In this series of seven Sunday sessions we will gain familiarity with the Shacharit Service for Shabbat and the system of Trop for reading the Torah. At the end of the series participants should feel confident participating in - or even leading - services, and be able to prepare an aliya for public reading.

Join Rabbi Cantor for a discussion of topics derived from the Torah and interpreted though the lens of our Tradition.

Streaming of services are partially funded by a grant from

This week the Israelites, after having been enumerated, are promised a portion on the Promised Land. The daughters of Zelophehad have a complaint: "Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not part of the community that banded together against the LORD with the community of Korah, for through his own offense he died, and he had no sons. Why should our father’s name be withdrawn from the midst of his clan because he had no son? Give us a holding in the midst of our father’s brothers." (Numbers 27:3-5)

Moses consults The Almighty and The Almighty agrees with the Daughters: they shall receive their own portions in the Promised Land.

Rabbi Akiva was wondering how it came about that Zelophehad didn't survive to enter the land, and concluded that he must have been the person who was executed four weeks ago for gathering wood on Shabbat (Numbers 15:32-36).

The Sages rebuked him: "Akiva, if Zelophehad was innocent, then you have libeled an innocent man. If he was guilty and the Torah chose not to reveal his name, why should you shame him?" (Shabbat 96b)

Just because we can connect the dots doesn't always mean that we have to share our discovery, especially if it brings embarrassment to others.

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