The Torah employs the phrase, “Ki tetze l’milchamah al oivecha” (“When you go forth to war against your enemy”) two times in Devarim. The first instance appears in our … more

In broad term terms, our parasha, Re’eh, divides meat for consumption into two distinct categories — b’sar korban (sacrificial meat) and b’sar ta’aveh (chulin, or … more

I am sure I am not alone in my disgust when seeing an article or video about an event on the other side of the world in which (most often a woman) is put to death through stoning, or some other … more

None of us remembers exactly what it was we were supposed to have done, and what it was that had so enraged them, but our sergeants were on the warpath and it was clearly … more

Our parasha, Eikev, contains a phrase that is familiar to many, since it is found in the first blessing (Birkat Avot) of the Shmoneh Esreh: “G-d your L-rd is the ultimate Supreme Being and the … more

Here’s a good Torah trivia question: How do we know there was a river flowing down Mt. Sinai? Because it says so in the Torah (Devarim 9:21). In the context of describing the events … more

The phrase, “And you shall love the L-rd, your G-d,” appears twice in the Torah — the first instance is in our parsha, Vaetchanan (6:5), and the second is found in Eikev (11:1). … more

In the middle of Devarim Chapter 4, in this week’s parsha Vaeschanan, Moshe describes a future when the people abandon G-d in pursuit of idols: “G-d will spread you among the nations, and … more

I close my eyes and I’m there: a moment full of sound and fury and signifying … everything. Bullets flying everywhere, smoke grenades making it difficult to see, M-203 grenade … more

This week’s haftarah for parashat Devarim is taken from the first chapter of Sefer Yeshayahu. As befitting the Shabbat immediately before Tisha b’Av, much of its message is very dark and … more