Jewish Texts

Miriam and Aaron's criticism of Moses, and Miriam's punishment of leprosy teach lessons of sibling and communal responsibility.

The Rabbinic and Hasidic understandings of gossip focus on the impossibility of repairing the damage it causes.

The Israelites' troubles, and indeed our own troubles, begin when we turn away from God.

The nazirite exemplifies actively choosing a sacred status with a higher level of responsibility.

The rabbinic understanding of commerce laws in Behar focuses on ensuring that consumers have access to market information.

We can achieve redemption only when striving for unity, holiness, and justice.

The environmental destruction intended as a punishment for failing to observe the sabbatical year raises contemporary questions of how to prevent environmental devastation.

The prohibition against worshiping idols includes falsely attributing to ourselves power over land.

The Jubilee year encourages us to take time to appreciate our labors and the role God plays in our lives.

The reinterpretation of the term "forever" encourages us to strive for new realities within our own lifetimes.

Jeremiah's deep faith despite the impending exile predicted in Parashat B'hukotai can teach us to turn to God in the most troubling of times.

Incentives to keep the covenant are directed at Israel because of Israel's power, through its behavior, to break the covenant.