Portion Summary The second reading from the book of Numbers and the thirty-fifth reading from the Torah is called Nasso, a word that literally means “lift up.” It comes from the first word of the second verse in Hebrew, which could literally be translated to say, “Lift up the heads of the sons of Gershon,” […]

Portion Summary The third reading from the book of Numbers and the thirty-sixth reading from the Torah is called Beha’alotcha, a word that literally means “when you ascend.” It comes from the first verse of the portion, which could literally be translated as “when you ascend the lamps” (Numbers 8:2), a reference to the fact […]

Portion Summary The thirty-seventh reading from the Torah is called Shelach, an imperative verb that means “send out.” The portion is so named from the first few words of the second verse: “Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan” (Numbers 13:2). The Torah reading tells the tragic […]

Portion Summary Korah (Korach in Hebrew) was the name of a prominent Levite. It is also the name of the thirty-eighth reading from the Torah. It comes from the first verse of this week's reading, which says, “Now Korah the son of Izhar … took action” (Numbers 16:1). This week’s Torah reading tells the story of […]

Portion Summary Chukat is the thirty-ninth reading from the Torah. The word chukat means “statute.” The name is derived from the second verse of the reading: “This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded” (Numbers 19:2). Chukat presents the mysterious laws of the red-heifer ceremony for purification after contact with human death. This […]