1. Bereishit. "Give ear O heavens...
may the earth hear." (portion describes creation of heaven and earth)
2. Noah. "May my teaching drop like
rain... dew... storm winds... raindrops (portion describes the Flood)
3. Lech Lecha. "When I call out the
Name of Hashem, ascribe greatness to our G-d." (portion describes Avraham,
first to call out the Name of Hashem, and influence others to ascribe greatness
to our G-d).
4. Vayeira. "... perfect is His
work... a G-d of faith..." (Isaac was a "perfect offering," and
Abraham and Isaac were tested in their faith by the Akeidah)
5. Chayei Sarah: "Corruption is not
His - the blemish is His children's, a perverse and twisted generation."
(portion describes Sarah's death and difficulty with burial, which could make
Abraham question Hashem's promise, but he doesn't. It also describes the generations of Ishmael.
6. Toldot. "... O vile and unwise
people? Is He not your Father, your Master? ... created you and firmed
you?" (vile and unwise is a reference to Eisav in this portion, who
foolishly gave up the birthright and then lost his father's blessing. The
portion also describes how Isaac became established, and the establishment of Yaakov
through the blessing he received.
7. Vayetzei. "Remember the days of yore...
Ask your father and he will relate to you..." (portion contains the story
of Yaakov, which serves as a sign and for a guiding point for all subsequent
generations.
8. Vayishlach. "When the Supreme One
gave the nations their inheritance, whe He separated the children of man, He
set the borders of the peoples according to the number of the Children of
Israel." (portion contains meeting between Yaakov and Eisav, and the
division of the land. Eisav goes to Seir, and Yaakov remains in the Land of
Israel.)
9. Vayeshev. "For Hashem's portion is
His people; Jacob is the measure of His inheritance." (portion describes Yaakov
settling in the Land of Israel, His inheritance. It also describes how Yaakov's
inheritance would develop, through Yehudah and Yosef).
10. Miketz. "He discovered him in a
desert land, in desolation, a howling wilderness, He encircled him, He granted
him discernment, He preserved him like the pupil of his eye (Joseph is
protected by Hashem, Who finds him in desolation; Hashem gives him discernment
to interpret Pharaoh's dream and rise to power)
11. Vayigash. "He was like an eagle
arousing its nest, hovering over its young, spreading its wings and taking
them, carrying them on its pinions." (Portion describes how Yaakov and his
sons come down to Egypt, carried by Hashem.)
12. Vayechi. "Hashem alone guided them,
and no other power was with them." (Before passing away, Yaakov gives
blessings to his sons. Immediately prior to this, the Schinah leaves him
temporarily, and the Midrash states that Yaakov is concerned that perhaps they
are not all serving Hashem. They say to him "Shmah Yisrael, Hashem
Elokeinu, Hashem Echad." Hashem alone guides them. At this point, Yaakov
says "Baruch Shem K'vod Malchuto L'Olam Va'ed and blesses them.)
13. Shemot. “ripe fruits from the field,
honey from a stone, oil from a flinty rock” - this is a reference to the
suffering and work of Jews as slaves (children taken from stones of birth
stools; embittered life through mortar and bricks (1:13 - 1:15)
14. Vayera. cattle and other animals, blood
of grapes "Dam... chamer" (plagues: blood, due to the mortar (Chomer), wild beasts, and plagues also
inflicted animals)
15. Bo. became fat and kicked, contemptuous
of the Rock of its salvation (Pharaoh, whose name is related to “overgrown.” He
had a tremendously overgrown ego)
16: Beshalach. They would provoke His
jealousy with strangers, they would anger Him with abominations. (the
complaints of the erev rav, amalek)
17. Yitro. they would slaughter to demons
without power, G-ds whom they knew not, newcomers
recently arrived... (Yitro worshipped every possible idol, but then later he
was a "newcomer" joining
the Jewish people at Sinai.)
18. Mishpatim. You ignored the Rock Who gave
birth to you, and forgot G-d who brought you forth (the Jewish people make a
pact with Hashem, "Na'aseh VeNishmah," which basically represents the
birth of the Jewish people, and even includes with "Dam Habrit" -
reference to a circumcision. Nadav and Avihu and the elders see the Throne of
Hashem (likeness of saphire brickwork), yet eat and drink. This was a big
offense.
19. Terumah. Hashem will see and be provoked
by the anger of his sons and daughters (the giving to the Mishkan, which came
from the people's heart, provokes Hashem to act kindly towards his children)
20. Tetzaveh. I shall hide my face... what
their end will be, a generation of reversals - this is the only portion since
Moshe is introduced that his name does not appear (this is also usually parasha
before Purim, which is deeply connected to this connected of Hashem hiding his
face, a story connected to the end of days, and one in which there is a major
reversal, for the good)
21. Ki Tissah. "They provoked me with a
non-G-d, so shall I provoke them with a non-people, with a vile nation shall I
anger them." (Story of the sin of the golden calf; this was actually
started by the erev rav - this non-people which Moshe brought out of Egypt with
the Jews)
22. Vayakhel. "For fire will have been
kindled in My nostrils and blazed to the lowest depths. It shall consume the
earth and its produce, and set ablaze what is founded on mountains." (The
portion describes the construction of the mishkan, which included the altars
for incense and burnt offerings; the mishkan was the revelation of Hashem into
the lowest depths, and later founded on the mountains of Shiloh and Jerusalem)
23. Pekudei. "I shall accumulate evils
against them." (The portion describes the accumulation/accounting of the
monies given to the Mishkan)
24. Vayikra. "bloating of famine,
battles of flaming demons, cutting down by the noontime demon... the teeth of
beasts... the venom of those that creep on the earth." (reference to all
the different kinds of sacrifices, which sacrficied different beasts (same
word), had specific times, and also involved flour, oil, salt, and blood)
25. Tzav. "On the outside, the sword
will bereave, while indoors there will be dread, even a young man, even a
virgin, a suckling with the gray-haired man. (description of different
sacrifices, some brought indoors others outside; consecration of kohanim, every
young man son of Aharon, and Aharon himself, a gray-haired man)
26. Shmini. "I had said, "I will
scatter them, I will cause their memory to cease from man" (Nadav and
Avihu are killed after entering the Mishkan and offering a foreign sacrifice)
27. Tazria. were it not that the anger of
the enemy was pent up, lest his tormenters misinterpret; lest they say, 'Our
hand was raised in triumph, and it was not Hashem Who accomplished this!"
(woman delivering baby has pent up pain and feels tormented; portion also
describes tza'aras, the spiritual disease that greatly humbles those that felt
too haughty)
28. Metzorah. "for they are a nation
bereft of counsel, and there is no discernment in them" (this portion also describes tzara'as, and
the cure for it, which was must be performed through the counsel and
discernment of another, the Kohen)
29. Acharei Mot. "were they wise they
would comprehend this, they would discern it from their end, [lit.
"Acharitam"] (the importance of proper Yom Kippur service is
discerned from the deaths (ends) of Nadav and Avihu.
30. Kedoshim. "For how could one pursue
a thousand, and two cause 10,000 to flee, if not that their Rock had sold them,
and Hashem had delivered them?" (the portion speaks of performing comerce and business (sales and
deliveries) with proper ethics)
31. Emor. "For not like our Rock is
their rock - yet our enemies judge us" (the portion describes how Kohanim
are separate and must behave differently; furthermore, the portion describes
how a son of an Egyptian judged how the show-bread was offered in the Temple,
and ended up "blessing" Hashem.
32. Behar. "For their vineyard is from
the vineyard of Sodom, and from the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes
of gall, so clusters of bitterness were given to them." (The portion talks
about how fields [and vineyards] have to be put to rest during the Sabbatical
years and the Jubilee years)
33. Bechukotai. "Serpents'' venom is
their wine, the poison of cruel vipers." (portion contains blessings and a
series of curses; if the Jews obey, then wine and other products will be
obtained with little difficulty; if they don't obey, they receive punishment
after punishment, that would appear to be cruel, were it not for the fact that
they were necessary)
34. Bamidbar. "Is it not revealed
[hidden? - internet translation] with Me, sealed in My treasuries?"
(portion describes census - we are counted because we are dear to Hashem, we
are his treasuries.
35. Nasso. "Mine is vengeance and
retribution at the time their foot will falter, for the day of their
catastrophe is near, and future events are rushing at them." (the portion
contains the story of the Sotah, which contains vengeance, retribution,
foot-faltering, catastrophe and threats of future events; events
"rushing" could also be a reference to the Nazir (who creates vows to
avoid negative future events) as well as the princes of each tribe that rushed
to bring offerings to Hashem during the inauguration of the Temple)
36. Beha'aloscha. "When Hashem will
have judged his people, He shall relent regarding His servants, when He sees
that the enemy power progresses, and none is saved or assisted." (Moshe
despairs from the people's complaints, and Hashem seeing that he is alone,
provides for 70 elders to assist him in judging the people; similarly Miriam is
judged but Hashem relents and lets her back in the camp)
37. Shelach.
"He will ask where is their G-d, the rock in whom they sought
refuge." (portion of the spies; instead of focusing on what Hashem
commanded them, they sought refuge and desired to stay in the desert; portion
also describes unintentional idolatry)
38. Korach. "the fat of whose offerings
they would eat, they would drink the wine of their libations? Let them stand
and help you! Let them be a shelter for you!" (portion describes Korach
and other Levites' desire to offer sacrifices and libations in the place of the
Kohanim; Moshe makes a meeting time the next day for them to offer incense
sacrifices. They are all consumed; Korach and his group are swallowed by the
ground)
39. Chukas. "See, now, that I, I am He
- and no G-d is with me. I put to death and I bring life, I struck down and I
will heal, and there is no rescuer from My hand. (portion describes red cow,
which is the only was Hashem prescribes for purification from contact with the
dead; portion also contains Miriam's death, lack of water, punishment of Moshe
and Aaron, and attack from Amalek; portion also contains plague from fiery
serpents and cure from looking at copper fiery serpent, whose healing power
came from Hashem)
40. Balak. "For I shall raise My hand
to heaven and say, "I live forever." (portion describes Balaam's
attempt to destroy the Jewish people, which Hashem prevented, a sign of the
eternality of the Jewish people; Pinchas also raised his hand to heaven and
saved the people from the plague caused by the sin of Bal-Peor.
41. Pinchas. "If I sharpen My flashing
sword and My hand grasps judgment, I shall return vengeance upon My enemies and
upon those that hate Me shall I bring retribution (portion describes the great
act of Pinchas, who avenged Hashem's vengeance.
42. Mattos. "I shall intoxicate My
arrows with blood and My sword shall devour flesh, because of the blood of
corpse and captive, because of the earliest depredations of the enemy."
(portion describes war against Midian, exacting revenge for their previous
actions)
43. Maasei. "O nations - sing the
praises of His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants; He will
bring retribution upon His foes, and He will appease His Land and His people.
(portion describes journeys in the desert, as well as the conquering of the
Land of Israel and the apportioning of the Land. It also describes the
Levitical cities and the Cities of Refuge)
44. Devarim. "Moses came and spoke all
the words of this Song in the ears of the people, he and Hoshea son of
Nun." (portion starts "These are the words that Moses spoke to all
Israel..."; in this portion, Moshe reprimands the people, like in Haazinu)
45. Vaetchanan. "Moses concluded
speaking all these words to all Israel." (in this portion, Moshe goes over
many of the fundamental parts of the Torah, including the Ten Commandments and
the Sh'mah)
46. Ekev. "He said to them, "Apply
your hearts to all the words that I testify against you today, with which you
are to instruct your children, to be careful to perform all the words of this
Torah (in this portion, Moshe urges us to perform the entire Torah, even those
commandments one might step over with one's heels; portion also contains the
verse, "It shall be that if you forget Hashem, your G-d, and go after the G-ds
of others... I testify against you today..." (8:19))
47. Re'eh. "For it is not an empty
thing for you, for it is your life, and through this matter shall you prolong
your days on the Land to which you cross the Jordan to possess it."
(portion describes blessings and curses related to mitzvot; sanctity of the
land; and many mitzvot related to daily life and the Land.)
48. Shoftim. "Hashem spoke to Moses on
this very day, saying." (portion describes appointment of judges, a king,
prophecy, all things that indicated that we will have important people to
function like Moshe in every generation)
49. Ki-Tetzeh. "Ascend to this mount of
Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, which is before Jericho, and
see the Land of Canaan that I give the Children of Israel as an inheritance.
(Moab represented evil qualities, which Moshe, by being buried opposite it,
would counteract. Moshe seeing the Land of Israel also brought tremendous
blessing to the Land. The portion begins by laws related to when a soldier
"sees" a beautiful captive; the Torah formulates a way in which to
counteract a desire for sin; the portion also contains the most commandments,
including the commandment to remember to destroy the memory of Amalek, who is
quintessential evil).
50. Ki Tavoh. "and die on the mountain
where you will ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother
died on Mount Hor, and was gathered to his people" (the portion contains
many curses, associated with death and destruction)
51. Nitzavim. "because you trespassed
against Me among the Children of Israel at the waters of Meribath-kadesh, in
the wildereness of Zin; because you did not sanctify Me among the Children of
Israel. (the portion begins with the entire Jewish people being present before
Hashem [and before Moshe], and contains also warnings against idolatry and
other transgressions; the people are responsible for revealed sins (those
performed in front of others) and must combat them)
52. Vayelech. "For from a distance
shall you see the Land, but you shall not enter there, into the Land that I
give to the Children of Israel." (In this portion, Moshe says, "I can
no longer go out and come in, for Hashem has said to me, "You shall not
cross this Jordan. Hashem, your G-d, He will cross before you..."
