Corporate Torah

Shabbat Parshat Bamidbar Dvar Torah Bamidbar starts of a new book in the Torah also known as “Sefer Hapkudim” (Numbers). Numbers, starts off with…lots of numbers. Following up from the last count in Parshat Vayakhel (in Leviticus), the census for each tribe is recorded this week again for the same count (603,550), and everyone is re-counted again later (at a family level) in Parshat Pinchas (601,730) – with a few other smaller censuses interspersed as well. Why so many numbers? Rashi explains that Hashem counts us often because of his love for us. Or perhaps to put it colloquially, because each and every one of us count. G-d is constantly “taking attendance” because we are all critical to the Jewish People and each and every one of us have something unique to contribute. When we listen to the count in synagogue this shabbat, we can take pride in being loved, valued, and counted. Trivia Shabbat is getting late in the northern hemisphere. So late in fact that Havdalah becomes di...

Shabbat Parshat Behar-Bechukotai (Chazak) Dvar Torah Behar starts with the laws of the Shemitta (Sabbatical) year in which once every seven years the land lays fallow and all loans are forgiven. Furthermore, after a 7 cycles of Sabbatical there is the Yovel (Jubilee) in the 50th year in which all agricultural lands return to their ancestral owners. Much like the weekly cycle of seven days capped by Shabbat, the Shemitta and Yovel cycles remind of the transient nature of our material life and nudge us to focus on spiritual pursuits. Indeed, in modern Israel I have a farmer friend who takes the Shemitta year off to study Torah! Wishing everyone good tidings and a Shabbat Shalom! 

Shabbat Parshat Emor Dvar Torah In Emor we learn about the Mitzvah of Peah (lit. "corner") where we are required to leave a portion of our fields earmarked for the poor ( Lev. 23:22 ). Like many other Mitzvot concerning caring for the poor in agrarian societies (e.g. tithes), we can perhaps adopt a modern context for Peah in our contemporary society by dedicating some of our professional capacity to caring for those in need. Furthermore, the Mishna ( Peah 1:1 ) teaches us that there is no biblically regulated quantity for Peah. Like  Gemilut Hasadim  (acts of kindness e.g. visiting the sick) where there is no measure for what is too little and what is too much, so too no Peah allotment is too big or small. This too we can perhaps adapt to our own context. Our careers go through phases and at some points we will only have resources and capacity for smaller "Peahs" whereas at other times we will have the privilege of having entire "fields" of Peah. As ta...

Shabbat Parshat Acharei Mot Kedoshim Dvar Torah In this week’s double-header Parsha, the Torah  commands us  to be “ Kedoshim ” (lit. holy).  Nachmanides   explains  this means that while the Torah explicitly forbids us from specific acts (e.g. adultery), there are some places where we are expected to draw the line ourselves – for example foul speech or glutenous consumption. I think there are two powerful messages inlaid within Nachmanides’ commentary. Firstly, G-d trusts us. He believes that we have the intellect, moral sense, and if necessary, the courage to do what’s right without being told precisely what it is or how to do it. Secondly, drawing boundaries is a positive “do” commandment. When contrasted with negative “don’t-do” commandments (e.g. don’t gossip, don’t eat on Yom Kippur), here we are actively choosing to be something. Being " Kedoshim " means that living our lives in the ways of the Torah is not just a reactive exercise in restraint, but an...

Shabbat Parshat Tazria-Metzora Dvar Torah Tazria deals primarily with the laws of  Tzara’at , the spiritual leprosy-like skin affliction which according to the Talmud ( Erchin 16a ) is a punishment for  Lashon Harah  - needlessly spreading damaging information about others (in circumstances of need however this can actually be an  obligation ). The recovery from Tzara’at is very arduous, to the point that the Talmud even equates the afflicted with the dead. For example, the Torah tells us that someone afflicted with  Tzara’at  must leave town and live in solitude until their illness passes. The Talmud ( Erchin 16b ) relates that this is measure for measure – just as  Lashon Harah  incites strife and causes division between family and friends – so to the speaker is condemned to solitude. I think I'm not alone in being struck every year by the severity the Torah attributes to  Lashon Harah  - something that so many of us (myself inclu...