Parashat Matot-Masei

The laws of vows teach that our words have the power to create holiness between us.

The laws of nullifying vows teach us that our silence and inaction in the face of contemporary injustice and oppression is akin to assenting to it.

The request of the tribes of Reuben and Gad to settle outside of the Land of Israel raises the issue of balancing communal and individual needs.

The Book of Numbers, full of bloodshed and division, ends with a call for unity and a discussion of the sanctity of life.

Cities of Refuge are symbols of God's unconditional love and constant presence among people.

The list of places through which the Israelites traveled in the wilderness teaches us to understand Judaism through our everyday experiences.

Our discomfort with the Torah's command to wipe out other nations stems from the contrast between that directive and the Torah's usual emphasis on respect for human life.