Parshat Shavua

Behaalotcha: Off the Derech

If you can’t get people to stop labeling Jews, then change the label into something positive, including the."off the derech" label.

Moses, the humblest person on earth

What is the real meaning of humility? Is it self-deprecation or something very different?

Office of the UK Chief Rabbi

Naso: A sin against a person is a sin against God

Sins between you and your fellow man are doubly harmful.

Naso - The quite puzzling Chanukat Ha-Mizbeach

Why the last minute request of the tribes' leaders to bring special offerings as soon as the MIshkan was up? Why not plan in advance?

Behaalotcha: Towards Israel

The sequence of breaking camp and travelling is not random or capricious: there are reasons for the Tribes travelling in formation.

Naso: The holiness of the Mishkan

We need to remember that the most consistent dwelling that Hashem has on earth is the camp of Bnei Yisrael, and we must keep it holy.

Talking Parsha:

Naso & Shavuos: Birkat Kohanim - what's it about??

What does blessing the People of Israel have to do with the work of the Holy Temple? Why are the kohanim the ones to bless the people?

Bamidbar: The intrinsic significance of 600,000 Israelites

The Vilna Gaon said as quoted in Kol haTor, “The essence of the ingathering of exiles requires no fewer than six hundred thousand." Why?

Bamidbar: When mystery prevails over human understanding

Apparently, the greater the detail, the greater the mystery that it engenders.

Bamidbar (The Book of Numbers): It’s the math that counts

The Parsha and Current Events: Words and Numbers,

The strength of the butterfly - in memory of Rabbi Wallerstein

The natural world is brimming with miracles, but the transmutation of caterpillar into butterfly is in a class of its own.

Bechukotai: Yes, the Jews secretly control the world

G-d promises us in His Torah that if we keep His mitzvot in His Land, then He will give peace throughout the world.

Bechukotai: Why Exile?

Israel's first Chief Rabbi and advocate for returning to the Land, on the anguished question: Why should the Jewish people be in exile?

Talking Parsha - Bechukotai: Where's the happy ending?!

Why does G-d's reprimand to the Jewish people end with a double 'remembering'? Where is the redemption after all of the punishment?

Bechukotai (Israel): The totality of Jewish life

As important as knowledge of history is – and I consider it to be very important – history alone can ever preserve us.

Emor-Shabbat UK: A journey beyond Shabbat UK

After a Covid-caused lapse of two years, we finally have ShabbatUK! It’s going to be an exceptionally special Shabbat.

Behar:God has given us the power to restore Yovel!

We can be G-d’s partners in holiness.G-d has given us, His people, the power to restore a Torah-commandment.Shmitta and soon, Yovel.

Behar (Israel): Life is never an easy climb

Mount Sinai exemplifies the mountain that Abraham saw.

Emor versus Daber (Diaspora)

The word "emor" is softer than the usual "daber" found in the Torah. Why is "emor" used at the start of the parasha and later on "daber"?

Talking Parsha

Emor & Yom Ha'atzmaut: Why are we blaming his mother?!

This week, we learn about the person who cursed using G-d's Name - but the Torah doesn't tell us his name, only his mother's. Why?

Israel's first Chief Rabbi:

Kedoshim: Admonish your neighbor

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Not remonstrating wtih someone doing something wrong shows that instrinsically, you do not really object..

From priest to people

This parsha tells the story of one of the greatest, if rarely acknowledged, contributions of Judaism to the world.

Weekly Torah Study: Kedoshim (Israel)

What does it mean to be holy?

Acharei Mot (Diaspora): Why we are needed

We often ask for the things we need, but life is much happier, satisfying, and meaningful, when we ask what we are needed for.

Kedoshim (Israel): Watch out for bias when giving advice

This week Israel reads Kedoshim and the Diaspora reads Acharei Mot. Arutz Sheva will alternate articles on both readings.

Talking Parsha - Acharei Mot: Do we always have to be different?

This week's Torah portion instructs us not to imitate the nations around us. Why is that? What is behind this concept?

Weekly Torah Study: Acharei Mot

What are we "moderns" to make of the scapegoat to Azazel?

Israel's first Chief Rabbi:

Metzora: The Power of Speech

Israel's firrst Chief Rabbi and iconic leader of religious Zionism: Why do only Jews get tzora'at? What are the two levels of speech?

Metzora: Will Smith

What is the worst part of this tale, that it happened or that we have talked so much about it?

Talking Parsha - Metzorah: How's your house feeling?

In this week's Torah portion we read about leprosy of a home and of clothing. Why would an inanimate object have a spiritual disease?

To be a Ben Olam Haba

A a ben Olam Haba has an indelible piece in the next world - achieved by being what one can be. Learn from the way Rabbi Akiva saw mankind.

Tazria: When a woman conceives and gives birth to a male

A mother merits a share in those good deeds that her son performs, and which she herself does not do, as she is exempt from them.

Circumcision - what does it signify?

Bans of circumcision for whatever reasons, realize how basic it is to Jewish consciousness and values.

Talking Parsha - Shmini: Does G-d care about the details?

Why are there so many explanations as to why Nadav and Avihu died? What actually happened here and why was it so important?

Shmini: Why the awe this time?

Why did Am Yisrael fall on their faces now, when Aharon acted, but not before?

Office of the UK Chief Rabbi

Tzav: The beauty of compromise

"Zot torat Haolah" is a verse telling you about a certain kind of person. Are you that person?

The Parsha and Current Events: The embedded factor in history

Is there an embedded factor which is responsible for Hashem bringing about certain events - from Akedat Yitschak to Purim and Putin?

Which offering is the most beloved to Hashem?

Read what the Kli Yakar, Tanchuma, Rabbi Aryeh Leib Eiger, the Netivot Shalom and others say about this quesiton.

Rav Kook on Vayikra: Black Fire on White Fire

Israel's first Chief Rabbi and the iconic leader of Religious Zionism: What was the nature of the Divine call to Moshe?

Talking Parsha - Vayikra & Zachor: A leader has to sin?!

The Torah begins speaking about an individual's sins by using the word, 'if,' but about a king the Torah uses the word, 'when.' Why?

Vayikra: Are there really unconscious mistakes?

What is sin? About missing the mark. The Vilna Gaon, taught that every sin is the result of a bad trait, which must be overcome,

Do it with heart

Vayikra begins by showing us that God speaks to Moshe only in the merit of the people. That is each of us..

Where do we find Adam in Vayikra?

Rashi finds his name right at the beginning of Vayikra and this is no coincidence.

Pikudei 5782

To be human is to be responsible - and accountable

Moshe was distressed that he could not account for 1000 measures of the silver donated for the Tabernacle. A lesson in accountability.

Pekudei 5782

The Parsha and Current Events: Esau vs. Esau

A curt but mighty statement regarding what is now happening in eastern Europe. And: Jew-be proud-Eretz Yisrael is your country. Live in it..

Does it affect you?

"And the people left from Moses' presence" - what does this intend to tell us?

Talking Parsha - Vayakhel: Why don't we work on the Sabbath?

What's the connection between building the Mishkan and the work we are not allowed to perform on Shabbat?

Mesirut Nefesh - the secret to Jewish survival

Mesirut nefesh does not make you a hero, not in the sense that we often think of heroes.  There are no medals.

THE WISE HEART; Divine Duality

What can the blend of a Heart imbued with Wisdom mean?

See the names: Bezalel the son of Uri the son of Hur

How did Hashem choose the man to build the Tabernacle? After all, the Jews were slaves and did not engage in crafts while in Egypt.

God will always forgive The Jewish People, but at a cost

We can start from the present and work our way backwards in history to see how this works.

Office of the UK Chief Rabbi

Ki Tisa: Palindrome in the parasha

Palindromes in the Torah - yes, they can be found and there is a reason they are there.

G-d needs two kinds of meat in this world.

PIgs serve G-d just as cows do. Why is one kosher and the other treiif?

Ki Tisa: How could they do it?

There is a Yiddish phrase that translates as "general society is malleable and foolish". The most outlandish of ideas can gain traction.

Talking Parsha

Tetzaveh: We build the Mishkan with a candle?

Why does the Torah discuss the 'ner tamid' in the middle of speaking about preparing the priests? What is this 'constant light' about?

The sweet smell of the incense

There is a special significance to the concealed service, performed on the incense altar..

Tetzave: Desperate for Mashiach

Only today, in an age of unprecedented bounty, longevity, and progress, can we aspire for Mashiach for the right reasons.

The Godly mystique of clothing

When did Adam and Eve become corporeal in the sense of being physical human beings that we can understand as our own physical progenitors?

Weekly Torah Study: Tetzave

What power did the Urim and Tummim have? What were they?

Clothes DO make the man

Do the High Priest's robes have holiness of their own or are they enablers for his holiness?