Moses, having set out the prologue and preamble to the covenant and its broad guiding principles, turns in our parsha, Re’eh, to the details, which occupy the greater part of the book of … more

Parshat Achrei Mot-Kedoshim By Rabbi Avi Billet Issue of April 23, 2010/ 9 Iyar, 5770 Media pundits and missionaries are famous for taking quotations out of context in order to promote their … more

Any serious student of history will recognize that there are moments, all too rare, when a door stands open, waiting for a person, a people, or even the entire world to walk through, and change life as we know it, forever. more

The final pasuk of our parasha is somewhat difficult to understand: “Moses spoke to the children of Israel in accordance with all that the L-rd had commanded Moses.” (Sefer Bamidbar 30:1) … more

What brought about the deaths of Aharon’s older sons in this week’s parsha, Shmini? Most discussions analyze the specific nature of the particular service they were performing. Were they … more

This week’s haftarah for parashat Devarim is taken from the first chapter of Sefer Yeshayahu. As befitting the Shabbat immediately before Tisha b’Av, much of its message is very dark and … more

It was the kind of thing you would hear from old men. “Things just ain’t the way they used to be.” “This new generation is going to hell in a handbasket.” “I … more

Tragedy has struck. Aharon’s two older sons are dead, victims of their own efforts in bringing a ‘strange fire’ into the Mishkan. Now their corpses must be removed from a room only their father and brothers may enter, yet these very people are the ones who are prevented from entering because they have a job to do, and responsibilities which can not fall by the wayside – the inevitable outcome of their becoming “tameh” through contact with the deceased. more

In the Midrash Rabba’s introduction to Megillat Eichah (paragraph 4), Rabbi Abahu compares the experience of the nation of Israel in the land and being exiled to the experience of the first identified man in the Torah, Adam. “Like Adam, they violated the covenant.” Adam was placed in the garden, was commanded, he violated the command, was judged, expelled, and G-d lamented over his downfall. Israel had the same experience: brought into Israel, commanded, they violated the command, they were judged and expelled. G-d lamented over their downfall. more

The untimely and supernatural death of Aharon’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, is one of the focal points of Shemini, this week’s parasha. Following this narrative passage, we are met with two … more