The Princes of the Tribes make several notable contributions at the inauguration of the Tabernacle: They contribute 12 oxen and 6 covered wagons to aid the Levites in the transportation of the Tabernacle and each Prince donates a tribute of 21 animals, a silver basin and bowl brimming with flour and oil, and a gold […]

In the longest parsha in the Torah by verses, we continue to read about the Levite families and their responsibilities, we learn about the three tiers of the Nation’s encampment, the laws of a suspected adulteress, the laws of the Nazir, the Priestly blessings, and we read a very wordy account of the gifts of […]

At first glance, Parshas Bamidbar seems like a snoozefest: it’s very technical, counting the people, assigning the tribes to their encampments, counting the Levites separately, designating the responsibilities of the Levites in the transportation of the Tabernacle and its vessels. But upon further examination, our Parsha guides us with the instructions of how to become […]

The Book of Ruth – and its eponymous heroine – are true enigmas. The Book contains no new laws and its story, while inspirational and poignant, bears no easily discernible connection to the Festival of Shavuos, when it is read. The Book’s protagonist, Ruth, has a decidedly checkered pedigree, yet becomes the matriarch of the […]

Torah study in not just another discipline; it’s a relationship. Our Sages compare the relationship of the Jew to Torah as that of a husband and wife. It’s deep, intimate, and special. Just as husband and wife can unite to create something new, the objective of Torah study is to transform the person and create […]

Shavuos is the day that marks the most significant event in the history of humankind: A nation coalesced around Mount Sinai to temporarily catapult into a state of prophecy, to hear God say the Ten Commandments, and to live to tell the tale. Shavuos is thus aptly named, “the Day of the Giving of the […]

We kickstart the Book of Numbers with a census of the twelve tribes of Israel – not including the tribe of Levi who is counted independently – conducted by Moses, Aaron, and the most distinguished leaders of said tribes. Subsequently, we read about the banners of the tribes and their assigned encampments, the transference of […]

This past week our nation underwent an unprecedented calamity. At our people’s largest annual festival, the celebration of Lag ba’Omer in Meron, a crowd crush resulted in the death of 45 of our brethren. How do we respond to such a tragedy? What is the way to process such a disaster. In this Parsha Podcast […]

To serve as a witness in a Jewish court of law is no simple matter. Our Sages detail ten different people who are disqualified from offering testimony. In this mitzvah we scour that long list and learn about what it takes to testify in a Jewish court of law. – – – – – – […]

This week’s double-Parsha closes out the Book of Leviticus. Parshas Behar begins at Mount Sinai, where the Almighty instructed Moshe to convey a series of laws to the Jewish people. The first is the mitzvah of Shemittah, the prohibition of engaging in any agricultural work every seven years. In two chapters in the Torah (Leviticus […]