Parasha Insights

Morris had passed away. His attorney gathered the family to read his last will.

"To my beloved wife Esther, I leave our home, 150 acres of land, and one million dollars.

To my son Barry, I leave my Lexus and my new Jaguar.

To my daughter Shirley, I leave my yacht and $250,000.

And to my brother-in-law Aaron, who always insisted that health is better than wealth... I leave my treadmill."

The opening verse in Torah portion Devarim is a highlight reel of the Jewish people's darkest moments, the times they doubted G-d, complained against Him, and betrayed His trust.

Yet notice how Moses delivers his rebuke. Instead of listing their sins explicitly, he simply mentions a series of place names:

"In the wilderness... i… Read More »

It is funny, but it raises a serious question.

Why do compliments make us feel so good, while criticism can hurt so much?

And what happens when the criticism is directed not only at us personally, but at the Jewish people and Israel?

This Shabbat we read the portions of Matot and Masei and conclude the book of Bamidbar.

The Jewish people stood at one of the greatest moments in their history.

After forty years in the wilderness, they were finally preparing to enter the Promised Land.

But before crossing the Jordan River, the tribes of Reuven and Gad, who possessed enormous flocks, approached Moshe with an unexpected request.

The fertile land on the eastern side of the Jordan was ideal for their livestock, and they asked permis… Read More »