Parashat Balak: The Fate of the Nations
In this Torah portion we have one of the few references to the Messianic era in the Torah. Interestingly that reference says as much about the nations of the world as it does about us. In this class we will examine the role of the nations of the world immediately prior to and during the […]
Parashat Chukat: The Message of the Copper Serpent
When jews were complaining bitterly about, of all things, the miraculous manna that had sustained them for nearly 40 years, HaShem, in response, sent snakes that killed some and poisoned others. But He simultaneously provided a cure for the snakebites in the form of a copper serpent mounted on a pole. In this class we […]
Parashat Korach: The Individual and the Collective
In this parsha we learn how a group of Jews led by Korach challenged the authority of Moshe. Many important contemporary questions are addressed in this episode. Is there an ideology or institution that could transcend the conflict between the individual and the collective so that both can be satisfied?
Parashat Shelach: Counter-Intelligence: Spying the Truth
This parshah contains the story of the spies who were sent by Moshe to investigate the Land of Canaan. As a result of the people’s acquiescence to the spies’ negative report about the Land of Israel, the entire nation was forced to wander the desert wilderness for forty years until a new generation would arise […]
Parashat Shelach: Counter-Intelligence: Spying the Truth [38:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadParashat Naso: From G-d’s Mouth to Moses’ Ears
It was through the communication between HaShem and Moshe that the centrality of prophecy in Jewish life was established. But, one may ask: Why didn’t and doesn’t HaShem communicate directly with each of us? In this class we will discuss the concept of prophecy in general and learn why it was critical for the Divine […]
Parashat Bamidbar: To Count or Not to Count
In this lesson we will examine The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s analysis of Rashi’s commentary on why the tribe of Levi was excluded from the national census that was taken at the outset of the Book of Bamidbar. We will discover that while the tribe of Levi may not have been counted physically, they certainly counted spiritually. […]
Parashat Bechukotai: Can a Person Give Too Much?
There is no action where kedusha - Holiness - is more manifest than in the act of giving tzedakah. While most people leave it up to their current emotional and financial state in deciding how much to give, Jewish law is very specific as to the limits and boundaries of tzedakah. A key question disputed […]
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