Together, the Tribes of Israel? Core Themes of Sefer Bamidbar
Rabbi David Silber
David Silber is the founder and dean of Drisha Institute for Jewish Education in New York and Israel. Rabbi Silber received ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He is a recipient of the Covenant Award, for excellence in innovative Jewish education, and is the author of A Passover Haggadah: Go Forth and Learn (Jewish Publication Society 2011), For Such a Time as This: Biblical Reflections in the Book of Esther (Koren Publishers 2017), and Malkhut Adam: Iyunim Bsefer Shmuel (Maggid 2021). He is also a nationally acclaimed lecturer on the Bible. Rabbi Silber is married to Dr. Devora Steinmetz. They have eight children and live in New York City.
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Rabbi Jon Kelsen
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In many ways, the book of Numbers (Bamidbar) tells a story resonant with contemporary political realities in both the United States and Israel. It depicts a collection of tribes attempting to cohere into one people, and a system trying to balance individual interests and differences with the needs of the collective. Ultimately, the book explores whether and how a society can allow for internal difference, containing its inevitable fissures while holding and connecting its people together. In this series, we will explore the central themes of Numbers as it traces the path from Sinai towards the promised land.
Note: Session 3 has no source sheet.