Israel and The Sin of Expulsion

Our Parsha Bamidbar deals with the numbers crunching of the census taken “on the first of the second month, in the second year after their exodus from… Mitzriyim.” (Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 1, posuk 1)

This author addressed the transference of the Kehuna (priesthood) from the first-borns to the Kohanim in vorts on Parshat Ki Tisa in successive years.

But the Kehuna was not all that was taken from the first-born after the Eigel Zahav — the golden calf. The census of our parsha Bamidbar reveals that Hashem kavei’yokel (as He is) transferred, replaced, or as the word is used in the parsha — “redeemed”, the Kedusha of the first-borns through the Levi’im. Our parsha states (Artscroll Chumash rendering of Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 3, posukim 11-12): read more

Our Parsha Bechukotai is but another in the series of Parshiyot usually paired with the one it preceeds as a doubleheader, in this case Parsha Behar.

In Parshat Behar, Hashem instills in us to parallel the laws of Shabbos: six days you shall work and you shall rest, refrain from all
manner of avodah on the seventh day… to keep it Holy, just as in emulation of Hashem’s creation of the universe; with the laws of
Shemittoh: ‘I will command My blessing during the sixth year and it will provide produce for three years’ we see beyond the Hatam Sofer’s explanation that: read more

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Rashi asks a critical question on the very first posukim of our Parsha:

“Hashem spoke to Moshe on Har Sinai, saying: Speak to the B’nai Yisrael, and say to them: When you come to the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a Shabbat to Hashem.” (Parsha Behar, Vayikra Perek 25, posukim 1 & 2)

Rashi asks why the laws of Shemittoh are singled out as having been given at Sinai. Were not all of the Mitzvot said at Sinai?” He answers that just as all of the Mitzvot; their general rules and their specifics were taught at Sinai, so too were the general rules and specifics regarding Shemittoh taught at Sinai. Rashi then reasons that the posuk comes to teach us that every utterance said to Moshe, they were all from Sinai. (Rashi on Parsha Behar, Vayikra Perek 25, posuk 1) read more

The positioning in Torah of our Parsha Emor, following last week’s Parsha Kedoshim gives rise to thought and contemplation. In the previous 2 twin Parshas; Acharei Mos and Kedoshim, and Tazria and Metzora before them, we learn about the Kohen as the only one Divinely invested with ruling as to Tumah or Ta’Hara regarding ones’ skin, hair, clothing or homes as well as with being the vehicle for Yom Kippur avodah in the Kadosh Kedoshim and as the model, the paradigm of the Darchim for the entire B’nai Yisrael to emulate as a model for all mankind. read more