"Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aharon the Kohen, has turned My anger away from Bnei Yisrael by zealously avenging Me among them so that I did not destroy Bnei Yisrael because of My zeal. (25:11)"

A deadly plague was spreading among Bnei Yisrael, killing thousands of people.

Meanwhile, Zimri, the leader of the tribe of Shimon, publicly took a Midianite princess into his tent. Moshe, Elazar, and the elders of Bnei Yisrael all witnessed Zimri’s brazen act but were at a loss on how to respond.

Pinchas was neither a leader nor an elder of Bnei Yisrael (up until that point), but he remembered what Moshe had taught as the correct response to a situation like this. He brought the law to Moshe’s attention, and Moshe urged him to fulfill it: “Let the one who reads the letter be the agent to carry it out,” he said.

Pinchas entered Zimri’s tent, witnessed him sinning with the Midianite woman, and killed him, whereupon the plague miraculously stopped....

What was the Sin of Moshe? 13 Reasons for the Sin of Moshe & Aharon Parsha Chukat

Rabbi Amichai Cohen

In Parshat Chukat, we read: “The Israelites arrived at the wilderness of Zin on the first new moon, and the people stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there.      

The community was without water, and they joined against Moses and Aaron.

The people quarreled with Moses, saying, “If only we had perished when our brothers perished at the instance of the LORD! Why have you brought the LORD’s congregation into this wilderness for us and our beasts to die there? Why did you make us leave Egypt to bring us to this wretched place, a place with no grain or figs or vines or pomegranates? There is not even water to drink!”                                            

Moses and Aaron came away from...

Parsha Korach- A class from the Bat Midrash -6/7/21

One thing that I learned early on in school is not to pick a fight with someone bigger than me. Yet, Korach did just that, picking a fight with Moshe and Aharon.

Korach who was one of the 4 bearers of the Ark of covenant and one of the wealthiest men of the Israelites argues that he and everyone on the community is equal, there by negative the authority of Moshe. 

What was his reason for this? Kabbalah and Chassidut explain the Korach saw the potential of Gevurah and the material world being ultimately more superior to the side of Chesed and spiritual.  Korach foresaw that redemption is associated with he elevation of the lower world. Yet he went too far and did not have the humility of acceptance of the authority of Moshe and G-d and the subservience of the "left to the right side", Levites to Kohanim.

Listen to this deep class for the full explanation

Think Positively & Manifest Positivity 

Rabbi Amichai Cohen

It is a fact that thoughts have a discernible effect on our emotions as well as our bodies. Our thoughts also affect manifesting our future. 

In this week's Torah Portion Shemot, the Torah recounts the story of Moses seeing a cruel Egyptian taskmaster viciously striking a poor Hebrew slave. Moses makes the quick decision to protect the Hebrew slave and kill the Egyptian taskmaster.

The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting with each other. Acting with chivalry, Moses tried to stop the two feuding slaves. Responding to the gesture, the two men said to Moses, "you killed a man, and now you tell us "not to fight.

Upon discovering that his secret "had been discovered," the verse says that "Moses was fearful." Indeed, Pharaoh learned of the episode shortly after that and sought to have him killed.

With this episode, the Torah hints at the extraordinary power of bitachon—complete trust in G-d's...

Starting Again- Bereisheit/ Genesis. Why do we end the Torah & restart it at the same time?  

The Talmud tells us that the passing of the Righteous atones for the entire generation. In this week’s Torah portion Chukat, we learn about the passing of Miriam and Aharon. It is of no coincidence that it is also the Yahrzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

 In this class, we delved into the significance of what the Zohar calls, The Passing of the Righteous, and the life work of The Lubavitcher Rebbe.  

R. Yaacov Abuchazera, also called the Abir Yaacov, was one the greatest Kabbalists and miracle workers in the last 200 years. In his book "Pituchei Chotam", R. Yaacov shares deep insights on how the soul becomes uplifted from its entrenchment in Egypt. The verse says "Jacob and his house hold came to Egypt". The Abir Yaacov explains that the soul's mission is to purify its "household", i.e the lower parts of its soul. 

In this deep teaching of the AriZal, we delve into the reason why the last 17 years were considered Jacob's life. We also explore the connection between Jacob and Israel- constricted and expanded consciousness.

The Zohar calls the encounter of Joseph and Judah as an encounter of 2 worlds, the sphere of Zeir Anpin and Malchut, the spiritual and material worlds.

Joseph and Judah represent two diametrical dimensions that are both true, that is why the Zohar tells us that we have 2 Moshiach, representing both perspectives.