Articles in Parsha Insights
B’haalotcha: The Silent Flame
Hardly any Splash at all
One of the criteria by which professional high divers are rated is their smooth water entrance and the resultant splash factor.
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Sh’lach: Divine Insurance
A Promise – A Dilemma
G-d gave our ancestors the following message: “Go to the land of Israel, and make war with its inhabitants; do not fear them for they will be delivered into your hands.” This is the kind of insurance policy we would all like to have in our …
Sh’lach: Kosher for an Hour
The Odd Interpretation
Our Parsha tells a story of twelve agents sent by Moshe to Israel. The Torah testifies that they first embarked with noble intentions despite their later submission of a negative report, which drove the nation to despair. In Rashi’s words, “they were kosher at that hour.” Why does …
B’Ha’alotcha: The Grand Design
A Missed Flight
Several days after my son’s circumcision, my wife and I went to visit the Mohel (Rabbi who performs circumcisions), who told us a remarkable tale of divine providence. He was once asked to perform a ritual circumcision in Lake Taho, to which he was required to travel …
B’Ha’alotcha: Personal Freedom
A Meaningless Holiday?
In this week’s Parsha we read that several people, unable to participate in the offering of the Pascal lamb, approached Moses a asked for a second chance. Mosesconsulted with G-d thus the 14’th of “Iyar” was consecrated as “Pesach Sheini,” a second Passover.
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B’Ha’alotcha: Manna and Shabbat
A Connection
Our Parsha describes the manner in which the Manna from heaven was delivered to our ancestors in the desert. It has been said that if one forgets which Parsha to read on any given Shabbat he should read the Parsha of the manna. This indicates a connection between the …
Naso: The Choices we Make
Show Me the Money
If I set two plates before you, one filled with cookies, the other with a million dollars, which one would you choose? Consider the benefit you and society could derive from the money. Contrast that with the short term pleasure and long term belly-ache that the cookies …
Naso: Who Is the Misfit Anyway?
A Deeper Meaning
The first verse of this Parsha, tells us to “raise the head of the tribal family Gershon”. In addition to the simple meaning of the words, “raise the heads,” which means take a census; there is a deeper meaning that lies submerged beneath the text. With a little …
