(1:1-3:22) Moses explains and interprets the law to the people
Imagine a huge kiddush in the synagogue after services. There’s everything from Kosher Sushi to kugel, from Cholent to chopped liver. There’s pushing and shoving, especially from the younger crowd, to get to the tables loaded with food. However, when it comes time to attending services in shul, the younger crowd has no problem giving the front […]
Rabbi Berel Wein tells a story from his youth when he was a student in Chicago’s Hebrew Theological College, the Skokie Yeshiva. In 1945, the Cubs made it to the World Series against the Tigers. Rabbi Wein’s friend, who was 13 or 14 at the time, stood in line all night to buy tickets to […]
The Parsha contains Moses’ parting words said during the last five weeks of his life and begins with giving rebuke to the nation.The Jews of that generation made a number of poor choices, decisions that affected their future as well as the future of all Jews succeeding them. Moses’ approach was not to reprimand explicitly, […]
Jerry Lewis was a 20th century Jewish comedian. During the taping of the last episode of his (about to be cancelled) show, he quoted an old Jewish saying his mother had taught him, gam zu l’tovah, “this too is for the best” (lit. good). The first verse in this week’s Torah portion mentions a hint of the […]
Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22)An Uncluttered MindThis week’s Parsha contains part of Moses’ parting words said during the last five weeks of his life. It begins with his giving rebuke to the nation, and we can learn from the way he does it.The Jews of that generation made a number of poor choices, decisions that […]
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 […]
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 […]
Moses: I cannot carry you alone…you are today as the stars of the heavens in abundance. (Deuteronomy 1:9-10) Why couldn’t Moses carry the Jewish nation? The next verse explains, “G-d has multiplied you, and, behold, you are today as the stars of heavens…” Why did Moses use stars as the metaphor and not sand on […]
