17 Lessons
Chukat There Are No Shortcuts
The connection between this week's Haftarah reading (from the Books of the Prophets) and the Torah portion of Hukat is very clear. In both of them we read how the Emorite king, Sichon, refused to allow Israel to pass through his land on our way to the Promised Land – paving the way for Israel to defeat him in battle...
Chukat What Happened in Meidva?
Our parasha, in its poetic part, describing the geopolitical situation, mentions a city called Meidva as a central city in the Moavite region of Transjordan. Surprisingly, though, in Divrei Hayamim, Meidva is described as a city of Amon, not Moav. Let us explain what might have happened.
Parashat Hashavua Holy Talk is Not Cheap
why did Moshe not merit to enter Eretz Yisrael? Considering that the Torah says the reason is Moshe’s misstep by hitting the rock to have its waters flow, another way to present the question is: what was so bad about hitting the rock?
Parashat Hashavua Why to Be Afraid or Not Be Afraid of Og – part I
Moshe was threatened by Og, the King of Bashan, and his army and was successful in conquering. Before this happened, though, Hashem reassured Moshe: “Do not fear for I have given him over to your hand …” (Bamidbar 21:34). Considering all of the great challenges that Moshe overcame before this, why did Moshe require such emotional support? We will take a look at the historical phenomenon of which Og was a part, from the time of Avraham until the time of David.
Parashat Hashavua Being Above, Not Below
We have discussed in the past Bnei Yisrael’s relationship with the nation of Edom. Now we will take a look at Moav’s relationship with Edom, as portrayed by Amos: “For the three sins of Moav, and for the fourth I will not let them be – on the fact that they burned the bones of the King of Edom into lime” (Amos 2:1).
Chukat The King’s Clothes …
The significance of the passing of Aharon’s clothes to Elazar, before the former’s death, of which we read this week, represents passing on his job and the authority of the Kohen Gadol from father to son. We have explained in the past that when Melachim begins with David’s lack of benefit from the warming powers of his clothes, it means that he had a problem passing on his kingdom to his heir apparent. That is why Chazal understood that David was criticized for cutting off the edge of Shaul’s garment when hiding in a cave as Shaul pursued him (Shmuel I, 24:4-5). It is not simple that he should be criticized, considering that he could have killed Shaul instead. According to what we have said, the matter is clear. Kingdom is something that one needs to receive, not take. By cutting off the piece of the garment, he was demonstrating taking it by force from Shaul, and this was wrong even as a symbolic act.
Chukat "This is the Chuka of the Torah”
Few names of a parasha have inspired as much deep contemplation as that of Chukat, which begins with the words, “This is the chuka of the Torah".