This week's parsha

Unless otherwise noted, "This week's Parsha" comprises articles taken from contributors to the Chabad.org website. We show the original author's name here, so that proper attribution is given. For the sake of brevity, footnotes cited in the original author's writings are omitted from this website. If you need to see the citations, please refer to the original articles on the Chabad.org website.

It Just Happened . . .

Published: 15 July 2019 | Written by Mordechai Wollenberg

In this week’s Torah portion we are told that that “G‑d happened upon Balaam.”

The hallmark of the careless, irresponsible person is the notion that something “just happened.” It’s not my responsibility, it just sort of happened. It is all too easy to find oneself denying one’s culpability -- blaming somebody else, or external circumstances -- anything to avoid taking responsibility and accepting that, ultimately, we are the ones to “blame” for whatever actions we take.

Waters of Strife

Published: 08 July 2019 | Written by Yanki Tauber

One of the most puzzling passages in the Torah is the story of the Waters of Strife, in the wake of which G‑d decreed that Moses would die in the desert and would not enter the Land of Israel.

A hundred generations of Torah scholars, beginning with Moses himself and continuing with the sages of the Midrash, the biblical commentaries and the chassidic masters, struggle with this enigmatic chapter. As we speak, someone is writing a “Parshah piece” that searches for some explanation of the event, or at least a lesson to be derived from it.

Make Them or Break Them - A Woman's Decision

Published: 01 July 2019 | Written by Mendel Kalmenson

One of them was brilliant, wealthy, holy, possessed impressive pedigree, and belonged to Moses' inner circle. The other was run-of-the-mill, with little to show for himself.

The first would die; the second would live.

Both because of the same reason: their wife's counsel.

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