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Chatat (Sin Offering) — An obligatory offering for unintentional sins or violations of commandments, varying by who sinned (High Priest, community, leader, or individual); it is made to make atonement. Asham (Guilt/Trespass Offering) — An obligatory offering for specific wrongs, such as unintentional misuse of sacred property or false oaths; it includes restitution and makes atonement. Enjoy these portions and want to support these videos? https://www.ashsoular.com/donate

Listen to this week's Torah Portion as I read it to you! Parashat Vayak’hel-Pekudei is the grand finale of the Book of Exodus. After the dramatic scene with the golden calf, this double portion shows the children of Israel coming together to donate supplies and volunteer to help build the Tabernacle (Mishkan), God’s portable sanctuary in the wilderness. We are told again that God has called Bezalel and Oholiab and filled them with His spirit of to work in all manner of craftmanship for the tabernacle. They receive the contributions from the people, and they begin making all of the pieces for the Mishkan with God's detailed instructions: the curtains, frames, basin, ark with gold cherubim, the table, menorah, altars, garments and more. After all of their work, the tabernacle is finally finished, and Moses anoints and consecrates it. God descends upon it as a cloud and His glory fills the tabernacle. His cloud remained by day, and became a fire by night, and whenever the cloud would lift off, the children of Israel would pack up and set out again. 💗These videos are a labor of love to bring the Word of God to others, but unfortunately, they aren't cheap to make. If you'd like to support these videos and want to see more, you can make a donation here: https://www.ashsoular.com/donate Thank you!

Parashat Ki Tisa is packed with events. First, God commands a census of the children of Israel, with each person giving a half-shekel. Then come more instructions for the priests' sanctification, the washing basin, anointing oil, and incense. God calls Bezalel and fills him with His Spirit for all kinds of workmanship, along with Oholiab. God reiterates His set-apart days. While Moses is up on the mountain getting these instructions, the people think Moses has died after 40 days. They tell Aaron to make them a new god, leading to the infamous golden calf. Moses comes down in fiery anger, breaks the tablets written by God's own hand, confronts the people, and deals with the consequences that follow. Moses goes back to God to plead for atonement, asking Him to forgive the people or blot him out too. God then tells Moses to hew two more tablets of stone for Him to write upon like the last, makes a covenant, and promises to bring children of Israel into the Promised Land. Support my work: www.ashsoular.com/donate

In this week's Torah Portion, God gives commands for the service of his priests in the tabernacle from detailed descriptions of their garments to the sacrifices for their consecration. God establishes an everlasting priesthood through Aaron and his sons. We see in this portion that God intends the tending to his tabernacle to be a daily program. He wants his menorah to be lit continually, incense to be continually burning and for there to be daily sacrifices for atonement. God then says He will meet there with the children of Israel. Finally, God establishes the once-a-year Day of Atonement. Support my work! https://www.ashsoular.com/donate

In Parashat Terumah, God tells Moses collect a contribution from the people of Israel for the construction of the sanctuary and tabernacle where God will dwell among them. The contribution must not be forced but each is to give what their heart moves them. God then gives detailed instructions for the construction of each piece including the ark of the covenant, the menorah, the altar and the court. It's a portion that can seem tedious but within every instruction we get a glimpse into the mind and heart of God. Support my work! https://www.ashsoular.com/donate