Parshat Hashavua

Israel's 1st Chief Rabbi:

Parashat Shlach: The sin of Tzelofchad

We should learn from Tzelofchad’s mistake, and stay focused on that which is enduring and eternal, and not confuse the way-station for the final destination.

Parashat Tsav:

Mindfulness in the service of G-d - and advice on enhancing it

The daily lifting of the ash, which was performed by the Kohen as part of the Temple service, did not serve the practical purpose of keeping the Altar clean. What then was the objective of this Mitzvah?

Parashat Vayikra:

Why the little Alef?

The letter alef (א) at the end of the word ויקרא is written smaller than the rest of the word. Many explanations have been given for this unusual phenomenon, but the Zohar's is an entire way of looking at the commandments.

Parashat Vayikra:

When religion becomes self worship

When you give ten thousand dollars to charity, do you think about how much gratitude you deserve or how grateful you are to help?

Israel's 1st Chief Rabbi:

Vayechi: Fishy Blessings

What kind of blessing is it when Yaakov prays that his grandchildren increase like fish in the land?

Eretz Yisrael in the Parsha:

He who lives in Eretz Yisrael has a G-d

Young religious Zionist scholars find connections between each week's Torah reading and the Holy Land.

Restoring Sensitivity:

A call to unity and responsibility

As part of the Jewish people we must shoulder the weight of our collective destiny and responsibility for the welfare of our people.

Talking Parsha - Yitro

Are there '10 Commandments'??

If these are commandments, where is the command?

Talking Parsha - Beshalach:

Amalek - what's with Moshe's hands??

What prompts Moshe to raise his hands, and what significance does this gesture hold?

Connecting two very different negative mitzvot

The Torah puts the verse regarding the commandment of Not Eating Blood next to the commandment of Orlah (Lev.19:23). Why?

Shabbat Behabbato: Terumah

Selected leading rabbis share their thoughts on this week's Torah Reading.

Who has the right to give?

There is a contrast between the type of charitable giving in Parashat Terumah and Parashat Ki Tisa.

Leading through darkness Parshat Vayechi

The real summation of Jacob’s last years emerges in a conversation he has, not with Joseph, but with Pharaoh.

Mattot: Beauteous and Evil

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Beware of beauty that covers up morally repulsive behavior.

Sefas Tamim: The Emes parasha sheet

The parasha in halakha, mussar, and with words of chizuk .

Pinchas: The buck stops here

Weekly Torah Study: Pinchas.

Mattot: Will you stay or will you go?

You will see them with their knitted kipot, M16s over their shoulders, returning from a shiur by the rosh yeshiva, an IDF officer. And you?

Mattot (Israel):Do you know what you’re fighting for?

Today in Israel religious soldiers prove to be dedicated fighters. Like the fighters in the parasha, they know what they are fighting for. .

Mattot: Words are binding

Everything that is uttered from our mouths obligates us to the commitment attached to it.

Pinchas: Why harass the Midianites and not the Moabites?

A selection of rabbinic commentaries on the question.

Balak: A shlemiel

Jewish tradition does not often create aphorisms in vain. Here is the story of the first shlemiel.

The great message of the Pinchas Episode

The essence of the kohanic personality is to be responsible for the nation, overriding his personal interests.

Constancy and consistency

The greatest framework of spiritual life without which that life begins to wither and die is consistent, constant faithfulness to mitzvot.

Pinchas: Dividing Eretz Yisrael by lottery

Young Israeli Torah scholars: The connection between the land alloted each tribe and the tribe is substantive and above human comprehension.

Balak: Eliminating Idolatry

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Why is idolatry so intrinsically vile? Because instead of elevating us, it lowers us to coarse physical levels.

The Parsha and Current Events: Take My hand

Diminutive in size, giant in spirit, Medinat Yisrael has made the world stand still more than once since its re-establishment 74 years ago.

Our Covid-19 journey – how should we respond to its uncertainty?

The Chief Rabbi’s weekly insight for Parshat Vayechi.

Understanding Joseph's actions

What could have been a swift though painful meeting becomes a drawn out process. What was Joseph’s purpose behind these actions?

Vayigash: When being right is wrong

Yosef seemed to have allowed his emotions to overpower his judgement. Was this a failure of character?

Vayishlach: Be thyself

The story of Jacob wrestling with an unnamed adversary and his new name Israel is essential to understanding what it means to be a Jew.

Office of the Chief Rabbi

Vayishlach: The hidden challenge facing the Jewish people

What are the three greatest challenges facing the Jewish people?

To leave footprints on the sands of time, wear workshoes

Literally meaning a “heel”, the Hebrew word “eikev” evolved to denote a mark left by the heel, a foot-print - and more. All in Jacob's name.

Inner beauty, inner strength

In his very essence Yaacov was diametrically opposed to his illustrious father and grandfather.

Beginning the Journey (Chayei Sarah 5781)

Rabbi Sacks z’’l prepared a full year of Covenant & Conversation for 5781, based on his book Lessons in Leadership.

We are all part of the tikkun

Could others, even those seemingly much less worthy than Abraham, be part of the Divine plan of tikkun?

Jump at the Israel Opportunity (Ha'azinu 2020)

In this 3-min. video, Baruch Gordon answers the question, "If Moshe didn't merit to enter the Land of Israel, why should we?"

The Daily Portion / What should we do?

Perhaps Elul should signal a new direction for us to take, especially for this coming year.