Hukat: Spirituality Needs Body Building

by Baruch Gordon

Baruch Gordon considers why the Red Heifer ritual is mentioned at the end of the 40 years in the desert, as opposed to the rest of the Temple rituals mentioned in Leviticus. Hint: It has to do with body building, not going to the bathroom, and - you guessed it - the Land of Israel.

[3-minute video]

Q&A: Am I Really Responsible for My Soul?

Soul

Q. Why do I, flesh and blood, have to worry about my soul – which actually belongs exclusively to the Creator? Why should I care what happens to it in the Next World? If He wants it to suffer because of sins, so let it suffer! It's His, part of Him, and not connected to me! I know this is wrong, but I can't get it out of my head. Please help me with an answer that will relieve both me and my soul!

Hukat: How To Be An Effective Leader

by Rav Yehuda HaKohen, visionmag.org

Expressing the Jewish people's deepest aspirations can often serve to strengthen Israel’s position on the battlefield. In fact, some of the most valiant Hebrew warriors provide examples for proper “advocacy.”

Maccabees

Korach: Israel's Your Bride, Stay Faithful

by Baruch Gordon

Baruch Gordon compares our relationship to the Land of Israel with the relationship between a man and his wife. In keeping with the analogy presented by a famous kabbalist, Baruch encourages all Jews to embrace our bride, the Land of Israel.

[2.5-minute video]

Q&A: Why Are We in Israel?

Translated by Hillel Fendel

Israeli Flag

Q. Why are there rabbis who say that because G-d exiled us from the Land of Israel, we must remain in Exile until the Mashiach comes. If this is true, what are we doing here in Israel now?

Korach: Equality, Not Uniformity

by Rav Yehuda HaKohen, visionmag.org

Our equality doesn't result from being created identical but rather from the fact that we each have equally crucial functions and important roles to play as part of Israel's greater historic mission.

Korah

Koraḥ – a highly respected Levi and cousin of Moshe – brazenly accused two of history’s greatest leaders of covetously assuming chief positions and elevating themselves above the Children of Israel. In what appeared to be a gallant protest on behalf of the masses, Koraḥ portrayed the Kadosh Barukh Hu’s chosen shepherds as corrupt officials unworthy of their status.“Koraḥ son of Yitzhar son of Kehat son of Levi separated himself, with Datan and Aviram, sons of Eliav, and Ohn son of Pellet, the offspring of Reuven. They stood before Moshe, leaders of the assembly, those summoned for meeting, men of renown. They gathered together against Moshe and against Aharon and said to them, ‘It is too much for you! For the entire assembly – all of them – are holy and HaShem is among them; why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of HaShem?’” (Bamidbar 16:1-3)

But Koraḥ’s populist charade was impure. Equality does not necessitate uniformity and Koraḥ’s accusation that Moshe sought to create a hierarchal system to benefit his family over others ignores the distinct roles and functions within Am Yisrael. Any worthy examination of the special tasks within Israel necessitates starting not from the branches but from the actual tree and its roots. Each of us is a unique expression of the collective Israeli soul – Knesset Yisrael – that shines into our world through millions of Jews in space and time, each with a distinctive function within the context of our historic mission.

Rather than debate the actual roles and tasks of different tribes, it is important to first understand what Israel is, as well as our unique historic mission.

Our equality does not result from being created identical but rather from the fact that we each have equally crucial functions and important roles to play as part of the greater Hebrew mission. Tribesmen of Yehuda cannot be priests and kohanim cannot be kings. Disastrous consequences resulted from King Uzziah burning the k’toret in the Temple and the Hasmonean priests usurping the throne. Not because one role is superior to the other but because every unique part of the Israeli collective must serve the function he or she was Divinely created for.

A healthy attitude fosters the realization that we are each uniquely fashioned for a very specific purpose and one who tries to negate his or her unique function in an effort to usurp the roles of others will ultimately only miss out on the experience of fully expressing his or her true inner essence.

By posing as a champion of the people, Koraḥ endeavored to incite a mutiny meant to advance himself to power in place of Moshe. And worse – by rejecting the Divine selection of Moshe and Aharon, Koraḥ was in fact rejecting the Torah.

Koraḥ was accompanied in his attempted coup d’état by a number of esteemed national leaders, securing for his campaign a stamp of legitimacy. One of his followers, however, appears conspicuously absent from the narrative following his initial introduction.

Ohn son of Pellet had been one of the original leaders of the attempted mutiny yet he is not mentioned in the later confrontations or in the consequences that follow.

The Sages teach (Sanhedrin 109b) that Ohn’s righteous wife successfully persuaded her husband to withdraw from Koraḥ’s group. She said, “What do you have to gain from this? Even if Koraḥ is successful, he will be the High Priest and you will serve him as you currently serve Moshe and Aharon.”

She then prevented Koraḥ from coaxing her husband back into the feud by sitting with her head uncovered outside her family tent. As a Hebrew man, Koraḥ would not permit himself to see a married woman’s hair and, as a result, gave up on the idea of recruiting Ohn back into his inner circle. Due to her wise intervention and willingness to publicly shame herself by exposing her naked hair, Ohn’s wife saved her husband from harm and protected her family from terrible catastrophe.

That we do not even know the name of Ohn’s wife is itself a great testament to her modesty and complete identification with the Hebrew collective. Throughout our history, women have often been the source of Israel’s true inner strength. While the spotlight in Scripture generally shines on male figures, many of these heroes are only able to achieve greatness due to the loyal support and self-sacrifice of their wives. Daughters of Israel, who modestly work behind the scenes as silent partners to their husbands, often shy away from honor while providing support and encouragement from the home.

The story of Ohn is a perfect example of a man whose righteous wife was able to think clearly and take decisive action for the sake of her family and the entire Hebrew nation.

Unlike Koraḥ’s wife, whose endless belittling of her husband had actually provoked his seditious behavior in the first place, Ohn’s wife heroically brought her husband back from the brink of self-destruction. With a wisdom and determination so typical of Hebrew women, she succeeded in keeping Ohn away from meaningless conflict while building a strong Torah home on the foundations of HaShem’s Truth.

Shlach: For God's Sake Don't Go To Israel

by Baruch Gordon

Baruch Gordon clarifies the spies' argument for not entering the Land of Israel...and then clarifies why it's so important to enter the Land anyway.

[3-minute video]

They'll Remind You Berlin is not Jerusalem

By Rav Moshe Kaplan, https://meirtv.com/en

Rav Moshe Kaplan identifies the Sin of the Spies as the root cause of Tisha B'Av and the archetype of gedolim throughout history who searched for reasons not to return to the Land of Israel.

[4.5-minute video]

Shlach: The Spies Were Torah Giants

by Rav Yehuda HaKohen, visionmag.org

The spies – giants of Israel and leaders of the Sanhedrin – rebelled against HaShem in refusing His directive to conquer Eretz Yisrael...This transgression has regrettably repeated itself throughout Israel’s history. Spiritual leaders often refrain from educating their followers that living in Eretz Yisrael is not merely a commendable personal choice but actually an underlying basis for the entire Torah.

Beha'alotkha: How To Survive the Riots

by Baruch Gordon

Baruch Gordon examines commentary in this week's Torah reading to understand how to cope with an "iron rule" in Jewish tradition: "The Land of Israel is acquired through suffering."

[3-m video]

Land of Israel Precedes Commandments

By Rav Moshe Kaplan, https://meirtv.com/en

Rav Moshe Kaplan learns from Rashi why the Torah begins with the Creation of the World (as opposed to something more directly connected to the Jewish People), and how it is relevant to politics surrounding the modern State of Israel.

[5.5-minute video]

Beha'alotkha: All Jews Must Attain Prophecy

by Rav Yehuda HaKohen, visionmag.org

Through Israel's returns home and national rebirth, we have already seen sparks of prophecy return.

Chaim Bialik and Uri Zvi Greenberg

“Two men remained behind in the camp, the name of one was Eldad and the name of the second was Medad, and the spirit rested upon them; they had been among the recorded ones, but they had not gone out to the Tent, and they prophesied in the camp. The youth ran and told Moshe, and he said, ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp’. Yehoshua bin-Nun, the servant of Moshe since his youth, spoke up and said, ‘My lord Moshe, incarcerate them!’ Moshe said to him, ‘Are you being zealous for my sake? Would that the entire people of HaShem could be nevi’im, if HaShem would but place His Spirit upon them!’” (Bamidbar 11:26-29)

While both the youth and Yehoshua had expected their teacher to be angry with Eldad and Medad, Moshe astonished them with his wish that the entire Hebrew nation become prophets. One navi per generation cannot be enough as no one else would be capable of grasping his Divine message. In order for the masses to understand and internalize the basic teachings being communicated by the leading prophet, all Israel must attain some minimum level of nevua.