In June of 1980, after a year of learning at Machon Gruss in Jerusalem, I returned to the United States. A few days after unpacking, I flew off to Venice, California to help run a Shabbaton for the Flame, a campus outreach organization. We were spending Shabbat at a very… Read More »Parshat Chukat – Moses and the Rock: California Dreaming
7 And the L-RD spoke unto Moses, saying: 8 ‘Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou… Read More »Parshat Chukat- Balak – Life From The Inanimate
Chukat (Numbers 19:1-22:1 ) Bamidbar, 21:33-34: “They turned and ascended by way of Bashan: Og, King of Bashan, went out against them, he and his entire people, to do battle at Edrei. Hashem said to Moshe, ‘Do not fear him, for into your hand have I given him, his entire people, and his… Read More »Parshat Chukat – Combine Good Actions with Good Intent
8 Tammuz 5783 – 27 June 2023 “This is the decree of the Torah that Hashem commanded, saying: Speak to the Children of Israel that you shall take to you a completely red cow, without blemish, upon which no yoke has come” Any person who thinks they are perfect and… Read More »Numbers 19:2-3 – Do We Have Many Blemishes?
בס”ד The Sixth Principle – Prophecy One must know that there is a type of person in whom is found a nature, which is the result of extremely excellent character traits and great self-perfection. Their souls are prepared to the point that they receive a certain form of intelligence, by… Read More »THE 13 PRINCIPLES OF FAITH #6: PROPHECY
בס”ד 1 Now Korach, the son of Yitzhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; 2 and they rose up in face of Moses, with certain of the children of… Read More »Parshat Korach – Fringe Elements
4 Tammuz 5783 – 23 June 2023 “…you are taking too much for yourselves, you sons of Levi!” This was Moses’ accusation against Korach and his co-conspirators. However, the Talmud (Sotah 13b) says that these words later came back to haunt Moses. When he was praying to be allowed to… Read More »Numbers 16:7 – You are taking to much
3.6.a Universal Worship of G-d The Messiah will restore the whole world so that all will serve G-d in unity. Zephaniah 3:9: “For then I will make the peoples pure of speech, so that they all invoke G-d by name and serve Him with one accord. “ Isaiah 2:2-3 and… Read More »3F WHAT THE TENACH TEACHES US – UNIVERSAL WORSHIP OF G-D
2 Tammuz 5783 – 21 June 2023 “And Korach took…and Dasan and Aviram the sons of Eliav, and On the son of Peles, the sons of Reuven. And they rose up before Moses…” Our sages teach in Pirkei Avot (5:17) that, “Any dispute that is for the sake of Heaven… Read More »Numbers 16:1-2 – Disputes
Korach (Numbers 16-18 ) The tragic story of Korach teaches us vital lessons about how even great people can come to commit grave sins through subtle character flaws. An analysis of the main protagonists of Korach’s rebellion shows that they were all righteous people who had seemingly valid motives for their rebellion… Read More »Parshat Korach – Discerning Our True Intentions
