This week's Torah portion picks up at the end of a story, just after the climax, leaving it to readers (and listeners) to look back and understand why Phinehas is being praised.

Balaam is summoned to curse the Israelite people by Balak, King of the Moabites. Along the way, Balaam encounters an Angel of the Lord, standing in his path, ready to strike him down.

Parshat Korach is named for the leader of a failed rebellion against Moses, Aaron, and the Israelite priests. By harnessing resentment and stoking anger, Korach aims to supplant Moses and lead the Israelites himself.

This week this Torah gives us a double parsha, all about ritual purity and impurity, and to be honest, leprosy dominates 90% of the conversation. So what's the deal with leprosy?