A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

Portrait of Rabbi Josef Davidson

D’var Torah by Rabbi Josef Davidson: We are all holy in the eyes of the Divine

RABBI JOSEF DAVIDSONPublished February 10, 2022

In Tetzaveh, this week’s Torah portion, we learn that the High Priest was to wear a headdress to which a gold frontlet inscribed with “Holy to the Eternal” was attached by a blue cord. One might ask: Why was this gold frontlet attached to the...

Rabbi Noah Arnow

Reading the scroll of Esther: Hope or warning?

By Rabbi Noah ArnowPublished March 5, 2020

Is  every mitzvah, every commandment equally important?  In some sense, of course — if we understand God as the source of mitzvot, commandments, then every mitzvah is an equal opportunity to obey or disobey God and God’s will for us.  And plus,...

Rabbi Micah Buck-Yael is the coordinator of community chaplaincy at Jewish Family & Children’s Service and a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical Association, which coordinates the weekly d’var Torah for the Jewish Light. 

Moses, Aaron model formula for leadership

BY RABBI MICAH BUCK-YAELPublished February 14, 2019

Parashat Tetzavah forms the middle of a lengthy multiweek set of instructions given to the Israelites for the construction of God’s dwelling place. God speaks to Moses, and outlines in precise and sometimes difficult-to-follow language every possible...

The obligation to remember the wise-hearted

BY RABBI DALE SCHREIBERPublished February 29, 2012

This week’s portion, Tetzaveh, begins with commandments to raise an eternal flame and to find people who are wise hearted to build a sanctuary where God’s presence would be visible. Tetzaveh, from the root word command, is paired with a special Sabbath...

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