The land of Israel is a special, holy land and thus, all produce grown on it has properties of holiness. This is the underpinning of such laws of…
VaEtchanan: The People and Moshe
“At that time I pleaded with G-d, saying, ‘O G-d, Lord…please let me cross the Jordan. Let me see the good land across the Jordan…
Devarim: Heading Home
The narrative portion of the Torah has come to an end. The last book of the Chumash, that of Devarim, concentrates on the charge that…
Massei: Don't Forget the Details
“And the Egyptians were burying all their first born, who had been killed by G-d” (Bamidbar 33:4). Occupied with grief and…
Pinchas: Idolatry for Adultery
"And they called the people to their religious sacrifices, and the people ate and worshipped the Moabite gods" (Bamidbar 25:2). How…
Chukat: Unbelievable!
It is truly astounding how people can actually believe the most ludicrous of claims. “And Moshe divested Aharon of his vestments, and…
Behalotcha: Running Away
"The Israelites marched for a three day journey “mei'har Hashem”, from G-d's mountain (Bamidbar 10:33). The Torah has been…
Naso: To Be or Not to Be!
A fundamental question that has been debated since the beginning of Jewish history regards the degree of contact and integration one should have with…
Bamidbar: Natural Life
Sefer Bamidbar can be viewed as a book of missed opportunities. A small group of Jewish slaves—the midrash claims no more than one in…
Emor: The Right Balance
Judaism measures greatness by spiritual achievements. It should come as no surprise that many of our founding fathers suffered from physical ailments…
Pesach: A Seder in Sedom
"He made a feast for them and baked matzah and they ate" (Breisheet 19:3). The "angels" had come to Sedom to rescue Lot from…
Tzav: It's All in the Heart
Our tradition seems to have a somewhat ambivalent view regarding sacrifices. The Torah devotes many chapters to describing—in great detail…
Vayikra: Eat Quickly
Sefer Vayikra serves as the “central” book of the Chumash; on one side flanked by Breisheet and Shemot, which detail the founding of the…
Terumah: Returning Home
The prayer for the welfare of the State of Israel recited in many of our congregations assumes that the modern-day state is the "beginning of…
Yitro: I Love My In-Laws
“Moses went to greet his father-in-law, bowing down low and kissing him” (Shemot 18:7). Unfortunately, relations between children…
Bo: Egyptian Appreciation
The land of Egypt and the people of Egypt had undergone tremendous hardship and suffering. Their economy had been …
Vaera: When the Going Gets Tough
The story of the slavery and subsequent redemption of the Jewish people focuses almost entirely on Moshe, Aharon and Pharaoh. Strangely, the thoughts…
Vayigash: An Egyptian Education
“And you shall surely know that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs for 400 years” (Breisheet 15:12). The…