Jewish Texts

We should respond to major historical events and to personal decisions with the question, "Where are we morally?"

God describes the service of the Gershon family of Levites; laws relating to the suspected adulteress and the nazirite are given; God tells Moses and Aaron the priestly blessing; the heads of tribes bring gifts to the Tabernacle.

The internal and external structure of this carefully-crafted Psalm serves to reinforce its theme of praising God as the caring, divine ruler of all creation.

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

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

By asking the priests to bless the people, God gives them an opportunity to serve as role models of caring for the people.

The Israelites receive instructions regarding Passover, journey forth from Sinai and complain to God on several occasions.

The prohibition against the direct counting of the Israelites cautions us to remember the human faces behind abstract statistics.

The Torah reading in most synagogues is inaccessible, the author says, and needs to be "livened up" through the use of drama and performance art.

The blessings that conclude the Amidah's center section emphasize God's redemption of Israel.