CHAOS AND ORDER The Book of Bamidbar is an extremely exciting and action-packed section of the Torah. There are insurrections, rebellions, incredible miracles, great battles, evil sorcerers and courageous heroes and heroines. We learn about the suspected adulterous wife; the Nazirite; the dedication of the Tabernacle;...

ALL IN ONE OVEN “When I break for you the staff of bread, then women shall bake your bread in one oven and they shall return your bread by weight. And you shall eat, but you shall not be satisfied.” (Vayikrah 26:26) Whenever I read this verse,...

THE UNDERDOG One of the most beloved Jewish philosophical works, Sefer HaKuzari, was written by Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi over a period of twenty years and completed in 1140. Part historical novel, the book records a dialogue between Bulan, the eighth-century King of the Khazars (a powerful...

MAKE THEM HOLY “The Lord spoke to Moshe, saying: Speak to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am Holy. Each of you shall fear his mother and his father and...

FREE AT LAST! Today, the 5th Iyar, is the 77th anniversary of the founding of the State. However, Yom Haatzmuat is observed two days earlier on 3 Iyar, so that the celebrations will not cause the desecration of Shabbat. In May 2018, our family was privileged...

JUST KEEP QUIET “Each of the sons of Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, took his fire-pan and placed in it fire, and placed incense upon the fire, and they offered before the Lord strange fire that he had not commanded them. Fire emerged from before the Lord...

THE SPLIT SEA AND THE BREAD FROM HEAVEN Marriage as an institution is under attack. More and more couples do not see the need to formalise their relationship and are choosing simply to cohabit. People are also marrying much later in life and the divorce rate...

PHYSICAL FOOD, SPIRITUAL REWARD Rabbi Yisrael Lipkin of Salant (Eastern Europe, 1810-1883), or as he is better known, Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, was a prince among men. His towering intellect alone would have sufficed to ensure his memory would never be forgotten among his people. His many...

SELF-SACRIFICE “When a soul offers a meal-offering to Hashem, his offering shall be of fine flour; he shall pour oil upon it and place frankincense upon it.” (Vayikrah 2:1) In reference to an animal sacrifice, the Torah states (Vayikrah 1:2), “when a person (adam) among you brings...

The number four appears several times at the Pesach Seder: four cups of wine; four sons and four questions. The significance of the number four is related to God’s promise to Moshe shortly before the ten plagues began, and contains four verbs (Shmot 6:6-7): “Therefore...