IT’S WORSE THAN ANY CRIME
The proximity of the laws about judges to the laws of “asheira” (a tree worshipped as a god) in Parshat Shoftim prompts Reish Lakish (Sanhedrin 7b) to comment that if there is a judge who misbehaves it is like an “asheira” in the midst of the Jewish nation.
Rabbi Dunner questions this startling comparison, and goes on to suggest an explanation, using a story about diamond smugglers to illustrate his point.
(For the SoundCloud audio, scroll down) Parshat Chukkat unfolds amid death, transition, failed leadership, poisonous speech, and unanswered questions. Rabbi Dunner explores why Moshe’s old methods no longer worked, how... Read More