{"id":100174,"date":"2018-07-09T18:03:14","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:03:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-1181\/"},"modified":"2022-02-02T19:45:57","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T17:45:57","slug":"wall-1181","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-1181\/","title":{"rendered":"weekend-from-20250720-to-20250726"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"weekend","wall_id":"1181","date_from":"20250720","date_to":"20250726","book":"II Chronicles","books_group":"Writings","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"100322","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"2","name":"Vaera: What Gives Me Hope? ","post_title":"Vaera: What Gives Me Hope?","slug":"vaera-what-gives-me-hope","old_id":"100322","type":"song","iframe":"","writer":{"id":100323,"post_title":"Barak Gale","slug":"barak-gale","old_id":"100323","first_name":"Barak ","last_name":"Gale ","description":"Dr. Barak Gale is a passionate volunteer climate educator, trained by Al Gore in 2016. Retired from optometry, he volunteers as Chair of the Climate Reality Project Thurston County, WA Chapter, and Chair of Temple Beth Hatfiloh GreenTeam in Olympia. He can be contacted at barakgaleATgmail.com \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Barak Gale is a passionate volunteer climate educator, trained by Al Gore in 2016. Retired from optometry, he volunteers as Chair of the Climate Reality Project Thurston County, WA Chapter, and Chair of Temple Beth Hatfiloh GreenTeam in Olympia. He can be contacted at barakgaleATgmail.com \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":100324,"alt":"","title":"barak gale","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/barak-gale.jpg","width":1355,"height":1627,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/barak-gale-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/barak-gale-250x300.jpg","medium-width":250,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/barak-gale-768x922.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":922,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/barak-gale-853x1024.jpg","large-width":853,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/barak-gale.jpg","1536x1536-width":1279,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/barak-gale.jpg","2048x2048-width":1355,"2048x2048-height":1627,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/barak-gale-999x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":999,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/barak-gale-350x420.jpg","home_baner-width":350,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"1181","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Shmita offers a \u201crelease\u201d from this harsh legacy, whispering to us: Aspire to this time when you no longer harden your heart.\u00a0\u00a0","post_main_content_content":"

Va'era recounts the Ten Plagues and the hardening of Pharaoh\u2019s heart.\u00a0 I am often asked in my climate presentations - what gives me hope?\u00a0 Day after day the news speaks of another tipping point or plague threatening our survival - the cracking of ice shelves in Antarctica that keep the great ice sheets from sliding into the ocean, the loss of permafrost holding vast stores of potent methane, and more.\u00a0 Day after day also sees new threats to what is left of our democracy, and of our humanity.\u00a0 And we see marginalized communities suffering disproportionately, for example Black children suffering from asthma, often due to proximity to fossil fuel plants, refineries, freeways, at 8 times the rate of white children.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rabbi Shefa Gold comments on Va'era, that symbols of life, like blood, in excess become the opposite. Yes, sun provides essential energy and warmth and now electricity, but intense heat waves are deadly.\u00a0 Wind provides essential cooling and transportation for seeds, insects, birds, but in excess becomes monstrous storms and hurricanes. Greenhouse gasses keep the Earth from being a frozen ball of ice, but in excess are scorching the planet.\u00a0 Some hardening of heart no doubt protects us, but the Pharaoh\u2019s excess and our complacency, our deadening of heart today in the face of calamity: where is that leading us?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Shmita offers a \u201crelease\u201d from this harsh legacy, whispering to us: Aspire to this time when you no longer harden your heart.\u00a0 Aspire to this time when you return\u00a0 \u05dc\u05e9\u05d5\u05d1 <\/span>lashuv<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/em> to a right relationship with the land.\u00a0 Aspire to this time when you return and dwell\u00a0 \u05dc\u05e9\u05d1\u05ea <\/span>lashevet<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/em> in right relationship with each other.\u00a0 Aspire to this time when you let the land rest\u00a0 \u05dc\u05e9\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea <\/span>lishbot<\/span><\/em>, allowing nature to reforest, to re-prairie, to regenerate.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And in this time when shmita is needed more than ever, a global network of farmers, ranchers, consumers, and climate activists, has come together with the goal of changing the global conversation on climate, farming, and land use, advancing the methods of\u00a0 \u201cRegenerative Agriculture\u201d, a key climate solution according to the IPCC, and to a large extent, a relearning of indigenous methods and wisdom.\u00a0 I am reminded of what Rav Abraham Isaac Kook once said: \u201cthe old will be made new, and the new made holy.\u201d\u00a0 This gives me hope.<\/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":"Vaera: What Gives Me Hope?","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":"1181"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"100137","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Marrying Pharaoh's Daughter: Royal Misstep? ","post_title":"Marrying Pharaoh's Daughter: Royal Misstep?","slug":"marrying-pharaohs-daughter-royal-misstep","old_id":"100137","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":"901","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The Chronicler makes lemonade\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

\u201c<\/b>Solomon brought up Pharaoh\u2019s daughter from the City of David to the palace that he had built for her, for he said, \u201cNo wife of mine shall dwell in a palace of King David of Israel, for [the area] is sacred since the Ark of the LORD has entered it\u201d (verse 11).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One of Solomon\u2019s early missteps was marrying Pharaoh's daughter. In I Kings 3:1 we learn that Solomon entered into a treaty with Pharoah and married his daughter as part of the pact. Political marriages between monarchs were frequent in ancient (and even modern) times. But this fact is conspicuously absent from Chronicles. That is our first hint that this was not looked at as a smart move. Usually if something innocuous is missing from Chronicles that appears in Kings, it is something that the chronicler wanted to remove from the official record. The question is, then, why include this verse? It must have been that his marriage to the daughter of Pharaoh was not something that could have been completely swept under the rug. He even built for her her own palace!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The chronicler was then faced with a dilemma. So, the fact is added, but with a little extra context. In I Kings 9, the removal of the daughter of Pharaoh from the city of David is stated as almost as a throwaway fact: \u201cAs soon as Pharaoh\u2019s daughter went up from the City of David to the palace that he had built for her, he built the Millo\u201d (I Kings 9:24). In II Chronicles 8, however, we have the added declaration: \u201cNo wife of mine shall dwell in a palace of King David of Israel, for [the area] is sacred since the Ark of the LORD has entered it.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Solomon now seems like a righteous man when it comes to the daughter of Pharaoh. He wishes to remove her from the city of David because the Ark was there. It also shows that he probably realized that this was not the best marriage situation. By adding this one additional line, the Chronicler is able to balance mentioning the unignorable fact of Solomon\u2019s marriage to the daughter of Pharaoh while also trying to spin it to seem favorable to the King.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0King Solomon and his wife Pharaoh's daughter (unknown author), CC \/ wikimedia<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":100138,"alt":"","title":"2chron8-Solomon_and_Pharaoh's_daughter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron8-Solomon_and_Pharaohs_daughter.jpg","width":1486,"height":1544,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron8-Solomon_and_Pharaohs_daughter-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron8-Solomon_and_Pharaohs_daughter-289x300.jpg","medium-width":289,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron8-Solomon_and_Pharaohs_daughter-768x798.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":798,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron8-Solomon_and_Pharaohs_daughter-986x1024.jpg","large-width":986,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron8-Solomon_and_Pharaohs_daughter.jpg","1536x1536-width":1478,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron8-Solomon_and_Pharaohs_daughter.jpg","2048x2048-width":1486,"2048x2048-height":1544,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron8-Solomon_and_Pharaohs_daughter-1155x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1155,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron8-Solomon_and_Pharaohs_daughter-404x420.jpg","home_baner-width":404,"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":"Marrying 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words for exotic things\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In 2 Chronicles 9, we read about the riches of Solomon\u2019s kingdom. As evidence of his wealth, we read this description of his fleet:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cThe king\u2019s fleet traveled to Tarshish with Huram\u2019s servants. Once every three years, the Tarshish fleet came in, bearing gold and silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.\u201d (2 Chronicles 21)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Gold and silver were common in the royal court, but the last three items \u2013 ivory, apes, and peacocks \u2013 were rather exotic. Let\u2019s look at each of those words.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The word rendered here as \u201civory\u201d is the Hebrew <\/span>shenhabim<\/span><\/em>. In the singular form, it is <\/span>shenhav<\/span><\/em>, and that is the word for ivory today as well. It only appears in one other location, in the parallel passage in 1 Kings 10:22. <\/span>Shenhav<\/span><\/em>\u00a0is a compound word, deriving from <\/span>shen<\/span><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 \u201ctooth\u201d and <\/span>yev<\/span><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 \u201celephant.\u201d The word <\/span>yev<\/span><\/em>\u00a0is of Egyptian origin (<\/span>yb<\/span><\/em>), and after traveling through many languages eventually became the English \u201civory.\u201d It also became the second part of the English word \u201celephant,\u201d via Greek.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The second word, \u201capes,\u201d is also a plural in Hebrew \u2013 <\/span>kofim<\/span><\/em>. The singular, <\/span>kof<\/span><\/em>, was borrowed from an Indian language, Tamil, where <\/span>kapi<\/span><\/em>\u00a0also means \u201cape.\u201d The Indian connection make sense, for in the previous chapter, we read that Solomon\u2019s fleet also traveled to Ophir (2 Chronicles 8:18), and Ophir is identified with Abiria in India. Some theories claim that the English word \u201cape\u201d also derives from the Tamil <\/span>kapi<\/span><\/em>, and at some point, the initial \u201ck\u201d dropped off. There is a suggestion that the Hebrew letter <\/span>kuf<\/span><\/em>\u00a0comes from <\/span>kof<\/span><\/em>\u00a0meaning \u201cmonkey\u201d (the leg of the letter is like a monkey\u2019s tail), but others reject that, saying that neither monkeys or the word <\/span>kof<\/span><\/em>\u00a0originated in the Land of Israel, and so they wouldn\u2019t provide the name of a letter.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Lastly, we have <\/span>tukim<\/span><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 \u201cpeacocks.\u201d This may be a surprise to those familiar with modern Hebrew, where the word <\/span>tuki<\/span><\/em>\u00a0means \u201cparrot.\u201d However, later Hebrew borrowed the Greek word for peacock, <\/span>taos<\/span><\/em>,\u00a0 and it became <\/span>tavas<\/span><\/em>. That left <\/span>tuki<\/span><\/em>\u00a0available for \u201cparrot\u201d in recent times. But ultimately, both <\/span>taos<\/span><\/em>\u00a0and <\/span>tuki<\/span><\/em>\u00a0derive from the same Tamil word for peacock \u2013 <\/span>togei<\/span><\/em>. Through even more twists and turns, the \u201cpea\u201d in the English word \u201cpeacock\u201d has the same origin as well.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We\u2019ve now taken quite the journey \u2013 from Egypt and India to King Solomon\u2019s palace, all with the help of some very familiar words in both Hebrew and English.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: John Duncan, Ivory Apes and Peacocks, 1923 \/ wikiart (public domain)<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":100240,"alt":"","title":"Duncan, John, 1866-1945; Ivory, Apes and Peacocks","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks.jpg","width":1200,"height":804,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks-300x201.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":201,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks-768x515.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":515,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks-1024x686.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":686,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":804,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":804,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks-1200x804.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":804,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks-627x420.jpg","home_baner-width":627,"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":"Ivory, Apes, Peacocks","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Exotic words for exotic things","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":100240,"alt":"","title":"Duncan, John, 1866-1945; Ivory, Apes and Peacocks","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks.jpg","width":1200,"height":804,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks-300x201.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":201,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks-768x515.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":515,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks-1024x686.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":686,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":804,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":804,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks-1200x804.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":804,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron9-John-Duncan-ivory-apes-peacocks-627x420.jpg","home_baner-width":627,"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":"9","chapter_main_number":"902","date":"20290212","wall_id":"902"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":4,"id":"100242","color":"#efefef","size":"1","name":"Ahijah The Shilonite ","post_title":"Ahijah The Shilonite","slug":"ahijah-the-shilonite","old_id":"100242","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33877,"post_title":"Marc Bregman","slug":"marc-bregman","old_id":"33877","first_name":"Marc","last_name":"Bregman","description":"Marc Bregman received his Ph.D. from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1991. He taught at the Hebrew Union College (Jerusalem), The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Schechter Institute for Judaic Studies in Jerusalem, and at the Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheba, Israel. During 1993 he was Visiting Associate Professor at Yale University, and during 1996 he was the Stroum Professor of Jewish Studies and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Washington in Seattle. During 2005, Bregman served as the Harry Starr Fellow in Judaica at Harvard University and was awarded a Teaching Fellowship at the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He also has served as Forchheimer Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Humanities at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is the author of The Tanhuma-Yelammedenu Literature: Studies in the Evolution of the Versions (Gorgias Press, 2003). In 2006, Bregman was appointed the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he also headed the program in Jewish Studies, until 2013. Bregman retired from UNCG as of July 31, 2017. He has now returned to Jerusalem where he is continuing his research and teaching activities.","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Marc Bregman is the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies emeritus, at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33878,"alt":"Marc Bregman","title":"Marc Bregman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","width":361,"height":488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-222x300.jpg","medium-width":222,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","medium_large-width":361,"medium_large-height":488,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","large-width":361,"large-height":488,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","1536x1536-width":361,"1536x1536-height":488,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","2048x2048-width":361,"2048x2048-height":488,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","post_full_size-width":361,"post_full_size-height":488,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"902","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A major minor prophet\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Our chapter<\/span> concludes<\/span><\/a> with the death of Solomon. This is preceded by a bibliographical note, that the events of Solomon\u2019s reign \u201care recorded in the chronicle of the prophet Nathan and in the prophecies of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the visions of Jedo the seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat\u201d. In<\/span> I Kings 11:41<\/span><\/a> these historical records are referred to as \u201cthe Book of the Annals of Solomon\u201d. Indeed, Ahijah is mentioned briefly in<\/span> II Chronicles 10:15<\/span><\/a> as having revealed some prophecy to Jeroboam, the first king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The story of this prophecy is dramatically depicted in<\/span> I Kings 11.29-39<\/span><\/a>: \u201c\u2026Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem and the prophet Ahijah of Shiloh met him on the way\u2026he said to Jeroboam, \u2018For thus said the Lord, the God of Israel: I am about to tear the kingdom out of Solomon\u2019s hands\u2026you have been chosen by Me\u2026and you shall be king over Israel\u2026I hereby give Israel to you\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Though Ahijah is one of the lesser-known Biblical prophets, he plays a prominent role in later Jewish tradition. According to<\/span> Maimonides<\/span><\/a>, Ahijah is a key link in the transmission of the Oral Torah, which David received from Samuel and his tribunal. Ahijah, who was among those who went forth out of Egypt, and a Levite, had heard Moses expounding the Oral Torah, but only as an infant, so that he \u201creceived\u201d it (i.e., possessed understanding\u00a0 of it) only in the time of David. Ahijah passed the Oral Torah on to Elijah. (To have spanned the time from Moses to David, Ahijah had to live to a ripe old age as suggested by<\/span> I Kings 14:4<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Maimonides\u2019 extended Chain of Transmission seems based on an early (Tannaitic) tradition preserved in<\/span> Bava Batra 121b<\/span><\/a>. The Sages taught: Seven people spanned in their lifetimes the whole world in its entirety, i.e., their lives have spanned all of human history. Methuselah saw Adam in his lifetime; Shem saw Methuselah; Jacob saw Shem; Amram saw Jacob; Ahijah the Shilonite saw Amram; Elijah saw Ahijah the Shilonite; and Elijah is still alive. According to<\/span> Sanhedrin 102a<\/span><\/a>, Ahijah is credited with having perfected Jeroboam\u2019s knowledge of Torah and together \u201cthey introduced matters that no ear had ever heard\u201d. According to<\/span> Genesis Rabbah 35:2<\/span><\/a>, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is said to have claimed: \"If Abraham can intercede from his generation to my generation, I can intercede from my generation to the King Messiah. But if not, let Ahijah the Shilonite join with me and we will intercede from Abraham to the King Messiah\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

According to<\/span> Hasidic tradition<\/span><\/a>, the Baal Shem Tov \u201cascended the heights to become the disciple of Ahijah the Shilonite who had heard the Torah from Moses himself. After all these generations the wheel has come full circle so that they are able to draw down the holy spirit from the Source and the word of the Lord has been spread abroad\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Gerard Hoet, Ahijah's prophecy to Jeroboam, 1728<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":62179,"alt":"","title":"1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam.jpg","width":700,"height":1181,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam-178x300.jpg","medium-width":178,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam-607x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":607,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam-607x1024.jpg","large-width":607,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam.jpg","1536x1536-width":700,"1536x1536-height":1181,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam.jpg","2048x2048-width":700,"2048x2048-height":1181,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam.jpg","post_full_size-width":700,"post_full_size-height":1181,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam-249x420.jpg","home_baner-width":249,"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":"Ahijah The Shilonite","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A major minor prophet","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":62179,"alt":"","title":"1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam.jpg","width":700,"height":1181,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam-178x300.jpg","medium-width":178,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam-607x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":607,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam-607x1024.jpg","large-width":607,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam.jpg","1536x1536-width":700,"1536x1536-height":1181,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam.jpg","2048x2048-width":700,"2048x2048-height":1181,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam.jpg","post_full_size-width":700,"post_full_size-height":1181,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings11-Ahijahs_and_Jeroboam-249x420.jpg","home_baner-width":249,"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":"9","chapter_main_number":"902","date":"20290212","wall_id":"902"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":5,"id":"100244","color":"#f2e9df","size":"1","name":"The First Ethical International Trade Directive? ","post_title":"The First Ethical International Trade Directive?","slug":"the-first-ethical-international-trade-directive","old_id":"100244","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":46656,"post_title":"Molly Morris","slug":"molly-morris","old_id":"46656","first_name":"Molly ","last_name":"Morris ","description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Her particular area of interest is biblical leadership. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":92561,"alt":"","title":"molly morris","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","width":2192,"height":2488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-264x300.jpg","medium-width":264,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-768x872.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":872,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-902x1024.jpg","large-width":902,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","1536x1536-width":1353,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","2048x2048-width":1804,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-1057x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1057,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-370x420.jpg","home_baner-width":370,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"902","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Solomon disobeyed - and it cost him his kingdom\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Chapter 9 of II Chronicles reiterates the wealth that King Solomon had amassed, some of which came from taxes and much of which came from gifts brought to him from kings of the world. \u201cKing Solomon became greater than all the kings of the land in wealth and wisdom (9:23).\u201d We are then told of the 4,000 stables of horses and chariots amassed by King Solomon, an act of arrogance for which he paid dearly.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The use of cavalries in battle by other nations is mentioned in Tanach, and the absence of cavalries in the Israelite army is also apparent. In Judges 4 there is a specific mention of the 900 chariots of cavalry employed by the Canaanite king to oppress the Jewish people. In 1 Samuel 4, when the Philistines captured and stole the Ark of the Covenant from the Israelites, we are told that in the ensuing battle Israel lost 30,000 foot soldiers, but there is no mention of a cavalry.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God had made it clear that the Jewish nation was not to amass an unnecessary quantity of horses (Deuteronomy 17:16) because doing so would necessitate a return to Egypt, the primary supplier of horses in biblical times. King David heeded the commandment. After defeating the King of Zobah in battle, David captured 1,700 horsemen of Zobah\u2019s army, \u201cand hamstrung the chariot horses, except for 100 which he retained.\u201d David limited the number of horses to only what was essential, and the number clearly wouldn\u2019t have served as a cavalry of consequence.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Our sages tell us that God didn\u2019t want the nation to depend on their own cavalry to protect them \u2013 ultimately their protection came from God. But God also wanted to ensure that the Jewish people not move to back to Egypt to engage in the horse trade. The country that had enslaved them and continued to be entrenched in idolatry and immorality, was not a country that the Israelites should have as an international trade partner. Doing so would risk putting the Jewish nation in a position of reliance on Egypt, and eventually necessitate making deals and forming alliances with an unsavory trading partner.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Could this commandment, in addition to ensuring the Israelites\u2019 reliance on God, be the foundation stone of ethical international trade practices that have only entered into modern trade agreements in recent decades? While the World Trade Organization reports that most important trading nations now include human rights language in their preferred trade agreements, it seems that there may be a biblical origin for ethical considerations in the selection of trading partners. The contravention of that commandment may have, in part, cost Solomon his dynasty.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":57976,"alt":"","title":"isam14-saul-horses","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses.jpg","width":706,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses-212x300.jpg","medium-width":212,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses.jpg","medium_large-width":706,"medium_large-height":1000,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses.jpg","large-width":706,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses.jpg","1536x1536-width":706,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses.jpg","2048x2048-width":706,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses.jpg","post_full_size-width":706,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses-297x420.jpg","home_baner-width":297,"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 First Ethical International Trade Directive?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Solomon disobeyed - and it cost him his kingdom","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":57976,"alt":"","title":"isam14-saul-horses","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses.jpg","width":706,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses-212x300.jpg","medium-width":212,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses.jpg","medium_large-width":706,"medium_large-height":1000,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses.jpg","large-width":706,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses.jpg","1536x1536-width":706,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses.jpg","2048x2048-width":706,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses.jpg","post_full_size-width":706,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam14-saul-horses-297x420.jpg","home_baner-width":297,"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":"9","chapter_main_number":"902","date":"20290212","wall_id":"902"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":6,"id":"100246","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Pride Goeth ","post_title":"Pride Goeth","slug":"pride-goeth","old_id":"100246","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":99130,"post_title":"Sandra Lilienthal","slug":"sandra-lilienthal","old_id":"99130","first_name":"Sandra ","last_name":"Lilienthal ","description":"Dr. Sandra Lilienthal is an independent adult educator in South Florida. Besides her many weekly classes, she is a frequent speaker at Jewish education conferences, synagogues and other Jewish organizations. Sandra is a 2015 winner of the Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education.","short_description":"Dr. Sandra Lilienthal is an independent adult educator in South Florida, and is a 2015 winner of the Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":99132,"alt":"","title":"sandra lilienthal","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1.jpg","width":2319,"height":2209,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1-300x286.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":286,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1-768x732.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":732,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1-1024x975.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":975,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1463,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1951,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1-1200x1143.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1143,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1-441x420.jpg","home_baner-width":441,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"902","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"If even Solomon can fall into the trap, what does that say about us?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Coming after a chapter in which we read about Solomon\u2019s successful military operations, chapter 9 seems to offer us a glimpse into how successful Solomon became. He was well known for his great wisdom, which attracted other kings to come to him. He received many gifts, and accumulated much wealth, as had never been seen before. He had thousands of stables. He \u201csurpassed all the kings of the land in wealth and wisdom.\u201d This is all the fulfillment of what God had promised Solomon when he asked for wisdom: since he had only asked for wisdom and nothing else, God promised to give Solomon both wisdom and \u201criches and glory all your life\u2014the like of which no king has ever had\u201d (1Kings 3:13).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It all seems so perfect \u2013 a king who asks for wisdom, who receives wisdom and much more, who is sought after by other kings, who reigns for forty years and leaves behind a nation in which twelve different tribes united into one nation, one kingdom. And yet, one is almost forced to ask: wait, what happened to the Torah\u2019s admonition about the king accumulating wealth, wives, and horses (Deuteronomy 17:16-17)? Did Solomon not know about it?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Solomon relied on his wisdom \u2013 he knew the main reason for limiting women and wealth was so that the king would stay focused on his responsibilities and not allow himself to become too sure of himself, eventually bowing down to materialism or power. Solomon believed he would not fall into the trap of \u201cthat which glitters\u201d - but is not really important.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It is not uncommon for us to believe, with the best of intentions, that we will not trip and fall, as we are smarter than that. That we will not become enthralled with power or wealth. And so the rabbis tell us in Pirkei Avot: \u201cdo not trust in yourself until the day of your death.\u201d On this verse, Maimonides says: \u201ceven though a person has a distinctive character trait in his soul and he has strengthened it, he should not remove his hand from redoubling his doing good and adding to its reinforcement. And he should not be certain [about it] and say, \"This virtue has already reached my hand and it is impossible that it will fall away.\" As it is possible that it will fall away. And that is [the meaning] of his saying, \"until the day of your death.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Solomon does become successful and leaves behind a respected legacy. He will not live to see the downfall of his kingdom, but what he built will be destroyed shortly after his death, as will be seen in the next few chapters. Solomon, the wisest person who ever lived, ended up going against the directives of God because he trusted in his moral strength. We who do not carry the wisdom of Solomon, need to be that much more careful not to fall!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":94394,"alt":"","title":"job18-trap","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap.jpg","width":1920,"height":1278,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap-768x511.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":511,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap-1024x682.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":682,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1022,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1278,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap-1200x799.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":799,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap-631x420.jpg","home_baner-width":631,"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":"Pride Goeth","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"If even Solomon can fall into the trap, what does that say about us?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":94394,"alt":"","title":"job18-trap","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap.jpg","width":1920,"height":1278,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap-768x511.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":511,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap-1024x682.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":682,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1022,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1278,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap-1200x799.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":799,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job18-trap-631x420.jpg","home_baner-width":631,"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":"9","chapter_main_number":"902","date":"20290212","wall_id":"902"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":7,"id":"100273","color":"#e0e9ef","size":"1","name":"A Prophecy Of The Division Of The Kingdom ","post_title":"A Prophecy Of The Division Of The Kingdom","slug":"a-prophecy-of-the-division-of-the-kingdom","old_id":"100273","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":"903","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The scepter shall not depart from Judah, \u2018until he comes to Shiloh\u2026\u2019\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In <\/span>my comments to 1 Kings 12<\/span><\/a>, I addressed the contents of this chapter via a most intriguing book: <\/span>The March of Folly<\/span><\/i>, by Pulitzer Prize winning author Barbara W. Tuchman. In Chapter One, entitled \u201cPursuit of Policy Contrary to Self-Interest,\u201d she offered Rehoboam\u2019s rejection of the people\u2019s demand for a tax cut as evidence of how often leaders act foolishly\u2014particularly when more wholesome alternatives are readily available. (The book is subtitled: \u201cFrom Troy to Vietnam\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Here, I would like to focus on a seemingly negligible detail, but one that provides an opportunity to inquire into the commentary we have been calling Pseudo-Rashi (see Ezra 1), whose commentary on v.15 of this chapter sheds additional light on that characterization: \u201cThe king did not listen to the people, for God had brought it about in order that the L<\/span>ORD<\/span> might fulfill the promise that He had made through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u2026So that the Lord God might establish His word, as is delineated in I Kings (11:31\u201337), to remove from [Rehoboam] the ten tribes and to give them to Jeroboam\u2026, this is the meaning of (Gen. 49:10): \"The scepter will not depart from Judah\" [meaning that] he will not be banished from his kingdom, \"until he comes to Shiloh,\" meaning until [the tribe of] Judah comes to Shiloh to crown Rehoboam there, and there the kingdom was divided, and the reign over the ten tribes was lost. Now Shechem is a small city adjacent to Shiloh\u2026And when they would assemble in Shechem, the scepter would depart from Judah, for there the kingdom was divided.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This interpretation appears neither in Rashi\u2019s commentary on 1 Kings 12:15, nor on Genesis 49:10, indicating it is not \u201cauthentic\u201d to him. On the other hand, it does appear in the commentary to Genesis of Rashi\u2019s disciple Yosef Kara:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cNot a tribe will depart from Judah:\u201d There [in Shechem] the kingdom would be divided. In other words, from the reign of David, not a single tribe of Israel would not agree to his rule; they would coronate him unanimously. \u201cUntil he comes to Shiloh:\u201d Until Rehoboam when all Israel came to Shechem to coronate him and then the ten tribes seceded. Shiloh was adjacent to Shechem\u2026<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":100274,"alt":"","title":"2chron10-scepter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter.jpg","width":1440,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter-225x300.jpg","medium-width":225,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter-768x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter-768x1024.jpg","large-width":768,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter.jpg","1536x1536-width":1152,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter.jpg","2048x2048-width":1440,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter-900x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":900,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter-315x420.jpg","home_baner-width":315,"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":"A Prophecy Of The Division Of The Kingdom","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The scepter shall not depart from Judah, \u2018until he comes to Shiloh\u2026\u2019","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":100274,"alt":"","title":"2chron10-scepter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter.jpg","width":1440,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter-225x300.jpg","medium-width":225,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter-768x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter-768x1024.jpg","large-width":768,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter.jpg","1536x1536-width":1152,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter.jpg","2048x2048-width":1440,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter-900x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":900,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-scepter-315x420.jpg","home_baner-width":315,"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":"10","chapter_main_number":"903","date":"20290213","wall_id":"903"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":8,"id":"100270","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"Free Choice v. The Lord\u2019s Plan ","post_title":"Free Choice v. The Lord\u2019s Plan","slug":"free-choice-v-the-lords-plan","old_id":"100270","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":62571,"post_title":"Yaakov Bieler","slug":"yaakov-bieler","old_id":"62571","first_name":"Yaakov ","last_name":"Bieler ","description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University in 1974. He has lectured and written extensively on Modern Orthodoxy, and blogs daily at https:\/\/yaakovbieler.wordpress.com ","short_description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":62572,"alt":"","title":"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","width":141,"height":180,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler-141x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":141,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium-width":141,"medium-height":180,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium_large-width":141,"medium_large-height":180,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","large-width":141,"large-height":180,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","1536x1536-width":141,"1536x1536-height":180,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","2048x2048-width":141,"2048x2048-height":180,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","post_full_size-width":141,"post_full_size-height":180,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","home_baner-width":141,"home_baner-height":180}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"903","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Are the choices of political leaders more constrained?\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In II Chronicles 10, the story, that had earlier been told in II Kings 12 appears once again, together with the aside that the reason why Rehoboam opted to listen to the advice of the younger men who had grown up with him, rather than the elders whom he had initially consulted, was because: \u201cGod had brought it about in order that the LORD might fulfill the promise that He had made through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat\u201d (verse 15).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The text is informing us that what seemed to Rehoboam to be a free choice that he alone would be able to make - i.e., either take the advice of the elders, who had told him to \u201cgo easy\u201d on the people\u00a0 in order to earn their enduring loyalty, or listen to the recommendation of his younger peers who urged him to make it even more difficult on his subjects than had his father, Solomon - was in fact a ploy by God to force a civil war, and\u00a0 fulfill the prediction that Ahijah had made to Jeroboam.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But I will take the kingship out of the hands of his (<\/span>Solomon\u2019s<\/span><\/em>) son (<\/span>Rehoboam<\/span><\/em>) and give it to you (<\/span>Jeroboam<\/span><\/em>) \u2014the ten tribes. To his son I will give one tribe, so that there may be a lamp for My servant David forever before Me in Jerusalem\u2014the city where I have chosen to establish My name. But you have been chosen by Me; reign<\/span> wherever you wish, and you shall be king over Israel (I Kings 11:35-7).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

How might such a Divine subterfuge be explained?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The first intimations that \u201cabsolute free choice\u201d may not be the purview of leaders of nations or armies, like kings, prime ministers, and generals, is in the Tanach\u2019s description of the relationship between Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and God:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But I will harden Pharaoh\u2019s heart, that I may multiply My signs and marvels in the land of Egypt. When Pharaoh does not heed you, I will lay My hand upon Egypt and deliver My ranks, My people the Israelites, from the land of Egypt with extraordinary chastisements (Exodus 7:3-4).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, the Exodus from Egypt is not the only instance of Divine Involvement against the will of a particular leader. In addition to Rehoboam, one could add Ahitophel, the erstwhile-advisor of David, who ignominiously chose to support the rebel Absalom: \u201cThe LORD had decreed that Ahithophel\u2019s sound advice be nullified, in order that the LORD might bring ruin upon Absalom\u201d (II Samuel 17:4).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While every individual is guaranteed free choice to govern his personal life, as soon as one takes on the mantel of rulership over others, should God\u2019s Master Plan for humanity be threatened, He invokes the rule expressed in Proverbs and quoted by the commentator Abravanel in this context: \u201cMany designs are in a man\u2019s mind, but it is the LORD\u2019s plan that is accomplished\u201d (Proverbs 19:21).<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":100271,"alt":"","title":"2chron10-choice confusion","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion.png","width":1280,"height":1132,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion-300x265.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":265,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion-768x679.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":679,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion-1024x906.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":906,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1132,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1132,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion-1200x1061.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1061,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion-475x420.png","home_baner-width":475,"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":"Free Choice v. The Lord\u2019s Plan","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Are the choices of political leaders more constrained?\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":100271,"alt":"","title":"2chron10-choice confusion","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion.png","width":1280,"height":1132,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion-300x265.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":265,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion-768x679.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":679,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion-1024x906.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":906,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1132,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1132,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion-1200x1061.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1061,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/2chron10-choice-confusion-475x420.png","home_baner-width":475,"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":"10","chapter_main_number":"903","date":"20290213","wall_id":"903"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":9,"id":"100310","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"The Intertextuality Of Betrayal ","post_title":"The Intertextuality Of Betrayal","slug":"the-intertextuality-of-betrayal","old_id":"100310","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":94870,"post_title":"Ilana Stein","slug":"ilana-stein","old_id":"94870","first_name":"Ilana ","last_name":"Stein","description":"With degrees in Nature Conservation and English, and an MA in Environmental Jewish Education, Ilana works as a writer for conservation and ecotourism entities in southern Africa and around the world, and lectures about the relationship between Judaism, nature and the planet. Ilana is currently learning with the Rabbi Joe Wolfson 929 group. ","short_description":"With degrees in Nature Conservation and English, and an MA in Environmental Jewish Education, Ilana combines them all in her work as a writer for conservation and ecotourism entities in southern Africa. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":99710,"alt":"","title":"Ilana Stein","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Ilana-Stein.jpg","width":325,"height":319,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Ilana-Stein-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Ilana-Stein-300x294.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":294,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Ilana-Stein.jpg","medium_large-width":325,"medium_large-height":319,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Ilana-Stein.jpg","large-width":325,"large-height":319,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Ilana-Stein.jpg","1536x1536-width":325,"1536x1536-height":319,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Ilana-Stein.jpg","2048x2048-width":325,"2048x2048-height":319,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Ilana-Stein.jpg","post_full_size-width":325,"post_full_size-height":319,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Ilana-Stein.jpg","home_baner-width":325,"home_baner-height":319}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"905","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Sin stops being a broken rule and becomes a breach of faith\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, King Shishak of Egypt marched against Jerusalem\u2014for they had trespassed (<\/span>ma\u2019<\/span><\/em>al<\/em>) against the LORD\u2026 (12:2)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum points out that at many of the key moments in Chronicles, where things go wrong or there is a turning point for the worse in the account, the word that is used is \u201c<\/span>ma\u2019al<\/span><\/em>\u201d, translated as \u201ctrespass\u201d. It occurs so often in fact that it can be considered a <\/span>milah mancha<\/span><\/em> \u2013 a <\/span>leitwort<\/span><\/em> \u2013 of Chronicles. A few examples from I Chronicles are: 2:7, 5:25, 9:1, and 10:13 \u2013 this last example, refers to the \u201ctrespass\u201d of Saul. (Moshe Sokolow looked at<\/span> what that might be<\/span><\/a>.)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

To understand the concept behind this word, we must return to some of its first occurrences. In Leviticus 5:20 for example: \u201cWhen a person sins and<\/span> commits a trespass <\/span>(<\/span>ma\u2019al<\/span><\/em>) <\/em>against the LORD by dealing deceitfully with his fellow in the matter of a deposit or a pledge, or through robbery, or by defrauding his fellow\u2026\u201d Numbers 5:12 adds another layer: \u201cSpeak to the Israelite people and say to them: If any man\u2019s wife has gone astray and broken faith with him (<\/span>uma\u2019ala bo ma\u2019al<\/span><\/em>)\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Jastrow, using the latter verse, defines the word as \"<\/span>false dealing<\/span>, <\/span><\/i>bad faith<\/span> or marital faithlessness,\" while the Midrash on the former verse describes it as \u201ccommit a betrayal against the Lord\u201d (Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Chovah, 22:4).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The use of the word in these earlier contexts can help us to understand why it is used in Chronicles so frequently. The Chronicler is not repeating the narratives of Kings verbatim, rather is attempting to convey a different message. In those earlier books the author explains what went wrong, with the concept of sin and punishment very much to the fore. Here however, the Chronicler seeks to show that God and the nation have a closer, warmer relationship \u2013 one that is akin to a marriage.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

By using this loaded word, he echoes the prophets of the First Temple period (such as Hosea 2:4). The people of the Second Temple should not see \u2018sin\u2019 as a technical difficulty that can be repaired with a sacrifice as did their forebears, but rather that it is a breach in the faith between two partners, a personal betrayal of that relationship that began at Sinai.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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