{"id":66740,"date":"2019-12-09T16:07:20","date_gmt":"2019-12-09T14:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=66740"},"modified":"2023-07-03T14:34:28","modified_gmt":"2023-07-03T11:34:28","slug":"lots-determined-by-lots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/lots-determined-by-lots\/","title":{"rendered":"Lots Determined By Lots"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In chapter 34, Isaiah prophesies about the destruction of Edom \u2013 first by human conquerors, then by vicious birds and beasts. In the last verse of the chapter, Isaiah describes how God will divide up the land among the animals:<\/span><\/p>\n

And it is He who apportioned it to them by lot,<\/span>
\n<\/span>Whose hand divided it for them with the line.<\/span>
\n<\/span>They shall possess it for all time,<\/span>
\n<\/span>They shall dwell there through the ages (Isaiah 34:17).<\/span><\/p>\n

This dreadful imagery mirrors the division of the Land of Israel by lots in the time of Joshua (13:6, 18:6-8). But unlike Israel coming to settle the land, the land of Edom will be desolate.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Hebrew word for \u201clot\u201d in these verses is <\/span>goral<\/span><\/em>. It originally referred to the small stone used to cast lots. That word for \u201csmall stone, pebble\u201d found its way into the Greek <\/span>korallion<\/span><\/em> (where it indicated a particular red stone found in the Mediterranean), and later the Latin <\/span>corallium<\/span><\/em> \u2013 and from there eventually became the English word \u201c<\/span>coral<\/span><\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>goral<\/span><\/em> was used in a number of occasions to determine the outcome of an unclear choice or future. It was placed on each of the identical goats in the Yom Kippur ceremony (Leviticus 16:8), and as we mentioned, it was used to determine the division of the land between the tribes. We see a similar connection in English, between the words \u201clot\u201d (as in plot of land) and \u201clottery\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Casting lots indicated that the decision was no longer in human hands, but rather in the hand of God. So it\u2019s not surprising that the meaning of the word eventually developed into the meaning most common today, \u201cfate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

However, it was not only believers in God who cast lots. Famously, in the book of Esther, Haman cast lots to determine the most auspicious day to carry out his plan of annihilating the Jews. But he didn\u2019t use the Hebrew word <\/span>goral<\/span><\/em>, but rather the Akkadian word <\/span>pur<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0 His plan failed, but as a commemoration, we celebrate the day determined by his casting of the lots as Purim. It might seem strange to name the holiday that way, but by doing so we come to understand that casting lots can\u2019t be used as a means to undermine God\u2019s plan, but will only be successful when combined with obedience to God.<\/span><\/p>\n

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