This week we begin the Book of Numbers. The Hebrew name of it is Bamidbar which translates in English to “In the Wilderness.” The Book of Numbers describes the journey of Israel from Sinai to the Plains of Moab just before entering the land.

What a “Wondrous Wisdom Weekend” we had with Dr. Ellie Paley. We learned that wisdom is found when we choose the way of Adonai that is rooted in the creation order of God.

This week our Torah portion is mostly about rules for priests to maintain holiness before God. It also contains guidance for all of Israel in morals, ethics, and specific seasons of giving thanks to God.

As we move forward in our 50 day journey of Counting the Omer, we begin to focus on Shavuot. However, our Torah portion is about Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement!

This week our Torah portion (Leviticus 12:1–15:33) describes situations in which people are “clean” or “unclean.” In Hebrew, the words are “tamay” (unclean) or “tahor” (clean).

This week our Torah portion is about the installation of the priesthood and the seriousness of walking in holiness before God. It is appropriate for this time of year because we are at the beginning of the important season that we refer to as "Counting the Omer." This is the period between the offering of the early firstfruits and the offering of the latter firstfruits.