Bo

 Exodus 10:1−13:16

Defining Service Of God

As the Israelites transition from being servants of Pharaoh to servants of God, they acknowledge that God will instruct them in how to best serve God.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer; Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.

Pharaoh's Conditions

After the plague of darkness immobilizes Egypt, Pharaoh is prepared to discuss releasing the slaves so they can worship God.

However, he dictates conditions:

And Pharaoh called for Moses and he said, "Go, worship Ha; however, your sheep and your cattle will stay; even your children will go with you." And Moses said, "You will even give sacrifices and burnt-offerings into our hands, and we will offer them to Hashem our God. Also, our own livestock will go with us, not a hoof will remain, for from it shall we take (nikach) to worship Hashem our God, and we will not know how (mah) we will serve Hashem until our arrival there."

And God strengthened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not want to let them go. And Pharaoh said to him, "Leave me! Watch yourself, do not continue to see my face, because on the day you see my face you will die!" And Moses said, "You have spoken well; I will not continue to see your face again" (Sh' mot / Exodus 10:24-29).

Animals as Collateral
According to Chizkuni (R. Chizkiya ben Manoach, mid 13th century commentator), Pharaoh demands that the animals remain behind to serve as security that the slaves will return. Ibn Ezra (12th century Spanish commentator), on the other hand, says that this isn't a sincere offer. Rather, Pharaoh is testing Moses: his response to Pharaoh's terms will demonstrate whether he intends the slaves to escape and not return.

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Parashat Va-era

Exodus 6:2–9:35

by Mandy Herson for Chabad

So you're in the office, on the highway, or maybe even in contemplative prayer, and it hits you: Some area of your life isn't working.

So you resolve to do better.

That sounds good, except that the resolution doesn't materialize in actual behavior modification.

But why not? Why is change so difficult?

Maybe it's because we're ingenious at outsmarting ourselves.

When you feel dissatisfaction with your personal status quo, and can even sense an inclination toward self-betterment, then it's easy to feel good about your introspective honesty.

Now you can pat yourself on the back and continue on, sans change.

Why? Because, often, we don't really want to change.

Ancient Jewish texts describe this problem as a "Pharaoh Syndrome."

The Exodus saga – with the Jews seeking liberty from the enslaving Egyptians – is also a personal narrative. It depicts my/your continuous struggle for freedom from our personal "Egypts" (impediments to actualization): our fears/character flaws/inaccurate perceptions etc.

And, of course, the primary blockage to liberation is...Pharaoh; he of the – Scripturally-described – "hardened heart."

What does it mean to have a hard heart?

Pharaoh understood that his actions were self-destructive and bringing ruin upon his country. He even fleetingly agreed to stop the madness. But he couldn't finalize change. Why? Because his heart wouldn't allow his recognition to translate into behavior modification.

He knew what needed to be done, but he couldn't "close the deal."

This is the internal Pharaoh, stubbornly disregarding logical recognitions as it clings to self-destructive behavior.

Recognize him?

So, whence the salvation?

Moses, of course.

Moses is described in our Scripture and tradition as a man of total commitment. Brilliant as he was, he didn't guide his life by intellect alone. He deeply felt a profound, super-rational relationship with the Divine, and that's what guided his behavior.

The most elemental relationships are super-rational. After all, is a parent's commitment to a child purely rational? Should a child's commitment to parents be purely logic-based?

No.

Mobilizing our inner Moses means selflessly committing ourselves to our highest image, the vision of who G‑d created us each to be. The "Moses method" is a matter of selfless commitment, not logical calculation. This can't be challenged by the Pharaoh Syndrome, which prevents the expression of our logical resolutions.

Simply put: The Moses method is a much deeper expression of self, and it's "working a different wavelength."

Here's the bottom line: Sometimes, life's richness is reached when we can step beyond the limitations of the mind, following the soul's lead and expression.

So the next time you resolve to change your behavior, see it as a part of your commitment to G‑d, see it as an exercise of your relationship with your Destiny, see it as an expression of your very reason for existence.

Then see if excuses can block your way.

Pharaoh couldn't.

Sh'mot

Exodus 1:1−6:1

The Bumpy Road To Redemption

The complicated beginnings of the Exodus from Egypt establish the expectation that redemption is often not a smooth process.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer, Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.The following article is reprinted with permission from the Orthodox Union.

After much persuasion, Moses agrees to accept God's mission to go to Pharaoh.

The slavery and sufferings of the Children of Israel have gone too far. The time for God to fulfill His promises to the Patriarchs is at hand. Moses appears before Pharaoh as God's emissary, bearing the message:

"Thus says Hashem, God of Israel: 'Let My people go, and they will celebrate for Me in the desert'" (Shemot 5:1).

And now, the process of deliverance will begin. But, it does not.

The Beginning of Salvation

Instead, Pharaoh refuses to listen to any message in the name of God. Moses and Aaron's protestations and explanations are of no avail. Pharaoh, sensing the beginnings of a slave uprising that could sweep across all Egypt, intensifies the oppression: no straw, which is essential for producing the bricks for the Egyptian national building project, will be provided, yet the Hebrew slaves will be expected to produce the same quota of bricks.

The Egyptian taskmasters impose this rule on the Hebrew officers, who pass it on to the Hebrew slaves. The slaves are unable to keep up with the workload, and the Hebrew officers are beaten on the slaves' account. The officers complain to Moses and Aaron, and call upon God to judge between them. The Hebrews' situation has never been so bleak.

This is how salvation begins?!

Moses pleads his case before God:

And Moses returned to God and said, "Lord, why have You done badly to this people? Why is it that You sent me? For, from the time that I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, it has been bad for your people, nor have You saved Your people" (5:22-23).

Moses's words are the subject of some discussion among the commentaries. Not all of them accept Rashi's critical reading, that Moshe is questioning the ways of God, for which he is punished.

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Va-y'chi

Genesis 47:28–50:26

What Is Your Blessing?

Jacob blessed his sons, not only according to each of their characters, but also with a unique piece of himself.

By Rabbi Yaakov Pollak; Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.The following article is reprinted with permission from the Orthodox Union.

How much importance do we attach to blessings that we receive from others? How seriously do we take them? Our Sages established that "everything depends upon the one who gives the blessing and the one who receives it."

What if God Himself gives the blessing?

You Will Be A Blessing?

A deeper significance to the concept of blessings is found in the Almighty's declaration to Abraham, "Veheyei berachah--You will be a blessing." This gave Abraham the Divine authority to bless anyone else he wanted, according to Rashi.

The Ramban (Nachmanides) explains that Abraham became the model through whom other people blessed each other.

But there is another way to understand "Veheyei berachah." The Torah tells us that Abraham, just before his death, "gave Isaac all that he possessed. And to the children of his concubines, Abraham gave gifts."

But how did he give his many other children gifts, if he bequeathed it all to Isaac?

"All that he possessed," the Midrash writes, does not simply refer to Abraham's material wealth, but also to his spiritual wealth, his essence, his very being. Abraham's personality and demeanor, his perspective on life--these he bestowed solely upon Isaac. One dare not equate material riches of cattle and oil with the spiritual riches secured by Abraham and passed to Isaac.
Blessing With His Essence

Jacob, too, in Parashat Vayehi, wishes to bestow blessings upon his children as a last will and testament. The Torah states, "Each man according to his blessing, he blessed them." Jacob individualized each of his blessings for each of his sons, Rashi writes.

But Rabbi Joseph D. Soloveitchik, zt"l [of blessed memory], explains that "according to his blessing" does not necessarily refer to the blessings' recipients, his sons, but could, in fact, refer to Jacob himself. Jacob blessed them with his blessing--that is, with his essence, with his very being.

Tailoring Each Blessing

In addition to tailoring each berachah (blessing) to the personality and temperament of each of his sons, Jacob gave them all a common berachah, one that he had received from Isaac, who, in turn, had received it from Abraham.

Parents have always made every effort to bless their children with estates of material wealth. Some are even judged by how much they've left for their children.

The meaning of "Veheyei berachah" shouts out to us. You will be a blessing! How much of you did you bequeath to your children? How much of your Torah and moral character, how much of your spiritual legacy will your children inherit?

Let us be sure to answer those questions.

Vayigash

Genesis 44:18−47:27

Preparing For Exile

Joseph used his position of rulership to help his brothers develop coping skills for their upcoming exile.

By Rabbi Yitzchok A. Breitowitz; Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.

Joseph's interaction with his brothers is one of the most perplexing stories in the Torah, one that has puzzled generations of readers for thousands of years.

Why does Joseph conceal his identity? Why did he wait so long to tell his father that he was in Egypt?

Even if one follows the view of the Abarbanel (15th century Spanish/Portuguese commentator), that, as a slave, Joseph had no means of informing Jacob and, after his ascension to political power, he still could not do so lest he be accused of disloyalty, questions abound.
Explaining His Actions

How do we explain his demand that the brothers bring Benjamin down from Israel? Why did he falsely accuse Benjamin of being a thief and sentence him to slavery, when he knew the news would devastate Jacob and perhaps kill him? In Joseph, we are not simply dealing with a victim who finds himself in a position to take revenge.

And even if we were, why would he want to exact vengeance on his father?

The Ramban (Nachmanides) states that Joseph perceived his dreams as a Divine mandate. His dream, years earlier, that 11 stars bowed to him made it essential for Benjamin, the 11th brother, to descend to Egypt as well and acknowledge him as ruler.

Moreover, since Joseph also dreamt that the sun and moon bowed before him (presumably representing his parents), Jacob needed to join them. Joseph, therefore, imprisoned Benjamin in order to draw his father down to Egypt.

Many commentators question the Ramban's view. Is it Joseph's job to manipulate his family through fraud and misrepresentation just to fulfill his dreams? Do the ends justify the means? Is it not God's job to insure that His prophecies are carried out?

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Miketz

Genesis 41:1−44:17

The Deeper Meaning Of A Name

In naming his sons, Joseph communicates his thoughts on living in Egypt, alone and distant from his family.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer; Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.The following article is reprinted with permission from the Orthodox Union.

Joseph's transformation from imprisoned Hebrew slave to vizier is sudden and dizzying.

Based on his initiative and his abilities as a dream-interpreter and adviser, he is taken from the dungeon of Pharaoh's prison and placed at Pharaoh's side as second-in-command. Pharaoh says:

"You shall be over my house, and according to your word shall all my people be sustained; only by the throne will I be greater than you" (Genesis 41:40).

During this critical period in Joseph's life, the "master of dreams" (37:19) becomes the center of a world of public action. Pharaoh appoints him as supervisor of the national food collection and distribution project, and endows him with all the trappings of service to the king:

"And Pharaoh removed his ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen, and put the golden medallion on his neck. And he made him ride in his second chariot and they cried before him, "I command, kneel (avrech)," placing him over the whole land of Egypt (41:42-43).

Joseph is thoroughly successful in discharging his commission, and he rises to the highest position possible under the Pharaoh. But, whereas before, while he was in his father's house and in the prison, as well as later, in the presence of his brothers, we have an insight into Joseph's frame of mind, during this period Joseph is either acting or acted-upon. The Torah shares almost none of his thoughts with us.

How does Joseph the man--as distinct from Joseph the public figure--feel about his metamorphosis?

A Glimpse into Joseph's Life

The only glimpse we have into Joseph's inner life is in connection with the birth of his two children:

"And to Joseph were born two sons, before the years of the famine came, which Asenat the daughter of Poti-Fera priest of On, bore him. And Joseph called the name of the first-born Menasheh, for "God made me forget (nashani) all my toil and all my father's house." And the name of the second he called Ephrayim, for "God has made me fruitful (hifrani) in the land of my affliction" (41:50-52).

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Vayeishev

Genesis 37:1−40:23

Leadership Traits

Yehudah merits the position of kingship because of his ability to acknowledge and overcome his mistakes.

By Rabbi Chaim Landau; Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.

Upon reviewing the stories of two of Jacob’s twelve sons, Joseph and Judah, one may wonder why Judah’s descendants were ultimately crowned with the kingship of Israel rather than those of Joseph.

Stories regarding their chastity are told of both.

After her first and second husbands died, both sons of Judah, Tamar dressed as a prostitute and seduced her former father-in-law. Joseph, on the other hand, when confronted by his master Potiphar’s wife, who propositioned him in the privacy of her mansion, ran away. Judah acceded to temptation; Joseph resisted.
Judah's Suggestion

Earlier in the Parashah the Torah tells us that Joseph was thrown into a pit by his brothers and about to be killed. What does Judah do? He suggests that the brothers sell Joseph to a passing caravan of Ishmaelite merchants. Though he is the leader of the brothers, he does not recommend that Joseph be retrieved from the pit and brought back to their father.

Moreover, Judah, according to certain midrashim, married a Canaanite woman at a time when his family was anxious about the children intermarrying. Why, one wonders, was Judah rewarded with the sovereign leadership of Israel? A good leader is not one who is perfect, but one who falters and finds the strength of purpose to make a fresh start through repentance and improved actions.

The Talmud tells us, "Four died through the serpent’s machinations"--that is, they died because all people are doomed to die and not on account of their personal sins: Benjamin, Amram, Yishai and Caleiv. Benjamin was the most perfect of Jacob’s sons, but he was never featured as a leader. The son accepted as leader, by the brothers and their father, was Judah.
Impact in Heaven

Judah’s public admission of his relations with Tamar made a great impact in Heaven. Following God’s forgiveness of him, the angels pronounced the blessing, which later formed part of the Amidah (the silent meditation), "Blessed are you, Lord, who is gracious and forgives repeatedly."

While the sincere confession acknowledges imperfection, it demonstrates moral maturity and responsibility.

The baal teshuvah (one who returns in repentance) has the courage to admit his failures and uses those setbacks to better himself. Leaders are not born perfect, but they constantly strive toward that goal. This is Judah and his claim to royalty.

Vayishlach

Genesis 32:4−36:43

Living With Threat

Yaakov sends Esav the message that despite having lived with Lavan, he has managed to keep the commandments and learned to stand up to powerful figures.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer

Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.

The last time the twins were together, Esau was so consumed by his hatred for Jacob that he prayed, “May the day of my father’s mourning approach so I may kill my brother Jacob,” (Bereishit27:41). And so, Jacob left to learn in Yeshiva and then live with his uncle Laban in Padan-Aram, where he married and raised a family.

Now, more than 30 years later, how does Esau feel? Has his hatred subsided, or has it intensified? Returning home to such an ambiguous situation Jacob realizes that a confrontation with Esau is inevitable, and consequently prepares for whatever might happen.

At first the message Jacob sends Esau is deferential: “With Laban have I lived and I have been detained until now. I have oxen and donkeys, flocks and servants and maid-servants, and I have sent word to inform my master, so that I may find favor in your eyes” (ibid.32: 5-6).

The 613 Mitzvot

In his comments on Jacob’s opening words, im Lavan garti (with Laban have I lived), Rashi notes that garti (have I lived) has the same numerical value (indeed, the same letters, rearranged) as taryag (numerically equaling 613), referring to the 613 mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah. This means, “Im Lavan garti, v’taryag mitzvot shamarti--With Laban have I lived, and 613 mitzvot I observed, and I did not learn from his wicked ways.”

Remember The Hidden Persuaders, by Vance Packard? That book exposed the use of psychological techniques by advertisers to raise sales. He wrote about “subliminal messages” and “subliminal projection,” defining it as “the technique designed to flash messages past our conscious guard.”

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Vayeitzei

Genesis 28:10−32:3

Blaming Society

We should strive to emulate Abraham and Isaac, who integrated their senses of self with values of Torah, rather than emulating Lavan who compartmentalized his values and the values of his surrounding society.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer: Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.

Jacob had been involved in an act of deception, and now he becomes the victim of deception.

After seven years of working for his uncle Laban, he wishes to marry Rachel, Laban's younger daughter.

“And it was in the morning, that behold it was Leah. And [Jacob] said to Laban "What is this you have done to me? Did I not work with you for Rachel? And why did you deceive me?" (Genesis 29:25). Laban, the champion deceiver, tricked Jacobby switching Rachel with Leah.
Laban's Excuses

Laban explains himself; after all, he is a recognized leader in the community. When he presents his excuses, he makes a not-so-veiled reference to Jacob’s own act of deception, in which he took the place of his older brother Esau in receiving their father Isaac’s blessing: “It is not done so in our place, to put the younger before the older. Complete this one’s [Leah’s] week [of celebration] . . ." (Genesis 29:26-27)

The next word in Hebrew is critical to our understanding of Laban’s character: “v’nitnah." Theoretically, there are two ways of translating this word. Ibn Ezra (12th century Spanish commentator) interprets it passively: “she will be given” after the week of celebration for Leah, it will be acceptable for Rachel to marry Jacob.

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Toldot

Genesis 25:19−28:9

Synthesizing The Physical And The Spiritual

Rather than dividing the spiritual and physical blessings between Jacob and Esau, Rebekah saw the need for Jacob to receive both.

By Rabbi Nathan J. Diament; Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations. The following article is reprinted with permission from the Orthodox Union.

Parashat Toldot introduces our Patriarch Jacob as well as his brother Esau, and, from the outset, tips us off to the coming conflict between them. The Torah tells of their "struggle" within their mother's womb, and, as young adults, describes them very differently.

Esau is "a hunter, a man of the field," while Jacob is "ish tam," (a simple/whole man) who sits in tents. These textual descriptions, Rashi and Ibn Ezra point out, indicate that Esau is a "trickster," a man not to be trusted, while Jacob is a "simple" or "naive" shepherd, who spends his days studying Torah.
Who is the Victim?

Yet, the comments of these rishonim (medieval sages), which echo those of Chazal (rabbinic sages) seem to be at odds with the simple understanding of the narrative.

Consider, as events of the parashah unfold, who is the trickster and who is the victim. Even as they were being born, Jacob grasped Esau's ankle, trying to force his way out of the womb first.

Later, as young adults, Esau returns from a day of hunting famished and exhausted, begging his brother for food. Jacob demands Esau's birthright in exchange for some soup. Then, when Rebekah proposes that Jacob disguise himself as Esau in order to "steal" his berachah (blessing) from Isaac, Jacob protests--not because of the deception involved, but because he fears getting caught and consequently cursed by his father.

Nevertheless, despite these indications of Jacob's trickery and Esau's victimhood, Chazal find indications of Esau's evil. They point to his readiness to sell the bechorah (birthright) as well as to the wives he took, who aggravated his mother, Rebekah. Thus it seems all the more amazing in light of Chazal's insights that Isaac seemed oblivious to Esau's evil and Jacob's good such that he sought to confer his blessing upon Esau.

Understanding Blessings

How are we to understand Jacob's early actions, Isaac's plan to bless Esau, Jacob's theft of the berachah, and the subsequent confrontations that he faced--all in a manner that gives us insight into this Patriarch and leaves us, his children, with a message?

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Chayei Sarah

Genesis 23:1−25:18

By Rabbi Raphael Wizman, Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.

Sarah's Legacy

The greatest tributes to Sarah's life were the achievements and character of her son Yitzchak.

 he portion of Haye Sarah recounts the death of our Matriarch, Sarah, the purchase of a cemetery plot for her, and the marriage of her son, Isaac.

Yet, this parashah is called Haye Sarah, the Life of Sarah, because, in truth, this portion tells the story of her life more than of her death.

Abraham and Isaac come to eulogize Sarah and to cry for her. Although the Torah doesn’t tell us what Abraham said in his eulogy, we know that her ultimate praise is her son, Isaac.

Abraham could have recounted the hard life that Sarah endured--that she was childless for 90 years, that she was held captive by both Avimelech and Pharaoh, and that she struggled to maintain a household that included Ishmael and Hagar. But all Abraham had to do was bring Isaac to her funeral.
What Was Her Legacy?

Isaac’s presence was her legacy. His continued loyalty to the tradition of "Torat imeha” (his mother’s Torah/teaching) would be her greatest praise. The story of Isaac’s life is, in essence, the story of Sarah’s life.

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Vayera

Genesis 18:1-22:24

Laughing At Logic

The fates of Abraham and Sarah as compared to Sodom teach us that ethics, not power, determines the future.

By Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz; Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.The following article is reprinted with permission from the Orthodox Union.

Why do certain nations thrive, while others disappear? Pundits and historians will tell you about political, economic and military factors.

However, our Torah informs us that ethical factors are far more consequential. Powerful nations fall if they are immoral, while weak ones succeed if they maintain moral excellence.

Chosen or Condemned

The Hebrew word tzachak, meaning to laugh, is employed several times in Parashat Vayera, most notably in relation to the birth and naming of our patriarch Yitzchak [Isaac]. The term is also used when Lot tells his sons-in-law that their home city of Sodom is about to be destroyed. They do not believe him, for his words are "like a joke (kimitzacheik) in their eyes."

To a social or political scientist, the possibility that a wealthy superpower like Sodom will disappear, or that an elderly couple will produce the future regional superpower seems ludicrous.

But this strange outcome is precisely what occurs. Abraham and Sarah have a child, through whom they become the ancestors of Klal Yisrael (the people of Israel). Meanwhile, the mighty city of Sodom is destroyed.

The double reference to laughter demonstrates that both events are improbable to the point of being funny.

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Lech L'cha

Genesis 12:1−17:27

Educating Against Egypt

Through his experiences with his nephew Lot, Abraham learns valuable parenting skills.

By Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt; Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.The following article is reprinted with permission from the Orthodox Union.

The birth of Yitzchak [Isaac] is anticipated with prayers, prophecies and Divine promises.

Moreover, his birth and upbringing are prefigured by the trials and errors of his father's two earlier son figures--one a nephew and the other a concubine's child.

The patterns and mistaken assumptions that cost Abraham the fidelity of both Yishmael and Lot also served as parenting instructors. The course adjustments in the wake of these disappointments contributed to the excellence of the third attempt. And although there can be no doubting the primacy of transmission through Yitzchak, the Torah's deference to Yishmael and to Lot's descendants suggests that even a failed son of Abraham is esteemed.

A careful reading of a small passage in Lech Lecha may illustrate how a crucial element in faith-training is discovered.

Early in the parshah, Abraham answers the Divine call: "And Avram went as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him (ito)...." When Avram removes to Canaan, Lot is carried along by the very same verb that carries Sarai.

Then comes the famine, which drives the Holy couple down to Egypt, testing their faith in the G-d who had just promised them Canaan. Beside the traumatic encounter with Pharaoh, the Egyptian detour rattles Abraham's security in his mission. The Abarbanel (15th century commentator) notes that despite the vast wealth--accounted in flocks and silver and gold--the nefesh, the proselytes, are missing.

For this reason, the patriarch hastens to his earlier altar and to the work of calling out the name of the True G-d. He returns "lemasaav," which the Malbim (Rabbi Meir Leibush, 19th century commentator) understands to refer to his regular missionary circuit.

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Rosh Chodesh/Parshat Noach

Bereshit 6:9-11:32

Lessons Of The Flood

The story of the Flood provides us with numerous insights into human nature and human relationships.

By Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwaln; Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.

Secular scholars speak of the story of the flood as if it were a myth, or a fairy tale.

Not surprisingly, several ancient documents report striking parallels to the story of the flood.

Perhaps, the most famous document is the Babylonian "Epic of Gilgamish," which tells the story of a man by the name of Utnapishtim. The gods decide to destroy the earth, there is a great flood, and because Utnapishtim is the favorite of one of the gods, Eau, he is saved.
Gilgamesh and Noah

Despite the parallels between the "Epic of Gilgamish" and the Torah's story of Noah, they are strikingly different. In the Babylonian story, the gods arbitrarily decide to destroy the earth as if it were a plaything. Furthermore, the gods choose to save Utnapishtim only because he is a "favorite" of theirs, not because he is worthy of being saved.

In Parashat Noah, however, there is a moral imperative. The world is flooded not because God arbitrarily decides to destroy the world, but because it had become corrupt and destructive. Noah is not arbitrarily saved. He is deserving. He is a "righteous man, perfect in his generation. With God, Noah walked" (Genesis 6:9).

noah and the floodBut the flood changed Noah. After a year on the ark, Noah is finally commanded by God to leave. A normal person would have been jumping out his skin to get out of the ark. But Noah is hesitant to leave. Why?

The First Survivor

Elie Weisel, the great writer, offers a poignant insight. Weisel calls Noah the first "survivor." The world had experienced a Holocaust, and Noah was reluctant to walk out of the ark because he knew that the entire world was one giant graveyard for all the people he had known--and he just couldn't face it.

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Bereishit

Genesis 1:1-6:8

The Complexity Of Creation

Recognizing that Creation and many natural phenomena are clouded in mystery can actually enrich our lives with meaning.

By Rabbi Jonathan Glass; The following article is reprinted with permission from the Orthodox Union.

Every child knows the story of Creation.

The Torah gives us a day-by-day account, describing how God, in His omnipotence, benevolently brought forth all that we know--light and darkness, dry land and sea, trees and plants, stars and planets, animal and man.

The text reads so simply and orderly that one is tempted to skim through it to get to the "meat" of the parashah--the story of Adam and Eve. The story of Creation remains an introduction, one that poses little difficulty for believers.

But Rashi, the great commentator, does not see it that way. He says that the opening sequence cries out for interpretation. It cannot be that these verses are telling us about the chronology of Creation, he writes, for the Torah’s second verse tells of God’s Presence "hovering on the face of the water," before any account of God’s creating water is given.

Rashi therefore does not subscribe to the popular translation of the opening verse of the Torah, "In the beginning, God created heaven and earth." Instead, he renders the words to leave open the possibility that water was created prior to heaven and earth.

What looked like a neat and clear account of Creation turns out to be full of mystery. And the Torah beginning with mystery is important--it reveals the very nature of Creation and of the Torah itself.

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Parashat Hol Hamo'ed Sukkot

Exodus 33:12–34:26 and Numbers 29:17–22

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer. A publication of the Orthodox Union in cooperation with the Seymour J. Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World Center

The megillah of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), which is customarily read in many synagogues this Shabbat, is - at first glance - an odd choice. How could such a sober and, at times, pessimistic text be suitable for Sukkot, "the season of our joy"?

Vanity of vanities, says Kohelet, vanity of vanities, all is vanity (1:2).
Can this be the message of Sukkot?

Like so much of what King Shlomo/Kohelet observes, simcha also seems worthless and illusory. At times in his life, however, he thought it had value:
And I praised joy, in that a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat and to drink and to rejoice, for that will accompany him in his toil [during] the days of his life that G-d has given him under the sun (8:15).

At other times he condemns it:

I said of entertainment, 'It is frivolity', and of joy, 'What does it [accomplish]?' (UL'SIMCHA MAH ZO OSA) (2:2).

This inconsistent attitude toward simcha is but one of a number of apparent contradictions in Kohelet that nearly led to its being concealed by the Sages, in order to prevent confusion among the people (Shabbat 30b). The Talmud's resolution is to differentiate between two kinds of simcha: Kohelet praises joy that is connected with the fulfillment of Hashem's commandments (simcha shel mitzvah) but declares MAH ZO OSA, "What does it [accomplish]?" for joy that is not generated by doing the will of Hashem.

The expression MAH ZO OSA poses problems for many commentaries, because the verb AYIN-SIN-HEI ("do") has no object. Rashi's solution is to suggest an unstated direct object:

I said of entertainment, 'It is frivolity', and of joy, 'What [good] does it?'

Prof. Mordechai Zer-Kavod (1901-1977), who authored the Da'at Mikra commentary on Kohelet for the Mossad HaRav Kook Tanach, proposes another explanation, based on Saadia Gaon (882-942). With reference to Rut 2:19, he shows that AYIN-SIN-HEI can sometimes mean "remain." Therefore, his translation is:


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Yom Kippur

Leviticus ch. 16

Yom Kippur is considered by all Jews as the solemnest day of the year. It is the day we stand before God all day long in prayer; we appeal for forgiveness for our errors and plan to improve ourselves in the coming year.

A key Torah verse is the following.

Leviticus 23:27

"But on the tenth day of this seventh month it is the Day of Atonement; there shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall afflict you souls; you shall sacrifice a fire-offering to Hashem."

RASHI

But - RASHI: All "buts" and "onlys" (Hebrew "achim" and "rackim" ) in the Torah are restrictive terms. [Here the restriction means] the day atones only for those who repent but not for those who do not repent.

To get a better sense of what Rashi has said let us compare his comment to the Rashbam's comment on this verse.

RASHBAM

But on the tenth day - Rashbam: On the other holidays work for food [preparation] is permitted, while other work was forbidden, but on Yom Kippur which is a day of affliction, all work is forbidden as on the Sabbath.

[NOTE: The Torah, before discussing Yom Kippur, discussed other holidays where food preparation was permitted.]

A Question: How do Rashi and the Rasbam differ in their understanding of the word "but"?


DIFFERENCES IN UNDERSTANDING THE WORD "BUT"

An Answer: Did you notice that Rashi used the word "but" to exclude what was mentioned after it ("it is a day of atonement" only for those who repent), and the Rashbam used the word "but" to exclude what was mentioned before it, the previous holidays?

The word 'BUT' can be used to exclude and be in opposition to what was said before it or it can be in opposition to what is said after it. The normal, ordinary (p'shat) use of "but" is to be in opposition to what was said before it. As a teacher might say: "We will go on trip next week but not those who misbehave." That is the usual use of "but." The Rashbam chose this meaning for the word "ach." On all the holidays cooking is permitted but not Yom Kippur.

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Ha'azinu

Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52

Remember Your Rock, Your Creator

Moshe poetically reminds the Children of Israel of the importance of remembering God who created them.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer, Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.

The panoramic poetry of Ha'azinu embraces all of the Jewish past, present and future.

Israel is warned that sin will be punished through the scourge of the other nations, but that Hashem will never completely abandon His Chosen People. Rather than referring to specific incidents, the poem's use of the imperfect tense alludes to repeated events, thus making it supra-historic--beyond the limits of history.

The multiple layers of meaning in Ha'azinu invite a variety of interpretations. The following is one such example (Deuteronomy 32:18): tzur y'lad'cha teshi, vatishkach e-l m'chol'lecha

Although the second part of the verse is the subject of some discussion by the commentaries, a straightforward translation is possible:

. . . and you forgot G-d Who produced you.

This speaks of how the Children of Israel, unmindful that they are indebted to Hashem for their very existence, forget Him and embrace any of the various "new gods" that each era generates. The imagery is reminiscent of a child who neglects his parent. Time and again, we have been guilty of this type of ingratitude.

It is the first part of the verse that we will analyze here. Typically, the poetry of the Tanach (Bible) is chiastic, meaning that the two parts of the verse say essentially the same idea in different words. A number of commentaries understand the first part of our verse this way, as we shall see. Still, it is possible that the first part of the verse contains a different idea.

tzur y'lad'cha:  tzur, usually understood as "rock," is often identified with Hashem, the Rock of existence; it would then parallel e-l (G-d) in the second half of the verse.

The Sifrei (Tannaitic legal commentary) and Ibn-Ezra (12th century Spain), however, quote the verse from Isaiah 51:1, "look to the rock from which you were quarried," there, tzur refers to the Patriarchs. According to this interpretation, the people first ignore their noble origins, and this leads to forgetting Hashem.

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Selichot; Nitzavim-VaYelech

Deuteronomy 29:9–31:30

Punishments, Land, And People

Even during their long exile from the land of Israel, the Jewish people will retain their covenant with God, despite the punishments God exacts against the land.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer - Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.

Moses spoke with frightening detail regarding the destruction that will befall the people of Israel if they are disloyal to Hashem.

Siege, famine, poverty, war, exile, desolation--all these are part of the covenant between the people and Hashem.

Then, Moses provides us with a glimpse of the future, after the destruction:

(21) And it will say--the later generation, your children who will arise after you, and the stranger who will come from a distant land--and they will see the plagues of that land and its afflictions with which Hashem afflicted it: (22) "Sulfur and salt, the entire land burnt, not to be sown, nor to sprout, nor for any vegetation to come up on it--like the overthrow of Sodom, Amorah, Admah and Tzevoyim which Hashem overthrew in His anger and His wrath." (23) And all the nations will say: "For what did Hashem do so to this land? What is the heat of this great anger?" (24) And they will say: "Because they forsook the covenant of Hashem, the G-d of their fathers, which He made with them when He took them out of the land of Egypt, (25) and they went and served other gods and prostrated themselves to them--gods that they had not known, and which had not benefited them. (26) And the wrath of Hashem burned against that land, bringing upon it all the curse that is written in this Book. (27) And Hashem uprooted them from their soil, with anger, with wrath and with great fury, and He cast them away to another land, as at this day." (28) The hidden matters are for Hashem, our G-d, but the revealed matters are for us and for our children forever, to fulfill all the words of this Torah (Deuteronomy 29).

Moses hopes, through this graphic depiction of what may happen, to jolt the people from their false sense of security, and to both warn and motivate them to prevent this scene from becoming a reality.

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KI TAVO

DEUTERONOMY 26:1–29:8

Twice Warned

The two extended warnings for breaking the covenant reflect the changing relationship between the people of Israel and God as well as the two different exiles.

By Rabbi Haskel Lookstein

Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.
The Tokhackah, G-d's stern warning to the Jewish people of what will befall them should they stray from His commands, appears twice in the Torah, first in Parashat B'hukotai and again in this week's parashah.

This follows the ruling of the prophet Ezra, "that they read the curses in Torat Kohanim (Leviticus) before Atzeret (Shavuot) and the ones in Mishneh Torah (Deuteronomy) before Rosh Hashanah."

The link between the Tokhakhah and Shavuot--the anniversary of our acceptance of the Torah--is readily understandable. But what accounts for the connection between this week's Tokhakhah and the start of the New Year?

The new year includes Yom Kippur, Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, Z"tl (may his memory be a blessing) notes, which is also Zeman Matan Torateinu (the time of the giving of the Torah)--it is the date on which Moses brought down the second lukhot (tablets) from Sinai.

But there is a difference between the two Tokhakhot, Abayei points out in Tractate Megillah. The first Tokhakhah is stated in the plural and delivered by Moses from the mouth of G-d. The second Tochacha is stated in the singular and delivered by Moses on his own.

How is it that the second Tokhakhah was delivered independently by Moses? Tosafot (Talmudic scholars of 12th-13th centuries) answer that he did so with ruah hakodesh (divine inspiration)--the words still came from G-d.

Rav Soloveitchik suggests another, textual answer. The Tokhakhah in Ki Tavo concludes, "These are the words of the covenant…besides the covenant that was executed with [the Jewish people] at Horev [Sinai]."

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Ki Teizei

Deuteronomy 21:10–25:19

And Your Camp(s) Shall Be Holy

The laws regarding the purity of the Tabernacle and the purity of military camps remind us to ensure the sanctity of all of our dwelling places.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer

Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.

Shortly, the people of Israel will begin its national life, including the conquest and settlement of the land.

And when Israel goes to war, Moses teaches, the Torah continues to maintain its concern for sanctity:

(10) When you go out as a camp (mahaneh) against your enemies, you shall be on guard against any bad thing. (11) If there will be among you a man who will not be pure because of an incident of the night, he shall go forth outside of the camp (la'mahaneh); he shall not come inside the camp (ha'mahaneh). (12) And it shall be towards evening, he shall wash in water, and when the sun has set he may come into the camp (ha'mahaneh). (13) And a designated place shall you have for yourself outside of the camp (la'mahaneh), and you shall go there outside. (14) And a spade shall you have for you with your implements; and it shall be when you sit outside, you shall dig with it, and you shall turn back and cover your discharge. (15) For Hashem, your G-d, walks in the midst of your camp (mahanecha), to save you and to deliver your enemies before you; and your camp(s) shall be (v'haya mahaneycha) holy; and He will not see in you any indecent thing, such that He will turn from behind you (Deuteronomy 23).

Aside from the fact that the word mahaneh, camp is mentioned a significant seven times, this passage describes appropriate and inappropriate behavior in the military camp. However, it also sheds light on the general life of the society.

One who becomes impure (tamei) through emission is required to remain outside the precincts of the Tabernacle (or, in later history, the Temple); this is the camp spoken of in verses 11-12. Then, in verses 13-14, the focus is on cleanliness and maintaining the proper atmosphere in the military camp. Rambam, (Laws of Kings and Their Wars, 6:14, 15), explains these laws as follows:

It is forbidden to relieve oneself within the camp or in the field in any place. Rather there is a positive commandment to establish there a special path to relieve oneself there, as it says, "And a designated place shall you have for yourself outside of the camp."

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Shof'tim

Deuteronomy 16:18−21:9

Wary Of War

The understanding that Israelite troops were addressed on two different occasions before they entered war reflects the idea that our reactions to war often depend on its imminence.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer

Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.

Judges and the judiciary system, the king, the kohanim (priests), and the prophet--each contributes to the nation, each interacts with the other, so that the Children of Israel can function as the nation of the Torah.

When the Children of Israel goes to war, all segments of the realm are involved, both on the military and the spiritual level.

Before the battle, the kohen (priest) who has been anointed for war (mashuach milchamah) addresses the troops:

(1) When you go out to battle against your enemy and see horses and chariots, a people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them, for Hashem, your G-d is with you, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt. (2) And it shall be, when you come near unto (k'karov'chem el) the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. (3) And he shall say to them: "Hear, O Israel, you are coming near to (kreivim . . . l') the battle today against your enemies, let not your hearts falter, fear not, do not panic nor become terrified before them. (4) For Hashem, your G-d, is He Who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you" (Deuteronomy 20:1-4).

In the verses that follow (5-8), the mashuach milchamah instructs those who had "unfinished business" back home which might distract them from fighting whole-heartedly to return and provide service from behind the fighting lines.

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Re'eh

Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17

The Politics of Freedom

by Britain's Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

Having set out the broad principles of the covenant, Moses now turns to the details, which extend over many chapters and several parshiyot. The long review of the laws that will govern Israel in its land begin and end with Moses posing a momentous choice. Here is how he frames it in this week’s parsha:
See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse — the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known. (Deut. 11: 26-28)

And here is how he puts it at the end:
“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil ... I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live. (Deut. 30: 15, 19)

Maimonides takes these two passages as proof of our belief in freewill (Hilkhot Teshuvah 5: 3), which indeed they are. But they are more than that. They are also a political statement. The connection between individual freedom (which Maimonides is talking about) and collective choice (which Moses is talking about) is this: If humans are free then they need a free society within which to exercise that freedom. The book of Devarim represents the first attempt in history to create a free society.

Moses’ vision is deeply political but in a unique way. It is not politics as the pursuit of power or the defence of interests or the preservation of class and caste. It is not politics as an expression of national glory and renown. There is no desire in Moses’ words for fame, honour, expansion, empire. There is not a word of nationalism in the conventional sense. Moses does not tell the people that they are great. He tells them that they have been rebellious, they have sinned, and that their failure of faith during the episode of the spies cost them forty extra years of delay before entering the land. Moses would not have won an election. He was not that kind of leader.

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Ekev

Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25

Empowering Fear

 
Moshe teaches the people that their achievement of true fear of God will allow them to not fear any enemy.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer

The following article is reprinted with permission from the Orthodox Union. 

In preparing the Children of Israel for the conquest of the land of Canaan, Moshe anticipates the people's trepidation, and he promises Hashem's ongoing support:

Perhaps you might say in your heart, "These nations are more numerous than I; how can I dispossess them?" You shall not be afraid (lo tira) of them.

You shall surely remember that which Hashem, your God, did to Pharaoh and to all of Egypt: The great tests which your eyes saw, and the signs and the wonders, and the strong hand, and the outstretched arm whereby Hashem, your God, brought you out--so will Hashem, your God, do to all the nations before whom you are afraid (yarei). Furthermore, Hashem, your God, will release the hornet against them, until the destruction of those who are left and those who hide themselves before you. You shall not be intimidated/frightened (lo ta'arotz) before them, because (ki) Hashem, your God, is in your midst, a God Who is mighty and feared (nora) (Devarim 7:17-21).

Moshe is trying to assure the people that they have no reason to fear the inhabitants of the land in the upcoming wars, because Hashem will defend them just as He did in Egypt. So, why is He described as "a God Who is mighty and feared?" Would it not have been more comforting to hear that Hashem is caring and protective?

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Shabbat Nachamu: Va-Et'chanan

Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11

Beyond The Letter Of The Law

Doing what is "right and good" in the eyes of God means promoting the values of the Torah beyond the explicit laws.

By Rabbi David Movsas

The following article is reprinted with permission from the Orthodox Union.

Va'et'hanan confronts us with an apparent redundancy.

Several admonitions throughout the parashah command us to observe the laws taught by Moshe [Moses]. Then, toward the end of the parsha, we are told, "And you shall do that which is right and good in the eyes of God."

What new instructions does this verse add? Surely, doing what is "right and good" is already a part of the numerous injunctions already presented. If one observes all the commandments and prohibitions set forth in the Torah, does he not accomplish what is "right and good in the eyes of God?" What new obligation does this verse apply?

Both Rashi and the Ramban understand this verse to denote a level of behavior that is lifnim mishuras hadin, above the letter of the law. To appreciate the full spirit of the law, one needs to read between the lines of the Torah, and one who does this shows a sincere desire to observe Hashem's bidding.

The story is told of a poor man who came to the Brisker Rav on Erev Pesach (the day before Passover) with a question. Could he use milk instead of wine for the four Cups instead of wine for the four Cups at the Seder?

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D'varim

Deuteronomy 1:1−3:22 

Love And Land

The love between God and the Children of Israel is most strongly expressed in the Land of Israel.

By Rabbi Ari Jacobson
The following article is reprinted with permission from the Orthodox Union.
Whereas the first one-and-a-half books of the Torah are devoted to the conception and birth of the Jewish nation, and the next two-and-a-half books describe the mitzvot ma’asiot--specific, practical behaviors--the book of D'varim stands as the “heart” of the Torah.

Though D'varim does contain several new mitzvot (commandments), as well as ample history, it stands out for its focus on a reciprocal relationship of love between Hashem and his chosen nation:

“You shall love Hashem your God.”

Only Israel is described as a land constantly under the direct watchful eye of Hashem: “The eyes of Hashem your G-d are upon it from the beginning of the year until the end of the year.”

So potent is Divine Providence in the King’s Palace that the Talmud teaches that rainfall is initially determined for Eretz Yisrael, and only what is left over is disbursed throughout the rest of the world.


“You shall cleave to him.”

“You are children of Hashem your G-d.”

“You have chosen Hashem, and Hashem has chosen you.”

It is no coincidence, then, that D'varim addresses the nation on the East bank of the Jordan River, poised to enter the Promised Land, where this unique relationship will manifest itself most acutely.

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Matot-Masei

Numbers 30:2-36:13

Compassionate Conquest

The war against Midian teaches that when Israel does fight wars, they must fight with compassion and a minimum of casualties.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer

In Moshe's final days he is commanded to attack the Midianites.

This was the nation that had tempted the people of Israel to horrible sins of immorality and idolatry, such that Hashem struck them with a plague that took the lives of 24,000 Israelites.

And Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying, "Carry out the vengeance of the Children of Israel against the Midianites; afterward you shall be gathered to your people."

And Moshe spoke to the people, saying, "Detach men for the army from you, and they shall be against Midian to bring Hashem's vengeance against Midian. A thousand from each tribe, for all the tribes of Israel shall you send to the army."

Then, out of the thousands of Israel, 1,000 from each tribe were handed over, 12,000 men deployed for the army. And Moshe sent them forth, 1,000 from each tribe to the army, they and Pinhas the son of Elazar the priest to the army, and the holy vessels and the trumpets for blowing in his hand. And they warred against Midian as Hashem had commanded Moshe and they killed every male (B'midbar 31:1-7).

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Pinchas

Numbers 25:10−30:1

A Count Of Love

The census that occurs immediately after the plague for the sin with Midian reassures the Children of Israel that they are still God's partners in the covenant.

By Rabbi Reuven Spolter

After outlining the reward that Pinhas was to receive for his zealotry, God commands Moshe to attack and punish the nation of Midyan for enticing the Jewish people to sin and for causing the plague that nearly consumed them.

Yet, immediately following this command, the Torah abruptly changes direction, stopping in mid-sentence to begin a new count of the people.

Several questions arise from this strange turn in the text. Why does the Torah end the story of the strife with Midyan so abruptly? What is the function of the new census? And why is it connected to (and then disconnected from) the story of Pinhas?

The answer to these questions lies in the curious language Moshe and Elazar utilize when initiating God’s command to count every male above age 20. Moshe and Elazar say, “Take the sum of the people from 20 years old and upward, as the Lord commanded Moshe and children of Israel who went forth from the Land of Egypt.” (26:4) After the miraculous excitement of the Exodus and the glorious revelation at Sinai, the nation of Israel suffered setbacks of ever-increasing magnitude, culminating in the punishment following the sin of the meraglim (spies), when God banished every male over age 20 from entering the Promised Land.

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Balak

Numbers 22:2-25:9 

The Place From Which We Pray

Unlike Abraham, Bil'am failed to examine his own prayers and intentions, attributing their failure to his location of prayer.

By Rabbi Aaron Gruman

When it comes to prophecy, our Sages compare Balaam to Moshe Rabbeinu (our teacher): "Never again has there arisen in Israel a prophet like Moshe.

But among the Babylonians one did arise. Who is this? Balaam, son of Ba’or."

Regarding character traits, however, our Sages compare Balaam with Avraham Avinu (our father): "A generous eye, a humble spirit and an undemanding soul, these are the characteristics of the disciples of Avraham; An evil eye, a haughty spirit and a demanding soul, these are the characteristics of the disciples of Balaam."

Where did our sages see evidence of Balaam’s haughty spirit? Under which similar circumstances did Avraham Avinu display a humble temperament?

Rabbi Meir Bergman in his work, Shaarei Orah, points to a somewhat puzzling Gemara:

"Whoever establishes a set place for prayer, the God of Avraham will come to his aid, and when he dies they will say about him, ‘What a humble man, what a pious man. He is a disciple of Avraham Avinu.’

"And from where do we know that Avraham Avinu had a set place for prayer? From the verse, ‘And Avraham arose in the morning to the place that he had stood [prayed] earlier.’"

Certainly maintaining a set place for prayer is admirable, but why heap such effusive praise on its practitioner?

We return to Balaam. Balak enlists him to curse the Jewish people. Balaam’s initial attempt fails. His reaction? Let’s try again from somewhere else. Round two: same result. Balaam’s reaction? Let’s try yet another location.

Does Balaam really think that his failure is caused by a particular site being unworthy? Does it not dawn on him that perhaps it is his prayer that is lacking, or that he himself is inadequate?

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Chukat

Numbers 19:1-22:1

Facing Long-Standing Foes 

Several commentators identify the Canaanites with whom the Israelites fought as the nation of Amalek, continuing the Israelites struggle against their age-old enemy.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer 

Imperceptibly, the Torah has skimmed over nearly 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.

The generation of the Exodus has expired, and the generation of the wilderness has taken its place. Two beloved leaders of the Exodus generation--Miriam and Aharon--were taken from them. A new reality crystallizes: this will be the generation that will conquer and settle the Land of Israel, and will establish a society based upon the Torah.

The wilderness generation will fight many wars. Their parents had fought only once against Amalek in Refidim (Exodus 17:8-16). And when they themselves are faced with the threat of war against Edom, they are constrained to withdraw:

And Edom refused to allow Israel to cross his border, and Israel turned away from him (Numbers 20:21).

But now, on the edge of the land of Edom, the new generation of the Children of Israel are about to encounter their first war:

And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the Negev/South, heard that Israel was coming by the way of the Atarim, and he attacked Israel, and he took some of them captive. And Israel vowed a vow to Hashem, and said: "If You will surely deliver this people into my hand, then I will consecrate their cities" (root ch-r-m). And Hashem listened to the voice of Israel, and He delivered the Canaanite, and he (Israel) consecrated them and their cities (root ch-r-m). And he (Israel) called the name of the place Chormah (Numbers 21:1-3).

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Korach

Numbers 16:1−18:32

Causing Crisis

Korah's rebellion was unforgivable because he created disunity among the Jewish people.

By Rabbi Marc Penner

The rebellion of Korach and his followers brings out a side of Moshe Rabbeinu (our teacher) that has not yet been seen.

Moshe's role is usually that of caring shepherd and intercessor for Klal Yisrael (congregation of Israel) when they sin. On their journey from Mitzrayim (Egypt) to Eretz Yisrael (land of Israel), Moshe always pleads with Hashem to be understanding and merciful, to forgive the offenses committed against Him.

Now, however, Moshe's attitude seems to change. When Korach questions his authority, Moshe seeks only justice! Why, asks Rabbeinu Bachya (14th-century Spain), does Moshe respond differently than he did by the sin of the golden calf and the sin of the spies, when God's supremacy was challenged?

It is possible that Moshe is more protective of his own honor than of Hashem's?

Undoubtedly, the Jews' faith in Hashem, which should have remained firm after all they had witnessed during the exodus, was sorely lacking during the sin of the golden calf and the sin of the spies. These two sins surely mark two of the lowest moments in our people's collective history.

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Sh'lach L'cha

Numbers 13:1−15:41

Sticks And Stoned

The person who gathered wood on Shabbat in Parashat Shlah violated the atmosphere of tranquility, essential to experiencing the full spirituality of Shabbat.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer

After the tragic incident of the scouts (Meraglim), as a consequence of which the generation of the Exodus is sentenced to live out the rest of its existence in the wilderness, we learn of the Mekoshesh, the one who collected wood on the Shabbat day:

"And the Children of Israel were in the desert, and they found a man who collected wood on the Shabbat day.

And those who found him collecting wood bought him [close] to Moshe and to Aharon and to all the congregation. And they placed him in the jail, because it was not explained what should be done to him" (Numbers 15:32-34).

Rashi, quoting the Talmud (Sanhedrin 41a), says that the Mekoshesh was warned by witnesses, yet he ignored them and continued collecting wood. Although it was known that a Shabbat desecrator is sentenced to death, thus far the manner of execution had not been taught. Hashem instructs them to stone him, and the sentence is carried out.

Many details of this incident are shrouded in mystery:

When did this occur? Rashi, based on the Sifri, says that it was during the second Shabbat in the wilderness. Ramban (Nachmanides) claims, according to the simple meaning of the text, it happened after the incident of the scouts.

Who was the Mekoshesh? Rabbi Akiva identifies him as Tzelofechad (Rashi, B'midbar 27:3). Rabbi Yehudah ben Betera insists that we are not meant to know who he is.

What was his sin? The Talmud (Shabbat 96b) quotes a three-way dispute regarding the precise melakha (category of work) that he violated: 1) plucking, which is a sub-category of harvesting; 2) heaping, a sub-category of making sheaves; 3) carrying four-cubits' distance in a public domain.

What were his intentions? A straightforward reading suggests that his wood-collecting was an act of rebellion against Shabbat. But some midrashim (including the Targum Yonatan) insist that the Mekoshesh acted l'shem shamayim (for the sake of heaven), in noble self-sacrifice, to show the Jewish people that the Shabbat must be observed.

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B'haalot'cha

Numbers 8:1−12:16

How The Trouble Began

The Israelites' troubles, and indeed our own troubles, begin when we turn away from God.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer 

In the aftermath of a national calamity, we try to reconstruct the events that led to the tragedy.

We try to locate the turning point, in the belief that there was a precise moment at which, had we been aware, we might have prevented the catastrophe.

To be sure, the Children of Israel were sentenced to die in the desert because of the sin of the scouts (Meraglim), as we will read in Parshat Shlah Lekha. However, the first signs of dissolution emerge in B'ha'alotkha.

The verses, “And it was, when the ark set forward, that Moshe said, ‘Rise up, Hashem, and let Your enemies be scattered, and let them that hate You flee before You.’ And when it rested, he said, ‘Return Hashem to the myriads and thousands of Israel.’” are set off with two inverted letters--n'oon to mark the end of the idyllic condition described at the beginning of the book of Bamidbar (ch. 1-10)--the order, purposefulness and unity--and the onset of deterioration:

And the people were as complainers of evil in the ears of Hashem, and Hashem heard and His anger was kindled; and a fire of Hashem burned within them and it consumed at the edge of the camp (11:1).

These are the troubles that culminated in the sin of the Scouts.

Actually, the Rabbis say (Shabbat 116a) that verses 10:35-36 are set off "to separate the earlier calamity from the later calamity," suggesting that the first signs of trouble were evident even before the people's grumbling. The Torah wants to avoid mentioning too many accusations against them in succession, hence the separation. The first hint of dissonance, the Sages claim, is in:

And they journeyed from the mountain of Hashem a distance of three days, with the Ark of the Covenant of Hashem traveling before them a distance of three days, to search out a resting place for them (10:33).

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Naso

Numbers 4:21−7:89

The Service Of Song

The duty of the Levites to accompany the Tabernacle service with music and song reminds us to serve God with joy.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer 

The G-d-centric, Torah-centric, Mishkan (Tabernacle)-centric Israelite camp described in the opening section of the Book of B'midbar [Numbers] is ordered, sanctified and serene.

A census of the population is taken. The tribe of Levi is counted separately, and their holy tasks in the Mishkan are assigned:

All those that were numbered, whom Moshe and Aharon and the princes of Israel counted of the Levites according to their families and according to their fathers’ houses; from thirty years old and upward, until fifty years old, all those who come to perform service to a service (avodat avodah) and the service of carrying in the Tent of Meeting. Their accounts were 8,580. According to the word of Hashem through Moshe did he appoint them, each one to his service and to his burden, and those that were numbered constituted that which Hashem had commanded Moshe (Bamidbar 4:46-49).

Two Categories of Service The Levites’ duties fall into two distinct categories of service. The service of carrying is obviously the transporting of the parts of the Mishkan from place to place in the desert, a responsibility that would become superfluous once the people would enter the land of Israel. But, what is service to a service (avodat avodah)?

This is not the first time such a dichotomy has been employed by the Torah. Verse 24 speaks of the service of the families of the Gershon-division of the tribe of Levi: to serve (la’avod) and to carry (l’masah).

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B'midbar

Numbers 1:1−4:20

Questioning Chronology

The lack of chronological order in Parashat B'midbar allows expressions of God's love for Israel to precede the trials and tribulations of desert wandering.
It is surprising that the sometimes tumultuous book of B'midbar commences with such a prosaic passage as the taking of a census:

And Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year of their coming out from the land of Egypt, saying: Take a census of all the congregation of the Children of Israel by their families, by their fathers' houses, with the number of names, every male by their head count (B'midbar 1:1-2).

Censuses, here and later (chapter 26), give this book its Rabbinic name Pekudim (accounts), and its English name (based on the Septuagint), Numbers.

Nevertheless, when we look ahead to what will transpire in this book--the conflicts, the rebellions, the instabilities and the crushing disappointments--we are struck by the uncharacteristic placidity of its opening section, discussing the census and the careful ordering of the encampments.

It is particularly hard to understand why B'midbar opens this way when we consider that it could have been otherwise. A close reading reveals that the Torah changes conventional chronology in order to start with the census. Rashi, Ibn-Ezra, (12th-century Spain) and Ramban (Nachmanides) agree that, at the beginning of the Israelites' second year in the wilderness, the seven days of ordaining the Kohanim (priests) (Vayikra, chapter 8) and the 12 days of dedication of the altar (B'midbar, chapter 7) all precede the census.

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B'har-B'chukotai

Leviticus 25:1-27:34

A New World 

The reinterpretation of the term 'forever' encourages us to strive for new realities within our own lifetimes. 

By Rabbi Asher Brander

The primacy of the Oral Law has always been the bedrock of our belief system.
Torah Shebichtav (Written Law) without Torah Sheba’al Peh (Oral Law) is likened to a body without a soul. Thus, when Oral Law seems to contradict the Written Law our sense of textual loyalty seems violated.

Our parshah is home to one of the classic examples of this apparent incongruity. The Torah states, “You shall sanctify the 50th year and proclaim freedom throughout the land for all of its inhabitants; it shall be the Jubilee year (Yovel) for you.”

What are the implications of this freedom?

The Torah teaches that a Jewish servant works a six-year period of service. At the seventh year, “if the servant shall say, ‘I love my master...I don’t [want to] go free,’ then his master shall bring him to the court…and he shall serve him forever (le’olam).”

The Torah Sheba’al Peh, however, clarifies that the term “forever--le’olam” means until Yovel. How so? Ibn Ezra (12th century Spanish commentator), cites a verse from Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) which implies that the world olam can mean a period of time. Since Yovel is the longest block of time in the Jewish calendar, the word olam, taken in the sense of “a long time” is appropriate.

But even if Ibn Ezra is technically correct, we must still ask why the Torah opts for the more ambiguous “olam” when it could simply say, “Yovel.” Why create confusion in the first place?

The words of the Ramban (Nachmanides) on this topic are cryptic: “The enlightened one will understand that ‘forever’ (le’olam) is literal--for one who works until Yovel has worked all the days of the world (olam). In the words of the Mekhilta (legal midrash on Exodus): Rebbe says, Come and see that the world is only fifty years old as it says, ‘And he shall work forever--until the Yovel.’”

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Emor

Leviticus 21:1−24:23

Sanctifiers Of Time 

The commandment to proclaim the festivals includes concepts of communal responsibility and imitating God.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer

In the midst of a book devoted to kedusha (sanctity), the apex of the Torah's value system, we revisit the subject of the festivals:

And Hashem spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them: The festivals of Hashem which you will proclaim (tikr’u otam) as holy convocations, these are My festivals.

For six days shall work be done, and on the seventh day is the Shabbat of complete rest, a holy convocation, all work shall you not do, it is Shabbat to Hashem in all your dwellings.

These are the festivals of Hashem, the holy convocations which you will proclaim (tirkr’u otam) at their occasion.

The festivals were discussed earlier (Shemot 23:14-17; 34:17-23), where it was established that Pesach must be during aviv (spring in Israel), and consequently the other pilgrimage festivals would coincide with their proper seasons: Shavuot with the first offering of the wheat-harvest and Sukkot with the in-gathering of the harvest. Based on the inspection of the grain, the flowering of fruit trees and the vernal equinox, the Sanhedrin (high court) would decide whether to intercalate the year by adding a month before the month of Nisan.

Furthermore, the rabbis teach (Tractate Sanhedrin 11a; Rambam, Laws of Sanctifying the Moon, 4:5) that the Sanhedrin can intercalate for other reasons, which can only be described as communal needs: when late winter rains cause the obstruction of roads, the destruction of bridges or the ruining of earthenware ovens for roasting the Pesach sacrifices; or, if Jews in the Diaspora have begun their pilgrimage to Jerusalem but will not arrive in time.

Rashi, based on Torat Kohanim (also called Sifra, the Jewish legal midrash on Vayikra) Emor 9:1, refers to this last consideration:

"Speak to the Children of Israel…The festivals of Hashem:" Make the festivals so that Israel will be accustomed to them, when intercalating the year for the Diaspora Jews who have left their places to make the pilgrimage and they have not yet reached Jerusalem.

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