Parasha

Parashat Shoftim: Wholehearted – and well

“Wholeheartedness is greater than wisdom, but great wisdom is required of a Jew before he reaches the level of ‘You shall be wholehearted with the Lord your God.’” - Rabbi Naftali of Ropshitz.

SORCERERS, MAGICIANS, diviners: The Torah rejects them all.
It takes courage to reject someone who has demonstrated extraordinary gifts.

Parashat Re'eh: The tyranny of ‘one’ truth

 Moses is seen breaking the Tablets after coming down from Mount Sinai.

Parashat Eikev: With respect for the past

REMBRANDT'S MOSES with the Ten Commandments

Parashat Eikev: The things we step on


Parashat Matot-Masei: The gravitas of gratitude

Moses, the father of the nation, paved a path for generations to come: Nothing justifies an act of ingratitude. Ingratitude is never warranted in any situation.

 An illustrative image of a note saying 'Today I Am Grateful.'

Parashat Pinchas: Every Jew is torn between hope and history

Moses does not stand alone on Nevo – we stand with him. Together, we gaze toward a future we build but may never fully enter. Together with him, many Jews look toward a land they may never cross.

 An illustrative image of a man in a robe on a mountaintop with the sun shining.

Parashat Pinchas: Zealotry: The impetus to do the right thing

The story of Pinchas reminds us that even someone who once acted boldly in zeal can also become a leader of peace and understanding.

 Phinehas slaying Zimri and Kozbi, Jeremias van Winghe (1578–1645).

Parashat Balak: Others’ privacy is sacrosanct

Compassionate eyes and a kind heart – yes. Probing eyes and a gossiping tongue – no.

 Balaam and the donkey

Parashat Chukat: Simple faith

Faith – even when things don’t make sense. Faith – even when life is hard. Even when we have questions, we will always remain steadfast in our beliefs.

 The red heifers brought to Israel from Texas.

Parashat Chukat: Red ashes, endless skies

The war with Iran was something else entirely. It was swift. It was decisive. It was beyond imagination. It felt branded by God Himself.

 REMAINS OF a ballistic missile fired from Iran in the recent war, June 29, 2025.

A Jew is never stuck: Embracing resilience in times of crisis - opinion

Beyond the Headlines: A weekly glimpse into the Israel you won’t read about in the news

Israelis arrive to the train station from Ben Gurion International Airport as the first flights back to Israel started since its civilian airspace was closed last week, in Tel Aviv, Israel, June 18, 2025.

Parashat Korah: ‘An elevated place in Gehenna’

What is repentance? It is a small, good thought filled with love – the kind of thought that saved the sons of Korah from a tragic fate; a moment of introspection that can save any Jew from harm.

 ‘THE PUNISHMENT of the Sons of Korah’ by Sandro Botticelli, c. 1481-1482.

Parashat Shelach: Seeing giants, choosing hope

The 10 spies teach us what happens when fear rules the heart. The ma’apilim teach us of the danger of forcing reality to revive an old fantasy.

 An illustrative image of a grasshopper.

Parashat Shelach: Believe in yourselves

The Torah recounts the argument that erupted between the 10 pessimistic spies and Joshua and Caleb, the two optimistic ones.

 The Grapes of Canaan by James Tissot (circa 1900). Although the 12 spies brought back a cluster of grapes so large that it took two men to carry it, only two of the 12 brought back a good report of the land.