Wars begin with words, with rantings by madmen and absolute declarations of intolerance. But so many other experiences also begin with words; love is watered with words; forgiveness, hope, prayers and peace, all are grown with words. This week, one woman’s words touched my heart as she has touched the hearts of an entire nation here in Israel. more

It’s been a long and painful journey these past 2,000 years. Some of us thought we were there, that the journey was about to end, but like the intense pains of labor just before birth, it gets toughest when you are close to the finish line. more

When the war with Midian did not originally go as planned, the Torah told us (31:14) that Moshe — normally a humble person with a checked demeanor — was powerful, resolute and strong, declaring that is war there no place for softness and for giving in and forgiving. more

After the battle with Midian, the Torah tells us that the generals and captains, who were officers over the army’s divisions, approached Moshe. They said to him, “We have taken a census of the warriors under our command and not a single man has been lost!” (31:48-49) more

A peaceful stretch of road on a quiet summer’s night; a young couple with a four month old baby in an infant seat is driving home; nothing out if the ordinary. Except that they were driving up from Beer Sheva. As an IDF officer in the Paratrooper reserves, our son-in-law Eliel might be called up at any moment. And it seemed prudent for Maayan, our daughter, in the midst of her medical school finals, not to have to negotiate the air raid sirens alone. As such, they were driving up from Beer Sheva with our grandson Amitai to stay with us. more

Parshat Pinchas contains the maftir readings for all of the Biblical holidays. Every holiday had a specific set of korbanot (offerings) that were brought in its honor. A similarity running across all of the holidays is a single goat which was brought as a chatat (sin offering) to atone for the sins of the people. more

The heat was unbearable, but no one was thinking about the heat that day; there were 150,000 people who had gathered to pay their last respects. more

The story of Balak and Bilaam is fascinating because it is indicative of an obsession that hasn’t waned in the history of mankind since the time of Avraham our forefather. more

We will do our best to hand our enemies a great defeat, by becoming even more united. Three boys. Three worlds. Three families. Three mothers broken. Three empty chairs. So many dreams lost. Forever. There are simply no words to describe the depths of our pain and sense of loss. more

In the beginning of Chapter 21, the Torah tells how an encounter with the Canaanites of the Negev concluded with the capture of a single captive – who Rashi identifies as a maidservant. more