Had things gone according to plan, the chumash would be a much shorter book. If not for the sin of the golden calf, there would have been…
VaEtchanan: An Extra And
"Shamor v’Zachor b’dibur echad". This phrase, sung every Friday night, notes the most famous difference between the recording of the aseret…
Devarim: The Beginning of the End
"Eleh Hadevarim, these are the words that Moshe spoke to all of Israel" (Devarim 1:1). In Biblical Hebrew, the word eleh comes to differentiate and…
Mattot-Massei: The Journey Continues
The Torah is full of repetition. Whether it is law or narrative, much of the Torah seems to deal with recurring themes. Our Sages have focused on…
Pinchas: Not Fit for Leadership
“Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the priest was the one who so zealously took up My cause among the Israelites, and turned My anger away…
Balak: Missed Opportunities
What a waste of talent. “No other prophet like Moses has arisen in Israel who knew G-d face to face” (Devarim 34:10). Our Sages, in…
Chukat: It's Tough To Be A Leader
People have a natural tendency to avoid talking about death. People "pass away" or are "no longer with us". In Parshat Chukat death and its attendant…
Korach: Don't Blame Me
What does it take to convince somebody that they are wrong? Humans have an unbelievable ability to ignore the obvious as they cling to discredited…
Shelach Lecha: Blame Game
Who should get the blame for the meraglim fiasco? Was it the report of the spies, or the lack of faith of the people that did us in? Might…
Behaalotcha: Silence is Golden
After reading through Sefer Breisheet and the sibling rivalry we encounter in generation after generation, it is a pleasure to come to Sefer Shemot…
Bamidbar: Names and Numbers
Parshat Bamidbar is, on its surface, little more that names and numbers. The bulk of the parsha lists the counting of the Jewish people,…
Bechukotai: Coming Home
The ability of the Jewish people to see hope when others see despair is perhaps the key to understanding the amazing tenacity of the Jewish people.…
Emor: The Animal Kingdom
When one thinks of the most important parts of the Torah one is likely to think of the aseret hadibrot, the shema or…
Kedoshim: Holiness and Happiness
Knowledge is much more than the accumulation of facts. It is the analysis and application of those facts that is crucial. Underlying factual…
Tazria: Back to the Beginning
Perhaps there is no parsha less studied than Tazria (and its frequent partner, Metzora). With its focus on the detailed laws of …
Shmini: The Sounds of Silence
Modern society often expects people to keep their emotions in check and to avoid displaying them publicly. This is especially true of our leaders…
Vayikra: Time to Reflect
When making reference to biblical verses, we tend to identify them by chapter and verse. This most convenient system is of non-Jewish origin and…
Parshat Hachodesh: Timing is Everything
“In the first month of the second year on the first of the month, the Tabernacle was erected” (Shemot 40:2). Sefer Shemot concludes with…