Paths of Peace In this week’s parsha, the Torah lists eight sheratzim —small creeping creatures—that transmit ritual impurity: “These are the creeping animals that are impure to you… the weasel, the mouse, the tortoise… the anakah , the ko’ach , the lizard, the chomet , and the mole… whoever touches them when they are dead shall become impure until the evening.” (Vayikra 11:29–31) Although the precise identification of some of these creatures is uncertain, the Torah makes cle

The Circle of Life On Shevi’i shel Pesach , we commemorate Kriyas Yam Suf , the splitting of the sea. The Torah describes this miracle in vivid terms: “The Children of Israel came within the sea on dry land; and the water was a wall for them, on their right and on their left.” (Shemos 14:22) However, after describing the drowning of the Egyptians, the Torah appears to repeat the same idea: “The Children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea; the water was a wall

In this week’s parsha, the Torah describes the Korban Todah —the thanksgiving offering. Rashi explains that this offering was brought by someone who survived a life-threatening situation, such as safely crossing the sea, traveling through a desert, being released from captivity, or recovering from serious illness. The offering included both meat and forty loaves of bread. Interestingly, the Torah tells us that these loaves were divided into three parts matzah and one part cha

The Torah teaches regarding offerings: “You shall salt your every meal-offering with salt; you may not discontinue the salt of your G-d’s covenant from upon your meal-offering—on all your offerings shall you offer salt.” (Vayikra 2:13) Not only does the Torah require that salt accompany every offering, it also adds a prohibition: one may not omit “the salt of your G-d’s covenant.” This raises a fundamental question: What is this “covenant of salt”? Rashi, citing a Midrash, tr

The culmination of the Book of Shemos is the completion and erection of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Yet the Torah describes this event three separate times, each with slightly different wording:   1)   “On the day of the first new moon, on the first of the month you shall erect ( תקים ) the Mishkan, the Tent of Meeting.” (Shemos 40:2) 2)   “It was in the first month of the second year on the first of the month that the Mishkan was erected ( הוקם ).” (40:17). 3)   “Moshe erected

After Moshe shattered the first set of Tablets upon seeing the Jewish people celebrating around the Golden Calf, Hashem instructed him: “Carve for yourself two stone Tablets like the first ones, and I shall inscribe on the Tablets the words that were on the first Tablets, which you shattered….No man may ascend with you nor may anyone be seen on the entire mountain, even the flock and the cattle may not graze facing that mountain.” (Shemos 34:1,3). This event stands in stark c

In Megillat Esther, which we read on Purim, we are told that Mordechai uncovered a plot to assassinate King Achashverosh and informed Queen Esther: “The matter became known to Mordechai, and he told Queen Esther. Esther told the king in Mordechai’s name.” (Esther 2:22) The Megillah deliberately emphasizes that Esther reported the plot “in Mordechai’s name.”  This detail appears minor, yet the Gemara attributes extraordinary significance to it: “Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Ch

In the Haftorah this week for Parshas Zachor, King Shaul is commanded to totally destroy Amalek as well as all of their sheep and cattle. However, Shaul did not fully comply with Hashem’s command, sparing the Amalek king Agag and the best sheep and cattle. When confronted by the prophet Shmuel, Shaul defended himself by claiming that the animals were saved “in order to sacrifice to Hashem your God” (Shmuel I 15:15). What appeared to be disobedience was reframed as virtuous. S

The Torah states (Shemos 25:8-9):   “They shall make a Sanctuary for Me – that I may dwell among them. According to everything that I show you, the form of the Sanctuary and the form of all its vessels; and so shall you do.”   The first verse establishes the mitzvah to build a physical dwelling place for the sake of Hashem. (Rashi). It will serve as the site of sacrificial offerings and as the spiritual center of the Jewish people. The Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 95) adds that i

The Torah states (Shemos 23:2):   “Do not follow the majority for evil; and do not respond to a grievance by yielding to the majority to pervert the law.”   Rashi explains that the clearest interpretation ( pshat ) of this verse refers to a Beis Din adjudicating a capital case. When a majority of judges incline toward conviction, an individual judge must not say, “Since they are many, I will follow them.” Each judge must render his decision based on his own independent judgme