Rosner’s Torah Talk: Parshat Shelach with rabbi Benji Stanley

[additional-authors]

Shmuel Rosner

June 8, 2018

Our guest this week is rabbi Benji Stanley, the Rabbi of Westminster Synagogue, an independent shul in the middle of London. He is passionate about getting stuck into texts and has taught and helped to build the Limmud Bet Midrash, Open Talmud Project, Kehilat Kentish, and Willesden Minyan. He is married to Rabbi Leah Jordan.

This week’s Torah Portion- Parashat Shelach (Numbers 13:1- 15:41)- features the famous story of the twelve spies sent to examine the land of Canaan. It tells about how the people of Israel cry and grumble against Moses and Aaron, asking to go back to Egypt, and about God’s declaration that they will spend 40 years in the wilderness. The parasha ends with a set of commandments concerning offerings to God and with a curious story about a man who is stoned for picking up sticks on Shabbat. Our discussion focuses on the character of Joshua as a model for leadership development and as an example of our ability to change and improve ourselves.