Purim is coming!

Time to plan the costumes, bake the hamantaschen and get out those groggers! It is almost Purim (MARCH 10 , 2009).

Artist Chaim Parchi is obviously in a festive mood.

Coming from a family of Hebrew scribes, Chaim began to use his innate talent of Hebrew calligraphy along with a primitive, naive art style that enveloped a heavy emphasis of Jewish subject matter. Along with his Judaic art, a secular art style developed in the modern and contemporary form. Chaim merges fantasy with reality to create a unique style. Chaim developed his own technique of painting using acrylic watercolors, pen and ink, an unusual method that simulates an airbrushing.
He has been strongly influenced by family artisans, a love for Israel, and the history of the Jewish people. His music and art is a reflection of his deep passion for Judaism. Chaim is a multitalented man with a God-given gift for music and art.

Religious Intolerance in the Desert

This Dvar Torah for the parsha Chukaht is adapted from Orot HaKodesh vol. IV, p. 500. The parsha can be found here.
Near the end of their journey in the desert, the Israelites arrived at Kadesh. But there was no water to drink, and the people complained bitterly. God commanded Moses to take his staff before the entire people and speak to the cliff-rock, to provide water for the nation. Moses took the staff and assembled the people. But he shouted,
"Listen now, you rebels! Shall we produce water for you from this cliff?" [Num. 20:10]
Moses then struck the cliff twice with the staff, and a huge amount of water gushed out.
There are many explanations as to what exactly was Moses' sin, for which God did not allow him to enter into the Land of Israel. Perhaps it was his uncontrolled anger (Maimonides); or for disobeying God by hitting the rock (Rashi); or because he initially fled from the people (Ibn Ezra); or for saying, "Shall we produce" and not, "Shall God produce" (Rabbeinu Chananel).
Let us consider Maimonides' explanation. Clearly, Moses was judged strictly, in accordance to his unique spiritual level. Yet, was his fit of anger truly so terrible that it constituted a desecration of God's Name? Did Moses deserve to die outside of the Land of Israel merely for losing his temper?
According to Rav Kook, all religious rage, all intolerance for moral failings, is rooted in this display of anger by Moses. Instead of words of reconciliation, he shouted, "Listen now, you rebels!" Instead of speaking to the heart, he hit the rock. While righteous indignation stems from sincere and pure intentions, the highest goals of holiness will only be achieved through calm spirits and mutual respect.
In our generation, the instruction of Torah and its details involves a pedantic form of debate. Father and son, teacher and student, struggle and battle over Torah study. In the end, their mutual love returns; but the residual feelings of enmity are never completely erased.
The restoration of the peaceful ways of Torah will come through the prophet Elijah, who "shall turn the heart of fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers." [Malachi 3:24]


The painting NUMBERS above is from Chaim Parchi a composer, choreographer, artist, teacher and performer. It is part of his series on the Five Books of Moses.