by Rabbi Margie Cella
Moses again exhorts the people to keep God’s commandments “with all your heart and soul” (26:16). Just as “You have declared the Lord to be your God,” he says, “the Lord has declared...
by Rabbi Margie Cella
Moses reminds the nation of many of God’s commandments. Several concern marriage: a woman taken captive in war shaves her head, cuts her nails, and mourns her parents for a month...
by Rabbi Margie Cella
Moses emphasizes the importance of a judicial system: judges shall be appointed to judge fairly, not taking bribes. He instructs them, צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף…., “Justice, justice shall...
by Rabbi Margie Cella
Moses continues his instructions to the nation: when entering the land, they must destroy all the Canaanite worship places; they are to remain faithful to God and must not worship...
by Rabbi Margie Cella
Moses’ discourse to the nation continues as they are poised to enter the promised land. He exhorts them to remember the deliverance from Egypt and the 40 years in the desert; they...
by Rabbi Margie Cella
This week’s parashah contains a wealth of important passages: the second account of the experience at Horeb (Sinai) when we received the Ten Commandments (5:5-18), as well...
by Rabbi Margie Cella
This parashah begins the fifth and final book of the Torah. The events described here take place in the fortieth year after leaving Egypt: Israel is poised to...
by Rabbi Margie Cella
This week’s double parashah brings us to the end of the book of Numbers, as the nation of Israel prepares to finally take possession of the promised land.
The tribes...
by Rabbi Margie Cella
At the end of Parashat Chukat the men of Israel were being drawn into idolatry and immorality by the women of Moab. The plague was finally stayed when Aaron’s grandson Pinchas...
by Rabbi Margie Cella
Parashat Balak tells the story of the prophet Balaam, who was solicited by the Moabite King Balak to curse Israel. God initially told Balaam not to go with Balak’s men, but ultimately...
