Balak תשפב When travelling by plane, it is customary to acknowledge your seat-mate when taking your seat, and maybe to say a word or two as you deplane. Conversation between seat-mates during flight is uncommon, perhaps, because people have come to…
Parshat Chukat תשפ"ב This week’s Torah reading is Chukat (that word, in the construct state, has the literal translation of “the edict of”). The portion begins with the words, זֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה - This is the edictחק) -chok) of the Torah, implying that it is the ultimate edict of all…
Parshat Korach תשפ"ב This week’s portion, Korach, details the events of Korach and his 253 compatriots’ rebellion against Moshe and Aharon (Numbers 16:1,2): א) וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח בֶּן יִצְהָר בֶּן קְהָת בֶּן לֵוִי וְדָתָן וַאֲבִירָם בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב וְאוֹן בֶּן פֶּלֶת בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵן…
Shelach תשפא Just twenty days shy of a year from the Jewish people’s arrival at Mount Sinai, they began their journey to the promised land, Israel. During that time, the nation had received the Torah, built the Tabernacle, and each tribe…
Parshat BeHaalotecha This week’s Torah reading begins with Hashem instructing Aharon the High Priest on how to light the Menorah as part of the daily Tabernacle service. When lighting the Menorah, Aharon had to position both the three wicks on the right…
Parshat Naso These were exciting times for the Jewish people. Almost a year had passed, and it was again Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the month in which they left Egypt. So much had happened in such a short time. First, they walked…
Shavuot The president of the local JCC was once confronted by an angry board member at a meeting. This person was upset because the JCC was closed on all Jewish holidays, including Shavuot. “I understand the JCC being closed on the…
Bechukotai תשפ"ב When the Jewish people committed the sin of the golden calf, Hashem said to Moshe (Exodus 32:9,10): (ט) וַיֹּאמֶר יְדֹוָד אֶל משֶׁה רָאִיתִי אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה וְהִנֵּה עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף הוּא: (י) וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִּי וְיִחַר אַפִּי בָהֶם וַאֲכַלֵּם…
Behar תשפ"ב The first verse in this week’s parsha, Behar (Leviticus 25:1), begins in a peculiar way. א) וַיְדַבֵּר יְדֹוָד אֶל משֶׁה בְּהַר סִינַי לֵאמֹר 1) And Hashem spoke to Moshe on Mount Sinai saying. Why, here, does the…
Parshat Emor תשפב In this week’s portion, Emor, the Torah (Leviticus 23:10) instructs us to bring the Omer barley sacrifice: (י) דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם וּקְצַרְתֶּם אֶת קְצִירָהּ וַהֲבֵאתֶם…