Your actions have cosmic significance. God not only cares about what you do, your actions have an influence in the heavenly realms. In this week’s Torah portion we read, “If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his...
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"Come then, put a curse on this people...For I know that he who you bless is blessed indeed, and he whom you curse is cursed." ...Numbers 22:6 Balaam was a non-Jewish prophet (he talked to God, God gave him instructions) in the days when Israel was wandering in the desert. He is famous as...
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And Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked at the serpent of bronze, he lived. ...Numbers 21:9 He (King Hezekiah) removed the high places...and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses...
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This week's Torah reading, Korach, starts out with Korach and his band of followers challenging the leadership of Moses, saying "Aren't we all holy? Weren't we all at Sinai? What makes you so special?" It's a very troubling story, both for what Korach did -- seeking his own glory -- and for what...
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And the Lord said to Moses, How long will this people provoke me? And how long will it be before they believe me, for all the signs which I have shown among them? …Numbers 14:11 It’s pretty rare to see God seem to get something wrong. Maybe it’s why God gave us free will;...
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This d'var Torah was written for and first published on the Rabbis for Human Rights web site. “And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai” …Numbers 1:1 Open? Or closed? Gather more information? Or is your mind made up already? Heart of stone? Or heart of flesh? This week we begin...
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