Bamidbar

Parshas בַּמִדְבָּר Dad’s Army צַב: covered carriage, turtle צְבִי: deer, desire, splendor צָבָה: to swell צָבָא: army ה’ צְבָא-וֹת: Lord...

When detailing the laws of the Nazirite, the Torah forbids him from cutting his hair by stating, “A razor (taar) shall not pass over his...

A Crown is a Crown Malbim defines these three words by explaining the differences in their physical properties. He explains that an...

Parshas נָשֹׂא The Greater the Responsibility, the Greater the Load נָשֹׂא: raise, carry נָשִׂיא: prince מַשַׂא: burden, a load...

This week's Torah portion discusses the highly unusual opportunity to fulfil a biblical precept -the Passover offering- who's...

The Torah relates that not long after the Jews left Mount Sinai, the erev rav — who were the “mixed-multitudes” of Egyptians that joined...

The Torah mentions a special prayer which Moshe would say when the Ark of the Covenant would begin to travel (we say this prayer when...

Parshas בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ Only the Poor Get Answered — Who Is Rich, Who Is Poor? עַנָוָה: humble עוֹנִי: affliction עֹנֶה: answer, testimony...

Shelach: Pardon Me? לע“נשלמהבנימיןבןרפאלתנצב“ה Three words are used to generally describe forgiveness and atonement: סליחה, מחילה, כפרה....

Spy versus Spy Conventional linguists trace the origins of the English word “tourist” to the Old French word tourner (“to turn”)....

Parshas שְׁלַח If You Love Someone, Set Him Free שְׁלַח: send שֻׁלְחָן: table שְׁלַח: Send שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים וְיָתֻרוּ אֶת אֶרֶץ...

Following the start of Korach's mutiny, Moses told him to bring an incense offering, קטורת in Hebrew. Why was קטורת chosen as an...

The Land Down Under When relating the story of Korach and his household being miraculously swallowed into the ground, the Torah (Numbers...

Parshas קֹרַח Grave Questions, Grave Implications שׁוֹאֵל: borrow שָׁאוּל: King Shaul שְׁאֵלָה: question שְׁאוּל: grave וַיֵּרְדוּ הֵם...

Following the Israelites' murmuring against the manna sent from heaven, God dispatched snakes to bite them. The word "נשיכה" appears only...

Afraid of Fright or Ready to Fight The social sciences like psychology and sociology seek to quantify man’s reactions to various types of...

Parshas חֻקַּת The Kiss of Death שֹׁקֶה: irrigate, saturate, quench תְּשׁוּקָה: desire, longing מַשְׁקֶה: liquid, drink שׁוּק: market...

Someone sent me the following question: Anyone knows why do doubt and satisfaction, ספק וסיפוק, share the same Hebrew root? Answer: very...

Numbers 22:32 – And the angel of the Lord said to him, Why did you strike your she-donkey these three times? Behold, I went out to...

The bulk of the Torah portion "Balak" concerns Bilaam cursing Israel. The primary word used for cursing though is the highly unsual term...

The Torah says, “A judge shall you not curse and a prince/king in your nation shall you not curse” (Ex. 22:27). This passage forbids...

Parshas בָּלָק This Is the End, Beautiful Friend, the End קֵץ: end מִקֵץ: the end קָצָה detestable שִׁקְצְה: goya/non-Jewish woman...

Article abstract for Parashat Pinchas: Moses is commanded: " צרור (oppress / distress) the Midianites… for they have oppressed you." The...

United We Fast The prophet Zechariah (Zech. 9:19) foretells of a time when the four fast days will be turned into holidays days of joy...

Parshas פִּינְחָס The Ultimate Destination שָׁלוֹם: peace שָׁלֵם: complete, whole מְשַׁלֵם: pay שׁלֹמֹה: Solomon יְרוּשָׁלַיִם:...

“And if her father deterred (הניא) her… and G-d will forgive her because her father deterred (הניא) her” (Num. 30:6). “And if, on the day...

This week’s installment features two words which are not only synonyms, but also homonyms. The word mateh sometimes means “tribe” (almost...

Parshas מַטּוֹת Extending Hashem’s Hand in the World מַטֶּה: tribe, branch מַטֶּה: stick נוֹטֶה: to lean, to stretch out from, to deviate...

This shall be for you the northern border: from the Great Sea תְּתָאוּ to Mount Hor. From Mount Hor תְּתָאוּ to the approach to Hamath …...

Twin Cities: Zion and Jerusalem Many of us never stopped to think about the names Zion and Jerusalem. We may have always assumed that the...

Parshas מַסְעֵי Inheriting the Watered Garden נַחַלָה: inheritance נְחִיל: swarm of bees נְּחִילוֹת: musical instrument נַחַל: stream...