In Memoriam: Korach

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 […]

June 18, 2017 at 3:43 AM 0 comments

Manufacturer’s Instructions

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 […]

June 12, 2017 at 2:14 AM 0 comments

Step Up

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 […]

June 4, 2017 at 2:00 AM 0 comments

Returning Shortly

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 […]

May 28, 2017 at 2:07 AM 0 comments

Numbers that Matter

Numbers that Matter

“…Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel…” – Bamidbar 1:2 שְׂאוּ אֶת רֹאשׁ כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל – במדבר א, ב In the first thirteen months after their exodus from Egypt, the Jewish people were counted three times (see Shemos 12:37; Ibid. 30:12-16; and Bamidbar, chapters 1-3). Rashi explains the significance of all this counting: “Because […]

May 21, 2017 at 6:04 AM 0 comments

Moshiach and You

Moshiach and You

“…I see him but not now, I behold him but not near; a star shoots forth from Yaakov…” – Bamidbar 24:17 אֶרְאֶנּוּ וְלֹא עַתָּה אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ וְלֹא קָרוֹב דָּרַךְ כּוֹכָב מִיַּעֲקֹב – במדבר כד, יז Many early sources interpret Bilaam’s prophecy, “A star shoots forth from Yaakov,” as a reference to Moshiach, the future redeemer of the Jewish people (see Ramban and others). According […]

July 22, 2016 at 8:01 AM 0 comments

Telling Priorities

Telling Priorities

“…Calev silenced the people regarding Moshe, and he said, “We shall surely go up and take possession of it, for we can indeed overcome it…” – Bamidbar 13:30 וַיַּהַס כָּלֵב אֶת הָעָם אֶל מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר עָלֹה נַעֲלֶה וְיָרַשְׁנוּ אֹתָהּ כִּי יָכוֹל נוּכַל לָהּ – במדבר יג, ל Moshe sent spies to the Land of Israel. Upon their return, they reported: […]

June 26, 2016 at 4:39 AM 0 comments

Hide and Go

Hide and Go

“…When the camp is about to travel, Aharon and his sons shall come and take down the dividing curtain, and they shall cover the Aron of Testimony with it. They shall place upon it a covering of tachash skin and on top of that they shall spread a cloth of pure blue wool…” – Bamidbar 4:5-6 וּבָא אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו בִּנְסֹעַ […]

June 10, 2016 at 4:44 AM 0 comments

You Must Be a Levi Too

You Must Be a Levi Too

“…They shall take charge of all the vessels of the Ohel Moed and the charge of B’nei Yisrael, to perform the service of the Mishkan…” – Bamidbar 3:8 וְשָׁמְרוּ אֶת כָּל כְּלֵי אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְאֶת מִשְׁמֶרֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲבֹד אֶת עֲבֹדַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן – במדבר ג, ח The Rambam writes that the extraordinary sanctity that G-d conferred upon the tribe of Levi […]

June 8, 2016 at 10:36 AM 0 comments

Numbers 24:17–20

          Numbers 24:17–20 17. I see it, but not now; I behold it, but not soon. A star has gone forth from Jacob, and a staff will arise from Israel which will crush the princes of Moab and uproot all the sons of Seth. 18. Edom shall be possessed, and Seir shall become the possession of his enemies, […]

May 23, 2016 at 6:53 PM 0 comments

Local Judge, Distant Sentence

Local Judge, Distant Sentence

“…These shall be for you a statute of justice for all your generations, in all your dwelling places…” – Bamidbar 35:29 וְהָיוּ אֵלֶּה לָכֶם לְחֻקַּת מִשְׁפָּט לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם בְּכֹל מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם – במדבר לה, כט A person who accidentally caused someone’s death would be exiled by the court to one of the six Cities of Refuge where he would be safe from […]

July 17, 2015 at 10:15 PM 0 comments

Outside Influences

Outside Influences

“…You shall not have other gods…” – Shemos 20:3 לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹקִים אֲחֵרִים – שמות כ, ג The Talmud (Shabbos 88b) relates that the angels protested G-d giving the Torah to Bnei Yisrael, insisting that G-d’s wisdom must not be shared with mortals of flesh and blood. In response, Moshe demonstrated that only humans could fulfill the Torah’s commands, […]

May 21, 2015 at 6:36 PM 0 comments

Not Just a Stopover

Not Just a Stopover

“…Whether it was for two days, a month or a year, that the cloud lingered to hover over the Mishkan, the children of Israel would encamp and not travel, and when it departed, they traveled…” – Bamidbar 9:22 אוֹ יֹמַיִם אוֹ חֹדֶשׁ אוֹ יָמִים בְּהַאֲרִיךְ הֶעָנָן עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן לִשְׁכֹּן עָלָיו יַחֲנוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא יִסָּעוּ וּבְהֵעָלֹתוֹ יִסָּעוּ – במדבר ט, […]

June 8, 0201 at 4:43 AM 0 comments