Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Devarim And the Lord said to me, "Say to them, 'Neither go up nor fight, for I am not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies.' " So I spoke to you, but you did not listen, and you rebelled against the command of the Lord, and you acted wickedly and went up to the mountain. (Devarim 1:42-43) Neither go up: There will be no ascent for you, but only a descent...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Matot-Mas'ey Moses sent them the thousand from each tribe to the army, them along with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest to the army, with the sacred utensils and the trumpets for sounding in his possession. (Bamidbar 31:6) If you go to war in your land against an adversary that oppresses you, you shall blow a teruah with the trumpets and be remembered before the Lord your God, and thus be saved from your enemies....
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Pinchas And on the Sabbath day, two unblemished lambs in the first year, and two tenths fine flour as a meal offering, mixed with oil, and its libation. (Bamidbar 28:8 most quotations from Scripture and Rashi herein based on the Judaica Press translation) A pleasing odor – Nahat ru'ah for Me, for I spoke and My will was executed. (Rashi, Bamidbar 28:8) Then...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Balak How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! (Bamidbar 24:5) The Mishkan as Mashkon On the day that Moses finished setting up the Tabernacle (Bamidbar 7:1): This relates to that which is written: How fair are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! (24: 5) If your tents, why your dwellings, and if your dwellings, your tents? Rather, how fair are...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Chukkat Moses raised his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, when an abundance of water gushed forth, and the congregation and their livestock drank. (Bamidbar 20:11) When an abundance of water gushed forth Know, that the blessing willingly and warmly given by God is not laudable for its quantity but rather for its quality, for it is more exalted and proper that one satisfy one's hunger with a little food and quench one's...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Korach You have not even brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Even if you gouge out the eyes of those men, we will not go up. (Bamidbar 16:14) Not even… to a land flowing with milk and honey – Meaning, that you took us out of a good place, and if you had brought us to a similarly good place and...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Shelach How much longer will this evil congregation who incite complaints against Me ? The complaints of the children of Israel which they incited them to make against Me, I have heard. (Bamidbar 14:27) This evil congregation: This refers to the spies; from here that a congregation numbers ten. (Rashi Bamidbar 14:27, Judaica Press translation) And you shall no longer be called by the name Jacob, but rather Israel will...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Behaalotcha But the multitude among them began to have strong cravings. Then even the children of Israel once again began to cry, and they said, "Who will feed us meat? We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt free of charge, the cucumbers and the watermelons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic. But now, our souls are dried out, for there is nothing at all; we have nothing but manna to look at."...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Nasso A man or woman who sets himself apart by making a Nazirite vow to abstain for the sake of the Lord. He shall abstain from new wine and old wine… he shall not eat any product of the grape vine, from seeds to skins. (Bamidbar 6:2-4) Sinner or Holy Man? Shmuel said: Anyone who perseveres in fasting is called a sinner. He agreed with the Tanna who taught: R. Elazar HaKafar said in the name...