{"id":41846,"date":"2018-07-09T18:50:40","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:50:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-69\/"},"modified":"2023-05-30T12:43:51","modified_gmt":"2023-05-30T09:43:51","slug":"wall-69","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-69\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Torah-Exodus-19"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"69","date":"20251203","book":"Exodus","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"69","books_group":"Torah","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"41968","color":"#f6f5de","size":"1","name":"Exodus 19 - Judy Hammond ","post_title":"Exodus 19 - Judy Hammond","slug":"exodus-19-judy-hammond","old_id":"41968","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"69","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","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":"The Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"Exodus 19","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"read by Judy Hammond","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/exodus-chapter-19-read-by-judy-hammond","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":"","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"69","date":"20251203","wall_id":"69"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"104694","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"Moses\u2019 Ascents and Descents ","post_title":"Moses\u2019 Ascents and Descents","slug":"moses-ascents-and-descents","old_id":"104694","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. 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","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":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"When he was up, he was up, and when he was down, he was down, and when he was only half way up\u2026\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The drama builds in chapter 19 to the giving of the Ten Commandments. In the attached picture from 17<\/span>th<\/span> century Dutch artist Ferdinand Bol, Moses descends the mountain with the Tablets, a scene to take place several chapters hence..\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Where was Moses when God gave him the Ten Commandments? In verse 3, Moses goes up to God. And God calls from the mountain. In verse 7, Moses goes to the elders (presumably down the mountain) and relays God\u2019s message about the need for preparation. In verse 8, the whole nation agrees, and Moses relays the message to God. It is unclear if he ascends the mountain again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In verse 9, God says that he will appear to Moses in a cloud so the people will hear. Moses then relates the people\u2019s response to God. It is unclear if Moses went up the mountain and then back down, or if he never went up again. In verse 10, God tells Moses to go back to the people. This would imply that Moses is away from the people even though it seemed in verse 9 that Moses had gone back to the people already. Perhaps this means that Moses was up the mountain and called down to the people and now God wants him to actually go down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In verse 14, Moses goes back down the mountain to tell the people to change their clothes etc. This answers the question from verse 10. In verse 15, Moses takes everyone to the foot of the mountain and God descends in a cloud. In verse 19, Moses speaks and God answers in thunder. Again, it is unclear if Moses is speaking from the foot of the mountain or if he has ascended yet again. In verse 20, God descends and calls Moses to come up the mountain. This means that in verse 19, Moses was talking to God at the foot of the mountain, and God was the one that descended.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In verse 21, God tells Moses to go back down the mountain to remind everyone not to come close to the mountain. In verse 24, God tells Moses to go down and then come back up with Aaron. Presumably this means that Moses never went down again after verse 21. Moses never asks Aaron to come up the mountain with him. In verse 25, Moses goes down again and speaks to the people and relays the Ten Commandments in the next chapter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Besides the excellent cardio workout, it seems that Moses ends up talking to God at various points of the mountain and then the Ten Commandments are relayed with Moses at the bottom of the mountain. Perhaps God wants to make clear to the people that the revelation is not something secretive that only Moses can access at the very top.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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","post_title":"Wings","slug":"wings","old_id":"104692","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":35831,"post_title":"Ruth Fogelman","slug":"ruth-fogelman","old_id":"35831","first_name":"Ruth ","last_name":"Fogelman ","description":"Ruth Fogelman was born in England and has lived in Jerusalem\u2019s Old City for most of her life. She is the author of four books. Her poems, articles, short stories and photography have appeared in anthologies and various publications in Israel, USA and India, including Arc, Back to Joy: Little Reminders to Help Us Through Tough Times, The Deronda Review, Prosopisia, Poetica, and the International Literary Review. Ruth holds a Masters Degree from the Creative Writing Program of Bar Ilan University and leads the Pri Hadash Women\u2019s Writing Workshop in Jerusalem. \r\nShe is a member of the Israel Association of Writers in English\r\nVisit her website at http:\/\/jerusalemlives.weebly.com\r\n","short_description":"Ruth Fogelman is a poet, and lives in Jerusalem\u2019s Old City. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":35832,"alt":"","title":"Ruth Fogelman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","width":969,"height":973,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman--150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman--300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman--768x771.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":771,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","large-width":969,"large-height":973,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","1536x1536-width":969,"1536x1536-height":973,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","2048x2048-width":969,"2048x2048-height":973,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","post_full_size-width":969,"post_full_size-height":973,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman--418x420.jpg","home_baner-width":418,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"And when Zion\u2019s children returned \/ they were as if flying homewards on eagles\u2019 wings","post_main_content_content":"

\u2026I will carry you on eagles\u2019 wings and bring you to Me.<\/em>
\r\n
\r\n
\r\nThe early-morning sun catches a dove\u2019s luminescent wings
\r\nand in a crevice at the Kotel, a pigeon preens its wings.
\r\n
\r\nThe swifts have returned to nest in the Wall
\r\nand above my head they call and circle on scimitar wings.
\r\n
\r\nLook! The grape-vines are flowering \u2013 see their nascent fruit!
\r\nAnd look! A butterfly on a purple anemone fluttering orange wings!
\r\n
\r\nNot in spring, but in summer\u2019s heat the House was destroyed.
\r\nThen, Zion\u2019s dispersed children were as a bird with clipped wings.
\r\n
\r\nAnd when Zion\u2019s children returned from far-flung lands and foreign kings
\r\nthey were as if flying homewards on eagles\u2019 wings.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":93911,"alt":"","title":"job9-bird plane flight","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight.jpg","width":1920,"height":1437,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight-768x575.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":575,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight-1024x766.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":766,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1150,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1437,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight-1200x898.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":898,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight-561x420.jpg","home_baner-width":561,"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":"929 Poetry Corner","tile_main_caption":"Wings","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"And when Zion\u2019s children returned \/ they were as if flying homewards on eagles\u2019 wings","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":93911,"alt":"","title":"job9-bird plane flight","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight.jpg","width":1920,"height":1437,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight-768x575.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":575,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight-1024x766.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":766,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1150,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1437,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight-1200x898.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":898,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job9-bird-plane-flight-561x420.jpg","home_baner-width":561,"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,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"69","date":"20251203","wall_id":"69"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"362","name":"Poetry","old_id":"762"},{"term_id":"647","name":"Return","old_id":"1047"}]},{"order":4,"id":"42004","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Moses Didn\u2019t Have to Follow the Rules ","post_title":"Moses Didn\u2019t Have To Follow The Rules","slug":"moses-didnt-have-to-follow-the-rules","old_id":"42004","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":41916,"post_title":"Sandra E. Rapoport","slug":"sandra-e-rapoport","old_id":"41916","first_name":"Sandra E. ","last_name":"Rapoport ","description":"Sandra E. Rapoport is an attorney, Bible teacher, and award-winning author whose books give voice to the women of the Bible. Her third book, Biblical Seductions, was a National Jewish Book Awards Finalist and a Boston Globe Top-Ten Bestseller. Her fourth and most recent book, The Queen & The Spymaster, is a novel based on the story of Esther.","short_description":"Sandra E. Rapoport is an attorney, Bible teacher, and award-winning author of four books on Bible and Midrash.\r\n\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":41917,"alt":"","title":"sandra rapoport","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sandra-rapoport.jpg","width":150,"height":175,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sandra-rapoport-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sandra-rapoport.jpg","medium-width":150,"medium-height":175,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sandra-rapoport.jpg","medium_large-width":150,"medium_large-height":175,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sandra-rapoport.jpg","large-width":150,"large-height":175,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sandra-rapoport.jpg","1536x1536-width":150,"1536x1536-height":175,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sandra-rapoport.jpg","2048x2048-width":150,"2048x2048-height":175,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sandra-rapoport.jpg","post_full_size-width":150,"post_full_size-height":175,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sandra-rapoport.jpg","home_baner-width":150,"home_baner-height":175}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"But Zipporah suffered in the deal ","post_main_content_content":"

\u201cStay pure today and tomorrow; for on the third day the Lord will come down\u201d (19:10-11).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Having already experienced <\/span>physical<\/span><\/em> redemption from Pharaoh\u2019s crushing bondage, the Israelites are poised, now, three months later at the foot of God\u2019s mountain, to experience a <\/span>spiritual<\/span><\/em> redemption. God is prepared to give them His laws. But before this can happen, the people must sanctify themselves for three days. This entails a thorough washing of their clothing; a dire warning not to touch or even approach God\u2019s mountain; and a command to Israelite men to refrain from sexual relations with their wives.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Here we have the makings of a hierarchical split. While the people resume sexual relations with their spouses after the revelation at Sinai, Moses does not. He continues to remain aloof sexually from his wife\u2014<\/span>forever<\/span><\/em>. His reasoning is that if God requires the people to abstain sexually to prepare for their <\/span>one-time<\/span><\/em> encounter with God, how much more so must this stricture apply to him, who must keep himself in a state of <\/span>constant<\/span><\/em> readiness to speak with God at any moment?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Hmm. Might Moses have a point?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Years later, in Numbers 12, Miriam and Aaron\u2014Moses\u2019 siblings and the other two-thirds of the ruling triumvirate\u2014will be punished for gossiping about their brother Moses. Their conversation \u201cconcerns the Kushite woman that [Moses] took\u2026.And they said, \u2018Is it only through Moses that God speaks? For He also speaks through us.\u2019 \u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What are Miriam and Aaron saying?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rashi says they are discussing the fact that Moses went further than God\u2019s Sinai prohibition, remaining aloof <\/span>permanently<\/span><\/em> from his wife Zipporah; apparently, Zipporah has occupied a separate tent ever since Sinai. Miriam and Aaron are criticizing Moses for extending the sexual prohibition to himself absent the command to do so. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

The rabbis of the Midrash want us to know that Miriam wasn\u2019t criticizing Moses for selfish reasons. In an <\/span>un<\/span><\/em>selfish expression of solidarity for Zipporah, Miriam\u2019s woman\u2019s heart had melted for her sister-in-law, who continued to long for her husband [Yalkut Shimoni]; Miriam was telling Aaron that Zipporah was depressed; that she no longer donned her colorful Midianite robes, and that she even stopped braiding her hair [Sifrei]; Someone must tell Moses that the mother of his sons was suffering! [Chatam Sofer].<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What is our take-away from all this? Miriam was right, but she was also wrong. God does not require or desire permanent celibacy. But Moses was the exception. He was excused for unilaterally extending God\u2019s prohibition to himself\u2014though he broke Zipporah\u2019s heart\u2014because God\u2019s presence hovered over Moses day and night, requiring him <\/span>always<\/span><\/em> to be in a state of readiness [Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz].<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For the rest of us\u2014Miriam and Aaron included\u2014we follow the rules.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":42005,"alt":"","title":"Miriam,_the_golden_Haggadah","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah.jpg","width":512,"height":623,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah-247x300.jpg","medium-width":247,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah.jpg","medium_large-width":512,"medium_large-height":623,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah.jpg","large-width":512,"large-height":623,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah.jpg","1536x1536-width":512,"1536x1536-height":623,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah.jpg","2048x2048-width":512,"2048x2048-height":623,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah.jpg","post_full_size-width":512,"post_full_size-height":623,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah-345x420.jpg","home_baner-width":345,"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":"Moses Didn\u2019t Have To Follow The Rules","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"But Zipporah suffered in the deal ","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":42005,"alt":"","title":"Miriam,_the_golden_Haggadah","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah.jpg","width":512,"height":623,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah-247x300.jpg","medium-width":247,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah.jpg","medium_large-width":512,"medium_large-height":623,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah.jpg","large-width":512,"large-height":623,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah.jpg","1536x1536-width":512,"1536x1536-height":623,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah.jpg","2048x2048-width":512,"2048x2048-height":623,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah.jpg","post_full_size-width":512,"post_full_size-height":623,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Miriam_the_golden_Haggadah-345x420.jpg","home_baner-width":345,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","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":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"69","date":"20251203","wall_id":"69"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"384","name":"God","old_id":"784"},{"term_id":"397","name":"Moses","old_id":"797"},{"term_id":"403","name":"Redemption","old_id":"803"}]},{"order":5,"id":"42105","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Torah Is Not Our Only Source Of Wisdom And Insight ","post_title":"Torah Is Not Our Only Source Of Wisdom And Insight","slug":"torah-is-not-our-only-source-of-wisdom-and-insight","old_id":"42105","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":37918,"post_title":"Shai Held","slug":"shai-held","old_id":"37918","first_name":" Shai ","last_name":"Held","description":"Rabbi Shai Held, theologian, scholar, and educator, is President, Dean, and Chair in Jewish Thought at Hadar, where he also directs the Center for Jewish Leadership and Ideas. A 2011 recipient of the prestigious Covenant Award for excellence in Jewish education, Rabbi Held has been named multiple times to Newsweek\u2019s list of the 50 most influential rabbis in America. He holds a doctorate in religion from Harvard; Rabbi Held's first book, Abraham Joshua Heschel: The Call of Transcendence, was published by Indiana University Press in 2013; The Heart of Torah, a collection of essays on the Torah in two volumes, was published by JPS in 2017.","short_description":"Rabbi Shai Held is President, Dean, and Chair in Jewish Thought at Hadar,","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":37919,"alt":"","title":"shai held","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","width":150,"height":186,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","medium-width":150,"medium-height":186,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","medium_large-width":150,"medium_large-height":186,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","large-width":150,"large-height":186,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","1536x1536-width":150,"1536x1536-height":186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","2048x2048-width":150,"2048x2048-height":186,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","post_full_size-width":150,"post_full_size-height":186,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","home_baner-width":150,"home_baner-height":186}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Just before a moment of encounter with God, Exodus stops to teach a lesson","post_main_content_content":"

Parashat Yitro begins by recounting the story of Moses being visited by his father-in-law at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 18:5). But at the opening of the next chapter, we learn that Moses and the Israelites have not yet arrived at Sinai\u2014they are still journeying from a place called Rephidim. What does this order come to teach us? <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Before learning of Jethro\u2019s arrival, we read of how the Israelites are assailed by the Amalekites, and only God\u2019s assistance enables them to fend off the marauders. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

    \r\n\t
  1. Abraham Ibn Ezra (1089-1167) suggests that the Torah presents these crucial events in Israel\u2019s history out of their proper order to draw attention to the stark contrast between them. Amalek seeks to ravage Israel, but Jethro shares in its joy at God\u2019s deliverance and offers guidance (Exodus 18:9-23). And just as Israel is enjoined to do battle with Amalek for generations, so is it charged with remembering the kindness of Jethro and cautioned not to harm his descendants (Ibn Ezra, Longer Commentary to Exodus 18:1). <\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Why does the Torah juxtapose these two stories? <\/span><\/p>\r\n

    A people that has been brutally oppressed by one nation and then mercilessly attacked by another might well conclude that it has no friends, allies, or well-wishers. But the Torah wants to remind us that not all non-Jews are Amalek. Not everyone hates the Jews. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

    But there is another reason, I think, why the Torah introduces the story of Jethro before the Israelites encounter God at Mount Sinai. Every religious Jew has probably at least once entertained some version of this thought: \u201cWe have received Torah from God. We don\u2019t need any other sources of information.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    The book of Exodus nips this ideology in the bud. Right before the Israelites stand at Mount Sinai, they are taught a crucial lesson in the administration of justice by a non-Israelite who has no access to Torah. It is Jethro who tells Moses that the system he has set up for dealing with conflicts among the Israelites is untenable and offers advice to fix it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Just before a moment of encounter with the magnificent presence of God, Exodus stops to teach a lesson: Torah is incomparable, and it is the axis around which Jewish life should rotate. But Torah is not our only source of wisdom and insight. By telling us the story of Jethro, and by placing it exactly where it is in the narrative structure, the Torah itself here endorses and emphasizes that very point. <\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65799,"alt":"","title":"is19-nations","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations.png","width":1280,"height":1156,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-300x271.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":271,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-768x694.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":694,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-1024x925.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":925,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1156,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1156,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-1200x1084.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1084,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-465x420.png","home_baner-width":465,"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":"Torah Is Not Our Only Source Of Wisdom And Insight","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Just before a moment of encounter with God, Exodus stops to teach a lesson","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65799,"alt":"","title":"is19-nations","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations.png","width":1280,"height":1156,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-300x271.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":271,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-768x694.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":694,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-1024x925.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":925,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1156,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1156,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-1200x1084.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1084,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-465x420.png","home_baner-width":465,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","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":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"69","date":"20251203","wall_id":"69"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"366","name":"Commentators","old_id":"766"},{"term_id":"372","name":"Wisdom","old_id":"772"},{"term_id":"410","name":"Torah","old_id":"810"}]},{"order":6,"id":"42000","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Normative and Narrative: The Larger Context ","post_title":"Normative and Narrative: The Larger Context","slug":"normative-and-narrative-the-larger-context","old_id":"42000","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":41606,"post_title":"Yael Landman","slug":"yael-landman","old_id":"41606","first_name":"Yael ","last_name":"Landman ","description":"Dr. Yael Landman is Visiting Research Fellow in Judaic Studies at Brooklyn College and Acquisitions Editor at Gorgias Press. She holds a PhD in Hebrew Bible from Yeshiva University and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, and has completed fellowships through the Association for Jewish Studies, the Tikvah Center for Law and Jewish Civilization at NYU School of Law, and the Center for Jewish Law and Contemporary Civilization at Cardozo School of Law. Yael has taught at Yeshiva College and the Drisha Institute. ","short_description":"Dr. Yael Landman is Visiting Research Fellow in Judaic Studies at Brooklyn College and Acquisitions Editor at Gorgias Press.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":41607,"alt":"","title":"Yael Landman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Yael-Landman-e1538905276552.jpg","width":3197,"height":4747,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Yael-Landman-e1538905276552-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Yael-Landman-e1538905276552-202x300.jpg","medium-width":202,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Yael-Landman-e1538905276552-690x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":690,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Yael-Landman-e1538905276552-690x1024.jpg","large-width":690,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Yael-Landman-e1538905276552.jpg","1536x1536-width":1034,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Yael-Landman-e1538905276552.jpg","2048x2048-width":1379,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Yael-Landman-e1538905276552-808x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":808,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Yael-Landman-e1538905276552-283x420.jpg","home_baner-width":283,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The surrounding story offers a window into the fuller purpose of the laws","post_main_content_content":"

    Rashi\u2019s first comment on the Torah cites Rabbi Isaac\u2019s question: Why does the Torah begin with the Genesis narrative, instead of with the first law given to Israel? An assumption that the Torah\u2019s legal stipulations are its main point underlies the question \u2013 a fair premise, to be sure \u2013 but the enmeshedness of biblical law and narrative invites us to think harder about the point of the Torah\u2019s legal sections in the first place. After all, the first such section is not simply a discrete list of rules, as we might expect in a written body of law.<\/p>\r\n

    The buildup to the theophany at Sinai in Exodus 19 acts with Exodus 24 as a detailed narrative frame for the Decalogue and additional laws in Exodus 20-23. This frame gives the intermediate laws a context, a part in a story. They are anchored in a setting: at a remote mountain, following years of slavery and a redemption exploding with displays of divine might, amid a long migration through the wilderness.<\/p>\r\n

    The Code of Hammurabi from Mesopotamia famously has numerous documented affinities with biblical law. Whereas the US Constitution\u2019s \u201cWe the People\u201d frames its legal articles with a democratic expression of intent, the Code of Hammurabi\u2019s prologue and epilogue frame the laws as the accomplishments of a \u201cKing of Justice.\u201d In fact, the wealth of trial records that survived Hammurabi\u2019s time shows no evidence that his laws were consulted as a \u201claw code\u201d; these laws were not necessarily prescriptive in intent or enforceable in practice, as we might expect. But that was not, apparently, their main purpose: Their purpose was not to be legal stipulations per se, but rather to demonstrate that King Hammurabi fulfilled his divine command to establish and champion justice.<\/p>\r\n

    In the case of ancient Israel, the absence of documents like trial records (a result of the perishable materials on which they were written) makes it harder to determine the extent to which the Torah\u2019s legal stipulations were enforced or used in adjudication. The narrative framing of the laws in Exodus 20-23, however, may \u2013 like the prologue and epilogue of the Code of Hammurabi \u2013 offer a window into their fuller purpose.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":54853,"alt":"","title":"jo24-frame 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    https:\/\/youtu.be\/Y92F2gsRAk0<\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","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":"Bible on the Bench","tile_main_caption":"Chapter 19: Sensory Overload","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"with Shira Hecht-Koller and guest commentator, Benny Lau (founder, 929-Israel)","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Y92F2gsRAk0","tile_external_link":"","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":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"69","date":"20251203","wall_id":"69"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"369","name":"Visual Arts","old_id":"769"}]},{"order":8,"id":"42011","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"These Jews Just Won't Listen... But You'll Never Guess Who Does ","post_title":"These Jews Just Won't Listen... But You'll Never Guess Who Does","slug":"these-jews-just-wont-listen-but-youll-never-guess-who-does","old_id":"42011","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33859,"post_title":"Avidan Freedman","slug":"avidan-freedman","old_id":"33859","first_name":"Avidan","last_name":"Freedman","description":"Rabbi Avidan Freedman is the Rabbi of Hevruta, the Shalom Hartman Institute's post high school program for Israelis and North Americans, and an educator in the institute's high school. He is an activist advocating for moral limits on Israeli arms exports, and on behalf of African refugees, and a proud husband and father of 5. He received his rabbinical ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in New York, and from the Israeli chief rabbinate.","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Rabbi Avidan Freedman is the Rabbi of Hevruta, the Shalom Hartman Institute's post high school program for Israelis and North Americans, and an educator in the institute's high school. ","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33860,"alt":"Avidan Freedman","title":"Avidan Freedman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365.jpg","width":856,"height":1024,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-251x300.jpg","medium-width":251,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-768x919.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":919,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-856x1024.jpg","large-width":856,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365.jpg","1536x1536-width":856,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365.jpg","2048x2048-width":856,"2048x2048-height":1024,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-800x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-351x420.jpg","home_baner-width":351,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Auditory and visual dimensions of revelation ","post_main_content_content":"

    God's original plan for revelation was auditory. The Jewish people had seen enough of God's wonders to allow them to believe, and the time had come to listen. The essence of a covenantal relationship, to use the language of Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, is the \"redemptive, sacrificial gesture\" involved not only in obeying (\"we will do\"), but even more so in listening to the other, even when one disagrees. But in chapter 19, when the Jews respond \"we will do\", the famous response \"we will listen\" is absent. They're not yet ready to enter the covenant by listening.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    So when God explains that the nation will <\/span>hear<\/em> His words when He speaks to Moses, Moses knows the people's reaction without even asking them. Rashi, merging two Midrashim, brings the unwritten text of the conversation. \"I already heard an answer to this...We want to see our King!\" The Jews need a revelation of God with the immediacy and concreteness of the visual.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    God, whose invitation to covenantal listening has been rejected for the time being, has the opportunity instead to model it, by acceding to the Israelites\u2019 request despite knowing the repercussions. The physicality of the visual demands much more rigorous preparation. Clothes and bodies must be purified, and to touch the mountain becomes deadly. A physical encounter with the Divine, and the temptation that comes with it to cross boundaries, is dangerous. But the most significant repercussion of the people's request was not the preparation demanded, but the radical change in revelation that it ultimately dictated. The most difficult thing that covenantal listening requires is to let the other make a huge mistake, and to lovingly walk them through the consequences of their decision. This mistake might just have been the biggest missed opportunity in the history of the Jewish people. But more on that in chapter 20<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":56736,"alt":"","title":"isam1-heart-listening","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","width":320,"height":320,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","medium_large-width":320,"medium_large-height":320,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","large-width":320,"large-height":320,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","1536x1536-width":320,"1536x1536-height":320,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","2048x2048-width":320,"2048x2048-height":320,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","post_full_size-width":320,"post_full_size-height":320,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","home_baner-width":320,"home_baner-height":320}},"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":"These Jews Just Won't Listen... But You'll Never Guess Who Does","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Auditory and visual dimensions of revelation ","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":56736,"alt":"","title":"isam1-heart-listening","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","width":320,"height":320,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","medium_large-width":320,"medium_large-height":320,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","large-width":320,"large-height":320,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","1536x1536-width":320,"1536x1536-height":320,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","2048x2048-width":320,"2048x2048-height":320,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","post_full_size-width":320,"post_full_size-height":320,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam1-heart-listening.jpg","home_baner-width":320,"home_baner-height":320}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","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":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"69","date":"20251203","wall_id":"69"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"443","name":"See\/hear","old_id":"843"},{"term_id":"541","name":"Revelation","old_id":"941"}]},{"order":9,"id":"42013","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Nurslings and Fetuses at The Giving of the Torah ","post_title":"Nurslings And Fetuses At The Giving Of The Torah","slug":"nurslings-and-fetuses-at-the-giving-of-the-torah","old_id":"42013","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":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A womb with a view","post_main_content_content":"

    Who among us was present at the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai? According to Midrash Exodus Rabbah (28:2) on the verse \u201cThus shall you say to the house of Jacob and declare to the children of Israel\u201d (Exodus 19:3) both women and men were addressed. But what about the children, born and as yet unborn? That question is answered in a remarkably visual midrash found in <\/span>Midrash Matan Torah<\/span><\/i>:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    When the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to give the Torah to Israel, He said to them, \u201cGive me guarantors that you will keep the Torah\u2026guarantors that owe me nothing\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    They replied, \u201cWho is there who owes You nothing?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    He said to them, \u201cThe infants.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Immediately, they brought the nursing infants from the breasts of their mothers, and their pregnant wives. And the Holy One, blessed be He, turned the walls of their wombs to glass, so that the fetuses could speak with Him. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

    He said, \u201cLook! I wish to give the Torah to your parents. Are you willing to be the guarantors for them that they will keep it?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\r\n

    They replied, \u201cYes!\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    He said, \u201cDo you acknowledge that \u2018I am the Lord, Your God, who brought you forth from the land of Egypt?\u2019\u201d (Exodus 20:2). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

    They replied, \u201cYes!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    He said, \u201cWill you have no other gods before Me?\u201d (Exodus 20:2). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

    They replied, \u201cNo! We shall not!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    He said, \u201cWill you not take the name of the Lord, Your God, in vain?\u201d (Exodus 20:6). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

    They replied, \u201cNo! We shall not!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    And so, they answered Him. On every positive commandment, they replied \u201cYes!\u201d. And on every negative commandment, they replied, \u201cNo!\u201d. And from where do we know that the Torah was founded on the fetuses in their mothers\u2019 wombs, and on the nurslings at their mothers\u2019 breasts? From the verse \u201cOut of the mouth of babes and nurslings have You founded strength\u201d (Psalms 8:3). And \u201cstrength\u201d only means Torah, as it says, \u201cThe Lord will give strength unto His people\u201d (Psalms 29:11). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

    And when the Holy One, blessed be He, saw Israel with all their hearts directed and from an abundance of love that they were eager to receive the Torah, He praised them and blessed them, as it says, \u201cBlessed are you, O Israel! Who is like unto you?\u201d (Deuteronomy 33:29).<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":42099,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_1026791245","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1026791245.jpg","width":9000,"height":5063,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1026791245-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1026791245-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1026791245-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1026791245-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1026791245.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":864,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1026791245.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1152,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1026791245-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1026791245-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"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":"Nurslings 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Rabbi Sacks passed away on 7th November 2020, aged 72. He was one of the greatest Jewish thinkers of the 20th century, who bridged the religious and secular world through his ground-breaking canon of work.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z\"k (1948-2020) was the former Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth, and the International 929 president.","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36222,"alt":"","title":"JSacks","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","width":437,"height":548,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-239x300.jpg","medium-width":239,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-768x448.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":448,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-1024x597.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":597,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","1536x1536-width":437,"1536x1536-height":548,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","2048x2048-width":437,"2048x2048-height":548,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","post_full_size-width":437,"post_full_size-height":548,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-335x420.jpg","home_baner-width":335,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"We the People accept responsibility for determining our fate by acting righteously with one another","post_main_content_content":"

    [The Torah] is the radical alternative to a hierarchical society: the horizontal society formed by the covenant, through which each is responsible for playing his or her part in the maintenance of a just and gracious order: by helping the poor, acting justly, honestly and compassionately, educating children, not neglecting marginal members of society and so on, the principle later formulated by the sages as \u201call Israel are sureties for one another\u201d (Sanhedrin 27b; Shevuot 39a)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    This is a radically devolved leadership that Exodus calls \u201ca kingdom of priests and a holy nation,\u201d (Ex. 19:6) and to which Moses alludes to when he says, \u201cWould that all God\u2019s people were prophets\u201d (Num. 11:29). Covenant, as set forth in the Hebrew Bible, is the dramatic idea that the people, individually and together, accept responsibility for determining their fate by acting righteously with one another, relying on the God of justice to secure justice in the arena of history. They have autonomy: only God has sovereignty. If the people act well, God will ensure that they fare well. If they act badly, it will end badly. All depends on faithfulness to God and decency to people. All else \u2013 governments, rulers, armies, alliances, strategy, warfare, the entire repertoire of power \u2013 will prove illusory in the long run.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    The politics of the Torah are unlike any other in the emphasis they place on society rather than the state;, \u201cwe the people\u201d rather than governments, monarchs or rulers; voluntary welfare rather than state-based taxation; devolved rather than centralized authority; education and social sanction rather than the coercive use of power.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Introduction: Finding Freedom, Koren Pesach Machzor<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n

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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":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"\u201cThe righteous of the nations are undoubtedly dear to Me, too\u201d","post_main_content_content":"

    I have always found verse 5 of today\u2019s chapter extremely significant, particularly in light of its interpretation by R. Obadyah of Seforno, the noted 16<\/span>th<\/span> century Italian commentator. The Torah text reads:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Now, if you listen carefully to Me and observe My covenant, you will be singular (<\/span>segulah<\/span><\/em>) to Me amongst all the nations, for the Earth is Mine.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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

    Although the entire human race is dearer to Me than lower order creatures\u2014because they alone are My intended, as [the Sages] said \u201cMan is beloved so he was created in [a divine] image\u201d\u2014in any event, you are the most treasured of all [nations]\u2026 and the difference between you is [merely] quantitative. \u201cFor the Earth is Mine\u201d and the righteous of the nations are undoubtedly dear to Me, too.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    The revelation at Mt. Sinai set the terms for the covenant (<\/span>b\u2019rit<\/span><\/i>) between God and Israel. Unlike a contract, in which parties are mutually obligated and its abrogation by one releases the other from its duty, the parties to a covenant agree to remain faithful to it even in the face of its violation by the other.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Viewed in this context, we see that God was preparing Israel to make this commitment to unswerving devotion by ensuring that they appreciated His singular regard for them. However, lest that regard imbue them with a sense of qualitative superiority over other nations, He hastened to advise them that their singularity was only \u201cquantitative\u201d (due to their observance of mitzvot) and remains subject to their commitment to the covenant.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":69821,"alt":"","title":"jer11-covenant","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-covenant.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-covenant-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-covenant-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-covenant-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-covenant-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-covenant.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-covenant.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-covenant-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer11-covenant-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"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":"Singularity and Humility","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"\u201cThe righteous of the nations are undoubtedly dear to Me, 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The Mighty, Majestic, And Fearful Theophany ","post_title":"Yitro: The Mighty, Majestic, And Fearful Theophany","slug":"yitro-the-mighty-majestic-and-fearful-theophany","old_id":"70140","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":46171,"post_title":"Avner Moriah","slug":"avner-moriah","old_id":"46171","first_name":"Avner ","last_name":"Moriah ","description":"Avner Moriah is a prolific Israel artist who has addressed a wide range of Jewish and Israeli themes during the four decades of his artistic journey. Currently, Avner is completing a singular artistic and spiritual feat of illuminating the entire Chumash. The unique illuminated books contain hundreds of original drawings that offer a profound, provocative and humorous perspective. \r\nFor the entire weekly portion series, visit: https:\/\/avnermoriahprints.com\/collections\/parasha\r\nFor more of his work visit: https:\/\/avnermoriah.com\/\r\n","short_description":"Avner Moriah is a prolific Israel artist who is illuminating the entire Chumash.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":46173,"alt":"","title":"avner moriah","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/avner-moriah-e1545511134679.jpg","width":1387,"height":1425,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/avner-moriah-e1545511134679-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/avner-moriah-e1545511134679-292x300.jpg","medium-width":292,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/avner-moriah-e1545511134679-768x789.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":789,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/avner-moriah-e1545511134679-997x1024.jpg","large-width":997,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/avner-moriah-e1545511134679.jpg","1536x1536-width":1387,"1536x1536-height":1425,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/avner-moriah-e1545511134679.jpg","2048x2048-width":1387,"2048x2048-height":1425,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/avner-moriah-e1545511134679-1168x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1168,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/avner-moriah-e1545511134679-409x420.jpg","home_baner-width":409,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"1083","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The people saw the voices and the flames\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

    The Israelites have left Egypt, have miraculously crossed the Reed Sea, and are about to meet God and establish the Covenant. After three days of preparation, they bear witness to the spectacular theophany, and it is this incredible moment that Avner Moriah chooses as the subject of his painting for Parashat Yitro<\/em>. What special features does the artist emphasize in describing this miraculous event and how does he visualize them? Why does he choose to accent those particular aspects of the day?<\/p>\r\n

    This colorful and impressive painting is divided into four registers. At the bottom is a stretch of desert sand: \u201cThey entered the wilderness of Sinai and encamped\u2026there in front of the mountain\u201d (Exod. 19:2).<\/p>\r\n

    The next register shows the people of Israel after Moses had led them \u201cout of the camp toward God and they had taken their places at the foot of the mountain\u201d (Exod. 19:17). They are dressed in their finest clothing, facing but not approaching the mountain, as Moses had said: \u201c\u2026Beware of going up the mountain or touching the border of it\u201d (Exod. 19:12). Thus gathered near the holy mountain they hear the words: \u201c\u2026If you will obey Me faithfully and keep My Covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples\u2026a kingdom of priests and a holy nation\u201d (Exod. 19:5\u20136).<\/p>\r\n

    The mountain is engulfed in purple smoke: \u201cNow Mount Sinai was all in smoke, for the Lord had come down upon it in fire.\u2026\" (Exod. 19:19). The mountain, painted green, has a \u2018treelike\u2019 shape, with its \u2018trunk\u2019 reaching upward like the axis of the world bursting into brilliant foliage, the flames and smoke marking the point of contact with the Divine, forming a bridge between Heaven and Earth.<\/p>\r\n

    The tongues of fire burning fiercely on top of the mountain are the artist\u2019s rendition of the theophany. The painting visualizes the overwhelming grandeur of the event. The image of the newly freed slaves standing at the foot of that fearful-looking mountain gives us a sense of the enormity of the task of teaching them about the sanctity of God, Whom they cannot actually see or encounter physically. The smaller flames that look like horns (shofarot<\/em>) among the yellow tongues of fire help us understand the ambiguous Hebrew expression \u201cAll the people saw the voices and the flames\u201d (Exod. 20:15). Although God remained unseen, He was present in the sound that came out of the fusion of the sublime fire and the horns blasting from within it.<\/p>\r\n

    The painting, then, visualizes the mighty, majestic, and fearful theophany, which led to the Israelites\u2019 plea to Moses: \u201cYou speak to us\u2026but let not God speak to us\u201d (Exod. 20:16). They \u201cremained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was\u201d (Exod. 20:18). Moses is not figured in the picture, but we know that he continued to deliver God\u2019s words to the people from within the cloud.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":70145,"alt":"","title":"17 Yitro","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro.jpg","width":2018,"height":2500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro-242x300.jpg","medium-width":242,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro-768x951.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":951,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro-827x1024.jpg","large-width":827,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro.jpg","1536x1536-width":1240,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro.jpg","2048x2048-width":1653,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro-969x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":969,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro-339x420.jpg","home_baner-width":339,"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":"The Chapter Illustrated","tile_main_caption":"Yitro: The Mighty, Majestic, And Fearful Theophany","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The people saw the voices and the flames","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":70145,"alt":"","title":"17 Yitro","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro.jpg","width":2018,"height":2500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro-242x300.jpg","medium-width":242,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro-768x951.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":951,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro-827x1024.jpg","large-width":827,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro.jpg","1536x1536-width":1240,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro.jpg","2048x2048-width":1653,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro-969x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":969,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/17-Yitro-339x420.jpg","home_baner-width":339,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","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,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Jeremiah","chapter":false,"chapter_main_number":false,"date":false,"wall_id":"1083"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"368","name":"Parasha","old_id":"768"},{"term_id":"541","name":"Revelation","old_id":"941"}]},{"order":13,"id":"42067","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"The Key to Independence: Just Jump ","post_title":"The Key To Independence: Just Jump","slug":"the-key-to-independence-just-jump","old_id":"42067","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":42027,"post_title":"David Wallach","slug":"david-wallach","old_id":"42027","first_name":"David ","last_name":"Wallach","description":"David Wallach, originally from Toronto, has been teaching Judaic Studiess at Azrieli Herzliah High School in Montreal, Quebec. David completed his Masters in Jewish Education through the Pardes Educators Program in Jerusalem, and now lives in Montreal with his wife, Erin and his dog Lucy.","short_description":"David Wallach teaches Judaic Studiess at Azrieli Herzliah High School in Montreal, Quebec. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":42028,"alt":"","title":"david wallach","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/david-wallach-e1539607998583.jpg","width":1431,"height":1481,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/david-wallach-e1539607998583-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/david-wallach-e1539607998583-290x300.jpg","medium-width":290,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/david-wallach-e1539607998583-768x795.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":795,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/david-wallach-e1539607998583-989x1024.jpg","large-width":989,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/david-wallach-e1539607998583.jpg","1536x1536-width":1431,"1536x1536-height":1481,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/david-wallach-e1539607998583.jpg","2048x2048-width":1431,"2048x2048-height":1481,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/david-wallach-e1539607998583-1159x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1159,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/david-wallach-e1539607998583-406x420.jpg","home_baner-width":406,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The dividing line between dependent and independent is the willingness to take a leap","post_main_content_content":"

    A lot of people don\u2019t like to change things too quickly. I, however, am not one of those people. After I got married, it was no more than 10 days before my wife and I were on a flight on our way to live the first two years of our marriage in Jerusalem. People often said we were crazy \u2013 newly married, starting a new life together and moving across the world all in just over a week?! But I\u2019m certain that this move was the key to our successful transition into true independence.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Amidst the words of preparation to the Israelites from Moses before receiving the Torah, Moses, speaking on behalf of God tells the Israelites \u201cYou have seen what I did to the Egyptians; how I carried you on the wings of eagles, and brought you to Me\u201d (v. 19). The Torah is filled with beautiful imagery, so what is it about eagles that made them the appropriate bird for this imagery? What message is the Torah trying to get across with the choice of an eagle rather than any other bird?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808 \u2013 1888, Germany) noticed something unique about the eagle \u2013eaglet relationship. Remember when you were a little kid and you wanted your parents to give you a piggy-back ride? They bent over so you could just get right on their shoulders and carried you away. Not so, says Rav Hirsch, with the eaglet and eagle. The mother eagle, eager to carry its young through the air, comes close, but not into the nest, and waits for the eaglet to jump out and onto its mother\u2019s wings. For the eaglet to fly, to leave the nest, it must first jump.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Often that dividing line between dependent and independent is the willingness to take that leap. We are often stuck somewhere and can\u2019t progress because we are too afraid that when we jump, we\u2019ll fall. What God is telling the Jewish people is that in order to become a nation, they must be ready to take a leap into something bigger and better than where they are now. To become, as the chapter says later, \u201ca kingdom of priests, and a holy nation,\u201d the Israelites must be willing to take that leap.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    The same is true for all of us every day. My wife and I took a leap and moved across the world, with no one to hold our hands through the decisions of adult life, but we knew that the protective wings of our parents were always under us, making sure we\u2019d never fall. A phone call away, or deeply embedded advice in our mind, the wings were always under us.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    The Talmud, when discussing the duties of a parent to a child, states that according to one opinion, parents must teach their children to swim. Swimming is just like that first flight of an eaglet \u2013 you can\u2019t go swimming unless you take a leap first.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Don\u2019t be afraid to take a leap, you\u2019ll soar higher than you can ever imagine.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":42103,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_1046854570","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570.jpg","width":3568,"height":2378,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570-1024x682.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":682,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570-630x420.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":"The Key To Independence: Just Jump","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The dividing line between dependent and independent is the willingness to take a leap","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":42103,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_1046854570","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570.jpg","width":3568,"height":2378,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570-1024x682.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":682,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1046854570-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"shutterstock: 1046854570","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":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"69","date":"20251203","wall_id":"69"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"649","name":"Independence","old_id":"1049"}]},{"order":14,"id":"42007","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Miriam\u2019s Well ","post_title":"Miriam\u2019s Well","slug":"miriams-well","old_id":"42007","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":35831,"post_title":"Ruth Fogelman","slug":"ruth-fogelman","old_id":"35831","first_name":"Ruth ","last_name":"Fogelman ","description":"Ruth Fogelman was born in England and has lived in Jerusalem\u2019s Old City for most of her life. She is the author of four books. Her poems, articles, short stories and photography have appeared in anthologies and various publications in Israel, USA and India, including Arc, Back to Joy: Little Reminders to Help Us Through Tough Times, The Deronda Review, Prosopisia, Poetica, and the International Literary Review. Ruth holds a Masters Degree from the Creative Writing Program of Bar Ilan University and leads the Pri Hadash Women\u2019s Writing Workshop in Jerusalem. \r\nShe is a member of the Israel Association of Writers in English\r\nVisit her website at http:\/\/jerusalemlives.weebly.com\r\n","short_description":"Ruth Fogelman is a poet, and lives in Jerusalem\u2019s Old City. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":35832,"alt":"","title":"Ruth Fogelman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","width":969,"height":973,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman--150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman--300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman--768x771.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":771,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","large-width":969,"large-height":973,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","1536x1536-width":969,"1536x1536-height":973,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","2048x2048-width":969,"2048x2048-height":973,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","post_full_size-width":969,"post_full_size-height":973,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman--418x420.jpg","home_baner-width":418,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Years of whippings, curses and heartache wash away\u2026.","post_main_content_content":"

    Then Israel sang this song, \u201cRise up, O well, sing responsively to it\u2026\u201d
    \r\n<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Numbers 21:17<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    And God said to Moses, \u201cGo to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their garments.<\/span><\/em>
    \r\n<\/span><\/i>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Exodus 19:10<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    When Miriam\u2019s well follows us to the foot of Horev,
    \r\n<\/span>The desolate mountain turns greener than the Nile\u2019s banks
    \r\n<\/span>And purple flowers spread across its towering slopes
    \r\n<\/span>Like a king before his appearance, donning his cloak.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    The well rises and overflows into twelve streams
    \r\n<\/span>That course like long sapphire fingers through our camp,
    \r\n<\/span>And from the babbling waters we hear Miriam\u2019s song,
    \r\n<\/span>\u201c<\/span>I shall sing to God for He has triumphed\u2026<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

    The streams surge and overflow, the streams \u2013 rivers,
    \r\n<\/span>And where yesterday we stumbled on the desert rock,
    \r\n<\/span>Now blades of grass caress our soles,
    \r\n<\/span>And the Garden of Sinai blooms like the Garden of Eden.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    At the rivers\u2019 banks we wash our garments
    \r\n<\/span>And the rivers\u2019 fragrant waters mend torn cloth, \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
    \r\n<\/span>And from the murmuring waters we hear Miriam\u2019s song,
    \r\n<\/span>\u201c<\/span>I shall sing to God<\/span>\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

    The rivers surge and overflow, the rivers \u2013 a lake.
    \r\n<\/span>I immerse in the pure waters, and wrapped in their silk,
    \r\n<\/span>My bruises and cuts are healed,
    \r\n<\/span>Years of whippings, curses and heartache wash away.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Warm waters hold me in their heart,
    \r\n<\/span>Comfort me like my mother\u2019s womb,
    \r\n<\/span>And beneath them, I hear the echo of Miriam\u2019s song,
    \r\n<\/span>\u201c<\/span>I shall sing\u2026.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

    From Ruth Fogelman\u2019s book, <\/span>Leaving the Garden<\/span><\/em><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":75718,"alt":"","title":"ez47-water","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water-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":"929 Poetry Corner","tile_main_caption":"Miriam\u2019s Well","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Years of whippings, curses and heartache wash away\u2026.","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":75718,"alt":"","title":"ez47-water","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/ez47-water-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","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":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"69","date":"20251203","wall_id":"69"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"362","name":"Poetry","old_id":"762"},{"term_id":"640","name":"Miriam","old_id":"1040"}]},{"order":15,"id":"42002","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Three Times The Shofar\u2019s Blast ","post_title":"Three Times The Shofar\u2019s Blast","slug":"three-times-the-shofars-blast","old_id":"42002","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36669,"post_title":"Yakov Azriel","slug":"yakov-azriel","old_id":"36669","first_name":"Yakov ","last_name":"Azriel","description":"Yakov Azriel, who lives in Israel, has published five books of poetry in the USA and hundreds of poems in journals and magazines. His poems have won twenty-two prizes in international poetry competitions, and he has twice been awarded fellowships from the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture.","short_description":"Yakov Azriel is an English language poet who lives in Israel","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36670,"alt":"","title":"Yakov.Azriel.Photo","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","width":1099,"height":1519,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-217x300.jpg","medium-width":217,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-741x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":741,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-741x1024.jpg","large-width":741,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","1536x1536-width":1099,"1536x1536-height":1519,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","2048x2048-width":1099,"2048x2048-height":1519,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-868x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":868,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-304x420.jpg","home_baner-width":304,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"...and none shall be afraid ","post_main_content_content":"

    \u201cMt. Sinai was all in smoke, because the Lord had descended upon it in fire; its smoke ascended like a furnace\u2019s smoke, and the entire mountain trembled greatly. \u00a0The voice of the <\/span>Shofar<\/span><\/em> then grew louder and louder \u2026\u201d (Exodus 19:18-19)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Abraham first heard the Shofar <\/em>blow
    \r\nAfter he bound his son, and Isaac cried
    \r\nIn fear of God; an angel prophesied
    \r\nTheir sand would stretch beyond the stars\u2019 last glow.
    \r\nAgain the Shofar <\/em>blew, when there, below
    \r\nThe fire and smoke which veiled the mountainside,
    \r\nIsrael stood and listened, terrified,
    \r\nAs God\u2019s commands, like lava, began to flow.<\/p>\r\n

    Yet one more time this <\/span>Shofar<\/span><\/em> will be heard:<\/span>
    \r\n<\/span>A shoot from Jesse\u2019s stock shall leaf that day,<\/span>
    \r\n<\/span>A twig from David\u2019s roots shall grant us shade;<\/span>
    \r\n<\/span>Then lambs will dwell with wolves; a fledgling bird<\/span>
    \r\n<\/span>Will glide with hawks; a little child will play<\/span>
    \r\n<\/span>With hissing snakes \u2014 and none shall be afraid.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":76335,"alt":"","title":"hos8-shofar","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar.jpg","width":567,"height":1024,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar-166x300.jpg","medium-width":166,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar-567x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":567,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar-567x1024.jpg","large-width":567,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar.jpg","1536x1536-width":567,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar.jpg","2048x2048-width":567,"2048x2048-height":1024,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar.jpg","post_full_size-width":567,"post_full_size-height":1024,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar-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":"929 Poetry Corner","tile_main_caption":"Three Times The Shofar\u2019s Blast","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"...and none shall be afraid ","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":76335,"alt":"","title":"hos8-shofar","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar.jpg","width":567,"height":1024,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar-166x300.jpg","medium-width":166,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar-567x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":567,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar-567x1024.jpg","large-width":567,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar.jpg","1536x1536-width":567,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar.jpg","2048x2048-width":567,"2048x2048-height":1024,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar.jpg","post_full_size-width":567,"post_full_size-height":1024,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos8-shofar-233x420.jpg","home_baner-width":233,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","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":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"69","date":"20251203","wall_id":"69"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"362","name":"Poetry","old_id":"762"},{"term_id":"650","name":"Shofar","old_id":"1050"}]},{"order":16,"id":"42201","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"MiliMiliM - The Hebrew Corner - Exodus 19 ","post_title":"MiliMiliM - The Hebrew Corner - Exodus 19","slug":"milimilim-the-hebrew-corner-exodus-19","old_id":"42201","type":"no","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":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"\u05e0\u05db\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd - Nechonim - Prepared\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

    19:15 -And he said to the people, \u201cHeyu nechonim<\/em>,\" Be ready for the third day\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Any Israeli who has spent time in the Tzofim<\/em>, the Israeli Scouting movement, is familiar with the verse from today\u2019s chapter. The singular \u201cHeye nachon<\/em>!\u201d is the Hebrew version of the Scout\u2019s motto: \u201cBe prepared!\u201d It is an inspired translation, taking the phrasing from the preparations for receiving the divine word at Mt. Sinai. (Though it loses the fact that \u201cbe prepared\u201d was chosen to have the same initials as the movement\u2019s founder, <\/span>Robert Baden-Powell<\/span>. But I digress\u2026).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    The translation wasn\u2019t obvious because \u201cnachon<\/em>\u201d in the sense of \u201cready\u201d or \u201cprepared\u201d is an archaic use. Nowadays, \u201cnachon<\/em>\u201d means \u201cright\u201d or \u201ccorrect,\u201d often added as a tag-question, in the sense of \u201caren\u2019t you\u201d: \u201cYou\u2019re going to the market, nachon<\/em>?\u201d The abstract noun form, \u201cnechonut<\/em>\u201d is closer to the original, meaning \u201cwillingness\u201d to do something. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

    For ready or prepared, today the word \u201cmuchan<\/em>\u201d is used. Both are from the super-productive root, \u05db-\u05d5-\u05e0, k-v\/u-n<\/em>. I generally try to avoid just lists of words that come from a certain root, but here it seems the best way to get a sense of this large family of many familiar words. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

    This family actually has two main branches. The words above come from one side, all with meanings connected to \u201cprepare, establish, be firm.\u201d Words similar to those above include: hachanah<\/em>, \u201cpreparation,\u201d konenut<\/em>, \u201con call\u201d (like doctors and soldiers who are on alert), and mechinah<\/em>, which is a preparatory academic program. This branch also includes the familiar \u05db\u05df, \u201cken<\/em>,\u201d \u00a0- whose English equivalent is \u201cyes,\u201d but literally means \u201cestablished, indeed, truly.\u201d The abstract noun form kenut<\/em> means \u201csincerity.\u201d Other examples include: techunah<\/em>, \u201ccharacteristic,\u201d and the word machon<\/em>, which appeared 4 chapters ago (15:17) in the sense of established place, but now means \u201cinstitute\u201d as in Machon Weizman<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    The other branch of the root \u05db-\u05d5-\u05e0, is connected to meanings such as \u201cstraighten, direct, intend, aim.\u201d In most instances here, as opposed to the first group, the middle letter \u201cvav<\/em>\u201d which can be a consonant or a vowel, expresses as a \u201cv\u201d instead of \u201co\u201d or \u201cu\u201d. Thus, we get words such as: kivun<\/em>, \u201cdirection,\u201d and kavannah<\/em>, \u201cintent.\u201d The latter is used in Jewish practice to refer to one\u2019s intentionality, or inwardness, when praying. When something is done be-kavannah<\/em>, it means \u201con purpose.\u201d And plural kavannot<\/em> can mean \u201cintentions\u201d or \u201crifle sights\u201d which help to aim.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    The difference between the two \u201cversions\u201d of this root can be seen in the \u201chitpa\u2019el<\/em>\u201d form. 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      \r\n\t
    1. Chosenness<\/em>. What does it really mean? What is included in this \u201cspecial status\u201d awarded to Israel as part of the covenant? The answer is in the verse - \u201cyou shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.\u201d If that also sounds to you like a job description and not just a status - you may be onto something\u2026<\/li>\r\n\t
    2. Boundary<\/em>. \u201cYou shall set bounds for the people round about\u201d (verse 12). In the revelation, which is the high point of intimacy with God, it seems that setting boundaries becomes all that much more important.<\/li>\r\n\t
    3. Faith<\/em>. Another function of the act of revelation was to ground the faith of the people in Moses as the one who brings the divine word: \u201cAnd the LORD said to Moses, \u2018I will come to you in a thick cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with you and so trust you ever after\u2019\u201d (verse 9).<\/li>\r\n\t
    4. Audio-visual revelation<\/em>. Note the very detailed descriptions in verses 16-19.<\/li>\r\n\t
    5. The perennial mediator<\/em>. How many times did Moses go up the mountain and then come back down? Hint: see verses 3, 7, 14, 20 and 25.<\/li>\r\n\t
    6. Who was God speaking with?<\/em> With Moses? With the whole people? There\u2019s more than one answer in the verses.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"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":"The Daily Summary","tile_main_caption":"Points to Ponder: Exodus 19","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","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":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"69","date":"20251203","wall_id":"69"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/41846"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}