{"id":55618,"date":"2018-07-09T17:42:47","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:42:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-224\/"},"modified":"2022-12-14T07:55:22","modified_gmt":"2022-12-14T05:55:22","slug":"wall-224","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-224\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Prophets-Judges-13"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"224","date":"20260708","book":"Judges","chapter":"13","chapter_main_number":"224","books_group":"Prophets","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"55663","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"Judges Chapter 13 - Read by Norma Fire ","post_title":"Judges Chapter 13 - Read by Norma Fire","slug":"judges-chapter-13-read-by-norma-fire","old_id":"55663","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"224","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"JPS Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"Judges 13","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"read by Norma Fire","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/JPS_Audio_Bible_Judges_Chapter_13_read_by_Norma_Fire","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Judges","chapter":"13","chapter_main_number":"224","date":"20260708","wall_id":"224"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"109995","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Both Superhero And Riddler ","post_title":"Both Superhero And Riddler","slug":"both-superhero-and-riddler","old_id":"109995","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":"224","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"And of course also nazirite\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Samson is probably the most famous of all the Judges, and yet his story is very different from all of the other ones. The story begins in similar fashion to Gideon. An angel of God approaches to make an announcement. But this time it\u2019s different. The angel appeared to Samson\u2019s mother, before Samson was even conceived. The angel also appears to Samson\u2019s mother twice. His father does not seem to believe her, yet God will only appear to his mother.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Samson\u2019s mother is also told that he must be a nazirite, and she must follow nazirite rules in pregnancy. Yet, these rules are different from a regular nazirite. Samson is not forbidden from being near a dead body. He also cannot stop being a nazirite. Samson acts as a loner. He does not assemble tribal armies. He does not even have a small band of soldiers working with him. The only interaction with people of Israel is when members of the tribe of Judah want to turn him over to the Philistines.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Samson also possesses extraordinary physical strength. This \u201csuperpower\u201d is unique in the book of Judges, and in the Torah as a whole (putting midrashim aside). The Samson story also contains lots of riddles. Samson\u2019s mother names him, but without any reason. If someone is named in Tanach, there usually is a reason or God tells the individual to name them. Commentators give the following reasons for his name- He would work for God his whole life (from the Hebrew <\/span>shamash<\/span><\/em>), he was a source of light (from <\/span>shemesh<\/span><\/em>), he would be an annoyance for the Philistines (from the Hebrew <\/span>shimama<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why have all of these mixed \u201chalf\u201d connections in the chapter? Samson was the last of the named Judges in the book. The broken story, with half connections, is once again indicative of the time of Judges. Nothing seems to be going exactly right anymore. Even the great heroes do not fit the mold of the rest of Tanach.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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If asked to picture him, one might envision the young, muscled Samson tearing open a lion with his bare hands. Or an angry Samson knotting the tails of 300 foxes with lighted torches, setting them to run amok in Philistine fields. Or an outnumbered Samson slaying 1,000 armed Philistines with only the jawbone of an ass. Or the enslaved and blinded Samson, his arms gripping the pillars of the Philistine Temple, pulling it down to kill thousands of his and Israel\u2019s tormentors as well as himself.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

All these images are in chapters 13 through 16, the longest single narrative in the book of Judges. Even knowing Samson\u2019s gory fate\u2014trapped and brutalized while his head is held fast in Delilah\u2019s lap\u2014we are compelled to read every word.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But there is a singular characteristic of Israel\u2019s flawed superhero that goes largely unnoticed. In the words of David Grossman, author of \u201cLion\u2019s Honey: The Myth of Samson,\u201d it is Samson\u2019s poetic self. This is not the public face of Samson. Yet it is a marvelous quality that threads throughout the narrative.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Remember the lion incident? At his post-wedding feast (Jud.14:14), Samson poses an original riddle to thirty drunk and hostile Philistine groomsmen:\u00a0 \u201c<\/span>Me\u2019 ha-ochel yatza\u2019\u00a0 ma-achal, u-me\u2019az, yatza\u2019 matok<\/span><\/i>.\u201d \u201cFrom the predator emerged food, and from the strong emerged sweetness.\u201d What am I? The Hebrew words and cadence are lyrical and creative, and, essentially, unsolvable, but for his Philistine bride\u2019s betrayal.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Samson\u2019s response to the betrayal is also poetic, albeit crude.\u00a0 \u201cHad you not plowed with my calf, you would not have solved my riddle!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Most readers are too absorbed by the action of the story to even note this surprising, verbal side of Samson. The Tanach is subtly presenting Samson as complex and multi-dimensional. He is not a cartoon cutout. As Grossman says, \u201calmost every time Samson opens his mouth, a surprising bit of poetry pops out.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Upon slaying the 1,000 Philistines with the donkey\u2019s jawbone, Samson sings out a song poem. \u201cWith the jaw of an ass, Mass upon mass! With the jaw of an ass I have slain a thousand men.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Samson\u2019s two prayers to God are uttered when he is near death. In the first prayer (Jud.15:18), after the jawbone incident, Samson holds God to the bargain sealed before his birth. \u201cYou have granted Your servant this great victory; now save me from dying of thirst among the uncircumcised!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Samson\u2019s last words are his second prayer to God (Jud.16:28).\u00a0 \u201cLord God! Please remember me, and give me strength, just this once, to take revenge on the Philistines, if only for one of my two eyes.\u201d Let me be the warrior You created me to be.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God grants Samson\u2019s prayers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Samson is more than what he appears; Samson is God\u2019s partner. It is not really a surprise, then, that from the depth of Samson\u2019s strong feelings he composes riddles, poems, songs of thanksgiving, and two eloquent prayers to God. He is God\u2019s and Israel\u2019s complex hero.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":84779,"alt":"","title":"ps64-pen sword","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","width":738,"height":186,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword-300x76.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":76,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","medium_large-width":738,"medium_large-height":186,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","large-width":738,"large-height":186,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","1536x1536-width":738,"1536x1536-height":186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","2048x2048-width":738,"2048x2048-height":186,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","post_full_size-width":738,"post_full_size-height":186,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","home_baner-width":738,"home_baner-height":186}},"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":"Samson The Poet","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"God and Israel\u2019s complex hero","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":84779,"alt":"","title":"ps64-pen sword","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","width":738,"height":186,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword-300x76.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":76,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","medium_large-width":738,"medium_large-height":186,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","large-width":738,"large-height":186,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","1536x1536-width":738,"1536x1536-height":186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","2048x2048-width":738,"2048x2048-height":186,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","post_full_size-width":738,"post_full_size-height":186,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps64-pen-sword.jpg","home_baner-width":738,"home_baner-height":186}},"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":"Prophets","book":"Judges","chapter":"13","chapter_main_number":"224","date":"20260708","wall_id":"224"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"362","name":"Poetry","old_id":"762"},{"term_id":"384","name":"God","old_id":"784"},{"term_id":"392","name":"Hero","old_id":"792"},{"term_id":"878","name":"Samson;","old_id":"1278"}]},{"order":4,"id":"55886","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"The Power In The Act of Naming ","post_title":"The Power In The Act Of Naming","slug":"the-power-in-the-act-of-naming","old_id":"55886","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":37333,"post_title":"Esther Jilovsky","slug":"esther-jilovsky","old_id":"37333","first_name":"Esther ","last_name":"Jilovsky","description":"Dr Esther Jilovsky is a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. A native of Melbourne, Australia, she comes to the rabbinate with a PhD from the University of London in 2011. A granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she is the author of Remembering the Holocaust: Generations, Witnessing and Place and co-editor of In the Shadows of Memory: The Holocaust and the Third Generation. \r\n\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr Esther Jilovsky is a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":52868,"alt":"","title":"esther jilovsky.jpeg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1.jpg","width":3581,"height":5371,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-200x300.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-683x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":683,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-683x1024.jpg","large-width":683,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1024,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1365,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-800x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-280x420.jpg","home_baner-width":280,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"224","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"With over 90% of the woman in the Tanakh being nameless, this chapter gives centrality to a nameless woman","post_main_content_content":"

Remembrance is an integral thread woven tightly into Judaism. From the imperative to remember Shabbat in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8), to the Pesach Haggadah\u2019s command to remember that we were once slaves in Egypt, to our \u201cYizkor\u201d service recited four times each year, remembering our past forms a crucial part of observing Judaism and living Jewishly. The first blessing of the Amidah, our central prayer traditionally recited thrice daily, recalls Avoteinu, our patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as we acknowledge that we stand before the same God. The liturgy traces our divine covenant back to its beginnings, to God\u2019s individual covenants with these men of ancient times. Yet, the traditional prayer does not mention the matriarchs, without whom there would be no patriarchs!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In recent decades, progressive streams of Judaism have continued to adapt to our changing world. The names of our matriarchs have appeared in our siddurim since the early 1990s, reflecting wider recognition of women\u2019s roles together with the shift towards gender equality. <\/span>Mishkan T\u2019filah: A Reform Siddur<\/span><\/em>, Reform Judaism\u2019s siddur first published in 2007, includes Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah in the Amidah. The first blessing is entitled Avot v\u2019Imahot<\/em>, patriarchs and matriarchs, instead of just Avot<\/em>. By naming our matriarchs every time we recite the Amidah, we remember them along with their husbands. There are congregations who also add Zilpah, birthmother of Gad and Asher, and Bilhah, birthmother of Dan and Naphtali, their sons named and claimed by Jacob\u2019s wives Leah and Rachel respectively. In naming all these women \u2013 Sarah and Rebecca, Leah and Rachel, Zilpah and Bilhah \u2013 we remember them and their pivotal role in carrying and giving birth to the next generation of patriarchs, and ultimately the twelve tribes of Israel.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Over ninety percent of women in the Tanakh are unnamed. In Judges 13 we meet a woman who is only referred to in the context of her husband, Manoah. Like Sarah, she is unable to conceive a child. An angel of God appears to her, saying \u2018You are barren and have borne no children; but you shall conceive and bear a son\u2019 (13:3). She is given strict instructions not to drink wine and not to eat anything ritually impure, nor to cut the hair of her child. In due course, she gives birth to a son, whom she names Shimshon, Samson, a boy who grows to a man with superhuman strength and bravery (13:24). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Tanakh may not tell us her name but it does tell us that she was the one who named her son. Her name may not have been recorded, but her naming of her son was. We know that she chose Samson\u2019s name, even though her name has been forgotten in the mists of time.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":55889,"alt":"","title":"jud13-name","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name.jpg","width":1618,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-768x513.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":513,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-1024x684.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":684,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name.jpg","2048x2048-width":1618,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-1200x801.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":801,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-629x420.jpg","home_baner-width":629,"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 Power In The Act Of Naming","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"With over 90% of the woman in the Tanakh being nameless, this chapter gives centrality to a nameless woman","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":55889,"alt":"","title":"jud13-name","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name.jpg","width":1618,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-768x513.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":513,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-1024x684.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":684,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name.jpg","2048x2048-width":1618,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-1200x801.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":801,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-629x420.jpg","home_baner-width":629,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Judges","chapter":"13","chapter_main_number":"224","date":"20260708","wall_id":"224"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"365","name":"Gender","old_id":"765"},{"term_id":"405","name":"Memory","old_id":"805"},{"term_id":"551","name":"Names","old_id":"951"},{"term_id":"600","name":"Women","old_id":"1000"},{"term_id":"604","name":"Mothers","old_id":"1004"}]},{"order":5,"id":"55891","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"The Varieties of Religious Experience ","post_title":"The Varieties Of Religious Experience","slug":"the-varieties-of-religious-experience","old_id":"55891","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":"224","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The responses to doubt and revelation by Mr. and Ms. Manoah","post_main_content_content":"

When the angel of the Eternal appears to Manoah\u2019s wife and declares: \u201cYou are barren and have borne no children; but you shall conceive and bear a son\u201d (v. 3) and continues with instructions about his Nazirite status and destiny to free Israel from Philistine rule, she remains surprisingly calm. She expresses no astonishment and asks no questions. Apparently, the messenger\u2019s presence was so commanding that she was sufficiently convinced of the message\u2019s authority as to act without further ado.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Her first act is to find her husband and share the good news of their impending parenthood. Her words are telling: \u201cA man of God came to me; he looked like an angel of God, very fearsome\u201d (v. 6). Although persuaded enough by the messenger to not inquire about his identity or origin, Ms. Manoah stops short of stating unequivocally that he was a truly divine messenger. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Manoah\u2019s response to his wife is not mentioned. Likely he is skeptical, but doesn\u2019t want to hurt her feelings by expressing his doubts. Rather, he turns to God and asks for confirmation. God complies. The messenger again appears to Ms. Manoah, but obligingly waits for her to call her husband, to whom he patiently repeats the instructions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

After their conversation, the visitor refuses to reveal his name or stay for dinner but prompts them to offer a sacrifice to God. Manoah does so, \u201cand a marvelous thing happened while Manoah and his wife looked on. As the flames leaped up from the altar toward the sky, the angel of the Eternal ascended in the flames of the altar, while Manoah and his wife looked on; and they flung themselves on their faces to the ground\u201d (vv. 19-20). Now fully comprehending that they have been visited by a true angel of God, Manoah is terrified while his wife remains calm and confident in their mission.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The chapter is a mini-study in the varied but fleeing (v. 21) nature of religious experience and the variety of human response to it. God and the text are accepting of both Ms. Manoah\u2019s confidence and Manoah\u2019s need for confirmation; of her quiet acceptance of the earthly mission and his ritual offering. Only the effort to pin the experience down \u201cYou must not ask for my name; it is unknowable!\u201d (v.18) is rejected.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

If only human communities could be as accepting of diversity!<\/span>
\r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: Eustache Le Sueur,\u00a0The Sacrifice of Manoah<\/em>, c 1645 \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":55892,"alt":"","title":"jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah.jpg","width":428,"height":600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah-214x300.jpg","medium-width":214,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah.jpg","medium_large-width":428,"medium_large-height":600,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah.jpg","large-width":428,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah.jpg","1536x1536-width":428,"1536x1536-height":600,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah.jpg","2048x2048-width":428,"2048x2048-height":600,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah.jpg","post_full_size-width":428,"post_full_size-height":600,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah-300x420.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"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 Varieties Of Religious Experience","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The responses to doubt and revelation by Mr. and Ms. Manoah","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":55892,"alt":"","title":"jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah.jpg","width":428,"height":600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah-214x300.jpg","medium-width":214,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah.jpg","medium_large-width":428,"medium_large-height":600,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah.jpg","large-width":428,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah.jpg","1536x1536-width":428,"1536x1536-height":600,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah.jpg","2048x2048-width":428,"2048x2048-height":600,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah.jpg","post_full_size-width":428,"post_full_size-height":600,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-Eustache_Le_Sueur_-_The_Sacrifice_of_Manoah-300x420.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Judges","chapter":"13","chapter_main_number":"224","date":"20260708","wall_id":"224"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"375","name":"Faith","old_id":"775"},{"term_id":"509","name":"Angels","old_id":"909"},{"term_id":"526","name":"Husband\/Wife","old_id":"926"}]},{"order":6,"id":"55874","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"When is a Mal\u2019akh an Angel? ","post_title":"When is a Mal\u2019akh an Angel?","slug":"when-is-a-malakh-an-angel","old_id":"55874","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34243,"post_title":"Moshe Sokolow","slug":"moshe-sokolow","old_id":"34243","first_name":"Moshe","last_name":"Sokolow","description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University, and teaches a weekly class in parashat hashavu`a at Lincoln Square Synagogue. He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"224","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"And when is the image of God something else","post_main_content_content":"

\u201cThe Lord\u2019s angel (<\/span>mal\u2019akh<\/span><\/i>) did not continue to appear to Manoah and his wife; that\u2019s when Manoah knew that he was the Lord\u2019s angel. Then Manoah said to his wife, \u2018We will surely die for we have seen a divine being (<\/span>elohim<\/span><\/i>)\u2019\u201d (Judges 13:21-22).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Mal\u2019akh<\/span><\/i>, usually rendered angel, and <\/span>elohim<\/span><\/i>, usually god, are frequently mistranslated. Some of the misunderstanding inheres in the Hebrew; the rest is the vicissitudes of English.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The verbal root <\/span>L-\u2018-Kh<\/span><\/i> yields the noun <\/span>mela\u2019kha<\/span><\/i>, meaning labor, and a <\/span>mal\u2019akh<\/span><\/i> is one who performs a labor (the prefix <\/span>m<\/span><\/i> here indicating agency). While logic would dictate that human labors do not need divine performers, the tendency in Bible translations and commentaries has been to treat all appearances of <\/span>mal\u2019akh<\/span><\/i> as angels. While that would be fine in Greek, wherein <\/span>angelos<\/span><\/i> simply means a messenger, it fails in English wherein angel has come to mean a particular messenger, i.e., one dressed in white, wearing a halo, and, usually, outfitted with a harp. In this regard, the Aramaic version of Onkelos is more discriminating, using <\/span>mal\u2019akha<\/span><\/i> for an ethereal angel, and <\/span>izgeda<\/span><\/i> for a mortal one.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Neither has <\/span>elohim<\/span><\/i> fared better, its ubiquitous translation as \u201cgod\u201d causing a host of theological difficulties of which <\/span>tzelem elohim<\/span><\/i> (Genesis 1:27) is just the most poignant. How can mankind be created \u201cin the image of God\u201d when Maimonides\u2019s second (of thirteen) articles of faith stipulates that \u201cthe blessed Creator is incorporeal\u201d? Here, too, both Hebrew and English are deceptive. <\/span>Elohim<\/span><\/i> is a homonymous noun whose various meanings include God (Gen. 1:1), anything regarded as a deity (Exodus 20:3), a court of law (Exodus 21:6, 22:7), and nobility (Gen. 6:2, 4). However, just as the English noun \u201cgod\u201d has an adjectival form: godly, so does <\/span>elohim<\/span><\/i> also serve as an adjective meaning divine, used as a form of hyperbole.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Ru\u2019ah elohim<\/span><\/i> (Gen. 1:2) is a ferocious wind, <\/span>mar\u2019ot elohim<\/span><\/i> (Ezekiel 1:1) are incredible visions, and <\/span>har\u2019rei el<\/span><\/i> (Psalms 36:7) are majestic mountains. And, to return to our original problem, <\/span>tzelem elohim<\/span><\/i> is a godly image, godly and goodly being one and the same in Olde English. In comparison with God\u2019s other creatures, the image in which he cast mankind is truly divine.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":55881,"alt":"","title":"Jud13-angel","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel.png","width":1762,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel-275x300.png","medium-width":275,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel-768x837.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":837,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel-940x1024.png","large-width":940,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel.png","1536x1536-width":1410,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel.png","2048x2048-width":1762,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel-1101x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1101,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel-385x420.png","home_baner-width":385,"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":"When is a Mal\u2019akh an Angel?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"And when is the image of God something else","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":55881,"alt":"","title":"Jud13-angel","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel.png","width":1762,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel-275x300.png","medium-width":275,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel-768x837.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":837,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel-940x1024.png","large-width":940,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel.png","1536x1536-width":1410,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel.png","2048x2048-width":1762,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel-1101x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1101,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Jud13-angel-385x420.png","home_baner-width":385,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Judges","chapter":"13","chapter_main_number":"224","date":"20260708","wall_id":"224"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"361","name":"Hebrew language","old_id":"761"},{"term_id":"370","name":"Divine\/human","old_id":"770"},{"term_id":"384","name":"God","old_id":"784"},{"term_id":"509","name":"Angels","old_id":"909"}]},{"order":7,"id":"71218","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Samson's Annunciation Scene ","post_title":"Samson's Annunciation Scene","slug":"samsons-annunciation-scene","old_id":"71218","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":69185,"post_title":"Elliott Rabin","slug":"elliott-rabin","old_id":"69185","first_name":"Elliott ","last_name":"Rabin","description":"Elliott Rabin is Director of Thought Leadership at Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools, where he edits Prizmah's magazine HaYidion, writes, produces podcasts and manages research projects. He formerly served as Director of Educational Programs for RAVSAK: The Jewish Community Day School Network and Director of Education for the 92nd Street Y\u2019s Makor\/Steinhardt Center. and served as Assistant Editor at Harper\u2019s Magazine. He is the author of two books on Tanakh: The Biblical Hero: Portraits in Nobility and Fallibility (JPS, March 2020), and Understanding the Hebrew Bible: A Reader\u2019s Guide (Ktav). \r\nPhoto by: Adele Rabin","short_description":"Elliott Rabin is Director of Thought Leadership at Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":69187,"alt":"","title":"Elliott Rabin.Photo by Adele Rabin","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin.jpg","width":3293,"height":2957,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin-300x269.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":269,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin-768x690.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":690,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin-1024x920.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1379,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1839,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin-1200x1078.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1078,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin-468x420.jpg","home_baner-width":468,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"224","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Demonstrating biting irony and a bad paternal role model\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Samson\u2019s introduction in Judges 13 presents an example of an annunciation scene, made famous by the birth of Jesus in the New Testament and its hundreds of medieval and Renaissance depictions. A messenger of the Lord (\u201cangel\u201d and \u201cmessenger\u201d are the same word in Hebrew) appears to a barren woman, identified as the wife of Manoah, to inform her that she will have a son. He instructs her to be meticulous with her son\u2019s food and not give him any alcohol to drink, nor cut his hair, for he will be a nazirite (compare Num. 6:1-21). Manoah pleads to God that the messenger return; he does so and repeats his message. Manoah then tries to feed his guest, \u201cfor he did not know that he was an angel of the Lord,\u201d but the angel refuses to eat the food and to tell his name. Subsequently, Manoah makes a burnt offering to God; he and his wife see the angel ascend upon the flames.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It is hard to understand why, of all the biblical heroes, Samson merits such an entrance. As we shall see, the Bible scarcely depicts him as praiseworthy; he is far from the paradigm of a hero. Rather, Samson\u2019s annunciation in Judges 13 appears to establish a pattern of irony through the striking contrast between the exterior features of the narrative and the interior qualities of the character. The more elaborate the annunciation scene, the less worthy Samson proves to be.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The relationship between his parents is particularly telling with regard to Samson\u2019s future, highly troubled liaisons with the opposite sex. His mother, the unnamed \u201cwife of Manoah,\u201d is repeatedly shown to be more perceptive than her cloddish husband, Manoah. Both times the angel delivers his message, he comes to her, not to Manoah. Even though Manoah pleads for the angel to speak to him, even as he tries to detain him, feed him, find out his name as if the angel were human, the angel will not address him. For all that Manoah hears his wife\u2019s account and speaks at last with the angel, he still \u201cdid not know that he was an angel of the Lord.\u201d Finally, even after Manoah witnesses the angel ascend the flame of the offering, he believes that he and his wife will be punished with death for an illicit glimpse.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

His wife, the level-headed, clear-sighted member of the family, points out the multiple reasons why her husband\u2019s reasoning is fallacious: \u201cHad the Lord meant to take our lives, He would not have accepted a burnt offering and meal offering from us, nor let us see all these things; and He would not have made such an announcement to us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Far from serving as mere comic relief and a foil for his wife, Manoah sets the stage for his son\u2019s own poor judgment and defeat by smarter, cleverer women. He provides a bad model that Samson will utterly and unwittingly follow.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Adapted from <\/span>The Biblical Hero: Portraits in Nobility and Fallibility<\/span><\/em> by Elliott Rabin by permission of the Jewish Publication Society. \u00a92020 by Elliott Rabin.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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After spending her gap year in Migdal Oz, she will attend Barnard College. ","short_description":"Hannah Vorchheimer is a senior at SAR High School. 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When the angel of God appears to announce Samson\u2019s approaching birth, instead of telling both parents (as would be expected) the angel very specifically only relays this information to the wife of Manoah. However, she retells the appearance of the mysterious man of God coming to her in the field, yet Manoah has a difficult time believing this, and prays to God that \u201cthe man of God that You sent come to us again\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Manoah\u2019s use of \u201cus\u201d seems to indicate that he had been present with his wife the first time the angel appeared. However, the Bible very specifically states that only his wife was present. This detail makes Manoah\u2019s prayer very intriguing. Right after this, God sends the angel and again, it only appears to the wife of Manoah. The Bible once again makes a point of detailing that her husband wasn\u2019t with her. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

What is the significance of the Bible\u2019s focus on the tension between Manoah and his wife?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Manoah\u2019s wife is only known in the story as \u201cthe wife of Manoah\u201d. She is always known in association with her husband and therefore has no name of her own. Everything she does and her very essence is connected with him. However, when she begins to break out of that mold by taking charge of the things related to her new child, Manoah begins to become increasingly more distressed. The power structure that used to be part and parcel of their marriage is now flipped on its head. Manoah wants desperately to regain his foothold since perhaps he now feels powerless relative to his wife who now holds the keys, and he is now no longer in control.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Perhaps by sending the angel a second time, God remains steadfast in sending a message to Manoah and others: this is a woman who is righteous, and despite being nameless and her identity being subsumed into her husband\u2019s, she becomes empowered to take control of her situation. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":55896,"alt":"","title":"jud13-we can do 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For forty years the Philistines controlled<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>The Israelites. There was this guy from Dan<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Whose wife could have no children, though not old,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>An angel came to tell her of God\u2019s plan: <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cListen up, you\u2019re gonna have a son!<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>So make sure that no razor cuts his head<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>You can\u2019t drink any wine, I know, no fun--<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>And don\u2019t touch anything unclean or dead.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\r\n

She ran and told her husband the good news<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>He thought, \u201cAn angel? Is my wife a quack?\u201d<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>The angel came to her again to schmooze<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>She ran and called, \u201cManoach, he\u2019s come back!\u201d <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Manoah cried, \u201cWe\u2019ll die!\u201d She said, \u201cThe rest<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>I leave to God.\u201d The boy was born and blessed.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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13:20 \u201cAnd it happened when the flame went up from the altar to the heavens, that the LORD\u2019s messenger went up in the flame of the altar, with Manoah and his woman watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Of all the annunciation scenes, only here does the bringer of the annunciation disappear into the heavens in a column of flame. That pyrotechnic exit of course points to the supernatural character of the child to be born, but, even more strategically, it announces the motif of fire that will recur in Samson\u2019s story. At the end, even when fire is not present either literally or in the figurative language of the story, it remains as a powerful analogue to Samson, the hero who blindly sows destruction, like fire.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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\u201cSamson\u201d<\/span><\/a> by Robyn Fryer Bodzin: Explore this complicated character. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cBiblical Angels in \u2018Neviim\u2019 (Prophets)<\/span><\/a>\u201d by Lisa Malik: What is the role of angels in the Prophets?<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Go deeper into the chapter....","tile_main_caption":"Sefaria Source Sheets - Judges 13","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Click to get links to learning resources","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":42232,"alt":"","title":"sefaria-words-sunburst","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","width":608,"height":395,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-300x195.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":195,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","medium_large-width":608,"medium_large-height":395,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","large-width":608,"large-height":395,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","1536x1536-width":608,"1536x1536-height":395,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","2048x2048-width":608,"2048x2048-height":395,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","post_full_size-width":608,"post_full_size-height":395,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","home_baner-width":608,"home_baner-height":395}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"Sefaria word sunburst visualization","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Judges","chapter":"13","chapter_main_number":"224","date":"20260708","wall_id":"224"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":14,"id":"55863","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Points to Ponder - Judges 13 ","post_title":"Points to Ponder - Judges 13","slug":"points-to-ponder-judges-13","old_id":"55863","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"224","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

    \r\n\t
  1. Manoah\u2019s Wife<\/span><\/i>. The heroine of the chapter, yet she remains nameless.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Couple\u2019s dynamic<\/span><\/i>. How does Manoah\u2019s wife describe the revelation of the angel? What does she add? What does she leave out? What sort of tone do you think she is using in verses 6-7?<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. A man of God or an angel of God?<\/span><\/i> The text presents him all along as an angel of God. Manoah\u2019s wife describes: \u00a0\u201cA man of God came to me; he looked like an angel of God\u201d (verse 6). But Manoah seems sure that he is a man (verse 16), until he proves that he isn\u2019t.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. The savior?<\/span><\/i> Who knows that Samason is supposed to be the savior of Israel? Manoah\u2019s wife, and the readers. Manoah hears from his wife and from the angel only that he is to be a Nazirite. And what does Samson know? Good question.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  5. Now that makes sense<\/span><\/i>. See the crackerjack answer that Manoah\u2019s wife gives to her husband (verse 23) to his irrational fears of dying for having seen God. <\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  6. Now that sounds promising<\/span><\/i>. A bay born to a barren woman + divine revelation and purpose + Nazirite status = a winning combination for something special. For what? 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