by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jun 13, 2014 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading we learn about the spies sent to look at the Land of Cana’an. As is clear from the consequences, their evil report, and the Children of Israel’s reaction, became their greatest sin in all their time in the Sinai desert —...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | May 30, 2014 | Lifeline
Upon the inauguration of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, the leaders of each of the Tribes of Israel, the Nesi’im, brought gifts to be offered as sacrifices. We read the details of the gifts offered by each of the twelve, and immediately realize that the...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | May 23, 2014 | Lifeline
This week we begin Bamidbar, the Book of Numbers. This, the fourth book of the Torah, acquired its Latin/English name because it begins with a count of the Children of Israel. This, though, is not the first such census — we find repeated counts of the Jewish...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | May 16, 2014 | Lifeline
My cousin’s daughter is celebrating her Bas Mitzvah this weekend, and as they studied this week’s reading in preparation, they came across one of the classic questions of Jewish philosophy: why do we do what we do? The parsha says that if we follow...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | May 9, 2014 | Lifeline
At the end of this week’s reading, we are told not to set up idols. “You shall make no idols, and a graven image or pillar you shall not set up… You shall keep My Sabbaths, and revere My Sanctuary, I am Hashem” [Lev. 26:1]. The Medrash, quoted...
