Balak (Numbers 22:2-25:9 ) Pirkei Avot, 5:19: Anyone who has in his hands these three things, is from the students of Avraham, our Father; and three other things, is from the students of the wicked Bilaam : A good eye, lowly spirit, and humble soul – is from the students of, Avraham, our Father.… Read More »PARSHAT BALAK – AVRAHAM AND BILAAM: TOTAL OPPOSITES
Chukat (Numbers 19:1-22:1 ) Bamidbar, 21:4-7: They journeyed from Mount Hor by way of the Sea of Reeds to go around the land of Edom, and the spirit of the people grew short with the road. The people spoke against G-d and against Moshe: ‘Why have you brought us up from Egypt… Read More »PARSHAT CHUKAT: THE IMPORTANCE OF FORGIVENESS
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… Read More »PARSHAT KORACH: DISCERNING OUR TRUE INTENTIONS
Shlach (Numbers 13-15 ) The incident of the spies is one of the most well-known stories in the Torah and there is much discussion as to how such great men could commit such a terrible sin. Another very important aspect of this episode is the actions of the righteous men in… Read More »PARSHAT SHLACH: PRAYING AGAINST THE EVIL INCLINATION
Be’halot’cha (Numbers 8-12 ) What were the Children of Israel complaining about? “The people were like those who seek complaints in the ears of G-d, and G-d heard and His wrath flared…” (1) As the Jewish people were on the verge of entering the land of Israel, they began complaining to… Read More »PARSHAT BE’HALOT’CHA: UNDERSTANDING COMPLAINTS
Naso (Numbers 4:21-7:89 ) Bamidbar, 5:2: “Speak the Children of Israel, and you will say to them, ‘A man or a woman when he makes a vow to be a Nazir to Hashem.”Rashi, 5:2: Dh:“…why is the Portion of Nazir next to the portion of Sotah? To teach that whoever sees a… Read More »PARSHAT NASO: THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ARROGANCE AND IMMORATILY
Bamidbar (Numbers 1:1-4:20 ) The Torah portion outlines how G-d instructs that each tribe should have Its own flag (degel). The Midrash provides fascinating background to the seemingly mundane passage. The Midrash1 teaches that says that when G-d’s Presence descended upon Mount Sinai 22,000 angels descended with Him – each with flags. The Jewish… Read More »PARSHAT BAMIDBAR: FINDING OU LIFE’S PURPOSE
Bechukotai (Leviticus 26:3-27:34 ) Vayikra, 26:42: And I will remember my Covenant with Yaakov, and even my Covenant with Yitzchak, and even my Covenant with Avraham will I remember, and the Land I will remember. Rashi, 26,42: Dh: Vezacharti: “Why were they [the Avot] listed in reverse order? It is as… Read More »PARSHAT BECHUKOTAI: BRING THE REDEMPTION THROUGH KINDNESS
Behar (Leviticus 25:1-26:2 ) On two occasions in Behar the Torah instructs us not to afflict our fellow Jew. In the first instance, the Torah states: “When you sell an item to one of your people or buy from one of your people, a man should not afflict his brother.” (1) A… Read More »PARSHAT BEHAR: HURTFUL WORDS
Emor (Leviticus 21-24 ) The Parsha ends with the tragic story of the blasphemer – the man who cursed G-d when he was not accepted into any Tribe by the Jewish Court of Law (Beit Din), because his father was non-Jewish and the membership of a Tribe was dependent on the father’s… Read More »PARSHAT EMOR: THE PERILS OF JUDGEMENT
