At last, we begin Devarim (Deuteronomy), the final book of the Torah. The portion opens with a painful reminder of the sin of the spies. The sages teach that the day that the spies returned with a bad report was on the 9th of Av, also called Tisha B’Av.
This portion will summarize the lessons of Bamidbar (Numbers) before moving on to Deuteronomy and Moshes’ final speech. Vows, personal priorities, and a surprising tribal connection between Reuben, Gad, and Moses are all in store!
I was exposed, close up, to the ugly side of this war, as it is also manifesting itself in the USA.
Phineas boldly confronted the evil in the midst of the camp and was rewarded with a covenant of peace. The Lubavitcher Rebbe said that Phineas was prepared to sacrifice himself for his people, which was fitting as they prepared to enter the land of Israel.
The Children of Israel’s enemies choose to engage in spiritual warfare after being unable to defeat Israel with swords in Portion Balak. Yet the Prophet Balam is a huge disappointment after he is unable to fulfill his contract to curse Israel. This is a weird story!
Liebe Freunde,Während ich diesen Brief an Sie schreibe, feiert das...
This week’s portion, Hukat, is action packed. The red heifer is introduced, Miriam and Aaron both die, and Moses strikes a rock in anger to bring forth water. Moses then faces serious consequences for striking the rock instead of speaking to it. There are so many explanations for this story that Shmuel compiled a list!
Bereaved of his wife and two daughters, all three of whom were killed in a terror attack during Passover last year, Rabbi Dee’s story is one of perseverance and resilience. Rabbi Dee provides all of us with much needed advice on how to make it through the most challenging stretches of life, particularly since October 7th.
This week we unwind the spectacle of Korach, a cousin to Moses and rebel leader among the children of Israel.