“Because Freedom Can’t Protect Itself”
This year marks Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's twentieth anniversary on the United States Supreme Court. Justice Ginsburg likes to tell her version of a story that has many versions: 1
Awakened as a People, Raised Up as Jews
If you swim off the beaches of Australia, you need to be on the lookout for “blue bottles,” an Aussie nickname for the Portuguese man of war. A blue bottle is not a jellyfish nor is it a single creature.
The Sotah (Suspected Adulteress), the Nazir (Nazirite) and the Kohein (Priest)-How Odd They Should Be Neighbors!
Parashat Naso receives its name from the first word of its second verse (Numbers 4:22). The Hebrew verb naso, typically means "to lift up," but the idiom "lift the heads" has the special meaning of counting heads, or taking a census.
Nahshon, Music, and Shmutz
In Parashat Naso we finally reach the completion of the Tabernacle with all of its elaborate furnishings. The chieftains of each tribe are invited to present offerings for the dedication of the altar, one chieftain per day.
The Burdens That Raise Us Up
Focal Point
But to the Kohathites he [Moses] did not give any [gifts]; since theirs was the service of the [most] sacred objects, their porterage was by shoulder. (Numbers 7:9)
D'var Torah
Jealousy and Suspicion
What can a spouse do if he or she becomes suspicious of his or her mate? On TV dramas, people hire a private eye, but it isn't so simple in real life.
"He Stood between the Dead and the Living"
In the middle of Parashat Korach comes a short story that I find to be one of the most moving in all of Torah. It arrives unexpectedly in the midst of yet another chilling story of rebellion.
To Bless and Be Blessed
Parashat Naso contains several seemingly disparate sections of biblical legislation.
Honor Humanity and Honor the Holy One
Have you ever noted the following from Martin Buber's Ten Rungs, which is included among the meditations at the beginning of Gates of Prayer?