Torah Commentary

Numbers is a book for adults. Not because of sexual content (that would be Genesis) or theological complexity (Exodus), but because it's about choices and consequences. Every choice we make will generate an infinite number of reactions.

As a cantor, I pay close attention not only to the words of the weekly Torah readings but also to how they sound.

If I asked you to imagine yourself as a character in the Torah, who would you want to be? I like to ask this question when I teach midrash—creative interpretation of the biblical narrative—so that students can try on different personas and begin to see themselves in our sacred story.

This week's Torah portion and the book it comes from are called B'midbar, or, in the wilderness. The title comes from the first meaningful word in the text, in contrast to a title that is a summation of the text's core ideas. In the case of B'midbar, both ring true, for the Israelites in the Torah as well as for people today.