Moshe recounts the Jewish people’s feeling apprehensive and overwhelmed by G-d’s Presence at Har Sinai (Mount Sinai), thus asking Moshe to receive the Torah on their behalf. G-d acquiesced, saying,...
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Dvar for Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22)
Moshe addresses the tribes of Reuven and Gad, imploring them to fight for their brothers in Israel before settling down across the Jordan (3:18). However, Moshe does not address just the two tribes...
Dvar for Matot-Maasei (Numbers 30:2-36:13)
The elders of Tzlofchok’s tribe raised a concern that if the women married someone from another tribe, their inheritance would flow to the male heritage, and their tribe would lose that land...
Dvar for Pinchas (Numbers 25:10-30:1)
Nestled within the latest census is an obscure mention, “and the name of Asher’s daughter was Serach” (26:46). Rashi points out that she was one of the original seventy that entered Egypt, so she is...
Dvar for Chukat-Balak (Numbers 19:1-25:9)
When Balak’s first attempt to have Bilam curse the Jews failed, he suggested trying again from a different location (23:13). When that failed as well, he suggested moving to yet another location...
Dvar for Korach (Numbers 16:1-18:32)
Parshat Korach begins by describing Korach and two hundred and fifty people’s claims for more authority and power. The very first word used is “and he [Korach] took” (16:1), yet the Torah never...
Dvar for Shelach (Numbers 13:1 – 15:41)
While the stage was set for the tribal leaders to bring the Jews into the Promised Land, Parshat Shelach describes the tragic negative report that condemned the Jews to the desert for forty years...
Dvar for Beha’alotcha (Numbers 8:1-12:17)
Parshat Beha’alotcha begins with G-d instructing Aaron to light the Menorah with the candles facing its center (8:2). Rashi explains that Aaron felt dejected because his tribe was not listed in the...
Dvar for Naso (Numbers 4:21-7:89)
The Torah tells us that the Levi’im that performed the service (in the Mishkan, the Tabernacle) were between the ages of thirty and fifty, and “are fit to perform the service for the service…”...
Dvar for Bamidbar (Numbers 1:1-4:20)
Preparing the Mishkan (Tabernacle) for transport required covering all the utensils. While most of the items were covered by the tachash (4:8,10,12,14), a beautiful and durable covering, the Aron...