Ki Tavo – Cowering Before Flesh and Blood
Cowering Before Flesh and Blood In the awesome Torah portion of admonition of the Jew (the tochacha) – regarding both the blessing and the curse – the Almighty declares: “And it shall overtake thee” (Deuteronomy 28:15). My father, of blessed memory, asked the obvious: One can understand the Jew fleeing from the curse so that […]
Ki Tisa – Forgiving Germany
Forgiving Germany “Remember what Amalek did to you…do not forget.” – Deuteronomy 25:17–19 “Remember.” “Do not forget.” Strange. If we are commanded to remember what Amalek did unto us, why the added admonition – “do not forget”? Let me explain by way of a parable, but a parable that really happened. The place was the […]
Shoftim2 – Complicit in Murder
Complicit in Murder When a Jew is found murdered and the shedder of blood is yet unknown, the Torah enjoins the elders of the Sanhedrin and the elders of the nearest town to come to a barren riverbed – symbolizing the barren, sterile state of the murdered Jew who will never again bring forth children […]
Shoftim – When You Go to War-Go to War
When You Go to War, Go to War! “When you go to war against your enemy…” (Deuteronomy 20:1). Why does the Torah say “against your enemy” when obviously one goes to war against an enemy and not a friend? The Midrash answers: “Said the Almighty, ‘Go against them as enemies! Just as they do not […]
Re’eh – Who Needs a Country
Who Needs a Country? “And you shall drive them out and you shall dwell in their land” (Deuteronomy 12:29). The Rabbis (Sifri, Re’eh 80) say concerning this verse: “The mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisrael is equal to all the commandments of the Torah.” Therefore, “A man should dwell in Eretz Yisrael, even in a […]
Ekev – The Great Secret
The Great Secret The Torah commands us “to love the L-rd, your G-d, to walk in all His ways and to cleave unto Him” (Deuteronomy 11:22). Concerning the final words, “and to cleave unto Him,” the great Biblical commentator, the Ibn Ezra, writes: “And this is a great secret.” And the Ibn Ezra concludes right […]
VaEtchanan – When God Demands Cruelty
When G-d Demands Cruelty “And you shall love the L-rd, your G-d, with all your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:5). Why does the Torah use the word “l’vavcha,” which implies plural hearts, rather than “libcha,” which clearly means one heart? The Mishnah (Berachot 9:5) answers: “You should serve G-d with both your inclinations – the good inclination […]
Devarim – The Courage to Speak Up
The Courage to Speak Up “Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and his children will I give the land on which he has trodden because he has wholly followed the L-rd” (Deuteronomy 1:36). This verse is perplexing: Why doesn’t it mention Joshua who, like Caleb, stood up to […]
Masei – Drive Them Out
Drive Them Out The Torah states clearly: “And you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you…. But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those whom you allow to remain will be like thorns in your eyes and thistles in your sides […]
Matot – When Gods Honor is at Stake
When G-d’s Honor Is at Stake Moses is told by G-d (Numbers 31:2): “Exact the vengeance of the Children of Israel…then you will be gathered unto your people.” And this is what the Rabbis say (Bamidbar Rabba 22:2): “Had Moses wished to live a few more years, he could have. For the Almighty said to […]