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Devarim: Torah in Seventy Languages

In this Torah portion, we encounter a defining historical moment: the explanation and translation of the Torah to the entire world. On the eve of entering the Land of Israel, Moses explained the Torah in seventy languages. Furthermore, he commanded the people to inscribe the Torah upon huge stones in seventy languages immediately after crossing the Jordan, once standing at the land of Israel (Sotah 32a). The Sages explain that this was done so that the nations of the world would have access to the Written Torah and would have no excuse to claim that they had never been given the opportunity to study it (Sotah 35b).

Yet there is another event of  translation of the Torah that was regarded negatively. Ptolemy, the king of Hellenistic Egypt, compelled the elders of Israel to translate the Torah into Greek. Concerning that day, the Sages said: "That…

Parashat Matot: The Power of Self Restriction  

Parashat Matot opens with the laws of vows: "If a man vows a vow to the Lord or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth."   The essential role of a vow is to allow an individual to prohibit themselves from enjoying something otherwise permissible. This raises a question: Why would a person choose to forbid themselves something that the Torah permits and restrict himself with a vow?

When a person is dominated by their evil inclination and lacks the self-control to master their desires, a vow becomes a spiritual shield. By swearing an oath, they forcefully prohibit the very material object to which they are enslaved. In such an unrefined state, not only is the person incapable of elevating that specific spark of creation,…

Pinchas: The Power of a Good Thought 

When the Torah enumerates the families of the tribe of Levi in our Torah portion, it surprisingly mentions the "Korchite family." Here, a question arises: How is it possible? After all, Korach, the patriarch of the family, stood at the head of the rebellion against Moses our Teacher. The entire family of Korah was punished and lost from the congregation as a result.  So, how was it counted again as if it existed and was not lost?

The Torah provides the answer in the portion: "And the sons of Korach did not die." Although the sons of Korach were partners to the evil counsel from the very beginning, at the moment of truth, during the time of the dispute, a change occurred within their hearts. They realized that they were holding onto a sin, and therefore, they resolved in their hearts to repent.…