Jeremy’s Notes
Va-Eira
The first two sedrot of the Book of Sh’mot are so dominated by the early story of Moses that it is easy to pass over some of the ‘minor’ characters.
Jeremy’s Notes
Va-y’chi and Bat Mitzvah
Bereshit ends this week in a way which, if it were a traditional novel, would leave its readers with a sense of contented fulfilment. After an epic first few episodes
Jeremy’s Notes
Mikkeitz
Let’s face it, Joseph was a bit of a pain as a young lad. Snitching on your brothers, especially when they are bigger, older and more numerous than you, is
Jeremy’s Notes
Va-yishlach
As Jacob prepared his family to meet his brother Esau, whom he hadn’t seen for twenty years and of whom he was mortally afraid, did he realise that his seven
Jeremy’s Notes
Tol’dot
There’s this man. When he was born, he grabbed his twin brother’s heel. Two peas in a pod? They were more like a wasp and a hornet. When he was
Jeremy’s Notes
Va-yeira
What I like about our heroes is that they are not too heroic. To a man and to a woman, they are admirable, even great, but each one with his
Jeremy’s Notes
Noach
It take just two parashot, or eleven chapters, for God to create the universe, equip the earth with the means to support life, populate this earth with living creatures, bring
Jeremy’s Notes
Sukkot Chol HaMoed
If we were following the sequence of parashot, one after the other, this would be the week of the very last one of Devarim and of the Torah. V’Zot HaBerachah
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Ki Tavo
One can never have too much John Humphrys rubbish in this life, so here is some more from the parshiyot of Ki Teitzei and Ki Tavo: Social welfare rubbish When
Jeremy’s Notes
Shof’tim
A few days ago, in the Today Programme on Radio 4, veteran newsman John Humphrys asserted, while discussing religion with a Christian minister, that the Old Testament is a load
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High Holy Days in Cornwall
Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur will be celebrated this year as follows. Erev Rosh Hashanah (Sunday, 9 September), 29 Elul 6:30 p.m. Service will start promptly at 6:30 p.m. and
Jeremy’s Notes
Eikev
Can a woman forget her nursing child, not having compassion on the son of the womb? Yes, they may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved
Jeremy’s Notes
Chukkat
After all the rebellions and unrest Moses has recently suffered, he must have needed a good Shabbat. The number and intensity of the revolt has been enough to drive any
Jeremy’s Notes
Sh’lach l’cha
Kvetch, kvetch, kvetch… what is wrong with these people? Anyone would think that Jews were born to complain. Oh, perish the thought? The parsha of B’ha’alot’cha, though, seems full of
Jeremy’s Notes
Naso
While we have been in the desert for some time now, this is only the second week in the book of the desert. The common image of the desert, or
Jeremy’s Notes
B’chukkotai
One thing which ancient – and perhaps modern – Jews and Celts share is an attitude towards the land. Both peoples see the land as a space they occupy in
Jeremy’s Notes
Emor
At our last service, we followed the Orthodox calendar and read Shemini, instead of the double parshiyot of Tazria – M’tzora. As for last week, it was another double parshiyot,
Jeremy’s Notes
Sh’mini
There are a lot of unclean animals about: camels, hyraxes, long-eared owls, hoopoes, skinks and salamanders, to mention just a few. Not eating them may or may not have been
Jeremy’s Notes
Va-yikra
The two parshas which come immediately after the episode of the golden calf and which, this year, form a double parashiyot, are marked by their brightness and serenity. They begin
Jeremy’s Notes
Ki Tissa
The instructions given on the making of the priestly vestments in T’tzavveh are so extraordinarily detailed, a tailor and metalworker would have no problem following them. Interestingly, so many Jewish