By Yehudis Golshevsky In our parshah, we learn of the issur bamot, the prohibition against making private altars for personal sacrifices once the central focus of Divine service is established in “the place that Hashem, your G-d, will choose”–Yerushalayim. Until we came to our “portion and rest” in the Land, Read More
The Heart Is Awake By Rav Micha Golshevsky In this parsha we find that one should always cleave to Hashem. The Shem M’Shmuel explains how one can always cleave to Hashem. “”In spiritual terms, completion of one’s heart is known as his nachalah, literally inheritance in Eretz Yisrael. Our sages Read More
By Sarah Goldstein Chosh tov, Today is the Yarzheit of Aharon Hakohen. In fact, it is the only Yarzeit mentioned in the Torah, and is mentioned specifically in this week’s parsha. וַיַּעַל אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן אֶל־הֹר הָהָר עַל־פִּי יְהֹוָה וַיָּמׇת שָׁם בִּשְׁנַת הָאַרְבָּעִים לְצֵאת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַחֲמִישִׁי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ׃ Read More
Art by Menachem Halberstadt By Yehudis golshevsky There’s a famous story brought down about the Baal Shem Tov hakadosh, that when he once saw a Jew desecrate the Shabbos with his own eyes he tried to consider in what way he was guilty of a similar sin. “It’s not possible Read More
Art by Yehoshua Wiseman By Yehudis Golshevsky This week’s sedra is one of the most challenging in the entire Torah. In the fortieth year after the exodus, Miriam dies. The retreat of Miriam’s well leads to the people begging for water, which precipitates the events at Merivah, which leads to Read More
By Yael Dworkin “Let the one who reads the letter be the agent to carry it out” (Rashi on Bamidbar 25:7) A great message I learnt from a great teacher, Rabbi Biller: Sefer Yetzira teaches about the energetic challenges and advantages latent in every month. The challenge of Tammuz is Read More