{"id":63428,"date":"2018-07-09T17:44:37","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:44:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-1064\/"},"modified":"2023-04-28T15:14:06","modified_gmt":"2023-04-28T12:14:06","slug":"wall-1064","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-1064\/","title":{"rendered":"weekend-from-20230423-to-20230429"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"weekend","wall_id":"1064","date_from":"20230423","date_to":"20230429","book":"II Kings","books_group":"Prophets","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"45331","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"We Are Rarely Wholly Righteous Or Evil","post_title":"We Are Rarely Wholly Righteous Or Evil","slug":"we-are-rarely-wholly-righteous-or-evil","old_id":"45331","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":44685,"post_title":"Jaclyn Rubin-Blaier","slug":"jaclyn-rubin-blaier","old_id":"44685","first_name":"Jaclyn ","last_name":"Rubin-Blaier ","description":"Jaclyn Rubin-Blaier works for Luria Academy of Brooklyn, where she currently writes Judaics curricula; she taught in the 7-9 year-old classroom at Luria for three years. Jaclyn received semikhah from Rav Elisha Anscelovits in 2013 and spent several years studying Talmud and halakhah at JTS, Drisha, Yeshivat Hadar, Pardes, Beit Morasha, and Matan. She earned a Master\u2019s degree in Early Childhood Education at Boston University in 2015. \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Jaclyn Rubin-Blaier works for Luria Academy of Brooklyn, where she currently writes Judaics curricula.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":44686,"alt":"","title":"jaclyn rubin-blaier","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/jaclyn-rubin-blaier-e1543325936751.jpg","width":3248,"height":3386,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/jaclyn-rubin-blaier-e1543325936751-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/jaclyn-rubin-blaier-e1543325936751-288x300.jpg","medium-width":288,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/jaclyn-rubin-blaier-e1543325936751-768x801.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":801,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/jaclyn-rubin-blaier-e1543325936751-982x1024.jpg","large-width":982,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/jaclyn-rubin-blaier-e1543325936751.jpg","1536x1536-width":1473,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/jaclyn-rubin-blaier-e1543325936751.jpg","2048x2048-width":1965,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/jaclyn-rubin-blaier-e1543325936751-1151x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1151,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/jaclyn-rubin-blaier-e1543325936751-403x420.jpg","home_baner-width":403,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"106","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The deaths of two brothers and two goats raise questions about the nature of atonement and repentance","post_main_content_content":"

When I reflect on my mistakes, I find myself asking whether it is possible to wipe away sins completely, to repair relationships or fix missteps as good as new. And would I really want these moments wiped away for good, or would I rather move forward having learned something from them?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Leviticus 16 is primarily about the rituals of Yom Kippur in the Temple, however, the topic is introduced in an interesting way. The opening lines remind us of the death of Aaron\u2019s two sons, who were consumed with fire when bringing an unauthorized offering to God: \"<\/span>God spoke to Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before God, and died\" (16:1).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Various answers have been suggested for what if anything they did wrong, ranging from being drunk while bringing an offering, to bringing an uncommanded \u201cstrange offering.\u201d The Talmud Yerushalmi suggests another:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Hiya bar Abba said, \u201cAaron\u2019s sons died on the first of <\/span>Nisan<\/span><\/i>. Why is their death mentioned on Yom Kippur? To teach that just as Yom Kippur atones for Israel, so too the death of righteous people atones for Israel.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In other words, they didn\u2019t do anything wrong, but the people did, enough to warrant the death of these two righteous priests.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There is another important pair that appears in this chapter: the two goats used in the service, one goat for God and one for Azazel. The goat for God is offered as a sin-offering on behalf of Israel. Aaron confesses the sins of the people on the goat for Azazel, which is then sent away \u201cto the wilderness.\u201d In rabbinic literature, the goat is killed in a fall off a particular cliff deep in the wilderness.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Like the two goats, says the Yerushalmi, the death of Aaron\u2019s sons atone for Israel\u2019s sins. Nadab comes from the word for donation or generosity, and Abihu, \u05d0\u05d1\u05d9 \u05d4\u05d5\u05d0, means \"He is my Father\" (referring, as I am reading it, to God).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The dichotomies set out in these contrasts\u2014of Nadab and Abihu as righteous martyrs or punished sinners, of Nadab and Abihu with zeal for the worship of God in contrast to Israel who needs atonement through the death of righteous people, of the goat for God and the goat for Azazel, of burning one sacrifice to go up to God in the heavens and banishing the other to forlorn areas of the earth\u2014leads me back to the questions: can our past ever be erased, to make a fresh start? And if so, would we want to, if it meant no longer having learned the relevant lessons?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Temple creates an unparalleled space of either-or, of a world with precise distinctions and categories that cannot tolerate the messiness of life. People are very rarely purely righteous or evil, our past mistakes become a part of us as much as our past successes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Nadab and Abihu may have been blameless, or they may not have, but their death is as much a part of the story of Yom Kippur as the goats we offer to atone for our sins.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":84019,"alt":"","title":"ps52-good evil","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil.png","width":1920,"height":842,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil-300x132.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":132,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil-768x337.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":337,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil-1024x449.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":449,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":674,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":842,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil-1200x526.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":526,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil-958x420.png","home_baner-width":958,"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":"We Are Rarely Wholly Righteous Or Evil","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The deaths of two brothers and two goats raise questions about the nature of atonement and repentance","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":84019,"alt":"","title":"ps52-good evil","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil.png","width":1920,"height":842,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil-300x132.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":132,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil-768x337.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":337,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil-1024x449.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":449,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":674,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":842,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil-1200x526.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":526,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ps52-good-evil-958x420.png","home_baner-width":958,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Leviticus","chapter":"16","chapter_main_number":"106","date":"20260125","wall_id":"106"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"383","name":"Death","old_id":"783"},{"term_id":"387","name":"Sacrifice","old_id":"787"},{"term_id":"571","name":"Repentance","old_id":"971"}]},{"order":2,"id":"45370","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"The Particulars Of A New Moral Order","post_title":"The Particulars Of A New Moral Order","slug":"the-particulars-of-a-new-moral-order","old_id":"45370","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34285,"post_title":"Tammy Jacobowitz","slug":"tammy-jacobowitz","old_id":"34285","first_name":"Tammy ","last_name":"Jacobowitz ","description":"Dr. Tammy Jacobowitz is the chair of the Tanakh department at the SAR High School in Riverdale, NY, and is the founding director of Makom Ba'Siach at SAR, an immersive adult education program for parents. She has taught Bible for the Wexner Heritage program, and she is also an adjunct faculty member of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, where she teaches the Pedagogy of Tanakh. \r\nShe received her BA in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania, is a graduate of the Drisha Institute's Scholars Circle, and completed her PhD in Midrash at the University of Pennsylania in 2010 as a Wexner Graduate fellow. Dr. Jacobowitz is currently at work on a parsha book, geared towards parents reading to young children. Her research interests include the spiritualizing tactics of Midrash, gender and the body in the Bible and Rabbinics, purity and impurity, and the contemporary use of Midrash. She lives in Teaneck, NJ with her husband, Ronnie Perelis, and their four children.","short_description":"Dr. Tammy Jacobowitz is the chair of the Tanakh department at the SAR High School in Riverdale, NY,","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34286,"alt":"","title":"tammy j","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/tammy-j.jpg","width":512,"height":768,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/tammy-j-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/tammy-j-200x300.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/tammy-j.jpg","medium_large-width":512,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/tammy-j.jpg","large-width":512,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/tammy-j.jpg","1536x1536-width":512,"1536x1536-height":768,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/tammy-j.jpg","2048x2048-width":512,"2048x2048-height":768,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/tammy-j.jpg","post_full_size-width":512,"post_full_size-height":768,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/tammy-j-280x420.jpg","home_baner-width":280,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"107","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Food at the center: we act out our values each time we sit down to eat","post_main_content_content":"

Leviticus chapter 11 delivers a clear mandate about which animals can be eaten and which are off limits. Chapter 17 adds two more layers to the rules around eating meat. Sacrifices must only be offered at the one, legitimate altar, and under no circumstances can blood be consumed. \u00a0Verse 4 uses strong words to condemn a person who violates these terms, \u201cblood-guilt shall be imputed to that man: he has shed blood; that man shall be cut off from among his people.\u201d Why? So that the Israelites will stop offering their sacrifices in the open, wherever they choose, and will commit to the practice of centralized worship in the tabernacle.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Leviticus drives home the difficulty of this expectation. For one, the legal section concludes by saying that the law is intended to curb the offering of sacrifices to goat demons \u201cafter whom they stray\u201d. In other words, during the years in the desert-- even after Sinai and the dedication of the mishkan -- \u00a0idol worship was alive and well among the people.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Second, our verses echo Genesis 9, when God establishes a series of rules with Noah and his descendants. There, after the flood, mankind is granted permission to eat meat but are warned not to eat the blood; furthermore, whoever sheds the blood of man \u201cby man shall his blood be shed.\u201d In Leviticus, a person who offers a sacrifice outside the sacred center is compared to a person who has murdered. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Is the parallel nothing more than hyperbole?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

I would suggest that the direct echo of Genesis 9 underscores a parallel between these two moments. After the flood, mankind needed to learn how to live again; with new guidelines, in a new moral order. Here, in the midst of the desert, the Israelites are also learning to live with a new reality. Shedding long-ingrained practices and growing comfortable with the worldview of monotheism was a gradual, difficult process. That food is at the center of both of these moments should not surprise us. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

We act out our values each time we sit down to eat.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":96676,"alt":"","title":"ecc5-eat drink merry meal 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Particulars Of A New Moral Order","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Food at the center: we act out our values each time we sit down to eat","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":96676,"alt":"","title":"ecc5-eat drink merry meal 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Carnivores, Can You Do A Little Better?","post_title":"Hey Carnivores, Can You Do A Little Better?","slug":"hey-carnivores-can-you-do-a-little-better","old_id":"45346","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":"107","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The Torah\u2019s vegetarian ideal, and our journey towards it","post_main_content_content":"

Does the Torah think that it's murder to kill an animal for food? Anyone with any rudimentary knowledge of Judaism would confidently answer: of course not! In fact, just the opposite! The Torah commands us to worship God carnivorously. The highest expression of religious service in Leviticus is a barbecue in the Mishkan.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But actually, according to Leviticus 17, in certain circumstances, killing an animal is called murder. \"It will be considered like blood for this man, he has spilled blood, and he will be cut off from his nation.\" The shocking nature of this statement needs to be digested slowly. The requirement to bring all animals to the Mishkan for slaughter is understandable, and we can see that it would be sinful to ignore this requirement. But the punishment of <\/span>karet<\/span><\/i>? And to call it the \"spilling of blood\"?! It seems to be taking things a little too far, doesn't it?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The phrase 'he has spilled blood' in relation to the animal sends us back to Genesis, chapter 9. In the aftermath of the flood, God commands Noah and his sons- \"He who spills the blood of man, by man will his own blood be spilled.\" This commandment regarding the taking of human life is made in contrast to the new permission granted to take animal life.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Before the flood, it seems, people were vegetarians. Spilling animal blood had been as severe as spilling human blood. Fundamentally, it still was, even after the flood. The permission to eat meat was granted reluctantly, out of God's renewed post-flood relationship with mankind which was more accepting of human foibles. This permission came with limits, in order to maintain an element of the ideal. \"However, meat, with its spirit in its blood, you cannot eat\". Eating a limb from a live animal is still forbidden.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The service of the Mishkan presented a realistic opportunity to further restrict meat consumption, and to move mankind closer to the ideal of Eden. And so, the relationship between blood and spirit was given new, more stringent legal expression, and the killing of animals outside the confines of these limitations was tantamount to murder, no less.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

These limitations again were relaxed when circumstances changed, the Jews entered the land of Israel, and it became unrealistic to expect them to limit all meat consumption to the Mikdash.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Although the Torah's ideal might be vegetarianism, it certainly doesn't make that demand in reality. What it does do throughout, in various ways in various periods of our history, is to demand that we move ourselves in the direction of that ideal. And so the question we are left to ask ourselves is- how much closer to that ideal can we bring ourselves?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: David Bowers<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":45383,"alt":"","title":"veganism","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism.jpg","width":630,"height":480,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism-300x229.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":229,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism.jpg","medium_large-width":630,"medium_large-height":480,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism.jpg","large-width":630,"large-height":480,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism.jpg","1536x1536-width":630,"1536x1536-height":480,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism.jpg","2048x2048-width":630,"2048x2048-height":480,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism.jpg","post_full_size-width":630,"post_full_size-height":480,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism-551x420.jpg","home_baner-width":551,"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":"Hey Carnivores, Can You Do A Little Better? ","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The Torah\u2019s vegetarian ideal, and our journey towards it","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":45383,"alt":"","title":"veganism","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism.jpg","width":630,"height":480,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism-300x229.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":229,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism.jpg","medium_large-width":630,"medium_large-height":480,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism.jpg","large-width":630,"large-height":480,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism.jpg","1536x1536-width":630,"1536x1536-height":480,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism.jpg","2048x2048-width":630,"2048x2048-height":480,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism.jpg","post_full_size-width":630,"post_full_size-height":480,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/veganism-551x420.jpg","home_baner-width":551,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Leviticus","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"107","date":"20260126","wall_id":"107"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"416","name":"meat","old_id":"816"},{"term_id":"763","name":"Vegetarian","old_id":"1163"}]},{"order":4,"id":"45438","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Live By Them And Not Die By Them","post_title":"Live By Them And Not Die By Them","slug":"live-by-them-and-not-die-by-them","old_id":"45438","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":45148,"post_title":"Yitz Greenberg","slug":"yitz-greenberg","old_id":"45148","first_name":"Yitz ","last_name":"Greenberg ","description":"Rabbi Yitz Greenberg is the President of the J.J. Greenberg Institute for the Advancement of Jewish Life, a division of the Hadar Institute.\r\n","short_description":"Rabbi Yitz Greenberg is the President of the J.J. Greenberg Institute for the Advancement of Jewish Life, a division of the Hadar Institute.\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":45149,"alt":"","title":"Yitz Greenberg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Yitz-Greenberg.jpg","width":207,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Yitz-Greenberg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Yitz-Greenberg-207x300.jpg","medium-width":207,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Yitz-Greenberg.jpg","medium_large-width":207,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Yitz-Greenberg.jpg","large-width":207,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Yitz-Greenberg.jpg","1536x1536-width":207,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Yitz-Greenberg.jpg","2048x2048-width":207,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Yitz-Greenberg.jpg","post_full_size-width":207,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Yitz-Greenberg.jpg","home_baner-width":207,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"108","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A leading Jewish thinker's take on Leviticus and Life (Part I)","post_main_content_content":"

Chapter 18 of Leviticus is the peak moment and interpretive key to Leviticus - and to all of the Torah. God speaks directly to the people of Israel: \u201cYou shall not copy the practices of the land of Egypt\u2026 or of the land of Canaan\u2026. You shall keep my laws and walk in the way of my rules... for when a person does this, he shall live by them (Lev. 18:3-5).\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Egyptian and Canaanite behaviors are a way of death, whereas following the laws of the Torah constitutes walking on a way of life. Upholding life is the key to all the Torah\u2019s instructions - even its arcane ritual codes found in Leviticus. They instruct us how to choose life in every act that we do.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Leviticus makes clear that the House of God (Mishkan\/Beit Mikdash) - where one is constantly close to God - is exclusively a zone of life. It may not be entered into by dead people or impure humans (i.e. people who have had contact with death and have not yet been ritually reborn to life). Similarly, priests (who work full time in the House of God) must be constantly in a state of ritual purity. They are to have no contact with dead humans or cemeteries or other impurities. They are granted only temporary exemptions to bury their nearest and dearest ones (ch. 21-22).<\/p>\r\n

The laws of purity and impurity in Leviticus designate life as purity and death as impurity. While a human corpse is the ultimate impurity (Numbers, ch. 19) people with deathly \u00a0sicknesses (such as metzora<\/em>\/leper) are also impure. Contact with dead animals, especially non-kosher animals, also brings impurity.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Similarly, the laws of kosher<\/em> teach that human eating should be on the side of life. Ideally, one should eat only vegetables and minerals (all are kosher) and not kill animals (Genesis 1: 29-30). Kosher laws permit meat-eating but only with great restrictions. Only a few species are permitted. These species are vegetarians. Predatory animals and birds are not kosher. The higher species must be killed swiftly and painlessly (shechitah<\/em>). Blood - the symbol of life - is not to be eaten. There are more restrictions on eating the higher animals. They may not be prepared, cooked or eaten together with milk. (Mother\u2019s milk is the source of life and may not be served with meat, i.e. a killed animal).<\/p>\r\n

The Talmud confirms that the primary goal of the laws of the Torah is to uphold life. The question came up in Maccabean times when the Hellenistic army attacked a group of especially pious Israelites on Shabbat. The\u00a0 latter refused to wage war on Shabbat and were killed. The Maccabees - and after them, the Talmud - ruled to the contrary.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Since every law in the Torah is intended to uphold life, then one should not observe a law when it leads to death. Every law in the Torah (except three) is overridden in order to save a life (pikuach nefesh<\/em>). The Talmud proves this with the great principle of chapter 18: when a person does God\u2019s commandments \u201che (she) shall live by them and not die by them\u201d (Leviticus 18:5; Yoma 85B).<\/p>\r\n

Tomorrow: Leviticus chapter 19:<\/a> Yitz continues his explication of Judaism\u2019s moral vision, and connects it to the command \u201cto be holy.\u201d Stay tuned!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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I)","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":45481,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_109913345","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232.jpg","width":2333,"height":1890,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-300x243.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":243,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-768x622.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":622,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-1024x830.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":830,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1244,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1659,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-1200x972.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":972,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-518x420.jpg","home_baner-width":518,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Leviticus","chapter":"18","chapter_main_number":"108","date":"20260127","wall_id":"108"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"383","name":"Death","old_id":"783"},{"term_id":"401","name":"Life","old_id":"801"},{"term_id":"448","name":"Ritual","old_id":"848"},{"term_id":"742","name":"Purity","old_id":"1142"}]},{"order":5,"id":"45539","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Live 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(See yesterday\u2019s post for Part I<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Chapter 19 - the Holiness Code - calls on the Israelites to \u201cbe holy for I the Lord your God am holy\u201d (19:2). This means living and acting completely on the side of life - just as God is the Creator and Sustainer of life. \u201cThe Source of Life\u201d (Psalms 36:11), \u201cthe Ruler who lusts for life\u2026 the Living God\u201d (High Holy Days Liturgy) is completely committed to life. Therefore, to be holy is to live deeply, intensely, and to sustain life and thus act for life and be in the presence of the God of life.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

All the laws of the Torah are on the side of life. Moses says: \u201cBehold, I place before you today, life and good, death and evil\u2026 choose life.\u201d (Deuteronomy, 30:15,19). The Torah\u00a0<\/span>links life and good together, and death and evil together. Says Maimonides: This linkage means that the definition of a good act is that it is a choice of life and the definition of a sin\/evil act is that it is an act on the side of death.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Judaism\u2019s main action message is that humans are commanded to join with God to fill the world with life. \u201cThe world was not created to be void; it was formed (by God) to be filled with life\u201d (Isaiah 45:18). All humans are commanded, \u201cbe fruitful and multiply.\u201d While the minimum fulfillment is having two children (so as to leave behind no less life than the parents represent), the Talmud instructs people to have a third child and beyond in order \u201cto fill\u00a0<\/span>the world with life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The prophetic call to <\/span>tikkun olam<\/span><\/em> is to upgrade Nature and repair society so that all the dignities that humans are entitled to, will be fully sustained for all. In Messianic times, humans will overcome poverty, oppression, inequality, sickness and war. This will enable society to fully honor the dignities of infinite value, equality and uniqueness with which human beings\u00a0<\/span>created \u201cin the image of God\u2026 male and female\u2026\u201d are endowed. (Genesis 1:27;\u00a0<\/span>Sanhedrin 37A).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Every commandment in the Torah is intended to advance the quantity of life or honor the dignity and the quality of life in the world. Not even intended obedience to God can justify behavior that advances death or allows death to win out over life.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The call to holiness is a call to increase life. As Rabbi Soloveitchik wrote: \"Holiness means the holiness of earthly, here and now life\" (Halakhic Man, p.33). Being holy means becoming holy - all the time. Holiness is not a static state but a constant deepening, intensifying, ennobling of life behaviors.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":45481,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_109913345","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232.jpg","width":2333,"height":1890,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-300x243.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":243,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-768x622.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":622,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-1024x830.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":830,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1244,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1659,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-1200x972.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":972,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-518x420.jpg","home_baner-width":518,"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":"(See yesterday\u2019s post for Part I)","tile_main_caption":"Live By Them and Not Die By Them","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A leading Jewish thinker's take on Leviticus and Life (Part II)","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":45481,"alt":"","title":"shutterstock_109913345","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232.jpg","width":2333,"height":1890,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-300x243.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":243,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-768x622.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":622,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-1024x830.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":830,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1244,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1659,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-1200x972.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":972,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_109913345-e1544475440232-518x420.jpg","home_baner-width":518,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Leviticus","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"109","date":"20260128","wall_id":"109"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"401","name":"Life","old_id":"801"},{"term_id":"480","name":"Holiness","old_id":"880"},{"term_id":"667","name":"Judaism","old_id":"1067"}]},{"order":6,"id":"45536","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"The Center Of The Torah","post_title":"The Center Of The Torah","slug":"the-center-of-the-torah","old_id":"45536","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":43740,"post_title":"Elaine Goodfriend","slug":"elaine-goodfriend","old_id":"43740","first_name":"Elaine ","last_name":"Goodfriend ","description":"Elaine (Adler) Goodfriend received her Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. She was a student of Jacob Milgrom. Elaine has taught at California State University, Northridge for the last 21 years and at other universities in southern California. Her interests include Law in the Hebrew Bible and the history of ancient Israel. ","short_description":"Elaine Goodfriend has taught Law in the Hebrew Bible and the history of ancient Israel at California State University, Northridge for the last 21 years.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":43741,"alt":"","title":"elaine goodfriend","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/elaine-goodfriend-e1541968737477.jpg","width":260,"height":280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/elaine-goodfriend-e1541968737477-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/elaine-goodfriend-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/elaine-goodfriend-e1541968737477.jpg","medium_large-width":260,"medium_large-height":280,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/elaine-goodfriend-e1541968737477.jpg","large-width":260,"large-height":280,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/elaine-goodfriend-e1541968737477.jpg","1536x1536-width":260,"1536x1536-height":280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/elaine-goodfriend-e1541968737477.jpg","2048x2048-width":260,"2048x2048-height":280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/elaine-goodfriend-e1541968737477.jpg","post_full_size-width":260,"post_full_size-height":280,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/elaine-goodfriend-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"109","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A-B-C-Holiness-C-B-A","post_main_content_content":"

One way that the main idea or turning point of a text is expressed in the Hebrew Bible is through a literary tool called \u201cchiasm.\u201d This is when words or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in a pattern such as A B C D \u00a0C\u2019 B\u2019 A\u2019, so the focal point or center indicates an important idea. Thus, the five-part division of the Torah places special emphasis on Leviticus as its central panel. This focus on Leviticus emphasizes the ritual and legal prescriptions which ideally assist the people of Israel to attain holiness.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The center of Leviticus, and thus the core of the Torah as a whole, is found in Leviticus 19, which demands that Israel aspire to holiness by following an assortment of ritual and ethical demands. How so? Leviticus 19 is flanked on two sides by chapters (Leviticus 18 and 20) which focus on similar content -- sexual ethics -- and these set off and highlight chapter 19, in accordance with the principles of chiasm noted above. Now, which verse is the center of Leviticus 19 and thus constitutes the central verse of the Torah? The one that demands that the Israelite loves one\u2019s fellow (v.18b)! This chapter contains 37 verses, and v.18b falls in the middle, serving as the climax in its series of ethical commandments (vs.11-18), before the <\/span>huqot<\/span><\/i>, or ritual laws which follow.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While modern readers might dismiss Leviticus as a less relevant<\/span> book because of its emphasis on sacrifice and ritual, it is important to remember that it also provides the ethical focal point for the Torah as a whole.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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Holiness","post_title":"Potential Holiness","slug":"potential-holiness","old_id":"45620","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":45366,"post_title":"Steve Greenberg","slug":"steve-greenberg","old_id":"45366","first_name":"Steve ","last_name":"Greenberg ","description":"Rabbi Steven Greenberg is the founding director of Eshel, an organization devoted to creating community and acceptance for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Jews and their families in Orthodox communities. He is also a faculty member of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. He is the author of the groundbreaking book, Wrestling with God & Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition (University of Wisconsin Press, 2004), which won the Koret Book Award for Philosophy and Thought. He lives with his partner Steven Goldstein and his daughter Amalia in Boston. \r\n","short_description":"Rabbi Steven Greenberg is the founding director of Eshel ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":45367,"alt":"","title":"","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Steve_Greenberg.jpg","width":622,"height":623,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Steve_Greenberg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Steve_Greenberg-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Steve_Greenberg.jpg","medium_large-width":622,"medium_large-height":623,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Steve_Greenberg.jpg","large-width":622,"large-height":623,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Steve_Greenberg.jpg","1536x1536-width":622,"1536x1536-height":623,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Steve_Greenberg.jpg","2048x2048-width":622,"2048x2048-height":623,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Steve_Greenberg.jpg","post_full_size-width":622,"post_full_size-height":623,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Steve_Greenberg-419x420.jpg","home_baner-width":419,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"110","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The Torah is utterly uninterested in \u201chomosexuality\u201d","post_main_content_content":"

The paired Torah portions of Aharei Mot and Kedoshim are, in gay Jewish terms, the \u201cscene of the crime.\" In April of 1969 these two parshiot were my bar mitzvah portion. At the time, I had no idea that this double portion would come to mean so much to me. Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 came to have their full caustic power on my life, when I was a closeted Orthodox rabbi living in Riverdale, New York, and involved in my first gay relationship. The high wire anxiety of this time led me to a showdown of sorts. I needed to make some sense of these verses in order to continue in good faith, not only as an Orthodox rabbi, but as a committed Jew.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

I spent roughly the next ten years working on the emotional, intellectual, legal and spiritual ramifications of these two verses. My efforts eventually became a book released in 2004 and entitled: <\/span>Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n

\u201cAnd with a male you shall not lie the lyings of a woman, it is an abomination.\u201d<\/span><\/i> Rabbinic reading focused this verse on a single act between men, namely, anal intercourse. Lesbian relations are mentioned nowhere in scripture. Remarkably, the Torah is utterly uninterested in \u201chomosexuality.\u201d The sameness of the sexes (homo=same) that dominates contemporary thought is missing here.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

So what is it about anal sex between men that is such a problem?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One of the best avenues for understanding the meaning of any law is an exploration of the stories that provide the law with narrative contexts. According to the midrash, Noah\u2019s son Ham does not merely see his father naked and drunk in his tent, but either castrates or anally rapes his father but the most overt biblical depiction of male-male sexual relations is the story of the destruction of Sodom. The aim of the mob in Sodom, according to the rabbis, was humiliation as punishment or sport, but not sexual fulfilment.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Read in this way, the verse in Leviticus 18 might well be prohibiting sex as an expression of power and humiliation while leaving sex between committed and loving partners permitted.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Since the prohibition follows a long list of incest prohibitions with related women, one scholar has suggested that the verse might be coming to prohibit sex with all one's male family members as well.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Lastly, according to Rabbi Ishmael in the Talmud, only the penetrating partner violates the rule in Leviticus. The receptive partner, he claims, is liable under a different verse in Deuteronomy (23:18) that prohibits temple prostitution.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

These readings leave open the sort of sexual relations that occur outside of the circle of family relations, that are conducted without violence or humiliation and are not associated with the dramaturgy of pagan rites. Read in this way, love between men that is marked instead by care and commitment would seem not only permitted, but potentially holy.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image from:\u00a0http:\/\/www.eshelonline.org<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":45625,"alt":"","title":"Banner-at-Eshel2Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758.jpg","width":4249,"height":2461,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758-300x174.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":174,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758-768x445.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":445,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758-1024x593.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":593,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":890,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1186,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758-1200x695.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":695,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758-725x420.jpg","home_baner-width":725,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"A personal reflection from a pioneer religious activist","tile_main_caption":"Potential Holiness","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The Torah is utterly uninterested in \u201chomosexuality\u201d","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":45625,"alt":"","title":"Banner-at-Eshel2Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758.jpg","width":4249,"height":2461,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758-300x174.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":174,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758-768x445.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":445,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758-1024x593.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":593,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":890,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1186,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758-1200x695.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":695,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Banner-at-Eshel2Cover-e1544600005758-725x420.jpg","home_baner-width":725,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Leviticus","chapter":"20","chapter_main_number":"110","date":"20260129","wall_id":"110"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"381","name":"love","old_id":"781"},{"term_id":"450","name":"Homosexuality","old_id":"850"},{"term_id":"480","name":"Holiness","old_id":"880"}]},{"order":8,"id":"63551","color":"#e0e9ef","size":"1","name":"An Especially Miraculous Miracle ","post_title":"An Especially Miraculous Miracle","slug":"an-especially-miraculous-miracle","old_id":"63551","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34250,"post_title":"Sarah Rudolph","slug":"sarah-rudolph","old_id":"34250","first_name":"Sarah ","last_name":"Rudolph","description":"Sarah Rudolph is a freelance Jewish educator, writer, and editor. She has been sharing her passion for Jewish texts of all kinds for over 15 years, with students of all ages. Sarah\u2019s essays have been published in a variety of internet and print media, including Times of Israel, Kveller, Jewish Action, OU Life, The Lehrhaus, TorahMusings, and more. Sarah lives in Cleveland with her husband and four children, but is privileged to learn online with students all over the world through www.TorahTutors.org and www.WebYeshiva.org. \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Sarah Rudolph is a freelance Jewish educator, writer, and editor.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34251,"alt":"","title":"Sarah R","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R.jpg","width":2824,"height":4246,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-200x300.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-681x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":681,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-681x1024.jpg","large-width":681,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R.jpg","1536x1536-width":1022,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R.jpg","2048x2048-width":1362,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-798x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":798,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-279x420.jpg","home_baner-width":279,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"316","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Perhaps because it happened through the desperation and luck of a few lepers...","post_main_content_content":"

Can God make a rock He can\u2019t lift? A round square?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

My philosopher father raised me on paradoxes like this one, and we enjoyed discussing them without (on my part, at least) caring much about the answers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Sometimes, though, questions of potential limitations on God\u2019s abilities can be more serious \u2013 as when a servant of the king of Israel is punished for expressing doubt about a bold prophecy:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And Elisha replied, \u201cHear the word of the LORD. Thus said the LORD: This time tomorrow, a seah of choice flour shall sell for a shekel at the gate of Samaria, and two seahs of barley for a shekel.\u201d<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>The aide on whose arm the king was leaning spoke up and said to the man of God, \u201cEven if the LORD were to make windows in the sky, could this come to pass?\u201d And he retorted, \u201cYou shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it\u201d (7:1-2).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Indeed, the servant saw the prophecy fulfilled \u2013 not as a result of any opening of the heavens, but through a[n apparently] lucky find of four individuals, whose conscience moved them to share the wealth they\u2019d discovered just in time for Elisha\u2019s stated deadline. And indeed, the servant did not partake of the discovery himself, as he was trampled by the hordes of people on their way there (v. 17).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Lord does work in mysterious, and sometimes ironic, ways.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One might wonder what was so awful about the servant\u2019s skepticism. After all, he didn\u2019t express any doubt in God\u2019s existence or in His power to provide rain. According to Radak\u2019s reading, he was even open to the possibility that God might rain down actual food, as He did with the <\/span>manna<\/span><\/i> in the desert. He was fully accepting of God\u2019s miraculous capabilities; his only objection was that even with a miracle, it would be simply impossible for the market to be affected as extremely and swiftly as the prophet had predicted.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What he failed to realize was that the Creator of all might have more creative ways to achieve His goals than any one human could necessarily think up. Within his own conceptual box of \u201cfamine-ending-miracles,\u201d it would perhaps have been impossible to achieve the result Elisha predicted. But God is not just omnipotent, but omniscient; even within the realm of logic, He can conceive of scenarios and ways to impact that world that we might never imagine. The royal servant\u2019s mistake was in projecting the limits of his own imagination onto God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God\u2019s box of possibilities, unlike ours, is infinite. For all we know, it can also be round.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Four lepers bring the news to the guards at the gate of Samaria; by the illustrator of Petrus Comestor\u2019s \u2018Bible Historiale\u2019, France, 1372; Miniature; at the Museum Meermanno Westreenianum, The Hague \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63552,"alt":"","title":"2kings7-four-lepers-bring-the-news-to-the-guards-at-the-gate-of-samaria","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-four-lepers-bring-the-news-to-the-guards-at-the-gate-of-samaria.jpg","width":524,"height":576,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-four-lepers-bring-the-news-to-the-guards-at-the-gate-of-samaria-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-four-lepers-bring-the-news-to-the-guards-at-the-gate-of-samaria-273x300.jpg","medium-width":273,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-four-lepers-bring-the-news-to-the-guards-at-the-gate-of-samaria.jpg","medium_large-width":524,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-four-lepers-bring-the-news-to-the-guards-at-the-gate-of-samaria.jpg","large-width":524,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-four-lepers-bring-the-news-to-the-guards-at-the-gate-of-samaria.jpg","1536x1536-width":524,"1536x1536-height":576,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-four-lepers-bring-the-news-to-the-guards-at-the-gate-of-samaria.jpg","2048x2048-width":524,"2048x2048-height":576,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-four-lepers-bring-the-news-to-the-guards-at-the-gate-of-samaria.jpg","post_full_size-width":524,"post_full_size-height":576,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-four-lepers-bring-the-news-to-the-guards-at-the-gate-of-samaria-382x420.jpg","home_baner-width":382,"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":"An 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She is a graduate of Mandel School For Educational Leadership, works at Midreshet Lindenbaum, and is writing a doctorate in psychology at Bar Ilan University.","short_description":"Naomi (Jaffe) Eini is an educational psychologist, lecturer and workshop facilitator, and doctoral candidate in psychology.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":58420,"alt":"","title":"naomi eini","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/naomi-eini.jpg","width":960,"height":1135,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/naomi-eini-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/naomi-eini-254x300.jpg","medium-width":254,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/naomi-eini-768x908.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":908,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/naomi-eini-866x1024.jpg","large-width":866,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/naomi-eini.jpg","1536x1536-width":960,"1536x1536-height":1135,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/naomi-eini.jpg","2048x2048-width":960,"2048x2048-height":1135,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/naomi-eini.jpg","post_full_size-width":960,"post_full_size-height":1135,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/naomi-eini-355x420.jpg","home_baner-width":355,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"316","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A Rebbe Nachman tale from ancient Israel","post_main_content_content":"

Today\u2019s chapter reminds me of Rabbi Nachman of Breslav\u2019s tales.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

First, a summary: The king of Israel is very perturbed by the famine afflicting his people and kingdom. He is very angry with the prophet Elisha and wants to kill him. Elisha calmly replies that all is in the hands of God and tomorrow will be a new reality with plenty of food for all.\u00a0 On hearing this, the king\u2019s aide mocks him and doesn\u2019t believe the prophecy. Elisha retorts: You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it.\u201d (v.2).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the next scene, the text describes how Elisha\u2019s prophecy is realized:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Four Hebrew lepers who were banished from Israel\u2019s camp, were starving and planning their next steps. If they stayed put \u2013 death was inevitable, but the same fate awaited them if they returned to the camp. They decide to \u201cdesert to the Aramean camp. If they let us live, we shall live; and if they put us to death, we shall but die\u201d (v.4).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Nighttime: The lepers stealthily slip into the enemy camp and lo and behold, it was deserted.\u00a0 God had performed a miracle. Having filled their stomachs and their bags with plundered treasures, they decide to share the news with the King of Israel.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Upon hearing this information, the king and his assistants had difficulty believing this amazing news, suspecting that the Arameans had laid an ambush \u201cThey know that we [Israelites] are starving\u2026 we [the Arameans] will take them alive\u201d (v.12). One of the aides proposes sending messengers to the camp, who see the deserted clothes and tools dropped as the Arameans fled and understand that the lepers were telling the truth that the camp was deserted. The Israelites pounced on the bounty and, in the ensuing rush, the king\u2019s aide who had mocked Elisha was trampled to death. The prophecy was realized.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We learn from the text that God manages overt and covert processes through various, and sometimes surprising messengers<\/span><\/p>\r\n

R\u2019 Nachman\u2019s <\/span>Tale of Seven Beggars<\/span><\/i> tells of a boy and girl lost in the forest who meet a different beggar with a physical defect everyday who saves them from starvation. It turns out that these are not defects but wondrous strengths.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The lepers in the Daily Chapter are also not what they seem to be at first glance. They are key players who discover the King - God\u2019s presence and miracles: \u201cThis is a day of good news \u2026Come, let us go and inform the <\/span>king<\/b>\u2019s palace\u201d (v.9).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God\u2019s ways are hidden, and we are tasked with freeing ourselves from the shackles of doubt and disbelief in His ability to overturn reality.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Each and every day has the potential to bring good news. To a great extent, realizing this potential depends on how well we listen to hidden moves and the extent to which we believe that change is possible.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Translated by Chava Wilschanski<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63549,"alt":"","title":"2kings7-nachman beggars","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","width":613,"height":400,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars-300x196.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":196,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","medium_large-width":613,"medium_large-height":400,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","large-width":613,"large-height":400,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","1536x1536-width":613,"1536x1536-height":400,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","2048x2048-width":613,"2048x2048-height":400,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","post_full_size-width":613,"post_full_size-height":400,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","home_baner-width":613,"home_baner-height":400}},"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 Can We Learn From Four Starving Lepers?\u00a0","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A Rebbe Nachman tale from ancient Israel","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63549,"alt":"","title":"2kings7-nachman beggars","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","width":613,"height":400,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars-300x196.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":196,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","medium_large-width":613,"medium_large-height":400,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","large-width":613,"large-height":400,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","1536x1536-width":613,"1536x1536-height":400,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","2048x2048-width":613,"2048x2048-height":400,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","post_full_size-width":613,"post_full_size-height":400,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-nachman-beggars.jpg","home_baner-width":613,"home_baner-height":400}},"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 Kings","chapter":"7","chapter_main_number":"316","date":"20261115","wall_id":"316"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"477","name":"Story","old_id":"877"},{"term_id":"666","name":"Mystic","old_id":"1066"},{"term_id":"675","name":"Hasidut","old_id":"1075"},{"term_id":"755","name":"Leprosy","old_id":"1155"},{"term_id":"850","name":"Secrets","old_id":"1250"}]},{"order":10,"id":"63536","color":"#e6f5f3","size":"1","name":"The Lepers Save Themselves, And Then Everyone Else ","post_title":"The Lepers Save Themselves, And Then Everyone Else","slug":"the-lepers-save-themselves-and-then-everyone-else","old_id":"63536","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":63323,"post_title":"Ilana Symons","slug":"ilana-symons","old_id":"63323","first_name":"Ilana ","last_name":"Symons ","description":"Ilana Symons is in her first year at Hebrew Union College where she is studying to become a rabbi. She is originally from Pittsburgh and received a BA in philosophy from New York University.","short_description":"Ilana Symons is in her first year at Hebrew Union College where she is studying to become a rabbi.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":63325,"alt":"","title":"ilana symons","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/ilana-symons.jpg","width":375,"height":388,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/ilana-symons-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/ilana-symons-290x300.jpg","medium-width":290,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/ilana-symons.jpg","medium_large-width":375,"medium_large-height":388,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/ilana-symons.jpg","large-width":375,"large-height":388,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/ilana-symons.jpg","1536x1536-width":375,"1536x1536-height":388,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/ilana-symons.jpg","2048x2048-width":375,"2048x2048-height":388,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/ilana-symons.jpg","post_full_size-width":375,"post_full_size-height":388,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/ilana-symons.jpg","home_baner-width":375,"home_baner-height":388}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"316","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"What does this say about how we should treat people outside our communities\u2019 gates?\u00a0","post_main_content_content":"

Tzara\u2019at<\/span><\/i>, generally translated as leprosy, is mentioned throughout the Tanach as a punishment for wrongdoing. Maimonides, in his Mishnah Torah (Book 10, 16:10), explained that <\/span>tzara\u2019at<\/span><\/i> has multiple forms (skin whiteness, hair loss\u2026) and causes (gossip, murder\u2026). An intricate, three step process must be done to re-purify the afflicted. Famously, God punished Miriam with <\/span>tzara\u2019at<\/span><\/i> after she slandered Moses\u2019 wife; she spent a week outside the Israelite camp, despite Moses\u2019 forgiveness and pleas to heal her (Numbers 12).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Despite this threatening presence, the Tanach mentions few <\/span>mitzora\u2019im<\/span><\/i>, afflicted individuals, and does not aim to humanize them. Chapter 7 follows this pattern. Superficially, this chapter tells a story of luck: four nameless <\/span>mitzora\u2019im<\/span><\/i> sit outside the city gate (see: Leviticus 13:46), hungry, due to a city-wide famine. Out of options, they decide to try their luck in the Aramean camp. There, they discover abandoned tents and food, drink, and loot for the taking. But, instead of keeping the bounty for themselves, as we might expect, the<\/span> mitzora\u2019im<\/span><\/i> inform the king of the abandoned camp and save the city from famine.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While making this decision, the <\/span>mitzora\u2019im<\/span><\/i> say, \u201cIf we wait until the light of morning [to share this good news], we shall incur guilt\u201d (7:9). Rashi claims that \u2018incurring guilt\u2019 refers to being held guilty by the king. Conversely, the Torah calls it a sin to hold something from someone in need (Leviticus 4:13 and 19:13). Perhaps they wanted to avoid further punishment or perhaps they wanted to do the right thing. Regardless, these men seem upstanding, especially for people in temporary exile. There are many takeaways here: repentance aids morality, no one is entirely good or bad, some punishments are undeserved, some people are judged too quickly.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It is possible God showed remorse for inflicting undeserved punishment by allowing this course of events (also explaining Elisha\u2019s prediction). In the beginning, we meet men at risk of starvation who choose to save themselves, then to save the entire city. After this incident, we do not hear anything further about the <\/span>mitzora\u2019im<\/span><\/i> and their healing, re-acceptance, or rightfully-deserved reward.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What does that say about how we should treat people outside our communities\u2019 gates? It is easy to discount people bearing signs of wrongdoing; it is hard to accept that all people are capable of goodness. So, let us strive to see people more holistically, to see past their punishments and look towards their potential.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Leper camp outside Zion Gate, Jerusalem, 1860 \/ wikimedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63538,"alt":"","title":"2kings7-Jerusalem Lepercamp","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp.jpg","width":800,"height":848,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp-283x300.jpg","medium-width":283,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp-768x814.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":814,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":848,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":848,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":848,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":848,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp-396x420.jpg","home_baner-width":396,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Lepers Save Themselves, And Then Everyone Else","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"What does this say about how we should treat people outside our communities\u2019 gates?\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63538,"alt":"","title":"2kings7-Jerusalem Lepercamp","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp.jpg","width":800,"height":848,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp-283x300.jpg","medium-width":283,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp-768x814.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":814,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":848,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":848,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":848,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":848,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings7-Jerusalem-Lepercamp-396x420.jpg","home_baner-width":396,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"7","chapter_main_number":"316","date":"20261115","wall_id":"316"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"436","name":"Morality","old_id":"836"},{"term_id":"465","name":"Guilt","old_id":"865"},{"term_id":"547","name":"Punishment","old_id":"947"},{"term_id":"755","name":"Leprosy","old_id":"1155"}]},{"order":11,"id":"63497","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"Elisha - Not The Savior Of Israel ","post_title":"Elisha - Not The Savior Of Israel","slug":"elisha-not-the-savior-of-israel","old_id":"63497","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33692,"post_title":"Alex Israel","slug":"33692-2","old_id":"33692","first_name":"Alex","last_name":"Israel","description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem. His first book \"I Kings - Torn in Two\" was published in 2013. See his website www.alexisrael.org, and his podcasts at https:\/\/elmad.pardes.org\/ and https:\/\/tanachstudy.com\/ \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33693,"alt":"","title":"alex israel","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","width":1657,"height":2500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-199x300.jpg","medium-width":199,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-679x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":679,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-679x1024.jpg","large-width":679,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","1536x1536-width":1018,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","2048x2048-width":1357,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-795x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":795,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-278x420.jpg","home_baner-width":278,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"317","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"His prophetic role is of a different nature","post_main_content_content":"

One particularly irksome aspect of Elisha's prophetic tenure is that with all his remarkable miracle-making \u2014 healing springs and lepers, procuring food, resurrecting the dead \u2014 he is unable to use his supernatural powers to repel the Aramean aggressor and to defend the nation. This is highly pronounced during the siege of Samaria (6:24-7:20) where the narrative celebrates Elisha's premonition of the siege's end, and yet absurdly, despite Elisha's amazing foreknowledge, he is absolutely powerless to overpower the enemy. Likewise, when he blinds the Aramean forces who surround Dothan, his chariots of fire and horses of fire protect him personally, but he never intends to destroy the power of the Aramean military.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why is Elisha denied the wherewithal to save Israel?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In God's original instruction to Elijah (I Kings 19:15-16), which is issued after Elijah's failure to reform Ahab and to draw his regime away from its commitment to idolatry, He decrees the fall of Ahab's kingdom. As such, Israel was destined to be overrun and controlled by Aram. Both Elisha and the king of Israel were incapable of altering Aram's relentless military assault that would terminate the Omride dynasty and punish Israel. Although initially it seemed that Elisha was the third agent of divine punishment alongside Hazael and Jehu, an instrument of God's wrath and retribution, Elisha adopts a very different role. During this time of phenomenal hardship for the kingdom of Israel, Elisha serves as something of an antidote, a counterbalance. His miracles serve individuals or small groups, offering benevolent assistance and a palpable sense of God's presence. In the international arena, his impressive powers never extend to eliminating the enemy forces; instead they generate reverence for the God of Israel, as expressed by Naaman and even Ben-Hadad.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Elisha, far from being the instrument of God's rage, is a symbol of consolation, support, assistance, and comfort. Throughout the years of foreign occupation and attack, domestic hardship and suffering, Elisha uses all his God-given powers in the service of keeping faith in God alive. Rather than confronting the king of Israel, he allies with him. In a generation in which faith might have been lost, Elisha is a beacon communicating God's steadfast presence, even during moments of punishment and military defeat. Elisha doesn't overpower the enemy, he cannot break the siege, but he befriends king and commoner alike, helping them understand that despite the adversity, God is still the God of Israel and He will not abandon His people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Alex Israel, II Kings: In a Whirlwind,<\/em> Maggid Books, 2019, Elisha\u2019s Tears\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63310,"alt":"","title":"Alex Israel - 2_kings_cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","width":1711,"height":1821,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-282x300.jpg","medium-width":282,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-768x817.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":817,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-962x1024.jpg","large-width":962,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1443,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1711,"2048x2048-height":1821,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-1128x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1128,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-395x420.jpg","home_baner-width":395,"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":"Excerpts from: II Kings - In A Whirlwind","tile_main_caption":"Elisha - Not The Savior Of Israel","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"His prophetic role is of a different nature","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63310,"alt":"","title":"Alex Israel - 2_kings_cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","width":1711,"height":1821,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-282x300.jpg","medium-width":282,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-768x817.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":817,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-962x1024.jpg","large-width":962,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1443,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1711,"2048x2048-height":1821,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-1128x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1128,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-395x420.jpg","home_baner-width":395,"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 Kings","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"317","date":"20261116","wall_id":"317"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"506","name":"Prophecy","old_id":"906"},{"term_id":"607","name":"Comfort","old_id":"1007"},{"term_id":"931","name":"Elisha","old_id":"1331"}]},{"order":12,"id":"63603","color":"#f7f7f5","size":"1","name":"Macbeth With A Twist ","post_title":"Macbeth With A Twist","slug":"macbeth-with-a-twist","old_id":"63603","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36277,"post_title":"Yedidya Sinclair","slug":"yedidya-sinclair","old_id":"36277","first_name":"Yedidya","last_name":"Sinclair","description":"Rabbi Yedidya Sinclair serves as Senior Rabbinic Scholar at Hazon, the leading US Jewish environmental organization. From 2011-16 he was Vice President for Research and Senior Economist at Energiya Global, a Jerusalem-based solar energy company focused on the developing world and he continues to consult on renewable energy and climate change preparedness. In 2014 he published together with Hazon, a translation of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook's great work on shmitta, the Sabbatical year, \"Introduction to Shabbat Ha'aretz.\" Yedidya holds a BA from Oxford University, an MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and lives with his family in Jerusalem.","short_description":"Yedidya Sinclair is a Jerusalem-based rabbi and economist, and is Senior Rabbinic Scholar at Hazon. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36278,"alt":"","title":"yedidya sinclair","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","width":200,"height":200,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","medium_large-width":200,"medium_large-height":200,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","large-width":200,"large-height":200,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","1536x1536-width":200,"1536x1536-height":200,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","2048x2048-width":200,"2048x2048-height":200,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","post_full_size-width":200,"post_full_size-height":200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","home_baner-width":200,"home_baner-height":200}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"317","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Why did Elisha weep? In giving his horrifying decree, Elisha may have helped prevent the worst","post_main_content_content":"

Today\u2019s chapter finds Elisha in Damascus, where he prophecies to Hazael, a court official, that King Ben-Hadad of Aram will soon die, and Hazael will become king instead. Then Elisha bursts out crying.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What was Elisha doing in Damascus anyway? Why did he visit this courtier? And why did he weep in mid-prophecy - something unparalleled in the Bible?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In his brilliant Hebrew book on the Elisha stories, Rabbi Elchanan Samet deciphers these mysteries. He shows that the dramatic heart of the story is Elisha\u2019s weeping; \u201cThe man of God kept his face expressionless for a long time, and then he wept\u201d (8:11). Elisha\u2019s crying comes after he has prophesied that the king will die, and before he predicts that Hazael will usurp the throne.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why did Elisha cry? That\u2019s exactly what Hazael asked him. Radak points out the obvious meaning of the question, coming after the prophecy of the old king\u2019s death: \u201chow come you are so upset about the king dying?\u201d He had been a long-standing scourge of Israel. Why shed tears about his demise?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This ironic misapprehension heightens the force of Elisha\u2019s actual answer to Hazael: \u201cBecause I know\u2026what harm you will do to the Israelite people; you will put their young men to the sword, dash their little ones to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.\u201d (V.12) In other words, \u201cyou are a monster.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This man of God foresaw his ascent to the throne, thus validating his legitimacy and then wept with dismay at the abysmal evil he sees in the future king. Rav Samet argues that this prophecy would have had a shattering effect on Hazael.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Moreover, he shows that Elisha\u2019s prediction was not fully fulfilled. We read of Hazael\u2019s later career in Chronicles and Amos. Indeed, he remained an enemy of Israel and decimated its army. But we hear nothing of the atrocities against women and children that Elisha predicted. Rav Samet, suggests that meeting the prophet was a turning point in Hazael\u2019s life. It didn\u2019t exactly turn him into a pacifist, but it did moderate his brutality.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And this was precisely the point of Elisha\u2019s visit to Damascus. It was a sort of a secret diplomatic mission. Seeing the evil that the future King of Aram could do, Elisha confronted him with his inhuman potential and so saved Israel from the worst of which Hazael was capable.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Many have pointed out the similarities between the story of Saul and Shakespeare\u2019s Macbeth. Both live with the knowledge of supernatural prophecies about their ultimate downfalls yet were powerless to escape the preordained end.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Today\u2019s story, in Rav Samet\u2019s reading, is like Macbeth with a hopeful twist. Hearing the prophet\u2019s prediction about his awful future, the soon-to-be king steps back from the full horror that awaits him. A prophecy, as the Rambam (<\/span>Hilchot Yesodei Ha\u2019Torah 10:4<\/span><\/em>) writes, need not be an exorable prediction. It may be a warning that, if heeded, can avert the feared-for future.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: R. Nevison \/ CC 3.0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63608,"alt":"","title":"2kings8-weeping prophet2","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2.jpg","width":1800,"height":1200,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2.jpg","2048x2048-width":1800,"2048x2048-height":1200,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-630x420.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":"Macbeth With A Twist","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Why did Elisha weep? In giving his horrifying decree, Elisha may have helped prevent the worst","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63608,"alt":"","title":"2kings8-weeping prophet2","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2.jpg","width":1800,"height":1200,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2.jpg","2048x2048-width":1800,"2048x2048-height":1200,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"317","date":"20261116","wall_id":"317"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"373","name":"Literature","old_id":"773"},{"term_id":"506","name":"Prophecy","old_id":"906"},{"term_id":"931","name":"Elisha","old_id":"1331"}]},{"order":13,"id":"63650","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"King Jehu ","post_title":"King Jehu","slug":"king-jehu","old_id":"63650","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":"318","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Good or bad? Good and bad?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In our chapter, Jehu is anointed as the tenth king of the northern kingdom of Israel by an unnamed disciple of Elisha. According to Seder Olam 18, this disciple of Elisha was none other than the prophet Jonah. Though Jehu\u2019s anointing was done in private, when Jehu makes his becoming king known to his officers they immediately \u201csound the horn and proclaim, \u2018Jehu is king!\u2019\u201d (II Kings 9:1-13). Jehu then kills his predecessor, Jehoram, his mother Jezabel and the rest of the idolatrous House of Omri. All this is done to honor the God of Israel, since the Omrides had promoted the worship of Baal.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin 102a goes on to add that Jehu was a very righteous person. This is supported by the verse \u201cThe Lord said to Jehu, \u2018Because you have acted well and done what was pleasing to Me, having carried out all that I desired upon the House of Ahab, four generations of your descendants shall occupy the throne of Israel\u2019\u201d (II Kings 10:30). But this is immediately followed by the statement \u201cBut Jehu was not careful to follow the Teaching of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart; he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit\u201d (II Kings 10:31). This is exemplified by Jehu\u2019s devious proclamation: \u201cAhab served Baal little; Jehu shall serve him much!\u201d (I Kings 10:18). Indeed, Jehu did not put an end to the worship of the golden calves that Jeroboam had set up at Bethel and Dan. Because of Jehu\u2019s failure to serve the God of Israel \u201cwith all his heart\u201d, toward the end of his reign, \u201cthe Lord began to reduce Israel. And Hazael harassed them throughout the territory of Israel\u201d (II Kings 10:32).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Significantly, Jehu is mentioned in Assyrian records, notably on the \u201cBlack Obelisk\u201d discovered in 1846 in the excavations at ancient Nimrud and preserved in the British Museum. In this bas-relief, King Jehu of Israel is depicted as kissing the ground in front of Shalmaneser III and presenting a gift. In the inscription on this obelisk, Jehu\u2019s tribute is dated 841 BCE. It is the earliest preserved archaeological depiction of any Israelite.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Depiction of Jehu King of Israel giving tribute to King Shalmaneser III of Assyria, on the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III from Nimrud (circa 827 BC) in the British Museum \/ wikimedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63651,"alt":"","title":"2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser.jpg","width":1024,"height":657,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser-300x192.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":192,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser-768x493.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":493,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser-1024x657.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":657,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser.jpg","1536x1536-width":1024,"1536x1536-height":657,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser.jpg","2048x2048-width":1024,"2048x2048-height":657,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser.jpg","post_full_size-width":1024,"post_full_size-height":657,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser-655x420.jpg","home_baner-width":655,"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":"King Jehu","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"\u00a0Good or bad? Good and bad?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63651,"alt":"","title":"2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser.jpg","width":1024,"height":657,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser-300x192.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":192,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser-768x493.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":493,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser-1024x657.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":657,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser.jpg","1536x1536-width":1024,"1536x1536-height":657,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser.jpg","2048x2048-width":1024,"2048x2048-height":657,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser.jpg","post_full_size-width":1024,"post_full_size-height":657,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings9-Jehu-Shalmaneser-655x420.jpg","home_baner-width":655,"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 Kings","chapter":"9","chapter_main_number":"318","date":"20261117","wall_id":"318"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"363","name":"Midrash","old_id":"763"},{"term_id":"835","name":"King","old_id":"1235"}]},{"order":14,"id":"63679","color":"#e8ecf6","size":"1","name":"\u201cHoly\u201d Cow(s)!? ","post_title":"\u201cHoly\u201d Cow(s)!?","slug":"holy-cows","old_id":"63679","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":40788,"post_title":"Julie Lieber","slug":"julie-lieber","old_id":"40788","first_name":"Julie ","last_name":"Lieber","description":"Dr. Julie Lieber is a Jewish educator and is the Director of the Pardes-Kevah Teaching Fellowship. Julie most recently served as the Interim Executive Director and Director of Education at Kevah, a national non-profit facilitating home-based Torah study groups. After receiving her PhD in European history with a focus on Jewish women, gender and sexuality, Julie moved to Colorado, where she was a professor of Jewish Studies for many years. Julie regularly teaches for the Wexner Heritage Program, has taught for the Melton program and the Colorado Agency for Jewish Education. ","short_description":"Dr. Julie Lieber is a Jewish educator, and is the Director of the Pardes-Kevah Teaching Fellowship.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":40789,"alt":"","title":"Julie Lieber","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688.jpg","width":627,"height":680,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688-277x300.jpg","medium-width":277,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688.jpg","medium_large-width":627,"medium_large-height":680,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688.jpg","large-width":627,"large-height":680,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688.jpg","1536x1536-width":627,"1536x1536-height":680,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688.jpg","2048x2048-width":627,"2048x2048-height":680,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688.jpg","post_full_size-width":627,"post_full_size-height":680,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688-387x420.jpg","home_baner-width":387,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"319","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Once again, golden calves would be the downfall of Israel","post_main_content_content":"

Following the death of Jezebel, the next King of Israel, Jehu, makes it his mission to destroy all of the remaining family of Ahab and to wipe out any remnant of Baal worship in the land. Knowing that he is a military captain and not part of the royal lineage, Jehu sets up a loyalty test to solidify his rule. This test involves the people decapitating the remaining 70 children and grandchildren of Ahab and delivering their heads to Jehu. He then moves on to eliminating the many devotees of Baal, the prophets, priests and lay people, along with their places of worship, all of which are summarily destroyed.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Yet, after all of this drama and effort to eliminate the pervasive presence of Baal, Jehu ultimately fails to end his reign as a \u201cgood King\u201d. In two consecutive verses we hear both of his great victory and his great failure. Verse 28 celebrates that Jehu has successfully accomplished the daunting feat of abolishing Baal from Israel, however this is immediately followed by a big \u201cbut\u201d in verse 29. But, Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam\u2026 and did not remove the Golden Calves.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Really? Jehu, who describes himself as \u201czealous for God\u201d (v. 15) doesn\u2019t know better than to finish off the task? What is it about these Golden Calves? Abarbanel explains that the calves were not intended as idols or worshipped as such by their creator, Jeroboam, and likewise Jehu did not see them as a threat. Jeroboam simply created them as symbols of his tribe, Ephraim. However, over time, the people began to worship them. And such was the case with Jehu, who we are told in the next verses was not able to continue to walk in the path of God, despite having shed so much blood in his attempt to do so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Much as with the original Golden Calf of Exodus, the people in the time of Jehu, who were accustomed to a life of idolatry, could not make such an abrupt shift to a new life of monotheism overnight. Simply destroying the infrastructure of Baal worship could not change their hearts and undermine their temptations. As with all ingrained behaviors, addictions and beliefs, change is a process and having options for regression, such as golden calves laying around, makes that process even harder. While Jehu\u2019s zealous intentions may have been good, he failed to know his audience and even to know himself. Golden Calves would once again be the downfall of Israel.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Bull in Istanbul Ancient Orient Museum Ishtar Gate \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63680,"alt":"","title":"2kings10-golden-calf","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf.jpg","width":640,"height":426,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf.jpg","medium_large-width":640,"medium_large-height":426,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf.jpg","large-width":640,"large-height":426,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf.jpg","1536x1536-width":640,"1536x1536-height":426,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf.jpg","2048x2048-width":640,"2048x2048-height":426,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf.jpg","post_full_size-width":640,"post_full_size-height":426,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf-631x420.jpg","home_baner-width":631,"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":"\u201cHoly\u201d Cow(s)!?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Once again, golden calves would be the downfall of Israel","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63680,"alt":"","title":"2kings10-golden-calf","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf.jpg","width":640,"height":426,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf.jpg","medium_large-width":640,"medium_large-height":426,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf.jpg","large-width":640,"large-height":426,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf.jpg","1536x1536-width":640,"1536x1536-height":426,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf.jpg","2048x2048-width":640,"2048x2048-height":426,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf.jpg","post_full_size-width":640,"post_full_size-height":426,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings10-golden-calf-631x420.jpg","home_baner-width":631,"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 Kings","chapter":"10","chapter_main_number":"319","date":"20261118","wall_id":"319"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"429","name":"Idolatry","old_id":"829"},{"term_id":"695","name":"Calf","old_id":"1095"},{"term_id":"835","name":"King","old_id":"1235"}]},{"order":15,"id":"63675","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Jehu: A Passion For Good? ","post_title":"Jehu: A Passion For Good?","slug":"jehu-a-passion-for-good","old_id":"63675","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33992,"post_title":"Bradley Shavit Artson","slug":"rabbi-dr-bradley-shavit-artson","old_id":"33992","first_name":"Bradley Shavit ","last_name":"Artson","description":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles, and is professor of philosophy there. Artson is married to Elana Shavit Artson, and they are the parents of twins, Shira and Jacob.\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson is the Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles.","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33993,"alt":"","title":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","width":204,"height":199,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-256x300.png","medium-width":256,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","medium_large-width":204,"medium_large-height":199,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","large-width":204,"large-height":199,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","1536x1536-width":204,"1536x1536-height":199,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","2048x2048-width":204,"2048x2048-height":199,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","post_full_size-width":204,"post_full_size-height":199,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","home_baner-width":204,"home_baner-height":199}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"319","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"He becomes a butcher in a seemingly holy cause","post_main_content_content":"

Can we please have an honest, off the record moment?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

I generally read Scripture with the following two assumptions: God is speaking to us through the narratives and instructions percolated through the hearts of fallible men and women who lived a long time ago. As a result, I deliberately read against the grain, looking through the surface distractions to try to locate the divine glimmer below the surface.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Almost always, that mode of reading (which I think is a fair characterizing of rabbinic midrash and traditional 'darshanim,' preacher, as well) works: there a loads of compassion, justice, inspiration, and ethical decency to be mined in the mother lode of Tanach.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But for a moment, I have to throw my hands up and surrender.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

King Jehu is determined to show his passion for the God of Israel. Does he do that by eliminating poverty? By welcoming the stranger? By providing care for the sick or the widow, shelter for the homeless?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

No. He shows his passion for God by preparing the brutal deliberate slaughter of all the followers of Baal. And this after butchering the surviving kin of his predecessor, King Ahab. 70 innocent relatives, murdered. While venturing from that massacre to the next, he runs across 42 relatives of the dead king of Judah, Ahaziah. He kills them too. Then all the followers of Baal are gathered through subterfuge into a single room and ordered his guards to kill each and every one of them with their swords, a gruesome, painful, and terrifying death.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Is that really the service of the Divine?\u00a0 Isn\u2019t it true that the dark underside of religious faith is the propensity to make mediocre people say and do truly terrible things?\u00a0 Religion often inspires our best. But it can also bring out our monstrous bloodlust and judgmentalism.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

I would have liked a biblical gesture of understanding \u2013 yes, this is intolerable, and God is repulsed by this dogmatic bloodshed. What about ourselves, and religious authorities throughout the ages? There have been rabbis who demand the literal application of these murderous verses in various political contexts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But there have also been humane voices that repudiate those views in the name of key Torah values. Rabbi Abraham ben Maimonides states in his Torah commentary, that Amalek was wiped out in the days of King Saul. Rabbi Yosef Babad, Minhat Hinukh (1869) wrote that \u201ctoday we are not commanded to do this\u2019 because Sennacherib already arose and mixed up the world.\u201d In our time, we must apply the Torah\u2019s loftiest values. The justification for religious killings is toxic and we must summon the courage to reject it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Rombout van Troyen, Jehu Killing the Priests of Baal, 1652<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63676,"alt":"","title":"2kings10-jehu priest of baal","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal.jpg","width":748,"height":800,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal-281x300.jpg","medium-width":281,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal.jpg","medium_large-width":748,"medium_large-height":800,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal.jpg","large-width":748,"large-height":800,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal.jpg","1536x1536-width":748,"1536x1536-height":800,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal.jpg","2048x2048-width":748,"2048x2048-height":800,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal.jpg","post_full_size-width":748,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal-393x420.jpg","home_baner-width":393,"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":"Jehu: A Passion For Good?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"He becomes a butcher in a seemingly holy cause","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63676,"alt":"","title":"2kings10-jehu priest of baal","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal.jpg","width":748,"height":800,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal-281x300.jpg","medium-width":281,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal.jpg","medium_large-width":748,"medium_large-height":800,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal.jpg","large-width":748,"large-height":800,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal.jpg","1536x1536-width":748,"1536x1536-height":800,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal.jpg","2048x2048-width":748,"2048x2048-height":800,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal.jpg","post_full_size-width":748,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings10-jehu-priest-of-baal-393x420.jpg","home_baner-width":393,"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 Kings","chapter":"10","chapter_main_number":"319","date":"20261118","wall_id":"319"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"476","name":"Compassion","old_id":"876"},{"term_id":"762","name":"Murder","old_id":"1162"}]},{"order":16,"id":"63833","color":"#f6f5de","size":"1","name":"Baal Suffers a Double Blow ","post_title":"Baal Suffers a Double Blow","slug":"baal-suffers-a-double-blow","old_id":"63833","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34243,"post_title":"Moshe Sokolow","slug":"moshe-sokolow","old_id":"34243","first_name":"Moshe","last_name":"Sokolow","description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University, and teaches a weekly class in parashat hashavu`a at Lincoln Square Synagogue. He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"320","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The treasonous overthrow of the Baal-worshiping Queen","post_main_content_content":"

At about the same time that Jehu was eliminating Baal worship from the northern kingdom of Samaria, events were unfolding in the southern kingdom of Judah that were leading to the identical denouement.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

After the death of Ahaziah, King of Judah, at the hands of Jehu (2 Kings 9:27), Queen Mother Ataliah seized the opportunity to consolidate her own hold on the kingdom by killing off all the members of the royal family (1). Unbeknownst to her, Joash, the infant son of Ahaziah, was rescued and spent six years hidden away in the Temple under the auspices of Jehoiadah, the High Priest (2-3), who eventually conspired with the loyal officers of Ahaziah to restore Joash to the throne (4 ff.). Ataliah herself was executed, but not before she was able to cry out \u201ctreason, treason\u201d (14), whose Hebrew phrasing (<\/span>kesher kesher<\/span><\/em>) links her with Jezebel\u2019s castigation of Jehu as a \u201cZimri\u201d whose rebellion against Baasha is formally recorded as \u201cthe treason that he perpetrated\u201d (<\/span>kishro asher kashar<\/span><\/em>; 1 Kings 16:20; see our comments there<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Jehoaidah renewed the covenant between God, the king, and the nation (17) and the people responded by shattering the altars of Baal, smashing its statues, and slaying Matan the (high?) priest of Baal. This cleared the way for the restoration of Joash to the throne (19) and \u201cAll the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet\u201d (20). Joash would continue to serve God under the tutelage of Jehoiadah (12:3), with the usual caveat (see our note to 1 Kings 3) of <\/span>\u201c<\/span>The shrines [<\/span>bamot<\/span><\/i>], however, were not removed; the people continued to sacrifice and offer at the shrines\u201d (12:4).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Maarten van Heemskerck, The Story of Joash and Queen Athaliah, c.1567 (The destruction of the house of Baal; a group of soldiers pulling down a statue with a rope tied around its neck; another soldier attacking a priest with a halberd and other statues lying smashed on the ground; Jehoida and Joash, seen from behind, observing) \/ britishmuseum.org<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63834,"alt":"","title":"2kings11-athaliah-baal","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal.jpg","width":750,"height":586,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal-300x234.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":234,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal.jpg","medium_large-width":750,"medium_large-height":586,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal.jpg","large-width":750,"large-height":586,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal.jpg","1536x1536-width":750,"1536x1536-height":586,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal.jpg","2048x2048-width":750,"2048x2048-height":586,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal.jpg","post_full_size-width":750,"post_full_size-height":586,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal-538x420.jpg","home_baner-width":538,"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":"Baal Suffers a Double Blow","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The treasonous overthrow of the Baal-worshiping Queen","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63834,"alt":"","title":"2kings11-athaliah-baal","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal.jpg","width":750,"height":586,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal-300x234.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":234,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal.jpg","medium_large-width":750,"medium_large-height":586,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal.jpg","large-width":750,"large-height":586,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal.jpg","1536x1536-width":750,"1536x1536-height":586,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal.jpg","2048x2048-width":750,"2048x2048-height":586,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal.jpg","post_full_size-width":750,"post_full_size-height":586,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings11-athaliah-baal-538x420.jpg","home_baner-width":538,"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 Kings","chapter":"11","chapter_main_number":"320","date":"20261119","wall_id":"320"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"429","name":"Idolatry","old_id":"829"},{"term_id":"929","name":"Baal","old_id":"1329"}]},{"order":17,"id":"63826","color":"#efefef","size":"1","name":"Worse Than Medea ","post_title":"Worse Than Medea","slug":"worse-than-medea","old_id":"63826","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":54356,"post_title":"Robert Alter","slug":"robert-alter","old_id":"54356","first_name":"Robert ","last_name":"Alter","description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, where he has taught since 1967. He has written over twenty books, focusing on such topics as the European novel from the 18th century to the present, contemporary American fiction, and modern Hebrew literature. He has also written extensively on the literary aspects of the Bible. His most recent work is his monumental three volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019 - from which the selections in 929 are taken. ","short_description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, and author of the three-volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":54357,"alt":"","title":"robert alter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","width":184,"height":275,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium-width":184,"medium-height":275,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium_large-width":184,"medium_large-height":275,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","large-width":184,"large-height":275,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","1536x1536-width":184,"1536x1536-height":275,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","2048x2048-width":184,"2048x2048-height":275,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","post_full_size-width":184,"post_full_size-height":275,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","home_baner-width":184,"home_baner-height":275}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"320","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Athaliah takes after her mother in her viciousness\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

11:1 - \u201cAnd Athaliah, Ahaziah\u2019s mother, saw that her son was dead, and she arose and destroyed all the royal seed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This shocking act, which makes Athaliah far more horrendous than Medea, is not explained. One should keep in mind that Athaliah appears to be the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and she takes after her mother in viciousness. Seeing that her son Ahaziah has been killed, she ruthlessly grasps an opportunity for herself by murdering her sons and grandsons so that she can seize the throne without rivals.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From: Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible<\/em>, vol. 2: Prophets, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019, ad loc. By permission of the author. <\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"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":"From Robert Alter's Bible Translation and Commentary","tile_main_caption":"Worse Than Medea","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Athaliah takes after her mother in her viciousness","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"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 Kings","chapter":"11","chapter_main_number":"320","date":"20261119","wall_id":"320"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/63428"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}