Dear Scouts: In this week’s parasha, Va’Eschanan, Moses continues his review of events that happened in the Wilderness as part of the Exodus from Egypt. Recall God had forbidden Moses to enter the Land of Israel, because he had not followed God’s instructions in asking for water from a rock in the Wilderness of Zin. […]
This week, I write in memory of my dear father, Norman Block, Nachum ben Nachman haLevi, whose jahrzeit (the anniversary of a death) is next week. Though he was never registered as a Scout, he was the brother-in-law, father, grandfather and great-grandfather of many Scouts, and he lived the Scout Oath and Law every day. […]
Dear Scouts, This week we read two parashot, Mattos and Masei. Much of Parasha Mattos is about the neder, or vow, and that once made, it must be kept. The neder is not a promise to do something, but rather is a promise prohibiting oneself from using or enjoying something, or forbid someone else from […]
Recently, I had the good fortune to spend six weeks in Israel, visiting two of my sons and their families, and welcoming a new grandson. My long stay reminded me of our connection to Eretz Yisrael, and because of that I want to post a favorite Derech Tsofeh of mine for this week’s parasha from […]
Dear Scouts: In Parashat Balak this week, we learn of the efforts of the king of the Moabites, Balak, to keep the Children of Israel from taking Moab. He has heard of the Amorites’ defeat at the hands of the Israelites and sends messengers to hire the non-Jewish prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites. Balaam warns Balak’s messengers that he […]
I study today in memory of my friend and teacher, Rabbi Aryeh Scheinberg, rabbi of Congregation Rodfei Sholom, San Antonio, Texas, for 50 years. He passed away today. A seventh generation rabbi, he was a Torah scholar and community leader. He will be greatly missed. Dear Scouts, In parasha Chukas this week, we learn a great lesson through […]
Dear Scouts, The founder of the Order of the Arrow, Dr. E. Urner Goodman, used to say that leaders could either lead up or down. In Parasha Korach this week, we read about leaders who led down – in more ways than one. Korach is from one of the most distinguished families among the Children […]
This week’s Derech Tzofeh comes from Bruce Chudacoff, past president of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting. It is adapted from his weekly Torah comments for his Temple in North Port, Florida. Dear Scouts, This week is Shabbat Shelach. It’s a made-for-Scouting Torah portion and Haftorah. The Israelites had not left Egypt very long before […]
This week’s commentary comes from Bruce Chudacoff. Bruce has just completed eight years as chairman and president of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting – Mazel Tov! This week is Shabbat Beha’alotekha. It contains instructions on how to prepare the Levites for their tasks as the assistants to the priests. The second Passover takes place […]
This week’s d’var Torah is from Rabbi Susan Elkodsi, Rabbi at the Malverne Jewish Center, Malverne, NY, and chaplain at the last World Scout Jamboree. Dear Scouts, All the Levites whom Moses, Aaron, and the chieftains of Israel recorded by the clans of their ancestral houses, from the age of thirty years up to the […]
This week’s d’var Torah is from Rabbi Art Vernon, Rabbi at Congregation Shaaray Shalom, West Hempstead, NY, and National Chaplain, NJCOS. Dear Scouts, Parashat Bamidbar finds the Israelites in the wilderness, still at Mt. Sinai, but making preparations to head toward the Promised Land. One of the preparations is taking a census of able-bodied men […]
This week’s d’var Torah is from Rabbi Joseph H. Prouser, Rabbi at Temple Emanuel of North Jersey, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, and Past National Chaplain, NJCOS. Dear Scouts, Parshat Bechukotai (read together with Parshat Behar this Shabbat) imagines a number of dark, unhappy, and frightening fates that, sadly, can be all too real. We read […]
This week’s d’var Torah is from Rabbi Josh Feigelson, Executive Director, Institute for Jewish Studies, Chicago. Dear Scouts, Several years ago my children and I went to the Field Museum in Chicago. While we had been there before and seen the dinosaur bones and the dioramas of mammoths and mastodons, on this occasion we went […]
Dear Scouts, This week, we learn the dual portions Acharei Mot and Kedoshim (holy things). The parasha is an elaboration on mitzvot that God has already given the Jewish people in the Ten Commandments: I am God. Do not worship idols. Respect your father and mother. Observe Shabbat. The parasha also teaches us to be […]
Dear Scouts, In the double portion of Tazria-Metzora, having completed the building of theMishkan (Tabernacle) and the inauguration of the Kohanim and the Mishkan itself, the Torah turns us to learning the laws of ritual purity (tuma) and impurity (tahara). Many of these laws no longer apply, because we no longer have the Temple. The laws are confusing to us today. […]
Dear Scouts, During the last few weeks, we have learned about the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) that would serve as the place where the Children of Israel would worship God, the offerings to be made there, and the duties of the Kohanim (priests) in performing the services. Last week, in Parasha Tzav, we learned about the first seven days of […]
Dear Scouts, I hope everyone is having a good Passover. This week, because Shabbat is the seventh day of Passover, our Shabbat Torah reading is a special reading, from Parasha Beshalach. It is my pleasure to reprise a favorite d’var Torah from Rabbi Josh Feigelson, Eagle Scout and executive director of the Institute for Jewish […]
Dear Scouts, This week’s parasha, Tzav, teaches us an important lesson about continuity. Tzav continues the Book of Leviticus’s instructions about the Kohanim (Priests) and the holy services to be conducted in the Mishkan (Tabernacle), and later the Temple. God gives us instructions about several of the offerings made in the Mishkan. The last several passages are about the week-long inauguration of the Mishkan, […]
Dear Scouts, This week, Parasha Vayikra teaches us all about the korbanot (offerings) that were offered in the Mishkan (Tabernacle). The korbanot are a little hard for modern people to understand. A person who needed to atone for a sin he committed by accident would bring a kosher animal to the Mishkan. The person would rest his hands on the animal’s head (this act is […]
Dear Scouts: This week, we close the book of Shemos (Exodus) with the double portion of Vayakhel and Pekudei. The two portions are read on separate Shabbats during a leap year in the Jewish calendar. We end as we began, with an accounting. Shemos starts with a description of the “70 souls” who entered Egypt with Jacob. […]
Dear Scouts, In Parashat Ki Sisa this week, God commands Moses to take a census of the Israelites, with the count to be made by having every adult man pay a half-shekel. “The wealthy shall not increase and the destitute shall not decrease from half a shekel.” The money is to be used for the work of building the Mishkan (Tablernacle) […]
Dear Scouts, I hope you are having a happy Purim. Here’s a Purim Derech Tsofeh from a few years ago – one of my favorites, written with my son Jordan. When you heard the Megillah, did you notice that its characters exemplify the twelve points of the Scout Law? Trustworthy – The Jewish people kept […]
Dear Scouts, This week, in Parasha Terumah we receive God’s instructions regarding the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). During the last two weeks, God has instructed the Israelites in the basic laws of Judaism. In Parasha Yitro, God handed down the Ten Commandments. Then, in Parasha Mishpatim God gives the basic laws of community life, […]
Dear Scouts, Last week, we learned of the Aseret Hadivrot – the Ten Commandments. Hadivrot also has the root deber – speak. God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel by speaking them. Some scholars translate Aseret Hadivrot as the Ten Statements. So last week’s lesson was about God’s statements. This week, in Parashat Mishpatim, we learn about listening to God’s statements. The parasha begins with a list […]
This week, we celebrate the start of the ninth year of Derech Tsofeh with a guest d’var Torah by Rabbi Art Vernon, Chaplain of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting. Dear Scouts, In this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Yitro, the Jewish people have arrived at Mt. Sinai on their way from Egypt to the land […]
This week’s d’var comes from Rabbi David Lyon, senior rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel, Houston, Texas (founded in 1854), in honor of the anniversaries of Troop 806 (40 years) and Pack 806 (35 years), both chartered to the Brotherhood of the Congregation. This week also marks the completion of the 8th year of Derech Tsofeh. […]
Dear Scouts, Last week, we learned of seven plagues that God imposed upon the Egyptians. This week, in parasha Bo, God brings three more plagues upon Egypt. First is swarms of locusts: “It covered the surface of the entire land and the land was darkened.” (Exodus 10:15) Next comes three days of a foggy darkness, followed by […]
Dear Scouts, This week, the name of our parasha, Va’Eira – “I appeared” – sets the stage for what happens throughout the rest of the portion, one of the most eventful and dramatic in all of the Torah. Last week, Pharaoh became angry when Moses demanded that the Israelites be allowed to leave Egypt to worship […]
Dear Scouts: This week’s parasha, Shemot, is the beginning of the book of Exodus, and the start of our story of the Exodus from Egypt. Joseph dies and a new king arises over Egypt “who did not know Joseph”. Pharaoh gradually enslaves the Jews. He is afraid the Israelites have become so numerous and strong they […]
Dear Scouts: Sometimes, you just want to go home. This week, in Parasha Vayechi, we read about the last days of Jacob. He has had a hard life, much of it spent away from his home in Canaan. Jacob lived his early years in fear of his “evil twin” Esau, who resented Jacob for stealing his birthright. […]
Dear Scouts, This week, in Parasha Vayigash we learn the last chapter of Joseph’s journey in Egypt. In last week’s parasha we saw all the brothers gathered before Joseph. When the brothers were leaving from their visit to get more food, Joseph had his servant hide his silver goblet in Benjamin’s saddle bags. Once the brothers begin their […]
Dear Scouts, This week, in Parasha Vayigash we learn the last chapter of Joseph’s journey in Egypt. In last week’s parasha we saw all the brothers gathered before Joseph. When the brothers were leaving from their visit to get more food, Joseph had his servant hide his silver goblet in Benjamin’s saddle bags. Once the brothers begin their […]
Dear Scouts: When we left Joseph last week, in Parasha Vayeishev, his brothers had sold him to a caravan of merchants on their way to Egypt. In Egypt, he was again sold, this time as a servant in the home of Pharaoh’s chief butcher, Potiphar. After a time, Potiphar was given custody of two other members of […]
Dear Scouts, This week, in Parasha Vayeishev, we learn that having a special talent can be useful or harmful, depending on how you use it. Joseph, one of 12 brothers, is the son of Jacob’s beloved Rachel. Jacob favors him, and even gives him a beautiful coat of many colors. His brothers, almost all of whom are […]
Happy Thanksgiving! One of the things I am thankful for are my three wonderful daughters-in-law, one of whom, Jocelyn Block, has provided our d’var Torah this week. Dear Scouts, In last week’s parasha, Toldot, in a highly dramatic scene, Jacob steals the blessings that his father, Isaac, intended to give to his brother, Esau. This […]
Dear Scouts, In parasha Toldot, we learn of the interesting family life of Isaac and Rebecca. Rebecca is unable to have children for many years. Isaac prays for her, and God answers by giving her twins. Esau is born first. Then Jacob comes, holding on to Esau’s heel. We will see there was a purpose in this. […]
This week I write in memory of two wonderful leaders of the worldwide Jewish community who passed away during the last week: Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth (rabbisacks.org/), and Rabbi Dovid Feinstein, celebrated teacher, scholar and authority on Jewish law (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dovid_Feinstein). Dear Scouts: This week’s parasha is Chayei Sarah – […]
Dear Scouts: This week we read parasha Vayeira. “Vayeira” means “appears” and we learn of many times that God appears to Abraham. We also learn of many times God presents Abaraham with a difficult situation to resolve, often called a trial. The first appearance is at the beginning of the parasha where the 99-year-old Abraham is recovering from having […]
This week’s d’var Torah is in memory of my father-in-law, Milton Freedman (Mendel ben Sholom) whose jarhzeit is this weekend. He was the proud grandfather of many Scouts, including five Eagles. Dear Scouts: This week, we read Parashat Lech Lecha, which tells us the story of the travels of Abraham and his wife, Sarah. (His name is Abram […]
I write this week in memory of my beloved mother, Ethel Poliakoff Block (Etel bat Avraham Avigdor), whose jahrzeit is next week. She was the sister, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother of many Scouts, including five Eagles, and an active supporter of Scouting. Dear Scouts, This week, in Parasha Noach, we read about the great Flood that covered […]
