Messages from July 2018

Rabbi O’s Weekly: Ve’eschanan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11) Sometimes It’s Bad to Add

July 27, 2018
Deuteronomy
Vaetchanan

Do not add to the word which I command you, nor diminish from it, to observe the commandments of the Lord your G-d which I command you. Your eyes have seen what G-d did at Baal Peor…(Deuteronomy 4:2-3) The verse above warns us not to add or subtract mitzvot. From an academic or empirical perspective, this […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22) The Gift of Clarity

July 20, 2018
Deuteronomy
Devarim

This week’s Torah reading is the beginning of the last of the five books of the Torah and was spoken by Moses during the last five weeks of his life. It begins with his giving rebuke to the nation. We can learn a number of lessons about rebuke by analyzing how carefully he chose his […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Matot-Masei-( Numbers 30-36) You Are Defined By What You Protect

July 13, 2018
Numbers
Masei, Matot

One of the subjects discussed in this week’s Torah portion is the punishment for involuntary manslaughter, which is banishment to a city of refuge. You shall designate cities for yourselves… and a murderer shall flee there one who takes a life unintentionally. (Numbers 35:11) For example, if an axe head slips out of its handle (while chopping) […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Pinchas (Numbers 25:10-30:1) Own What You Love

July 6, 2018
Numbers
Pinchas

One of the topics in this week’s Parsha is the law concerning inheritance. It is taught because of an incident initiated by five remarkable women, all of whom were daughters of a man named Tzelafchad. This is what they asked Moses: And the daughters of Tzelafchad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the […]