{"id":46528,"date":"2018-07-09T17:41:11","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-1025\/"},"modified":"2022-07-29T07:49:25","modified_gmt":"2022-07-29T04:49:25","slug":"wall-1025","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-1025\/","title":{"rendered":"weekend-from-20220724-to-20220730"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"weekend","wall_id":"1025","date_from":"20220724","date_to":"20220730","book":"Numbers","books_group":"Torah","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"106778","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"2","name":"Parashot Matot-Masei: What We Can Learn from Regret ","post_title":"Parashot Matot-Masei: What We Can Learn from Regret","slug":"parashat-pinchas-loving-the-land-2","old_id":"106778","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":106779,"post_title":"Carmella Abraham","slug":"carmella-abraham","old_id":"106779","first_name":"Carmella ","last_name":"Abraham","description":"Rabba Dr. Carmella Abraham is a physician and member of the Orthodox clergy. Carmella earned her BA degree from Barnard College and her medical degree from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. In 2017, she was ordained by Yeshivat Maharat. Carmella currently works at a Pharmaceutical company in Medical Affairs specializing in women's cancers, and is an active member of the JOFA board.","short_description":"Rabba Dr. Carmella Abraham is a physician, a member of the Orthodox clergy, and an active member of the JOFA board.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":106780,"alt":"","title":"-62e2723b0a52d--62e2723b0a52ecarmella abraham.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/07\/62e2723b0a52d-62e2723b0a52ecarmella-abraham.jpg.jpg","width":960,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/07\/62e2723b0a52d-62e2723b0a52ecarmella-abraham.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/07\/62e2723b0a52d-62e2723b0a52ecarmella-abraham.jpg-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/07\/62e2723b0a52d-62e2723b0a52ecarmella-abraham.jpg-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/07\/62e2723b0a52d-62e2723b0a52ecarmella-abraham.jpg.jpg","large-width":960,"large-height":720,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/07\/62e2723b0a52d-62e2723b0a52ecarmella-abraham.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":960,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/07\/62e2723b0a52d-62e2723b0a52ecarmella-abraham.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":960,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/07\/62e2723b0a52d-62e2723b0a52ecarmella-abraham.jpg.jpg","post_full_size-width":960,"post_full_size-height":720,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/07\/62e2723b0a52d-62e2723b0a52ecarmella-abraham.jpg-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"1025","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"If we lived our love for land - whether in Israel or elsewhere in the world - how different would our world look?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Through the lens of regret, we learn the importance of appreciating the land and its fundamental purpose of sustaining humankind<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n

In a surprising twist, the <\/span>midrash<\/span><\/i> recounts the regret expressed\u00a0 by the tribes of Reuben and Gad for choosing to stay east of the\u00a0 Jordan river instead of settling in the land of Israel:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When these two tribes entered the land of Israel and saw how much room was there for sowing and how much room was there for planting trees, they said \u201dBetter is one handful of pleasantness in this land Israel than two fistfuls of land on the other side of the Jordan\u201d Upon reflection, they themselves withdrew their complaint and said \u201cIs it not we who chose the territory east of the Jordan ourselves?\u201d (<\/span>Vayikra Rabba 3:1<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This change of heart was entirely unanticipated in light of this week\u2019s parsha Matot-Masei where we find these very same tribes of Reuben and Gad pleading with Moses to allow them and their families to settle east of the Jordan rather than to enter the land of Israel. The reason provided is the economic suitability of the Transjordan region, \u201cit is a land for livestock and your servants have livestock (<\/span>Numbers 32:4<\/span><\/a>).\u201d Moses criticizes them \u201cShall your brothers go to battle while you remain here (<\/span>Numbers 32:6<\/span><\/a>)?\u201d Moses is especially concerned that this situation could quickly deteriorate, with the remainder of the tribes becoming fearful of entering the land of Israel. Reuben and Gad agree to Moses\u2019 terms to fight alongside the tribes of Israel until the tribes obtain their respective territories. And so Reubenites and Gadites cross into Israel ready to fight and conquer the land with the rest of the nation. And as per the <\/span>midrash<\/span><\/i>, upon entering the land, they immediately regretted their initial decision to settle in the Transjordan.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In <\/span>The Power of Regret<\/span><\/i>, Daniel H. Pink discusses an interesting theory of motivation which\u00a0 helps to explain the underpinnings of regret. He describes three selves: the actual self, an ideal self and an ought self. The actual self are the attributes we currently possess whereas the ideal self is the self we believe we <\/span>could <\/span><\/i>be if we followed our hopes, dreams and wishes. Our ought self is the self we believe we <\/span>should <\/span><\/i>be- with an eye toward our responsibilities and commitments. Research demonstrates that people regret their inability to live up to their ideal selves more than their failures to live up to their ought selves.\u00a0 Failures to become our ideal selves are really failures to pursue opportunities, a failure of inaction, while failures to become our ought selves are failures to fulfill an obligation.<\/span> In the midrashic description,\u00a0 the tribes of Reuben and Gad touch the fertile soil in the Holy Land, imagine the possibilities and experience a deep sense of disappointment. This fertile, fruitful beautiful terrain fills them with regret, the missed opportunity of\u00a0 settling\u00a0 in Israel to farm the more ideal land to support their families and livestock.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, through this very lens of regret, we\u00a0 learn the importance of appreciating the land and its fundamental purpose of sustaining humankind. We experience this throughout the <\/span>shmita<\/span><\/i> year. While the land lies fallow,\u00a0 we can reflect on the multiple negative impacts of climate change on shifting agroecosystem boundaries , invasive crops and pests, and more extreme weather events. These impacts on farming have led to lower crop yields, lower nutritional value of grains, and lower livestock productivity. Current agricultural practices also contribute to the problem by producing 20-30% of greenhouse gas emissions. All of these serve as contributing factors that threaten global food security. It is vital that we take the learnings from this week\u2019s parsha and turn them into action supporting the climate action movement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Please consider partnering with Hazon on the upcoming \u201cJewish Call to Action Webinars\u201d (see below) so that every Jewish community can find a way to be involved.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

August 4, 8-9pm ET <\/span>https:\/\/hazon.org\/calendar\/jewish-call-for-climate-action-2\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\r\n

August 11, 12-1pm ET <\/span>https:\/\/hazon.org\/calendar\/jewish-call-for-climate-action-2\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\r\n

*This is the Torah reading for Diaspora communities. Israeli and Diaspora communities will become \"synced\" again at Parashat Devarim.<\/em><\/p>\r\n

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

See here for more information on the Hazon Shmita project, and its blogs.<\/a><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":81608,"alt":"","title":"shmita","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","width":711,"height":708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","medium_large-width":711,"medium_large-height":708,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","large-width":711,"large-height":708,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","1536x1536-width":711,"1536x1536-height":708,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","2048x2048-width":711,"2048x2048-height":708,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","post_full_size-width":711,"post_full_size-height":708,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-422x420.jpg","home_baner-width":422,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"A Weekly Series: The \"Shmitah Parasha\" Blog","tile_main_caption":"Parashot Matot-Masei*: What We Can Learn from Regret ","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"in conjunction with Hazon.org","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":81608,"alt":"","title":"shmita","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","width":711,"height":708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","medium_large-width":711,"medium_large-height":708,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","large-width":711,"large-height":708,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","1536x1536-width":711,"1536x1536-height":708,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","2048x2048-width":711,"2048x2048-height":708,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","post_full_size-width":711,"post_full_size-height":708,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-422x420.jpg","home_baner-width":422,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Numbers","chapter":false,"chapter_main_number":false,"date":false,"wall_id":"1025"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"360","name":"Nature\/Environment","old_id":"760"},{"term_id":"368","name":"Parasha","old_id":"768"},{"term_id":"494","name":"Shmita","old_id":"894"}]},{"order":2,"id":"46547","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Holy Shleppers ","post_title":"Holy Shleppers","slug":"holy-shleppers","old_id":"46547","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":"121","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The gift of portable sanctity, and broad shoulders upon which to carry it","post_main_content_content":"

I remember how shocked and bemused I was the first time I saw a big red Moishe's Moving van on the streets of New York. They never told me that that's an acceptable vocation for a good Jewish boy. I soon found out that it's hard to get a mover in New York City who isn't a member of the tribe. But it turns out, before Jews were doctors or lawyers or bankers, the best of the best them were movers. In Bamidbar 4, the holy charge of the Levites is not singing or washing hands. It's shlepping.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Kehat \u00a0has the best job of all, the holy of holies. That means no fancy wagons for them. They must shlep by hand- 'on their shoulder, they carry.'<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The history of the wandering Jew has often been a story of packing up our belongings and moving. For most nations, that kind of wandering spelled assimilation, and the disappearance of national identity. But, from the very beginning, we were given the gift of portable sanctity, of holiness that could be brought and applied to new situations, new geographic and social realities.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It's a daring concept, and for some, frightening. Some commentators suggest that this fear lay at the root of the spies' behavior, which we will read of soon enough. They knew very well how to live a life of Torah in the desert. To bring the Torah into the land of Israel seemed like too radical of a change.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This was precisely the task of Kehat. It takes a religious leadership with broad shoulders to have sufficient courage, and sufficient faith in the portability of the Torah, to make it feel at home in a new reality. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Who are those holy shleppers in our world?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0Henri Julien [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":46562,"alt":"","title":"num4-Demenagement_1887","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887.jpg","width":521,"height":579,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887-270x300.jpg","medium-width":270,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887.jpg","medium_large-width":521,"medium_large-height":579,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887.jpg","large-width":521,"large-height":579,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887.jpg","1536x1536-width":521,"1536x1536-height":579,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887.jpg","2048x2048-width":521,"2048x2048-height":579,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887.jpg","post_full_size-width":521,"post_full_size-height":579,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887-378x420.jpg","home_baner-width":378,"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":"Holy Shleppers","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The gift of portable sanctity, and broad shoulders upon which to carry it","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":46562,"alt":"","title":"num4-Demenagement_1887","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887.jpg","width":521,"height":579,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887-270x300.jpg","medium-width":270,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887.jpg","medium_large-width":521,"medium_large-height":579,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887.jpg","large-width":521,"large-height":579,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887.jpg","1536x1536-width":521,"1536x1536-height":579,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887.jpg","2048x2048-width":521,"2048x2048-height":579,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887.jpg","post_full_size-width":521,"post_full_size-height":579,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-Demenagement_1887-378x420.jpg","home_baner-width":378,"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":"Torah","book":"Numbers","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"121","date":"20260215","wall_id":"121"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"402","name":"Leadership","old_id":"802"},{"term_id":"796","name":"Levites","old_id":"1196"}]},{"order":3,"id":"46551","color":"#f6f5de","size":"1","name":"A Desert Tabernacle Covered with Dolphin Skins?! ","post_title":"A Desert Tabernacle Covered With Dolphin Skins?!","slug":"a-desert-tabernacle-covered-with-dolphin-skins","old_id":"46551","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":"121","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Or narwhal, or badger, or dugong, or antelope. Or unicorn.","post_main_content_content":"

In our Chapter, the priests are commanded to cover the Ark of the Covenant and other sacred implements with \u201c<\/span>Tahash <\/span><\/i>skin\u201d (Chapter 4, verses 6, 8, 10, 11 and 12). Among ancient and modern commentators there seems to be no accepted consensus about what exactly is referred to by the Hebrew word <\/span>Tahash<\/span><\/i>. The most common translation today is \u201cdolphin\u201d, though the narwhal maybe be what is more precisely intended. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Indeed, dolphin and narwhal skins seemed to have been used quite extensively in ancient Near Eastern religions, in the Mediterranean area. Other candidates for identifying the <\/span>Tahash <\/span><\/i>vary as widely as the badger, the dugong (manatee, sea-cow) and various goats and antelopes. For the Rabbinic Sages, the very obscurity of the word <\/span>Tahash<\/span><\/i> was an invitation to apply their creative imagination. According to the Talmud (Shabbat 28b) the <\/span>Tahash<\/span><\/i> that existed in the days of Moses was a unique creature \u2013 in our time now extinct. It had a single horn in its forehead (i.e. it was a \u201cunicorn\u201d). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

The biblical <\/span>Tahash <\/span><\/i>made itself available as its skin was needed to cover the <\/span>Mishkan<\/span><\/i> (Desert Tabernacle). When it was no longer needed for this purpose, it was hidden away until it will reappear in the Messianic Era, as suggested in Ecclesiastes 1:9 \u201cThat which has been, is that which shall be\u201d (see Ecclesiastes Rabbah 1:28 on this verse). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

From ancient to modern times the color of its skin has also been a matter of debate, ranging from purple to orange. According to Midrash Tanhuma (Terumah 6) the <\/span>Tahash<\/span><\/i> was a miraculous animal whose skin had six different colors. It was also of marvelous size because each sheet of <\/span>Tahash <\/span><\/i>skin had to extend the entire length of the <\/span>Mishkan<\/span><\/i>, 30 cubits, about 45 feet (see Exodus 28:8 and 14). Indeed, the biblical <\/span>Tahash<\/span><\/i> remains an ideal object of contemporary creative imagination.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: cookingwithglitter.blogspot<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":46553,"alt":"","title":"num4-tahash","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash.png","width":640,"height":467,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash-300x219.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":219,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash.png","medium_large-width":640,"medium_large-height":467,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash.png","large-width":640,"large-height":467,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash.png","1536x1536-width":640,"1536x1536-height":467,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash.png","2048x2048-width":640,"2048x2048-height":467,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash.png","post_full_size-width":640,"post_full_size-height":467,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash-576x420.png","home_baner-width":576,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"A Desert Tabernacle Covered With Dolphin Skins?!","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Or narwhal, or badger, or dugong, or antelope. Or unicorn.","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":46553,"alt":"","title":"num4-tahash","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash.png","width":640,"height":467,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash-300x219.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":219,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash.png","medium_large-width":640,"medium_large-height":467,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash.png","large-width":640,"large-height":467,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash.png","1536x1536-width":640,"1536x1536-height":467,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash.png","2048x2048-width":640,"2048x2048-height":467,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash.png","post_full_size-width":640,"post_full_size-height":467,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num4-tahash-576x420.png","home_baner-width":576,"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":"Torah","book":"Numbers","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"121","date":"20260215","wall_id":"121"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"363","name":"Midrash","old_id":"763"},{"term_id":"660","name":"Animals","old_id":"1060"}]},{"order":4,"id":"46580","color":"#efefef","size":"1","name":"Mad or Wayward? ","post_title":"Mad Or Wayward?","slug":"mad-or-wayward","old_id":"46580","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34004,"post_title":"Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg","slug":"avivah-gottlieb-zornberg","old_id":"34004","first_name":"Avivah Gottlieb","last_name":"Zornberg","description":"Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg lives in Jerusalem where she has been lecturing on Torah since 1980. She reads biblical narratives through the prism of midrash, literature, philosophy and particularly psychoanalysis.\r\nShe was born in London and grew up in Glasgow, where her father was a Rabbi and the head of the Rabbinical Court. She studied Torah with him from childhood. Her PhD in English Literature is from Cambridge University, England. She taught English literature at the Hebrew University before turning to teaching Torah. She now teaches throughout the Jewish world, at synagogues, universities, and psychoanalytic institutes.\r\nShe is the author of five critically acclaimed books. Her latest book, Moses: A Human Life, was published by Yale University Press.\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg lives and lectures on Torah in Jerusalem. She is the author of five critically acclaimed books. ","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34006,"alt":"","title":"Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","width":454,"height":359,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg-300x237.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":237,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","medium_large-width":454,"medium_large-height":359,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","large-width":454,"large-height":359,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","1536x1536-width":454,"1536x1536-height":359,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","2048x2048-width":454,"2048x2048-height":359,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","post_full_size-width":454,"post_full_size-height":359,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","home_baner-width":454,"home_baner-height":359}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"122","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Two readings of passion and morality","post_main_content_content":"

The term \"Sotah\" reveals a peculiar ambiguity. It refers both to the woman who is under suspicion of adultery and specifically to the woman who has undergone the ordeal and been found guilty. As Rashi explains the word (on Num 5:12), it carries two quite different meanings: <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cOur Rabbis have taught: \u2018Adulterers never sin until a spirit of madness enters into them, as it is written of the Sotah, <\/span>`<\/span><\/i>ki tisteh<\/span><\/em>\u2014if she becomes mad [<\/span>shotah<\/span><\/em>]'\u2019 (Prov. 6:32). But the plain sense of the verse is that <\/span>ki tisteh<\/span><\/em> means: if she deviates from the path of modesty...\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the first reading, derived from the midrash (Tanchuma, <\/span>Nasso<\/span><\/i> 5), the Sotah is the bearer of a \"spirit of madness.\" In order to read it this way, the Rabbis notice that the biblical word is, unexpectedly, spelled with a shin<\/em>, from the root<\/span> sh-t-h<\/span><\/em>, which refers to madness, folly, craziness. In the second reading, <\/span>ki tisteh<\/span><\/em> is read in accordance with its sound, as derived from the root<\/span> s-t-h<\/span><\/em> with a <\/span>sin<\/span><\/em> or a <\/span>samech<\/span><\/em>\u2014<\/span><\/i>to deviate, be wayward, go astray. The woman has deviated from social norms of modesty; she is on a slippery slope that may already have brought her to full adultery. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Two different understandings of adultery are implied. In the first reading, the adulterous act is described as an incomprehensible loss of sanity. This is the crime of passion that in French law traditionally constituted grounds for leniency. Such a diagnosis of the <\/span>Sotah<\/span><\/i> conveys the fear that such taboo acts arouse in normative society. The Rabbis here see an otherness that they define as the invasion of \"a spirit of madness.\" But if she is indeed possessed by such a demonic spirit, if she is, in modern terms, clinically insane, is she responsible for her own acts? In the other reading, the \"slippery slope\" interpretation, the <\/span>Sotah<\/span><\/i> remains responsible. If she had not \"deviated,\" she would not have reached this point. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, this rational perspective loses an aspect of the situation that is clearly important to the Rabbis: it obscures the madness of illicit passion, the otherness of what the <\/span>Sotah<\/span><\/i> represents\u2014which opens up difficult questions about moral responsibility. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Commonsense interpretations of the text and act are in tension with the mad truth of a reading that elides <\/span>Sotah<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>shotah<\/span><\/em>. If, at the moment of sin, the Sotah has become fundamentally irrational, then she has, in a sense, become a stranger to her daylight self. For society, she now represents the terror of human permeability to momentary gusts of passion. <\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59051,"alt":"","title":"isam26-crazy","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy.png","width":1920,"height":1485,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy-300x232.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":232,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy-768x594.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":594,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy-1024x792.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":792,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1188,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1485,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy-1200x928.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":928,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy-543x420.png","home_baner-width":543,"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":"Mad Or Wayward?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Two readings of passion and morality","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59051,"alt":"","title":"isam26-crazy","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy.png","width":1920,"height":1485,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy-300x232.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":232,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy-768x594.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":594,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy-1024x792.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":792,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1188,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1485,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy-1200x928.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":928,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/isam26-crazy-543x420.png","home_baner-width":543,"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":"Torah","book":"Numbers","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"122","date":"20260216","wall_id":"122"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"412","name":"Responsibility","old_id":"812"},{"term_id":"436","name":"Morality","old_id":"836"},{"term_id":"797","name":"Sotah","old_id":"1197"}]},{"order":5,"id":"106634","color":"#f2e9df","size":"1","name":"Thoughts On The Sotah Ritual ","post_title":"Thoughts On The Sotah Ritual","slug":"thoughts-on-the-sotah-ritual","old_id":"106634","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"122","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"What was its ultimate goal?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Sotah<\/span><\/em>, the trial by ordeal of a woman suspected of adultery, is a unique ceremony. No other law includes outright divine intervention. When a man suspects his wife and warns her not to be alone with a certain man and she defies him, the man brings her to the priest. The priest then performs a special ritual that involves making the woman swear innocence, read a paragraph that is written on a tablet and then dissolved in water. A grain offering is brought and the woman drinks from the water. If she was truthful, then (the Gemara says that) she becomes pregnant. If she was lying, her stomach and thighs become distended and sag.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Normally, any sort of punishment, even for adultery, requires two witnesses and court adjudication. Not in this case. During the ceremony, God\u2019s name is erased in the bitter waters, something that is not done anywhere else.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The tractate of Sotah dissects every single word in the twenty verses of this chapter. A few examples: In verse 11, the Torah introduces the section with \u201cSpeak to the Israelite people and say to them.\u201d The Gemara explains that the additional \u201cand say to them\u201d is added to include not just married women, but women who are awaiting levirate marriage and an engaged woman. These women can be warned, although they do not drink from the Sotah water.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Verse 15 explains that \u201cthe man shall bring his wife to the priest.\u201d The Gemara explains that the ceremony can only begin if the husband himself brings the wife to the temple. No one else is allowed to bring her, not even the court.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In verse 18, the priest stands the woman up and places the grain offering in her hands. The Gemara explains that if the woman was unable to stand on her own, or she did not have hands to hold the offering, she cannot be given the bitter waters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why does God intervene in this case specifically? It cannot merely be to protect the sanctity of marriage because this ceremony is not for all sexual transgressions. The key difference here is the jealousy itself. Jealousy is a powerful emotion. Left unchecked, the husband will do horrible things to his suspected wife. This detailed ceremony provides many opportunities for both the husband (by calming down when seeing his wife go through this ceremony) and the wife (by admitting guilt at any stage) to make peace, the ultimate goal.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":60001,"alt":"","title":"2sam6-anger","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger.png","width":1089,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger-255x300.png","medium-width":255,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger-768x903.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":903,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger-871x1024.png","large-width":871,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger.png","1536x1536-width":1089,"1536x1536-height":1280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger.png","2048x2048-width":1089,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger-1021x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1021,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger-357x420.png","home_baner-width":357,"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":"Thoughts On The Sotah Ritual","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"What was its ultimate goal?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":60001,"alt":"","title":"2sam6-anger","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger.png","width":1089,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger-255x300.png","medium-width":255,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger-768x903.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":903,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger-871x1024.png","large-width":871,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger.png","1536x1536-width":1089,"1536x1536-height":1280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger.png","2048x2048-width":1089,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger-1021x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1021,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam6-anger-357x420.png","home_baner-width":357,"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":"Numbers","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"122","date":"20260216","wall_id":"122"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"448","name":"Ritual","old_id":"848"},{"term_id":"565","name":"Jealousy","old_id":"965"},{"term_id":"583","name":"Curse","old_id":"983"},{"term_id":"797","name":"Sotah","old_id":"1197"}]},{"order":6,"id":"46674","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Men Controlling Women ","post_title":"Men Controlling Women","slug":"men-controlling-women","old_id":"46674","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":46660,"post_title":"Tova Hartman","slug":"tova-hartman","old_id":"46660","first_name":"Tova ","last_name":"Hartman ","description":"Prof. Tova Hartman is a scholar, author, and social entrepreneur. She currently serves as the Dean of Humanities at Ono Academic College, a model of multicultural graduate and undergraduate programming and education-based social reform. She is a founder of Kehillat Shira Hadasha, a congregation organized to increase women's participation and leadership within traditional Jewish prayer and halakha","short_description":"Prof. Tova Hartman is a scholar, author, and social entrepreneur. She currently serves as the Dean of Humanities at Ono Academic College.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":46661,"alt":"","title":"tova hartman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/tova-hartman.jpg","width":237,"height":285,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/tova-hartman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/tova-hartman.jpg","medium-width":237,"medium-height":285,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/tova-hartman.jpg","medium_large-width":237,"medium_large-height":285,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/tova-hartman.jpg","large-width":237,"large-height":285,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/tova-hartman.jpg","1536x1536-width":237,"1536x1536-height":285,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/tova-hartman.jpg","2048x2048-width":237,"2048x2048-height":285,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/tova-hartman.jpg","post_full_size-width":237,"post_full_size-height":285,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/tova-hartman.jpg","home_baner-width":237,"home_baner-height":285}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"122","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Though the Sotah ritual may moderate male jealousy, female bodies and then minds were subject to male restrictions","post_main_content_content":"

We do not live in a time when women are freed from the nightmares and terror of jealous husbands. \u00a0We read almost every day how women are killed in \u201chonor\u201d killings by male relatives, supported by an establishment who does not care enough (at best) to make sure women are safe. I suggest reading the Sotah ritual with this as background. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Given how awful and humiliating the Sotah ritual is for the accused woman, it is certainly not an emancipatory or modern text: the Bible does not tell the husband to see a secular authority or religious priest to work out his jealous fantasies. But significantly, underlying this law, the husband does not absolutely own his wife\u2019s body\u2014he cannot administer punishment directly based on his suspicions. \u00a0The husband must bring his wife to the Tabernacle\/Temple.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Sotah ordeal is not a direct parallel to the treatment of other \u201csuspect\u201c women in history. For instance, a woman suspected of witchcraft had a stone tied to her ankle, and was thrown in the water. If she miraculously swam free, she then \u00a0must be a witch and was burned at the stake. The scarlet letter is removed almost immediately.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Don\u2019t misunderstand me\u2014I am not saying that this is an egalitarian law. \u00a0Ancient Israel was a polygynous society, where men could have many legitimate concurrent sexual partners, and women could only have one; the jealous wife needed to live with her jealousy, as reflected in many biblical stories. In a culture that was, and still remains, dangerous for women from the people they are most vulnerable to, the ceremony was a welcome relief. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This law, which required earth form the Temple, was automatically abolished once the Temple was destroyed. In the Rabbinic interpretations of the biblical text they moved this law in new directions, and use it as a means to control women differently: not sexually, but in terms of women\u2019s access to Jewish texts.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Babylonian Talmud <\/span>Sotah<\/span><\/i> 21a discusses whether or not women may study Torah, and the famous opinion of R. Eliezer is that they may not, since if they study Torah, they will realize that good deeds defer the punishment of the Sotah<\/em> waters, even if they were adulterous, for according to the rabbis, if a woman sleeps around and then gives charity, and sleeps around and then gives charity, the waters will be ineffective! The rabbis here instead of being a little better than their surroundings as in the Bible, reflected back a prevalent fear of the relationship between women\u2019s knowledge and their sexuality. <\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":52084,"alt":"","title":"dt30-classic Talmud pic with women scholars","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","width":400,"height":272,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars-300x204.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":204,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","medium_large-width":400,"medium_large-height":272,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","large-width":400,"large-height":272,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","1536x1536-width":400,"1536x1536-height":272,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","2048x2048-width":400,"2048x2048-height":272,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","post_full_size-width":400,"post_full_size-height":272,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","home_baner-width":400,"home_baner-height":272}},"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":"Men Controlling Women","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Though the Sotah ritual may moderate male jealousy, female bodies and then minds were subject to male restrictions","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":52084,"alt":"","title":"dt30-classic Talmud pic with women scholars","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","width":400,"height":272,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars-300x204.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":204,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","medium_large-width":400,"medium_large-height":272,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","large-width":400,"large-height":272,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","1536x1536-width":400,"1536x1536-height":272,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","2048x2048-width":400,"2048x2048-height":272,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","post_full_size-width":400,"post_full_size-height":272,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt30-classic-Talmud-pic-with-women-scholars.jpg","home_baner-width":400,"home_baner-height":272}},"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":"Torah","book":"Numbers","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"122","date":"20260216","wall_id":"122"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"410","name":"Torah","old_id":"810"},{"term_id":"483","name":"Feminism","old_id":"883"},{"term_id":"600","name":"Women","old_id":"1000"},{"term_id":"797","name":"Sotah","old_id":"1197"}]},{"order":7,"id":"46595","color":"#e6f5f3","size":"1","name":"Living a Life of Holiness ","post_title":"Living A Life Of Holiness","slug":"living-a-life-of-holiness","old_id":"46595","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33992,"post_title":"Bradley Shavit Artson","slug":"rabbi-dr-bradley-shavit-artson","old_id":"33992","first_name":"Bradley Shavit ","last_name":"Artson","description":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles, and is professor of philosophy there. Artson is married to Elana Shavit Artson, and they are the parents of twins, Shira and Jacob.\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson is the Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles.","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33993,"alt":"","title":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","width":204,"height":199,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-256x300.png","medium-width":256,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","medium_large-width":204,"medium_large-height":199,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","large-width":204,"large-height":199,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","1536x1536-width":204,"1536x1536-height":199,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","2048x2048-width":204,"2048x2048-height":199,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","post_full_size-width":204,"post_full_size-height":199,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","home_baner-width":204,"home_baner-height":199}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"123","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A path of entry of sanctity for all","post_main_content_content":"

We may take it for granted that in several segments of the Jewish world today, anyone who wants to can become a Jew, and anyone who wants to \u2013 Jewish by birth or by choice \u2013 can choose to life a life devoted to Torah and mitzvot, either by being a passionate and engaged Jew, or by being one who also pursues ordination as a rabbi or cantor. The doors are open for those who would seek to enter.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But that was not the case during the First and Second Temple periods. During that time, if you were male, and your father was a kohen<\/em> (a member of the Priestly caste), then you would live a life of consecrated holiness as a matter of course. You would offer the sacrifices, attend to the Temple ritual and its implements, and answer questions of Jewish practice when they were posed to you. If you were a woman, then the closest you might get to such a life was by marrying a Kohen, which would give you access to eating holy offerings and to participating, if in an adjacent way, through the work of your husband.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But what of those from the most common caste, those whose fathers were yisrael<\/em>? Other than bringing offerings when required (or desired), there really wasn\u2019t much possibility of living a sanctified life as a full-time pursuit. For those whose souls hungered to cleave to God, there wasn\u2019t much offered to satisfy those holy urges.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Except for the chance to become a nazirite. Lay Israelites thirsting for immersive holiness could take a vow to become a nazirite (women too!). Once they took that vow, they were required to abstain from wine, beer and other fermented drinks (and grape products), to abstain from cutting their hair and from coming into contact with a corpse. These prohibitions parallel the restrictions on the priesthood, offering the Israelite seeking a deeper connection to the holy to have such access.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Even in the ancient patriarchy of the Bible, even when holiness was a status inherited from one\u2019s father by blood, even then the Torah provides a path of entry for the common folk.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The message is clear, and rabbinic Judaism expanded that small beginning into a way of life: holiness belongs to the entire people. Anyone who wishes to live a life of mitzvot and of holiness is offered a path, encouraged to hold fast, and to make of themselves a beacon of Torah.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What are you waiting for?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: Michal Ben Hamu<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":46752,"alt":"","title":"num6-nazir","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir.jpg","width":900,"height":386,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir-300x129.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":129,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir-768x329.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":329,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir.jpg","large-width":900,"large-height":386,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir.jpg","1536x1536-width":900,"1536x1536-height":386,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir.jpg","2048x2048-width":900,"2048x2048-height":386,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir.jpg","post_full_size-width":900,"post_full_size-height":386,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir.jpg","home_baner-width":900,"home_baner-height":386}},"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":"Living A Life Of Holiness ","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A path of entry of sanctity for all","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":46752,"alt":"","title":"num6-nazir","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir.jpg","width":900,"height":386,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir-300x129.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":129,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir-768x329.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":329,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir.jpg","large-width":900,"large-height":386,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir.jpg","1536x1536-width":900,"1536x1536-height":386,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir.jpg","2048x2048-width":900,"2048x2048-height":386,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir.jpg","post_full_size-width":900,"post_full_size-height":386,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/num6-nazir.jpg","home_baner-width":900,"home_baner-height":386}},"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":"Torah","book":"Numbers","chapter":"6","chapter_main_number":"123","date":"20260217","wall_id":"123"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"480","name":"Holiness","old_id":"880"},{"term_id":"734","name":"Individual","old_id":"1134"},{"term_id":"800","name":"Nazirite","old_id":"1200"}]},{"order":8,"id":"106703","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"Encountering Blessings, Face To Face ","post_title":"Encountering Blessings, Face To Face","slug":"encountering-blessings-face-to-face","old_id":"106703","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":104022,"post_title":"Benji Zoller","slug":"benji-zoller","old_id":"104022","first_name":"Benji ","last_name":"Zoller ","description":"Benji Zoller is a current student of Jewish Thought and Hebrew Literature at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He has studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion and Yeshivat Otniel. A native of Dallas, Texas, Benji now resides with his wife, Leah Nerenberg, in Jerusalem.","short_description":"Benji Zoller is a current student of Jewish Thought and Hebrew Literature at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. A native of Dallas, Texas, Benji now resides with his wife, Leah Nerenberg, in Jerusalem.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":104023,"alt":"","title":"-6258019f9e1f4--6258019f9e1f5benji zoller.jpeg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/04\/6258019f9e1f4-6258019f9e1f5benji-zoller.jpeg.jpeg","width":1011,"height":1011,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/04\/6258019f9e1f4-6258019f9e1f5benji-zoller.jpeg-150x150.jpeg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/04\/6258019f9e1f4-6258019f9e1f5benji-zoller.jpeg-300x300.jpeg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/04\/6258019f9e1f4-6258019f9e1f5benji-zoller.jpeg-768x768.jpeg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/04\/6258019f9e1f4-6258019f9e1f5benji-zoller.jpeg.jpeg","large-width":1011,"large-height":1011,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/04\/6258019f9e1f4-6258019f9e1f5benji-zoller.jpeg.jpeg","1536x1536-width":1011,"1536x1536-height":1011,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/04\/6258019f9e1f4-6258019f9e1f5benji-zoller.jpeg.jpeg","2048x2048-width":1011,"2048x2048-height":1011,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/04\/6258019f9e1f4-6258019f9e1f5benji-zoller.jpeg.jpeg","post_full_size-width":1011,"post_full_size-height":1011,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/04\/6258019f9e1f4-6258019f9e1f5benji-zoller.jpeg-420x420.jpeg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"123","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"God\u2019s face is made not of bones, muscles and skin, but of grace, peace and love","post_main_content_content":"

Standing before their entire community, the priests, enshrouded in their <\/span>tallitot<\/span><\/em>, assume the responsibility to be a channel for God\u2019s blessings. \u201cIf it be Your will,\u201d they ask God, \u201cmay we bless Your people with love.\u201d Turning from the Ark to the people, the kohanim begin chanting the priestly blessings, word by word after the <\/span>chazzan<\/span><\/em>. With this blessing, the kohanim reflect God\u2019s love upon the people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Everyone\u2019s face may be covered and their eyes sealed tight, yet it is at this moment when God \u201clights up His face.\u201d A face made not of bones, muscles and skin, but of grace, peace and love.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As the kohanim face the people, they manifest God\u2019s blessing. To bless an object or an action indeed means to sanctify and elevate, but to bless another human being means to approach another with love. In Martin Buber\u2019s terminology, a blessing is thus an epitomization of an \u201cI-Thou\u201d encounter. When I bless a friend, I face them and they face me. Facing each other, the world around us disappears and the present moment stands absolutely still. Here we are, face-to-face, an image of God standing before an image of God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The priestly blessing is a reminder to face the other as a friend. To encounter them, their essence and their godliness, with love.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":78824,"alt":"","title":"zeph1-face","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face.jpg","width":6000,"height":4000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-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":"Encountering Blessings, Face To Face","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"God\u2019s face is made not of bones, muscles and skin, but of grace, peace and love","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":78824,"alt":"","title":"zeph1-face","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face.jpg","width":6000,"height":4000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Numbers","chapter":"6","chapter_main_number":"123","date":"20260217","wall_id":"123"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"381","name":"love","old_id":"781"},{"term_id":"384","name":"God","old_id":"784"},{"term_id":"504","name":"Blessing","old_id":"904"},{"term_id":"631","name":"Priests","old_id":"1031"}]},{"order":9,"id":"46591","color":"#e6f5f3","size":"1","name":"Great is Peace! ","post_title":"Great Is Peace!","slug":"great-is-peace","old_id":"46591","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":"123","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Even God is called Peace","post_main_content_content":"

Our chapter concludes with the oft-repeated Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:22-27), which itself concludes with the Blessing of Peace \u201cThe Lord bestow His favor upon you and grant you peace!\u201d (verse 26). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Midrash (Numbers Rabbah 11:7) elaborates on this verse with an extensive discussion of Peace: <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201c\u2026 Grant you peace\u201d -- peace when you come in, peace when you go out, peace with all men. This refers to the peace of the Torah, as it says, \u201cThe Lord will give strength (i.e. Torah) unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace\u201d (Psalms 29:11)\u2026
\r\nGreat is peace, for the divine name is blotted out in water for the sake of bringing about peace between a man and his wife (in the Sotah ritual, see Numbers 5:23).
\r\nGreat is peace, for the conclusion of the whole Amidah Prayer is peace, and the conclusion of the priestly blessing is peace. For blessings are effective when they conclude with a prayer for peace.
\r\nGreat is peace, for it was given to the meek, as it says, \u201cThe humble shall inherit the land and delight themselves in the abundance of peace\u201d (Psalms 37:11).
\r\nGreat is peace, for it outweighs all else, as we say in the Morning Prayer, \u201cHe [God] makes peace and creates all\u201d\u2026
\r\nGreat is peace, for even the dying need the promise of peace, as God said to Abram, \u201cYou shall go to your fathers in peace\u201d (Genesis 15:15), and as God promised Zedekiah, King of Judah: \u201cYou shall die in peace\u201d (Jeremiah 34:5).
\r\nGreat is peace, for it was given to those who are repentant, as it says, \u201cPeace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, says the Lord\u201d (Isaiah 57:19) \u2026
\r\nGreat is peace, for it was given to those who love the Torah, as it says, \u201cGreat peace have they that love Your Torah\u201d (Psalms 119:165).
\r\nGreat is peace, for it was given to those who study the Torah, as it says, \u201cAnd all Your children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of Your children\u201d (Isaiah 54:13) \u2026
\r\nGreat is peace, for God is called Peace, as it says: \u201cThe Lord is peace\u201d (Judges 6:24). Indeed, the Torah itself is compared to peace, as it says, \u201cAll her paths are peace\u201d (Proverbs 3:17).
\r\nAnd the Holy One, blessed be He, comforts Jerusalem with the promise of peace, as it says: \u201cAnd My people shall abide in a habitation of peace\u201d (Isaiah 32: 18). And so, Israel are continually blessed with peace, as it says, \u201cThe Lord bestow His favor upon you and grant you peace!\u201d (Numbers 6:26).<\/p>\r\n

image by: zoyalipets\/shutterstock<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":46708,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_137006933","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933.jpg","width":4930,"height":6001,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933-246x300.jpg","medium-width":246,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933-768x935.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":935,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933-841x1024.jpg","large-width":841,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933.jpg","1536x1536-width":1262,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933.jpg","2048x2048-width":1682,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933-986x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":986,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933-345x420.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":"Great Is Peace!","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Even God is called Peace","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":46708,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_137006933","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933.jpg","width":4930,"height":6001,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933-246x300.jpg","medium-width":246,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933-768x935.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":935,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933-841x1024.jpg","large-width":841,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933.jpg","1536x1536-width":1262,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933.jpg","2048x2048-width":1682,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933-986x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":986,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_137006933-345x420.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":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Numbers","chapter":"6","chapter_main_number":"123","date":"20260217","wall_id":"123"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"384","name":"God","old_id":"784"},{"term_id":"409","name":"Peace","old_id":"809"}]},{"order":10,"id":"106697","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"Blessings Bestowed With Love ","post_title":"Blessings Bestowed With Love","slug":"blessings-bestowed-with-love","old_id":"106697","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":46656,"post_title":"Molly Morris","slug":"molly-morris","old_id":"46656","first_name":"Molly ","last_name":"Morris ","description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Her particular area of interest is biblical leadership. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":92561,"alt":"","title":"molly morris","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","width":2192,"height":2488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-264x300.jpg","medium-width":264,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-768x872.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":872,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-902x1024.jpg","large-width":902,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","1536x1536-width":1353,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","2048x2048-width":1804,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-1057x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1057,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-370x420.jpg","home_baner-width":370,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"123","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Understanding the special status and formulation of the priestly blessing\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

When God instructs Aaron and his sons to give the priestly blessings to the nation, God prescribes the exact words to be used, the very same words used today for the blessings given in congregations the world over. There are three blessings, but in fact, each of the three is a two-fold blessing.<\/span> Michal Horowitz<\/span><\/a> breaks down these double blessings nicely, in a blog post that references several other commentaries.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The first blessing, \u201cMay God bless you and protect you,\u201d is generally accepted to be a blessing of material good fortune. But what are we being protected from? According to Rashi,\u00a0 while we want God\u2019s blessing of material wealth, we also need help in how we use those blessings. So, part two of the blessing is that God protect us from the corruption of material wealth and help us to use it in the service of God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The second two-fold blessing, \u201cMay God cause His countenance to shine on you and favor you,\u201d addresses our Torah knowledge and spirituality. Rav Mordechai Willig suggests that this refers to the blessing of God giving us the light of Torah. However, just like material wealth can be used in a corrupt manner, increased knowledge comes with the risk of arrogance. So that blessing is paired with the blessing that God favor us to use our Torah knowledge responsibly and for good.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Finally, the third blessing, \u201c<\/span>May God raise His countenance toward you and grant you peace.\u201d <\/span>This is a blessing\u00a0 to find a balance between the material and spiritual (the first two blessings). That synthesis, says Rabbi Shalom Rosner, quoted there, is difficult to achieve, so the counterpart to the blessing is that we also be blessed with the peace and tranquility required to find the right balance. Perhaps, only in finding that material\/spiritual balance do we find inner peace and tranquility.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The blessing that the <\/span>kohanim<\/em> <\/span>say before bestowing their blessing on the Jewish people is unique. <\/span>Most blessings we say are simple acknowledgments of the commandment we are given, as in \u201cBlessed are You, Lord\u2026 Who commanded us to (light Shabbat candles\/wash our hands\/shake a Lulav, etc.)\u201d This blessing, however, speaks to how the commandment should be performed \u2013 namely: \u201c\u2026.Who <\/span>commanded us to bless Your people Israel <\/span>with love<\/span>.\"\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

The power of the priestly blessings comes from love that flows two ways. Firstly, <\/span>kohanim<\/em> <\/span>can only proceed with the priestly blessing upon an invitation from the congregation to do so \u2013 an invitation that persists today through a call to the <\/span>kohanim <\/span><\/i>by a congregational representative. We want to\u00a0 be blessed because of our love for Torah, and our desire to use these blessings to their most genuine potential. The <\/span>kohanim<\/em> <\/span>perform their blessing because they are commanded to, but they perform it \u201cwith love\u201d for God and the Jewish people, and the desire to strengthen that relationship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":76064,"alt":"","title":"hos3-eternal love","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love.jpg","width":1920,"height":1440,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1440,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"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":"Blessings Bestowed With Love","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Understanding the special status and formulation of the priestly blessing","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":76064,"alt":"","title":"hos3-eternal love","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love.jpg","width":1920,"height":1440,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1440,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/hos3-eternal-love-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"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":"Numbers","chapter":"6","chapter_main_number":"123","date":"20260217","wall_id":"123"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"381","name":"love","old_id":"781"},{"term_id":"504","name":"Blessing","old_id":"904"},{"term_id":"631","name":"Priests","old_id":"1031"}]},{"order":11,"id":"46793","color":"#f7f7f5","size":"1","name":"Dedicating the Tabernacle - Again? ","post_title":"Dedicating The Tabernacle - Again?","slug":"dedicating-the-tabernacle-again","old_id":"46793","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38047,"post_title":"Shoshana Michael Zucker","slug":"shoshana-michael-zucker","old_id":"38047","first_name":"Shoshana Michael ","last_name":"Zucker ","description":"Shoshana Michael Zucker is a translator and editor by profession, but would much rather be learning and teaching Torah. A graduate of Barnard College, she made aliyah in 1983 and now lives in Kfar Saba where she is an active member of the Masorti Congregation Hod veHadar. ","short_description":"Shoshana Michael Zucker is a translator and editor and lives in Kfar Saba \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38048,"alt":"","title":"Shoshana Michael Zucker","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","width":231,"height":310,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker-224x300.jpg","medium-width":224,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","medium_large-width":231,"medium_large-height":310,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","large-width":231,"large-height":310,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","1536x1536-width":231,"1536x1536-height":310,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","2048x2048-width":231,"2048x2048-height":310,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","post_full_size-width":231,"post_full_size-height":310,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","home_baner-width":231,"home_baner-height":310}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"124","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"This is the third time, showing the three-fold path to holy work","post_main_content_content":"

\u201cThis is the dedication of the altar...\u201d (Numbers 7:40), thus concludes the long description of the gifts brought to the completed Tabernacle by the tribal chieftains, giving the reader a sense of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu. But then again, maybe not. The Torah indeed tells of the completion of the Tabernacle\u2019s construction three times, but each is from a different perspective.<\/p>\r\n

The first version in Exodus 40 is from the perspective of Bezalel and skilled artisans. It includes a description of the Tabernacle and all its vessels, which were created at God's command, as well as an accurate accounting of how they used the materials donated by the people. It emphasizes the physical splendor of the building, the Tabernacle as a place where the Divine Presence dwells among the people. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the Tabernacle according to Bezalel, God and humanity meet when people work using the divine wisdom and talent within them. This aspect of the Tabernacle elevates the spirit not only of the creators but of everyone who looks at or experiences it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In Leviticus 9, the perspective is that of Aaron and the priests, with a focus on sacrifices. The Tabernacle is filled with smoke and the smell of burnt flesh. Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira even imagines an argument between Bezalel and Aaron, in which Bezalel is furious that his beautiful Tabernacle is being dirtied so. But from the priestly perspective, the fire and smoke that fill the Tabernacle express the aspiration to elevate the most material and violent aspects of life in Divine service.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In Numbers 7, the princes each bring the same gift, an inventory of items needed \u00a0for the continuous functioning of the Tabernacle. They represent the majority of the people, they work together without competition, and care about the daily functioning of the community. Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi (quoted in the introduction to Ein Ya'akov) claimed that the command to bring regular sacrifices is the most important verse in the Torah. Rather than magnificent artistry or dramas of fire and smoke, he values perseverance, steady, constant steps that can also produce desirable results in our encounters with the divine.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Indeed, the Torah recounts the completion of the Tabernacle\u2019s construction from three different angles, thus demonstrating that there are (at least) three paths in holy work, and that the story is not complete unless it is told from various points of view.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Brian A Jackson\/shutterstock<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":46794,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_581985622","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622.jpg","width":8400,"height":3744,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622-300x134.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":134,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622-768x342.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":342,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622-1024x456.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":456,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":685,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":913,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622-1200x535.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":535,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622-942x420.jpg","home_baner-width":942,"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":"Dedicating The Tabernacle - Again?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"This is the third time, showing the three-fold path to holy work","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":46794,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_581985622","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622.jpg","width":8400,"height":3744,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622-300x134.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":134,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622-768x342.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":342,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622-1024x456.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":456,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":685,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":913,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622-1200x535.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":535,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_581985622-942x420.jpg","home_baner-width":942,"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":"Torah","book":"Numbers","chapter":"7","chapter_main_number":"124","date":"20260218","wall_id":"124"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"480","name":"Holiness","old_id":"880"},{"term_id":"668","name":"Tabernacle","old_id":"1068"}]},{"order":12,"id":"46782","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"The Importance Of Long, Boring Ceremonies ","post_title":"The Importance Of Long, Boring Ceremonies","slug":"the-importance-of-long-boring-ceremonies","old_id":"46782","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":"124","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Some insights from this, the longest chapter in the Torah","post_main_content_content":"

Chapter 7 makes me think of graduation ceremonies. For some, they are insufferably long, hours and hours of waiting to snap that one fuzzy picture of that one special person among hundreds or thousands that you came for. Does everyone really need their name called? Can't we cut to the chase here?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A similar feeling of futility might fill you as you read today's chapter. Do we really need all this repetition, everyone asks? Are we going to go through that whole list again?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In both cases, the frustration is a question of perspective taking. Prince #8 wasn't bored by his own gift- for him, it was the moment he had been waiting for. He wouldn't give up on it for the world. For Prince #2, though, it already seemed rather redundant. At graduation, no one would want their own loved one's moment cut short. Just those of all those other guys.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But, as Rabbi Hanoch Teller pithily puts it, to the other guy, YOU are the other guy. The ability to recognize and honor that insight is an essential part of creating a community. Ideally, every member of a community would feel genuine joy at the joy of another. But even when that's not possible, the most minimal requirement of community building is the willingness of each member to suffer boredom so that another can celebrate. If you're not willing to do that, you don't have a community. You have a large group of very fidgety individuals.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As the Jewish people ready their camp, this is the lesson we learn from the longest, most repetitive, most boring chapter in the Torah. So take a deep breath, sit back, and savor your boredom. Your community depends on it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: Alexander P\/shutterstock<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":46784,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_627726773","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773.jpg","width":5333,"height":4000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1536,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"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 Importance Of Long, Boring Ceremonies","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Some insights from this, the longest chapter in the Torah","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":46784,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_627726773","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773.jpg","width":5333,"height":4000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1536,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/shutterstock_627726773-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"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":"Torah","book":"Numbers","chapter":"7","chapter_main_number":"124","date":"20260218","wall_id":"124"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"448","name":"Ritual","old_id":"848"},{"term_id":"801","name":"Boring","old_id":"1201"}]},{"order":13,"id":"46797","color":"#eceffa","size":"1","name":"Deep Math: The Indivisible One ","post_title":"Deep Math: The Indivisible One","slug":"deep-math-the-indivisible-one","old_id":"46797","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":42746,"post_title":"Michal Kohane","slug":"michal-kohane","old_id":"42746","first_name":"Michal ","last_name":"Kohane ","description":"Currently based in Israel, Rabbanit Michal Kohane is a graduate of Yeshivat Maharat, a writer, community leader and teacher of Talmud & Torah. She holds degrees in Israel studies , education and psychology, and has been a leader and educator in Northern California for over 25 years. Her first novel, Hachug (\"Extracurricular\") was published in Israel in 2016 and her weekly blog can be found at http:\/\/www.miko284.com\r\n\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Currently based in Israel, Rabbanit Michal Kohane is a graduate of Yeshivat Maharat, a writer, community leader and teacher of Talmud & Torah. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":42747,"alt":"","title":"michal kohane","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","width":214,"height":226,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","medium-width":214,"medium-height":226,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","medium_large-width":214,"medium_large-height":226,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","large-width":214,"large-height":226,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","1536x1536-width":214,"1536x1536-height":226,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","2048x2048-width":214,"2048x2048-height":226,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","post_full_size-width":214,"post_full_size-height":226,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","home_baner-width":214,"home_baner-height":226}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"125","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Kabbalistic insights into the structure of \u00a0the Menorah and the Torah","post_main_content_content":"

The Menorah was made of 7 branches, 9 flowers, 11 knobs and 22 cups, as described in Exodus 25:31-29. The Kabbalists say that the Menorah is like the whole Torah because it constantly sheds light. They tell us how its construction symbolizes it:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the 1st verse of the Book of Genesis, there are 7 words, like the 7 branches;<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the 1st verse of the Book of Exodus, there are 11 words, like the 11 knobs;<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the 1st verse in the Book of Leviticus, there are 9 words, like the 9 flowers;<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the 1st verse of the Book of Deuteronomy, there are 22 words, like the 22 cups;<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Finally, in the 1st verse of the Book of Numbers, there are 17 words, like the 17 tefachim<\/em> of the Menorah\u2019s height (a tefach<\/em> is a Biblical measurement of about one fist wide).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Last, if we add all these (7+9+11+22), we\u2019ll get 49, same as the numbers of days between Passover and Shavuot, or \u2013 the walk from slavery to freedom, to coming to Mt. Sinai to receive the Torah. Inside both words, Torah and Menorah, hides the word \u201cor\u201d, light. This was the first thing God created which immediately was defined as \u201cgood\u201d. The Menorah is not a \u201cthing\u201d made of many parts, but rather \u2013 many parts of an indivisible One.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":46798,"alt":"","title":"num8-kohane","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane-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":"Deep Math: The Indivisible One","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Kabbalistic insights into the structure of \u00a0the Menorah and the Torah","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":46798,"alt":"","title":"num8-kohane","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num8-kohane-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"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":"Torah","book":"Numbers","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"125","date":"20260219","wall_id":"125"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"410","name":"Torah","old_id":"810"},{"term_id":"557","name":"Kabbalah","old_id":"957"},{"term_id":"672","name":"Menorah","old_id":"1072"},{"term_id":"680","name":"Symbolism","old_id":"1080"},{"term_id":"789","name":"Numbers","old_id":"1189"}]}],"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\/46528"}],"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=46528"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}