Welcome, once again to the mysteries and depths of our holy Torah: the mysteries of the פרה אדומה Red Heifer, Miriam’s well, the passing on of Aharon HaKohen, the mystery of Moshe Rabbeinu hitting the rock… and there are more and more. These mysteries touch every secret every mystery of our lives. In this blog, we bring some ideas to make this relevant for us today This week's parsha is called "ChuKat", [which is the word "Chok" in the construct state.] The mitzvot can be categorized in a variety of ways. One way is to distinguish between 'chukim' and 'mishpatim'. 'Mishpatim' are mitzvot that we can grasp or understood intellectually, e.g. don’t steal, don't go tale-bearing, etc. 'Chukim', o

Featured Video from the Mussaf Orayers of Rosh Chodish - Ahavat Olam - Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach - אהבת עולם - רבי שלמה קרליבך What do I need to know about the month of Tammuz? Even though Tammuz is my birthday month, I approach this month with a bit of trepidation each year. I recommend that you also be respectful of the unique energies and opportunities of Tammuz. Kabbalah says that the months of the year are divided between Esau and Jacob. The first three months Nissan, Iyar and Sivan are given to Jacob. The next three months Tammuz, Av and Elul are given to Esau. After many spiritual battles, Jacob reclaimed part of Av and all of Elul but Tammuz is still in the domain of Esau, so the energi

Summary This weeks Parsha starts with Korach took. What did he take? Everytime the Torah uses the word קיחה it’s referring to business. קיחה קיחה משדה עפרון. So ויקח קרח Korach took his Yiddishkeit on the level of business... I do this, you give me that. We all do that with HaShem. I want a new car so I’ll do a few mitzvos in exchange so HaShem owes me a car etc. Korach was a perfect tzadik, he never did anything wrong. He looks at Aharon, sees he made the Golden Calf, how can he be the Kohen Gadol, the highest position. That should be me!!! What was Korach’s mistake? He saw the spiritual world the same as the physical world. Why is the other guy president not me? He must be taking my plac

Everybody asks, why did G-d forgive us for the sin of the Golden Calf and didn’t He forgive us for the sin of the spies? In this blog, collected from the teachings of Reb Shlomo who makes a passionate case in favour of Eretz Yisrael and Israel, and there is a story and a moving video of Reb Shlomo visiting the injured soldiers at Hadassah Hospital after the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Everybody knows that Eretz Yisrael has all kinds of Kedushot (holinesses), First of all, it has kedushat avoth (holiness of our ancestors), Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaakov, G-d gave them the land. Then there is the kedusha of Clal Yisrael, of all Israel. And then, Eretz Yisrael itself is holy, The Midrash says someth

Parsha Insights Behaalotcha Reb Shlomo's Torah Beha’aloscha - Aharon and Miriam’s lashon hara I had this crazy idea Moshe Rabbeinu sent outstanding yidden to Eretz Yisrael to be the spies. Rashi says shlach lecha anashim; G-d told him to send great people. Anashim means great people. There is a way out Kli Yakar. the Kli Yakar says that G-d says to Moshe, ‘if I were you, I’d send women, but I know you will send men’. You see what it is, the women were not at the sin of the golden calf, so their eyes were clear, they would have been to see Eretz Yisrael for real. Now listen to the deepest depths, why were Miriam and Aharon so ‘brogez’ (angry) at Moshe that he wasn’t living with his wife Tzipo