Rosner’s Torah Talk: Parashat Chukat with Rabbi Alan Green

Our guest this week is Rabbi Alan Green of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Winnipeg, Canada. Rabbi Green received his BA and MA in the History of Religions from UCLA, and studied Rabbinic Literature for three years at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles. He received rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, founder and Dean of the Aleph Alliance for Jewish Renewal, in 1991. Prior to Shaarey Zedek, Rabbi Green served as spiritual leader of Temple B’nai Emet in Montebello and as spiritual leader of Winnipeg’s Beth Israel Congregation. Rabbi Green has been Senior Rabbi of Shaarey Zedek since the fall of 2000.

This week’s Torah portion – Parashat Chukat (Numbers 19:1-22:1) – Features the death of Aaron and Miriam, brother and sister of Moses; the famous story of Moses striking the stone; and Israel’s battles against the Emorite kings Sichon and Og. Our talk focuses on the odd Red Cow decree and on the important role of death in the parasha.