In this week’s Parsha, Hashem says to Moshe: “Go up to this mountain of Avarim and see the Land that I have given to the Children of Israel. You shall see it and you shall be gathered unto your people…. Because you rebelled against My word.” (Bamidbar 27:12-13). Here, Hashem tells Moshe that he will not be allowed to enter the Land of Israel. However, he will be allowed to ascend the mountain and see the Land before he dies. This is puzzling. Why do we need the Torah to tell

In this week’s parsha Balak, the king of Moav, sends messengers to Balaam, seeking to hire Balaam to curse the Jewish people. Balaam invites them to stay overnight, anticipating that Hashem would communicate with him that night. The Torah then tells us: “ And Hashem came to Balaam and said: ‘Who are these men with you?’ And Balaam said unto Hashem: ‘Balak, the son of Zippor, king of Moav sent them to me.’” (Bamidbar 22:9-10). This dialog is puzzling. Why would Hashem ask a qu

In this week’s parsha the Jewish people once again complain against Hashem and against Moshe: “Why did you bring us up from Egypt to die in this Wilderness?” (Bamidbar 21:5). In response, Hashem sends fiery serpents that bit the people and many perished. Realizing their mistake, the people come to Moshe and say: “’We have sinned, for we have spoken against Hashem and against you. Pray to Hashem that He remove from us the serpent.’ Moshe prayed for the people.” (Bamidbar 21:7)

This week’s parsha focuses on another rebellion, this time spearheaded by Korach. Moshe attempts to reconcile with Korach, and then with Dasan and Aviram, but these efforts proved fruitless and are met with scorn (see Bamidbar 16:8-14). The Torah then describes Moshe’s reaction: “This distressed Moshe greatly, and he said to Hashem, ‘Do not turn to their offering (מנחתם). I have not taken even a single donkey of theirs, nor have I wronged a single one of them.” (16:15). This

This week’s parsha recounts the tragic episode of the miraglim , the spies who scouted the land of Israel. Their negative report spawned a national crisis and a major rebellion against Moshe and Aharon: “All the children of Israel murmured against Moshe and Aharon, and the entire assembly said to them, ‘If only we had died in the land of Egypt or if only we had died in this Wilderness! Why is Hashem bringing us to this land to die by the sword; our wives and young children wi

The Missing Tile The Torah says (Bamidbar 11:4-5): “The Children of Israel also wept once more, and said, ‘Who will feed us meat?’ We...

The Torah tells us: “A man or woman who commit any of man’s sins, by committing treachery toward Hashem, and that person becomes guilty; They shall confess the sin that they committed; he shall make restitution for his guilt in its principal amount and add its fifth to it and give it to the one to whom he is indebted.” (Bamidbar 5:6-7). The “treachery” that the Torah speaks of here, explains Rashi, includes a case where someone is entrusted with an item for safekeeping and la

In the Book of Ruth, Ruth visits Boaz in the middle of the night. Boaz agrees to attempt to redeem Naomi’s fields and to marry Ruth. At the end of their encounter, Boaz tells Ruth (3:15) “Bring [me] the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” The narrative continues: “He measured out six barley grains and he placed it upon her.” This raises a question: Why was Boaz measuring out barley grains in the middle of the night and why did he give them to Ruth? The Malbim explains tha

You're Not a Kid Anymore The Torah says (Bamidbar 3:15) “Count the sons of Levi… from one month of age and up you shall count them.” Rav...

After the Torah details the laws that Moshe taught the Jewish people while they were encamped at Mount Sinai, the book of Vayikra concludes with parshas Bechukosai . In this final parsha, the book of Vayikra culminates in the Berachos , the blessings that Hashem promises the people if they follow His decrees and ordinances, and the Tochachah , the punishments that Hashem promises to carry out against the Jewish people if they break Hashem’s covenant and do not follow His comm