Parshat Balak(Numbers 22:2 – 25:9) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “I see it but not now; I look at it, but it is not near. A star has stepped forth from Jacob and a scepter-bearer has risen from Israel; [Israel] will pierce and vanquish the nobles of Moab….” [Num. 24:17]. The interaction of Jew and Gentile is a prominent theme in …
Parshat Chukat(Numbers 19:1 – 22:1) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel — “This is the statute of the law which God commanded, saying, ‘Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer’” [Num. 19:1–2]. One of the most profound mysteries of the Bible is the rite of the red heifer, called a chok (statute) because it …
Parshat Korach(Numbers 16:1 – 18:32) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel: “And Korah, the son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehat, the son of Levi took Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eliav… and they rose up in confrontation before Moses…” (Numbers 16:1, 2) Why didn’t the Israelites rise up against the rebels who dared defy Moses, the …
Parshat Shelach(Numbers 13:1 – 15:41) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel: “’ … And you shall strengthen yourselves, and you shall take from the fruits of the land’. And the days were season of the first grapes.” (Numbers 13: 20) Between the lines of the Bible, we glimpse the profound difficulties – and even tragedy – of Moses …
Parshat Behaalotcha(Numbers 8:1 – 12:16) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel — “The nation was ‘kvetching’ evilly in the ears of the Lord, and the Lord heard, and His anger inflamed” [Num. 11:1]. Why is there a marked difference between God’s reaction to the complaints recorded here in the Book of Numbers compared to His reaction to …
Parshat Naso(Numbers 4:21 – 7:89) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – Who was the target audience for the Ten Commandments? Our Biblical portion this week speaks of the ongoing voice of the Divine, which continues to be heard from within the Sanctuary (Mishkan) on a continual basis after the Divine Revelation, which has just been heard by the entire …
Parshat Bamidbar (Numbers 1:1-4:20) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel: “Count the heads of the entire witness-congregation of Israel” (Numbers 1:2). The Book of Numbers opens with a most optimistic picture of a nation poised for redemption. The Israelites have been freed from Egypt with great miracles and wonders. They have received the Revelation …
Parshat Behukotai (Leviticus 26:3-27:34) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – What is the truest definition of freedom? I believe that an exploration of a difference of interpretation between two Talmudic Sages on a phrase in our Torah portion will shed a great deal of light on these fundamental existential questions. Commenting on the verse which …
Parshat Behar-Behukotai (Leviticus 25:1-27:34) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers”. (Lev.25:23) “You must not defile the Land upon which you live and in the midst of which I (God) dwell, since I (God), dwell in …
Parshat Behar (Leviticus 25:1-26:2) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “When you come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a Sabbath unto the Lord” (Lev. 25:2). What does it mean to be free? The first part of this week’s portion, Behar, begins with the laws of Shemitah, ordaining that every seventh year the land must rest …