Behar (“On The Mountain”) details the laws of the sabbatical year (Shemita), when working the land is prohibited and debts are forgiven. It also sets out laws of indentured servitude […]

Bamidbar (“In The Desert”) is the first Torah portion in the Book of Numbers. It describes God's command to take a census and details the camping formation of the Israelites […]

Naso (“Take A Census”), the longest portion in the Torah, opens by detailing responsibilities of the Levites. It also describes laws of a woman suspected of adultery (sotah), the Nazirite, […]

Beha’alotekha (“When You Raise”) opens with God instructing Moses to inaugurate the Levites for service in the Mishkan (Tabernacle). It also recounts the stories of people who request a second […]

Shelach (“Send”) tells the story of Israelite spies journeying into Canaan, the negative report they bring back, and the resulting punishment decreed upon the Israelites: to wander and die in […]

Parashat Korach recounts the rebellion of Korach (a cousin of Moses and Aaron), Dathan, Abiram, and 250 of their followers. Some rebels are swallowed by the ground, while others are […]

Chukat (“Law Of”) opens by describing the process of burning the red heifer and using its ashes for purification. It also tells the stories of the deaths of Miriam and […]

Balak tells the story of the Moabite king Balak, who hires Balaam to curse the Israelites. Balaam’s donkey speaks along the way, and Balaam ends up blessing the Israelites. The […]

Pinchas opens with God’s promise of a “covenant of peace” for the zealot Pinchas, followed by a census. The daughters of Tzelofchad request and receive new laws regarding inheritance. God […]

Matot (“Tribes”) opens with laws about vows, and continues to describe the Israelites’ war against the Midianites and the allocation of spoils. The tribes of Reuben and Gad request to […]