{"id":59497,"date":"2018-07-09T17:43:43","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:43:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-1053\/"},"modified":"2023-02-10T15:44:53","modified_gmt":"2023-02-10T13:44:53","slug":"wall-1053","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-1053\/","title":{"rendered":"weekend-from-20230205-to-20230211"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"weekend","wall_id":"1053","date_from":"20230205","date_to":"20230211","book":"II Samuel","books_group":"Prophets","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"41894","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Are Democratic Values Jewish or Foreign? Yes. ","post_title":"Are Democratic Values Jewish or Foreign? Yes.","slug":"are-democratic-values-jewish-or-foreign-yes","old_id":"41894","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33859,"post_title":"Avidan Freedman","slug":"avidan-freedman","old_id":"33859","first_name":"Avidan","last_name":"Freedman","description":"Rabbi Avidan Freedman is the Rabbi of Hevruta, the Shalom Hartman Institute's post high school program for Israelis and North Americans, and an educator in the institute's high school. He is an activist advocating for moral limits on Israeli arms exports, and on behalf of African refugees, and a proud husband and father of 5. He received his rabbinical ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in New York, and from the Israeli chief rabbinate.","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Rabbi Avidan Freedman is the Rabbi of Hevruta, the Shalom Hartman Institute's post high school program for Israelis and North Americans, and an educator in the institute's high school. ","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33860,"alt":"Avidan Freedman","title":"Avidan Freedman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365.jpg","width":856,"height":1024,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-251x300.jpg","medium-width":251,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-768x919.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":919,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-856x1024.jpg","large-width":856,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365.jpg","1536x1536-width":856,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365.jpg","2048x2048-width":856,"2048x2048-height":1024,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-800x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-351x420.jpg","home_baner-width":351,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"68","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Liberal democratic values of diffusion and decentralization of power come from Jethro and are endorsed in the text","post_main_content_content":"

When \"Jewish\" values clash with \"democratic\" values and a choice needs to be made, what takes precedence?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For those who believe that Israel's identity as the world's one and only Jewish state has primacy over its democratic nature, the answer would seem simple. But the first axiom of being a Jewish state is that nothing is ever simple. Even assuming the supremacy of \"Jewish\" values, you need to define your terms. What if the \"democratic\" value is also a \"Jewish\" value? This line of thinking often leads to a discussion of \"internal\" and \"external\" values. To the extent that democratic values are authentically found within Judaism itself, they might be acceptable. If their source, however, is external (\"Western\") systems of values, then they do not belong. Chapter 18 greatly problematizes this dichotomy.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A superficial reading of the text suggests that Jethro is primarily concerned with his son-in-law's health, and that he suggests the establishment of a legal system in order to make Moses' life easier. But subtle textual hints support an alternate reading suggested by the Midrash and quoted by Rashi. Picking up on the contrast between Moses sitting and the people standing, the Midrash has Jethro criticizing Moses for 'sitting like a king', and lacking sufficient respect and concern for the honor of the people.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

How does the appointment of a network of ministers solve this? In this reading, the purpose is to diminish the ego of even a divinely appointed leader by that mainstay of liberal democracy- the diffusion and decentralization of power.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Is this, then, a Jewish value? It's accepted by Moses as an appropriate, effective system of governance, and endorsed by the Torah. But the idea came from Yitro, the Midianite priest. So- internal or external? The answer is: yes, or, in other words, maybe we need to start asking a different question.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":61641,"alt":"","title":"1kings4-government","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","width":703,"height":368,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government-300x157.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":157,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","medium_large-width":703,"medium_large-height":368,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","large-width":703,"large-height":368,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","1536x1536-width":703,"1536x1536-height":368,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","2048x2048-width":703,"2048x2048-height":368,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","post_full_size-width":703,"post_full_size-height":368,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","home_baner-width":703,"home_baner-height":368}},"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":"Are Democratic Values Jewish Or Foreign? Yes.","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Liberal democratic values of diffusion and decentralization of power come from Jethro and are endorsed in the text","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":61641,"alt":"","title":"1kings4-government","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","width":703,"height":368,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government-300x157.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":157,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","medium_large-width":703,"medium_large-height":368,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","large-width":703,"large-height":368,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","1536x1536-width":703,"1536x1536-height":368,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","2048x2048-width":703,"2048x2048-height":368,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","post_full_size-width":703,"post_full_size-height":368,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-government.png","home_baner-width":703,"home_baner-height":368}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"18","chapter_main_number":"68","date":"20251202","wall_id":"68"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"539","name":"Israel","old_id":"939"},{"term_id":"628","name":"Democracy","old_id":"1028"}]},{"order":2,"id":"41892","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Prophecy Yields To Process, And Awe To Administration ","post_title":"Prophecy Yields To Process, And Awe To Administration","slug":"prophecy-yields-to-process-and-awe-to-administration","old_id":"41892","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36423,"post_title":"Ari Hoffman","slug":"ari-hoffman","old_id":"36423","first_name":"Ari ","last_name":"Hoffman","description":"Ari Hoffman is a columnist for the Forward, where he writes about politics and culture. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at N.Y.U., and his writing has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Tablet Magazine, The New York Observer, and a range of other publications. He holds a doctorate in English Literature from Harvard and a law degree from Stanford.\r\n","short_description":"Ari Hoffman is a columnist for the Forward, where he writes about politics and culture, and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at N.Y.U.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36424,"alt":"","title":"Ari Hoffman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ari-Hoffman-e1532985000400.jpg","width":1044,"height":1438,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ari-Hoffman-e1532985000400-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ari-Hoffman-e1532985000400-218x300.jpg","medium-width":218,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ari-Hoffman-e1532985000400-743x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":743,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ari-Hoffman-e1532985000400-743x1024.jpg","large-width":743,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ari-Hoffman-e1532985000400.jpg","1536x1536-width":1044,"1536x1536-height":1438,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ari-Hoffman-e1532985000400.jpg","2048x2048-width":1044,"2048x2048-height":1438,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ari-Hoffman-e1532985000400-871x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":871,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ari-Hoffman-e1532985000400-305x420.jpg","home_baner-width":305,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"68","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The virtues of process matter just as much as rightness of outcome","post_main_content_content":"

The law is a funny thing. Not quite an art, and certainly not a science, it can glimmer with the sheen of high spectacle or be stupefying in its banality. It is the thumb of the powerful and the last recourse of the powerless. Both esoteric and the protector and prosecutor of every last person, it manages to be both too much and not enough. Law emerges from the fabric of life, while also remaining deaf to the texture of experience. It seems somehow a vital escort in the \u201cpursuit of happiness,\u201d but can\u2019t get us very far on the path; the least it can do is try and stay out of the way. We seek to invoke ancient totems of fairness even as we urge the overthrow of lines of precedent that seem to stain and streak the face of our jurisprudence. We are stuck with the law, and it is committed to never loosen its hold on us.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This chapter offers a remarkable look at the foundation of a legal system, but it is actually a second founding, a course correction; \u201cthe thing that you are doing is not good,\u201d Jethro tells his holy and wholly overwhelmed son-in-law. Just as the Declaration of Independence entailed the failed experiment of the Articles of Confederation and finally found its soaring rhetoric embedded in the relentlessly, miraculously compromised text of the Constitution, so too did the federal-courts revolution instigated by Jethro find its footing only after Moses lost his. Jethro\u2019s core insight was that the virtues of process matter just as much as rightness of outcome. People go to court to see what the law is, but they also want the law to see them. Prophecy yields to process, and awe to administration. Justice, justice shall you pursue. And who knows, maybe we pick up some happiness along the way. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":42042,"alt":"","title":"ex18-AHoffman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman.jpg","width":1920,"height":989,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman-300x155.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":155,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman-768x396.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":396,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman-1024x527.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":527,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":791,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":989,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman-1200x618.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":618,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman-815x420.jpg","home_baner-width":815,"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":"Prophecy Yields To Process, And Awe To Administration","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The virtues of process matter just as much as rightness of outcome","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":42042,"alt":"","title":"ex18-AHoffman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman.jpg","width":1920,"height":989,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman-300x155.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":155,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman-768x396.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":396,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman-1024x527.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":527,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":791,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":989,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman-1200x618.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":618,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ex18-AHoffman-815x420.jpg","home_baner-width":815,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"18","chapter_main_number":"68","date":"20251202","wall_id":"68"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"391","name":"In\/Justice","old_id":"791"},{"term_id":"414","name":"Law","old_id":"814"},{"term_id":"646","name":"Court","old_id":"1046"}]},{"order":3,"id":"42105","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Torah Is Not Our Only Source Of Wisdom And Insight ","post_title":"Torah Is Not Our Only Source Of Wisdom And Insight","slug":"torah-is-not-our-only-source-of-wisdom-and-insight","old_id":"42105","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":37918,"post_title":"Shai Held","slug":"shai-held","old_id":"37918","first_name":" Shai ","last_name":"Held","description":"Rabbi Shai Held, theologian, scholar, and educator, is President, Dean, and Chair in Jewish Thought at Hadar, where he also directs the Center for Jewish Leadership and Ideas. A 2011 recipient of the prestigious Covenant Award for excellence in Jewish education, Rabbi Held has been named multiple times to Newsweek\u2019s list of the 50 most influential rabbis in America. He holds a doctorate in religion from Harvard; Rabbi Held's first book, Abraham Joshua Heschel: The Call of Transcendence, was published by Indiana University Press in 2013; The Heart of Torah, a collection of essays on the Torah in two volumes, was published by JPS in 2017.","short_description":"Rabbi Shai Held is President, Dean, and Chair in Jewish Thought at Hadar,","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":37919,"alt":"","title":"shai held","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","width":150,"height":186,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","medium-width":150,"medium-height":186,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","medium_large-width":150,"medium_large-height":186,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","large-width":150,"large-height":186,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","1536x1536-width":150,"1536x1536-height":186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","2048x2048-width":150,"2048x2048-height":186,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","post_full_size-width":150,"post_full_size-height":186,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","home_baner-width":150,"home_baner-height":186}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"69","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Just before a moment of encounter with God, Exodus stops to teach a lesson","post_main_content_content":"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Just before a moment of encounter with the magnificent presence of God, Exodus stops to teach a lesson: Torah is incomparable, and it is the axis around which Jewish life should rotate. But Torah is not our only source of wisdom and insight. By telling us the story of Jethro, and by placing it exactly where it is in the narrative structure, the Torah itself here endorses and emphasizes that very point. <\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65799,"alt":"","title":"is19-nations","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations.png","width":1280,"height":1156,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-300x271.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":271,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-768x694.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":694,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-1024x925.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":925,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1156,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1156,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-1200x1084.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1084,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is19-nations-465x420.png","home_baner-width":465,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Torah 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People To Body Politic ","post_title":"From People To Body Politic","slug":"from-people-to-body-politic","old_id":"42040","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33923,"post_title":"Jonathan Sacks","slug":"rabbi-lord-jonathan-sacks","old_id":"33923","first_name":"Jonathan ","last_name":"Sacks","description":"An international religious leader, philosopher, and award-winning author of over 35 books, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks served as the International President of 929.\r\nRabbi Sacks served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth years between 1991 and 2013, and was knighted by Her Majesty The Queen in 2005 and made a Life Peer. Rabbi Sacks passed away on 7th November 2020, aged 72. He was one of the greatest Jewish thinkers of the 20th century, who bridged the religious and secular world through his ground-breaking canon of work.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z\"k (1948-2020) was the former Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth, and the International 929 president.","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36222,"alt":"","title":"JSacks","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","width":437,"height":548,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-239x300.jpg","medium-width":239,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-768x448.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":448,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-1024x597.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":597,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","1536x1536-width":437,"1536x1536-height":548,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","2048x2048-width":437,"2048x2048-height":548,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","post_full_size-width":437,"post_full_size-height":548,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-335x420.jpg","home_baner-width":335,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"70","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The covenant at Mount Sinai was where the Israelites became an edah, a body politic, as opposed to an am, a people with shared ancestry and history","post_main_content_content":"

    [T]he covenant at Mount Sinai was where the Israelites became an <\/span>edah<\/span><\/em>, a body politic, as opposed to an <\/span>am<\/span><\/em>, a people with shared ancestry and history. Their assent to the covenant turned them into a nation under the sovereignty of God whose written constitution was the Torah. Indeed, we find just this idea in the early rabbinic sources:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    \u2018I am the Lord your God\u2019 (Ex. 20:2) \u2013 this tells us the merit of Israel. \u00a0When they all stood at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah they resolved, as with a single mind, to accept the kingdom of God with joy. And not only this, but they pledged themselves, each for the other. Nor was it for overt acts alone that the Holy One, blessed be he, intended to reveal himself to them in order to make a covenant with them, but also the secret deeds. But they said to him, \u2018For overt acts we will make a covenant with you, but not for the secret ones, lest one of us should sin in secret and the whole community be held liable\u2019, as it is said, \u2018The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and our children\u2019 (Deut. 29: 28. R. Judah the Prince, in the halachic midrash to Exodus, \u00a0Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael, Yitro, 5).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    At Mount Sinai, the Israelites accepted the principle of mutual responsibility, with one proviso, that liability was restricted to acts committed in public or, at least, generally known. The logic is straightforward. If I know that you are engaged in wrongdoing, I may reasonably be expected to try to stop you. If I do not know, how can I be held responsible? Thus, according to R. Judah, for overt sins there is collective responsibility; for sins committed in secret, only personal responsibility.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Excerpted from: \u201c<\/span>To Heal a Fractured World\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/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":"From People To Body Politic","tile_main_caption":"The covenant at Mount Sinai was where the Israelites became an edah, a body politic, as opposed to an am, a people with shared ancestry and history. ","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The limits of collective responsibility","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"20","chapter_main_number":"70","date":"20251204","wall_id":"70"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"354","name":"Rabbi Sacks","old_id":"754"},{"term_id":"363","name":"Midrash","old_id":"763"},{"term_id":"395","name":"Covenant","old_id":"795"},{"term_id":"421","name":"Peoplehood","old_id":"821"},{"term_id":"423","name":"Politics","old_id":"823"}]},{"order":5,"id":"59552","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"II Samuel: The Saga Continues.... 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us!","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59554,"alt":"","title":"2Sam1-DAVIDSAMUEL","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2Sam1-DAVIDSAMUEL.png","width":1920,"height":1719,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2Sam1-DAVIDSAMUEL-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2Sam1-DAVIDSAMUEL-300x269.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":269,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2Sam1-DAVIDSAMUEL-768x688.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":688,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2Sam1-DAVIDSAMUEL-1024x917.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":917,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2Sam1-DAVIDSAMUEL.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1375,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2Sam1-DAVIDSAMUEL.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1719,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2Sam1-DAVIDSAMUEL-1200x1074.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1074,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2Sam1-DAVIDSAMUEL-469x420.png","home_baner-width":469,"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,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"264","date":"20260902","wall_id":"264"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":6,"id":"112416","color":"#f7f7f5","size":"1","name":"David\u2019s Love For Jonathan ","post_title":"David\u2019s Love For Jonathan","slug":"davids-love-for-jonathan","old_id":"112416","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":"264","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"\u201cMore than the love of women\u201d - but what does that mean?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

    David and Jonathan have had a very close relationship. From the moment Jonathan set eyes on David \u201cJonathan\u2019s soul became bound up with the soul of David; Jonathan loved David as himself.\u201d (I Samuel 18:1). Jonathan saved David\u2019s life multiple times, he snuck out in the middle of the night to visit David in his camp, and the two made a pact together that David would protect Jonathan\u2019s offspring. Jonathan knew his house was doomed, but he embraced the fact that David would be the one to carry on as king of Israel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    In the first chapter of II Samuel (really the continuation of the unified book of Samuel), David sings a dirge in honor of the slain Saul and Jonathan. Regarding Saul he laments: \u201cDaughters of Israel, Weep over Saul, Who clothed you in crimson and finery, Who decked your robes with jewels of gold\u201d (verse 25). And as to Jonathan: \u201cYour love was wonderful to me more than the love of women\u201d (verse 26).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Modern readings of the text suggest that David and Jonathan may have had a romantic relationship. That may be, but strong expressions of love between friends are also not out of the ordinary. Commentators also offer different explanations for David\u2019s choice of words here. Radak explains that the love of a woman refers to a love that is stronger than the love for the two women who were David\u2019s wives. David is referring to specific women. Radak has a second explanation that is more general. The love between the two was stronger than the love a mother has for her husband and children. In this second reading,\u00a0 the love is non-sexual in nature.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Malbim takes the reference in context of the dirge itself. The love is more than the love of the women weeping for Saul in the previous verse. That weeping is for the king they never met, but who provided protection for them. The weeping of David for Jonathan is authentic and it is therefore stronger than the love expressed by the weeping women. Pirkei Avot also interprets the love as one of deep intimacy, but not of deep physical attraction per se:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    All love that depends on something, [when the] thing ceases, [the] love ceases; and [all love] that does not depend on anything, will never cease. What is an example of love that depended on something? Such was the love of Amnon for Tamar. And what is an example of love that did not depend on anything? Such was the love of David and Jonathan. (Pirkei Avot 5:16).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Amnon had a sexual obsession with Tamar that ends with him raping his sister. That love is an obsession based on nothing. The love of David and Jonathan was pure and absolute. Their love was the kind of deep love that was not based on anything physical, but a love that could and did endure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

     <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":102942,"alt":"","title":"-622df480befa2--622df480befa3gen27-esau father son love.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg.jpg","width":1920,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg-1024x1024.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg-1200x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg-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":"","tile_main_caption":"David\u2019s Love For Jonathan","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"\u201cMore than the love of women\u201d - but what does that mean?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":102942,"alt":"","title":"-622df480befa2--622df480befa3gen27-esau father son love.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg.jpg","width":1920,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg-1024x1024.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg-1200x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/08\/622df480befa2-622df480befa3gen27-esau-father-son-love.jpg-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"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":"II Samuel","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"264","date":"20260902","wall_id":"264"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"381","name":"love","old_id":"781"},{"term_id":"383","name":"Death","old_id":"783"},{"term_id":"450","name":"Homosexuality","old_id":"850"},{"term_id":"834","name":"David","old_id":"1234"},{"term_id":"891","name":"Jonathan","old_id":"1291"}]},{"order":7,"id":"59556","color":"#e0e9ef","size":"1","name":"Saul and Jonathan, The Love Of Father And Son ","post_title":"Saul And Jonathan, The Love Of Father And Son","slug":"saul-and-jonathan-the-love-of-father-and-son","old_id":"59556","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":56118,"post_title":"Tzvi Sinensky","slug":"tzvi-sinensky","old_id":"56118","first_name":"Tzvi ","last_name":"Sinensky ","description":"Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky is the Director of Interdisciplinary Learning and Educational Outreach at the Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston, NJ. He holds a graduate certificate degree in Gender Studies from Utah State University, and is pursuing a PhD on the intersection between Jewish thought and gender studies at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. ","short_description":"Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky is the Director of Interdisciplinary Learning and Educational Outreach at the Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston, NJ.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":56119,"alt":"","title":"tzvi_sinensky","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","width":240,"height":280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","medium-width":240,"medium-height":280,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","medium_large-width":240,"medium_large-height":280,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","large-width":240,"large-height":280,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","1536x1536-width":240,"1536x1536-height":280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","2048x2048-width":240,"2048x2048-height":280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","post_full_size-width":240,"post_full_size-height":280,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","home_baner-width":240,"home_baner-height":280}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"264","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Despite fundamental disagreements, inseparable in life and death","post_main_content_content":"

    In David\u2019s stirring elegy for Saul and Jonathan, is one of the most haunting, yet ambiguous phrases concerns the eternal relationship between father and son. According to the traditional cantillation, David refers to \u201cSaul and Jonathan, beloved and cherished in life, never parted in death.\u201d Yet this reading of the phrase is strange. If father and son never parted in death, weren\u2019t they also united in life?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Accordingly, numerous contemporary scholars move the comma one word earlier, and read the verse as follows: \u201cSaul and Jonathan, beloved and cherished, never parted in life or in death.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Yet this too seems difficult. Were Saul and Jonathan not bitterly divided during their lifetimes in their treatment of David? Was David not Saul\u2019s sworn enemy, and Jonathan\u2019s beloved friend? Saul sought to kill David; Jonathan saved his life. How could David himself have been blind to the chasm dividing father and son? How dare he be disingenuous while delivering his poignant eulogy?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Perhaps motivated by this difficulty, some classical commentaries reinterpret this phrase. Targum Yonatan, as elaborated by R. David Kimhi, suggests that David means to say that their bond with God, not one another, was never broken. Metzudat David understands that they were beloved to the nation (again, not one another) not only in life, but also in death. Yet, as R. Kimhi acknowledges, this is not the only plausible interpretation. The simple understanding is that David and Jonathan were inseparable <\/span>from one another<\/span><\/i> in life and death.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Accordingly, we might suggest that David is telling the truth after all. Despite their fierce split in their attitudes toward David, Saul and Jonathan fundamentally enjoyed an extraordinary relationship. That is obscured throughout the narrative in I Samuel, which is focused on the transition of power from Saul to David, and Saul\u2019s intense, near-irrational hatred of David. Yet, apparently, despite the fierce differences in their respective attitudes toward David, David himself was able to see beyond these differences, and recognize the existential bond between father and son. The two were literally inseparable, living together and dying in the same battle on the same day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    So often in our own lives, we have strong, even fierce disagreements with those closest to us. In capturing the remarkable model of Saul and Jonathan, David\u2019 eulogy reminds us that even when we disagree, we must remain equally committed to maintaining deep relationships with those closest to us.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59557,"alt":"","title":"2sam1-father-and-son","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-father-and-son.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-father-and-son-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-father-and-son-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-father-and-son-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-father-and-son-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-father-and-son.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-father-and-son.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-father-and-son-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-father-and-son-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":"Saul And Jonathan, The Love Of Father And Son","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Despite fundamental disagreements, inseparable in life and 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Lincoln Square Synagogue. 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    Just one chapter ago, at the end of the previous book, <\/span>we took note <\/span><\/a>of the fact that Saul\u2019s death is reported in two contradictory fashions. Scripture\u2019s third person narrative, recorded in the closing chapter of 1 Samuel, has Saul falling on his own sword when his armor bearer refused to assist in his suicide. Our chapter presents the report of a survivor of the battle atop Mt. Gilboa (described variously in verses 8, 13, as an Amalekite or the son of an Amalekite convert) who claimed to have found Saul mortally wounded on his own spear and complied with the king\u2019s request to hasten his demise (9-10). Rather than reward him, as he apparently anticipated, David had him executed for the act of <\/span>lese majeste<\/span><\/i> he had perpetrated (14-16).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Of considerable philological interest, is the word <\/span>shavatz<\/span><\/i> that Saul was said to have used to describe his condition (9); it is a <\/span>hapax legomenon<\/span><\/i>, a word that appears nowhere else in the biblical canon. (In Modern Hebrew, <\/span>shavatz<\/span><\/i> means a stroke or apoplexy). Rashi connected it with <\/span>tashbetz<\/span><\/i> (checkered), a term used to describe one of the priestly vestments, and associated it with Saul\u2019s murder of the priests of Nob. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Yosef Kara (12th century) admitted that it can only be understood from its context, and refers us to the Aramaic Targum that translates it as a convulsion. Radak (13th century) also defined it contextually, but considered it an illness suffered by the victim of a stab wound. Most intriguing is the Malbim (19th century) who identified it as death throes, explaining that Saul was anticipating a refusal, so he hastened to explain that he already was, for all intents, dead, and therefore the Amalekite need not fear any repercussions to his actions.<\/p>\r\n

    Image: \"The Lion of Lucerne,\" a rock relief in Lucerne, Switzerland, designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen and hewn in 1820\u201321 by Lukas Ahorn.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

     <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59567,"alt":"","title":"2sam1-lion-monument","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument.jpg","width":1920,"height":1440,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1440,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument-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":"Saul\u2019s Last Moments","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The death throes of the mighty","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59567,"alt":"","title":"2sam1-lion-monument","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument.jpg","width":1920,"height":1440,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1440,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-lion-monument-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,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"264","date":"20260902","wall_id":"264"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"366","name":"Commentators","old_id":"766"},{"term_id":"383","name":"Death","old_id":"783"},{"term_id":"885","name":"Saul","old_id":"1285"}]},{"order":9,"id":"59559","color":"#e6f5f3","size":"1","name":"What Makes David \u201cTHE\u201d King Of Israel? ","post_title":"What Makes David \u201cTHE\u201d King Of Israel?","slug":"what-makes-david-the-king-of-israel","old_id":"59559","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":42746,"post_title":"Michal Kohane","slug":"michal-kohane","old_id":"42746","first_name":"Michal ","last_name":"Kohane ","description":"Currently based in Israel, Rabbanit Michal Kohane is a graduate of Yeshivat Maharat, a writer, community leader and teacher of Talmud & Torah. She holds degrees in Israel studies , education and psychology, and has been a leader and educator in Northern California for over 25 years. Her first novel, Hachug (\"Extracurricular\") was published in Israel in 2016 and her weekly blog can be found at http:\/\/www.miko284.com\r\n\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Currently based in Israel, Rabbanit Michal Kohane is a graduate of Yeshivat Maharat, a writer, community leader and teacher of Talmud & Torah. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":42747,"alt":"","title":"michal kohane","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","width":214,"height":226,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","medium-width":214,"medium-height":226,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","medium_large-width":214,"medium_large-height":226,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","large-width":214,"large-height":226,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","1536x1536-width":214,"1536x1536-height":226,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","2048x2048-width":214,"2048x2048-height":226,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","post_full_size-width":214,"post_full_size-height":226,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","home_baner-width":214,"home_baner-height":226}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"264","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

    David Melech Yisrael<\/em> \u2013 goes the famous song, and yet, one wonders: What makes King David \u201cThe\u201d king of Israel? We see him fight in brutal, ruthless wars; have questionable relationship with the women in his life; complicated encounters with his children; and ultimately, deemed unworthy to be the one building the Temple. We would think that this would not be our all-time hero.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    What is it about him that makes him such a royal leader?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    One answer might be found in this opening chapter of Samuel II when David is met by the lad who killed Saul. The lad who rushes to bring the news, might be hypothesizing that David would be happy: Saul, his all-time enemy who sought David\u2019s death more than once and in more ways that could have been expected, who manipulated his relationship with the woman who loved him, is finally dead. David should be ecstatic. Instead, he asks the young Amalekite <\/span>ger<\/span><\/i> (possibly convert or resident of the Land) in deep shock and horror: \u201cHow did you dare\u2026 to lift your hand and kill the one anointed by God\u201d?? How dare you?! True, he might be my personal enemy, but he was chosen by God!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    This is when David sings his famous <\/span>kina <\/span><\/i>(lament-poem), and this is how he shows his regal abilities: Saul, the King of Israel is dead. No matter who he was, he deserves a proper farewell, nothing more perhaps is possible but definitely not anything less. The one who fights for the late king to have his proper respects paid, is no other than his lifelong enemy, who knows to rise above personal petty grievances and take the high road when needed. Yes, a king may be flawed and far from perfect, but he knows to put his own feelings second to his people\u2019s needs and well-being. It is possible that this is what made King David who he has been for our people since.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Image: Statue of King David by Nicolas Cordier in the Borghese Chapel of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59561,"alt":"","title":"2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore.jpg","width":331,"height":600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore-166x300.jpg","medium-width":166,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore.jpg","medium_large-width":331,"medium_large-height":600,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore.jpg","large-width":331,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore.jpg","1536x1536-width":331,"1536x1536-height":600,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore.jpg","2048x2048-width":331,"2048x2048-height":600,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore.jpg","post_full_size-width":331,"post_full_size-height":600,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore-232x420.jpg","home_baner-width":232,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"What Makes David \u201cTHE\u201d King Of Israel?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"He knows to put his own feelings second to his people\u2019s needs and well-being","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59561,"alt":"","title":"2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore.jpg","width":331,"height":600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore-166x300.jpg","medium-width":166,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore.jpg","medium_large-width":331,"medium_large-height":600,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore.jpg","large-width":331,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore.jpg","1536x1536-width":331,"1536x1536-height":600,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore.jpg","2048x2048-width":331,"2048x2048-height":600,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore.jpg","post_full_size-width":331,"post_full_size-height":600,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam1-David_SM_Maggiore-232x420.jpg","home_baner-width":232,"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":"II Samuel","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"264","date":"20260902","wall_id":"264"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"402","name":"Leadership","old_id":"802"},{"term_id":"834","name":"David","old_id":"1234"},{"term_id":"835","name":"King","old_id":"1235"}]},{"order":10,"id":"59633","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"Play ","post_title":"Play","slug":"play","old_id":"59633","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33877,"post_title":"Marc Bregman","slug":"marc-bregman","old_id":"33877","first_name":"Marc","last_name":"Bregman","description":"Marc Bregman received his Ph.D. from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1991. He taught at the Hebrew Union College (Jerusalem), The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Schechter Institute for Judaic Studies in Jerusalem, and at the Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheba, Israel. During 1993 he was Visiting Associate Professor at Yale University, and during 1996 he was the Stroum Professor of Jewish Studies and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Washington in Seattle. During 2005, Bregman served as the Harry Starr Fellow in Judaica at Harvard University and was awarded a Teaching Fellowship at the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He also has served as Forchheimer Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Humanities at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is the author of The Tanhuma-Yelammedenu Literature: Studies in the Evolution of the Versions (Gorgias Press, 2003). In 2006, Bregman was appointed the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he also headed the program in Jewish Studies, until 2013. Bregman retired from UNCG as of July 31, 2017. He has now returned to Jerusalem where he is continuing his research and teaching activities.","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Marc Bregman is the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies emeritus, at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33878,"alt":"Marc Bregman","title":"Marc Bregman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","width":361,"height":488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-222x300.jpg","medium-width":222,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","medium_large-width":361,"medium_large-height":488,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","large-width":361,"large-height":488,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","1536x1536-width":361,"1536x1536-height":488,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","2048x2048-width":361,"2048x2048-height":488,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","post_full_size-width":361,"post_full_size-height":488,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"265","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Seriously?\u00a0","post_main_content_content":"

    In our chapter, David with his wives Ahinoam and Abigail and soldiers, settles in Hebron, where the men of Judah anoint him their king (2:1-4). But Abner, Saul\u2019s army commander, has taken Ish-Bosheth, son of Saul and made him king over all Israel (verses 8-9). Abner and the soldiers of Ish-bosheth marched out, meeting Joab son of Zeruiah and the soldiers of David. They confronted one another at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat on one side of the pool, and the other group on the other side of the pool. Abner said to Joab, \u201cLet the young men come forward and play (vi-sahaqu<\/em>) before us.\u201d \u201cYes, let them,\u201d Joab answered. They came forward and were counted off, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth and twelve of David\u2019s soldiers. Each one grasped his opponent\u2019s head [and thrust] his sword into his opponent\u2019s side and they fell together. And that place was called Helqat Ha-Tzurim <\/em>(\u201cThe Field of Flint Swords\u201d) (verses 12-16). Because all twenty-four young swordsmen died, so that neither side could claim symbolic victory without an engagement of all the two armies, a fierce battle ensued that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were routed by David\u2019s soldiers (verse 17).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    We have here a dramatic and tragic example of what came to be known as \u201cswordplay\u201d. It is curious that Scripture refers here to this kind of fatal fighting as \u201cplay\u201d (the basis meaning of the root S-H-Q). In many languages, including Hebrew, the word for \u201cplay\u201d is used to refer to the \u201cplaying of children\u201d, \u201cplaying a role\u201d in a \u201cplay\u201d \u2013 all activities that generally have less fatal results.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    On the basis of what Abner says to Joab in our chapter, \u201cLet the young men come forward and play before us\u201d (verse 14), the Midrash (Genesis Rabbah 53:11) comments that \u201cplay\u201d refers to the spilling of blood. An apparently later Midrashic work (Seder Eliyahu Rabbah, Chapter 13) launches into an extensive diatribe against \u201cplay\u201d, which it includes among other bad behaviors such as \u201cidle talk\u201d (sihah<\/em>) and \u201cflippancy\u201d (tiflut<\/em>). For as Rabbi Akiva says (Avot 3:17): \u201cPlayfulness (sehoq<\/em>) and levity (qalut rosh<\/em>) lead a man to sexual transgression (\u2018ervah<\/em>)\u201d. The Midrash goes on to depict God as sitting on His Throne of Glory, one third of the day He reads Scripture and recites Mishnah, one third of the day He imposes judgement and one third of the day He sustains the entire world. Thus, God has little time for \u201cplay\u201d (but compare Psalms 104:26 and Talmud Bavli Avodah Zarah 3b).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    These aggadot<\/em> clearly take a dim view of \u201cplay\u201d. However, the Aggadah itself is said to have \u201ca playful countenance\u201d (panim sohaqot la-aggadah<\/em> -- Pesiqta\u2019 de-Rav Kahana\u2019, Ba-Hodesh Ha-Shelishi 25). So, let us rejoice in the \u201cplayfulness\u201d of the Aggadah, while avoiding the more destructive and even dangerous possible consequences of \u201cplay\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Image: \u201cIsrael and Judah at War,\u201d The Morgan Crusader Bible of Louis IX (Maciejowski Bible) - Upper register, Folio 36 verso<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59637,"alt":"","title":"2sam2-joab-abner fighting","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting.jpg","width":690,"height":444,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting-300x193.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":193,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting.jpg","medium_large-width":690,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting.jpg","large-width":690,"large-height":444,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting.jpg","1536x1536-width":690,"1536x1536-height":444,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting.jpg","2048x2048-width":690,"2048x2048-height":444,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting.jpg","post_full_size-width":690,"post_full_size-height":444,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting-653x420.jpg","home_baner-width":653,"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":"Play","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Seriously?\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59637,"alt":"","title":"2sam2-joab-abner fighting","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting.jpg","width":690,"height":444,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting-300x193.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":193,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting.jpg","medium_large-width":690,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting.jpg","large-width":690,"large-height":444,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting.jpg","1536x1536-width":690,"1536x1536-height":444,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting.jpg","2048x2048-width":690,"2048x2048-height":444,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting.jpg","post_full_size-width":690,"post_full_size-height":444,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-joab-abner-fighting-653x420.jpg","home_baner-width":653,"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":"II Samuel","chapter":"2","chapter_main_number":"265","date":"20260903","wall_id":"265"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"363","name":"Midrash","old_id":"763"},{"term_id":"897","name":"Killing","old_id":"1297"},{"term_id":"901","name":"Play","old_id":"1301"}]},{"order":11,"id":"59643","color":"#e8ecf6","size":"1","name":"Shame-Man ","post_title":"Shame-Man","slug":"shame-man","old_id":"59643","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":56290,"post_title":"Sandra Cohen","slug":"sandra-cohen","old_id":"56290","first_name":"Sandra ","last_name":"Cohen","description":"Rabbi Sandra Cohen teaches, provides pastoral care, and works in mental health outreach. She and her husband live in Denver, Colorado. ","short_description":"Rabbi Sandra Cohen teaches, provides pastoral care, and works in mental health outreach.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":56293,"alt":"","title":"Sandra Cohen","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Sandra-Cohen.jpg","width":279,"height":303,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Sandra-Cohen-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Sandra-Cohen-276x300.jpg","medium-width":276,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Sandra-Cohen.jpg","medium_large-width":279,"medium_large-height":303,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Sandra-Cohen.jpg","large-width":279,"large-height":303,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Sandra-Cohen.jpg","1536x1536-width":279,"1536x1536-height":303,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Sandra-Cohen.jpg","2048x2048-width":279,"2048x2048-height":303,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Sandra-Cohen.jpg","post_full_size-width":279,"post_full_size-height":303,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Sandra-Cohen.jpg","home_baner-width":279,"home_baner-height":303}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"265","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Every person has a name\r\ngiven to him by God\r\nand given to him by his father and mother\r\n\u00a0. . . \u00a0\u00a0by Zelda Mishkovsky","post_main_content_content":"

    Naming is so important in Jewish tradition. Parents agonize over what to call their child.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Hebrew names all have meaning in the Torah, often they are explicitly connected to the character. Isaac\u2019s name is connected to Sarah\u2019s laughter at the time she learned she would bear a child. Jacob is a \u201cheel\u201d until he grows and is renamed \u201cIsrael,\u201d because he struggles with God and humans.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    In our chapter, names and their meaning pop out at us, including my favorite name:\u00a0 Ishboshet \u201cShame Man.\u201d Sounds like a super-hero, or perhaps a villain in a Batman movie.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Shame-Man might have one of two powers, in my imagination.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    He might be the one who spreads shame wherever he goes. In this scenario, Ishboshet stops people in their tracks and fills them with self-doubt and negativity. Instead of acting to improve the world, people end up stuck, wondering if anything they do could possibly be worthwhile. Relationships end, as each person is convinced of his inadequacy. Slowly but surely shame paralyzes the world.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Or, Shame-Man might himself be filled with shame. His superpower might be self-loathing, self-doubt, self-fear. A role-model for those who wonder if each person is really created in the image of God. Shame-man withdraws from family, feeling unworthy of their love, disrupting those around him. His talents all go unused, because he doesn\u2019t believe he possesses anything worth sharing.\u00a0 People who knew him before his \u201csuper power\u201d of shame wonder where he went, why he no longer cares about anything around him. They even start to blame themselves, causing the shame to multiply, or become angry at Shame-Man, and then at themselves, for failing to \u201cfix\u201d him. Feeling of impotence spreads, and, once again, shame spreads and paralyzes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Shame is not guilt. Guilt is the feeling we experience after doing something that violates our values. Shame is a feeling we have about ourselves. Guilt is about an action; shame is about who we are.\u00a0 Guilt helps to motivate us to change: to apologize to those our actions have hurt, and then to behave differently in the future. Guilt leads to <\/span>teshuva<\/span><\/em>\/repentance.\u00a0 Shame tells us that who we are is bad. Shame looks deep into our <\/span>neshama<\/span><\/em>\/soul, and rejects it. It is unworthy, tainted, too horrible to be loved. Guilt can be remedied with action, while shame can\u2019t; it can only be hidden.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    I know of no Ish-boshet today, yet, shame still abounds in our community. Stigmas of mental illness or addiction, for example, still prevents people from being seen and getting the support they deserve. A person is not \u201cbad\u201d or \u201cnot trying hard enough\u201d because she has recurrent depression; she has a serious illness and deserves our prayers and actual support.\u00a0 There is no shame in mental illness, but there might be plenty of guilt for many of us.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    So take notice of all, and let it be known that Shame-Man no longer dwells among us.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59644,"alt":"","title":"2sam2-shame","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame.jpg","width":1920,"height":1483,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame-300x232.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":232,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame-768x593.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":593,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame-1024x791.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":791,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1483,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame-1200x927.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":927,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame-544x420.jpg","home_baner-width":544,"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":"Shame-Man","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Let it be known that Shame-Man no longer dwells among us\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59644,"alt":"","title":"2sam2-shame","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame.jpg","width":1920,"height":1483,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame-300x232.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":232,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame-768x593.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":593,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame-1024x791.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":791,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1483,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame-1200x927.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":927,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam2-shame-544x420.jpg","home_baner-width":544,"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":"II Samuel","chapter":"2","chapter_main_number":"265","date":"20260903","wall_id":"265"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"361","name":"Hebrew language","old_id":"761"},{"term_id":"465","name":"Guilt","old_id":"865"},{"term_id":"551","name":"Names","old_id":"951"},{"term_id":"586","name":"Shame","old_id":"986"}]},{"order":12,"id":"59646","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Abner, The Anti-Joab ","post_title":"Abner, The Anti-Joab","slug":"abner-the-anti-joab","old_id":"59646","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34891,"post_title":"Miriam Gedwiser","slug":"miriam-gedwiser","old_id":"34891","first_name":"Miriam","last_name":"Gedwiser ","description":"Miriam Gedwiser teaches Talmud and Tanakh at Ramaz Upper Upper school and is a core faculty member at Drisha. She has a BA from the University of Chicago in the History and Philosophy of Science and a JD from NYU School of Law. She studied in the Drisha Scholars Circle as well as at other programs in Israel and Boston, and has taught at a variety of synagogues and Hillels. She previously practiced commercial litigation at a large law firm, and completed a judicial clerkship in the Southern District of New York","short_description":"Miriam Gedwiser teaches Talmud and Tanakh at Ramaz and at Drisha.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":60045,"alt":"","title":"Miriam Gedwiser 2 cropped","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1.jpg","width":453,"height":522,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1-260x300.jpg","medium-width":260,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1.jpg","medium_large-width":453,"medium_large-height":522,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1.jpg","large-width":453,"large-height":522,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":453,"1536x1536-height":522,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":453,"2048x2048-height":522,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1.jpg","post_full_size-width":453,"post_full_size-height":522,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1-364x420.jpg","home_baner-width":364,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"265","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Unlike Abner, Joab commands troops for his king\u2019s glory, not his own","post_main_content_content":"

    We caught<\/span> our first glimpse of Joab<\/span><\/a> lurking behind his brother in I Sam. 26, but in today\u2019s chapter he emerges as his own formidable character.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Before we get to Joab, however, we must meet Abner son of Ner. Abner serves as something of a foil for Joab, and their interactions will haunt Joab for the rest of his life.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    After Saul\u2019s death, the people of Judah crown David their king, and David makes overtures to Saul\u2019s loyalists in Jabesh-gilead. Abner, Saul\u2019s general, knows that if the kingdom becomes unified under David, Abner will be out of a job (and possibly his life), so he \u201ctakes\u201d Saul\u2019s son Ish Bosheth and attempts to prop him up as Saul\u2019s successor. Abner is less Ish-boshet\u2019s general than Ish-boshet is Abner\u2019s king.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Abner and Joab and their men meet at the pool of Gibeon - perhaps intentionally, perhaps not, with the incidental nature of the meeting only highlighting how avoidable the tragedies that follow were.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Abner suggests that young men from the two sides come forward to \u201csport.\u201d 12 pairs of soldiers step forward to struggle, symbolically, over the right to rule the 12 tribes of Israel. It is unclear if Abner intended some sort of nonlethal jousting match, or a deadly serious symbolic combat (akin to what Goliath proposed back in I Sam. 17) that would ultimately prevent bloodshed by binding both sides to accept the outcome of the small match-up. In either case, the \u201csport\u201d is both deadly and inconclusive. The 24 men all succeed in killing their sparring partners, leading to the outbreak of an outright civil war.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    \u201cAbner and the men of Israel were routed by David\u2019s soldiers\u201d - While Abner takes center stage throughout the chapter on his side of the battle, the men under Joab\u2019s command are consistently referred to as belonging to David. Unlike Abner, Joab commands troops for his king\u2019s glory, not his own.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Through his initial suggestion, Abner implicitly places himself and Joab on a tier above the regular soldiers: two legitimate generals shaking hands, as it were, before their men set about trying to kill each other.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Joab\u2019s brother Asahel, however, seems to see it differently. Asahel chases Abner, refusing to be deterred even as Abner begs \u201cStop pursuing me, or I\u2019ll have to strike you down. How will I look your brother Joab in the face?\u201d Asahel rejects Abner\u2019s pretensions to be Joab\u2019s equal, instead hoping to finish off the upstart general, and with him the puppet kingship of Ish-boshet, once and for all.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    When Abner kills Asahel in self defense, Joab and his remaining brother Abishai give chase, until Abner convinces them that the toll to the Israelites as a whole from this relentless pursuit is simply too great. Joab has not given up his personal desire for revenge, but is convinced to put the needs of the nation ahead of them - for now.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    In the next chapter, we will see how this uneasy suspension is shattered, changing Joab\u2019s life forever.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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