Balaam’s blessing is the centerpiece of the parshah. Balaam, a non-Israelite religious figure, is hired by the king of the Moabites to curse the Israelites. Through […]
Parshat Korach
Bamidbar 16:1-3 Now Korah, son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, betook himself, along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth – descendants […]
Parshat Shelach
Bamidbar 13:27-33, 14:1-4 This is what they told him: “We came to the land you sent us to; it does indeed flow with milk and honey, and this is its […]
Parshat Beha’alotecha
Bamidbar 11:4-6 The riffraff in their midst felt a gluttonous craving; and then the Israelites wept and said, “If only we had meat to eat!” We remember the fish we […]
Parshat Naso
Saint and Sinner Naso continues describing the roles of Levite clans. Later in Bamidbar, these assigned roles will be significant because Korach will justify his revolt because he questions the […]
Parshat Bamidbar
How am I counted? What is my measure? Who am I?
Bamidbar 1:1 … the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, […]
Parshat Behar-Bechukotai
Leviticus 25:35 If your brother becomes impoverished and his means falter with you, you shall strengthen him – proselyte or resident – so that he can live with you.
Rashi […]
Parshat Emor
Emor continues with exploring the nature of holiness. We learn about additional conditions on the behavior of priests, special rules involving sacrifices, the holy days of the year, and the […]
Parshotim Acharei Mot-Kedoshim
The goal of Mussar is holiness – Kedoshim is a critical text from a Mussar perspective. While Mussar shares and borrows techniques with non-religious self-help, it seeks a Jewish religious […]
Parshat Tazria-Metzora
In the rabbinic tradition, the text of Tazria-Metzora presents a cascade of punishments for sins related to our treatment of others: haughtiness, selfish manipulation, slander, and lashon hara, among others. […]