{"id":100677,"date":"2018-07-09T18:03:28","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:03:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-1184\/"},"modified":"2022-02-02T19:46:05","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T17:46:05","slug":"wall-1184","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-1184\/","title":{"rendered":"weekend-from-20250810-to-20250816"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"weekend","wall_id":"1184","date_from":"20250810","date_to":"20250816","book":"II Chronicles","books_group":"Writings","hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":"","updates_last_update":"28\/06\/2020","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"100869","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"2","name":"Yitro - The Ten Commandments As A Guide To A Sustainable Society ","post_title":"Yitro - The Ten Commandments As A Guide To A Sustainable Society","slug":"yitro-the-ten-commandments-as-a-guide-to-a-sustainable-society","old_id":"100869","type":"song","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34011,"post_title":"Jeremy Benstein","slug":"dr-jeremy-benstein","old_id":"34011","first_name":"Jeremy","last_name":"Benstein","description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English. He is one of the founders of the Heschel Center for Sustainability. He writes the MiliMiliM - Hebrew Corner on the site, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34232,"alt":"","title":"Jeremy Benstein","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"1184","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"What does it take to build a society that will long endure on the land?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The highlight of this week's parasha, the Decalogue, begins with God's self-identification as having brought Israel \"out of the house of bondage\" and launches directly into prohibitions of false gods (commandments 1-3). These two ideas \u2013 slavery and idolatry \u2013 are linked. Slavery, in all its manifestations, means taking human beings, ends in themselves, and making them means to one's own gratification. Idolatry is the reverse: taking things that are legitimate means to further life, like money, power, achievement \u2013 and making them ends, worshiped and sought after as if they were god-like (\"their idols are silver and gold\"). The twin evils of entrenched oppression and the single-minded pursuit of profits, ignoring questions of justice and health, creates long-lasting impact - \"upon the third and upon the fourth generations\" - while the opposite too ripples out, a deep commitment to <\/span>chesed <\/span><\/i>reaches \"to the thousandth generation.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

At the core of the Decalogue is another image of intergenerational responsibility. Commandments to honor parents, and prohibitions on murder and adultery (5-7) are about the sanctity of life and its creation, the importance of love, honesty and commitment. Honoring our progenitors rejects a throw-away culture in which even the elderly are disposable. And the reward? <\/span>Lema'an ya'arichun yamecha -<\/span><\/i> \"that you may long endure on the land,\" the very definition of sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Shabbat (#4) is the linchpin that links these sets of ideals, reminding ourselves of our creatureliness (we are not the Creator), and the imperative that <\/span>all<\/span><\/i> rest (including servants and animals) \u2013 means that none can be mere means to fulfill our needs. The day devoted to spiritual pursuits, family and communal well-being, is rooted also in<\/span> a \"cease-fire\" between humans and nature.<\/span><\/a> The shmita year then amplifies these values from one day a week to one year in seven, ensuring they become a corner-stone of society.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Commandments 8 and 9 \u2013 against theft and perjury \u2013 enforce public standards of honesty and integrity. But theft is not just about private property: we are also forbidden to \"rob the public\" (as in polluting air or water, robbing people of these resources, or privatizing public lands): \"Robbing the public is a graver offense than robbing an individual, for one who robs an individual can appease that person and return what he stole, but one who robs the public cannot appease the public and return to all of them what was stolen from them\" (Tosefta Bava Kamma 10:8).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Author saved the best for last: \"#10 - Do not covet.\"<\/span> This is the root of it all<\/span><\/a>. Rein in greed, insatiable material wants, the crazy-making comparisons with friends, neighbors, celebrities, influencers. Those are the engines of<\/span> unsustainable growth and unhealthy consumerism.<\/span><\/a> And this closes the circle, from ending outer slavery to achieving inner freedom. Not coveting \"your neighbor's house\" means not turning it into a \"house of bondage.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

These values \u2013 opposing oppression and idolatry (false gods of money and status), striving for intergenerational equity, sanctifying life, love, honesty, integrity, the significance of Shabbat, and the centrality of inner spiritual discipline, and building a society that supports those values \u2013 that is indeed what will guarantee that we may long endure on the land.<\/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":"Yitro - The Ten Commandments As A Guide To A Sustainable Society","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":"1184"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"100648","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"The Divisions Will Endure ","post_title":"The Divisions Will Endure","slug":"the-divisions-will-endure","old_id":"100648","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":"916","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"If they are for the sake of heaven that is\u2026.\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

II Chronicles 23 tells the story of the crowning of Joash. His grandmother, Athaliah, had killed the members of the royal family, but Joash was shielded by the high priest Jehoiada.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Jehoiada used the shifts of the priests and the Levites in the Temple to protect Joash. They were armed and instructed to kill anyone who entered the Sanctuary. We then read that both those from the outgoing shift and the incoming shift remained in the Temple:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cThe Levites and all Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered: each took his men\u2014those who were on duty that week and those who were off duty that week, for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed the divisions.\u201d (II Chronicles 23:8)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The \u201cdivisions\u201d in the verse refer to those shifts. The Hebrew word used here is <\/span>machlekot<\/span><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 <\/span>machloket<\/span><\/em>\u00a0in singular. The word <\/span>machloket<\/span><\/em>\u00a0is likely more familiar today in the sense it was used in the Talmud: \u201cdispute\u201d or \u201cdisagreement\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One of the most famous uses of the word is in the Mishna:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cEvery <\/span>machloket<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>that is for the sake of Heaven, will in the end endure; But one that is not for the sake of Heaven, will not endure. Which is the <\/span>machloket<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>that is for the sake of Heaven? Such was the <\/span>machloket<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>of Hillel and Shammai. And which is the <\/span>machloket<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>that is not for the sake of Heaven? Such was the <\/span>machloket<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>of Korah and all his congregation.\u201d (Avot 5:17)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Usually the word <\/span>machloket<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>in this mishna is translated as \u201cdispute\u201d or \u201ccontroversy.\u201d However, some scholars, citing its usage in Chronicles, say the word should rather be translated as \u201cdivision\u201d, meaning the division of the groups from opposite sides of the debates. They point out that it doesn\u2019t make sense that the mishna intended the sense of \u201cdispute\u201d here, because disputes \"for the sake of heaven\" should be easy to resolve by good arguments (so they won\u2019t endure). But disputes not for the sake of heaven, where personal and external factors are involved, will not be settled by claims of logic (and will endure).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, if we use the meaning \u201cdivisions\u201d (as in groups debating an issue), there is no such problem. Those groups that are organized for a positive purpose will endure. The mishna counts the schools of Hillel and Shamai as such groups, and it would certainly apply to those priests and Levites who protected the young king Joash as well.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0Rabbi Hillel and the gentile. Stained glass window in the lodge of Bnai Brith in Hamburg, early 20th C. \/ wikipedia<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":100649,"alt":"","title":"2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster.jpg","width":332,"height":598,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster-167x300.jpg","medium-width":167,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster.jpg","medium_large-width":332,"medium_large-height":598,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster.jpg","large-width":332,"large-height":598,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster.jpg","1536x1536-width":332,"1536x1536-height":598,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster.jpg","2048x2048-width":332,"2048x2048-height":598,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster.jpg","post_full_size-width":332,"post_full_size-height":598,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster-233x420.jpg","home_baner-width":233,"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 Divisions Will Endure","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"If they are for the sake of heaven that is\u2026.\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":100649,"alt":"","title":"2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster.jpg","width":332,"height":598,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster-167x300.jpg","medium-width":167,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster.jpg","medium_large-width":332,"medium_large-height":598,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster.jpg","large-width":332,"large-height":598,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster.jpg","1536x1536-width":332,"1536x1536-height":598,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster.jpg","2048x2048-width":332,"2048x2048-height":598,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster.jpg","post_full_size-width":332,"post_full_size-height":598,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron23-Hillel_Farbiges_Glasfenster-233x420.jpg","home_baner-width":233,"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":"23","chapter_main_number":"916","date":"20290304","wall_id":"916"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":3,"id":"100733","color":"#f6f5de","size":"1","name":"Joash ","post_title":"Joash","slug":"joash","old_id":"100733","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":"917","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A controversial king lives on in imagination and legend\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Our<\/span> chapter<\/span><\/a> deals with the tortuous reign of Joash, 9<\/span>th<\/span> king of Judah, which began when he was just seven years old and lasted 40 years (<\/span>II Chronicles 24:1<\/span><\/a>). The full record\u00a0 of Joash\u2019s life is detailed in<\/span> II Chronicles 22:10-24:27<\/span><\/a>, which retells with some significant changes<\/span> II Kings Chapters 11-12<\/span><\/a>. Indeed,<\/span> our chapter<\/span><\/a> concludes with the notice that the story of King Joash is \u201cwritten in the \u2018midrash\u2019 of the Book of Kings\u201d (compare<\/span> II Kings 12:20<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Joash\u2019s life began and ended in violence. For the first six years of his life, he was hidden away to prevent his being murdered by the wicked Queen Athaliah, along with other claimants to the throne (<\/span>II Kings 11:1-3<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> II Chronicles 22:10-11<\/span><\/a>). He died, wounded in battle, murdered in bed by his own servants and not buried in the tombs of the Kings in the City of David (<\/span>II Chronicles 24:25<\/span><\/a>, compare<\/span> II Kings 12:21-22<\/span><\/a>). Scripture records that King Joash \u201cdid what was right in the sight of the Lord\u201d when he was under the positive influence of the prominent Judean priest, Jehoiada (<\/span>II Chronicles 24:2<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> II Kings 12:3<\/span><\/a>). However, with the death of Jehoiada, Joash came under the negative influence of other Judean officials, who led him to idolatry and eventually commanded the murder of the Prophet Zechariah the son of Jehoiada \u201cin the Court of the House of the Lord\u201d (<\/span>II Chronicles 24:17-22<\/span><\/a>). In the better part of his reign, King Joash oversaw the restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem, which had been violated by the children of Athaliah (<\/span>II Chronicles 24:7<\/span><\/a>, compare<\/span> II Kings 12:6<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Scriptural account of King Joash is the subject of<\/span> post-Biblical Jewish legend<\/span><\/a>. Interest in the restoration of the Temple is reflected in the controversial so-called<\/span> Jehoash Inscription<\/span><\/a>, a translation of which begins: \u201c[I am Yeho\u2019ash, son of\u00a0 A]hazyahu, k[ing over Ju]dah,\u00a0 and I executed the re[pai]rs\u2026\u201d (for a full translation and discussion, see<\/span> The Jehoash Inscription Tablet -- After the Verdict<\/span><\/a>). An initial announcement in 2003 aroused suspicions as to its authenticity, but seven and a half years of litigation, 150 testimonies and a 500 page judicial opinion, did not result in any major criminal charges. However, the majority of<\/span> scholarly judgment<\/span><\/a> regards this inscription as a modern forgery.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The murder of the Prophet Zechariah described in<\/span> our chapter<\/span><\/a>, was of particular interest to the rabbinic sages.<\/span> Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin 96b<\/span><\/a> relates a legend of how Zechariah\u2019s \u201cboiling blood\u201d was discovered by<\/span> Nebuzaradan<\/span><\/a>, Nebuchadnezzar's general, who was in charge of the destruction of the Temple and the deportation of the people of Judah. This amazing <\/span>aggadah<\/em> <\/span>concludes with the Babylonian military commander\u2019s repentance for his bloodthirsty behavior and, even more remarkably, with Nebuzaradan\u2019s conversion to Judaism!<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":100734,"alt":"","title":"2chron24-king knight ghost","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost.jpg","width":1440,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost-225x300.jpg","medium-width":225,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost-768x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost-768x1024.jpg","large-width":768,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost.jpg","1536x1536-width":1152,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost.jpg","2048x2048-width":1440,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost-900x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":900,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost-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":"Joash","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A controversial king lives on in imagination and legend","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":100734,"alt":"","title":"2chron24-king knight ghost","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost.jpg","width":1440,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost-225x300.jpg","medium-width":225,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost-768x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost-768x1024.jpg","large-width":768,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost.jpg","1536x1536-width":1152,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost.jpg","2048x2048-width":1440,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost-900x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":900,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-king-knight-ghost-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":"24","chapter_main_number":"917","date":"20290305","wall_id":"917"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":4,"id":"100730","color":"#efefef","size":"1","name":"All's Well That Ends Well? ","post_title":"All's Well That Ends Well?","slug":"alls-well-that-ends-well","old_id":"100730","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":61002,"post_title":"Yogev Bar-Gad","slug":"yogev-bar-gad","old_id":"61002","first_name":"Yogev ","last_name":"Bar-Gad","description":"Yogev Bar-Gad is a lawyer and a Torah lecturer.","short_description":"Yogev Bar-Gad is a lawyer and a Torah lecturer.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":61003,"alt":"","title":"yogev bar gad","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","width":431,"height":582,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad-222x300.jpg","medium-width":222,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","medium_large-width":431,"medium_large-height":582,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","large-width":431,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","1536x1536-width":431,"1536x1536-height":582,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","2048x2048-width":431,"2048x2048-height":582,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","post_full_size-width":431,"post_full_size-height":582,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad-311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"917","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Joash for one didn\u2019t end well\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

William Shakespeare named one of his comedies: \"All's Well That Ends Well\". A short comparison between the \"ends\" of the two strongest men in the Kingdom of Juda\u05d9 \u2013 King Joash and the High priest Jehoiada reveals much.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

King Joash was murdered by his servants at the age of forty-seven (24:1).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The High Priest Jehoiada died naturally after reaching a ripe old age. He was one hundred and thirty years old at his death (15).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

King Jehoash was buried in the City of David, but he was not buried in the tombs of the kings (25).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The High Priest Jehoiada was buried in the City of David together with the kings (16).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The differences between the \"ends\" of King Joash and the High Priest Jehoiada were influenced by their moral deeds before.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The High priest Jehoiada had done good in Israel, and on behalf of God and His House (16). Jehoiada and his wife saved the life of baby Joash the orphan, raised him as their own son and crowned him as the king of Judah (23:18-20).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

King Joash disregarded the loyalty that Jehoiada and his wife had shown to him, and killed their son \u2013 a priest that was enveloped by the spirit of God (22).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: The first page of All's Well, that Ends Well from the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, published in 1623 \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":100731,"alt":"","title":"2chron24-alls well","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well.jpg","width":939,"height":641,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well-300x205.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":205,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well-768x524.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":524,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well.jpg","large-width":939,"large-height":641,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well.jpg","1536x1536-width":939,"1536x1536-height":641,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well.jpg","2048x2048-width":939,"2048x2048-height":641,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well.jpg","post_full_size-width":939,"post_full_size-height":641,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well-615x420.jpg","home_baner-width":615,"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":"All's Well That Ends Well?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Joash for one didn\u2019t end well","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":100731,"alt":"","title":"2chron24-alls well","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well.jpg","width":939,"height":641,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well-300x205.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":205,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well-768x524.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":524,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well.jpg","large-width":939,"large-height":641,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well.jpg","1536x1536-width":939,"1536x1536-height":641,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well.jpg","2048x2048-width":939,"2048x2048-height":641,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well.jpg","post_full_size-width":939,"post_full_size-height":641,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-alls-well-615x420.jpg","home_baner-width":615,"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":"24","chapter_main_number":"917","date":"20290305","wall_id":"917"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":5,"id":"100727","color":"#f2e9df","size":"1","name":"What Went Wrong? ","post_title":"What Went Wrong?","slug":"what-went-wrong","old_id":"100727","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":"917","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A little adulation went a long way - and convinced Joash to go astray\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Chapter 24 opens with a new king, Joash, who was only seven years old when he rose to power. We are also told that throughout the times of Jehoiada, the Priest, Joash did what was right. Together, king and priest collected money from all of Israel to renovate the Temple. The collection was very successful and besides being able to renovate the Temple, they were able to make utensils needed so that burnt-offerings could be continuously offered. However, as soon as Jehoiada died, Joash began practicing idolatry. The kingdom is then attacked by Aram, and Joash is assassinated.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It is difficult to read this chapter and not wonder \u2013 what went wrong? Why would a king that began with the intention of renovating the Temple change so much as to become an idolatrous king? Several commentaries point to what may have led to this change. Rashi said that after the death of the Priest, the officers of Judah came and prostrated themselves, and flattered him, magnifying praises to him to the point of deifying Joash. And, as the text tells us, Joash listened to them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This makes us pause and reflect on human nature. On one extreme, there are many people who have issues of self-esteem. Even though they are great human beings, there is an ongoing sense of lack of self-worth. On the other extreme, we see those who always think of themselves as being on pedestal, holier than thou, with a sense of haughtiness. Like most things in life, neither extreme is positive. One should be able to balance these normal feelings of self-worthiness. As is taught by Rabbi Simcha Bunim (1765-1827), \u201cEvery person should have two pockets. In one pocket should be a piece of paper saying: \u2018I am only dust and ashes.\u2019 When one is feeling too proud, reach into this pocket and take out this paper and read it. In the other pocket should be a piece of paper saying: \u2018For my sake was the world created.\u2019 When one is feeling disheartened and lowly, reach into this pocket and take this paper out and read it. (Tales of The Hasidim Later Masters, Martin Buber, p.249-50)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Being young and under the guidance of Jehoiada, Joash was able to be the kind of leader that focused on what had to be done and not on his ego. Being older, having been successful, it was much easier to pat himself on the back. It only took a little push from a group of adulators to convince him he was at the level of a god. This cost him not only all the accomplishments he had reached, but ultimately his life as well.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":100728,"alt":"","title":"2chron24-cheers adulation crowd","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd.jpg","width":1920,"height":1357,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd-300x212.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":212,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd-768x543.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":543,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd-1024x724.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":724,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1086,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1357,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd-1200x848.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":848,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd-594x420.jpg","home_baner-width":594,"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":"What Went Wrong?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A little adulation went a long way - and convinced Joash to go astray","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":100728,"alt":"","title":"2chron24-cheers adulation crowd","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd.jpg","width":1920,"height":1357,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd-300x212.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":212,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd-768x543.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":543,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd-1024x724.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":724,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1086,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1357,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd-1200x848.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":848,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron24-cheers-adulation-crowd-594x420.jpg","home_baner-width":594,"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":"24","chapter_main_number":"917","date":"20290305","wall_id":"917"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":6,"id":"100782","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"The Right Way And The Rote Way ","post_title":"The Right Way And The Rote Way","slug":"the-right-way-and-the-rote-way","old_id":"100782","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":"918","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Amaziah gets it all wrong\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

II Chronicles 25:2 recounts how King Amaziah of Judah: \u201cdid what was pleasing to the LORD, but not with a whole heart.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While the biblical turn of phrase could have been explained as merely \u201ca lack of requisite intent,\u201d the phrase is clarified in the parallel description in II Kings 14:3: \u201cHe did what was pleasing to the LORD, but not like his ancestor David; he did just as his father Joash had done.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Malbim <\/span>comments:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

BUT NOT LIKE HIS ANCESTOR DAVID\u2014i.e., he complied with the commandments as one who would do so <\/span>mitzvot anashim melumada<\/span><\/em> (<\/span>by rote<\/span><\/i>,) for so had done his father, not out of a love of God, like David.<\/span> For Joash did so only because Jehoiada had instructed him (II Kings 12:3,) and he turned from following the LORD when Jehoiada died.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Malbim asserts that \u201cnot with a whole heart\u201d is equivalent to performing commandments \u201cby rote\u201d rather than attempting to develop a personal understanding of the values by which one is expected according to the Torah to live one\u2019s life\u2014a religious concept that is crucial for the individual, let alone a king. His \u201cmissing the point\u201d explains the later disastrous errors in judgment that Amaziah perpetrates, described in vs. 14 and 17:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

After Amaziah returned from defeating the Edomites, he had the gods of the men of Seir brought, and installed them as his gods; he prostrated himself before them, and to them he made sacrifice\u2026 Then King Amaziah of Judah took counsel and sent this message to Joash, son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, \u201cCome, let us confront each other!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The text suggests that Amaziah\u2019s catastrophic choices resulted, at least in part, from God\u2019s deliberate intervention: \u201cBut Amaziah paid no heed (<\/span>to Joash\u2019s prudent warning<\/span><\/em>)\u2014it was God\u2019s doing, in order to deliver them up\u00a0 because they worshiped the gods of Edom\u201d (verse 20).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, the king\u2019s personal intellectual failure (unwillingness? incapability?) to comprehend the religious and political responsibilities that his leadership conferred upon him, contributed to exacerbating his failures and ultimate defeat.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0Kings Jehoshaphat (left) and Amaziah (right), the fountain at the Historic Market Place, Hildesheim, Germany \/ wikipedia<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":100783,"alt":"","title":"2chron25-amaziah relief","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief.jpg","width":800,"height":623,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief-300x234.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":234,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief-768x598.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":598,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":623,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":623,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":623,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":623,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief-539x420.jpg","home_baner-width":539,"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 Right Way And The Rote Way","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Amaziah gets it all wrong\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":100783,"alt":"","title":"2chron25-amaziah relief","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief.jpg","width":800,"height":623,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief-300x234.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":234,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief-768x598.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":598,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":623,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":623,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":623,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":623,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2chron25-amaziah-relief-539x420.jpg","home_baner-width":539,"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":"25","chapter_main_number":"918","date":"20290306","wall_id":"918"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":7,"id":"100815","color":"#e0e9ef","size":"1","name":"A Dermatological Early Warning System,\u00a0 Disregarded ","post_title":"A Dermatological Early Warning System,\u00a0 Disregarded","slug":"a-dermatological-early-warning-system-disregarded","old_id":"100815","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":"919","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Stricken, Uzziah remained in isolation for the rest of his life, and his reign passed to his son\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

While King Uzziah\u2019s reign started strong, both spiritually and materially, it ended rather ignominiously. We are told, in verses 4-5, that in Uzziah\u2019s early years \u201cHe did what was pleasing to the Lord just as his father Amaziah had done\u201d and \u201cHe applied himself to the worship of God.\u201d In successive verses we hear of Uzziah\u2019s material success. He built towers and wells, introduced new agricultural techniques and equipped his army with the latest weaponry. But then Uzziah let success go to his head and he got cocky.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

No longer satisfied to dedicate his energies to fulfilling the specific job he was divinely destined for, Uzziah wanted more. He aspired to do the work of the priests in the Holy Temple, even though he himself was not of priestly lineage. The Temple priests tried to steer him away from his folly, but he would have none of it. And so, he was punished with the biblical affliction of <\/span>tzara\u2019at<\/em> <\/span>(translated as leprosy). The Talmud gives seven reasons that one might be afflicted with <\/span>tzara\u2019at<\/span><\/em>: gossip, murder, perjury, forbidden relationships, arrogance, theft, and envy. In Uzziah\u2019s case, it\u2019s apparent that his arrogance was the cause of his affliction.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While many sources translate <\/span>tza\u2019arat<\/em> <\/span>as leprosy, that is not at all what it was, despite some similarity in symptoms. As Tamar Fox puts it, \u201c(<\/span>Tzara\u2019at<\/span><\/em>) is a disease like no other; part medical condition, part spiritual pathology.\u201d <\/span>Tzara\u2019at<\/em> <\/span>not only afflicted human skin; it also appeared on homes and material possessions. It was a physical cue from God that a serious spiritual malady was settling in. But along with the disease, God provided a remedy.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Two full chapters of the Book of Leviticus \u2013 116 verses in total \u2013 are devoted to the laws of dealing with <\/span>tzara\u2019at<\/span><\/em>. There was a procedure by which a suspected case of <\/span>tzara\u2019at<\/span><\/em> had to be confirmed by a priest. And there was a proscribed remedy involving isolation, repentance, and offerings. Unlike with medical conditions, the first stage of the remedy \u2013 isolation \u2013 was not related to a concern of contagion. In fact, there were several situations in which a postponement of isolation was permissible. Isolation in this case, not unlike what many people in today\u2019s Covid world report, provided an opportunity for reflection \u2013 the necessary first step to changing behavior.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As dreadful a malady as <\/span>tzara\u2019at<\/em> <\/span>was, there is an element of it being a gift. God had provided an alarm system for impending spiritual decline that couldn\u2019t be ignored, and He provided a guaranteed path to recovery. But, while other documented biblical cases of <\/span>tzara\u2019at<\/em> <\/span>were resolved with repentance, Uzziah remained in isolation for the rest of his life. He was banished from the Temple, and his reign passed to his son. He was evidently never able to recover from the spiritual ailment that got him into trouble in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It\u2019s a cautionary tale of how personal arrogance replacing observable evidence can get in the way of progress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: The King Uzziah Stricken with Leprosy, by Rembrandt, 1635 \/ wikipedia<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":64179,"alt":"","title":"2kings15-uzziah leprosy rembrandt","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt.jpg","width":800,"height":999,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt-240x300.jpg","medium-width":240,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt-768x959.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":959,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":999,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":999,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":999,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":999,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt-336x420.jpg","home_baner-width":336,"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 Dermatological Early Warning System,\u00a0 Disregarded","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Stricken, Uzziah remained in isolation for the rest of his life, and his reign passed to his son","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":64179,"alt":"","title":"2kings15-uzziah leprosy rembrandt","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt.jpg","width":800,"height":999,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt-240x300.jpg","medium-width":240,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt-768x959.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":959,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":999,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":999,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":999,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":999,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings15-uzziah-leprosy-rembrandt-336x420.jpg","home_baner-width":336,"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":"26","chapter_main_number":"919","date":"20290307","wall_id":"919"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":8,"id":"100817","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"Seeing Is Believing ","post_title":"Seeing Is Believing","slug":"seeing-is-believing","old_id":"100817","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":"919","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Though so is fearing\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

We are told that King Uzziah \u201capplied himself to the worship of God during the time of Zechariah, instructor in the visions of God; during the time he worshiped the L<\/span>ORD<\/span>, God made him prosper\u201d (5). Presumably, this Zechariah is Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who prophesied against Uzziah\u2019s grandfather, Joash, as reported in 24:20. Be that as it may, why would he be identified as an \u201cinstructor\u201d (<\/span>mevin<\/span><\/em>) in \u201cvisions\u201d (<\/span>bir\u2019ot<\/span><\/em>) of God (<\/span>elohim<\/span><\/em>) rather than as a prophet, and why would Zechariah\u2019s capacity for visions influence Uzziah\u2019s religious behavior?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Curiously, the Aramaic Targum to this verse presumes another, contextually more suitable Hebrew text. It renders the crucial word as <\/span>bid\u2019chalta<\/span><\/em> as though reading <\/span>bir\u2019ot<\/span><\/em> as <\/span>b\u2019yir\u2019at<\/span><\/em>, meaning \u201can instructor in the fear of God.\u201d Indeed, the phrase <\/span>yir\u2019at elohim<\/span><\/em> meaning, minimally, morality, is a recurring expression in Tanakh, used, inter alia, by Abraham (Gen. 20:11), Joseph (Gen. 42:18), Moses (Exodus 20:17), Jonah (1:9), and Nehemiah (5:15).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When this verse is cited in the Jerusalem Talmud (Sotah 9:13)\u2014in the context of \u201cthe early prophets\u201d (<\/span>nevi\u2019im rishonim<\/span><\/em>)\u2014it is cited as \u201cWho understood <\/span>the fear of God<\/span><\/em>,\u201d exactly as reflected in the Targum. Nor was this overlooked by medieval exegetes. Pseudo-Rashi explicitly said: \u201cWho understood that <\/span>the fear of God<\/span><\/em> is good,\u201d and Ralbag not only cited it as: \u201cWho understood <\/span>the fear of God<\/span><\/em>,\u201d but a marginal note that accidentally crept into the printed text of Ralbag cites \u201cthe Naples edition of the Writings\u201d (<\/span>k\u2019tuvim d\u2019fus Napoli<\/span><\/em>) to the same effect.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Radak, however, retained the same reading we have, and Malbim even justified it, writing:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The prophets and Men of Holy Spirit (<\/span>ba`alei ru\u2019ach hakodesh<\/span><\/em>) would make their observations based on divine visions, such as Ezekiel\u2019s chariot vision, and other visions observed by the prophets\u2026 Zechariah understood such visions and in a generation in which such a person lived, it was appropriate to seek God through him and that brought prosperity.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":84724,"alt":"","title":"ps63-eye seeing God","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"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":"Seeing Is Believing","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Though so is fearing\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":84724,"alt":"","title":"ps63-eye seeing God","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps63-eye-seeing-God-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"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":"26","chapter_main_number":"919","date":"20290307","wall_id":"919"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":9,"id":"100819","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"Loving The Very Dirt ","post_title":"Loving The Very Dirt","slug":"loving-the-very-dirt","old_id":"100819","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38047,"post_title":"Shoshana Michael Zucker","slug":"shoshana-michael-zucker","old_id":"38047","first_name":"Shoshana Michael ","last_name":"Zucker ","description":"Shoshana Michael Zucker is a translator and editor by profession, but would much rather be learning and teaching Torah. A graduate of Barnard College, she made aliyah in 1983 and now lives in Kfar Saba where she is an active member of the Masorti Congregation Hod veHadar. ","short_description":"Shoshana Michael Zucker is a translator and editor and lives in Kfar Saba \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38048,"alt":"","title":"Shoshana Michael Zucker","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","width":231,"height":310,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker-224x300.jpg","medium-width":224,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","medium_large-width":231,"medium_large-height":310,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","large-width":231,"large-height":310,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","1536x1536-width":231,"1536x1536-height":310,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","2048x2048-width":231,"2048x2048-height":310,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","post_full_size-width":231,"post_full_size-height":310,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","home_baner-width":231,"home_baner-height":310}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"919","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"An agrarian king who was into farming the land\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

As a child, I learned more Hebrew from songs, and their translations, than I did from formal classes. One of the first songs I learned was based on 2 Chronicles 26:9-10: \u201cUzziah built towers in Jerusalem\u2026 and fortified them. He built towers in the wilderness and hewed out many cisterns....\u201d The melody was composed by Yohanan Zarai in 1956 and later choreographed as a circle dance (<\/span>hear a classic Israeli version here<\/span><\/a>, and a rather bizarre version by the Chad Mitchell Trio here)<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

I learned the words. I learned the melody, and if I was taught the dance, I promptly forgot it. Throughout it all, I was confused. Why were we singing about towers and cisterns (what is a cistern?) in the wilderness? No one ever explained and I moved on to other things.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

More than 50 years have passed and reading 2 Chronicles for the first time thanks to 929, I encounter the words again. And now I think I understand. It was barely two decades after the State of Israel was founded; building projects held special meaning and conquering the wilderness was the challenge of the day. Uzziah\u2019s civil engineering projects were a Biblical role model for a modern project and therefore celebrated. To my teachers that may have been so clear that there was no need to explain.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Reading 2 Chronicles for the first time, I also encountered the complete verses. The inventory of towers in verse 9 is unsurprising. Kings build and develop their capital cities, but the verse 10 is different. Uzziah \u201cbuilt towers in the wilderness and hewed many cisterns\u201d not as monuments but for the benefit of his cattle, and the farmers and vine growers he employed in all regions of the country, \u201cfor he was a lover of <\/span>adamah<\/span><\/em> \u05d0\u05d3\u05de\u05d4 soil.\u201d Not\u00a0 \u201c\u05d4\u05d0\u05e8\u05e5 the land\u201d which might read in a political sense or even \u201c \u05d4\u05d0\u05d3\u05de\u05d4 the soil\u201d which could refer to specific soil, but rather generic soil. The image of king, a political and military leader, with an abiding appreciation for one of the world\u2019s most basic resources is impressive.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Without discounting the prophetic criticism that Amos and Hosea brought against royal land-management (see Ellen Davis, <\/span>Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible<\/span><\/em>), it seems significant that the Chronicler chose to highlight Uzziah\u2019s love for the soil. He built buildings, yes; but he was also recalled as a leader who remembered not only that the first <\/span>Adam<\/span><\/em>\/human \u05d0\u05d3\u05dd was formed from the \u05d4\u05d0\u05d3\u05de\u05d4 <\/span>adama<\/span><\/em>\/soil, but that life ever after must be nourished by nutrients emerging from the soil.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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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":"920","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Jotham was good like his father - actually better\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Jotham gets a very short chapter. Not much really happens during his reign. He was a good king who followed God, but we are told the people still do not follow God with all their hearts. He fortifies the Temple and builds up a few other cities. He also defeats the Ammonites and receives tribute from them. He then dies a peaceful life. Seems pretty simple.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

With this simple yet righteous life, the author of the text decides to take the opportunity to \u2018throw some shade\u2019 towards Uzziah, Jotham\u2019s father. The first is an obvious backhanded compliment. \u201cHe did what was pleasing to the L<\/span>ORD<\/span> just as his father Uzziah had done, but he did not enter the Temple of the L<\/span>ORD<\/span>; however, the people still acted corruptly\u201d (verse 2). The text links the fact that Jotham was just as good as his father, however, unlike his father, Jotham did not overstep his role by \u201centering the Temple of the Lord.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The second is a little bit more subtle. \u201cJotham <\/span>was strong<\/strong> because he maintained a faithful course before the L<\/span>ORD<\/span> his God\u201d (verse 6). We already know that Jotham followed God. What does this verse add? It adds a second implied insult to Uzziah. Recall that in chapter 26 we were told \u201cWhen <\/span>he was strong<\/strong>, he grew so arrogant he acted corruptly: he trespassed against his God by entering the Temple of the L<\/span>ORD<\/span> to offer incense on the incense altar\u201d (26:16). Uzziah\u2019s flaw was that he became strong and then became haughty. Chapter 27:6 specifically uses the same adjective \u201c<\/span>strong<\/strong>\u201d as in chapter 26. Jotham was strong not because he made himself strong or believed that he made himself strong like his father. Jotham was strong <\/span>because <\/span><\/em>he followed God. This was the lesson his father did not learn, and gives the reader the perfect double dose of biblical shade.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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