Mindful Torah...and more

This week we read Parshat D'varim the first parashah (portion) in the book of D'varim /Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22). The Book of D'varim consists primarily of three addresses that Moses makes to the people of Israel before he dies and they enter the Promised Land. These addresses are part spiritual preparation, part ethical will and part reminder and warning. During his first address, Moses reminds the Israelites of  40 years earlier at Kadesh-barnea , when he sent 12 spies to scout out the Promised Land. However, the version he tells here differs greatly from the original telling in Be'midbar/ Numbers (13:1-14:45). In the original telling God commands Moses to appoint one scout from each of the 12 tribes to reconnoiter the land and bring back a report. When they return, they all agree that the land is flowing with milk and honey. However, 10 out of the 12 spies report that the people there are like giants and that they will not be able to conquer them. Only...

Well, it's deja vu all over again!  Here is the commentary for this week that I accidentally posted last week! --------------------------------- I was looking through some past divrei torah (Torah commentaries) and discovered this one from four years ago.  Though the situation in Israel and the Palestinian territories has changed much since then, I believe that the message of this d'var torah still holds true today. Let us pray that the time of peace will arrive and commentaries like this will no longer be necessary. Shabbat Shalom, Steven Commentary on Matot-Masei 5766 (2006) This week we conclude the reading of the book of Be'midba r/Numbers with the double parashah /portion of Matot-Masei (30:2-36:13). In Parshat Matot we read of the laws given to the Israelites concerning the making of vows, as well as a description of the war against the Midianites. It concludes with Moses resolving a request by the tribes of Gad and Reuben to live on the "other side of t...

So I was looking at my calendar thinking that it was July 9th, even though the month just started yesterday!  So, of course, it's Matot-Masei.  If I had just remembered that last we ended the reading with the story of Pinchas I would have remembered that it's Pinchas this week.  Oh well, it's been a hectic week. So here is a poem that I wrote a couple years ago for Pinchas.  I don't have time to edit it before Shabbat, but I hope you enjoy it.  And save Matot-Masei's commentary for next week, as I won't be able to post then. Shabbat Shalom, Steven Pinchas Numbers/Bemidbar 25:10 – 30:1 It begins by mentioning an incident that occurred at the end of last week’s parashah where Pinchas, son of Eleazar the priest and grandson of Aaron slays the Israelite man Zimri and the Midianite woman Cozbi after they enter a tent to have sexual relations. This takes place after the text tells us that the Midianites have led the Israelites into whoring, both in terms...

This week's parasha /portion is Balak ( Be ' midbar /Numbers 22:2-25:9).  In this narrative, Balak king of Midian, hires the magician Bilaam to curse the Israelites. However, no matter how hard he might try, he may only utter words of praise provided him by God. On his way to Balak, Bilaam encounters a fiery angel on the path. However, Bilaam does not see the angel. Only his donkey, who stops in his tracks and refuses to move, sees it. Finally, after Bilaam begins to beat the donkey in order to get him to move, the donkey miraculously begins to speak. To paraphrase, he says "you've known me all these years! Doesn't the fact that I stopped dead in my tracks tell you that something is wrong? Open your eyes!" In reading this section, the old adage "never assume" came to mind. And so, this midrashic poem on the parashah.  I did publish this poem last year on the blog.  However, I have edited and refined it further and so I wanted to sh...

This  week's parashah, Hukkat  (Bemidbar/Numbers 19:122:1),  begins with the description of the ritual slaughter of the red heifer by Eleazar the priest. The ashes of the heifer are then to be mixed together with water, hyssop, crimson thread and other ingredients in order to make a solution that will be used to purify those who have becometamei/ritually impure (for lack of a better translation) through contact with a corpse. Following the description of the ritual slaughter of the red heifer, we read of the death of Miriam the prophet, sister of Moses and Aaron. Immediately following her death the people cry out to Moses that they have no water to drink This passage is most likely the origin of the ancient rabbinic legend of Miriam’s Well, that sustained the people through their years in the desert and dried up following Miriam’s death. As the people cry out to the bereaved Moses and Aaron for water, God instructs them to speak to a rock in order to b...

Dear online kehillah (community), I have not been sending out my psalm commentaries this week at first because of time issues and then computer issues. I will try to send at least one out this week in addition to my Torah commentary. The truth is that much of June and July are going to be quite hectic. I will do my best to keep up with the weekly parashah (Torah portion) and eventually finish up the daily psalm commentaries, but not on as regular basis as usual. On another note, I am scheduling Shabbat and weekend teaching opportunities for 5771 (aka 2010-2011).   If you would like to bring me to your community as a scholar in-residence please be in touch - or pass along my information to the people who make those decisions in your community. I hope you are all enjoying your summer so far. B'shalom, Steven

הסירותי מסבל שכמו כפיו מדוד תעברנה I removed the burden from his shoulder; his hands were freed from the jug. Why do the earlier verses in the psalm tell us to rejoice ?  We are not really told.  This verse provides one possible answer.  We are commanded to rejoice because God has freed him from slavery.  But who is the "him" to which the verse refers?  Most translations use the plural "they" instead.  But I want to stick with the original Hebrew In looking at the preceding verse, perhaps this verse refers to Joseph.   God has released Joseph from being burdened and God has freed his hands from the jug.  But what does this mean?  Joseph had not been enslaved for years! Perhaps, the burden that was removed from Joseph was the burden of his ego.  We know from the narrative in Genesis that Joseph was indeed an egotistical young man, thanks in part to his father's preferential treatment. After everything that Joseph went following b...