B’shalach 5785-2025
“The Bones of Joseph”
(updated and revised from B’shalach 5766-2006)
With the more than 2-1/2 million people waiting to be rescued, and thousands of logistical details to review, Moses diverts his attention from the people, to personally attend to the removal and transport of the bones of Joseph from Egypt to Canaan. From this act of unconditional love performed by Moses our leader, our commentators derive many important lessons regarding effective leadership
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Va’eira 5785-2025
Va’eira 5785-2025
“Teaching a New Reality About Divine Power Through the Ten Plagues”
(updated and revised from Va’eira 5765-2004)
The ten plagues are not ten random events. They are carefully structured symbols that come to negate contemporary Egyptian beliefs, and teach very powerful lessons about faith in G-d and G-d’s ultimate power. The ten plagues also successfully work to discredit the power of the chartoomim and chachamim, Pharaoh’s sorcerers and wise men.
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Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5784-2024
“Choosing Life”
(updated and revised from Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5763-2003)
In parashat Nitzavim, the Al-mighty begs his children to "choose life." Judaism believes that "healthy guilt" allows us to override our defense mechanisms and helps us acknowledge the changes that we need to make in order to improve our lives, to perfect our situation and to choose life.
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Balak 5784-2024
“Bilaam, Prophet to the Nations”
(updated and revised from Balak 5765-2005)
The Midrash says that G-d gave the gentile nations a prophet of the stature of Bilaam so that the nations would not be able to say, “If we had a prophet, we would be as righteous as Israel.” Instead of leading his people to good, Bilaam led the people to evil and corruption. But, is it truly Bilaam and others like him who fail, or is it the failure of the Jews to serve as a proper role model for others?
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Korach 5784-2024
“Lessons from the Rebels”
(updated and revised from Korach 5765-2005)
The sad story of the rebellion of Korach and his tragic demise are remote and far-removed from the minds and experiences
of most contemporary men and women. There are, however, many profound lessons to be learned from the Korach saga regarding
individual destiny choices, living up to one’s potential and working within the given structures.
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Pekudei 5784-2024
“Building an Everlasting Sanctuary”
(updated and revised from Pekudei 5768-2008)
The Tabernacle had been completed by Kislev. However, it was not erected for another three months, on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. The purpose of the delay was to enable the spirit of our Patriarch Isaac to pervade the Tabernacle. Although the workers and the architects attempted to raise the Tabernacle, only Moses could do so. He blesses the people in a way that emphasizes that the security of the Tabernacle really depends on the sanctity of the people.
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Yitro 5784-2024
“Jethro’s Advice to an Overburdened Leader”
(updated and revised from Yitro 5765-2005)
Jethro warns his son-in-law, Moses, that he is in danger of experiencing burn out by biting off more than he can chew. It takes a great man like Moses to heed Jethro's difficult advice and share the leadership responsibilities with others. The well-being of the People of Israel was always Moses's utmost concern. Hence, his decision to delegate authority resulted in great benefit for the People of Israel.
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Bo 5784-2024
“The More Things Change...”
(updated and revised from Bo 5764-2004)
In the last moments of their ‘sojourn” in the Egypt where they were held them in bondage for hundreds of years, the Israelites are told to gather gold and silver from their former Egyptian masters. To the casual observer it appears that the Jews are vengefully looting Egypt. Perhaps, though, the fulfillment of this command represents the mental journey that the Jews must travel from slavery to freedom, or compensation for the years of slavery and the property they had to leave in Egypt.
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Va’eira 5784-2024
“The Names of G-d and their Meanings”
(updated and revised from Va’eira 5764-2004)
The names of G-d are many, each revealing to the world a different aspect of the Creator. In this parasha, the universe's understanding of G-d is heightened by Moses to a level never before conceived, even by the patriarchs. After Moses, the world's notion of G-d is never to be the same.
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Chukat-Balak 5783-2023
"How to Market G-d!"
In parashat Chukat, the Jewish people, once again, challenge G-d by speaking against the Al-mighty and Moses, by asking, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness...?" In response to this arrogant display of faithlessness, G-d sends fiery serpents to attack the rebellious hordes, and a large number of people die. To stop the plague, Moses builds a fiery serpent and places it on a tall pole so that all who are bitten will look at the serpent and live. What is the role of this serpent? After all, this seems to smack of magic and Voodoo, and appears to be truly out of character with Judaism!
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B’ha’alot’cha 5783-2023
"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.
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Shemini 5783-2023
“The Little Steps that Lead to Big Accomplishments”
(updated and revised from Shemini 5765-2005)
In parashat Shemini we learn that Moses and Aaron come into the Tent of Meeting. From the Torah’s emphasis on the “steps” that they took in coming, we learn the vital importance of the little, often-dismissed, actions. These actions should not be treated lightly. Indeed, they are to be highly regarded and valued as integral and primary parts of the ultimate goal.
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Passover 5783-2023
If the Egyptian magicians were able to replicate some of the plagues that G-d visited upon Egypt, why couldn't they remove any of the plagues that G-d sent? Was Moses the agent of G-d who brought about the plagues, or was he more than that? Through the Biblical text, an interesting lesson is learned about the true nature of his leadership.
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Shemot 5783-2023
“The Making of a Concerned Jewish Leader”
(updated and revised from Shemot 5763-2002)
Who is the child Moses, and how does he merit to become the “savior” of Israel? Both the biblical texts and the Midrashic elaborations give us hints to help us understand how a child who is raised in Pharaoh's court, becomes such a devoted and dynamic Jewish leader. The fact that he is raised by his biological mother, Yocheved, until he is weaned, is undoubtedly a critical factor. Although tradition is purposely ambiguous, Moses not only receives his rearing from his mother and his sister as a young child, but also from Bitya, the daughter of Pharaoh, who may very well be the secret hero in Moses' life, and consequently, a key player in the destiny of the Jewish people.
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Haazinu 5783-2022
“The Final Song”
(updated and revised from Haazinu 1999-5759)
The final song of Moses is intended to help the Jewish people remember the days of yore. The past is truly vital for Israel, as there is much to be learned from previous generations. Much pain and suffering can be avoided if only the future is approached through the wisdom of the past.
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Pekudei 5782-2022
“The Lesson of the Basin: ‘Don’t Judge a Basin by its Cooper’”
(updated and revised from Pekudei 5763-2003)
According to tradition, the basin that contained the sacred water in the Tabernacle was made of the bronze mirrors that the Israelite women used in Egypt to seduce their husbands who had separated from them, and who were unwilling to produce children who might be murdered by the Egyptians. Considering the mirrors to be objects of vanity, Moses was reluctant to accept the bronze from the mirrors. G-d responds, that the mirrors are far dearer to Him than anything else.
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Vayakhel 5782-2022
“Defining True Generosity”
(updated and revised from Vayakhel 5763-2003)
Although it is commonly thought that generosity is simply giving of one's wherewithal to help another, Judaism defines true generosity as giving with a full and willing heart. It is the willing heart that determines true and genuine generosity.
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