{"id":56059,"date":"2018-07-09T17:42:54","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:42:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-231\/"},"modified":"2022-12-25T07:21:31","modified_gmt":"2022-12-25T05:21:31","slug":"wall-231","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-231\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Prophets-Judges-20"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"231","date":"20260719","book":"Judges","chapter":"20","chapter_main_number":"231","books_group":"Prophets","hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"posts":[{"order":1,"id":"56074","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"Judges Chapter 20 - Read by Jonathan Roumie ","post_title":"Judges Chapter 20 - Read by Jonathan Roumie","slug":"judges-chapter-20-read-by-jonathan-roumie","old_id":"56074","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":"231","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 20","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"read by Jonathan Roumie","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/JPS_Audio_Bible_Judges_Chapter_20_read_by_Jonathan_Roumie","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":"20","chapter_main_number":"231","date":"20260719","wall_id":"231"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"110303","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Attacking A Fellow Tribe - Should We Or Shouldn\u2019t We? ","post_title":"Attacking A Fellow Tribe - Should We Or Shouldn\u2019t We?","slug":"attacking-a-fellow-tribe-should-we-or-shouldnt-we","old_id":"110303","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":"231","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"When God\u2019s approval isn't enough\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Judges 20 parallels the story of the battle of Ai. After Jericho, the Israelites were overly confident. They battled Ai with a small force and were routed. They returned to Joshua distraught. God revealed that someone had stolen from the booty of Jericho. As a result, the army was doomed to failure. After the Israelites repented, God told them to go again to fight Ai and they would be victorious. They devise an ambush attack wherein one fighting force will draw out the army, and then a second group will enter the unprotected city. The signal there was a pillar of smoke rising up from the city.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In chapter 20, the Israelites prepare to attack Benjamin. They approach God and ask who should go first. God responds that Judah should attack first. Despite a much larger force, the Benjaminites defeated Judah. Licking their wounds, the Israelites return to God and ask, \u201cshall we again attack the children of Benjamin our brother?\u201d God responded yes. Once again, the Israelites are routed. The third time they \u201cwept and sat before God and fasted that day until the evening and gave sacrifices before God.\u201d (verse 26). They ask again through Pinchas if they should fight against their brother Benjamin, and this time God says yes. They devise an identical plan to the attack on Ai and the plan is equally successful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why is the text written to match the battle of Ai? Why did God have them ask three times before they were victorious?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Radak explains that the reason it took three times is that the people did not ask God the proper way. These questions were not posed to a prophet. Instead, they were asked through the <\/span>Urim V\u2019Tumim<\/span><\/i>, the cultic oracle. The response is based on the question and does not reveal anything else. The first time they simply asked who should go first. The second time they realized the gravity of the situation a little more by asking if they should attack a fellow tribe. They realized that something was wrong and perhaps they should not be attacking a fellow tribe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Finally, the last time, they fasted and wept and showed genuine contrition for what had happened. They asked God again if they should attack or if they should stop. This time, God answered.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The story of Ai seems to play out in a similar way with one major difference- Joshua. In the story of Ai after the initial defeat, Joshua pleaded with God on the people\u2019s behalf and asked God directly what should be done. Here, there is no one with that connection to God. Even their request, attacking a fellow tribe, is depressing. The text sets up this parallel to show once again how far the people have fallen. Yes, they were ultimately victorious, as with Ai, but this was not an enemy of the Israelites, this was a fellow tribe, and worse they are shown to be completely leaderless.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":85386,"alt":"","title":"ps74-crystal ball","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball-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":"Attacking A Fellow Tribe - Should We Or Shouldn\u2019t We?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"When God\u2019s approval isn't enough","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":85386,"alt":"","title":"ps74-crystal ball","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps74-crystal-ball-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":"Prophets","book":"Judges","chapter":"20","chapter_main_number":"231","date":"20260719","wall_id":"231"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"390","name":"Prophets","old_id":"790"},{"term_id":"434","name":"War","old_id":"834"},{"term_id":"561","name":"Brothers","old_id":"961"},{"term_id":"792","name":"Tribes","old_id":"1192"}]},{"order":3,"id":"56461","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"The Toll Of A Bloody Un-Civil War ","post_title":"The Toll Of A Bloody Un-Civil War","slug":"the-toll-of-a-bloody-un-civil-war","old_id":"56461","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":"231","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Just how many were lost of the tribes of Israel?","post_main_content_content":"

The rape and degradation of the Levite\u2019s concubine by the inhabitants of Gibeah\u2014detailed in the previous chapter and reiterated in vs. 2 ff.\u2014have their consequences: a civil war erupts, pitting the tribe of Benjamin\u2014standing up for their own members\u2014against \u201cthe balance of the tribes of Israel\u201d numbering some 400,000 (v. 2). Although vastly outnumbered (the Benjaminites numbered but 26,000 plus the 700 left-handed sharpshooters we referenced back in chapter 3<\/a>), they managed to take out 10% of their opponents (22,000 in v.21 and another 18,000 in v.25). \u00a0It is at this juncture that the Israelites sought divine counsel via Phinehas the Priest, as we mentioned in the previous chapter.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

With Phinehas\u2019 assent, the Israelites set up ambushes about Gibeah. They pretended to be routed, drawing the defenders out of the city (32). Then they sprang their trap, catching the Benjaminites betwixt and between (33-34), slaying 25,100 of them (35): 18,000 in the field of battle (44), 5,000 more on the wilderness road and 2,000 near Gid'om (45). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

If you do the math, that adds up to 25,000, which is what v. 46 reports. Recalling, however, that v.35 reported total losses at 25,100, we \u00a0may side with either Rashi, who implies that the remaining 100 were omitted from the total because they were killed in unspecified locations, or with Radak, whose opinion is that Scripture rounded off the total to the nearest thousand. Since the total Benjaminite army was reported earlier as 26,700, that would leave between 1,600 and 1,700 survivors, but v.47 reports that only 600 soldiers took refuge in Rimon Rock, leaving us to speculate about the fate of the remaining 1,000. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Whatever their exact number, the final chapter of the Book of Judges, which follows anon, presumes that only males survived, leaving the victors to confront an unanticipated result of their triumph: the possible demise of an entire tribe.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":56466,"alt":"","title":"jud20-cemetary","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary.jpg","width":1920,"height":1440,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1440,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary-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 Toll Of A Bloody Un-Civil War","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Just how many were lost of the tribes of Israel?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":56466,"alt":"","title":"jud20-cemetary","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary.jpg","width":1920,"height":1440,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1440,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-cemetary-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":"Prophets","book":"Judges","chapter":"20","chapter_main_number":"231","date":"20260719","wall_id":"231"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"383","name":"Death","old_id":"783"},{"term_id":"434","name":"War","old_id":"834"},{"term_id":"792","name":"Tribes","old_id":"1192"}]},{"order":4,"id":"56504","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Loyalty Replaces Disloyalty; Brotherhood - Fratricide ","post_title":"Loyalty Replaces Disloyalty; Brotherhood - Fratricide","slug":"loyalty-replaces-disloyalty-brotherhood-fratricide","old_id":"56504","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":37404,"post_title":"Jennifer Raskas","slug":"jennifer-raskas","old_id":"37404","first_name":"Jennifer ","last_name":"Raskas ","description":"Jennifer Raskas is the Washington D.C. Manager for the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. She teaches classes widely on Hebrew literary approaches to readings in Tanakh. Jennifer received her Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University and her Master's in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.","short_description":"Jennifer Raskas is the Washington D.C. Manager for the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":37405,"alt":"","title":"Jennifer Raskas","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483.jpg","width":1680,"height":1647,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483-300x294.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":294,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483-768x753.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":753,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483-1024x1004.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":1004,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1506,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483.jpg","2048x2048-width":1680,"2048x2048-height":1647,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483-1200x1176.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1176,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483-428x420.jpg","home_baner-width":428,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"231","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Judges as Context and Counterpoint","post_main_content_content":"

Judges 20 glaringly describes a story that on its surface appears virtuous but is replete with depravity and sin: the civil war. On the surface the Israelites are repeatedly described as uniting as <\/span>one man<\/span> before the Lord<\/span><\/em> (see Judges 20:1) and they heroically proclaim their intention to <\/span>stamp out the evil from Israel<\/span><\/em> (20:13). They even bring God offerings while seeking His advice. This unified and \u201cnoble\u201d war, however, is a civil war! The Israelites proclaim unity as they literally fight against their brother, the tribe of Benjamin. The text emphasizes this perverse association with brotherhood as the Israelites refer to the tribe of Benjamin as <\/span>achi<\/span><\/em>, my brother, even as they seek to kill them (Judges 20:23,28).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In stark contrast, in the book of Ruth, Boaz displays true loyalty in the name of brotherhood.<\/span> \u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Inspired by Ruth\u2019s loyalty to Naomi, Boaz announces that he will redeem the field that belonged <\/span>le\u2019achenu<\/span><\/em>,<\/span><\/i> to our brother (Ruth 4:3) because <\/span>echav<\/span><\/em>,<\/span><\/i> brothers of Israel should never be cut off (4:10). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

There are numerous words in Judges that describe perverse aspects of the civil war and then describe virtuous acts in Ruth. In Judges, for example, the soldiers in the civil war are described as foot soldiers who<\/span> shalaf<\/span><\/em>, draw their swords (Judges 20:2). Nowhere else in Tanakh are soldiers described as drawing their swords and also as <\/span>fighting men on foot<\/span><\/em>. In Ruth the word <\/span>shalaf<\/span><\/em> is also used in the context of feet. Here, Boaz virtuously redeems Naomi\u2019s husband\u2019s field when he draws, <\/span>va\u2019yishlof<\/span><\/em>,<\/em> his shoe (Ruth 4:7-8). Throughout Tanakh the root <\/span>sh-l-f<\/span><\/em> describes fighting and aggression. Only in the book of Ruth is the root <\/span>sh-l-f<\/span><\/em> used peacefully, when it twice describes Boaz's righteous redemption of his brother\u2019s field.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The root <\/span>d-v-k<\/em> <\/span>in Judges similarly describes Israelites belligerently chasing one another (see Judges 20:42). In the Book of Ruth, <\/span>d-v-k<\/span><\/em> describes virtuous loyalty, when Ruth <\/span>davka<\/span><\/em>,<\/span><\/i> clings<\/span> to Naomi and when Boaz tells Ruth to <\/span>tidbikin<\/span><\/em>, stick to his maidens and field (Ruth 1:14; 2:8; 2:23). \u00a0Similar patterns appear for the words <\/span>menucha<\/span><\/em>, <\/span>Tamar<\/span><\/em> and c<\/span>hayil<\/span> (see for example Judges 20:43, Ruth 1:9, 3:1; Judges 20:33, Ruth 4:12 and Judges 20:44, Ruth 2:1)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

These words then follow the surface-depth theme we\u2019ve seen throughout the comparisons of these two texts. Just as Judges describes a society that on the <\/span>surface<\/span> appears moral but <\/span>in reality<\/span> is corrupt, these words in Judges are on their <\/span>surface<\/span> positive words, but their <\/span>context<\/span> describes depravity and sin. In the book of Ruth, as the Israelites learn to look beyond the surface of Ruth as a foreign woman and discover her inner goodness, these very words from Judges regain their positive associations while describing acts of true valor and virtue.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For a fuller exploration about the contrast between the end of the Book of Judges and the Book of Ruth, please see: Raskas, Jennifer R.<\/span> \u201cThe Book of Ruth: A Contrast to the End of the Book of Judges.\u201d<\/span><\/a> Jewish Bible Quarterly. Volume 43:4 (2015): p. 223-232<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0Rembrandt,\u00a0Boas\u00a0und\u00a0Ruth<\/em>, 1637-40 \/ wikimedia\u00a0<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":56517,"alt":"","title":"jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth.jpg","width":800,"height":848,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth-283x300.jpg","medium-width":283,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth-768x814.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":814,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":848,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":848,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":848,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":848,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth-396x420.jpg","home_baner-width":396,"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":"Special Series: The Tikkun of Ruth IV","tile_main_caption":"Loyalty Replaces Disloyalty; Brotherhood - Fratricide","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Judges as Context and Counterpoint","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":56517,"alt":"","title":"jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth.jpg","width":800,"height":848,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth-283x300.jpg","medium-width":283,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth-768x814.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":814,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":848,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":848,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":848,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":848,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud20-RembrandtBoasRuth-396x420.jpg","home_baner-width":396,"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":"20","chapter_main_number":"231","date":"20260719","wall_id":"231"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"337","name":"Ruth","old_id":"737"},{"term_id":"409","name":"Peace","old_id":"809"},{"term_id":"434","name":"War","old_id":"834"},{"term_id":"837","name":"Judges","old_id":"1237"}]},{"order":5,"id":"56456","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Painful Relic, Or Contemporary Warning? ","post_title":"Painful Relic, Or Contemporary Warning?","slug":"painful-relic-or-contemporary-warning","old_id":"56456","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":55843,"post_title":"Chelsea Feuchs","slug":"chelsea-feuchs","old_id":"55843","first_name":"Chelsea ","last_name":"Feuchs ","description":"Chelsea Feuchs is a rabbinical student at HUC-JIR, where she is a Wexner Graduate Fellow. Chelsea attended Brown University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Judaic Studies. ","short_description":"Chelsea Feuchs is a rabbinical student at HUC-JIR, where she is a Wexner Graduate Fellow.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":55845,"alt":"","title":"chelsea feuchs","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/chelsea-feuchs-1.jpg","width":936,"height":930,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/chelsea-feuchs-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/chelsea-feuchs-1-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/chelsea-feuchs-1-768x763.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":763,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/chelsea-feuchs-1.jpg","large-width":936,"large-height":930,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/chelsea-feuchs-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":936,"1536x1536-height":930,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/chelsea-feuchs-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":936,"2048x2048-height":930,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/chelsea-feuchs-1.jpg","post_full_size-width":936,"post_full_size-height":930,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/chelsea-feuchs-1-423x420.jpg","home_baner-width":423,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"231","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"How many times do we ignore the memories of victims in pursuit of vengeance?","post_main_content_content":"

The murder and dismemberment of the concubine at Gibeah is one of the most gruesome episodes in the entire Tanach. Its events are recapped in 20:4-6 by the husband of the deceased woman, who says, \u201c\u2018My concubine and I came to Gibeah of Benjamin to spend the night. The citizens of Gibeah set out to harm me. They gathered against me around the house in the night; they meant to kill me, and they ravished my concubine until she died. So I took hold of my concubine and I cut her in pieces and sent them through every part of Israel\u2019s territory. For an outrageous act of depravity had been committed in Israel.\u2019\u201d <\/span><\/p>\r\n

The text is terse, factual, and focused primarily on the husband\u2019s experience. The citizens gathered against <\/span>him<\/span><\/em>, meant to kill <\/span>him<\/span><\/em>, ravished <\/span>his<\/em> <\/span>concubine. Both in the crime and in its aftermath, the story of the woman is secondary.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This pattern continues throughout the war ostensibly waged due to the harm inflicted upon the concubine. This unnamed woman is not mentioned again in the chapter. She is not recalled; her memory does not serve as a battle cry. Thousands of men from all of Israel gather together to fight against the Benjaminites that perpetrated this violence, yet its female victim is marginalized in the process. The account of the battles that follow consistently repeats the word <\/span>ish<\/span><\/em> or man, speaking of the brave men, the fighting men, the fallen men, the men of Israel and Benjamin. We wonder what the true instigation of this war was, how much the concubine at Gibeah was understood as an individual versus mere property of her aggrieved husband.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This is an uncomfortable text. Tremendous violence is enacted upon a woman\u2019s body and the Israelites then slaughter each other out of a flawed desire to restore order. It is easy to look at this entire narrative and discard it as a painful relic, an irrelevant episode. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Yet there is something important to be gleaned from this text. Judges is a book that retells many tales from Genesis but mutes the power and presence of God. In Sodom a similar story took place, with citizens seeking to harm a visitor physically and sexually, yet angels intervened to save the men and women at risk. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

We don\u2019t live in a world with direct divine intervention; we live in a world that can teeter on the edge of the lawlessness exhibited in Judges. If we humans hold the power to prevent and respond to injustice, it is worth asking whether we as a society today do much better. Certainly, this specific type of brutality is distant from our experience, but how many times do we ignore the memories of victims in pursuit of vengeance? How often do we allow fear and rage to overpower logic and righteousness? How often do we sideline the narratives of women to center those of men? <\/span><\/p>\r\n

We need to continue reading texts like this one if we are to build a society that truly protects the marginalized and is founded on the basis of justice. <\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":56459,"alt":"","title":"jud20-Concubine-dismembered","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","width":596,"height":395,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered-300x199.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":199,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","medium_large-width":596,"medium_large-height":395,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","large-width":596,"large-height":395,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","1536x1536-width":596,"1536x1536-height":395,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","2048x2048-width":596,"2048x2048-height":395,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","post_full_size-width":596,"post_full_size-height":395,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","home_baner-width":596,"home_baner-height":395}},"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":"Painful Relic, Or Contemporary Warning?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"How many times do we ignore the memories of victims in pursuit of vengeance?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":56459,"alt":"","title":"jud20-Concubine-dismembered","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","width":596,"height":395,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered-300x199.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":199,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","medium_large-width":596,"medium_large-height":395,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","large-width":596,"large-height":395,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","1536x1536-width":596,"1536x1536-height":395,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","2048x2048-width":596,"2048x2048-height":395,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","post_full_size-width":596,"post_full_size-height":395,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud20-Concubine-dismembered.jpg","home_baner-width":596,"home_baner-height":395}},"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":"20","chapter_main_number":"231","date":"20260719","wall_id":"231"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"365","name":"Gender","old_id":"765"},{"term_id":"391","name":"In\/Justice","old_id":"791"},{"term_id":"543","name":"Violence","old_id":"943"}]},{"order":6,"id":"56544","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"Bible On Site: Is A Tribe To Be Lost Forever? 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\u201cThe Depravity at Gibeah\u201d<\/a> by Michael Howald: Explore texts on this difficult Biblical story.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cMystical Parsha: Pinchas Paradox of Peace\u201d<\/a> by Dan Epstein: Who is Phineas?<\/p>\r\n

 <\/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 20","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":"20","chapter_main_number":"231","date":"20260719","wall_id":"231"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":9,"id":"56503","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Points to Ponder - Judges 20 ","post_title":"Points to Ponder - Judges 20","slug":"points-to-ponder-judges-20","old_id":"56503","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":"231","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

    \r\n\t
  1. Could it have turned out differently?<\/span><\/i> A good question. What would have happened if there had been a more in-depth probe into the incident, beyond the very subjective testimony of the \u201chusband\u201d of the concubine? What would have happened if the appeal to Benjamin had not been so bellicose? What would have happened if the demand for extradition had been accepted?What would have happened if the war had not been given such explicit divine support? The story as told creates a sense of many guilty parties to the ultimate catastrophe. <\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. When it\u2019s bad, it\u2019s awful.<\/span><\/i> The word bad or evil (<\/span>ra\u2019ah<\/span><\/i>)appears five times in the chapter. There are four words from the root sh-ch-t (\u201cdestroy\u201d); and a few other: travesties, abominations and ourtrages.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. In favor of opposing. The very moving expression of unity \u201cSo all the men of Israel, united as one man\u201d (verse 11), represents the unification, for destroying a tribe of Israel.<\/i><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. The heroism of Benjamin<\/span><\/i>. \u201c700 picked men\u2014were left-handed. Every one of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss\u201d (verse 16). Seasoned fighters who fought (also) left-handed, and every one of their shots - a bull\u2019s eye. Note their impressive victories in the first two days of fighting.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  5. Phinehas son of Elazar son of Aaron.<\/i> The leader mentioned in verse 28, places the story in the third generation after the Exodus. By the way, he is the only character in the story with a name. And that\u2019s not a coincidence<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Judges 20","tile_main_caption":"Points to Ponder","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Judges","chapter":"20","chapter_main_number":"231","date":"20260719","wall_id":"231"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/56059"}],"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=56059"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}