Many people feel the need to be noticed. They dye their hair neon green, or they wear immodest clothing, or they say things that are intended to shock. They will do anything to keep the limelight … more

The Torah has many poetic passages that engage our minds and cause our hearts to soar. Paradoxically, a number of these sections were uttered by none other than Bilam, the evil prophet from the … more

The second verse of Parashat Behar contains the well-known words, “When you come to the Land that I am giving you,” that serve as a prologue to the mitzvah of shemitah (the Sabbatical … more

At the height of the drama of the Golden Calf in this week’s parsha, Ki Tisa, a vivid and enigmatic scene takes place. Moses has secured forgiveness for the people. But now, on Mount Sinai … more

Our parasha contains a phrase that is found in the first bracha of the Shemoneh Esrei: “God your Lord is the ultimate Supreme Being and the highest possible Authority. Great, mighty and … more

I used to say, only half in jest, that the proof that Moses was the greatest of the prophets was that when G-d asked him to lead the Jewish people, he refused four times: Who am I to lead? They will … more

Parshat Noach By Rabbi Avi Billet Issue of Oct. 23, 2009 / 5 Cheshvan 5770 In 7:7, Noach and his wife, along with his three sons and their wives, entered the ark. The Ba’al Haturim … more

By and large, the tribe of Shimon does not fare well in the Biblical story. The second of Yaakov’s sons is completely bypassed for any leadership role. The Yalkut Shimoni notes (Shoftim 42) that the tribe of Shimon, “Never had a judge or a king, on account of the sin of Zimri.” more

The conclusion of parshat Bamidbar leads into parshat Naso with the description of the specific and detailed jobs of each family of Levi — Kehat’s job was to carry the most important … more

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan z”l divided his Chumash translation, “The Living Torah,” by topics, in addition to the standard divisions by chapter and parsha. For verses 25:35-38, in this … more