The midrash portrays this as a flaw. Redemption, it claims, comes because of the merit of the patriarchs—not because of Moses ...

Statue of Moses by Michelangelo in Rome. (Credit: Fr Barry Braum//Unsplash.) Listen The life of prayer is not easy. It’s a tremendous blessing and encouragement, therefore, to see others pray and to ...

The Book of Deuteronomy, in general, and the Torah portion, in particular, can be read as a pep talk. Moses, the soon-to-be retiring coach is prepping his team, the Israelites, for its next season.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means that Jesus says, “My yoke is easy and my burden light.” Although today’s readings do not include that line, they resonate with it: The first reading ...

Moses did not make it to the Promised Land because of an incident of angrily striking a rock instead of following God’s orders. Like all humans, Moses was not perfect, yet he was praised for his ...