Israel
Va’eschanan – Entering Israel
Why was it so important to Moshe to go into Israel? What is the significance of Hashem’s response – ‘don’t speak to Me about this,’ and ‘go up on the mountain to see the land?’ What is the value of seeing the land if he could not go there? Why is this the circumstance that…
Read MorePinchas – Spiritual Intuition
Why do we need so many different voices pointing out which piece of the land of Israel is given to which tribe? What does it mean that the lottery ticket itself spoke? What is the message of the midrash in saying that the women of Israel were able to close the spiritual gap created by…
Read MoreBehar – Sharing the Wealth
What is the Torah’s approach to charity and ‘spreading the wealth?’ Why does the midrash place the idea of spiritual wealth beside the concept of material wealth? What are the mechanics of the spiritual principle behind the fact that when I share what I have – both in wisdom and in material matters – I…
Read MoreVayishlach – Distorted Reflections
Why are the three locations that the midrash says clearly belong to the Jewish people all currently being claimed by the Arabs? When we do not understand a word in Hebrew, why do we turn to other languages to understand that word? What is the significance of the city of Shechem? Why is it given…
Read MoreRe'eh – Israel – Mind of the World
Why does the Torah constantly connect the keeping of the commandments with the land of Israel? Why do we spend the ten weeks leading up to Rosh Hashana reading Moshe’s speech at the threshold of Israel? Why do we focus on the destruction and future rebuilding of Israel during this time? Why does the Torah…
Read MoreBalak – Amalek, Israel and Moshiach – who is Amalek today?
Why is the verse that speaks about the ‘tents of Jacob’ immediately before the verse that speaks of the destruction of Agag, king of Amalek? What is represented by the number 72? How does Amalek manifest as the counter-force to the Jewish people? Who is Amalek today? How do we ‘fight’ Amalek in our times?…
Read MoreKi Seitze – Good Brings Good
What is the concept behind our sages’ statement that a good deed brings another good deed, and a negative deed brings another negative deed? Why are we enjoined to completely destroy the nation of Amalek? How do the people of Israel and the people of Amalek function in parallel ways? What is the force of…
Read MoreEkev – Inheriting the Land
When it comes to inheriting the land of Israel, why does the Torah repeatedly stress that it is not in the merit of anything that the Jewish people have done? What does it mean that we are redeemed and given Israel ‘for the sake of Hashem’s name?’ What does it mean that the fruit trees…
Read MoreMasei – Warring for Israel
Why do the thirty one kings desire to fight in the war on Sisera’s side against the people of Israel? Why are they willing to do it for free? What does it mean that they ‘thirst to drink of the waters of Israel?’ Why did Jacob, Moses and King David run away from their enemies?…
Read MoreBalak – Threshold Immorality
After 540 years of existence as the Jewish people, why do they face such a great test in licentious behavior just as they are entering Israel? What is parallel to Avraham and his interaction with Sodom as he is about to conceive Isaac? What is the concept of the ‘Shittim River’ which causes those who…
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