Vayakhel-Pekudei 5775 - English

by Rabbi Guido Cohen

Asociación Israelita Montefiore - Bogotá, Colombia

After reading last week about the golden calf, this week in Parashot Vayahkel and Pekudei, we see the other side of the coin, the construction of the Mishkan.  It was sanctuary that, according to the sages, was meant to expiate for the transgression of the calf and was precisely the antithesis of that episode: the place where the monotheistic Jewish cult was expressed in the desert. 

However, what in particular was the difference between one construction and the other?  Was the calf not a ‘way’ to worship the One and Eternal God of Israel?  Did the Mishkan not have semi-animal figures too within its most sacred space?  

Shabbat Services @KSI

Parashat Matot-Masei - English

Bemidvar - Numbers 30:2 - 36:13 

Rabbi Joshua Kullock
Kol Hakehila
Guadalajara, México

One of the subjects most interesting to our tradition is speech and its effects.  Unlike those who support a vision of language as a tool to describe reality, in Judaism language is understood as the creator of reality.  God creates the world through speech, and we are called to do the same every day through our own actions, including a responsible use of language.

In the first of this week’s parashiot, the Torah speaks about vows and promises.  It is written:  “When a man voweth a vow unto the Lord, or sweareth an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth” (Num. 30:3).

Parashat Pinjas - English

Bemidvar -Nmmbers 25:10-30:1

Rabbi Mario Gurevich

Beth Israel Synagogue – Aruba

Almost forty years since the departure from Egypt.  The people have definitely changed.  They are no longer the freed slaves who clamored for food, moaned for water, and prayed to return to Egypt.  This generation, born in the wilderness, is hardened, strong, aware of their destiny and resolved to carry it out successfully.  But also prone to taste the temptations of freedom.  And this is the subject of the last lines of the previous parashah, where the charm of Moab’s daughters makes Hebrew males feel tempted to emulate their culture and heathen ways.  Which arouses Pinchas’ zeal, grandson of Aaron, who kills one of the couples in question, an act seemingly approved by God.

Parashat Balak - English

God does not choose for us

Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky
B’nei Israel Congregation, Costa Rica

Balak, king of Moab, fears the advance of the people of Israel. He knows that Israel has had several military triumphs in the wilderness, and does not wish to be the next defeated. He understands that he must formulate a plan right away.

Instead of planning to join with other nations as a military strategy, or flee to avoid defeat, Balak decides to hire the professional services of the prophet or warlock Balaam. He sends messages telling him to curse the people of Israel, in the hope that Balaam’s curse will weaken Israel, enabling him to win in the battlefield.

Parashá Jukat - English Version

Bemidvar - Numbers 19:1-22:1
Searching for Miriam’s Well

In this week’s parashah, among other subjects, appears the death of a great female leader of the people of Israel: the prophetess, Miriam haNeviah. It is written in the text:

And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation; and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. (Num. 20:1-2)

Many sages have wondered about the relation between Miriam’s death and the lack of water in the wilderness. It would seem that these subjects have nothing in common; however, many scholars mention a connection.

Parasha Koraj - English

Bemidvar – Numbers 16:1-18:32

In the Middle Ages, there used to be travelling rabbis who passed through small villages and were invited to offer a Divrei Torah (commentary on the Torah reading) before the local congregation. It is said that one of these teachers, who was seemingly not too good a speaker, had prepared the best of sermons about Korah’s story, so that, whatever the parashah of the week might be, he would always deliver it.

When the time came, the rabbi would stand before the parishioners, pull out a handkerchief, dry his forehead and appear to let it fall to the ground. He would then duck down to retrieve it for several seconds and, after a while, he would exclaim: “Good heavens! Seems it was swallowed by the earth! Just as Korah! And speaking of Korah…”

Parashat Shlaj-English

Learning from Bad Experiences

Numbers 13-15

We all know the Minyan institution, which we usually translate as “quorum”. A minyan is a group of ten Jewish adults necessary to the reading of certain prayers, such as the Kaddish, Kedushah, Barchu, and the Torah reading. The Minyan is one of the most extraordinary institutions of Jewish tradition. It encourages Jews to struggle towards getting together; people who pray every day must meet at least twice a day, in order to say the entire prayers, and even those who do not pray often, must gather together in times of distress to be able to recite the Kaddish. The minyan was, and still is, a steadfast concern to the Jews scattered around the world, and has always been one of the reasons of their living in community. The minyan stands against the individualistic and selfish trends that rule modern societies.