• Parshat Parah-Paradox and Purity: The Red Heifer, Purim, and the Hidden Unity of God

    This week we read the special maftir of Parah, which describes the strange commandment of the red heifer. If someone becomes impure through contact with a dead body, the purification process is via the ashes of a red heifer, which must be mixed with water and sprinkled upon them. The Kohen, the priest, who sprinkles…

  • In Moshe’s Shadow: A World in Need of True Leadership

    In the first of this week’s double portions, Chukat, the Jewish people complain twice and Moshe’s response is not only unusual, but deeply perplexing. First, the people complain about the lack of water; God instructs Moshe to speak to the rock to draw out its waters. Instead of speaking, Moshe strikes the rock with his…

  • The Parah Adumah and the Sacred Boundary Between Life and Death

    In this week’s parsha we are told of the Parah Adumah, the Red Heifer, an animal which was slaughtered and burned outside the Tabernacle, then its ashes were mixed with water and, perplexingly, when this mixture was sprinkled upon someone who was impure they became pure. What is “tumah,” this impurity which the Torah often…

  • The Rock, the Mourning, and the Power of Unity

    In this week’s parsha, Chukat, the Jewish people complain for water and Moshe hits the rock, resulting in the punishment that he will not be able to enter the Land of Israel.   The Jewish people have complained many times before, they have thirsted for water before and Moshe has brought water from a rock…

  • Chasing Peace and Divine Lessons from Moses

    In this week’s Torah portion the Jewish people reach the east side of the Jordan River and must pass through the land of Sichon, king of the Amorites, in order to enter Israel. Moses sends Sichon a message asking that the Amorites let the Jewish people peacefully pass through their lands and the Jews promise…

  • Beyond Doctrine: Embracing All Jews as Family

    We now feel separated and divided, but in many ways we are more unified. Families who never made the effort to get together are now uniting over Zoom.   Here at Kesher Israel each week we have been asking our members to teach as part of the new Voices of Kesher program -an opportunity to…