|
5760
|
The meeting had been set months before, and the group of five Chabad women had been waiting almost twenty minutes in the reception room outside the office door of Knesset member Sara Doron, anxious to present their well-prepared case regarding the law called ‘Mihu Yehudi’.
But they were in for a surprise; Mrs. Doron came out of her office, briskly announced that she had another meeting, and abandoned the astonished women with only her secretary to complain to, which they did enthusiastically. |
|
|
5761
|
This week's section is the preparation for the giving of the Torah. "Bamidbar" means "in the desert".
G-d could have given the Torah anywhere; He could have given it to the Jews in Egypt before they left, or in Israel after they arrived. He could even have given it to Moses privately, but He didn't... He gave it in the desert. |
|
|
5762
|
This week's section contains no commandments; it deals mostly with the results of G-d's request to Moses to count the Jews that left Egypt.
At first glance this is not understood. Certainly G-d knew how many Jews there were. What was the purpose of Moshe counting them? Why didn't G-d just reveal to him all the figures and save a lot of time? |
|
|
5763
|
This week we again begin the adventures of Moses and the Jewish people after they left Egypt. Being that it is the Shabbat directly before the holiday of Shavuot it must have a message that will help us experience the full meaning of this wonderful Holiday when we received the Torah. |
|
|
5764
|
This week's section begins the fourth book of the Torah.
It begins with G-d commanding Moses and Aaron to take the leaders of the twelve tribes and go count the Jews. The rest of the section reports the results.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe asks a question on this. |
|
|
5765
|
This week's section is called "In The Desert". It begins the fourth book of the Torah and tells in great detail how Moses, at G-d's command, counted the Jews after the exodus from Egypt.
At first glance this is not understood; what did they have to count for?
Censuses are usually made to assess the size and the needs of the population and then to distribute the burden of taxes equally. |
|
|
5766
|
This week's section Bamidbar (which means In the desert) begins the fourth book of the Torah and sets the stage for the holiday of Shavuot this coming week.
The Baal Shem Tov (who passed away on Shavuot some 250 years ago) taught that every detail of Creation and especially every word of the Torah contains deep, mystical, and personal messages. |
|
|
5767
|
This Shabbat we read the first portion in the book of Bamidbar (Numbers) and four days afterward we will celebrate the holiday of Shavuot; when G-d gave the Torah to the entire Jewish nation 3,319 years ago.
Interestingly, this Torah portion is always read directly before the holiday of Shavuot. So there must be a similarity. |
|
|
5768
|
This week we read the first Torah portion in the book of Numbers which is called Bamidbar. Bamidbar means 'In the desert'.
It is also called 'Numbers' (Pikudim) because it begins with the counting of the Jews. |
|
|
5769
|
In this week's Torah portion, G-d tells Moses to count the Jews and then begin the journeys in the desert.
The birth, independence, identity and existence of the Jews depended on miracles. Their origin from Abraham, the Exodus from Egypt, the receiving of the Torah and their sustenance in the desert was all totally above nature. |
|
|
5770
|
This week's Torah portion, Bamidbar, is always read before the Holiday of Shavuos commemorating the date that G-d gave the Torah at Mt. Sinai over 3,320 years ago. |
|
