Jerusalem In One’s Heart
This week’s parsha begins with a covenant being created between God and the Jewish people. After telling the Jewish people…
Read More
Catching the Light of Jerusalem
When describing the mitzvah of bikkurim, the Torah emphasizes that the farmer should put the fruits into a basket for…
Read More
Expanding from the Center
In our Haftorah, the prophet Yeshayahu turns to Yerushalayim and tells her to grow: “Enlarge the site of your tent,…
Read More
Jerusalem As A Goal
Our parsha contains many laws of war. The Torah teaches us about who should go to war and who should…
Read More
Charity and the Redemption of Jerusalem
The centrality of Yerushalayim is a major theme in our parsha. For example, in the beginning of the parsha, we…
Read More
A Past and Present Connection
Our parsha explores the nature of the Jewish people’s connection to the Land of Israel. Interestingly, it seems that there…
Read More
The All-Inclusive Redemption
This week is known is Shabbat Nachamu, when we read the beautiful haftorah of consolation. As usual, it is also…
Read More
The Mourning of Jerusalem
One of the most iconic and stirring kinnot is “Eli Tzion.” The opening line and refrain reads as follows: “Wail…
Read More
The End of the Journey
Our parsha opens with a list of the forty-two stations at which the Jewish people stopped in their journey through…
Read More
For the Love of Zion
The end of our parsha focuses on the request of the tribes of Reuven and Gad to stay on the…
Read More