Rosh Chodesh of Av. On this day, Moses’ brother, Aaron the High Priest passed away (Numbers 33:38). During the month of Av, great tragedies took place in Jewish history, including the destruction of both the 1st and 2nd holy Temples in Jerusalem on the 9th of the month. On the… Read More »NUMBERS 33:38 – THERE IS ORDER
“Moses spoke to the tribal leaders of the Children of Israel saying: This is the word that Hashem has commanded: If a person makes a vow…” (Numbers 30:2-3). We need to understand why this chapter which deals with the laws of vows and oaths was specifically addressed to the tribal… Read More »NUMBERS 30:2-3 – LAWS AND VOWS
“…set someone over the congregation who will go out before them and who will come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in…” (Numbers 27:16-17). A real leader must go before the people and not trail behind them. A true leader raises the people up… Read More »NUMBERS 27:16-17 – A TRUE LEADER
The creation testifies to the glory of the Creator. “Raise your eyes on high, and see Who created these (things)…” Isaiah 40:26 “The heavens declare the glory of G-d and the firmament tells of His handiwork.” (Psalm 19:2) Everything we see points to the Creator. Any person walking on the… Read More »THE GLORY OF THE CREATOR
“This is the statute/decree/law (chukat) of the Torah…and you shall take to you a red cow…” (Numbers 19:2) Why is the ritual of the red cow, used to purify those who had come into contact with a corpse, referred to as the law of the Torah. Shouldn’t it have been… Read More »NUMBERS 19:2 – THE RED COW
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 »MOSES AND THE ROCK: California Dreaming
“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” (Numbers 19:2-3). Any person who thinks they are perfect and without faults is clearly someone… Read More »NUMBERS 19:2-3 – MANY BLEMISHES
“…you are taking too much for yourselves (rav lachem), you sons of Levi!” (Numbers 16:7) According to the Talmud (Sotah 13b) Moses was punished for saying these words and they came back to haunt him. When he was praying to be able to enter the Holy Land, G-d answered him… Read More »NUMBERS 16:7 – SPIRITUAL AMBITION
“Send out for yourself men who shall spy out the land of Canaan which I am giving to the children of Israel. You shall send out one man for each paternal tribe, and each one shall be a leader among them” (Numbers 13:2) The Hebrew word for leader here is… Read More »NUMBERS 13:2 – NOTHING AND SOMETHING
As Moses was about to lead the Jewish people into the Promised Land, they requested to first send an advance party of spies. G-d consented, and Moses directed the 12 chosen spies to determine the strength of Canaan’s inhabitants and the quality of the land. After 40 days, the spies… Read More »FIRST THINGS FIRST
