Parsha Mattot-Masei

This week’s parsha is Mattot-Masei: Numbers 30:2-36:13 Mattot (30:2-32:42) – (Tribes): Haftorah: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 (Ashkenazi); Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 (Sephardi) 30:2-17: Vows and oaths 31:42-47: The people’s share 31:1-12: The battle against Midian 31:48-54: The commanders 31:13-20: Moses rebukes the officers 32:1-5:…

Parsha Pinchas

This week’s parsha is Pinchas: Numbers 25:10-30:1 Pinchas (25:10-30:1) – (Phineas): Haftorah: I Kings 18:46-19:21 (Ashkenazi); I Kings 18:46-19:21 (Sephardi) 25:10-15: Phinehas’ zealotry 28:9: The mussaf offerings 25:16-18: A new attitude toward Midian 28:10: Sabbath 26:1-50: The new census 28:11-15:…

Judaism 101: What is the Midrash?

In Rabbinic Judaism, the Midrash is the body of homiletic stories told by Jewish rabbinic sages to explain passages in the Tanakh. Midrash is a method of interpreting biblical stories that goes beyond simple distillation of religious, legal, or moral…

Parsha Balak

This week’s parsha is Balak: Numbers 22:2-25:9 Balak (22:2-25:9) – (Balak): Haftorah: Micah 5:6-6:8 (Ashkenazi); Micah 5:6-6:8 (Sephardi) 22:2-19: Balaam 23:11-17: Balak’s anger 22:20-22: God’s ambiguous permission 23:18-24: Balaam’s second blessing 22:23-27: God impedes Balaam’s path 23:25-30: Balak’s anger and…

Parsha Chukat

This week’s parsha is Chukat: Numbers 19:1-22:1 Chukat (19:1-22:1) – (Decree): Haftorah: Judges 11:1-33 (Ashkenazi); Judges 11:1-33 (Sephardi) 19:1-22: The Red Cow 20:27-29: Aaron’s death and Elazar’s ascension 20:1-3: Miriam’s death and the lack of water 21:1-4: Amalek attacks 20:4-5:…

The Mitzvah of Tzitzit and Women

Speak to the Israelite people and instruct them to make for themselves tzitzit on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe of each corner. (Numbers 15:38)1 You shall make…

Parsha Korach

This week’s parsha is Korach: Numbers 16:1-18:32 Korach (16:1-18:32) – (Korach): Haftorah: I Samuel 11:14-12:22 (Ashkenazi); I Samuel 11:14-12:22 (Sephardi) 16:1-11: Rebellion in the Wilderness 17:15-26: A new proof of Aaron’s greatness 16:12-19: Moses summons Dathan and Abiram 17:27-28: The…

Parsha Shelach

This week’s parsha is Shelach: Numbers 13:1-15:41 Shelach (13:1-15:41) – (Send): Haftorah: Joshua 2:1-24 (Ashkenazi); Joshua 2:1-24 (Sephardi) 13:1-15: The command to send spies to Eretz Yisrael 14:26-39: God spells out the decree 13:16-26: Moses prays for Joshua 14:40-45: A…