Avi Weiss

The 50 days between Passover and Shavuot are commonly known as Sefirat Ha’omer (Leviticus 23:15, 16). From a biblical perspective, these days relate to the barley offering brought on the second day…

Foundational to Jewish living is being attentive to the needy, as the Torah states, “If your brother is waxen poor, and his means fails with you: then you shall uphold him” (Leviticus 25:35). The p…

The Torah, in the Book of Numbers, explains pidyon haben (redemption of the firstborn son; Numbers 3:40–51). Originally, the eldest son in each family was designated to serve in the Temple. After t…

An old rabbinic joke tells of a young man who requested to become a Kohen (Jewish priest). When the board of the congregation refused, the young man offered a million dollars to attain this importa…

Complaining to Moses, the Israelites cry out that they remember the fish served to them in Egypt that they received “chinam” (without paying; Numbers 11:5). Could they really have received food wit…

The story of the spies is viewed as an episode revealing the Jews’ basic lack of faith in God (Numbers 13,14). This is similar in its underlying theme to the golden calf story, which describes the …

From the time that Moses comes on the scene, he is under attack: • When he breaks up a fight between Jews while still in Egypt, one turns to him and says, “Who made you a ruler and judge over us?” …

An octogenarian rabbi shares advice for President Biden, as his age becomes one of the election's most prominent focuses.

There is a clear parallel between Balak and events in the Book of Exodus. In both narratives, kings (Pharaoh of Egypt and Balak of Moab), alarmed about the success of the Jewish People, conspire to…

Argentina must remove the piles of deceit and do justice to the memory of the dead