Anyone find the recent parashot really tough?

amother

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 3:15 am

I LOVE the parashot all the way from Bereshit to Mishpatim, then I feel like it's a total letdown and it's really tough to get thru the last part of the book of Shemot and a lot of the book of Vayikra. All the intricate details on the Mishkan construction, temple service, sacrifices/offerings, etc.

Yes, it's possible to get some good d'vrei torah about these parashot and get meaning from them and make them practical to our daily lives and connection to Hashem. But I'm not inspired to study the text in detail, read the commentary in the chumash on a close level, etc. like I am with the previous parashot.

If feels wrong to say, but I the only one who feels that way? It doesn't help that, this time of year, a lot of rabbis seem to shy away from talking about the weekly parsha itself and instead focus on the "seasonal" stuff -- the four parsashot, Purim, Pesach, Omer, Shavuot. It sends the message to people "these details about the mishkan are really boring, lets talk about something else." Again, there are good d'vrei torah out there about these parashot. I just find it them difficult to connect to.

amother

Babyblue

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 3:29 am

I guess it depends on how you view the Mishkan.

If you see it as a one-time, temporary structure that provided a mini-Beis Hamikdash experience in the desert, it can feel boring and outdated, and overly detailed.

If you see it as a prototype for every home for Hashem everywhere, including yourself, your home, and your shul, then those details seem a lot more intriguing.

Same thing with the lists of mitzvos. If you see them as a dry summary of Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, it's yawn material.

If you see it as Hashem choosing specific words to teach us guiding principles in our lives, both through the actual mitzvah discussed and in general in our everyday behavior, it is suddenly much more meaningful.

In some ways the stories are easier to relate to, but these parshios are very rich with lessons, although you may have to dig deeper for the insights. If you see Torah as a book of lessons, instead of a book of stories, then these parts won't be a letdown.

DrMom

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 3:30 am

Rappel wrote:

I actually feel like we need to know this stuff so we can build it and do it. It feels very real. I like this section a lot.

Yes, I've always enjoyed the exhibits at the Machon Beit haMikdash.

https://templeinstitute.org/

etky

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 4:22 am

I'm with you OP.
These parshiyot are not narrative or mitzvah oriented. They're very specific and technical and as a person who has a tough time envisioning what things look like from a textual description (and to be honest not much interest in the visual aspect either) I also find these parshiyot challenging. Here and there you can find interesting nuggets if you dig into the parshanim but there's so much technical stuff to plow through. I find it helps a lot to look at the photos in the back of my chumash (the new Koren chumashim) of the reconstructed mishkan, keilim and bigdey kehunah as the parsha is being read.
Even so, though I hate to say it, Ki Tisa is actually a welcome break amidst the 4 mishkan oriented parshiyot, and at least the beginning of Vayikra with all the korbanot is broken up by Pesach.

amother

Ivory

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 4:34 am

A few years ago I came across a shiur by Rabbi Yisroel Majeski on Torahanytime where he discussed this exact point. Why the need for the Torah to expend so much ink on the details of the construction, measurements etc. Seems so disproportionate... I loved the shiur. It was fascinating and gave me a whole new perspective. If you are interested in listening, I will find the link.

lk1234

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 5:16 am

amother [ Ivory ] wrote:

Would you mind linking it - I would really appreciate.

PinkFridge

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 5:18 am

amother [ Ivory ] wrote:

I'm interested. Thanks!
BH for the Stone Chumash. Between aliyos I scan the commentary for the upcoming aliya but yes, some parshiyos are more technical and less accessible to this kind of scanning.
Everyone has his or her chelek in Torah, and I bensch everyone that she find hers, and that she find that every chelek in the Torah speaks to her regardless of which one is hers.

amother

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 6:03 am

Thank you for the many great responses and I'm looking forward to checking out that link!!

I have to say -- I find it to be a lack of self-awareness when one Jew tries to act superior to another Jew because another Jew struggles with something. While most of the posts have been awesome, I sense a "how can you not find these parashot important? they're very important what's wrong with you?" tone from a couple of the posts. I see this a lot...

A good recent example is a guy who wrote on facebook how he struggles with davening, and another guy wrote "how can you not want to daven? it's your opportunity to speak with Hashem three times a day. I don't get how anyone could pass that opportunity." Seriously, you can't imagine how a single Jew could possible struggle with davening, even though you love it? I found that really condescending and lacking awareness.

There are things in Judaism that I'm very meticulous about and love doing, and I'm sure others dread and despise. We're all different and we all have our struggles with Judaism. Let's try to help each other grow in a positive way!

zaq

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 5:26 pm

I'm not good at visualizing from verbal instructions--I really need to be shown what to do-- but am fascinated by the construction of the Mishkan. I've seen some illustrations so have some idea of how the parts fit together but no sense of sizes and proportions. Trouble is I read the parasha on Shabbat when I can't use pencil and paper to try to work things out, and I certainly can't do it in my head.

You think the Mishkan is tough? Try Sefer Vayikra.

tigerwife

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 5:40 pm

To add to this, pretty much my entire school education has had parsha classes peter out by the time we reach the second half of Shemos (probably due to chagim), so I really don’t remember anything that happens specific to any of these parshios. Even our Chumash classes kind of never made it to the second half of Shemos through Vayikra . It’s a really sad to admit I’m an FFB who can’t tell what many parshios are about.

I’ve started to read the English Tzena Urena and I’ve found it to be a nice and concise way to gain an overview of each week’s Parsha. I only got it this year so I’m looking for are to finally getting a basic overview on what these Parshios are all about. Yes, the minor details are important. It’s easier to remember a storyline. But this is our heritage and I want to know it!

PinkFridge

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 5:52 pm

tigerwife wrote:

Other sources, for an overview of the parasha:
1. The classic JEP book Lilmod Ulelamade
2. Rabbi Sholom Rosner on the parasha on OU Torah.
3. Torat Imecha on OU Torah has a brief shiur on the parasha, usually starting with a round up of the parasha.

STovah

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 6:30 pm

After a few frustrating years of trying to learn these parshios I bought the ArtScroll Mishkan book and have been learning the parsha alongside this. It made a tremendous difference for me as I can’t visualize things easily. Since we never really were taught the parshios in Sefer Vayikra I bought the new ArtScroll sefer on korbanos that I hope will help me in my learning in the upcoming months. I wish the girls schools in the US would teach these parshios on some level. My boys learn these parshios in early elementary school and know it cold but for some reason not the girls.

amother

Taupe

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 6:40 pm

Another source: Rabbi Wagensburg on Kol b'ramah (NewYork Jewish radio.com).,
107.9 FM or call in at 712-432-4212 Thursday night at 8:30.
Very interesting. Hyped up speaker.
He's also on https://aishaudio.com/search/r.....?p=13 for a small fee.

amother

Green

Sun, Feb 28 2021, 6:44 pm

amother [ Babyblue ] wrote:

Definitely sounds intriguing. What are some interesting resources to explain this perspective? Not looking for primary resources, can’t do it on my own. Looking for a teacher.