The first chapter of this Torah portion (Numbers 19) contains one of the greatest mysteries in all of Judaism: the sacrifice of the Red Heifer. It is unlike any other sacrifice. Even the instructions seem to contradict themselves. But when looked at through the lens of the Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit), the mystery is […]

So here is the context: The children of Israel were making their way through the Promised Land and were destroying every army that was in their way. With Yahweh on their side, they could not be beat, no matter what the odds. In Numbers 22, after they had utterly destroyed the Amorites, Balak, the king […]

Have you ever been at a place in your life where you felt like someone was intentionally trying to hurt you, to curse you? Have you ever felt like they were going out of their way to cause you misery? What do we do when we are at a place so low that we just […]

Prophets for hire, talking donkeys, seemingly schizophrenic instructions from Yahweh, and blessings coming from a rogue prophet hired to curse Israel. There is no doubt that a cursory look at the Balaam narrative can leave us scratching our heads in many regards. Is Balaam a good guy, a bad guy, or a former good guy […]