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As we are in the Three Weeks we have to remember that we are only deserving of the Land if we treat each other properly. The reason we lost the land was in our bad behavior one to the other.

The commandment to drive the local population out of the land seems cruel to us today. We have to realize the evil that those societies represented. The Torah was afraid that they would influence the Jews.

The idea of the Cities of Refuge was for someone who accidentally killed another. The were allowed out when the High Priest died. The reason is that if he had been doing his job correctly then the accidental death would not have occurred.

The tribes of Reuben & Gad request permission to settle on the east bank of the Jordan River. Moses grants this on the condition that they help in the mission in conquering the Land. This is to show that we have a duty to our nation.

The Jews receive a commandment to kill all the Midianites, women as well as men. Why? The women were willing participants in the evil plans of Balak. He did not have to force them to do it. They were as bad as the men.

One of the most important lessons of the Torah is to leaders. They have to know when to step down and they have to realize that they have to prepare the next leader.

Today we begin the period of mourning for the 1st & 2nd Temples in Jerusalem. It is interesting to note that the Rabbis did not say the reason that they were destroyed was because we were overpowered but that we had committed sins against our fellow man,

The question is how Zimri could have committed such a heinous sin in public and in front of the Tabernacle. The answer is that people were not paying attention to the small details. When we forgive minor transgressions then they will commit major ones.

It should be remembered that the most quoted book at the Constitutional Convention was the Book of Deuteronomy. That the founders were deeply religious and that their writings and thoughts reflected this.

Pinchas receives a blessing from God for being zealous for God’s Torah and morality. This is to teach that immorality cannot be the basis of society. Sometimes actions have to be taken.