How I Really Feel About You
“…The entire house of Israel wept for Aharon for thirty days…” – Bamidbar 20:29 וַיִּבְכּוּ אֶת אַהֲרֹן שְׁלשִׁים יוֹם כֹּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל – במדבר כ, כט The Torah emphasizes that Aharon’s passing was mourned by the entire Jewish nation. The Midrash (Avos d’Rabbi Nosson 12:3) explains that Aharon was particularly beloved upon the people because he was active in restoring […]
The Cow and the Calf
“…They shall take to you a perfectly red heifer…” – Bamidbar 19:2 וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ פָרָה אֲדֻמָּה תְּמִימָה – במדבר יט, ב The ashes of the Parah Adumah were used for the ritual purification of people or articles that contracted impurity from a dead corpse. In order to remove this impurity, the Parah Adumah must also undo to some degree the […]
Is Death Final? Depends Who You Ask
“…They shall take to you a perfectly red heifer…” – Bamidbar 19:2 וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ פָרָה אֲדֻמָּה תְּמִימָה – במדבר יט, ב The Torah commands us to prepare the ashes of a parah adumah, a red heifer, for use in the ritual purification of people or articles that contracted impurity from a dead corpse. The Torah attributes this mitzvah to Moshe, […]
Protecting Your Information
“…The entire congregation are holy, every one of them, and G-d is in their midst. So why do you raise yourselves above the assembly of G-d?”…” – Bamidbar 16:3 כִּי כָל הָעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדשִׁים וּבְתוֹכָם ה’ וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ עַל קְהַל ה’ – במדבר טז, ג The Midrash (Tanchuma, Korach 2) relates that Korach challenged Moshe, “If a house is full […]
In Memoriam: Korach
“…And Korach set [himself] apart…” – Bamidbar 16:1 וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח – במדבר טז, א “The mention of a righteous man shall be for a blessing,” says the verse in Mishlei (10:7), “but the name of the wicked shall rot.” The Talmud (Yoma 38b) interprets the latter part of this verse as a directive not to name your child after a […]
Manufacturer’s Instructions
“…We are unable to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we…” – Bamidbar 13:31 לֹא נוּכַל לַעֲלוֹת אֶל הָעָם כִּי חָזָק הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ – במדבר יג, לא Moshe sent spies to the Land of Israel, instructing them, “See the land, what is it: are the people who inhabit it strong or weak? Are they few or […]
Step Up
“…When you ignite the lamps…” – Bamidbar 8:2 בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ אֶת הַנֵּרֹת – במדבר ח, ב In the Torah’s directive to ignite the lamps of the menorah, the term used for “when you ignite” is beha’aloscha, which literally means, when you cause (the flames) to ascend. The Sages expounded from this term associated with ascending that a step stood in […]
Returning Shortly
“…A man whose wife strayed and was unfaithful to him…” – Bamidbar 5:12 אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי תִשְׂטֶה אִשְׁתּוֹ וּמָעֲלָה בוֹ מָעַל – במדבר ה, יב A sotah is a married woman suspected of adultery, whom the Torah prohibits from being with her husband until she proves her innocence. The term sotah means, “a woman who strays,” and comes from the […]
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