“These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel on the other side of the Jordan in the desert, in the Aravah, opposite Suf, between Parran, Tofel, Lavan, Chatzeros and Di Zahav” (Deuteronomy 1:1). In explaining the significance of these places, Rashi writes that Chatzeros refers to the controversy of… Read More »DEUTERONOMY 1:1 – THE ORDER OF EVENTS
“…you shall provide for yourselves six cities of refuge. Three cities on the other side of the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan…” (Numbers 35:13-14) The Talmud (Makkos 9b) wonders why the two and a half tribes living on the east side of the Jordan River needed… Read More »NUMBERS 35:13-14 – CITIES OF REFUGE
“And Moses wrote of their goings forth according to their journeys by the commandment of Hashem, And these are their journeys according to their goings forth” (Numbers 33:2). Why does the end of the verse reverse the order of ‘goings forth’ and ‘journeys’? According to the Maggid of Dubno, this… Read More »NUMBERS 33:2 – GOING FORTH
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
