Moses
Why Was Moses’ Arm Stricken With “Leprosy”?
Leviticus goes into great detail concerning the disease of tzaraat, a spiritual malady that is similar to leprosy in presentation. But the first time this disease is described in the Bible is when Moses first encounters God at the Burning...
What Did Moses Actually See When God Showed Him His Back?
There is no doubt that Moses was close to God, even speaking with Him “face to face, as one man speaks to another” (Exodus 33:11). But Moses wanted even more and requested, “Oh, let me behold Your Presence!” (33:18). God assented to His...
Do Jews Have Horns?
After coming down from Mount Sinai, Moses’ face was so radiant that he had to wear a mask when speaking with people: And when Moshe had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. Whenever Moshe went in before Hashem to...
What Made Amalek So Evil?
The Hebrews are attacked by the Amalekites in Rephidim. Joshua is ordered by Moses to lead Israel in battle, and Moses watches from a hillside with the staff of God in his hand. When Moses' hand is raised, Israel prevails, but when it is...
Was Midian the Cradle of the Exodus or the Enemy of Israel?
After killing an Egyptian taskmaster, Moses fled Egypt and ran to Midian where, according to the sages, he lived in exile for 40 years. While in Midian, he married Zipporah, the daughter of Midianite priest Jethro, also known as Reuel....
How the Burning Bush Foreshadowed the Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai
The Burning Bush described in this week’s Torah portion has become the archetypal symbol of the divine call to action. Referred to in theology as a theophany, the bush was the appearance of the infinite God in a form that is visible to...
Weekly Torah Portion: Vessels in the Service of God
Chapter 8 in Leviticus discusses the anointing of Aaron and his sons as priests in the Tabernacle and the anointing of the Tabernacle itself. The process is very detailed. The first step is the washing of both Aaron and his sons. Then...
Weekly Torah Portion: God is a Gracious Host
The closing chapters of the Book of Exodus complete the section that deals with the construction of the Tabernacle. The last verses are particularly interesting. Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord...
Weekly Torah Portion: A Generous Heart
This week’s Torah portion opens with Moses’ instruction to the Children of Israel to donate items for the construction of the Tabernacle and its various vessels. It echoes the very similar commandment that God gave to Moses in Chapter...
Weekly Torah Portion: A Man, not a Superhero
This week’s portion begins with the commandment to conduct a census among the Children of Israel through the donation of a half shekel. Other commandments follow, but the focus of the portion is the story of the Golden Calf. It has...
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