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Memorial Day

Wilderness Parsha

Camping, Featured, Hiking, Wilderness Parsha

Memorial Day

When my unit returned from its Operation Iraqi Freedom mobilization, I had a conversation with my friend, Jimmy. I came home early due to a custodial matter, but we stayed in touch for the...

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Appalachian Trail, Hiking, Wilderness Parsha

A Parsha Insight, and COVID-19 Hiking

Many a drash on the Torah this weekend will deal with the little alef in “Vayikra.” We’ll hear the Ba’al HaTurim’s take on it, which tackles Moshe...

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Hiking, Wilderness Parsha

A Daf Yomi Wilderness Experience

In 2005, I was at the Jacob Javits Center to mark the end of my experience with daf yomi at the 11th Siyum HaShas. It was one hell of an undertaking. In many ways, my stubborn determination...

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Camping, Hiking, Wilderness Parsha

Sukkot 5780

An Excellent Holiday Entrypoint for Wilderness Backpacking, and to Learn about the Holiday You shall dwell in booths seven days; all citizens of Israel shall dwell in booths; so that your...

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Camping, Hiking, Wilderness Parsha

Backpacking with Children

I was reading a piece by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks about priorities as related to Parsha Matot-Masei, where he cites Rashi’s commentary on Numbers 32:16. Moshe reorders the priorities in...

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News, Wilderness Parsha

A Green Shavuot Call to Action

Shavuot, as we mentioned in a previous post, celebrates the end of the counting of the Omer period (which coincided with the grain harvest in antiquity), and marks the Jewish people...

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Wilderness Parsha

Retired and Elderly in the Outdoors

Parsha Kedoshim, Leviticus 19:1 – 20:27 To focus on one line from this week’s parsha, which contains “The Holiness Code,” may seem kind of odd. As we’ve...

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Wilderness Parsha

Alienation

Just like last week’s parsha, Metzora isn’t one of my favorites (I prefer talking donkeys, truth be told). There’s so much meat for the spiritual in this reading,...

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Camping, Wilderness Parsha

Family Purity and the Outdoors

This week’s parsha, Tazria (Leviticus 12:1–13:59) continues the exposition of our purity laws. In this portion, there’s purity after pregnancy, and tzaarat, which is often...

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Hiking, Wilderness Parsha

Burnt Offerings

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Command Aaron and his sons thus: This is the ritual of the burnt offering: The burnt offering itself shall remain where it is burned upon the altar all...

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