MA TOVU: FINDING THE BLESSING IN THE CURSE There is a two-word phrase in this week’s parsha that is as famous as it is puzzling: Ma Tovu — “How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel!” (Bemidbar 24:5) These stirring words are traditionally recited every morning upon entering the synagogue. But their origin is surprising: they were not spoken by a Jewish prophet, but by Bilaam — a non-Jewish sorcerer, hired by King Balak to curse Israel. Bilaam, the Torah tells us, fully intended to harm the Jewish people. The Talmud adds that he sought to destroy...

WHEN DEATH IS CHANTED, AND NO ONE STOPS THE MUSIC At Glastonbury last week, the punk band Bob Vylan lead singer led the crowd in chanting “Death, death, to the IDF.” Even more shocking: the BBC, broadcasting live, let the chant run for a full 20 seconds before cutting it and left it available on iPlayer for a further 5 hours. A call for the death of Jews, masqueraded as protest, aired live to millions—and no one acted. This is more than a lapse in editorial judgment in our national broadcaster. It’s a sign of how far moral standards have...

FROM DARKNESS TO DIGNITY: ELI SHARABI AND THE LESSON OF PARASHAT KORACH A packed shul, barely an empty seat. A quiet buzz of expectancy filled the air, but this wasn’t Yom Kippur. It was last Monday night when over 1400 people from across the community crowded into St. John’s Wood to hear Eli Sharabi in conversation with Louisa Clein. I had heard Eli speak on his first UK visit two months ago, but his message this time was just as captivating, if not more so. Eli described his journey to hell and back with dignity, humanity, and courage. He spoke...

FAITH UNDER FIRE Many of us are familiar with the story of the cow and the chicken who pass by a restaurant with a sign: “Today’s special – steak and eggs.” The chicken remarks to the cow, “Look, we’re both on the menu!” The cow responds: “True — but we’re not the same. For you, it’s simply a contribution. For me, it’s total commitment!” The daily barrage of missiles from Iran takes this story to another level. Despite the remarkable success of Israel’s Iron Dome and other defence systems, some missiles still get through — resulting in injury, trauma, and...

THE SOUND OF MUSIC One striking difference between the service in the Temple and our prayer services today is the absence of instrumental music. In Temple times, the Levites accompanied the sacrificial service with a full orchestra: lyres, flutes, trumpets, harps, and cymbals. So essential was the music to the atmosphere of the service that the orchestra even performed on Shabbat. The spiritual energy of the Temple was so intense that there was no concern that a musician might forget it was Shabbat and violate it by repairing a broken instrument. After the destruction of the Temple, our prayer services—whether...