Hufftorah

The priests should say to everyone, using God's name: May God bless you and keep you. May God cause the Divine Face to shine upon you and favor you. May God turn toward you and grant you peace.

One year, one month and one day after the Exodus. God speaks to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the desert at Sinai, telling him: Take a census of the Children of Israel. Count their names. All the men, 20 years of age or older.

When you come to the Promised Land, the earth should rest. A Shabbat to God. Sow your fields for six years. Prune your vineyard for six years. Gather the produce for six years. In the seventh year, give it a rest. A Shabbat to God.

You should be willing to die rather than transgress these commandments in the presence of other Children of Israel. God is God, who sanctifies you and brings you out of Egypt. God is God.

God tells Moses to tell Aaron not to come before the Holy of Holies regularly -- so that he will not die like his sons Nadab and Abihu -- because the Divine Presence appears there as a pillar of cloud always.

If a person is found to have real tzara'at, his clothes should be torn, his hair should be grown and he should act otherwise like a mourner. He should cry out: "I am ritually impure! I am ritually impure!" Over and over.

The eight day. Moses calls for Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. "Take a young bull as a sin-offering," he says to Aaron, "to atone for the Golden Calf."

God speaks to Moses again, telling him to command Aaron more about the priestly sacrificial offerings.

God calls affectionately to Moses, the humble leader, from within the Tent of Meeting, saying: "Speak to the Children of Israel. Tell them when someone voluntarily brings an offering to God, it should a domesticated animal from the cattle and flocks."

Israel atones. Next day, Moses gathers everyone together. "These are the things God commands: Work for six days. The seventh is holy for you. Rest completely then. Do work and die. Do not kindle a fire in our home on this Sabbath day."

Later, after the dust settles, God speaks to Moses: "Uplift the people. Let each give one half Shekel as soul atonement. Twenty years and older. Rich and poor. All give the same."

And command the Children of Israel: Bring pure, clear, ready-to-light olive oil to ignite the lamp so that it may burn continually. Aaron and his sons should arrange it so that it will burn from night to morning.

All of this, God says to Moses: Say to Israel, "Dedicated to God a contribution." Then, collect my offering from every heart-inspired person

And these are the laws you should set before the Children of Israel.

Enter Jethro, the high priest of Midian, the father-in-law of Moses. He's heard all about God's kindness to the Israelites: the redemption from Egypt, the split sea, the war with Amalek, the manna and the water in the desert.

The land of Canaan is 11 days away from Egypt, but God doesn't send the Israelites straight there. "Too soon," God thinks. "They are not ready. I'll send them on a roundabout route instead."

"Come with me, Moses," God says. "Let's go to Pharaoh together and warn him. I've hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants. I had to do this to detach Pharaoh from his demonic powers."

God speaks to Aaron and Moses, telling them to take the Children out of Israel according to their tribes. Moses and Aaron work as one person to fulfill God's charge.

A new king arises in Egypt. This king does not know Joseph. All he sees is this nation before him, this foreign nation, more numerous than his own. And he is fearful.

Israel calls his favorite son to his side, saying, "Joseph, if I've found favor in your eyes, swear that you will not allow me to be buried in Egypt. Carry me out of Egypt. Bury me with my fathers."

Judah approaches him -- God, Joseph, himself, all -- and begs: "Please! My master! I have something to say. Please listen. Please don't be mad, my master."

Pharaoh dreams. He stands by the Nile and watches seven fat, beautiful cows pasture together. Moments later, seven gaunt, ugly cows approach the others. They stare at each other. The skinny cows devour the fat cows. Pharaoh wakes up.

Israel loves Joseph more than all his other sons, so he weaves for him a robe of fine wool. This and the spying don't help Joseph's case with his brothers. They hate him. They can't even talk to him without oozing contempt.

Jacob sends angels to Esau, his brother, in Edom. He gives them a message to deliver: "My lord, Esau, your servant Jacob says, 'I've lingered with Laban as a stranger till now. I've accumulated flocks and servants. Please, my lord, find favor in your eyes.'"

Jacob leaves Beersheba, goes toward Haran. He prays in the place, places stones from the place under his head and sleeps in the place, as the sun has set. Jacob dreams a ladder reaching into the heavens, angels ascending and descending.