ETERNAL FIRE It was the vision of a Burning Bush that did not go out that first drew Moses to the mountain. G-d gave him his mission to ignite a flame in the Jewish people and take them out of slavery. Now, many months later, the people are assembled at the mountain and, in this week’s parasha, are given the law that in their Tabernacle there shall be an everlasting flame. “A continuous fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall not go out.” (Vayikra 6:6) Wood was added to the pyre every morning and evening. Although the pyre was...
SAVING THE WORLD Is there any connection between the report on climate change issued this week by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Google’s launch of its own Chatbot, Bard? I think there is. The challenges of climate change are enormous. The UN report warns us that unless we take urgent action, we run the risk of exceeding a 1.5°C rise, which will lead to devastating consequences for our planet. Secretary-General Guterres calls on governments to take drastic action to reduce emissions by investing in renewable energy and low-carbon technology. But these are only conventional means of tackling this...
REHEARSING THE CORONATION With the coronation just weeks away, extensive preparations are in full swing. There are even reports that a replica of parts of Westminster Abbey has been built inside Buckingham Palace so that the King and Queen can rehearse key parts of the ceremony. Rehearsals are part of this week’s parasha. We are told: “On the first day of the first month, in the second year, the Mishkan (or Tabernacle) was erected.” (Shemot 40:17) The Midrash comments that on each of the previous seven days, Moses had erected and dismantled the entire structure. Finally, on the eighth day,...
SHOULDERING THE LOAD In Rembrandt’s famous painting of Moses Breaking the Tablets of the Law, hanging in the Berlin Art Gallery, the prophet is depicted as holding the tablets above his head about to smash them to the ground. Moses does this intentionally as he does not want to present the tablets to the nation that has worshipped the golden calf. While this is a straightforward reading of the account contained in this week’s parasha, there is another opinion, presented in the Midrash, that Moses did not break the tablets deliberately. Rather, they fell from his hands and broke on...
CHARLES THE THIRD AND AARON THE FIRST Preparations for the King’s Coronation are well in place. The meticulously planned ceremony, which the British do so well, is being organised down to the very last detail. Some of these details are derived from the biblical coronation of the kings of Israel. These were, in turn, derived from the investiture of the Kohen Gadol or High Priest, as described in this week’s parasha. Aaron, the first High Priest, is inaugurated in the following way: “You shall take the garments and dress Aaron with the Robe of the Ephod, the Ephod and the...
THE LOST ARK Steven Spielberg’s fantasy movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” draws its inspiration from the holy Ark, described in this week’s parasha. The Ark disappears from Jewish life at the end of the First Temple period. Some sources suggest it was buried somewhere under the Temple Mount to avoid it falling into enemy hands. For the past two and half thousand years, its location has remained hidden. It seems strange that although other Temple vessels like the Menorah and the Altar were reconstructed for the Second Temple, no attempt was made to replace the Ark. Indeed, Moses Maimonides,...
