Thoughts on Parashat Balak
By Rabbi Marc D. Angel
Balak, king of Moab, hired Bil'am to curse the people of Israel. Balak feared the advancing Israelites, and believed that Bil'am had the power to curse enemies and thereby destroy them. The Torah portion describes Bil'am's various attempts to curse Israel--but each time, God put words of blessing into his mouth. He simply was not able to curse Israel.
This week's Torah portion includes an enigmatic little episode. "And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob: How many are the days of the years of your life? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh: The days of the years of my sojournings are a hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojournings. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh."
This Shabbat's Torah reading begins by informing us that Jacob dwelled in the land where his fathers dwelled. Rashi comments that Jacob thought he had finally found some peace and quiet, after a lifetime of suffering and conflict. Yet, no sooner did Jacob settle down than a new tragedy befell him. Strife among his sons led to the disappearance of his beloved son Joseph.
Jacob's experience is repeated endlessly in the lives of human beings. We face a crisis, we overcome it, we think we can relax, and then another crisis arises. It seems that we can never let down our guards.
Market Volatility, Spiritual Tranquility
Thoughts on Parashat Ki Tavo, Shabbat September 20, 2008
by Rabbi Marc D. Angel
The stock market is volatile. The real estate market is in trouble. The world economy is nervous. Huge companies have gone bankrupt. Other companies have been bailed out by the US government. Thousands of people have lost their jobs, their homes, their savings, their pension funds.
The Kashruth Controversies: Thoughts on Parshat Re'eh, August 30, 2008
by Rabbi Marc D. Angel
A story is told of a shohet (ritual slaughterer) who had come to a new town to assume his duties. As was customary, he first went to the home of the town's Rabbi to be tested on the laws and customs of ritual slaughter. The Rabbi asked the shohet to show him how he examined the knife, to be sure that it was perfectly smooth and sharp, without any blemishes. The shohet carefully moved his thumb up and down the blade of the knife.
Thoughts on Parashat Va-et-hanan
by Rabbi Marc D. Angel
In relating the instructions for building the Mishkan (Tabernacle), the parasha indicates that the Tablets of the Law (the Ten Commandments) are to be placed in the ark. The ark was to become a central feature in the spiritual life of the people of Israel, and the Tablets were to be an ongoing reminder of the Revelation at Mt. Sinai. We know, however, that there were two sets of Tablets given at Sinai. The first were shattered by Moses when he descended the mountain and found the Israelites worshipping a golden calf.
The Power of Words
(A Thought for Shabbat April 5, Parashat Tazria)
by Rabbi Marc D. Angel
The Torah portion this week and next week deal with a mysterious disease/impurity known as tsara-at, usually translated as leprosy. Rabbinic tradition links this malady to the sin of lashon hara--evil talk, gossip. Moses' sister Miriam was stricken with symptoms of this disease after she had spoken inappropriately about Moses.
The Talmud (Arakhin 15b) compares the sin of evil talk to idolatry, adultery and murder.
Faith with Reason, not Blind Faith
(Thoughts on Parashat Metsora, for Shabbat April 12, 2008)
by Rabbi Marc D. Angel
This week's Torah portion, Metsora, begins with a verse that is repeated many times in the Torah: "And God spoke to Moses, saying." The verse simply could have said: And God spoke to Moses. Why does it add the word "saying" (leimor)?
Rivets, Kashruth, and the Jewish Future
By Rabbi Marc D. Angel
The New York Times recently ran a story about a significant theory why the Titanic sunk. That great luxury ship struck an iceberg, letting ocean water plunge in. The tragedy resulted in the loss of about 1500 lives. The prevailing theory had been that the hull of the ship had been gashed open by the iceberg. The new theory offers a different explanation.