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Parshat Shavua

News and updates about Parshat Shavua

Parshiyot Mattot-Mas’ei:

Do you know what you’re fighting for?

3,297 years ago, before despatching the Children of Israel on their war of vengeance against Midian, G-d infused them with the spiritual reinforcements necessary for victory - their national identity, their sense of history, their understanding of their destiny. So too, the Religious Zionist soldiers today.

Do you know what you’re fighting for?

Parshiyot Matot-Maasei:

'The descendants of Reuven and Gad had an abundance of livestock'

‘Our Sages comment, that because Reuben and Gad were so attached to their wealth, till they were prepared to settle outside the land, they were the exiled from it, before the other tribes.'

'The descendants of Reuven and Gad had an abundance of livestock'

The Parsha and Current Events:

An irresistible force meets an immovable object

At the end of the day, even if sanctions and other measures are introduced, we all know that no one will be shot at while delving over a complicated issue in the Gemara.

An irresistible force meets an immovable object

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch:

Matot-Maasei: Our problems lie within

Moving from place to place won’t solve anything.

Matot-Maasei: Our problems lie within

Parashat Matot-Masei:

Refuge in a strange city

To understand the phenomenon of a refuge city more clearly, we must fully appreciate the great value that the Torah attaches to the preservation of human life.

Refuge in a strange city

Parashat Pinchas:

Hashem and I

The only thing that matters is your relationship with G-d.

Hashem and I

Eretz Yisrael in the Parsha: Pinchas

The lottery

Why did the Torah require the division of the Land of Israel to be done specifically by a lottery?

The lottery

Parashat Pinchas:

Must we hate evil?

Most people automatically and mindlessly associate religion with unconditional compassion. The Talmud, however, teaches that in the proper context, vengeance against evil can be a virtuous and necessary response.

Must we hate evil?

Parshat Pinchas:

A covenant of peace

Why Hashem caused Moshe to forget the halakha when confronted by Zimri, and for it to be recalled by Pinchas.

A covenant of peace

Jew against Jew

Bilaam realizes that the way to overcome Israel is to instigate conflict within Israel itself.

Jew against Jew

Parashat BalaK:

The secret of victory

The aim of Balak and Bilam to create division among Israel did not succeed. The enemies of Israel today, who seek to dispossess us of our Land and to destroy us, also understand what Balak and Bilaam understood.

The secret of victory

The final barrier

This parasha actually ends the era of Moses and opens the era of Joshua. It opens the gates to the Land of Israel with all its blessings and challenges.

The final barrier

Parashat Balak:

Operation Rising Lion: Bilam's prophecies in our time

As we chant the Torah portion this week, it is our privilege and duty to thank G-d for the magnificent miracles we experienced in our lifetimes. They are of the same caliber as biblical miracles and like the blessings recited by the Bilam, except that we were privileged to witness them.

Operation Rising Lion: Bilam's prophecies in our time

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch: Balak

The “black arts” don’t exist

The Torah only forbids magic because it tries to short-circuit Divine justice.

The “black arts” don’t exist

Parashat Balak:

Fatal seduction

Could Bilam really wreak havoc on the Jews? What exactly is the power of a curse? Can a human by the mere verbalization of certain words effectuate changes in the real world?

Fatal seduction

Parashat Chukat:

"Ascend o well - call out to it"

‘This is truly ‘a gift’ - as our parsha promises - to become like a well of flowing water - of Torah.’

"Ascend o well - call out to it"

Israel's 1st Chief Rabbi: Chukat

Beyond human logic

It is impossible to deduce what God truly wants simply by observing the ways of the world. Our service of God can only be guided by those directives which God explicitly transmitted through His Torah.

Beyond human logic

Parashat Chukat:

Complaints, the serpent, and the Simchat Torah War

Why doesn’t Hashem simply suspend the attack of the serpents without introduction of this strange symbol?

Complaints, the serpent, and the Simchat Torah War

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch:

Chukat: The women saved the day

With so many men dead, who would tell the youth about yetzias Mitzrayim?

Chukat: The women saved the day

Parashat Chukat:

Honesty in the service of Hashem

Rashi seems to be saying that the sin of Moshe consisted in his deviating from the command of Hashem to speak to the rock instead of hitting it. But why would Moshe, the faithful servant, not do exactly what he was told?

Honesty in the service of Hashem

Parashat Chukat and its Haftorah:

The Power of words to break or build

Speech is the currency of connection, and has the power to work in ways both good and bad.

The Power of words to break or build

Israel's 1st Chief Rabbi:

Korach: Holiness in the midst of the community

'Genuine holiness is an altruistic striving for good for its own sake, not out of self-interest.'

Korach: Holiness in the midst of the community

Parashat Korach:

Who can you trust?

If we are willing to face a painful truth, we can learn a very important lesson from this. There is no guarantee that a very learned person will also be a great Tzadik (righteous person).

Who can you trust?

Parashat Korach:

The Levite who wanted to be High Priest

Did the intelligent Korach not feel the contradiction in his words?

The Levite who wanted to be High Priest

Parashat Korach:

The complainers

The existence of the State, in and of itself, is a mitzvah, and transgressions performed within it do not invalidate its sanctity.

The complainers

The Parsha and Current Events:

Korach: Trump bombed our enemies, FDR refused to bomb tracks

Iran will remain a world threat because the U.S. and Israel did not finish the job in the fashion dictated in the Torah. But we must recognize that Trump made up for FDR's refusal to bomb the tracks leading to Auschwitz.

Korach: Trump bombed our enemies, FDR refused to bomb tracks

Parashat Shlach:

A resounding rejection of the Sin of the Spies

There are currently more than 100,000 Israelis abroad, stranded in dozens of countries ever since this current war closed the airspace above Israel. Yet the overriding concern of all these Israelis abroad is how to come home despite the missiles from Iran.

A resounding rejection of the Sin of the Spies

Parashat Shlach:

The best life advice

Your primary interest should be to create a pleasant environment for others to enjoy. And that message is in the words of Hashem to Moshe.

The best life advice

Parashat Shlach:

Like grasshoppers? Not at all

On the most basic level, the Sin of the Spies was that they were overcome by fear and communicated their despair to the nation. The lessons of this episode are very relevant to the current situation.

Like grasshoppers? Not at all

Parashat Shlach:

Juxtaposition - and not by chance!

Answering an age-old question: Why does the story of the spies follow the story of Miriam's punishment for slander?

Juxtaposition - and not by chance!

The attraction of golus and the spies' spiritual failure

It’s safer in the Beis Medrash. It’s safer in exile-mode. It’s spiritually cleaner to stay away from politics, from armies, from national responsibility. Just what the spies wanted.

The attraction of golus and the spies' spiritual failure

The Parsha and Current Events:

Your holy Jewish name

Our sources deal with the spiritual aspects of naming a child - boy or girl.

Your holy Jewish name

Israel's 1st Chief Rabbi: Naso

The benefits of the Sotah Waters

The Sages debate the exact nature of the positive effect of the Sotah waters.

The benefits of the Sotah Waters

The Parsha and Current Events:

The Torah as a way of life

The ultimate CHOK, which is beyond all human understanding, is the day-to-day lives we lead in Eretz Yisrael, with our phenomenal success in all walks of life.

The Torah as a way of life

Parashat Naso:

The sanctity of Aaron

The Kohen loves the people and they, in turn, love him.

The sanctity of Aaron

Parashat Naso:

Building continuity

This week’s parsha, Naso, contains a passage so familiar that its poetry sometimes hides its depth: the Priestly Blessing. What is its message?

Building continuity

A pressing current question:

Do we find sanctity in withdrawal or engagement?

This debate is not just philosophical—it is playing out today in Israeli society.

Do we find sanctity in withdrawal or engagement?

Israel's 1st Chief Rabbi:

Bamidbar: Flags of love

The Jewish people sought to uncover and emphasize every individual’s personal strengths, and thus chose banners for each tribe, but no banners flew over the central Tent of Meeting.

Bamidbar: Flags of love

Understanding the 'new offering' of Shavuot

We can glean from the sacrifice of the day a poignant perspective as to how to relate to the learning of the Torah.

Understanding the 'new offering' of Shavuot

The Parsha and Current Events:

Once the axe falls there is no turning back

With an unpredictable, albeit pro-Israel, president in the US, this is the time to make aliya - do not postpone it!

Once the axe falls there is no turning back

Parashat Bamidbar:

Why was the tribe of Levi so much smaller than all the others?

Torah commentaries address the reason for the small number of levites when compared to every other tribe.

Why was the tribe of Levi so much smaller than all the others?

Office of the UK Chief Rabbi:

The symbolism of the desert

There are many explanations as to the significance of deserts, of wildernesses, within our tradition.

The symbolism of the desert

Parashat Bamidbar:

Make your desert bloom

When we read the Torah portion this Shabbat about transforming individuals into a group and a desert into a city, let’s take the message to heart.

Make your desert bloom

Parashat Behar-Bechukotai:

Bigger bombs aren’t the answer

The full solution is in the parsha this week.

Bigger bombs aren’t the answer

Parashat Behar-Bechukotai:

Answering the famous question about shmitta and Mount Sinai

The shmita year reminds the Jewish people that they are slaves of G-d, and therefore everything they own should be used to serve Him, whether land or people.

Answering the famous question about shmitta and Mount Sinai

Office of the UK Chief Rabbi

Make those moments last.

D’var Torah for Parshat Behar: Ramban says that Yovel, the Jubilee year in our parasha, means taking something forward.

Make those moments last.

Rabbi Shimshon Refael Hirsch: Behar-Bechukotai

Inner peace

This parsha contains the secret to overcoming anxiety and self-doubt.

Inner peace

The Parsha and Current Events:

Global natural disasters

We might be seeing now the beginning of the period where one evil nation wages war on another evil one, while in the background their countries are being ravaged by Hashem’s manipulation of natural disasters.

Global natural disasters

Haftarat Behar-Bechukotai

Individual responsibility, collective rewards

In moments of personal hardship, it is natural to wonder: Why am I not being rewarded for my efforts? The Torah’s answer is painful, but empowering.

Individual responsibility, collective rewards

Parashat Behar-Bechukotai:

The good news

The Torah says that during the exile of the Jewish people, as they wandered the ends of the Earth, the Land of Israel will be desolate and barren, unable to support large thriving populations. And then comes the next part.

The good news

Parashat Emor:

Kohanim and independence

Though we are once again sovereign in our ancestral homeland for the first time since the days of Queen Shlom-Zion, the murderers still stalk us. And though tragedy strikes, we are in an incomparably better situation than we have been at any time since Queen Shlom-Zion.

Kohanim and independence

Torah Mitzion:

Why so negative?

What can connect the disparate commandments in Parashat Kedoshim?

Why so negative?

A survey of commentaries:

'Do not do as Egypt did, nor Canaan'

Commentaries weigh in on what exactly this prohibition means.

'Do not do as Egypt did, nor Canaan'

Eretz Yisrael in the Parsha:

Violations of which sins bring about exile?

Young Religious Zionist Torah scholars connect the weekly Torah reading with the Land of Israel.

Violations of which sins bring about exile?

Achrei-Mot-Kedoshim:

A peek into the Super-Conscious

This is not a world one can describe because one can only experience it from within oneself. In this world, we lose the very self to the magnetic pull of profound oneness.

A peek into the Super-Conscious

Parashat Tazria-Metzora

Conundrum: The difference in purification time between births

‘Why are the periods of impurity - and then purity - of the mother who gives birth to a girl, double the periods where she gives birth to a male?’

Conundrum: The difference in purification time between births

Israel's 1st Chief Rabbi:

Shmini: Immersion in water

When we immerse ourselves in water, we are forced to recognize our existential estrangement from the physical universe.

Shmini: Immersion in water

Parashat Shmini:

It has split hooves but what lies beneath?

“Chazer Treif” is a Yiddish expression that describes something which is absolutely and completely non-kosher. The use of this description goes well beyond the kitchen...

It has split hooves but what lies beneath?

Eretz Yisrael in the Parsha: Shmini

Mitzvahs in Eretz Yisrael

Young Religious Zionist Torah scholars study connections between the weekly Torah portion and the holy land.

Mitzvahs in Eretz Yisrael

Parshat Shmini:

Simcha in the face of tragedy

Despite the tragedy in the parasha and a similar one in the haftarah, the joyous celebrations at the time continued. How could they find the inner strength?

Simcha in the face of tragedy






























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