First Aliya: Aharon received instructions to light the Menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum illuminating the interior of the Tabernacle. The Menorah was crafted as a single piece from pure gold. All the candles on the Menorah inclined towards the middle candle, which itself was directed towards the most sacred place or Qodesh haQodashim.

Second Aliya: Moshe was commanded to prepare the Leviyim (Levites) for religious service in the Tabernacle, a temple built in the desert. The Leviyim were then installed in their sacred service. They worked in the Tabernacle starting from age 25, and retired from this service at 50.

Third Aliya: The people of Israel celebrated their second Pesach since leaving Egypt. A second Pesach, one month after the first, was established for those unable to bring the Pesach sacrifice on time. Our sages say that those impure at that time were the ones who had carried Yosef’s remains. Yosef had made his brothers swear to bury him in the land of Israel. When those in charge of Yosef’s body came to Moshe, uncertain of what to do because they were impure and could not celebrate the first Pesach, Moshe didn’t know what to answer. Moshe then asked HaShem for instructions because everything Moshe did or said was through direct communication with God.

Fourth Aliya: This Aliya recounts the beginning of the long-awaited journey to the Promised Land. The Tabernacle or Mishkan was finished, and all the tasks related to it had been assigned to the Leviyim and the Cohanim. It was finally time to set out! The Israelites needed some sort of guidance (a GPS!) to know when to depart and where to go. HaShem indicated the creation of silver trumpets to signal when the camp should move. Also, a cloud that hovered over the Tabernacle would rise and move in the direction they needed to follow.

Fifth Aliya: On the 20th of Iyar, the Mishkan cloud lifted, initiating the journey which should have lasted a few months but ended up taking 40 years. This Aliya also discusses Yitro, who joined us before the giving of the Tora and now, a year and a half later, decided to return to his land in Midyan. The Tora illustrates that the Aron ha’Edut, the Ark of the Covenant, would always travel ahead of the people. This interesting point underscores a fundamental principle: the People of Israel must always follow the Aron, that is, the Tora.

Sixth Aliya: This Aliya begins with the famous verse “Vayhi Binso’a haAron” that we chant before taking the Tora out. Later, the Tora describes the complaints of the people about their living conditions in the desert. The Tora depicts the “manna”, a nutritious heavenly food the Israelites could gather in the desert, indicating they had ample food even in the desert. This clarifies that those complaining weren’t doing so out of genuine need. Moshe expresses his immense frustration at the people’s behavior. However, God promises to fulfill their desires and sends the “selav,” or quail, for the people to eat meat. Moshe is instructed to appoint a Sanhedrin to help him govern the people and teach them Tora. Moshe, the greatest prophet of all time, couldn’t lead an entire people alone. The Tora’s message is that a leader should always strive to lead alongside other capable individuals.

Seventh Aliya: Quails descended on the camp in large numbers, and the people ate more than enough meat. This obsessive behavior, given the availability of “manna,” wasn’t appropriate for God’s People. After overeating vast amounts of meat, many people died. Aharon and Miriam spoke negatively about Moshe (Lashon Hara), saying that Moshe was too occupied with his responsibilities to the people and never at home, even though he was married to Tzippora. Aharon and Miriam also thought it wasn’t right that only Moshe had direct communication with God (prophecy), as they were also prophets, and had regular lives with their families! HaShem responded that they couldn’t be compared to Moshe. Moshe was a “full-time” prophet who communicated with God 24/7, making a normal family life impossible. However, Moshe was the only exception in all of history exempted from having a normal family life. And yet, he was married and even had two children! Miriam was punished with a form of leprosy for speaking against Moshe, but Moshe interceded for her, and she was healed.

Rabbi Jacob Bitton

THE PRIESTS

In this Parasha, HaShem transmits to Moshe the laws that apply to his brother Aharon, his sons, and all his male descendants, the Cohanim, the priests of the Jewish People. They must keep themselves pure and holy and, in opposition to the pagan priests, who were primarily responsible for the cult of the dead, the Cohanim must not have contact with a dead body. The Cohanim also have additional restrictions regarding the woman they can marry. There are also rules regarding the daughters of the Cohanim and the standards of morality that they must observe.

THE HEAD PRIEST

The Head Priest, or Cohen Gadol, must comply with additional rules. He must not let his hair grow too long, he cannot observe regular mourning by tearing his clothes or having contact with a corpse. He must not leave the Sanctuary, he must only marry an unmarried woman. And if he contracts any impurity, he cannot perform the service of the Temple. Likewise, the priest with some physical blemish should remain outside the Divine Service in the Temple. The Temple Service must be immaculate. Priestly offerings could not be made in a state of impurity.  And animal sacrifices cannot be made with sick or blemished animals. The Divine Name cannot be profaned but consecrated and sanctified.

HOLIDAY NUMBER ONE

The Tora mentions the Jewish Holidays.  First, the Shabbat, the Seventh-day,  is the most important holiday in the Hebrew calendar. For six days, you will work, and on Shabbat, you shall declare your work finished and dedicate the day to HaShem, your God.

PESACH

In the first month of the year (Nisan), on the fourteenth day of the month, the festival of Pesach shall be celebrated, offering that day the Pesach sacrifice. The fifteenth day of Pesach is the Festival of Matzot, for seven days you will eat only unleavened bread. The first day you will declare it sacred and you will not do any work or work. The seventh day of Pesach shall also be sanctified as a Holy day.

OMER AND SHABUOT

When you enter the promised land that I give you and you harvest your grain, you shall bring an ‘omer, a portion of barley from your first harvest. The priest shall offer it to God. After seven full weeks, counting from the time of this offering, the fiftieth day (Shabuot), you shall bring a new offering to God: leavened bread, unleavened bread, and animal offerings without blemish, as an expression of obedience to God.  When you harvest your field, you will leave the ears belonging to the poor and the foreigner (for example, the corners of the fields, etc.).

ROSH HASHANA, YOM KIPPUR, AND SUCCOT

In the seventh month of the year (Tishri) on the first day of the month, the Shofar will be heard (on Rosh HaShana). And on the tenth day of the month, you will celebrate a Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). You will deprive yourself of eating and doing any worldly work or activity on that day. If a person does not deprive himself of these necessities on that day, he will be cut off (karet) from his community. This Day of Atonement will be established for posterity and in all your dwellings.

The Festival  of the Huts will be celebrated on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. For seven days you will be dedicated to God. No work is to be performed on the first day and the eighth day. You should take the fruit of a beautiful tree (citrus, or in Hebrew etrog), leaves of palm branches (lulab), myrtle branches (hadas), and willows (araba), and rejoice before God. You will live in these huts for seven days, so that future generations will know and remember that I, HaShem, made had them living in huts when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.

LAST LAWS

Returning to the Temple service, Aharon will set up a lamp that will burn constantly, day and night, in the Sanctuary. If someone does not respect the Name of God and offends it, he will be removed from the community and executed. If a man murders another man, he will be put to death. Whoever attempts against the life of an animal must pay compensation for that animal. If someone causes any damage to another person, he must pay compensation: for fractures or accidental mutilations. This compensation will be required in favor of the victim, maintaining the same rule for both the citizen and the foreigner (“ger”: legal resident or nationalized). I am HaShem, your Go

Finally, HaShem instructs Moshe to learn the laws that apply to his brother Aharon, his sons, and all his male descendants, the Cohanim, who are the priests of the Jewish People. They must keep themselves pure and holy, and in opposition to the pagan priests who were primarily responsible for the cult of the dead, the Cohanim must not have contact with a dead body. The Cohanim also have additional restrictions regarding the women they can marry. There are also rules regarding the daughters of the Cohanim and the standards of morality they must observe.

This Parasha describes God’s instructions to Moses to invite the people to contribute whatever they can or want to contribute to the construction of the Tabernacle. The necessary materials included precious metals, fabrics, skins, linen, wood, spices, precious stones, etc. God gave detailed instructions to Moses about the construction and dimensions of the Tabernacle and its artifacts. First, the text describes the Ark that would contain the tablets of the Law. The Ark was to be made of acacia wood and covered in gold, with rings at its corners where poles could be inserted for transportation. The Ark would be covered with a pure gold lid, and two gold cherubim would be made from this cover.

Next, instructions were given for constructing the Table for the Bread of the Presence, which was also made of acacia wood and covered in gold. Then, the construction of the Menorah, the seven-branched candlestick that was to be made from a single block of pure gold with decorative terminations, was described.

The Torah then describes the construction of the Tabernacle’s sanctuary. The cover of the Sanctuary would consist of several tapestries: the first would be a combination of colorful wool and linen, and the second layer would be made of goat’s hair. These two large covers would also cover the exterior walls of the Tabernacle. The top of the Tabernacle would then be covered with dyed ram skins and skins of “tachash” (an animal whose identification is subject to discussion). The walls of the Tabernacle were to be made with acacia wood beams covered in gold. The bottom of each beam had to be inserted into two silver bases. The east side of the Tabernacle would be open, and its north and south sides would have 20 beams, while the west wall would have eight. The beams were joined by several crossbars.

The Tabernacle’s sanctuary consisted of two sections: the innermost chamber was the most sacred space where the Ark would be placed. The outer chamber, Hejal or Qodesh, would house the Menorah, the Golden Table, and the Altar of Incense.

Moses was then given instructions for the construction of the Altar. This altar was to be made of acacia wood covered in bronze and was to have four vertical projections at its corners. The altar was also to be made with rings and transportation poles.

The Tabernacle’s courtyard was to be 100 cubits (approximately 50 meters) by 50 cubits and was enclosed by linen curtains. The entrance to the courtyard was to be on its east side, covered by a woven wool and linen curtain.

PHARAOH’S REGRET
After Pharaoh expels the Jewish slaves from his land, God does not lead them along a direct route to the Promised Land, because a confrontation with the enemy at this early stage would drive them back to Egypt. HaShem instead leads them along the desert road to the east, guiding them with a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. God then commands the Jews to camp along the Sea of Reeds. It seems to Pharaoh that the Jews are lost in the desert, and he decides to chase after them and corner them at the seashore. When the Jews see the Egyptians arriving with their army, they panic and yell at Moshe. “Are there not enough graves in Egypt (alluding perhaps to the pyramids that were already famous at that time)  that you have brought us to die in the desert?”. “Do not be afraid,” Moshe said to them. “You will see God’s salvation today… God will wage war for you.”.

THE SEA OPENS
HaShem instructs Moshe: “Speak to the children of Israel and tell them to advance…!” The Jews need to cross to the other side of the sea. “And so the Egyptians will know I am God when Pharaoh and his armies glorify me.” Meanwhile, the pillar of the cloud that led the Jews moved behind them, separating the Jews from their enemies and preventing the Egyptians from advancing toward the Jews. Moshe stretches out his staff, and the sea splits into two columns. The Jews crossed the sea, walking in dry Land, leaving Egyptian territory towards their definitive freedom.

SALVATION AND GRATITUDE
The Egyptians decide to pursue the Jews, and their army advances toward the open waters. Moshe extends his hand over the sea, and the waters collapse and close on the Egyptians, drowning them in the sea. Seeing this, and already on the other side of the sea, Moshe and the Hebrews begin to sing, praising God for the wonderful miracle they had witnessed. Moshe’s sister, Miriam, leads the women in singing and dancing, using musical instruments.

WATER and MANA
The Jews now begin their journey through the desert and spend three days walking without finding water. When they reach Mara, they find salted water. HaShem sweetens the water, and the people are now able to drink. After a while, the food that the Jews had brought from Egypt began to run out. They complain to Moshe, saying they miss the tasty Egyptian food they left behind. God assures them that a special food will descend from heaven. In the morning, food called “manna” falls from the sky, hidden in the morning dew. Moshe tells the Hebrews to collect a limited portion of manna (approximately 1.5 lbs) for each family member and warns them again to accumulate and store extra manna. Those who ignored this indication found that the manna was infested with worms the following day. On Friday, by Divine instruction, everyone collected two portions of “manna”: the second portion was to be set aside and reserved for Shabbat since no manna would descend on the Seventh Day. Once again, some Jews ignored Moshe’s directive and went out to collect manna on Shabbat.
God commands Moshe to take a jar of manna and place it in the Holy Ark as a testimony of this miracle for all future generations. The Israelites continue their journey in the desert, and when they reach Refidim, they run out of water again. They complain to Moshe. God commands the Jewish leader to strike a rock with his rod, and water begins flowing from the rock so the people can drink.

SURPRISE ATTACK
The Amaleqites –desert nomads– attack the Jews. Moshe orders his disciple Yehoshua to gather an army and fight Amaleq. Yehoshua follows Moshe’s command, and the Jews, with Divine assistance, emerge victorious from this battle. God instructs Moshe to write that HaShem will erase Amaleq from the earth and that we Jews can never forget that Amaleq will always be there, ready to cause harm.

As the falsely accused Binyamin stood before Yosef, condemned to a life of slavery, Yehuda stepped forward with a plea for mercy. He implored Yosef to release Binyamin, explaining that their father, Jacob, would be unable to bear the loss of his beloved son, having already suffered the loss of one in the form of Yosef himself. If Yosef refused, Yehuda offered himself as a replacement for Binyamin, a selfless act that moved Yosef to tears. At that moment, Yosef could no longer contain his emotions and revealed his true identity to his brothers, overwhelmed by the love and loyalty they still held for him despite the wrongs they had done in the past.
Upon seeing the shock and regret of his brothers, Yosef reassured them that everything that had happened was part of a divine plan to save their lives, as there were still five years of famine to come. He instructed them to return to Canaan and bring their father and their families to Egypt, where he would provide for all their needs until the famine had passed. The brothers embraced and wept joyfully at their reunion, and Yosef sent them on their way with his blessing.
Upon hearing of the arrival of Yosef’s family, Pharaoh extended an invitation for them to come to Egypt and settle in the best parts of the land. When Jacob and his family arrived in Israel, they were met with the news that Yosef was alive and ruling in Egypt. The news brought new life to Jacob, who had grieved for many years at the thought of losing his son. At the direction of God, Jacob and his family set out for Egypt, stopping at Beer-Sheba along the way. There, God reassured Jacob that he would become a great nation in Egypt and eventually be brought back to Israel. The Tora records that seventy members of Jacob’s family journeyed to Egypt.

Upon arriving in Egypt, Jacob and his family settled in Goshen, where Yosef went to greet them. He prepared them to meet with Pharaoh and instructed his brothers to present themselves as shepherds. Pharaoh warmly welcomed Yosef’s brothers and was amazed to see the advanced age of Jacob, who blessed him in return. Yosef made sure that his family wanted for nothing, providing for all their needs in the land of Goshen.
As the people of Egypt struggled to survive the famine, they were forced to sell their possessions and even themselves into slavery in exchange for food. Meanwhile, Jacob and his family flourished and multiplied in the land of Goshen, blessed with the provisions of Yosef.

God revealed himself to Abraham in a vision while sitting at his tent’s entrance. Abraham notices that three travelers pass near him, and as was his custom, he runs to invite them to his house. The men accept the invitation and Abraham prepares a sumptuous banquet for them. These men, sent by God, reveal to Abraham that Sara will give birth to a boy within a year. Sara, almost 90 years old, heard this and started laughing. God rebukes Sara reminding Abraham that nothing is impossible for Him.
The men/angels depart and head to Sodom to destroy the five cities of that region for their tremendous corruption. God informs Abraham of his intention to destroy Sodom. In another display of his boundless goodness, Abraham tries to dissuade God and asks him not to destroy the city if fifty righteous people live there. God considers Abraham’s request. But Abraham “negotiates” with God, and finally, God accepts to spare Sodom if only ten righteous people would be found in the city.
The men sent by God reached Sodom. Following what he learned from Abraham, Lot invites them to his house to rest and eat. But the news of foreigners in Lot’s house spreads throughout the city, and people react badly. Accustomed to abusing foreigners, the outraged residents of Sodom surrounded Lot’s house to assault his guests. Lot tries to protect them, but the Sodomites try to break down the door. The angels blind everyone around the house and rush Lot to flee Sodom with his wife and daughters.

God caused fire and brimstone to fall from heaven on Sodom, which destroyed the entire region. (By the way, modern archaeologists have found ample evidence of a meteorite falling in that geographic area, forming the Dead Sea and making it the lowest place on earth. See here). Lot’s wife looked back and was petrified, like a statue (perhaps because of the ashes produced by that mega explosion. Ash states were found in Pompei after the eruption of volcan Vesubio in the year 79 CE). Lot and his daughters took refuge in a cave and thought God had destroyed the whole world and that they were the last survivors. The daughters intoxicate his father with wine and seduce him to repopulate the earth. Both gave birth, and each had a child who eventually became the patriarchs of the Ammonites and Moabites nations.
Abraham moves to the Philistine city of Gerar because of the famine. Abimelekh, the king of the Philistines, takes Sara, who Abraham presented as his sister. But God punished Abimelekh and the members of his palace. God appears to Abimelekh in a dream, warning him about Sara being Abraham’s wife. Abimelekh obeys God, frees Sara, and showers Abraham with gifts as compensation for the damage caused.

Just as the angels who visited Abraham had anticipated, Sarah conceives and gives birth to a son at the age of ninety. The child is called Isaac, “he who will laugh” (or “the one who will make his parents laugh with happiness”). Abraham circumcised Isaac at eight days.
Isaac grows up, and Sara realizes that Ishmael, Isaac’s older half-brother, negatively influences her young son and demands that Abraham expel Ishmael from the house, along with her mother Hagar. God tells Abraham that he must listen to Sarah. Hagar and Ishmael run out of water in the desert and nearly die of thirst. But an angel “opens Hagar’s eyes” and helps her see the water well. Ishmael grew up in the desert and became a skilled hunter.

Seeing that Abraham is God’s chosen one, Abimelekh asks Abraham to make a pact with him: neither of them would try to conquer the other for three generations. Abraham agreed but pointed out to Abimelekh that his man had stolen a well of water that Abraham’s men had dug. Abraham took seven sheep and gave them to Abimelekh as a testimony that he, Abraham, had dug the well. Abraham settles in the city of Beer Sheba and proclaims the name of God to everyone he meets.

In the last Aliya, God tests Abraham’s loyalty. He commands Abraham to take his only son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice to Him. Abraham sets out for the mountain with Isaac and two of his servants. When he reaches the place, Abraham goes up the mountain with Isaac and builds an altar there. He binds Issac’s hand and foot and prepares to carry out the Divine order. At that moment, he hears an angel of God ordering him to stop. Abraham sees a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. He takes the ram and offers it as a sacrifice to God. God blesses Abraham and his descendants for his loyalty and obedience.
Abraham hears that his sister-in-law Milka has given birth. One of his sons, Bethuel, was the father of Rivka, the future wife of his son Isaac.

This Parasha continues with Moshe Rabbenu’s long speech before separating from the people of Israel, since God will not allow him to enter the land of Israel with the rest of the people. Moshe speaks of the blessings that God will bring to Israel for keeping the Tora. And these blessings, in turn, will allow the people to fulfill the Tora in peace and without suffering material poverty. Moshe reminds them that HaShem is the one who will protect them and help them to conquer the land and to displace the enemies. He also warns them of the danger of forgetting God, when we think that we are strong and powerful. Or when we have a full stomach and we feel that we do not need Divine assistance. One of the ways to remember God is the recitation of Birkat Hamazon, the Mitsva of thanking God after eating a full meal.

Moshe warns the people about the dangers of prosperity, and how wealth can lead them to forget God and practice idolatry. Idolatry has always been associated with superstition. Sometimes, a person that possesses wealth and does not know how to credit God for his good fortune, and how to thank Him for His generosity, tends to look for “magical methods to protect his fortune”. Magic is directly or indirectly associated with idolatry, since it invokes powers unrelated to God. This addiction to superstitions will end up alienating this individual from God. We Jews must be humble, especially in times of economic and military prosperity and remember that it is God, and not our own power, who allows us success and well-being.

The people are about to enter the land of Israel, which they will have to conquer militarily. From Moshe’s words, it can be seen that the people were afraid of not being worthy of Divine assistance in the difficult battles that awaits them, because of the sins of their fathers. Moshe explains to them that after the sin of the golden calf, the Jewish people indeed lost part of their merit, especially the merit of inheriting the promised land, but he assures them that this should not demoralize them, since HaShem will still grant them an outstanding victory and with His help they will defeat the inhabitants of Canaan. Moshe tells them that the inhabitants of that land deserve to be expelled from the holy land for their own evil deeds, such as idolatry, murder, and promiscuity.  Moshe presents them with other factors that will also contribute to Israel’s future victory, despite not being worthy of it: first, that God promised Abraham, Yitzchaq, and Jacob that their descendants would inherit the land. And second, that if God does not grant them victory, God’s name will be profaned among the nations, as these nations would question God’s power to protect His own nation and fulfill His promise to them.

Moses presents the famous question: “What does God want from us?” And his answer is that God wants us to follow his paths of righteousness and justice, for our own good. Much of this Parasha is devoted to describing the beautiful characteristics of the land of Israel. And it is also explained, in what we know today as the second paragraph of the Shema Israel, that the land of Israel, which is directly supervised by God, will “react” by Divine instruction to our behavior: on the one hand, the land will reward our loyalty to God us with abundant rains and prosperity. On the other hand, the heavens will close, there will be no rain, and our life on God’s  land will be impossible if we betray our covenant with Him. As a consequence of poverty, we will have to leave the promised land and escape into exile.

The people of Israel will obtain victory over their enemies, and will be able to conquer the promised land and live in it forever if they listen to the Divine commandments and follow the ways of HaShem.

MOSHE’S SUPPLICATION AND GOD’S RESPONSE

Moshe Rabbenu tells us, in the first person, that he begged HaShem to allow him to enter the land of Israel. But God did not accept his request. God commanded Moshe to go up to a mountain from where he could see the Promised Land, but he would not enter it. Moshe instructs the Jewish people to follow the laws of God, without adding or subtracting anything to the Divine ordained precepts. Moshe also mentions what happened to Pinehas in Baal Pe’or to show the people that those who are faithful to God were protected from the epidemic and survived.

THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING THE CHOSEN PEOPLE

Moshe asks the people to take carefully observe the Tora, and appreciate the wisdom of its precepts and commandments. The Tora  brings us closer to God and allows us to know what He wants from us. Moshe also exhorts the people not to forget the day that God made a covenant with us on Mount Sinai. He asks them to recount this event to their children and grandchildren: God did not appear in a visual image or form. We only perceived His voice. Making or worshiping images that represent God is a very serious sin, which can lead the Jewish people to lose their right to the land of Israel and go to exile. But Moshe anticipates that even when the people are exiled, God will not abandon them. The people will eventually repent and return to God. The nation of Israel is the only one that has been freed from slavery directly by God, and it is the only people that God has chosen to reveal His commandments. Moses designates three cities of refuge on the east side of the Jordan River. These cities provided refuge for an individual who unintentionally murdered another person.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

The Tora reiterates the Ten Commandments, recalling that the Mount Sinai covenant is not limited to those who were physically present at Mount Sinai, but to their descendants as well. Moshe reminds the people that when they experienced God’s revelation, the voice of God, at Sinai they were frightened, and the leaders of Israel asked Moses that God not speak to them directly, because they felt as if they would die. It was an out of this world experience that they could not physically or mentally tolerate. They asked Moshe to act as an intermediary and  convey God’s words to them.

THE SHEMA ISRAEL

We also read in this Parasha the Shema Israel. It contains the fundamental principles of our Tora: the existence and oneness of God; the love we should have for God; the obligation to teach our children the Tora; and to remember our duties to God through Tefillin and Mezuza. God promises us a land of blessing and abundance (Israel). And Moses warns the people that when they inherit that abundance, they should not forget the Creator who provided them with this wealth. Parents should also teach their children that they should observe all of God’s commandments. Jews are at God’s service because in Egypt, we were slaves to Pharaoh until God brought us out of Egypt “to serve Him”.  The big difference between serving Pharaoh and serving God is that Pharaoh wanted us to serve him for his own benefit. HaShem however, is like a loving parent that asks us to serve them, that is: to obey His commandments, because His commandments are the recipe for a life of righteousness and happiness.  God asks us to serve Him, for our own benefit.

THE PLAN
With Divine consent, Moses sends spies on a reconnaissance mission into the land of Canaan in preparation for the Israelites’ invasion and conquest of the land. One member of each tribe, with the exception of the tribe of Levi, was chosen for this task. Moses instructed the explorers to bring a military report on the nature of the inhabitants of Canaan, and their strengths and weaknesses in order to define a  military strategy. He also ordered them to bring samples of the products of the land.

THE REPORT
The explorers are in the promised land for 40 days and at the end, they return to the camp of Israel with some fruits of Canaan. And also with the intelligence report. “The land flows with milk and honey,” they said, but then they exaggerate the strength of the population, they said that the inhabitants of the land were gigantic and savage. They also said that “the cities were fortified up to the sky and that it was impossible to conquer them.” Only two of the explorers, Caleb and Yehoshua, dissented and said that the land was magnificent and there was no reason to worry about its inhabitants since God was going to bring victory to the Israelites. The Jewish people were convinced by the pessimistic spies and spent the night crying and expressing their desire to return to Egypt rather than be killed in battle by the Canaanites. To make matters worse, the mob wanted to kill Yehoshua and Caleb. God finally intervenes by making his Glory appear on the Tabernacle.

THE CONSEQUENCES
God informs Moshe of His decision to immediately eliminate the Israelites due to their lack of faith in God. Moses successfully invokes God’s mercy and points out that this punishment would result in a profanation of God’s name. God agreed not to immediately eliminate the Israelites, but determined that that generation would not enter the Land of Israel, and instructed them to change course and return to the desert. The Israelites will have to wander in the desert for forty years. During that time, everyone over the age of twenty, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, would perish. And the next generation would enter the Promised Land.  When the Jews are informed about the Divine decision they are sad and depressed and a group of people decides to go on their own to conquer the Land of Israel, against God’s new instructions. These people were killed in battle by the Amalekites and the Canaanites.

LAWS OF SACRIFICES AND OTHER MITZVOT
Jews are told that upon entering Israel, a person who undertakes to bring a sacrifice must also bring a libation of wine and an offering of flour mixed with olive oil. The text also clarifies the quantities of wine, flour, and oil that must be brought with various species of livestock. The Mitzva of Challah is contained in this section: when one kneads dough, one should take a portion and give it to the priest (Cohen). If the Sanhedrin (rabbinical supreme court) wrongly permits an act of idolatry, and the community acts with this permission, the Sanhedrin must bring a special offering for that sin, detailed in this section. We learn the rules regarding an individual who is guilty of an idolatrous practice, either inadvertently or intentionally. A man is found profaning Shabbat and is executed. The last part of this week’s Parashah deals with the commandment to wear tzitzit (fringes) on four-cornered garments. By looking at the fringes we remember all the commandments and refrain from following the temptations of our hearts.

THE REWARD

In this Parasha, the Tora promises us His blessing of prosperity and peace if we diligently observe the Tora, our pact with God. The Creator promises us rains in their time and that He will protect us from our relentless enemies. The Tora gives us some details of this blessing, guaranteeing peace on the land, eliminating wild animals, and God’s intervention to grant us military success. The epitome of Divine Intervention in this area is manifested when the Tora mentions: “Five of you will pursue (defeat) a hundred (enemies), and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand!” The Tora also promises an abundance of crops and the permanent presence of God among us.

THE PUNISHMENT

But then comes the other side of the coin. What will happen if the people of Israel turn away from God and abandon His pact? If we turn away from God, He will not intervene in our favor, and by our own making, we will be left to the mercy of nature and our enemies. The process, more or less, goes like this. The interruption of the Divine blessing –rain in its time– will bring starvation, and hunger will cause weakness and illnesses to the inhabitants of Israel. Wild animals, which also suffer from hunger when there is no rain, will stalk us in our own cities. Being weak, we won’t have the strength and means to face relentless enemies.  Those Gentiles that are always lurking will identify our weakness (=God is NOT with us), invade our land and take possession of it. And we will be expelled into exile. The non-observance of the sabbatical year – when we forget that the Land of Israel is Divine territory – is pointed out as one of the main reasons why we will lose the merit to continue living in our land. In exile, we will be considered unwelcome foreigners, and we will be completely exposed to their whims, their cruelty, and their hatred. They won’t leave us in peace. They will humiliate and persecute us with the sword. Our lives will become filled with panic and anxiety. However, when we return to God, He will remember the merit of our ancestors and won’t allow the enemy to exterminate us.

MORE MITZVOT

After this long warning about the consequences of abandoning the commandments, the Tora moves on to a completely different and unrelated topic: the voluntary donations to the BetHaMiqdash and how to evaluate them and quantify them. These donations can be land, animals, and other possessions. The Tora also mentions the role of the firstborn animals and indicates how to replace or redeem them. In the end, the tithes of the harvest are briefly mentioned, which must be consumed in Jerusalem, as well as the rules of the tithe of animals.