PLEASE DON’T HURT US “Hashem opened the mouth of the she-donkey and it said to Bilaam, “What have I done to you that you struck me these three times?” (Bamidbar 22:28) “The angel of Hashem said to him, “For what reason did you strike your she-donkey...

THE CAPITAL CITY AND THE ACCOUNT “For Cheshbon was the city of Sichon, king of the Emorites; he fought against the king of Moab, and took all his land from his possession, until Arnon. Therefore, the allegorists will say: Come to Cheshbon. The city of Sichon...

FALSE ACCUSATIONS “Moshe was very incensed, and said to the Lord: Do not turn to their offering. Not one donkey did I take from them nor did I wrong one of them.” (Bamidbar 16:15) The rebellion of Korach against Moshe and Aharon and his challenge to Moshe’s...

THE HUNGRY BEAR “Behold, another [figure appeared]; a second beast, resembling a bear, and it was positioned on one side, and there were three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; so they said to it: Arise! Devour much flesh!” (Daniel 7:5) One of the most terrifying...

REMEMBER AND DO NOT FORGET “Remember what Hashem, your God, did to Miriam on the way when you were leaving Egypt.” (Devarim 24:9) In the verse above, the Torah is referring to an incident in our parsha, Bamidbar chapter 12. The basic facts as they appear in...

YOU ARE HEREBY EXPELLED A short section in this week’s parsha seems, at first glance, to contain a directive that has very little relevance to the modern period. God tells Moses to command the Children of Israel (Bamidbar 5:2-3): “That they shall expel from the camp...

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...