Messages from June 2022

This week’s Torah Portion was written by Rabbi O. in advance of his entering the week of mourning. Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Shelach (Numbers 13-15) A Student, a Prostitute, and a Sage

June 24, 2022
Numbers
Sh'lach

We are introduced to the mitzvah of tzitzis (strings attached to a four cornered garment) at the end of this week’s Parsha. The following remarkable incident occurred in the 3rd century and is recorded in the Talmud (Menachot 44a).Once a man, who was very scrupulous about the mitzva of tzitzis, heard about a prostitute who charged four hundred gold dinars for her […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Behaaloscha (Numbers 8-12)The Destroyer of Possibilities

June 17, 2022
Numbers
Beha'alotcha

At this point in the Exodus story, things seem to be going well. After being enslaved for 210 years, the Jews had miraculously been freed and were now living in the desert and receiving protection, food, and water in a miraculous way. Sounds good, right? Let’s see.And the people complained and it was evil in […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Nasso (Numbers 4:21-7:89)A Rain It Fall, but the Dirt it Tough: Appreciating Life’s Challenges

June 10, 2022
Numbers
Nasso

Last week’s Parsha described the census that was taken of the tribe of Levi, starting with those 1 month and older. This week’s Parsha continues with another census of the members of the tribe of Levi, this one only of males between the ages of 30-50. In both counting’s, we find a surprisingly low number: […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Bamidbar/Shavuos 5781-2021You Count!

June 3, 2022
Numbers
Bamidbar

When the cycle for the weekly Torah readings was established centuries ago, this week’s Parsha was designated specifically to be read this Shabbos. I.e. the reading is from the first few chapters of the Torah’s fourth book, Numbers, and always precedes the holiday of Shavuot. What connection is there between this week’s Parsha and Shavuot, the festival commemorating the […]