Bible
The Spiritual Trauma of Taking a Life
How the kosher practice of waiting between meat and dairy reminds us of Moses' discomfort with violence.
Meet the Torah’s Bold Band of Status Quo-Challenging Sisters
In this busy portion, the daughters of Zelophehad succeed in staking claim their father’s land — sort of.
The Call of the Void
The famed red heifer is a key part of a biblical purification process. But why do we need laws to create a system of purity and impurity in the first place?
Known Unknowns
Fearful of what lies ahead, the Israelites wonder if they’d be better off returning to Egypt.
Ceding Control — and Seizing It
One word in this portion means both “wind” and “spirit” — and the duality is striking.
