Judaism

"The Power of Strife"

Korach, who was unable to control his vanity, his rage and his wrath, succeeded in stirring up hundreds of people to rebel against G-d and Moses. Had he been willing to meet with Moses and discuss his differences, there might have been a reconciliation and a much different end for himself and his followers.

"Where Did the Spies Go Wrong?"

The Malbim, Rabbi Meir Yehudah Leibish, 1809-1879, offers a radically different interpretation of the story of the scouts. He proves that while the ten tribal leaders begin as scouts, looking for the best lands for their kinsmen, they wind up as spies with a strategic military focus. As they travel through the land, their self-image changes. Losing faith and courage, they conclude that the people of Israel will never be able to take over the land of Canaan from the land's fearsome inhabitants.

"Searching for Eldad and Medad"

Eldad and Medad were the two worthy elders who were left behind when Moses gathered the 70 elders to help him bear the burden of the nation. There is much to learn from the extensive Midrashic portraits of Eldad and Medad, especially about how to correctly identify quality Jewish leaders.

“Our Brother, Our Sister--the Proselyte”
(updated and revised from Naso 5764-2004)

Parashat Naso contains a special law regarding making restitution to the proselyte--the righteous convert to Judaism. Converts have played, and continue to play, a key role in Jewish life. It is, therefore, not at all surprising that the mitzvah of loving and caring for the convert is mentioned 36 times in the Torah, more than any other mitzvah.

"The Concept of the Chosen People"

It was on Shavuot that the Jewish people received the Torah at Sinai and formally became Am Yisrael, the people of Israel. It was at that moment that the appellation "the Chosen People" was applied for the first time. This concept has caused the Jewish people much grief. It needs to be elucidated and clarified.