Bamidbar: Turning Numbers into a Nation
The English name of the fourth book of the Torah, “Numbers,” suggests a dry accounting project: lists, totals, statistics. In Hebrew, though, the book is called Bamidbar—“In the Wilderness”—a […]
From Exodus to Altar: The Journey of Matza
On Pesach, matza is the bread of being taken out of Egypt; in Leviticus, matza is the bread of coming close to God. The same simple, unleavened bread quietly […]
The Super Bowl Sticky Note Ad Wasn’t Meant for Us
Many American Jews have seen the commercial that aired during the Super Bowl called “Sticky Note.” If you haven’t seen or heard of it, you can click below to […]
Smicha
On Shavuot, I had the privilege of teaching at my synagogue’s Tikkun Leil Shavuot, the traditional all-night study session. As my ordination ceremony was scheduled for the following week, I […]
Why was God angry at Bilaam?
This week’s Torah portion, Balak, stands out in the book of Numbers. While most of the narrative in the Torah focuses on the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the Jordan […]
Sefirah and Sefirot
Beginning on the second day of Passover, Jews begin to count the Omer, in Hebrew, Sefirat HaOmer. The Omer was a special offering of barley that was brought to the […]
Wait… Passover can start on Saturday night???
While the first Seder (or the only seder in Israel) CAN happen on a Saturday night, it is not a common occurrence. It only happens 11 or 12 times in […]