In this week’s parsha we have the first of several poems the Children of Israel used to sing about their time in the desert. Some of them were clearly written down, along with others in a book called “The Book of the Battles of God.” They do not make sense. The names they refer to (Chapter 21. Verse 14 etc.)…
Author: Jeremy Rosen
Who Do You Fight?
We come to the start of the invasion of Canaan. As the Children of Israel approach they first encounter Edom (descendants of Esav). They send ambassadors asking for permission to pass through. They stress their family ties and expect some reciprocity or at least no opposition. They offer to compensate them for anything they use on the way. Edom refuses…
Korah the Man
Korah and his co-conspirators rebelled against Moses and Aaron, claiming that they were perverting religious authority and arrogating authority to themselves. “We know better” he and his co-conspirators said, “we are the rightful authority not you.” Indeed, they use words similar to those used by Moses himself several chapters earlier, when he said in response to Joshua “Don’t worry about…
Falling on Your Face
Several times when Moses is challenged in the Torah and he fears for his life, the text says Vayipol Al Panav “And he fell on his face.” What does this mean? Does it literally mean he fell flat on his face? That must have hurt and we are commanded not to hurt ourselves. I don’t think we are meant to…
Tzitzit
These weeks we read a series of chapters that deal with errors of human judgment and poor choices. The impact of such mistakes is often far greater than we envision or anticipate. At the end of last week, we read about Tsitzit, the fringes they used to wear on their outer garments which were like square blankets with a hole…
Censors and staffs
I never understood how it was that Korah and his crew were willing undergo a test before God to see who was right. You recall that Nadav and Avihu the sons of Aaron had taken it upon themselves to challenge Aaron’s authority and had brought their own incense to the dedication of the Tabernacle. Fire fell from heaven and consumed…