Michael Barclay
Netzavim: Holy Thresholds
“You stand this day, all of you, before the LORD your God—your tribal heads, your elders and your officials, all the men of Israel...
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Michael Barclay
- Sep 16
Ki Tavo - Honoring the Past and Entering the Future
This week’s Torah portion of Ki Tavo (Deut. 26:1-29:8) teaches us how we are to enter the Promised Land....
Michael Barclay
- Sep 8
Ki Teitzei - The Ethics of War
Every Shavuot, we read from Tikkun Leil Shavuot, a holy text that includes among other readings the first and last lines of every Torah....
Michael Barclay
- Sep 2
Shoftim - Pursuing True Justice
Have you ever wondered how it can be true that “two Jews equals three opinions, four rabbis, and five synagogues”?
Michael Barclay
- Aug 4
Devarim: Darkness Will Become Light
This week’s portion is the beginning of the Book of Deuteronomy, which is always read immediately prior to the holiday of Tisha B’Av…
Michael Barclay
- Jul 21
Pinchas, Passion, and a Hope for the Future
This week’s Torah reading of Pinchas (Num. 25:10-30:1) begins with a teaching about a value that is not only a requirement for Jewish....
Michael Barclay
- Jul 14
Torah Talk - Balak: Selling Curses and Buying Blessings
This week’s Torah portion of Balak (Num. 22:2-25:9) is in some ways one of the most fun and outrageous readings in the Torah...
Michael Barclay
- Jul 13
Jewish institutions must not give up their Jewish names
"Diversity is not about making everybody the same, but about creating a rainbow of different traditions and cultures".
Michael Barclay
- Jun 16
Beha'alotecha: The Power of Words...
Wherever we go in today’s society, we are bombarded by ads about what we should and should not be putting in our mouths.
Michael Barclay
- Jun 9
Nasso: Fathers & Sons
My life changed when my sons were born. When I heard the mohel call their names, I heard myself called as the father to sons rather than ...
Michael Barclay
- May 19
Behar: Resting for Success
This week’s Torah portion of Behar (Lev. 25:1-26:2) focuses almost entirely on the importance of the Sabbath.
Michael Barclay
- Apr 14
A Holy Passover
As we prepare for the Passover Seder, it is easy to learn so many hidden secrets and Kabbalistic understandings that we lose track of...
Michael Barclay
- Apr 7
Shabbat HaGadol: A Time of Faith, Action, and Community
The Shabbat immediately preceding Passover is called “Shabbat HaGadol”, “the big Sabbath”.
Michael Barclay
- Mar 31
Tazria: The Leprosy of Gossip
“Life and Death are in the Hands of the Tongue” (Proverbs 18:21)
Michael Barclay
- Mar 24
Shemini: We Are What We Eat
I once heard an eager student ask Rabbi Ronnie Serr how he should go about becoming more observant.
Michael Barclay
- Mar 10
VaYikra - To Answer the Call
This week’s Torah reading are the first chapters of the Book of Leviticus…
Michael Barclay
- Mar 3
Pekudei: Eternal Change Through Physical Shifts
In this final reading in the Book of Exodus, there are two important biblical concepts that are as important today as they were over 3000...
Michael Barclay
- Feb 25
Vayakhel: Building a Holy Community on Individual Effort
“Do not regard anyone with contempt, and do not reject anything, for there is no man who does not have his hour and nothing which does...
Michael Barclay
- Feb 17
Ki Tisa: Stepping Towards Forgiveness
Idolatry. Sexual immorality. Murder. The description of the events of the Golden Calf in this week’s portion sound like the outline for...
Michael Barclay
- Feb 11
Tetzaveh: To Divine From the Heart
The Urim and Thummim are something that is rarely discussed in the Reform Jewish world, although they have great importance both...