Shlomo's Thoughts on the Torah

The problems of the scouts that Moses sent was that they were the leaders of the tribes. They felt that they would lose power if they gave a good report. That is why they sabotaged the whole effort.

The reason that Moses was commanded to send the scouts to scout out the Land was because we have a partnership with God. God will help us but He wants us to also have a part in the process. We have to earn the miracle.

The Torah points out that when bad things happen to the Jewish people then it is necessary for the Jews to look into themselves as to why these things are happening. There are no coincidences because God is in charge.

The Torah states that the convert is required to celebrate Passover as is the natural born Jew. That is because without Passover there would be no Jewish nation for the convert to join.

Moses has to teach Joshua an important lesson in this week's portion. That if you want a future of the Jewish people then you have to prepare the future leaders to take their positions. Otherwise, there will be no next generation.

The Torah places a lot of importance on the Rule of Law. This is a concept that without it we will descend into a lawless society which will be no good for us. The Torah is against someone being above or below the law.

Lighting the Menorah in the Tabernacle was a daily event. Yet the Torah makes a big deal of it. This is to teach us that the things we do on a daily basis what makes the special things possible.

Miriam meant well when she commented to her brother Aaron her concern that Moses seemed to be neglecting his wife. Though she meant well she was punished for the sin of malicious gossip. Meaning well is not enough. Your actions matter.

The Torah stresses that we are a part of the community. The fact that even someone who lives off charity is required to tithe is important. We are all responsible for the upkeep of the community.

Marriage is the basis of society. When there is suspicion that the wife is betraying her husband but there is no proof then the Torah proscribes the ritual of the Mei Sotah, Waters of Contrition. This is to find out the truth and, if possible to save the marriage.

In the view of the Torah a thief has to repay his victim for what he has stolen. Just sitting in jail is not enough. He caused damage to the victim and until the victim has forgiven him, he is not forgiven.

The Priestly Blessings mentioned in this week's portion are the basics on societal norms. We ask for God's blessing, then for wisdom and finally for peace. The fact is that without peace none of the rest matter but peace at any price is not worth it either.

At the end of the Nazir's term of Nazirut he is required to bring a Sin Offering. The reason is that he while he was a Nazir that he had taken himself out of society. The Torah wants us to a part of society.

In the Torah we see that individuals are recognized for their leadership roles but that a same time we are encouraged to build a society from the bottom up.

One of the themes of the Book of Ruth is taking responsibility. Both, if one is a leader or a common person, we are responsible for doing the right thing.

The Museum of Jewish Heritage, a Living Memorial to the Holocaust is an important venue but it gives the wrong message. The true heritage of the Jewish people is when we behave as Jews and keep the commandments that were given us at Mt. Sinai.

God took us out of Egypt with a plan. We are to be a light unto the nations. That they should learn from us what a Godly society should be.

As we approach the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai, we have to remember that one the central themes of the Torah is that we are required to be of service to the community. That we are a part of the whole.

On this day in June of 1967 the city of Jerusalem was reunited. A few weeks before the 6 Day War Naomi Shemer sang her song "Jerusalem of Gold" for the first time, not realizing that within a month the city would be liberated.

When we think about the liberation of the Old City of Jerusalem, we have to remember that it occurred through a miracle. The IDF was able to take the city with ease due to the Jordanians abandoning the all of Judea & Sumaria. With this we see God's hand in history.

The Torah takes a census of men of military age. This, in case the nation has to go to war. Considering that the main job of the Jews at the time was learning shows that we are obligated to do our duty to the nation.

When taking a census of the Jews in the wilderness the Tribe of Levi is not counted with the rest. The reason is that they are singled out for a special mission. They are to be the spiritual leaders of the people. That is why they were spread out among the people.

The Tabernacle was a physical structure to remind us of the spiritual nature of our lives. That we need a physical structure because we are both physical and spiritual. We are not here just to survive.

When the Torah states that these are the progenity of Moses & Aaron, it mentions Aaron's descendants but is silent on Mases's. The reason is that Moses's descendants were not leaders. Aaron's descendants were.

The Torah warns us that if we do not have a moral society we will suffer as a nation. We will get leaders who are unjust and corrupt. Morality comes from the bottom up.