shalom

The High Price of Peace

Parashat Pinchas (Numbers 25:10-30:1)

In last week’s portion we learned about the prophet Balaam and how he was not able to curse Israel in a direct manner. Every time he opened his mouth to curse Israel, it would be filled with blessings instead. Nevertheless, at the end of last week’s Torah portion we learned that Moab was somehow able to have a destructive impact on the Children of Israel:

Parashat Pinchas - Numbers 25:10-30:1

The Price of Peace

In last week’s portion we learned about the prophet Balaam and how he was not able to curse Israel in a direct manner. Every time he opened his mouth to curse Israel, it would be filled with blessings instead. Nevertheless, at the end of last week’s Torah portion we learned that Moab was somehow able to have a destructive impact on the Children of Israel:

Shalom Bayit

Parashat Nasso - Numbers 4:21 - 7:89

Babies. Isn't that what naturally comes to your mind after reading this week's Torah portion? Confused? Let me explain.

This week's reading contains an unusual ritual, the testing of the sotah (the wayward wife). This is a strange and even fantastical ritual, quite foreign and bizarre to the modern mind. To the modern ear it appears to be more akin to alchemy than biblical instruction. It goes like this: 

Blessed Are The Peacemakers

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), Yeshua challenges his disciples in many areas of life. In his longest recorded sermon, he reveals the will of the Father in relationship to how the principles of Torah should be lived out.  This lengthy teaching begins with what has been labeled as the Beatitudes.  These are short, pithy sayings in which the Master praises a particular character trait or behavior and associates it with a reward or gives the result of such action.

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