{"id":100162,"date":"2018-07-09T18:03:24","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:03:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-1183\/"},"modified":"2022-02-02T19:46:03","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T17:46:03","slug":"wall-1183","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-1183\/","title":{"rendered":"weekend-from-20250803-to-20250809"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"weekend","wall_id":"1183","date_from":"20250803","date_to":"20250809","book":"II Chronicles","books_group":"Writings","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"100599","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"2","name":"Beshalach \u2013 The Knowledge Of Water, Fire And Clouds ","post_title":"Beshalach \u2013 The Knowledge Of Water, Fire And Clouds","slug":"beshalach-the-knowledge-of-water-fire-and-clouds","old_id":"100599","type":"song","iframe":"","writer":{"id":90569,"post_title":"Gila Caine","slug":"gila-caine","old_id":"90569","first_name":"Gila ","last_name":"Caine","description":"Born and raised in Jerusalem, Rabbi Gila Caine received her rabbinic ordination at the HUC-JIR\u2019s Israeli program in 2011. She now serves as rabbi at Temple Beth Ora congregation in Edmonton, AB. (Canada), where she lives with her husband and children. ","short_description":"Rabbi Gila Caine received her rabbinic ordination at the HUC-JIR\u2019s Israeli program in 2011, and now serves as rabbi at Temple Beth Ora congregation in Edmonton, AB. (Canada),","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":90572,"alt":"","title":"gila caine","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/gila-caine.jpg","width":150,"height":150,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/gila-caine.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/gila-caine.jpg","medium-width":150,"medium-height":150,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/gila-caine.jpg","medium_large-width":150,"medium_large-height":150,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/gila-caine.jpg","large-width":150,"large-height":150,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/gila-caine.jpg","1536x1536-width":150,"1536x1536-height":150,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/gila-caine.jpg","2048x2048-width":150,"2048x2048-height":150,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/gila-caine.jpg","post_full_size-width":150,"post_full_size-height":150,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/gila-caine.jpg","home_baner-width":150,"home_baner-height":150}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"1183","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"This is the strongest lesson of shmita, that the non-human world around and within us is filled with its own intelligence, and its own Torah.\u00a0","post_main_content_content":"

This week\u2019s Torah portion kicks off with our ancestors leaving <\/span>Mitzrayim<\/span><\/em> (the Biblical Egypt, the place of constriction) and venturing into the <\/span>Midbar<\/span><\/em> (the desert, the place of speaking or the place that speaks), and as they hesitantly make their way out their enslavers have a turn of heart and begin chasing them. Can you imagine this scene in your mind's eye? It\u2019s important to visualize it for ourselves because this story holds the image of our <\/span>neshama<\/span><\/em> (soul\/spirit) aching to leave behind all that enslaves it, while our inner fears call on us to go back. This is one part\u00a0 of soul-yearning to live a more conscious life while other elements inside us continue making excuses for why we must go on consuming, why we must keep ignoring the climatic earthquake that is upon us.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As our ancestors make their way towards freedom, they arrive at <\/span>Yam Suf<\/span><\/em> (the Sea of Reeds) and stop stunned by its shores with the Egyptians behind them, with their place of constriction getting narrower by the moment. At the height of their panic the sea parts, water standing like walls on either side allowing people to go through. Here\u2019s the verse: \u201c<\/span>At the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up, the floods stood straight like a wall; The deeps froze in the heart of the sea<\/span>\u201d <\/span>(Ch. 15 v. 8)<\/span>. The Vilna Gaon (18<\/span>th<\/span> century rabbi) teaches something remarkable about this moment, conflating it with Genesis 2:7 \u201c<\/span>He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being<\/span>\u201d. These waters, he says, were a conscious creature filled with intelligence by God\u2019s breath, just like us humans.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This is the strongest lesson of shmita, that the non-human world around and within us is filled with its own intelligence, and its own Torah.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The desert was full of hardship but full of wonder as well, and apart from the transformative moment at Mt. Sinai, most of the important miracles appear in this week\u2019s reading. The parting of the waters, yes, but also the manna which rained down from the sky each day to feed them, and the Pillar of Fire and the Pillar of Cloud. In this no-man's-land people remembered the language of the non-human world and learned to listen and be guided by it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

May we merit to quiet down our pace and learn to hear the Earth speaking to us.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Shabbat Shalom.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This year is the shmita year: Shmita means a sabbatical year for the Earth but also for ourselves, our communities, and our world. Each week we continue to share thoughts on how the weekly parsha can help guide our thinking around shmita themes of work and rest, wealth and debt, responsible land use, fair labor practices, private and public property ownership, and physical and spiritual revitalization.<\/em><\/p>\r\n

See here for more information on the Hazon Shmita project, and its blogs.<\/a><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":81608,"alt":"","title":"shmita","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","width":711,"height":708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","medium_large-width":711,"medium_large-height":708,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","large-width":711,"large-height":708,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","1536x1536-width":711,"1536x1536-height":708,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","2048x2048-width":711,"2048x2048-height":708,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","post_full_size-width":711,"post_full_size-height":708,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-422x420.jpg","home_baner-width":422,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"A Weekly Series: The \"Shmitah Parasha\" Blog","tile_main_caption":"Beshalach \u2013 The Knowledge Of Water, Fire And Clouds","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"in conjunction with Hazon.org","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":81608,"alt":"","title":"shmita","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","width":711,"height":708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","medium_large-width":711,"medium_large-height":708,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","large-width":711,"large-height":708,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","1536x1536-width":711,"1536x1536-height":708,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","2048x2048-width":711,"2048x2048-height":708,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","post_full_size-width":711,"post_full_size-height":708,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-422x420.jpg","home_baner-width":422,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"II Chronicles","chapter":false,"chapter_main_number":false,"date":false,"wall_id":"1183"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"100476","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Tony Stark Would Be Nothing Without It ","post_title":"Tony Stark Would Be Nothing Without It","slug":"tony-stark-would-be-nothing-without-it","old_id":"100476","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":64450,"post_title":"David Curwin","slug":"david-curwin","old_id":"64450","first_name":"David ","last_name":"Curwin ","description":"David Curwin is a writer living in Efrat, and the author of the Balashon blog www.balashon.com","short_description":"David Curwin is a writer living in Efrat, and the author of the Balashon blog www.balashon.com","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":64452,"alt":"","title":"david curwin","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","width":427,"height":464,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin-276x300.png","medium-width":276,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","medium_large-width":427,"medium_large-height":464,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","large-width":427,"large-height":464,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","1536x1536-width":427,"1536x1536-height":464,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","2048x2048-width":427,"2048x2048-height":464,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","post_full_size-width":427,"post_full_size-height":464,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin-387x420.png","home_baner-width":387,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"911","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The Hebrew word for \u201ciron\u201d has global reach\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In 2 Chronicles 18, King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah formed an alliance. They planned on waging war together to free Ramoth-gilead from the control of Aram. But before they set off for battle, they wanted to consult with prophets to see if God supported their efforts.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Most of the prophets they consulted said they would be victorious, saying \u201cMarch, and God will deliver it into the king\u2019s hands.\u201d (2 Chronicles 18:5). One of these prophets used a prop to emphasize his confidence:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cZedekiah son of Chenaanah had provided himself with iron horns; and he said, \u2018Thus said the LORD: With these you shall gore the Arameans till you make an end of them.\u2019\u201d (2 Chronicles 18:10)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why did he wear iron horns? The commentaries suggest that horns made of iron were a sign of strength, particularly in war. Iron was an important metal in the Land of Israel, as Moses described it: \u201c\u2026a land whose rocks are iron and from whose hills you can mine copper.\u201d (Deuteronomy 8:9)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It was used to make dangerous tools, \u201cAnyone, however, who strikes another with an iron object so that death results is a murderer\u2026\u201d (Numbers 36:16), as well as weapons, and because of this it was forbidden in the building of the altar: \u201cThere, too, you shall build an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. Do not wield an iron tool over them.\u201d (Deuteronomy 27:5).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Hebrew word for iron is <\/span>barzel<\/span><\/em>. Some scholars say that it is cognate with <\/span>berez<\/span><\/em>, which originally referred to a hole in a barrel, and today means \u201cfaucet.\u201d According to this theory, both words come from an original root meaning \u201cto drill.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Since iron production began in the Middle East, and from there spread to Europe, it should not be surprising that the Europeans borrowed Semitic words for this metal. However, the number of words that linguists suggest may come from <\/span>barzel<\/span><\/em>\u00a0or its cognates is truly remarkable.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In Aramaic, <\/span>barzel<\/span><\/em>\u00a0is <\/span>parzel<\/span><\/em>, and in Arabic it became <\/span>firzil<\/span><\/em>. Some scholars say that the \u201c-el\u201d suffix dropped in some borrowings, and so eventually became the Latin \u201cferrum\u201d which gives us the atomic symbol Fe for iron. Others suggest that the words \u201cbronze\u201d and \u201cbrass\u201d also derive from the Semitic root <\/span>brz<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There is even a theory that the country Brazil gets its name from <\/span>barzel<\/span><\/em>. It claims that \u201cbrazil\u201d (and the related \u201cbrazilwood\u201d) originally mean iron, then \u201chard,\u201d then \u201chard-wood.\u201d When Portuguese explorers came to South America, they found trees similar to the brazilwood they knew in Europe.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the end, the prophecy the kings received was false, and they did not defeat Aram. However, the word <\/span>barzel<\/span><\/em>\u00a0was much more successful in its spread over the world.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":100477,"alt":"","title":"2chron18-iron forget anvil","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil.jpg","width":1920,"height":1551,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil-300x242.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":242,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil-768x620.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":620,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil-1024x827.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":827,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1241,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1551,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil-1200x969.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":969,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil-520x420.jpg","home_baner-width":520,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Tony Stark Would Be Nothing Without It","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The Hebrew word for \u201ciron\u201d has global reach","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":100477,"alt":"","title":"2chron18-iron forget anvil","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil.jpg","width":1920,"height":1551,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil-300x242.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":242,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil-768x620.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":620,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil-1024x827.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":827,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1241,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1551,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil-1200x969.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":969,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-iron-forget-anvil-520x420.jpg","home_baner-width":520,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"II Chronicles","chapter":"18","chapter_main_number":"911","date":"20290225","wall_id":"911"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":3,"id":"100479","color":"#efefef","size":"1","name":"The Two Sides Of Ahab ","post_title":"The Two Sides Of Ahab","slug":"the-two-sides-of-ahab-2","old_id":"100479","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":92960,"post_title":"Calev Ben-Dor","slug":"calev-ben-dor","old_id":"92960","first_name":"Calev ","last_name":"Ben-Dor ","description":"Having grown up in London, Calev Ben-Dor now lives in Jerusalem with his family. He writes and teaches about Israel and Judaism and is involved in a Whatsapp facilitated 929 learning group with members from across the world.","short_description":"Calev Ben-Dor lives in Jerusalem and writes and teaches about Israel and Judaism.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":92962,"alt":"","title":"calev ben dor","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","width":428,"height":414,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1-300x290.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":290,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","medium_large-width":428,"medium_large-height":414,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","large-width":428,"large-height":414,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":428,"1536x1536-height":414,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":428,"2048x2048-height":414,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","post_full_size-width":428,"post_full_size-height":414,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","home_baner-width":428,"home_baner-height":414}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"911","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Jewish tradition didn\u2019t respect him as a statesman and strategist\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Amongst the spacious rooms within the Department of the Middle East in the British Museum stands a round-topped, somewhat eroded limestone stele, on which appears the Assyrian King, Shalmaneser III standing before four divine emblems. The stelae \u2013 known as the Kurkh Monoliths \u2013 were discovered in 1861 by British archeologist John George Taylor, then British Consul-General stationed in the Ottoman administrative division of Kurdistan.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The monoliths relate the conquests of the first years of Shalmaneser\u2019s reign. He subjugated lands to the east of the Euphrates before crossing the river, taking major cities like Aleppo, and heading toward the Mediterranean. It was there that he was met by an international coalition at the great Battle at Qarqar in 853 BCE, in what is today northern Syria.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Amongst the coalition is a certain \u201cAhabbu Sirilayu,\u201d who provided 2,000 horses and chariots (more than anyone) and who is considered by scholars to be Ahab the Israelite, who finds his death in battle in Chapter 18 at Ramot Gilead.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While scholarship often focuses on whether events mentioned in the Bible historically took place, what about events that historically took place which the Bible doesn\u2019t deem to mention?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Qarkar is one of the most strategically important military operations ever undertaken by a Jewish leader. A huge contingent of soldiers and chariots were taken 400 kilometers from their capital in Samaria to try and protect the long-term future of the kingdom against a rising empire.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For Nadav Na\u2019aman, an Assyriologist and emeritus professor of Jewish History at Tel Aviv University, Ahab is a great strategist and statesman \u201cwho foresaw the threat posed by the Assyrian Empire and realized he had to work with his neighbors, and that\u2019s why he was ready to send the Israelite army to protect such a distant land.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Yet the Tanach is utterly silent about it. The prophet Yehu is even critical of the marriage and military alliance made between Jehoshaphat and Ahab.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In his book \"The Jewish March of Folly,\" journalist Amotz Asa-El argues that the Biblical prophets were ambivalent at best about monarchy, preferring weak entities who were focused on serving the Kingdom of Heaven. In this telling, strategic and political wisdom are deprioritised. What\u2019s important is ethical behavior. That\u2019s what governs how monarchs will be remembered.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Book of Kings relates that \u201cthere was none like Ahab who gave himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord\u201d. The Gemara says that Ahab was one of three kings who had no portion in the world to come. In this world, the Battle of Qarkar is simply not relevant.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Indeed, the Gemara in Sanhedrin 102b quotes Chapter 18 relating to Ahab being tricked into the battle that leads to his death. \u201cAnd there came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord and said I will entice him.\u201d Said Rabbi Yochanan, \u201cit was the spirit of Naboth the Jezreelite\u201d, (who Ahab had killed in order to seize his small vineyard).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Ahab\u2019s fate is ultimately determined not by strategic prowess but morality.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0Kurkh stela of Shalmaneser that reports battle of Karkar, of en:853 BC. \/ wikipedia<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":100480,"alt":"","title":"2chron18-shalmaneser III kurkh monolith","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","width":173,"height":383,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith-136x300.jpg","medium-width":136,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","medium_large-width":173,"medium_large-height":383,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","large-width":173,"large-height":383,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","1536x1536-width":173,"1536x1536-height":383,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","2048x2048-width":173,"2048x2048-height":383,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","post_full_size-width":173,"post_full_size-height":383,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","home_baner-width":173,"home_baner-height":383}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Two Sides Of Ahab","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Jewish tradition didn\u2019t respect him as a statesman and strategist","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":100480,"alt":"","title":"2chron18-shalmaneser III kurkh monolith","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","width":173,"height":383,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith-136x300.jpg","medium-width":136,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","medium_large-width":173,"medium_large-height":383,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","large-width":173,"large-height":383,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","1536x1536-width":173,"1536x1536-height":383,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","2048x2048-width":173,"2048x2048-height":383,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","post_full_size-width":173,"post_full_size-height":383,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-shalmaneser-III-kurkh-monolith.jpg","home_baner-width":173,"home_baner-height":383}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"II Chronicles","chapter":"18","chapter_main_number":"911","date":"20290225","wall_id":"911"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":4,"id":"100473","color":"#f2e9df","size":"1","name":"The Funniest Chapter In Tanach ","post_title":"The Funniest Chapter In Tanach","slug":"the-funniest-chapter-in-tanach","old_id":"100473","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"911","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"High comedy in the court of Ahab\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

With the weighty nature of the Tanach, it is easy to miss sprinkles of humor. This chapter in II Chronicles (parallel to Kings 22) is one of the Tanach\u2019s funniest chapters.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Here is the scene: Ahab the notoriously wicked king and scourge of Elijah the prophet rules over the immensely wealthy and powerful Northern Kingdom. He invites his in-law, King Jehoshaphat, to help fight a battle. Jehoshaphat is a righteous king, and not as powerful or wealthy as Ahab. The two kings sit on their thrones in a makeshift military camp. Ahab goes all out to impress his guest- throwing a big feast. There, he asks the question: will you come fight with me? The room is silent. With this big set up, Jehoshaphat responds \"what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine.....\"\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One can imagine Ahab snapping his fingers and the party continuing. \"BUT,\u201d interrupts Jehoshaphat, \"I want you to ask God.\" Ahab, still smiling, is mumbling to himself \"is this guy serious?! Ask God?!\" He holds in his frustration and says \"fine! Bring in the prophets!\" In come four hundred men who begin a seance and dance. They call out in unison \"God wills you to go! You will be victorious!\" Ahab turns to Jehoshaphat with a wide smile- \"See! We should go!\"\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Silence again. Jehoshaphat, unimpressed with the prophet parade, asks if there is a real man of God around. And now, the funniest line in Tanach (verse 7): \"There is one more man through whom we can inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he never prophesies anything good for me but always misfortune.\" Jehoshaphat asks that the prophet, Micaiah, be brought anyway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cThe king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, wearing their robes, were seated on their thrones situated in the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them\u201d (verse 8).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Meanwhile, the 400 prophets bring out props: ox horns representing the northern tribes of Joseph: \u201cLet Ahab go forth and gore his enemies with these horns.\u201d The messenger pleads with Micaiah to play nice and match the words of the other prophets. At first he does. But Ahab tells the prophet to tell them the truth like he always does. Micaiah\u2019s fake rosey demeanor immediately vanishes and foretells doom. Ahab turns to Jehoshaphat: \u201cDid I not tell you that he would not prophesy good fortune for me, but only misfortune?\u201d (verse 17). Ahab sends Michaiah to the stocks to await what will happen. The chapter ends with Ahab\u2019s hairbrained scheme to switch clothes to outwit the enemy, which fails.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The humor employed in this chapter serves to highlight the boorishness of Ahab, bringing him down from the evil pedestal he was on with his wife Jezebel in earlier chapters of I Kings.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":100474,"alt":"","title":"2chron18-banana peel comedy","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy.png","width":1920,"height":1302,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy-300x203.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":203,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy-768x521.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":521,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy-1024x694.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":694,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1042,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1302,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy-1200x814.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":814,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy-619x420.png","home_baner-width":619,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Funniest Chapter In Tanach","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"High comedy in the court of Ahab","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":100474,"alt":"","title":"2chron18-banana peel comedy","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy.png","width":1920,"height":1302,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy-300x203.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":203,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy-768x521.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":521,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy-1024x694.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":694,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1042,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1302,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy-1200x814.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":814,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron18-banana-peel-comedy-619x420.png","home_baner-width":619,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"II Chronicles","chapter":"18","chapter_main_number":"911","date":"20290225","wall_id":"911"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":5,"id":"100501","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Jumpin\u2019 Jehoshaphat ","post_title":"Jumpin\u2019 Jehoshaphat","slug":"jumpin-jehoshaphat","old_id":"100501","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34243,"post_title":"Moshe Sokolow","slug":"moshe-sokolow","old_id":"34243","first_name":"Moshe","last_name":"Sokolow","description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University, and teaches a weekly class in parashat hashavu`a at Lincoln Square Synagogue. He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"912","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Alliterative euphemisms and minced oaths","post_main_content_content":"

This chapter gives us an entr\u00e9e into the way certain biblical characters and expressions have entered colloquial (American) English usage, such as:<\/span><\/p>\r\n