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William Hamilton
William Hamilton
May 25, 2018, 5:46 PM
Presentation of Colors
“A flag, what is that?” rhetorically asks Theodore Herzl in a letter to a philanthropist following their unproductive meeting. “A stick with a rag on it?  No, sir, a flag is more than that.  For a flag men will...
Sharona Margolin Halickman
Sharona Margolin Halickman
May 25, 2018, 3:56 PM
How were the princes appointed?
In Parshat Naso (Bamidbar 7:2) we read: “The princes of Israel (nesiim), the heads of their fathers’ household, brought offerings; these were the princes of the tribes, they stood by during the counting. According to Bamidnar Raba 12:17, the princes...
Jonathan Sacks
Jonathan Sacks
May 24, 2018, 9:28 PM
Featured Post
God's children
Illustrative. Appreciating a waiter. (iStock)
Make those you meet feel important, and ensure that people are never 'just numbers' (Naso)
Ari Sacher
Ari Sacher
May 23, 2018, 2:26 PM
“So They Say” Parashat Naso 5778
My favourite part of the synagogue services is “Birkat Kohanim”, the “Priestly Blessing,” in which the Kohanim stand next to the ark, raise their hands above their heads and bless the congregation. This happens only a few times a...
Ben-Tzion Spitz
Ben-Tzion Spitz
May 22, 2018, 2:35 PM
Naso: Immortal Bulls
Higher than the question of our duration is the question of our deserving. Immortality will come to such as are fit for it, and he would be a great soul in future must be a great soul now. -Ralph Waldo...
Ariel Ben Avraham
Ariel Ben Avraham
May 20, 2018, 10:58 PM
Parshat Naso: The priest in our consciousness (II)
This is one of the portions in the Torah that highlights the meaning of priesthood in Judaism. Priesthood has made many uncomfortable throughout history, since its inception as one of the pillars of the Jewish tradition. This derives from...
Sharona Margolin Halickman
Sharona Margolin Halickman
Jun 2, 2017, 8:08 PM
Who was Shimshon’s mother?
In the Haftara for Parshat Naso, we read the beginning of the story of Shimshon (Shoftim 13:2-25). The story begins with the words: “There was a certain man of Tzorah, of the family of the Danite, and his name was...
William Hamilton
William Hamilton
Jun 2, 2017, 8:07 PM
Making loss matter
Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg is coping with the sudden death of her husband by schooling readers in resilience.  Her important new book, Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy, makes a compelling point:  “Tragedy does...
Jonathan Sacks
Jonathan Sacks
Jun 2, 2017, 4:11 PM
The Pursuit of Peace (Naso 5777)
The parsha of Naso seems, on the face of it, to be a heterogeneous collection of utterly unrelated items. First there is the account of the Levitical families of Gershon and Merari and their tasks in carrying parts of...
Binyamin Klempner
Binyamin Klempner
Jun 2, 2017, 12:58 PM
Nasso – Letters of Courage
BS"D Dear Chevra, On my first visit to Montana, as a seventeen year old American, I got into a conversation with Tinyman (Don) Yellowkidney, son of Buster Yellowkidney, Wartime Chief of the Blackfeet Tribe. Tinyman was trying to impress upon me...
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