Naso 5769-2009
"An Extreme Lifestyle"
According to rabbinic interpretation, the Nazirite chooses a path of extreme behavior in order to avoid the temptations that he encounters in everyday life. Maimonides also recommends extreme behavior in order to heal oneself from negative traits. However, the extreme behavior in both instances must never be presumed to be normative. It is the "golden path" and the balanced disposition that must always be one's goal.
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Eikev 5767-2007
"Swearing in G-d's name"
It's intriguing to see how the commentators dispute what seems to be a simple verse in parashat Eikev, Deuteronomy 10:20, that states "and by His name shall you swear." Maimonides sees it as a positive mitzvah, Nachmanides sees it as a negative mitzvah prohibiting the use of G-d's name. The commentators struggle to explain the differences between these two great authorities and the subtle implications of swearing or not swearing in G-d's name.
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Matot-Masei 5764-2004
"The Mitzvah of Living in the Land of Israel"
In parashat Masei, G-d commands the Jewish people that when they enter the land of Canaan they are to drive out all the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, for G-d has given the land to the People of Israel to possess it. The ancient tradition holds that there are 613 mitzvot in the Torah. However, there is no definitive listing of those 613 mitzvot. Consequently, the question arises of whether there is an explicit Torah mitzvah to settle in the land of Israel or not. This question was an issue of great dispute between Maimonides and Nachmanides.
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Shoftim 5763-2003
"Astrology, Witchcraft and Spiritualism in Judaism"
In parashat Shoftim, the Torah tells us that when the Jewish people enter the land of Israel they must not follow the abominable practices of the nations that reside there. It is strictly prohibited to cause a son or a daughter to pass through fire, to practice divination or astrology, or to visit one who reads omens. Patronizing a sorcerer, an animal charmer, inquiring of the Ov or Yidoni, or consulting the dead is forbidden. The Jews are supposed to be wholehearted with G-d and not support the magic or spirituality of the ancients. The questions remains, is there any efficacy to witchcraft or to the magic of the ancients?
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Vayigash 5761-2001
"Joseph Helps His Brothers Repent"
Why did Joseph have to be so cruel to his brothers? Joseph apparently felt that it was necessary to put his brothers through an agonizing test in order to see whether his brothers were truly Ba'alei T'shuva--true penitents. Joseph brilliantly recreates the circumstances where Benjamin is now in the exact position that Joseph was in when he was thrown in to the pit by his brothers and sold to the Ishmaelites. Will the brothers this time stand up for Benjamin, or will they send him down the river as they did with Joseph?
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