Torah Commentary

The severity of the war against the Midianites should motivate us to examine our own behavior and root out our own forms of idolatry.

The laws of vows and the rabbinic cautions against making them teach the holiness and power of the spoken word.

The war against Midian teaches that when Israel does fight wars, they must fight with compassion and a minimum of casualties.

The Levites' city dwellings remind us of the importance of green, agricultural spaces for encountering God's creation.

The Torah and its lessons are always within our reach.

Moses describes the Covenant between God and the Israelites, urging the Israelites to uphold the Covenant and honor the Torah so that they may be rewarded with life in the land of Israel.

Fulfilling the directive to repair the world begins in our own mouths and hearts.

By viewing the troubles and joys of our lives as part of a continuum we can uncover blessings even in the most challenging curses.

The activities for which people are cursed by God directly are those committed in secret.

The two extended warnings for breaking the covenant reflect the changing relationship between the people of Israel and God.