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About Dr. Melissa Steiner

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So far Dr. Melissa Steiner has created 12 blog entries.

Parashat Ki Tissa 5784

Summary: In Ki Tissa, we read about Moses descending from the mountain with the tablets only to find the people celebrating the Golden Calf which they built in his absence. In his anger, Moses smashes the tablets, and he chastises the people; he then pleads with God to forgive the people and ascends the mountain […]

Re’eh – 5781

Last Shabbat, for Parshat Eikev Bill spoke about Shema – to hear or to understand. Bill explained that the eye takes in all the information simultaneously; in contrast, we hear only one sound at a time and we must put things together, words forming sentences and sentences forming paragraphs, until we can understand the whole […]

Bamidbar 5780 – We are… Bamidbar

In Hebrew, Bamidbar means “in the desert” or “in the wilderness” but in English, we call this book of the Torah “Numbers”. This parsha represents both meanings. There is a focus on numbers in that God tells Moses to conduct a census. Once counted, the people broke camp and started out to the wilderness. There […]

tzav 5780

In Parshat Tzav, we continue learning about the laws of sacrifice and there are distinctions drawn between the different types of offerings – sin offerings, burnt offerings, and homage offerings. In this parsha, God also commands the priests to make a special offering (the offering of ordination) which solidifies them in their roles.

There is much […]

Yitro 5780

And God spoke to Moses: I shall give you my laws. And you shall take them unto the people.

Moses (aka Mel Brooks): Hear me! Oh, hear me! The Lord, the Lord has given these 15 <crash> … ten commandments for all to obey!

What was in the other 5 commandments? What are we missing?

Well… they were […]

Vayera 5780 – Make Space for Yourself

In 5779, Joel delivered the dvar for Lech Lecha and I delivered the dvar the following week for Vayera. And here we are, in 5780 following the same pattern.

Are we in a rut? Following on the heels of Lech Lecha and Joel talking about “Go. Become.” I have to wonder if that is exactly what […]

Chukkat 5779 – A Well of Traditions

Chukat is about mortality. In this parshah, we read about the death of Aaron and Miriam – two of three of Israel’s great leaders in the wilderness; we also read about the death sentence for Moses – that he shall not enter the land of Israel. I also think that Chukat is about the importance […]

Emor 5779

Emor means ‘speak’ in Hebrew and the parsha is focused on continuing to speak or lay out the laws for man. If we were reading the whole Torah portion, in the first Aliyah we would read about the qualities and behaviors of a Kohen. In the second Aliyah, we would learn how body blemishes and […]

Terumah 5779 – A Recipe and the Importance of Thirteen

In parshat Terumah, Moses is given detailed instructions on how to construct this dwelling for God. The instructions address the need for the mishkan to be dismantled and portable, all in preparation for the journey across the desert. The instructions are VERY detailed, even to the specific dimensions. Is this whole parsha a blueprint? Yes, […]

Vayera 5779

Last week Joel talked about Lech Lecha – go out, leave
what is comfortable, go and make something of yourself. Become something
perhaps you hadn’t even imagined a decade ago.

WHO are we becoming?

How do we describe ourselves? What labels do we wear?

Do you describe yourself by your job title or the type
of work you do?

Doctor – Lawyer […]