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Parasha Reeh (See): The Mountain of Blessing

August 22, 2014 In this week’s Torah portion, God sets before the people of Israel a clear choice: they could either obey God’s commandments (mitzvot) and enjoy a life of blessing (brachah), or disobey and suffer the resulting curse (klalah). The blessings are to be proclaimed on Mount Gerizim and the curses on Mount Ebal when the people cross over the Jordan into the Holy Land. “When Adonai your God brings you into the land you are entering in order to take possession of it, you are to put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.” (Deuteronomy 11:29)

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Parasha Eikev (Because): The Heel of the Messiah

August 15, 2014 The title of this week’s Parasha, Eikev, means because. It is used in this Parasha as a conjunction to create a relationship between experiencing God’s blessings and obedience to His Torah. Another meaning of the Hebrew word ekev is heel (as in the heel of a foot). Ancient Jewish sages interpreted this dual meaning of the word “ekev” to refer to the generation of the “heels of Mashiach (Messiah).” The last generation of the Exile is called ikvata d’meshichah or the heels of Messiah, since that generation was expected to hear the footsteps of the Messiah.

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Parasha Va’etchanan (And I Pleaded): Moses Pleads with the Lord

August 8, 2014 This week’s Torah portion begins with Moses reminding the people of how he pleaded with God for the privilege of entering the Promised Land, but God refused to grant his request. Rabbinic tradition says that Moses begged God 515 times, (taken from the gematria or numerical value of the word va’etchanan). Moses asked God, “’Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon.’ But because of you the Lord was angry with me and would not listen to me. ‘That is enough,’ the Lord said. ‘Do not speak to me anymore about this matter.’” (Deuteronomy 3:25–26)

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Parasha Devarim (Words): The Transformation of Moses

August 1, 2014 In this Parasha, Moses lyrically and impressively sums up the major events that they have experienced while he was the leader of Israel for 40 years. Here, Moses appears as an eloquent man of words—a powerful orator. And yet, 40 years earlier, when God spoke to Moses in an extraordinary encounter from out of a burning bush, commanding him to go and speak to Pharaoh, Moses replied, "Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue."

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Parasha Massei (Journeys): Turning Points in Our Wilderness Experience

July 25, 2014 This Parasha reveals to us that life is not simply a final destination, but a succession of destinations—each bringing us toward a progressive fulfillment of our destiny. In other words, life is not only about the end goal; rather, it is more about the journey that takes place along the way. That is why, perhaps, the Jewish people have been called the “Wandering Jews,” since we have been exiled into the nations for two millennia, marked by persecutions that led to more forced wanderings.

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Parasha Matot (Tribes): Vows, Vengeance, Anger, and the Will of God

July 18, 2014 In this Parasha (Torah portion), Moses speaks to the heads of the tribes (matot) about the issue of vows. In Hebrew, the word is neder ( נדר ), and in truth the English language has no equivalent word. This Hebrew word denotes a solemn promise to consecrate something to God or to do something in His service or honor. Jacob (Yaacov) made such a vow to God when he promised to give back to God a tenth (tithe) of anything God gives to him in exchange for God’s provision and protection on his journey.

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Parasha Pinchas (Phinehas): Taking a Stand for God

July 11, 2014 God was so pleased with Pinchas’ holy anger and zeal for God's honor that He rewarded him and his descendants with a covenant of peace and a covenant of a lasting priesthood. While the actions of Pinchas are not to be upheld as a means to rid the world of immorality, and are still scrutinized and discussed, we can measure our own spiritual temperature using his zeal as a thermometer.

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Parasha Balak (Destroyer): The Error of Balaam

July 4, 2014 Parasha Balak is a fascinating study on blessings and curses. It is named after Balak, the king of Moab, and begins with an interaction between him and a well-known pagan prophet, Balaam, son of Beor. King Balak and the Moabites, a nation well-versed in the occult arts, become alarmed by the Israelites because their numbers are many, and they have gained stunning victories against their enemies, Sichon and Og. Motivated by the fear of defeat, Balak seeks to hire Balaam to curse the Israelites so that he can have a physical advantage by weakening them through sorcery.

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Parasha Chukat (Statute or Decree): The Mystery of the Red Heifer

June 27, 2014 Although chukim (ordinances) are laws that seem to have no rational explanation, and remain undecipherable to our limited human understanding, we can trust that God has good reason for instituting them. Just like children do not always understand why their parents lay down certain rules, we don’t always understand our Heavenly Father’s intentions or reasons.

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Parasha Korach (Korah): Appointed for Service

June 20, 2014 In this week's Parasha, Korach (a Levite) challenges the leadership of Moses and the Aaronic priesthood (kehunah). Joining Korach’s rebellion against Moses are Dathan and Abiram (from the tribe of Reuben), as well as 250 key council members who defy Moses and Aaron, stating, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD's assembly?" (Numbers 16:3)

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