To Stay In The Land: Investing In The Ten Commandments

Posted on August 7, 2025 by First.One.Through

When Moses addressed the Israelites in Parashat Vaetchanan, standing on the threshold of the Promised Land, his message was clear and urgent: Keep the commandments and you will live; abandon them and you will be driven from the land.

“You must observe His rules and His commandments that I am commanding you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, and so that you may endure in the land that God, your God, is giving to you forever.”

Deuteronomy 4:40

It wasn’t a political warning. It wasn’t about borders, treaties, or weapons. It was spiritual. Covenantal. National.

He reminded them: God didn’t choose you because you were many or mighty. He chose you because He loved you. And what does God ask in return? Not sacrifices, not empty rituals, but love expressed through loyalty. Loyalty shown in deeds—by keeping His commandments and walking in His ways.

That covenant stands today.

Amid a global spike in antisemitism, war in Israel, and growing divides between Jews in Israel and the Diaspora as well as secular and religious Jews in Israel, it’s time to return to the constitutional core of Jewish life: the Ten Commandments.

There are 613 commandments in the Torah, but these ten were spoken directly by God to the entire nation at Sinai. They were repeated again by Moses in Deuteronomy for a reason. They are not just laws—they are foundations.

If we want to stay in the Land we must invest in them.

Here are ten national action items for Israeli and Diaspora Jews alike to bring the Aseret HaDibrot back to life:

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1. “I am the Lord your God” — Reclaim Faith

In Israel: Integrate emunah (faith) into national identity, not just religion. Teach the purpose of Jewish existence in the IDF, sherut leumi, and public schools.

In the Diaspora: Strengthen Jewish schools and programs that teach belief as something deeper than ethnicity or culture. Anchor identity in divine purpose.

The Shema prayer is in this parsha, a prayer to be read aloud with concentration. Let each session of the Knesset and Jewish day schools begin with that first sentence.

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2. No Other Gods — Confront Idolatry

In Israel: Take on modern idols—power, tech, money. Demand spiritual accountability from the startup- scaleup nation.

In the Diaspora: Counter the worship of celebrity and culture with Jewish meaning and humility. Lead with Jewish ethics, not trendiness.

Focus on Humble Faith to moderate the human tendency to exaggerate our worth and blind us to God’s gifts.

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3. Do Not Take God’s Name in Vain — Elevate Speech

In Israel: Clean up public discourse. Hold politicians, rabbis, and influencers accountable for words that desecrate God’s name.

In the Diaspora: Promote reverence and honesty in all Jewish communication—online, in media, and in leadership.

We all carry a global megaphone with us at all times of the day. Beware of proclamations and defamations made in the name of Judaism.

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4. Keep the Sabbath — Build National Unity

In Israel: The Haredi community must not sit out the war. They must serve through sherut leumi by helping others keep Shabbat—cooking meals, opening homes, dancing in the streets. Make Shabbat the shared joy of the nation.

In the Diaspora: Host Shabbat for unaffiliated Jews. Create communal spaces that let people taste sacred time—no judgment, just joy.

Jews have the special opportunity to show each other and the world the special nature of Shabbat. Make it holy for you and your family. From there, let it spread outward to the community, country and civilization.

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5. Honor Your Father and Mother — Care for the Elderly

In Israel: Train Israeli youth in elder care. It’s a disgrace that our Holocaust survivors and parents are mostly cared for by foreign workers.

In the Diaspora: Create teen-elder programs that pass down memory and dignity. Jewish continuity depends on honoring the past.

Modern psychology has taught many of us to center our being on ourselves and blame parents for our situations. Even – or especially – if that’s true, spend time showing honor to parents and in-laws. It is a pathway for a healthy society.

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6. Do Not Murder — Value All Life

In Israel: Try to end domestic violence and youth crime. Reclaim the sanctity of life as a national value, not just a slogan.

In the Diaspora: Jews must lead on mental health and abortion, the leading causes of preventable death.

Every life is a world. Whether one is in favor or opposed to abortion, treat life with the utmost respect and engage in debates that are centered on life.

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7. Do Not Commit Adultery — Strengthen Families

In Israel: Fund pre-marriage education and family counseling. Healthy families are the front line of Jewish survival.

In the Diaspora: Promote Jewish relationships and marriage through values-based education—not just dating apps.

Reorient Friday night dinners away from invited company for two Sabbaths every month to focus on personal relationships.

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8. Do Not Steal — Demand Integrity

In Israel: Tackle corruption. Ethical leadership is not optional in a holy land.

In the Diaspora: Teach financial and business ethics as part of Torah. Kiddush Hashem starts in the workplace.

At an early age, allow children to reserve certain toys for personal use as opposed to sharing with friends; it allows them to incorporate the idea of ownership and space both for themselves and others.

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9. Do Not Bear False Witness — Seek Truth

In Israel: End the plague of slander and fake news in politics and media. Truth is a national security issue.

In the Diaspora: Speak with compassion and accuracy. Lashon hara is poison. Truth builds communities.

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10. Do Not Covet — Practice Gratitude

In Israel: Reduce economic resentment by promoting gratitude and generosity. Envy destroys unity.

In the Diaspora: Celebrate others’ success. Give, volunteer, and stop keeping score.

Being truly grateful involves the public declaration of appreciation: to God in prayer, and fellow person in thanks. It centers the interplay between ourselves and the world in a healthy dynamic.

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Conclusion: Choose Life

Moses didn’t say this for nothing. The land doesn’t tolerate injustice, idolatry, or apathy. If we want to remain in Eretz Yisrael, we must remember what kept us from here: the first tablets were shattered on diaspora rocks and we wandered in the desert for failing to believe in God’s gift.

We must also remember what brought us to the land: God’s love—and a call to respond in kind.

The Ten Commandments are not old laws. They are today’s mission.

The Old City of Jerusalem including the Jewish Temple Mount/ Al Aqsa Compound

From Devarim to Today: Firsthand Testimony as a Covenant Across Generations

Posted on August 1, 2025 by First.One.Through

In Parshat Devarim, Moses begins his final speech to the Israelites. He does not begin with the Creation of the world or the stories of the Jewish patriarchs and matriarchs. The Book of Genesis — with its grand universal themes and personal family journeys — is set aside. Instead, Moses focuses on the collective journey he himself witnessed: the liberation from Egypt, the giving of the Ten Commandments, the rebellions and reckonings in the wilderness. It is as though this is where the Jewish people’s national story truly begins.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks observed that Deuteronomy is not just a repetition of laws — it is Moses’ personal testimony, his urgent effort to pass on memory, meaning, and mission. As the Israelites stand poised to enter the Land, Moses knows he will not go with them. What he offers instead is the one thing only he can give: the lived truth of experience.

This resonates today more than ever. We are witnessing the passing of another generation of eyewitnesses: the survivors of the Holocaust and the founders of the modern State of Israel. Like Moses, they saw the journey with their own eyes — from slavery and destruction to sovereignty and rebuilding. They walked from Auschwitz to Jerusalem. They built a state out of the ashes, defended it in war, and gave it the infrastructure of a living, breathing nation.

Their stories — of suffering and survival, of faith and fortitude — are not just history lessons. They are testaments. And they come with a charge: to remember, to be vigilant, to defend our people and our land, and to carry forward the values of Torah and the reality of Jewish nationhood.

Just as Moses recounted the past to prepare the people for the future, so too must we internalize the legacy of those who came before us. Their firsthand accounts are not simply about what was, but about what must be. A people grounded in memory is a people prepared for destiny.

If we listen to their voices — and not merely archive them — we gain strength to resist the deniers, the revisionists, and the haters. We reaffirm that we are not just a people with a past, but a people with a purpose — a covenantal mission that stretches from Sinai to today.

Diaspora Jews and the Promised Land

Posted on July 25, 2025 by First.One.Through

In the Book of Numbers, chapters 32 and 34, we find a powerful and enduring lesson for Jews living outside the land of Israel. The tribes of Reuben and Gad, later joined by half of the tribe of Manasseh, approached Moses with a bold request. They asked to settle on the east side of the Jordan River, outside the boundaries of the Promised Land, because the land there was suitable for their abundant livestock. Moses was skeptical: was this another rebellion, like the spies who had refused to enter the land decades earlier?

But the tribes made a solemn vow. They would not only join the conquest of the Land of Israel—they would be on the front lines. Only after the land was secured for their brethren would they return to their homes across the Jordan. They could live outside the Promised Land, but they could not abandon their people or their mission.

*Wallis’s New map of The Holy Land (1815)*

Fast forward thousands of years, and the question still echoes: Do Jews living in the diaspora bear a similar responsibility toward Israel today?

The modern State of Israel, reborn in 1948, has been under near-constant threat. From surrounding Arab nations launching wars to terrorist regimes like Hamas slaughtering civilians, Israel’s security is never guaranteed. The battlefield has expanded beyond the physical: anti-Israelism masquerades as social justice in Western institutions, and Jewish students face intimidation on campuses from New York to London to Sydney.

And yet, many diaspora Jews seem detached from the fight. Some claim that Israel’s policies are the cause of antisemitism. Others go further, actively criticizing the Jewish State in public forums – leading with “AsAJew” credentials – hoping that distancing themselves will spare them from scorn.

The lesson of Reuben and Gad was clear: you can live outside the land, but not outside the mission.

Reuben and Gad did not ask to be exempt from the battle. In fact, they pledged to be the vanguard. Likewise, Jews living in the diaspora, particularly those in free and prosperous nations, must recognize their role. They may not carry rifles in the IDF, but they must arm themselves with truth, courage, and commitment.

They should defend Israel in public discourse. They must call out antisemitism cloaked as “anti-Zionism,” a calling card demanding the destruction of Israel. They ought to support accurate Israel education, advocate with elected officials, and give generously to causes that strengthen Israel’s security and society. It is the price of living across the river.

Moses demanded a commitment from the tribes outside the land. Jewish history demands one now.

From War To Heritage

Posted on July 18, 2025 by First.One.Through

As the Israelites were about to enter their Promised Land, the Bible relays stories of a series of conflicts.

After the spies delivered a bad report on the land in Parshat Shlach, we read the story of Korach who tried to launch a mutiny against Moses and Aaron. Then Chukat describes a war with Amorites, and Balak shares the story of a prophet trying to curse the Jewish people. At the end of Balak (Numbers 25:1-9), we read about Moabite women engaged in profanities with Jewish men. Pinchas, son of Elazar son of Aaron, took a spear and impaled the couple having sex in front of the Ohel Mo’ed, the tent Moses used to communicate with God.

*Illuminated manuscript miniature from the 15th-century Alba Bible*

And that is where Parshat Balak and the story seemingly end. With the murder of the couple and 24,000 others engaged in similar acts.

But it doesn’t really.

Parshat Pinchas continues the story with a pivot. Rather than highlighting the sins and the deaths, Numbers 25:10 begins with God appreciating the defense of holiness and His blessing Pinchas and his descendants. While the story may appear as a single episode, the Torah divides the parshas – and the narrative – between the violent and the holy, even when the violence was in the name of the holy.

The theme of separation can similarly be seen immediately after this in chapter 26, where God calls for another census of the tribes. Here, God counts the tribes and their families to allocate land for their inheritance. This is in contrast to the census of Numbers chapter 1 in which God wanted to account for how people would assemble in their journey and combat enemy forces. In the case of the journey and battle-readiness, there was a single head of each tribe; when they entered the land, each tribe’s family was specified.

It is a metaphor for how Jews assemble and coordinate today: there are wars that are fought in Israel and the diaspora against those who want to harm Jews and the Jewish State. Global Jewry understands the us-versus-them dynamic and the role for every Jew in the battle. It is related yet distinct from the interaction amongst Jews regarding our common heritage. We each have a part to play living together as a community.

Individuals fight with a common purpose. Families live under a societal umbrella.

We have tribes and borders and homes. We coexist with each other while understanding our peaceful lines. The separations today may be between synagogues or religious denominations. Between schools and political affiliations. Each aspiring for peace and holiness.

Those lines are very different than the battle lines between us and “them,” those who mean to harm us physically, morally and spiritually.

Upon entry into the Jewish holy land, Jews migrated from an army with legions to a people with property. While there were still wars to be fought inside the Jewish Promised Land, the muscle memory of understanding who is within the holy communal tent and those outside forces, was taught over the trials in the desert.

It is a lesson for our time as well: to clearly identify our allies and foes, and wage war and peace accordingly.

The Blessing of Jewish Distinctiveness (July 2025)

The Zone Of Jew Hatred Interest (March 2024)

Judaism Is Uniquely Tied To The Land Of Israel (December 2023)

Unity – not Unanimity – in the Pro-Israel Tent (November 2017)

The Blessing of Jewish Distinctiveness

Posted on July 11, 2025 by First.One.Through

In the book of Numbers, the Moabite king Balak summons the non-Jewish prophet Bilaam to curse the Israelite nation which was traveling near Moab. What unfolds, is one of the most mysterious blessings in the Bible.

As Bilaam gazes upon the people of Israel, he declares:

“How can I damn whom God has not damned, How doom when God has not doomed? As I see them from the mountain tops, Gaze on them from the heights, There is a people that dwells apart, Not reckoned among the nations,” “הֶן־עָם֙ לְבָדָ֣ד יִשְׁכֹּ֔ן וּבַגּוֹיִ֖ם לֹ֥א יִתְחַשָּֽׁב“(Numbers 23:8–9)

The statement is peculiar – a nation which dwells alone – has befuddled rabbis for centuries. Is it a curse? A blessing? A prophecy?

At first glance, the idea of being alone evokes discomfort. In Genesis, God explicitly declares, “It is not good for man to be alone” “לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ” (Genesis 2:18). From this verse, Jewish tradition emphasizes the centrality of community, companionship, and connection. So why would Bilaam say something seemingly negative—and continue with a positive blessing in Numbers 23:10 “Who can count the dust of Jacob, Number the dust-cloud of Israel? May I die the death of the upright, May my fate be like theirs!”

Jan Jansson (1588-1664) map of the Holy Land (c. 1630) showing the life of Moses in vignettes and the organization and route of the Israelites through the desert and then Moab above the Dead Sea on the map on their way to the Promised Land

The answer may lie in context of the event and the deeper meaning of distinctiveness. Bilaam was not commenting on mere social isolation. He was marveling at the singularity of an entire people traveling together through the desert, in unison, yet set apart in character and destiny. He was struck by the sight of an entire nation—young and old, rich and poor—not scattered as refugees or as imperial conquerors, but moving as one, under a divine mission. This was a nation on a journey, and yet already a people. They were not defined by geography, wealth, or military might—but by a relationship with God.

In Jewish tradition, blessings are tied to recognition and distinction. Consider the rules of berachot (blessings): when a person eats an apple, it receives the blessing “borei pri ha’etz”—a specific blessing for fruit of the tree. If the apple is altered, like mashed into applesauce or mixed with other foods, the blessing remains the same ONLY if the fruit can still be identified. But if the fruit is so blended or processed that its original form can no longer be distinguished, it receives the general blessing of “shehakol“. The highest form of blessing is given to that which is most clearly recognizable.

In this light, Bilaam’s words take on added meaning. The Jewish people, by dwelling alone, are not to be pitied but admired. They are not a mashed mixture indistinguishable from general society but a clearly defined people, worthy of the highest blessing. Their uniqueness—religiously, culturally, and morally—is their spiritual signature.

Moreover, Bilaam wasn’t simply remarking on ethnic isolation. He noted the nation’s relationship with the Divine. Even when they seemed to be isolated, they were never truly alone—they were accompanied by God. The camp of Israel may have appeared vulnerable in the wilderness, but it was surrounded by divine presence, protected by a covenant older and stronger than any human alliance. As a prophet, he could not help but shout “How can I damn whom God has not damned” and “May my fate be like theirs!”

This point is emphasized by commentators like Rashi (1040-1105), who notes that Bilaam’s phrase can be read as prophetic: “They do not come under the same reckoning (לא יתחשב) with other nations. — Another explanation is: When they rejoice, no other nation rejoices with them.”

This is certainly the case today, as Israel defeats one enemy after another. Each – Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran – armed with both weaponry and genocidal intent, have been neutralized. The Jewish world is relieved and gives thanks, while the United Nations runs to condemn the Jewish State for its defensive war.

The aloneness feels like isolation but is it? Is the success – and “aloneness” – to be read as a glory to God? Bilaam’s blessing isn’t merely poetic—it is theological. He sees a people whose separation from other nations isn’t a curse but a connection to God – for those, like him, who can appreciate the holy tie.

For those who recognize this divine connection, the Jewish people become a source of blessing. As Bilaam says later, “Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you” (Numbers 24:9). But for those who fail to see the holiness of that distinction and connection to God—who seek to blend, suppress, or erase it—the reading is a curse. The uniqueness is condemned as outside societal standards.

In the end, Bilaam’s words are not a curse in disguise. They are a prophetic blessing that reveals a truth that many overlook: there is holiness in standing apart when one stands with God. The Jewish people, though often alone among the nations, are never alone in essence. They are accompanied by the Divine, distinguished by faith, memory, and mission.

Judaism’s Blessings and Curses (June 2021)

The Karma of the Children of Israel (January 2021)

Recite Psalms Of Victory

Posted on July 6, 2025 by First.One.Through

Since the horrific attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, Jews around the world have recited Tehillim, Psalms. These were composed by King David as prayers to God which continue to be read by people around the world. People have recited them in WhatsApp groups on behalf of injured soldiers and civilians. They have said them in synagogues on behalf of the hostages.

*King David Playing the Harp, ca. 1616 by Peter Paul Rubens*

The WhatsApp groups tend to say all of the 150 psalms, with people volunteering to say one or a couple of chapters before another person steps in to read the next ones.

In synagogues, the congregations typically recite Psalm 121 and Psalm 130 which pray for salvation and redemption.

With the recent victories over Hezbollah in Lebanon, in Iran and soon over Hamas in Gaza, it is time for synagogues to recite songs of celebration during or at the end of services. Consider:

Psalm 129

שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת רַ֭בַּת צְרָר֣וּנִי מִנְּעוּרַ֑י יֹאמַר־נָ֝֗א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

A song of ascents. Since my youth they have often assailed me, let Israel now declare,

רַ֭בַּת צְרָר֣וּנִי מִנְּעוּרָ֑י גַּ֝֗ם לֹא־יָ֥כְלוּ לִֽי׃

since my youth they have often assailed me, but they have never overcome me.

עַל־גַּ֭בִּי חָרְשׁ֣וּ חֹרְשִׁ֑ים הֶ֝אֱרִ֗יכוּ (למענותם) [לְמַעֲנִיתָֽם]׃

Plowmen plowed across my back; they made long furrows.

יְהֹוָ֥ה צַדִּ֑יק קִ֝צֵּ֗ץ עֲב֣וֹת רְשָׁעִֽים׃

The LORD, the righteous one, has snapped the cords of the wicked.

יֵ֭בֹשׁוּ וְיִסֹּ֣גוּ אָח֑וֹר כֹּ֝֗ל שֹׂנְאֵ֥י צִיּֽוֹן׃

Let all who hate Zion fall back in disgrace.

יִ֭הְיוּ כַּחֲצִ֣יר גַּגּ֑וֹת שֶׁקַּדְמַ֖ת שָׁלַ֣ף יָבֵֽשׁ׃

Let them be like grass on roofs that fades before it can be pulled up,

שֶׁלֹּ֤א מִלֵּ֖א כַפּ֥וֹ קוֹצֵ֗ר וְחִצְנ֥וֹ מְעַמֵּֽר׃

that affords no handful for the reaper, no armful for the gatherer of sheaves,

וְלֹ֤א אָמְר֨וּ ׀ הָעֹבְרִ֗ים בִּרְכַּֽת־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם בֵּרַ֥כְנוּ אֶ֝תְכֶ֗ם בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}

no exchange with passersby: “The blessing of the LORD be upon you.”
“We bless you by the name of the LORD.”

And then recite sections of Psalm 118: 5-21, which are well known as they feature prominently during Jewish festivals in Hallel and the Passover Haggadah:

מִֽן־הַ֭מֵּצַר קָרָ֣אתִי יָּ֑הּ עָנָ֖נִי בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽהּ׃

In distress I called on the LORD; the Lord answered me and brought me relief.

יְהֹוָ֣ה לִ֭י לֹ֣א אִירָ֑א מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה לִ֣י אָדָֽם׃

The LORD is on my side, I have no fear; what can man do to me?

יְהֹוָ֣ה לִ֭י בְּעֹזְרָ֑י וַ֝אֲנִ֗י אֶרְאֶ֥ה בְשֹׂנְאָֽי׃

With the LORD on my side as my helper, I will see the downfall of my foes.

ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהֹוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בָּאָדָֽם׃

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in mortals;

ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהֹוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בִּנְדִיבִֽים׃

it is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in the great.

כׇּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם סְבָב֑וּנִי בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃

All nations have beset me; by the name of the LORD I will surely cut them down.

סַבּ֥וּנִי גַם־סְבָב֑וּנִי בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃

They beset me, they surround me; by the name of the LORD I will surely cut them down.

סַבּ֤וּנִי כִדְבוֹרִ֗ים דֹּ֭עֲכוּ כְּאֵ֣שׁ קוֹצִ֑ים בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃

They have beset me like bees; they shall be extinguished like burning thorns;
by the name of the LORD I will surely cut them down.

דַּחֹ֣ה דְחִיתַ֣נִי לִנְפֹּ֑ל וַ֖יהֹוָ֣ה עֲזָרָֽנִי׃

You pressed me hard, I nearly fell; but the LORD helped me.

עׇזִּ֣י וְזִמְרָ֣ת יָ֑הּ וַֽיְהִי־לִ֝֗י לִישׁוּעָֽה׃

The LORD is my strength and might; He has become my deliverance.

ק֤וֹל ׀ רִנָּ֬ה וִישׁוּעָ֗ה בְּאׇהֳלֵ֥י צַדִּיקִ֑ים יְמִ֥ין יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה עֹ֣שָׂה חָֽיִל׃

The tents of the victorious resound with joyous shouts of deliverance,
“The right hand of the LORD is triumphant!

יְמִ֣ין יְ֭הֹוָה רוֹמֵמָ֑ה יְמִ֥ין יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה עֹ֣שָׂה חָֽיִל׃

The right hand of the LORD is exalted! The right hand of the LORD is triumphant!”

לֹא־אָמ֥וּת כִּֽי־אֶחְיֶ֑ה וַ֝אֲסַפֵּ֗ר מַעֲשֵׂ֥י יָֽהּ׃

I shall not die but live and proclaim the works of the LORD.

יַסֹּ֣ר יִסְּרַ֣נִּי יָּ֑הּ וְ֝לַמָּ֗וֶת לֹ֣א נְתָנָֽנִי׃

The LORD punished me severely, but did not hand me over to death.

פִּתְחוּ־לִ֥י שַׁעֲרֵי־צֶ֑דֶק אָבֹא־בָ֝֗ם אוֹדֶ֥ה יָֽהּ׃

Open the gates of victory for me that I may enter them and praise the LORD.

זֶה־הַשַּׁ֥עַר לַיהֹוָ֑ה צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים יָבֹ֥אוּ בֽוֹ׃

This is the gateway to the LORD— the victorious shall enter through it.

א֭וֹדְךָ כִּ֣י עֲנִיתָ֑נִי וַתְּהִי־לִ֝֗י לִישׁוּעָֽה׃

I praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my deliverance.

The Jewish people are securing great victories over genocidal antisemitic foes. The world should include Psalms of thanks alongside prayers for the hostages and injured.

The Symbol and Sanctification Of Words

Posted on July 4, 2025 by First.One.Through

In a time when smooth talking politicians win elections despite questionable morals and policies, it is an appropriate time to consider the greatest Jewish prophet, Moses, whose life was a constant struggle of public speaking.

At The Burning Bush: Fear of the Task

In Moses’ first encounter with God, Moses pushes back on taking the mission that God has commanded to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. His protest is not about the scale or danger of the mission but his own inadequacy – as a speaker:

“Please, my Lord, I have never been a man of words… I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (Exodus 4:10)

God responds with reassurance, promising divine assistance:

“Who gives man speech?… Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” (Exodus 4:11-12)

Still, Moses persists in his reluctance, and God tells Moses that he should partner with his brother Aaron to be joint spokespeople before Pharaoh. From that moment on, Aaron is often the mouthpiece, and Moses leads more through presence. This foundational moment sets the reader considering the role of Moses for the rest of the Torah: if Aaron is doing the talking and God is providing the words, what exactly is Moses doing?

With The Spies: Adding Words, Shaping Minds

Years later, after the Jews receive the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, Moses gives instructions to twelve tribal leaders to inspect the land of Israel. God’s original command was simple:

“Send men to scout the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites.” (Numbers 13:2)

But when Moses relays the mission, he adds additional language which was not stated by God:

“See what the land is like. Are the people who dwell in it strong or weak? Few or many? Is the land good or bad?” (Numbers 13:18-19)

These added questions introduce the possibility of negative reports. Moses frames the land not as a divine gift to be received with confidence, but as an object of evaluation and skepticism. This subtle addition tilts the mission toward doubt. The spies return not with faith but fear, and the people’s panic results in a devastating punishment of forty years of wandering.

The Rock: Silence When Only Words are Needed

Fast forward to Parshat Chukat. The Israelites are again without water and God instructs Moses and Aaron:

“take the rod and assemble the community, and before their very eyes order the rock to yield its water.” (Numbers 20:8)

But Moses, perhaps frustrated and weary with his flock, or not understanding why he was tasked with talking to an inanimate object, or confused with the purpose of taking his staff, strikes the rock instead—twice. Crucially, he does not speak. He bypasses the command and replaces it with physical action:

“And Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod.” (Numbers 20:11)

The water comes forth, but God is displeased and informs Moses that he will not get to go to the Promised Land:

“Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them.” (Numbers 20:12)

*Moses Striking the Rock, Joachim Anthonisz Wtewael (1566 – 1638)*

After years of faithful service, it is this moment of silence—a refusal to speak as commanded—that costs Moses entry into the Promised Land.

Symbols and Sanctity

At the rock, Moses used the staff as a TOOL in which he was the active agent in bringing forth the water. The Jews were thereby given the impression that Moses delivered the outcome they sought. Moses did not appreciate that the staff was a SYMBOL and that Moses was only a vehicle for God’s actions.

From the very beginning, God used Moses as his emissary, “I will be your mouth.” Ignoring the speech that God gave to Moses to bring forth water, denigrated words in favor of action. God created the world and separated water and land on the third day with words; He could certainly make water come from a rock with a few words.

The episode of Moses hitting the rock recalls when the Jews were trapped at the sea when Pharaoh’s chariots were descending upon them. Without prompting from God, Moses offered that God will battle the Egyptians:

“But Moses said to the people, “Have no fear! Stand by, and witness the deliverance which יהוה will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again. God will battle for you; you hold your peace!” (Exodus 14:12-13)

But God never told Moses to say any of those things. He is upset and tells Moses:

““Why do you cry out to Me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. And you lift up your rod and hold out your arm over the sea and split it, so that the Israelites may march into the sea on dry ground. And I will stiffen the hearts of the Egyptians so that they go in after them; and I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his warriors, his chariots, and his riders. Let the Egyptians know that I am God, when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his riders.” (Exodus 14: 15-18)

The stories are a mirrored echo of each other:

In Exodus, God doesn’t instruct Moses to say anything, just to act; in Numbers, God asks Moses to speak and not act
In Exodus, God has Moses lift his staff and splits the sea to reveal dry land; in Numbers, God tasks Moses with lifting his rod to split the rock to deliver water
In Exodus, God gains glory through the obstinance of the defeated Egyptians; in Numbers, God seeks to attain sanctification in the sight of Jews
In Exodus, Moses listens, the Jewish people are saved, and the story of the splitting of the sea is recited daily by Jews to this very day; in Numbers, Moses doesn’t listen, he is condemned to never make it to the Promised Land and have a burial spot which remains unknown

The staff is a symbol, not a tool. It conveys that Moses is God’s conduit for words and action. Through them, God becomes sanctified and holy to Jews, while glorified by the world.

Understanding this, it is worth considering why Moses was chosen to lead the Jewish people: his lack of confidence in speaking would make him more likely to stay close to his brother and not speak extemporaneously. An overly confident person might not follow direction or the script God has for saving the Jewish people.

Moses’ speech journey is a case study of people’s personal struggles. At first, he doesn’t trust his voice. Then he misuses it. Then he avoids it entirely. People who are unsure of certain skills might go through a similar lifecycle. And that’s without God talking in your ear.

Conclusion: A Prophet’s Voice and a People’s Path

Moses’ fear of speech is central to his leadership story. It colors his interaction with God, with the people, and with destiny. His silence at the rock seals his fate just as his earlier distortions redirected Israel’s path.

God’s desire wasn’t just for obedience, but for faith expressed in words. The gift of speech—of prophecy, persuasion, prayer—was not to be avoided or altered. Moses’ story reminds us that voice is sacred. To lead is not just to act, but to speak with clarity, fidelity, and trust in the One who gives speech.

The Jewish people have succeeded when speech was measured and divinely inspired. It is a lesson in the power of words – that the right words – can have a longer and more sustainable impact than even repetitive actions.

Elevation From God’s Gifts (June 2025)

Bitter Waters and The Jerusalem Flag Parade (June 2021)

Elevation From God’s Gifts

Posted on June 20, 2025 by First.One.Through

“Let us go up at once and possess it, for we are certainly able to overcome it.”
— Calev ben Jephunneh, Numbers 13:30

With these words, Calev silenced the people who had just heard a fearful and pessimistic report from the other spies about the Promised Land. Ten of the twelve tribal representatives had returned from their tour of the Promised Land with tales of giants, fortified cities, and certain defeat. But Calev stepped forward — not merely with courage, but with conviction. “Let us go up at once,” he said. His words were not rash; they were rooted in faith.

Calev’s words “a’lo na‘aleh” were directional with spiritual intent. He was ready to ascend — not just to a higher elevation from the low points of the Jordan Valley, but to a higher calling. He didn’t deny the physical challenges highlighted by his fellow leaders, but he refused to let it override the spiritual promise of God’s gift.

God later singles out Calev, saying:

“But My servant Calev, because he had a different spirit with him and followed Me fully, I will bring him into the land to which he came, and his descendants shall inherit it.”
— Numbers 14:24

A different spirit. God didn’t simply praise Calev’s bravery or loyalty. He pointed to Calev’s spirit — a divine quality within him that was distinct from the others. The Hebrew “ruach acheret,” suggests that Calev’s soul orientation was unique. It wasn’t just that he had faith — it’s that his spirit was attuned to God’s gifts and was willing to challenge the majority. That spirit led his body, not the other way around.

The contrast with Korach in a later story could not be starker. Korach, who led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, was driven by status, jealousy, and material concerns. The Torah notes that “the earth opened its mouth and swallowed him, his household, and all their possessions” (Numbers 16:32). His physical attachments — both metaphorically and literally — dragged him into the ground.

In Judaism, man is not a duality of body versus spirit. The two are in dialogue, and one always leads. When the spirit leads and is drawn toward God’s gifts, it lifts the body with it. When the spirit is enticed by the physical, the body becomes dominant — and man falls.

God gave the Jewish people two primary gifts: the Land of Israel and the Torah — one is sanctified space, the other divine wisdom. Both require spiritual alignment to appreciate and receive. That’s why moving to Israel is still called aliyah, literally “going up.” It is not a political migration but a spiritual elevation. Studying Torah is described not as absorbing information but as learning — an intellectual and moral ascent, a rising above the mundane.

This understanding helps explain one of the most paradoxical modern realities: Israel is one of the happiest countries in the world. Despite being under near-constant threat, despite global condemnation and internal conflict, Israelis report remarkably high life satisfaction. Even more remarkable, Haredi Jews — who often live below the poverty line and avoid modern comforts — report even higher levels of happiness.

Why? Because they are immersed in both of God’s gifts: the land and the Torah. They are not simply physically located in Israel; their spirits are aligned with its divine purpose. Their joy is not circumstantial — it is directional. It flows from a life where the spirit leads, where God’s gifts are not just received but cherished.

*Kotel after the rain (photo: First One Through)*

Calev’s legacy is not just a historical footnote. It is a call to action. It is a message to challenge the masses who want to abandon God’s gifts, and both elevate and be elevated by God’s special blessings.

The Year 2023: Entry To The Holy Land (April 2023)

The Cultural Appropriation of the Jewish ‘Promised Land’ (August 2020)

The Jewish Holy Land (May 2016)

The Journeys of Abraham and Ownership of the Holy Land (October 2015)

About

For The Love Of Jihad

Posted on June 18, 2025 by First.One.Through

“God is love,” says the Christian scripture (1 John 4:8). In Judaism, Ahavat Hashem — love of God — is commanded and cultivated with blessing: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The love of God is a bond between man and heaven built on compassion, holiness, and peace.

But in far too many places across the Global South, another phrase is being taught: “The love of Jihad.”

It’s neither metaphorical nor poetic. It is proudly literal — sung by schoolchildren, broadcast on TV, etched into educational curricula, printed on flags held by terrorists. “We love death like our enemies love life” was a chilling Hamas slogan even before October 7, 2023. It isn’t a chant of a lone errant radical but a core tenet of Islamist extremism: to define one’s identity by war, death, and the annihilation of the other.

Two Loves. Two Worlds.

There is a love that sanctifies hospitals, schools, and synagogues. There is another love that sanctifies suicide belts and the murderers of civilians.

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, love flows downward from a Creator who gives life and asks for holiness in return. Morality is measured by how one treats the stranger, the widow, the orphan. The spiritual path is about elevating the self — resisting the urge to dominate, to hate, to take vengeance. I call it “Humble Faith.”

But in radical Islamist ideology, compassion is redirected from the divine to the destructive. Martyrdom is romanticized. The afterlife is promised not to those who love their neighbor, but to those who murder them. Jihad isn’t just war — it’s the highest expression of spiritual devotion.

*Columbia University students call “Glory to the martyrs. Victory to the Resistance” supporting the Hamas war in October 2024 (photo: Mike Segar, Reuters, Redux*)

People have attempted to sanitize “jihad” and “intifada” in Western media. We are told jihad means “inner struggle” and intifada means “shake off.” Perhaps it does for some Muslims. But the jihad of Hamas, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards is unmistakably violent. It’s the jihad of Kalashnikovs, tunnels under kindergartens, and paragliders into music festivals. It’s identical to Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” which similarly means “My Struggle.”

"Jihad means the fighting of the unbelievers and involves all possible efforts that are necessary to dismantle the power of the enemies of Islam, including beating them, plundering their wealth, destroying their places of worship, and smashing their idols."
- Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood

And yet, around the world, there is a growing refusal to admit this unvarnished truth.

The West’s Romanticization of Jihad

Academics and activists in the West have twisted themselves into knots to justify the “rage” of jihadists. Excuses of “occupation,” “imperialism” and “colonialism” are concocted. New definition of “apartheid” and “genocide” are contrived. The love of jihad is recast as a legitimate cry for justice, while Israel’s efforts to protect its citizens is painted as cruel, racist, even genocidal.

When Hamas terrorists butchered entire Israeli families, raped women, and burned children alive, some depraved people in the West saw “resistance.” When Israel responded, the cries of “Ceasefire now!” emerged to protect Hamas, but not for Israel, which had been dragged into battle.

*Hamas terrorist Ahlam Tamimi, who abetted the killing of 15 people and injuring of 122 – almost all women and children, celebrated her jihadi murders. She walks free in Jordan.*

A World Turned Upside Down

Imagine a child in Gaza, raised on songs about martyrdom and vengeance, told that killing Jews is a way to please Allah. Compare him to a Jewish child reciting “Oseh shalom bimromav” — “May He who makes peace in His heavens bring peace upon us.”

Imagine a Christian child learning to “turn the other cheek,” and then hearing protesters on Western campuses chant “Intifada until victory” — a call for permanent war.

There are two radically different spiritual trajectories here. One aims upward, toward love, life, and sanctity. The other plunges downward into hatred, death, and hell.

It is no coincidence that the Islamic Republic of Iran calls Israel “Little Satan” and the United States “Big Satan.” The philosophy of radical Islamism is not oriented towards love and God but directed to violence and the underworld.

Choose Your Love

The West must stop pretending. To love God is to abhor the love of jihad. To defend life is not to disrespect culture; it is to preserve culture that can sustain a free and peaceful society.

Jihadism — like Nazism before it — dresses hatred in the garb of purpose. It seduces the young, exploits the poor, and destroys the innocent. And like Nazism, it will not stop until it is confronted with clarity, courage, and conviction.

We must stop asking why terrorists hate and start asking why we excuse it.

Sen. Ted Cruz talking about radical Islamic jihad in 2015, because then President Barack Obama refused to utter the words

The love of God builds nations. The love of jihad destroys them.

So it happened. So it happens again in our time.

The UN Has Joined The Jihadi Fray (February 2024)

When Founding Fathers Are Psychopaths And Cowards (January 2024)

Jihadi Coexistence (October 2023)

Mother’s Day And Ahlam Al-Tamimi (May 2022)

The Insidious Jihad in America (July 2019)

Considering Nazis and Radical Islam on the 75th Anniversary of D-Day (June 2019)

I’m Offended, You’re Dead (February 2015)

Why the Media Ignores Jihadists in Israel (January 2015)

Resolution Recognizing The Jewish Temples Stood On The Temple Mount in Jerusalem

Posted on April 29, 2025 by First.One.Through

In an ongoing insult to Jews around the world, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said at the 32nd Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Central Council meeting on April 23, 2025 that the two Jewish “Temples were in Yemen.”

*PA President Abbas claiming the Jewish Temples were in Yemen, April 23, 2025*

Abbas falsified history in an attempt to deny Jews any rights or privileges at their holiest location. The fact that it was an insult to over 2 billion Christians who believe that Jesus was in Jerusalem and not Sanaa was a slight he was willing to make to claim the site as purely Islamic.

The United Nations adopted the same position. In a 1949 map of the holy places in Jerusalem, the Temple Mount was marked as only holy to Muslims, while the Western Wall was marked as holy to both Muslims and Jews.

*1949 UN map of Jerusalem’s holy places*

The United States should therefore adopt a resolution called “Status of the Temple Mount,” similar to the twisted United Nations resolutions called “Status of Jerusalem,” to correct the wrong. Its passage in Congress will serve as a template for other countries to adopt before being submitted to the United Nations General Assembly.

Key phrases should be included in the resolution, to combat the disgraceful UN remarks about Jewish rights:

The United States abhors the “aggressive and dangerous” comments made by the president of the Palestinian Authority which “could inflame tensions and lead to a religious war that has no boundaries.”
Comments made by the PA president “serve the forces of extremism around the world.”
Incendiary remarks that deny Jews their heritage and history “do absolutely nothing to improve the lives of Palestinian Arabs,” and simply “push back the Middle East peace process.”
“The Temple Mount built by King Herod two thousand years ago has been and will always be the holiest location of Judaism.”

On December 9, 2021, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) expressed his disgust with a December 3 UN General Assembly resolution about Jerusalem saying “The recent vote by the United Nations disavowing Jewish historical ties and exclusivity to the Temple Mount—the holiest and most sacred Temple in Judaism—is an outrageous act of religious persecution. This is a transparent effort, supported by 129 nations but opposed by the United States, to rewrite history, cleanse the holy area of its religious ties to the Jewish faith and deny that Israel has roots to the Middle East…. The Jewish Temple, located in the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City, is holy ground to Jews and it belongs solely to their faith. I object to any effort to ethnically cleanse the Jewish people from their sole historic claim to this land and temple.”

It is time for U.S. Congress to endorse a resolution to correct the shameful religious persecution and ethnic cleansing of Jews, by passing the “Status of the Temple Mount” resolution.

ACTION ITEM

Write Paul Gosar (if you are in his district), your representatives in Congress and the White House (comments@whitehouse.gov) to clearly stand by historic truth and correct the ongoing slander and religious persecution of Jews. “In light of the ongoing antisemitic insults by the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations, please pass a resolution which clearly states that the Jewish Temples stood on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem and that the site has been the holiest site for Jews for 3,000 years. https://primarybowman.com/2025/04/29/resolution-recognizing-the-jewish-temples-stood-on-the-temple-mount-in-jerusalem/“