How Much is Your Child Worth? Korah 5776
“Which do you prefer—your firstborn child, or the five coins required to redeem him?” This disconcerting question is part of the ritual known as pidyon haben, the redemption of the firstborn son. Rabbi Asher ben Yehiel (13th–14th centuries) reports this question as part of the liturgy from the geonic period in his Talmud commentary, and…
Collective Punishment and Individual Justice: Korah 5775
Does God believe in collective punishment? That certainly seems to be the impression this week when God tells Moses, “Separate yourselves from this group and I will instantly annihilate them!” (Numbers 16:21). Perhaps God intends to kill only the guilty, but Moses understands otherwise, protesting, “O God, Source of all the breath of all flesh!…
Filling the Void: Korah 5773/2013
To Fill the Void (למלא את החלל) is a new Israeli film written and directed by Rama Burshtein, a Haredi woman who had previously made films only for internal consumption by other Haredi women. This film has earned critical acclaim, and I found it to be mesmerizing. There is a great deal to discuss, but I want…
Rabbi Danny Nevins 