Parshat Balak: Numbers 22:2 – 25:9

This week’s portion, Balak, is the story of the Midianite priest Balaam who was summoned by the Moabite king Balak to curse the Israelites. The Israelites were on their trek north encountering the local peoples and sometimes engaging in battle as they prepared themselves before crossing the river Jordan into the Promised Land. King Balak was nervous about the Israelites engaging Moab in battle as they had the Amorites and thus wanted all the protection he could muster including the protection of their gods.

Parshat Korach, Numbers 16:1- 18:31

This week’s torah portion, Korach, is all about the rebellion of Moses’ and Aaron’s cousin Korach. He challenges them for the leadership of the people and the priesthood. But God reminds the children of Israel and in particular, Korach and his followers that Moses and Aaron are the chosen leaders, chosen by God.

Moses quashes their rebellion and God further consolidates the power of Aaron and his descendants and the Levites as the priesthood. So that there are no further insurrections or complaints, God instructs Moses to take the staff of leadership from each tribal head and inscribe it with the name of the elder. Also Moses receives a staff from the tribe of Levi with Aaron’s name. These are placed overnight in the Tent of Meeting near the Ark of the Covenant. God told Moses the staff that blooms-that will be the one who is the rightful leader of the Priesthood. The next day-Moses brought out all of the staffs. Each chieftain identified his and of course, Aaron’s staff is the one in full bloom. “There the staff of Aaron and the house of Levi had sprouted; it had brought forth sprouts, produced blossom, and borne almonds.” (Num. 17:23). This miracle of the blooming staff, visible to all Israel, further elevates Aaron and the tribe of Levi as the priesthood. Although they had been duly ordained and installed this crowning miracle put to rest any questions of authority. This staff or Aaron’s was stored in the Tent of meeting in the holy of holies as a future testament to this miraculous elevation.

Parshat Shelach Lecha, Numbers 13:1 -15:41

This week’s portion Shelach Lecha speaks about the rules for those who are native born Israelites and those who are resident aliens. Several times the Torah has emphasized that there is one law for both those that are native born and those who have joined the people and reside with them. “There shall be one law for you and for the resident stranger; it shall be a law for all time throughout the ages. You and the stranger shall be alike before the Eternal” (Num. 15:15).

Parshat Beha’alotecha, Numbers 8:1 – 12:16

This week’s portion Beha’alotecha, describes how Aaron the High Priest is to kindle the menorah. Interestingly enough it doesn’t use the term kindle—which would read b’hadlaktcha, but beha’alotecha- which means when you raise or up or mount the candles. It is the same root as aliyah-to go up. Rashi the great Torah commentator told us that there was a step before the menorah and literally the priest would step up to kindle the lights of the menorah.

Parshat Naso II: Numbers 4:21-7:89

This week’s portion is the second reading of Naso. We do this to keep in line with the Orthodox Diaspora world. They still observe two days of Shavuot and Reform Judaism observes only one. But in a nod to our values of Klal Yisrael we stay on the same parshiot system.

This is a change from previous years. When the second day of Shavuot would fall on Shabbat the Reform movement was observing the next week’s portion just as they do in Israel. So for a few weeks the Israeli and Reform Torah reading calendar would differ from the Conservative and Orthodox Torah reading cycle outside of Israel. But in recent years when this has occurred, the Reform movement has split parshat Naso.