Moses’ request of the people at this historic moment is understandable, for only that same generation can attest to later generations about the three important events in the life of the people from which...

The themes of DEVARIM part one are appropriate for this period. The Book of DEVARIM is the Torah’s “mouth”, summarizing all that has gone before in the “main body” of the Torah. DEVARIM...

In this lecture “Proofs for Oral Torah | Parsha Dedavrim we discuss how Devarim acts as a bridge between the Written Torah and the “Oral Torah.” The Oral Torah includes the Talmud and the...

One could say that every individual should be judge of himself in order to overcome his cravings; thereby one can see the thread that ties together the subjects in Parashat Matot – those basic...

On the face of it, the request of the Gadites and the Reubenites to settle east of the Jordan River appears quite decent and worthy. But Moses raised two arguments against them: 1. How...

Emunah in the Journey | Rav Cohen Faith (Emunah) is the ingredient to a successful journey of life. Rav Yaakov Cohen brings down an inspirational lesson from this week’s Parshat Matot-Massi.

The identification of Pinchas with Elijah, by means of the known Agaddic statement that “Pinchas is Elijah,” is an attempt by some of the Sages to describe the mysterious figure of the prophet. Not...

Discover the point to the 17th of Tammuz. Why do we mourn and fast? During the Three Weeks, from 17th of Tammuz to the 9th of Av, we commemorate the conquest of Jerusalem, the...

In Secret to the End of Days | Balaam’s Prophecy, we look to the writings of Rambam to gain more understand of Balaam’s prophecy of the nation of Israel. In writing about Moshiach, the...

In sex, idolatry, and defiance | A lesson from Balak Rod Bryant discusses, that after the lofty description of the Israelites which we heard from Balaam in this week’s reading (chapters 22-24), the weekly portion...