Bamidbar

Bamidbar: Dad’s Army ~ Tzvi Abrahams

Parshas בַּמִדְבָּר Dad’s Army צַב: covered carriage, turtle צְבִי: deer, desire, splendor צָבָה: to swell צָבָא: army ה’ צְבָא-וֹת: Lord...

Nasso: Razor Sharp ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

When detailing the laws of the Nazirite, the Torah forbids him from cutting his hair by stating, “A razor (taar) shall not pass over his...

Nasso: A Crown is a Crown ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

A Crown is a Crown Malbim defines these three words by explaining the differences in their physical properties. He explains that an...

Nasso: The Greater the Responsibility, the Greater the Load ~ Tzvi Abrahams

Parshas נָשֹׂא The Greater the Responsibility, the Greater the Load נָשֹׂא: raise, carry נָשִׂיא: prince מַשַׂא: burden, a load...

Behaalotacha: Pesach Sheni, Absent-Minded Passover? ~ Yehoshua Steinberg

This week's Torah portion discusses the highly unusual opportunity to fulfil a biblical precept -the Passover offering- who's...

Behaalotcha: Desiring a Desire ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

The Torah relates that not long after the Jews left Mount Sinai, the erev rav — who were the “mixed-multitudes” of Egyptians that joined...

Behaalotacha: A Variety of Enemies ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

The Torah mentions a special prayer which Moshe would say when the Ark of the Covenant would begin to travel (we say this prayer when...

Behaalotacha: Only The Poor Get Answered – Who Is Rich, Who Is Poor? ~ Tzvi Abrahams

Parshas בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ Only the Poor Get Answered — Who Is Rich, Who Is Poor? עַנָוָה: humble עוֹנִי: affliction עֹנֶה: answer, testimony...

Shelach/Yom Kippur: Pardon Me? ~ Yehoshua Steinberg

Shelach: Pardon Me? לע“נשלמהבנימיןבןרפאלתנצב“ה Three words are used to generally describe forgiveness and atonement: סליחה, מחילה, כפרה....

Shelach: Spy versus Spy ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

Spy versus Spy Conventional linguists trace the origins of the English word “tourist” to the Old French word tourner (“to turn”)....

Shelach: If You Love Someone, Set Him Free ~ Tzvi Abrahams

Parshas שְׁלַח If You Love Someone, Set Him Free שְׁלַח: send שֻׁלְחָן: table שְׁלַח: Send שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים וְיָתֻרוּ אֶת אֶרֶץ...

Korach: Concomitant Connection and Chasm ~ Yehoshua Steinberg

Following the start of Korach's mutiny, Moses told him to bring an incense offering, קטורת in Hebrew. Why was קטורת chosen as an...

Korach: The Land Down Under ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

The Land Down Under When relating the story of Korach and his household being miraculously swallowed into the ground, the Torah (Numbers...

Korach: Grave Questions, Grave Implications ~ Tzvi Abrahams

Parshas קֹרַח Grave Questions, Grave Implications שׁוֹאֵל: borrow שָׁאוּל: King Shaul שְׁאֵלָה: question שְׁאוּל: grave וַיֵּרְדוּ הֵם...

Chukat: Settling on a Bite ~ Yehoshua Steinberg

Following the Israelites' murmuring against the manna sent from heaven, God dispatched snakes to bite them. The word "נשיכה" appears only...

Chukat: Afraid of Fright or Ready to Fight? ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

Afraid of Fright or Ready to Fight The social sciences like psychology and sociology seek to quantify man’s reactions to various types of...

Chukat: The Kiss Of Death ~ Tzvi Abrahams

Parshas חֻקַּת The Kiss of Death שֹׁקֶה: irrigate, saturate, quench תְּשׁוּקָה: desire, longing מַשְׁקֶה: liquid, drink שׁוּק: market...

Balak: Doubt, hitting, abundance/satiation ~ Yehoshua Steinberg

Someone sent me the following question: Anyone knows why do doubt and satisfaction, ספק וסיפוק, share the same Hebrew root? Answer: very...

Balak: A Short but Revelatory Article ~ Yehoshua Steinberg

Numbers 22:32 – And the angel of the Lord said to him, Why did you strike your she-donkey these three times? Behold, I went out to...

Balak: A Hollow Curse ~ Yehoshua Steinberg

The bulk of the Torah portion "Balak" concerns Bilaam cursing Israel. The primary word used for cursing though is the highly unsual term...

Balak: A Collection of Curses ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

The Torah says, “A judge shall you not curse and a prince/king in your nation shall you not curse” (Ex. 22:27). This passage forbids...

Balak: This Is the End, Beautiful Friend, the End ~ Tzvi Abrahams

Parshas בָּלָק This Is the End, Beautiful Friend, the End קֵץ: end מִקֵץ: the end קָצָה detestable שִׁקְצְה: goya/non-Jewish woman...

Pinchas: An Expansive Lesson on Constriction ~ Yehoshua Steinberg

Article abstract for Parashat Pinchas: Moses is commanded: " צרור (oppress / distress) the Midianites… for they have oppressed you." The...

Pinchas: United We Fast ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

United We Fast The prophet Zechariah (Zech. 9:19) foretells of a time when the four fast days will be turned into holidays days of joy...

Pinchas: The Ultimate Destination ~ Tzvi Abrahams

Parshas פִּינְחָס The Ultimate Destination שָׁלוֹם: peace שָׁלֵם: complete, whole מְשַׁלֵם: pay שׁלֹמֹה: Solomon יְרוּשָׁלַיִם:...

Mattot: Kol Nidrei… a Few Months Early ~ Yehoshua Steinberg

“And if her father deterred (הניא) her… and G-d will forgive her because her father deterred (הניא) her” (Num. 30:6). “And if, on the day...

Mattot: Tribesmen Stick Together ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

This week’s installment features two words which are not only synonyms, but also homonyms. The word mateh sometimes means “tribe” (almost...

Matot: Extending Hashem’s Hand in the World ~ Tzvi Abrahams

Parshas מַטּוֹת Extending Hashem’s Hand in the World מַטֶּה: tribe, branch מַטֶּה: stick נוֹטֶה: to lean, to stretch out from, to deviate...

Massei: Round and Round it Goes ~ Yehoshua Steinberg

This shall be for you the northern border: from the Great Sea תְּתָאוּ to Mount Hor. From Mount Hor תְּתָאוּ to the approach to Hamath …...

Massei: The Twin Cities of Zion and Jerusalem ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

Twin Cities: Zion and Jerusalem Many of us never stopped to think about the names Zion and Jerusalem. We may have always assumed that the...

Massei: Inheriting the Watered Garden ~ Tzvi Abrahams

Parshas מַסְעֵי Inheriting the Watered Garden נַחַלָה: inheritance נְחִיל: swarm of bees נְּחִילוֹת: musical instrument נַחַל: stream...