Weekly Torah Commentary
Institutionalizing Freedom
The combination of Moses' vision and Korach's organizing skills is an instructive model for successful coalition building.
On This Day God Calls To You
Parashat Nitzavim teaches us the importance of viewing ourselves as partners in a dialogue with God.
Highest Standards
Because of his position of leadership, Moses is judged extremely harshly when he sins.
Interpretive Independence
The Torah expects us to be our own autonomous interpreters of divine will, turning to Jewish legal experts only when we reach our limits of understanding.
No Neutrality: Silence Is Assent
The laws of nullifying vows teach us that our silence and inaction in the face of contemporary injustice and oppression is akin to assenting to it.
Seeing Their Faces But Not Their Doors
The Israelites' dwellings in the wilderness provide us with a model for ensuring the existence and dignity of housing for all members of society.
Not Seeing Is The Sin
Like Balaam, we should open our eyes to seeing the problematic paths we take in life.
Selfish Revolution
Korach and his followers masked their quest for personal power and gain as a desire for an egalitarian, democratic society.
The Morning After
Following the deaths of Korach and his followers, Aaron stands between the Angel of Death and the Israelites.
The Eyes Have It
The commandment of tzitzit (fringes) reminds us to enhance our vision with faith and see new possibilities.