This portion begins with Moses recounting how he pleaded with God to let him cross the Jordan and see the promised land. God refused but told him he can view it from the top of a mountain, but then charged him to encourage Joshua, who would lead the people in. Moses continues his speech to the children of Israel and urges Israel to carefully keep the statutes and judgments without adding to or taking away from them. He reminds them of the giving of the Ten Commandments, and then strongly warns against making any carved images or worshipping the heavenly hosts. In this Portion Moses tells the children of Israel the greatest commandment the LORD gave to him: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Moses warns the people not to forget the LORD once they prosper in the land. When they enter and conquer the seven nations, they are commanded to devote them all to destruction, make no covenants with them, and not intermarry. Moses tells Israel that they are a holy people chosen by God to be a treasured possession, not because they are the largest people, in fact they are small, but out of love and because of the oath He swore to their fathers. Support my videos: www.ashsoular.com/donate

This portion begins the Book of Deuteronomy. It begins in the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, where Moses begins to rehash the Torah to the children of Israel before the go in to take the land. Moses recounts the entire journey since leaving Mount Sinai. He reminds them how he appointed wise leaders and judges to help him because the people had grown so numerous. He recounts the sin of the spies at Kadesh-barnea: how the people rebelled, refused to enter the land despite God’s command, and how only Caleb and Joshua were allowed to survive from that generation. Because of their lack of faith, God decreed that the entire adult generation would die in the wilderness, and how even him, Moses himself would not enter the land. Moses then describes the long years of wandering. He explains how God commanded them not to fight the descendants of Esau (Edom), Moab, or Ammon, as God had already given those lands to them. Finally, he recounts the victories over the two powerful kings east of the Jordan: Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan. After these conquests, Moses gave the land of Gilead and Bashan to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh on the condition that their men would help conquer the land west of the Jordan. The portion ends with Moses encouraging Joshua, telling him not to fear because the Lord will fight for Israel just as He did against Sihon and Og. Subscribe for weekly videos! Want to support my work? www.ashsoular.com/donate

This double portion is the conclusion of the Book of Numbers. It begins with the laws of vows. A person’s vow to God must be kept, but under certain conditions a father or husband may annul the vow of a daughter or wife. Moses then sends the Israelites to war against Midian to avenge the sin at Baal Peor. The army returns victorious, and the portions details how the spoils are to be divided. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh see that the land of Gilead east of the Jordan River is good for raising livestock. They approach Moses and request to settle there instead of crossing the Jordan into the main part of the Promised Land. Moses sharply rebukes them, fearing that they are repeating the sin of the spies of wanting to avoid the battle and discouraging the rest of the people from entering the land God promised. But they reassure Moses and promise to send all their fighting men across the Jordan to help their brothers conquer the land of Canaan. Only after the entire land is conquered will they return to their inheritance east of the Jordan. The second portion, Massei, records the complete list of the Israelites’ forty-two journeys and encampments from Egypt all the way to the plains of Moab. God then gives instructions for dividing the land of Canaan among the tribes, including the appointment of leaders for the division. The portion also establishes six cities of refuge for those who unintentionally kill someone, so they may be protected from the blood avenger. Finally, it concludes with the ruling that the daughters of Zelophehad must marry within their own tribe so that their inheritance remains in the tribe. Want to support my videos? www.ashsoular.com/donate

This portion opens with God rewarding Phinehas (Pinchas), the son of Eleazar, for his zeal in stopping the immorality at Baal Peor. God grants him and his descendants a covenant of peace and an everlasting priesthood. God then commands Moses to take a new census of the children of Israel. This counts the new generation that will enter the Promised Land, as the previous generation had died in the wilderness. The five daughters of Zelophehad approach Moses and request their father’s inheritance, since he had no sons. God rules in their favor and establishes laws of inheritance so that a man’s property passes first to his sons, then to his daughters if there are no sons. God tells Moses to ascend Mount Abarim to view the Promised Land before he dies, and instructs him to appoint Joshua son of Nun as his successor to lead the people. Moses publicly commissions Joshua before the congregation. The portion concludes with a detailed list of the public offerings and sacrifices to be brought on a regular basis: daily, Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh (new moon), and all the appointed festivals (Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot).

This double portion begins with the laws of the Red Heifer, whose ashes are used to purify those who have become ritually unclean through contact with the dead. Miriam’s death is recorded in this portion. The congregation then complains again over not having any water. God gives Moses specific instructions to speak to the rock to bring forth water, but Moses strikes it twice in anger instead. God tells Moses, “you have not believed in Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the children of Israel,” so God decrees that Moses and Aaron will not enter the Promised Land. Aaron then dies on Mount Hor, and the people of Israel mourn for him thirty days. His son Eleazar becomes the new High Priest. The people then journey from Mount Hor and begin grumbling against God and Moses again about the food and water situation. God sends fiery serpents among the people as punishment, and many die from their bites. God instructs Moses to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole so that anyone who is bitten can look at it and live. The Israelites then go on to battle and defeat the Canaanite king of Arad, King Sihon of the Amorites, and King Og of Bashan. In the second portion, Balak, king of Moab, develops a fear of the Israelites because of their recent military victories and bribes the prophet Balaam to curse them. On the way, Balaam’s donkey sees the Angel of the Lord and incredibly speaks to Balaam, warning him about the Angel standing in the way. Balaam then sees the Angel, who rebukes him and calls his way contrary to Him but allows Baalam to continue on the condition that he only speaks what He tells him. Balak and Balaam prepare offerings and prepare to curse Israel, but when the time comes, Balaam is only able to bless Israel, pronouncing four powerful blessings instead of curses. The portion ends with the Israelites sinning at Baal Peor by worshipping idols and committing immorality with Moabite women, bringing a plague upon the people. The plague is stopped when Phinehas (Pinchas), the son of Eleazar, takes a spear and pierces the Israelite man and Midianite woman who were defiling the camp by their immorality. Want to support these videos? www.ashsoular.com/donate

This portion begins with the rebellion of Korach (Korah), a Levite, along with Dathan and Abiram from the tribe of Reuben, and 250 prominent leaders of Israel. They rise up against Moses and Aaron, and accuse them of exalting themselves above the rest of the congregation, claiming that all the people are holy. Moses falls on his face before God and then offers a test: each man is to take a fire pan with incense and stand before the LORD the next day. The one whom God chooses will be known as His holy one. The next day, the earth opens and swallows up Korach, Dathan, Abiram, their households, and all their possessions. Fire then comes out from the Lord and consumes the 250 men who offered incense. The people complain against Moses and Aaron the following day, accusing them of killing the Lord’s people. A plague breaks out, and Aaron stands between the living and the dead with incense to make atonement, stopping the plague. To confirm the priesthood, God commands Moses to collect a staff from each tribal leader and place them in the Tent of Meeting. The next day, only Aaron’s staff has budded, blossomed, and produced ripe almonds. This staff is kept as a sign to prevent future rebellion. The portion ends with God outlining the duties and portions for the priests and Levites, including the tithes that belong to them. Want to support my Bible readings? ➡️www.ashsoular.com/donate

Shelach means "send for yourself." This portion begins with God instructing Moses to send twelve spies, one leader from each tribe, to scout the land of Canaan. The spies travel through the land for forty days, bringing back samples of its fruit including enormous grapes, and report that the land truly flows with milk and honey. However, ten of the spies give a fearful report, saying the people are giants and the cities are too strong to conquer. Only Caleb and Joshua urge the people to trust in God and go up at once to possess the land. The congregation panics, cries, and rebels against Moses and Aaron, even wanting to return to Egypt. God becomes angry and decrees that this entire generation (except Caleb and Joshua) will die in the wilderness over the next forty years, one year for each day the spies were in the land. The people then try to enter the land anyway without God’s blessing and are defeated by the Amalekites and Canaanites. The portion also includes laws concerning offerings that the children of Israel will bring once they enter the land, and the story of the man who gathered wood on Shabbat and was put to death. It concludes with the commandment for the children of Israel to put fringes on the corners of their garments, to remind the people of all God’s commandments and to stay holy. Want to support these readings of Word? www.ashsoular.com/donate

This portion begins with God instructing Aaron on how to light the lamps of the Menorah in the Tabernacle. It then describes the purification and dedication of the Levites, who are formally set apart to serve in the Tabernacle in place of the firstborn of Israel. God commands the observance of a second Passover for those who were ritually unclean or on a journey during the first Passover. The Torah then details how the cloud and pillar of fire guided the Israelites, when the cloud rested, they camped; when it lifted, they journeyed. Moses is also commanded to make two silver trumpets to be used for calling the assembly, signaling the camps to move, and sounding alarms during war. The portion continues with the orderly departure from Sinai. Soon after, the people begin complaining about the manna, longing for the food of Egypt. Moses petitions God over how overwhelmed he feels. God instructs him to appoint seventy elders to help share the leadership and God puts the same Spirit that was on Moses on them and they begin prophesying. God also sends quail to the people but strikes them with a plague for their greed in collecting it. Finally, Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses regarding his Cushite wife, and God hears it and punishes Miriam with tzara’at (leprosy). Moses prays for her healing, but God says she must remain outside the camp seven days. So, the entire camp waits seven days for her until she is healed before moving on. Want to support me? www.ashsoular.com/donate