Is Love Enough?
Aug 16, 2024 By Judith Hauptman | Commentary | Va'et-hannan
This context helps explain why both Shema paragraphs need to be included in our morning and evening prayers. The first paragraph opens with a confession of faith in the one God, and demands loving this one God with all our heart, soul, and might. It goes on to say that we are to keep the words God issued this day in our hearts and on our lips at all times, and we should teach them to our children. We are even told to 鈥渨ear鈥� these commandments on our arms and foreheads and to display them in public places. In all, the first paragraph of the Shema is very upbeat, with its focus on love of God and mitzvot.
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The Rules of Rebuke
Aug 9, 2024 By Ariel Ya鈥檃kov Dunat | Commentary | Devarim
In Leviticus 19:17 we are commanded: 鈥淵ou shall not hate your fellow in your heart. Rebuke your fellow, but incur no guilt on their account.鈥� Rashi teaches that when the Torah says 鈥渞ebuke your fellow, but incur no guilt on their account,鈥� we come to learn that in giving rebuke, we need to be considerate of how we do it. Location, audience, and method all matter. Rebuking someone publicly may cause embarrassment. Our tone or our choice of words can also belittle them, even if unintentionally. When giving rebuke, we must keep the recipient鈥檚 dignity in mind. In Parashat Devarim, Moses expands this principle of dignity further.
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“What’s God?”鈥攁nd Other Questions Kids Ask
Aug 2, 2024 By Chaim Galfand | Commentary | Masei | Mattot
This week’s double Torah reading specifies 42 locations where the Israelites camped between leaving Egypt and entering Canaan. While the list could be seen as pro forma, a beloved teacher of mine鈥擠r. Eliezer Slomovic鈥攁lways insisted that God is not a blabbermouth; everything in Torah is imbued with meaning, even a list of 42 place names. Toward the end of Douglas Adams鈥� The Hitchhiker鈥檚 Guide to the Galaxy, a supercomputer famously reveals the Ultimate Answer to Life, The Universe, and Everything to be the number 42. The numerical parallel to the 42 Israelite encampments provides a serendipitous opening to consider how the seemingly mundane might be the gateway to a wider awareness of something greater than ourselves.
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Making Space for Life
Jul 26, 2024 By Joel Alter | Commentary | Pinehas
It鈥檚 not for nothing, this reputation God has for consuming anger. The Torah itself makes the case. Our parashah opens with yet another instance of God hovering at the brink. God is prepared to wipe us out in a rage over our incessant violations of the inviolable. We read inNumbers 25:10-15that God grants Pinehas a 鈥渃ovenant of peace鈥� for having leapt into action (at the end of last week鈥檚 parashah), publicly slaying two people who grossly violated sacred boundaries before the entire people. 鈥淧inehas,鈥� God explains, 鈥渉as turned back My wrath from the Israelites by displaying among them his passion for Me, so that I did not put an end to the Israelites through My zeal.鈥� (25:11)
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The Sound of No Hands Clapping
Jul 19, 2024 By Marcus Mordecai Schwartz | Commentary | Balak
The Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Talmud) will draw the connection between our parashah and clapping. It states that clapping, particularly when done in anger, is discouraged on Shabbat, and bases the prohibition on Numbers 24:10, where Balak, enraged by Balaam’s blessings instead of curses, claps his hands together in frustration. Balak鈥檚 clapping symbolizes a loss of control and submission to anger鈥攁ctions that go against the peaceful spirit of Shabbat.
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Heroes and Humans
Jul 12, 2024 By Amy Kalmanofsky | Commentary | Hukkat
But Moses also has shortcomings. His initial reluctance when God first approaches him to become Israel鈥檚 liberator could indicate cowardice, or worse, a lack of faith(Exod. 4:11鈥�12). Moses also has a temper. He gets angry at the people(Exod. 32:19) and at God(Num. 11:10鈥�15).
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Not for the Sake of Heaven
Jul 5, 2024 By Menachem Creditor | Commentary | Korah
Parashat Korah, a poignant ancient exploration of conflict and leadership, remains frighteningly current. Korah challenges the authority of his cousins, Moses and Aaron, accusing them of elevating themselves above the community they serve. The biblical narrative communicates the palpable tension of contrasting intentions behind this dispute and the qualities that distinguish servant leaders from those whose primary motivations are attention and power.
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The Large Significance of the Littlest Letter
Jun 28, 2024 By Malka Strasberg Edinger | Commentary | Shelah Lekha
Could one tiny letter really be so important? At the beginning of this week鈥檚 parashah, as Moshe sends twelve scouts to tour the Land of Canaan, we are told that Moshe changed Joshua鈥檚 name from Hoshea to Yehoshua.
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