The purpose of hardship is to help people remember Hashem. When everything goes smoothly, people tend to forget about Hashem. It shouldn’t be that way. We should remember Hashem during the good times as well to praise Him, but the nature of...
The end of an era. Bnei Yisroel’s forty- year journey through the desert was coming to a close. Forty years of travels, encampments and life lessons, during which members of the older generation passed away. In...
Three times Bilam attempted to curse Beneh Yisrael, and all three times, Hashem forced him to pronounce beautiful blessings, instead. When he made his third and final attempt, he introduced his prophecy by saying, “These are the words of...
Parashat Hukat tells the story of Moshe hitting the rock, and how Hashem punished him severely for this sin, decreeing that he would not enter into the Land of Israel. The most common understanding of this episode is...
Speak to the Rock At last, the moment had arrived. For 40 years they had wandered together in a wilderness. Most of the older generation had already passed on. Even the beloved Miriam was no more. By now,...
The Torah in Parashat Balak tells the famous story of Bilam’s failed attempts to place a curse on Beneh Yisrael. Bilam, a non-Jewish prophet, was summoned by Balak, the king of Moab, who felt threatened by Beneh...
The Torah in Parashat Hukat present the law of Para Aduma – the “red heifer” whose ashes were used to prepare the purifying waters, through which people and objects would be purified after becoming Tameh (impure). In...
When Balak, king of Moav, saw that the great giants Sichon and Og fell to the Bnei Yisroel, he was filled with terror. These giants who were born before the Great Flood and had dinosaur-like dimensions (Sichon was...
When does a restaurant need a mashgiach? How important is the mashgiach? A restaurant always needs a mashgiach. A restaurant owned by a religious Jew, whether it’s meat or dairy, requires a mashgiach...
The whole ceremony of Parah Adumah [Red Heifer] is the q u i n t e s s e n t i a l chok [mitzvah-decree with no apparent reason]. Rashi cites the Medrash that the Satan and...