Ha’azinu – Give ear, Listen

Torah portion: Deut. chapter 32
Haftarah: Hosea 14:2–10, Micah 7:18–20, Joel 2:15–27
[when occurring on Sabbath before Yom Kippur]
On regular years: 2 Samuel chapter 22
New Testament: Rev. chapters 14 and 15

This week’s torah portion is very interesting for a number of reasons. For one thing, the words themselves are written on the leaves of the Torah scroll in an odd manner. Instead of a single line of text running across the page, the Song of Moses is separated into two neat columns. Each stanza on the right side of the page is counter-balanced by one opposite it in poetic rhythm.

Nitzavim – You are Standing Vayelech – He Went

Torah Portion: Deut. 29:9-31:30
Haftarah: Isaiah 61:10-63:9
New Testament: Luke 24:1-2

This week we have a delectable double portion of Torah. Except in leap years, these two portions are combined. It is a bitter-sweet scene. Moses is about to die and he knows that after his death the people he has nurtured and cajoled, rebuked, and interceded for will serve other gods and thus incur the wrath of God as well as all of the curses He has described. We enter where we left off last week, the vows just having been renewed, Moses delivers his last set of instructions to the Joshua Generation Bride: 

Ki Tavo – When You Come

Torah Portion: Deut. 26:1-29:8
Haftarah: Isaiah 61:10-63:9
New Testament: Matthew chapter 13

This week, during the Hebrew month of Elul, when “the King is in the field,” that is, He is nearer to us than any other month, listening to the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart, we are studying the 50th Torah portion of the year. Ki Tavo means “when you come,” referring to the day when Joshua will lead the children of Israel across the Jordan to take possession of Canaan.  

Ki Tetze – When You Go Out

Torah Portion: Deut 21:10-25:19 August 6, 2014
Haftarah: Isaiah 54:10 (suggest beginning at 52:13)
New Testament: Mark 10:2-12, Luke 15: 11-20:27-38

Last week’s parsha was Shoftim, or “Judges.” This week Abba’s instructions to the judges continues. One of the laws most often brought up by people who claim the Torah has been done away with or nailed to the cross is in this week’s lesson, the law of the rebellious son.