Where Did Balaam Go Wrong?
“See that big guy over there? Aren’t you glad I saved you from him?” “What are you talking about? He never touched me.” “Yeah, but what he wanted to do to you was really awful.” “You mean he wanted to beat me up?” “No. What he wanted to...
Can We Bring Sacrifices Without a Temple?
The Torah goes to great lengths to mandate that all Jews must only bring sacrifices to the same place; the Tabernacle (wherever it stands), and, later, the Temple in Jerusalem. Speak to Aharon and his sons and to all B'nei Yisrael and...
Will the Sacrifices Be Reinstated in the Third Temple?
The Torah states explicitly that the mitzvoth (commandments) are eternal, to be performed by all generations of Jews after the revelation at Mount Sinai. This was clearly stated in several places: Concealed acts concern Hashem our God;...
The Portion of Tzav
Our portion provides additional details regarding the sacrificial rites discussed in last week’s portion. God instructs both the priests and the people, via Moses, on proper conduct with the various offerings they may encounter. ...
The Book of Leviticus
Following the inspirational narrative of Bereishit (Genesis) and the exciting stories of Shemot (Exodus), the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus), at first glance, fails to live up to its two dramatic precursors. The name Leviticus comes from...
The Portion of Vayikra
The portion of Vayikra opens where the book of Exodus left off; after God’s glory descends to the Tabernacle, Moses cannot enter, therefore God has to call to him to come forward. The portion, like most of the book of Leviticus, continues...