Weekly Torah Reading

Not by Bread Alone   The expression “Not by bread alone” has certainly gotten around: it is, among other things, the name of a website promoting a farmer’s market in Green Bay, Wisconsin; the title of a Russian novel by …

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The Real Shema According to one rabbinic tradition, when the “men of Jericho” recited the Shema, they would say it in a slightly different way from that followed by Jews nowadays. They would “bind it” with what follows; that is, …

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Alas! This week’s reading, from the beginning of the book of Deuteronomy, is always read on the Shabbat preceding the Ninth of Av (Tish‘ah be-Av), a day of mourning that commemorates the destruction of the first and second temples in …

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Slow Justice   One of the most widespread legal principles in the ancient world was the lex [or “ius”] talionis, the law [or “right”] of retribution. A person who, for example, injured someone was to be punished by suffering the …

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What Happened to Phinehas?   Last week’s Torah reading ended with Phinehas (the common English spelling of Hebrew Pinhas) slaying a flagrantly offending couple in the sight of all Israel, thereby turning back God’s wrath. This week’s reading opens with …

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Leave Us Alone   In this week’s Torah reading, the pagan seer Balaam is hired to curse the people of Israel, but every time he tries, he ends up blessing them instead. In the first of these blessings he says …

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Thanks to Miriam   Note: For an explanation of the account of Moses striking the rock (Num 20:6-13), please see “Moses’ Big Mistake” under “Free Stuff” on my website.     Back in the book of Exodus, the Torah recounted …

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The Whole Garment Korah is the villain of this week’s Torah reading, the leader of a foiled rebellion against Moses and Aaron. “Look, all of us are holy,” Korah said to them. By this he meant that he and his …

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