Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Pinchas THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSHE SAYING: COMMAND THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE AND SAY TO THEM: BE PUNCTILIOUS IN PRESENTING TO ME AT STATED TIMES THE OFFERINGS OF FOOD DUE ME, AS OFFERINGS BY FIRE OF PLEASING ODOR TO ME. SAY TO THEM: THESE ARE THE OFFERINGS BY FIRE THAT YOU ARE TO PRESENT TO THE LORD: AS A REGULAR BURNT OFFERING EVERY DAY, TWO YEARLING LAMBS WITHOUT BLEMISH. YOU SHALL OFFER ONE LAMB IN THE MORNING, AND THE OTHER LAMB YOU SHALL OFFER AT TWILIGHT. AND...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Balak BIL'AM ROSE UP IN THE MORNING, SADDLED HIS ASS AND DEPARTED WITH THE MOABITE DIGNITARIES… WHEN THE ASS CAUGHT SIGHT OF THE ANGEL OF THE LORD STANDING IN THE WAY, WITH HIS DRAWN SWORD IN HIS HAND, THE ASS SWERVED FROM THE ROAD AND WENT INTO THE FIELDS; AND BIL'AM BEAT THE ASS TO TURN HER BACK ONTO THE ROAD… THE ASS, SEEING THE ANGEL OF THE LORD, PRESSED HERSELF AGAINST THE WALL AND SQUEEZED BIL'AM'S FOOT AGAINST THE WALL, SO HE BEAT HER AGAIN…...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) 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 ON WHICH NO YOKE HAS BEEN LAID. YOU SHALL GIVE IT TO EL'AZAR THE PRIEST. IT SHALL BE TAKEN OUTSIDE THE CAMP AND SLAUGHTERED IN HIS PRESENCE. EL'AZAR THE PRIEST SHALL TAKE SOME OF ITS BLOOD WITH HIS FINGER AND SPRINKLE IT SEVEN TIMES TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE TENT OF MEETING. THE COW SHALL BE BURNED...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Korach THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSHE, SAYING, "REMOVE YOURSELVES FROM THIS COMMUNITY, THAT I MAY ANNIHILATE THEM IN AN INSTANT." THEY FELL ON THEIR FACES. THEN MOSHE SAID TO AHARON, "TAKE THE FIRE PAN, AND PUT ON IT FIRE FROM THE ALTAR. ADD INCENSE AND TAKE IT QUICKLY TO THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE EXPIATION FOR THEM. FOR WRATH HAS GONE FORTH FROM THE LORD. THE PLAGUE HAS BEGUN!" AHARON TOOK IT, AS MOSHE HAD ORDERED, AND RAN TO THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION, WHERE THE PLAGUE...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Shelach BUT THE MEN WHO HAD GONE UP WITH HIM SAID, "WE CANNOT ATTACK THAT PEOPLE, FOR IT IS STRONGER THAN WE." THUS THEY SPREAD CALUMNIES AMONG THE ISRAELITES ABOUT THE LAND THEY HAD SCOUTED, SAYING, "THE COUNTRY THAT WE TRAVERSED AND SCOUTED IS ONE THAT DEVOURS ITS SETTLERS. ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WE SAW IN IT ARE MEN OF GREAT SIZE; WE SAW THE NEPHILIM THERE – THE ANAKITES ARE PART OF THE NEPHILIM – AND WE LOOKED LIKE GRASSHOPPERS TO OURSELVES, AND SO WE...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Behaalotcha THE RIFFRAFF IN THEIR MIDST FELT A GLUTTONOUS CRAVING; AND THEN THE ISRAELITES WEPT AND SAID, "IF ONLY WE HAD MEAT TO EAT!"… THE MEAT WAS STILL BETWEEN THEIR TEETH, NOT YET CHEWED, WHEN THE ANGER OF THE LORD BLAZED FORTH AGAINST THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD STUCK THE PEOPLE WITH A VERY SEVERE PLAGUE. THAT PLACE WAS NAMED KIBROTH-HATAAVAH , BECAUSE THERE WERE BURIED THE PEOPLE WHO HAD THE CRAVING. (Bemidbar 11) Envy, Lust, and Vainglory Shorten a Person's...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Nasso – Shavuot THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES, SAYING: SPEAK TO THE ISRAELITES AND SAY TO THEM: IF ANYONE, MAN OR WOMAN, EXPLICITY UTTERS A NAZARITE'S VOW TO SET HIMSELF APART FOR THE LORD… THROUGHOUT THE TERM OF HIS VOW AS A NAZIRITE, NO RAZOR SHALL TOUCH HIS HEAD; IT SHALL REMAIN CONSECRATED UNTIL THE COMPLETION OF HIS TERM AS NAZIRITE OF THE LORD (Bemidbar 6) Growth of Hair As An Expression of Mourning Or A Partition Between the Nazarite and Society "Throughout the term...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Behar – Behukotay YOU SHALL NOT MAKE IDOLS FOR YOURSELVES, OR SET UP FOR YOURSELVES CARVED IMAGES OR PILLARS, OR PLACE FIGURED STONES IN YOUR LAND TO WORSHIP UPON, FOR I THE LORD AM YOUR GOD. YOU SHALL KEEP MY SABBATHS AND VENERATE MY SANCTUARY, MINE, THE LORD'S. (Vayikra 26:1-2) THE SANCTITY OF LIFE IS BOUND UP WITH COVENANT AND REMEMBRANCE, NOT WITH DEAD STONES "Venerate My sanctuary" – this refers to the Jubilee year, for it is written "It shall be holy...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Emor THEY ARE NOT TO MAKE A BALD SPOT ON THEIR HEAD, THE EDGE OF THEIR BEARD THEY ARE NOT TO SHAVE OFF, IN THEIR FLESH THEY ARE NOT TO INCISE AN INCISION. HOLY ARE THEY TO BE TO THEIR GOD. (Bemidbar 21:5-6) "YOU SHALL LIVE BY THEM – AND NOT DIE BY THEM" Shaving smooth and gashing are signs of submission; they are offered up to the god of death, whose power fills the world. This enables us to...