Weekly Torah Portions | The Cardozo Academy

The Book of Genesis

Genesis 1:1-50:26

Bereshit opens the Torah with the vast sweep of creation and the intimate drama of human beginnings, moving from the cosmic to the deeply personal. As the narrative narrows from all of humanity to one family, the book traces the birth of the covenant through the lives of the patriarchs and matriarchs — their faith, their failures, and their capacity for growth. Ultimately, Bereshit lays the theological, ethical, and emotional foundations of Jewish history: a story of promise, struggle, blessing, exile, and the persistent search for meaning.

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Cardozo on the Parashah: Volume 1

The Book of Genesis

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The Book of Exodus

Exodus 1:1-40:38

Shemot begins in the darkness of slavery and ends in the radiant presence of God dwelling among Israel, tracing the birth of a people from oppression to covenant. It tells the story of liberation — not only political but spiritual — as Israel moves from being a scattered family to a nation bound by law, memory, and purpose. The book wrestles with power, freedom, leadership, and the possibility of relationship between the infinite and the human. Through the Exodus, Sinai, and the building of the Mishkan, Shemot portrays a people learning what it means to be free, responsible, and holy in the presence of God.

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Cardozo on the Parashah: Volume 2

The Book of Exodus

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The Book of Leviticus

Leviticus 1:1-27:34

Sefer Vayikra moves inward, from the drama of liberation to the disciplined work of holiness, centering on how a redeemed people lives in the presence of God. The book explores sacrifice, ritual, purity, and ethical responsibility as interconnected dimensions of a life oriented toward the sacred. Far from being merely technical, Vayikra asks what it means to draw near to God, to repair what is broken, and to cultivate a community shaped by justice and compassion. At its core, the book offers a demanding but profound vision: to be holy as God is holy.

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Cardozo on the Parashah: Volume 3

The Book of Leviticus

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The Book of Numbers

Numbers 1:1-36:13

Bamidbar tells the story of Israel in the wilderness — a people no longer enslaved, but not yet at home — learning what it means to live as a nation under God. It is a book of journeys, organization, rebellion, and gradual formation, as Israel struggles with fear, trust, and responsibility. The wilderness becomes a spiritual laboratory where freedom is tested and character is forged. Ultimately, Bamidbar reveals that becoming a people is not only about reaching a destination, but about how one travels, responds to challenge, and grows along the way.

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Cardozo on the Parashah: Volume 4

The Book of Numbers

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The Book of Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 1:1-34:12

Sefer Devarim is a book of farewell and reflection, as Moshe addresses the people on the threshold of the Promised Land he will never enter. Rather than recounting events alone, it interprets them — weaving memory, law, and moral exhortation into a single, urgent voice. The book deepens the themes of covenant, responsibility, and love of God, insisting that freedom must be lived through obedience, justice, and compassion. Standing between wilderness and homeland, Devarim asks what kind of people Israel will choose to become.

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Cardozo on the Parashah: Volume 5

Book of Deuteronomy

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