Moses

Internalizing the lessons from Moses’s exodus, Herzl understood that transformations need to happen gradually – he referred to those 40 years in the desert as “education through migration.”

“I felt in bondage to depression over my mother’s death, and I felt I needed to break those bonds.”

The fact that bad things can come from God and affect His nation when it does not follow His path presents a difficult theological problem for people who believe in a benevolent and righteous God.

Unlike in Herzl’s France, Israel’s stability is provided by that secret formula planted in Deuteronomy by Moses: Political delegation.

The Land of Israel, like all the goods of this world, is God’s gift, but the people must still fight to deserve it.

In this week’s Torah portion, we continue reading Moses’s final speeches, addresses meant to prepare the Jewish nation for entering, conquering and living in Israel.

The Torah is insistent that no human is perfect, and it is in the rough and tumble of daily life that we show our spiritual striving.

In this week’s parasha, Devarim, Moses focused on the years when the Jewish nation wandered in the desert and on the trials and tribulations they experienced there.

From this week's Torah portion, Parashat Pinhas, we learn from Moses that a leader puts his ego aside. Moses’s first concern is for Israel, not for himself.

We learn from this week's Torah portion, parashat Pinhas, a plurality of opinions is a godly phenomenon.