Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Reeh THERE SHALL BE NO NEEDY AMONG YOU – SINCE THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BLESS THE LAND THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GIVING YOU AS A HEREDITARY PORTION. (Devarim 15:4) FOR THERE WILL NEVER CEASE TO BE NEEDY ONES IN YOUR LAND, WHICH IS WHY I COMMAND YOU: OPEN YOUR HAND TO THE POOR AND NEEDY KINSMAN IN YOUR LAND. (Devarim 15:11) As Sons, as Servants – Human Obligation to...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Ekev CUT AWAY, THEREFORE, THE THICKENING ABOUT YOUR HEARTS AND STIFFEN YOUR NECKS NO MORE. FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GOD OF GODS AND LORD OF LORDS, THE GREAT, THE MIGHTY AND THE AWESOME GOD, WHO SHOWS NO FAVOR AND TAKES NO BRIBE, BUT UPHOLDS THE CAUSE OF THE FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOW, AND BEFRIENDS THE STRANGER, PROVIDING HIM WITH FOOD AND CLOTHING. YOU TOO MUST BEFRIEND THE STRANGER, FOR YOU WERE STRANGERS IN...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Vaetchanan I PLEADED WITH THE LORD AT THAT TIME, SAYING, "…LET ME, I PRAY, CROSS OVER AND SEE THE GOOD LAND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE JORDAN, THAT GOOD HILL COUNTRY, AND THE LEBANON." (Devarim 3:23, 25) For the same state is in store for all (Kohelet 9:2) – Moses said to God: Master of the Universe, all are equal before you; you destroy the innocent and the wicked alike. The spies angered...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Devarim HOW CAN I BEAR UNAIDED THE TROUBLE OF YOU, AND THE BURDEN, AND YOUR BICKERING! (Devarim 1:12) This teaches you that they were contentious and combative towards each other. (Rabbeinu Behayeiy on Devarim 1:12) That it is said, I cannot bear the burden of you by myself (Devarim 1:9) and afterwards, How can I bear unaided the trouble of you (1:12) can be interpreted in two ways: First, that the expression...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Matot-Mas'ey THE FAMILY HEADS IN THE CLAN OF THE DESCENDANTS OF GILEAD THE SON OF MACHIR SON OF MANASSEH, ONE OF THE JOSEPHITE CLANS, CAME FORWARD AND APPEALED TO MOSES AND THE CHIEFTAINS, FAMILY HEADS OF THE ISRAELITES. THEY SAID, "THE LORD COMMANDED MY LORD TO ASSIGN THE LAND TO THE ISRAELITES AS SHARES BY LOT, AND MY LORD WAS FURTHER COMMANDED BY THE LORD TO ASSIGN THE SHARE OF OUR KINSMAN TZELOFHAD TO HIS...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Pinchas PINHAS, SON OF ELAZAR, SON OF AARON THE PRIEST, HAS TURNED BACK MY WRATH FROM THE ISRAELITES BY DISPLAYING AMONG THEM HIS PASSION FOR ME, SO THAT I DID NOT WIPE OUT THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE IN MY PASSION. SAY, THEREFORE, I WILL GRANT HIM MY PACT OF PEACE. (Bamidbar 25: 11) My Pact of Peace – Reward or Safeguard Against Psychological Damage? As reward for pacifying God's wrath and anger, He blessed...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Balak HE TOOK UP HIS THEME AND SAID: FROM ARAM HAS BALAK BROUGHT ME, MOAB'S KINGFROM THE HILLS OF THE EAST: COME, CURSE ME JACOB, COME, TELL ISRAEL'S DOOM! HOW CAN I DAMN WHOM GOD HAS NOT DAMNED, HOW DOOM WHEN THE LORD HAS NOT DOOMED? AS I SEE THEM FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOPS, GAZE ON THEM FROM THE HEIGHTS, THERE IS A PEOPLE THAT DWELLS APART, NOT RECKONED AMONG THE NATIONS. (Bamidbar 23: 7-9)...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Chukkat THIS IS THE RITUAL LAW THAT THE LORD HAS COMMANDED: INSTRUCT THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE TO BRING YOU A RED COW WITHOUT BLEMISH, IN WHICH THERE IS NO DEFECT AND ON WHICH NO YOKE HAS BEEN LAID. (Bamidbar 19:2) …Cow -this is Israel, Israel has balked like a stubborn cow (Hoshea 4:16). Red, this is Israel, Their limbs were ruddier than coral (Eikhah 4:7). Without blemish, this is...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Korach AND MOSES SAID, "BY THIS YOU SHALL KNOW THAT IT WAS THE LORD WHO SENT ME TO DO AL THESE THINGS; THAT THE ARE NOT OF MY OWN DEVISING: IF THESE MEN DIE AS ALL MEN DO, IF THEIR LOT BE THE COMMON FATE OF ALL MANKIND, IT WAS NOT THE LORD WHO SENT ME. BUT IF THE LORD BRINGS ABOUT SOMETHING UNHEARD-OF, SO THAT THE GROUND OPENSUP ITS MOUTH AND SWALLOWS THEM UP...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Shelach THE WHOLE COMMUNITY BROKE OUT INTO LOUD CRIES, AND THE PEOPLE WEPT THAT NIGHT. ALL THE ISRAELITES RAILED AGAINST MOSES AND AARON. "IF ONLY WE HAD DIED IN THE LAND OF EGYPT,"THE WHOLE COMMUNITY SHOUTED AT THEM, "OR IF ONLY WE MIGHT DIE IN THS WILDERNESS! WHY IS THE LORD TAKING US TO THAT LAND TO FALL BY THE SWORD? OUR WIVES AND CHILDREN WILL BE CARRIED OFF! IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR US...