Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Ekev AND YOU SHALL REMEMBER THE ENTIRE WAY ON WHICH THE LORD, YOUR GOD, LED YOU THESE FORTY YEARS IN THE DESERT… YOUR CLOTHING DID NOT WEAR OUT UPON YOU, NOR DID YOUR FOOT SWELL THESE FORTY YEARS. (Devarim 8:2,4) Your clothing – Some say: this occurred miraculously. Others say: Because they took out many garments with them from Egypt. And it could be that it is not in...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vaetchanan GO UP TO THE TOP OF THE HILL AND LIFT UP YOUR EYES WESTWARD AND NORTHWARD AND SOUTHWARD AND EASTWARD AND SEE WITH YOUR EYES, FOR YOU SHALL NOT CROSS THIS JORDAN. (Devarim 3:27) Seeing with Pleasure and Seeing with Sorrow And the Lord said to him: "This is the land…" (Devarim 34:4) R. Eliezer says: He gave strength to Moses' eyes, and he saw from one end of the world to...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Devarim THE LORD, YOUR GOD, HAS MULTIPLIED YOU, AND BEHOLD, YOU ARE TODAY AS THE STARS OF THE HEAVENS IN ABUNDANCE. (Devarim 1:10) And, behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens But were they on that day as the stars of the heavens? Were they not only six hundred thousand? What, then, is "And, behold, you are today…?" -Behold, you are compared to...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Matot-Mas'ey FOR HE SHALL REMAIN IN HIS CITY OF REFUGE UNTIL THE HIGH PRIEST DIES, AND ONLY AFTER THE HIGH PRIEST HAS DIED, MAY THE MURDERER RETURN TO THE LAND WHICH IS HIS POSSESSION. (Bamidbar 35:28) until the High Priest… dies For he causes the Divine Presence to rest upon Israel and thus prolongs their lives, whereas the murderer causes the Divine Presence to withdraw from Israel and thus shortens their lives. He is...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Pinchas IT WAS AFTER THE PLAGUE, THAT THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES AND TO ELEAZAR THE SON OF AARON THE PRIEST, SAYING: TAKE A CENSUS OF ALL THE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FROM TWENTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARDS, FOLLOWING THEIR FATHERS' HOUSES, ALL THAT ARE FIT TO GO OUT TO WAR IN ISRAEL. (Bamidbar 26:1-2) It was after the plague This can be compared to a shepherd whose flock was intruded by...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Balak THE LORD OPENED THE MOUTH OF THE SHE-DONKEY, AND SHE SAID TO BALAAM, "WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU THAT YOU HAVE STRUCK ME THESE THREE TIMES?" BALAAM SAID TO THE SHE-DONKEY, "FOR YOU HAVE HUMILIATED ME; IF I HAD A SWORD IN MY HAND, I WOULD KILL YOU RIGHT NOW." (Bamidbar 22:28-9) The Lord opened the mouth of the she-donkey – to speak, since Scripture often alludes to speech and the pronouncing...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Chukkat MOSES MADE A COPPER SNAKE AND PUT IT ON A POLE, AND WHENEVER A SNAKE BIT A MAN, HE WOULD GAZE UPON THE COPPER SNAKE AND LIVE. (Bamidbar 21:9) AND IT WAS IN THE THIRD YEAR OF HOSHEA THE SON OF ELAH, THE KING OF ISRAEL, THAT HEZEKIAH THE SON OF AHAZ THE KING OF JUDAH, BECAME KING… AND HE DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THE EYES OF THE LORD, LIKE ALL THAT...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Korach SPEAK TO THE CHILDREN AND TAKE FROM THEM A STAFF FOR EACH FATHER'S HOUSE FROM ALL THE CHIEFTAINS ACCORDING TO THEIR FATHERS' HOUSES… INSCRIBE AARON'S NAME ON THE STAFF OF LEVI, FOR THERE IS ONE STAFF FOR THE HEAD OF THEIR FATHERS' HOUSE… THE STAFF OF THE MAN WHOM I WILL CHOOSE WILL BLOSSOM… AND ON THE FOLLOWING DAY MOSES CAME TO THE TENT OF TESTIMONY, AND BEHOLD, AARON'S STAFF FOR THE HOUSE...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Shelach THEY SPREAD AN REPORT ABOUT THE LAND WHICH THEY HAD SCOUTED, TELLING THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, "THE LAND WE PASSED THROUGH TO EXPLORE IS A LAND THAT CONSUMES ITS INHABITANTS, AND ALL THE PEOPLE WE SAW IN IT ARE MEN OF STATURE. THERE WE SAW THE GIANTS, THE SONS OF ANAK, DESCENDED FROM THE GIANTS. IN OUR EYES, WE SEEMED LIKE GRASSHOPPERS, AND SO WE WERE IN THEIR EYES." (Bamidbar 13:32-33) There...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Behaalotcha THE LORD SUDDENLY SAID TO MOSES, AARON AND MIRIAM, "GO OUT, ALL THREE OF YOU, TO THE TENT OF MEETING!" AND ALL THREE WENT OUT. THE LORD DESCENDED IN A PILLAR OF CLOUD AND STOOD AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE TENT. HE CALLED TO AARON AND MIRIAM, AND THEY BOTH WENT OUT. SO MIRIAM WAS CONFINED OUTSIDE THE CAMP FOR SEVEN DAYS, AND THE PEOPLE DID NOT TRAVEL UNTIL MIRIAM HAD BEEN GATHERED IN....