Each Shabbat, Rabbi Brent teaches from the Torah. We hope you enjoy these messages as much as we have and learn along with us.
The Torah study messages link directly to Emek Elohim’s YouTube channel. Be sure to “subscribe” to the channel when you are viewing the messages.
HOW DID THE TORAH PORTIONS COME TO BE?
Each Shabbat in synagogues around the world a portion from the Torah (called a parashat) is publicly chanted or read. The Torah is divided into 54 of these “Parashot” (plural for parashat) so that in the course of a year (beginning and ending with the holiday of Simchat Torah in the Fall) the entire Torah scroll has been recited.
Jewish tradition states that Ezra the Scribe (and the 120 elders of the Great Assembly [the fourth century before Yeshua]) was the originator of the weekly Torah reading schedule for kahal Yisrael. The Great Assembly (which included Mordecai of the Esther story, Daniel, Nehemiah, Zechariah and Zerubbabel, among other notables) is also said to have instituted other traditional practices such as the recitation of Kiddush on Shabbat, the recitation of various blessings before eating, and other traditions that are in practice until today.
`Ezra the Cohen brought the Torah before the assembly, which consisted of men, women and all children old enough to understand. It was the first day of the seventh month. Facing the open space in front of the Water Gate, he read from it to the men, the women and the children who could understand from early morning until noon; and all the people listened attentively to the scroll of the Torah. Nechemyah (Nehemiah) 8:2-3 CJB