{"id":66525,"date":"2018-07-09T17:45:26","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:45:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-1074\/"},"modified":"2023-07-07T07:02:52","modified_gmt":"2023-07-07T04:02:52","slug":"wall-1074","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-1074\/","title":{"rendered":"weekend-from-20230702-to-20230708"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"weekend","wall_id":"1074","date_from":"20230702","date_to":"20230708","book":"Isaiah","books_group":"Prophets","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"48209","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Noble Violence? ","post_title":"Noble Violence?","slug":"noble-violence","old_id":"48209","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":37918,"post_title":"Shai Held","slug":"shai-held","old_id":"37918","first_name":" Shai ","last_name":"Held","description":"Rabbi Shai Held, theologian, scholar, and educator, is President, Dean, and Chair in Jewish Thought at Hadar, where he also directs the Center for Jewish Leadership and Ideas. A 2011 recipient of the prestigious Covenant Award for excellence in Jewish education, Rabbi Held has been named multiple times to Newsweek\u2019s list of the 50 most influential rabbis in America. He holds a doctorate in religion from Harvard; Rabbi Held's first book, Abraham Joshua Heschel: The Call of Transcendence, was published by Indiana University Press in 2013; The Heart of Torah, a collection of essays on the Torah in two volumes, was published by JPS in 2017.","short_description":"Rabbi Shai Held is President, Dean, and Chair in Jewish Thought at Hadar,","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":37919,"alt":"","title":"shai held","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","width":150,"height":186,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","medium-width":150,"medium-height":186,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","medium_large-width":150,"medium_large-height":186,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","large-width":150,"large-height":186,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","1536x1536-width":150,"1536x1536-height":186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","2048x2048-width":150,"2048x2048-height":186,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","post_full_size-width":150,"post_full_size-height":186,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/shai-held.jpg","home_baner-width":150,"home_baner-height":186}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"142","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A zealot cannot be a leader","post_main_content_content":"

Few biblical stories trouble modern readers quite as much as that of Pinchas, the Torah\u2019s zealot-hero.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Numbers insists upon the nobility of Pinchas\u2019 violent deed. Yet there is something profoundly disturbing about this evaluation. Not surprisingly, Rabbinic tradition was decidedly ambivalent about Pinchas, seeing him both as a hero and as a potentially dangerous force needing to be contained and restrained. Even if one defends what Pinchas did, he remains an extremely troubling figure, and tradition gives voice to that fact in a variety of powerful ways.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin (Netziv, 1816-1893) asks why does God grant Pinchas a covenant of peace? \u201cIn reward for calming the anger and wrath of the Blessed Holy One,\u201d he writes, \u201cGod blessed him with the attribute of peace... Since it is in the nature of Pinchas\u2019 action\u2014killing human beings with his hands\u2014to leave an intense emotional unrest in the soul afterwards... the blessing he received was to be in a state of peace and tranquility\u201d (Ha\u2019amek Davar to Numbers 25:12). On this reading, the blessing Pinchas receives is the one he most needs: A zealot needs help in discovering calm.<\/p>\r\n

Some commentators seem to doubt that zealotry can be checked or tamed at all. Affirming Pinchas\u2019 greatness, they nevertheless insist that his zealotry disqualifies him from leading the people. Not long after Pinchas\u2019 slaying of the Israelite leader and his Midianite consort, Moses is reminded by God of his impending death; he will not lead the people into the land. Moses makes a request: \u201cLet the Lord, God of all spirits,<\/span> appoint someone over the community who shall go out before them and come in before them, and who shall take them out and lead them in\u201d (27:16-17). God responds by appointing Joshua, \u201ca man filled with the spirit\u201d (27:18). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why does this exchange between God and Moses happen specifically now? Why did Moses not make this request of God earlier, when he had first learned that he would not be the one to lead the people into the Promised Land? The Hasidic Master R. Menahem Mendel of Kotzk explains that until Pinchas\u2019 moment of ferocious zealotry, Moses had always assumed that the latter would be his successor. The Kotzker affirms that Pinchas\u2019 actions were incomparably great, and he reminds us of the tremendous reward he receives from God. Still, he insists, \u201chaving seen Pinchas\u2019 zealousness for God\u2019s name... Moses thought, \u2018A zealot cannot be the leader of Israel.\u2019\u201d Therefore Moses turned to God to find an alternative (Amud Ha-Emet, p. 42).<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":107406,"alt":"","title":"-6301fd8425706--6301fd8425707num25-gun violence 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Views Of Greatness ","post_title":"Two Views Of Greatness","slug":"two-views-of-greatness","old_id":"48349","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34004,"post_title":"Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg","slug":"avivah-gottlieb-zornberg","old_id":"34004","first_name":"Avivah Gottlieb","last_name":"Zornberg","description":"Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg lives in Jerusalem where she has been lecturing on Torah since 1980. She reads biblical narratives through the prism of midrash, literature, philosophy and particularly psychoanalysis.\r\nShe was born in London and grew up in Glasgow, where her father was a Rabbi and the head of the Rabbinical Court. She studied Torah with him from childhood. Her PhD in English Literature is from Cambridge University, England. She taught English literature at the Hebrew University before turning to teaching Torah. She now teaches throughout the Jewish world, at synagogues, universities, and psychoanalytic institutes.\r\nShe is the author of five critically acclaimed books. Her latest book, Moses: A Human Life, was published by Yale University Press.\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg lives and lectures on Torah in Jerusalem. She is the author of five critically acclaimed books. ","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34006,"alt":"","title":"Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","width":454,"height":359,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg-300x237.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":237,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","medium_large-width":454,"medium_large-height":359,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","large-width":454,"large-height":359,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","1536x1536-width":454,"1536x1536-height":359,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","2048x2048-width":454,"2048x2048-height":359,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","post_full_size-width":454,"post_full_size-height":359,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avivah-Gottlieb-Zornberg.jpg","home_baner-width":454,"home_baner-height":359}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"143","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Their passion becomes a paradigm for all human courage in the face of conformity","post_main_content_content":"

\"The daughters of Zelophehad came forward\" (Num. 27:1): This was greatness for them and greatness for their father... that such women came forth from them. They were wise and righteous women. What was their wisdom? They spoke at the appropriate moment, for Moses was engaged upon the subject of inheritances, saying: \"Among these the land shall be divided\" (26:53). They said to him: \"If we have the status of a son let us inherit like a son; if not, let our mother perform the levirate marriage.\" Immediately, \"Moses brought their case before God\" (27:5). \u00a0(<\/span>Bamidbar Rabbah 21:11<\/span><\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\r\n

The midrash reverses our expectations: these women bring glory to their distinguished ancestors. They are wise, righteous: these terms, applied usually to men, are now inflected in the feminine form. But this midrash aims to define their wisdom, grounding it in their fine sense of timing. If they are considered their father's seed\u2014\"like sons\"\u2014they should inherit; or if their father left no seed, let their mother conceive from her dead husband's brother. They have a case only in the present circumstances, where there are no male heirs:<\/span> l'fi sha'ah<\/span><\/em>, in accord with the reality of the moment, they plead their cause. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Another midrash, however, takes a different view of the greatness of these women and makes a more radical claim, writing that in the moment that the people are hankering Moses to return to Egypt, the daughters stand up: They answered, We know that in the end all Israel will claim their share in the Land; as it is said, \"It is a time to act for God\u2014they have transgressed Your Torah!\" Don't read like this; read \"They have transgressed Your Torah in acting for God!\"... Where there is no man, try to be a man! \u00a0(<\/span>Yalkut Shimoni <\/span><\/i>773)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Inspired by the energy of loving conviction, the women speak against the status quo of legal understanding. They speak with a fierce serenity. Their passion becomes a paradigm for all human courage in the face of conformity. \"Where there is no man, try to be a man!\" Of course, the midrashic authors are fully aware of the shock effect of this aphorism as applied to women. Unmistakably gendered, \"Try to be a man, a <\/span>gever<\/span><\/i>\" evokes masculine might (<\/span>gevurah<\/span><\/em>) as the aspiration\u2014and achievement\u2014of these women. For a moment, the reader is jarred; the boundaries of gender slip. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

It is to speak without the support of conventional frameworks; to speak at the particular historical moment when one's speech will resound uncannily\u2014when it may create change. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Excerpted from: \u00a0Bewilderments, Schocken Books, 2017, p. 270<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: <\/span>https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=7171509<\/span><\/a>. The Daughters of Zelophehad,, illustration from <\/span>The Bible and Its Story Taught by One Thousand Picture Lessons<\/span><\/i>. Edited by Charles F. Horne and Julius A. Bewer. 1908.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":48350,"alt":"","title":"Num26-7-The_Daughters_of_Zelophehad","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Num26-7-The_Daughters_of_Zelophehad.jpg","width":1024,"height":655,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Num26-7-The_Daughters_of_Zelophehad-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Num26-7-The_Daughters_of_Zelophehad-300x192.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":192,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Num26-7-The_Daughters_of_Zelophehad-768x491.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":491,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Num26-7-The_Daughters_of_Zelophehad-1024x655.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":655,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Num26-7-The_Daughters_of_Zelophehad.jpg","1536x1536-width":1024,"1536x1536-height":655,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Num26-7-The_Daughters_of_Zelophehad.jpg","2048x2048-width":1024,"2048x2048-height":655,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Num26-7-The_Daughters_of_Zelophehad.jpg","post_full_size-width":1024,"post_full_size-height":655,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Num26-7-The_Daughters_of_Zelophehad-657x420.jpg","home_baner-width":657,"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":"Two 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The Cusp Of Changing Norms ","post_title":"On The Cusp Of Changing Norms","slug":"on-the-cusp-of-changing-norms","old_id":"48432","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":37333,"post_title":"Esther Jilovsky","slug":"esther-jilovsky","old_id":"37333","first_name":"Esther ","last_name":"Jilovsky","description":"Dr Esther Jilovsky is a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. A native of Melbourne, Australia, she comes to the rabbinate with a PhD from the University of London in 2011. A granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she is the author of Remembering the Holocaust: Generations, Witnessing and Place and co-editor of In the Shadows of Memory: The Holocaust and the Third Generation. \r\n\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr Esther Jilovsky is a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":52868,"alt":"","title":"esther jilovsky.jpeg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1.jpg","width":3581,"height":5371,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-200x300.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-683x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":683,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-683x1024.jpg","large-width":683,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1024,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1365,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-800x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-280x420.jpg","home_baner-width":280,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"144","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Five marriageable daughters - from Numbers to Jane Austen and Shalom Aleichem","post_main_content_content":"

\u201cIt is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.\u201d This opening line from Jane Austen\u2019s Pride and Prejudice<\/em>, a tale of upper-class English society in the early nineteenth century, introduces the story of the five Bennet sisters as they search for suitable husbands. In this world of dances and balls at lavish country house estates, marriage to a wealthy man is the only way to secure a woman\u2019s future, for she cannot inherit her father\u2019s title or estate. Whether she is beautiful like Jane, smart like Elizabeth, plain and serious like Mary, ditsy and silly like Kitty, or foolish like Lydia, marriage is the only solution.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Later in the nineteenth century, we find another fictional family of five daughters \u2013 this time in Yiddish. Sholem Aleichem\u2019s stories of Tevye the Dairyman later became the much loved musical, Fiddler on the Roof<\/em>. Like Pride and Prejudice<\/em>, Fiddler on the Roof<\/em> tells the story of five young women as they approach marriageable age. Once again, the five sisters are dependent on marriage to secure their future. While in Pride and Prejudice<\/em>, both Jane and Lizzy eventually marry suitable husbands, the young female protagonists in Fiddler on the Roof<\/em> challenge their community\u2019s rules for marriage. Tevye is caught between his community\u2019s expectations and his daughters\u2019 breaking of the boundaries. Tzeitel, Hodel and Chava make their choices and break their father\u2019s heart. (Shprintze and Bielke are still too young \u2013 but we can guess what is in store for them). The parallel story of an approaching pogrom suggests that the entire community is doomed \u2013 perhaps because of the younger generation\u2019s actions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In Numbers 27, we find another family of five sisters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah, daughters of the late Zelophehad. Women cannot inherit their father\u2019s land, and so are dependent on marriage to secure their future, while their father\u2019s inheritance is divided among the other men of the tribe. Yet, this story runs a little differently. These women speak up. They approach Moses, Elazar the Priest and the other men in power, and ask for their father\u2019s inheritance to be given to them. Moses does not answer them immediately, but refers their question to God, who tells Moses: \u2018The plea of Zelophehad\u2019s daughters is just: you should give them a hereditary holding among their father\u2019s kinsmen; transfer their father\u2019s share to them\u2019 (Numbers 27:7). God agrees with the five sisters that they are entitled to inherit their father\u2019s estate.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This surprising, even revolutionary, response instigates a change in the law. God instructs Moses to tell the people of Israel that \u2018If a man dies without a son, you shall transfer his property to his daughter\u2019 (Numbers 27:8). Here we find an ancient example of the theme played out in Fiddler on the Roof<\/em>. Jewish tradition evolves, despite opposition to change. Even in the Torah, change in tradition was possible.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":48433,"alt":"","title":"num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad.jpg","width":500,"height":500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad.jpg","medium_large-width":500,"medium_large-height":500,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad.jpg","large-width":500,"large-height":500,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad.jpg","1536x1536-width":500,"1536x1536-height":500,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad.jpg","2048x2048-width":500,"2048x2048-height":500,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad.jpg","post_full_size-width":500,"post_full_size-height":500,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"On The Cusp Of Changing Norms","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Five marriageable daughters - from Numbers to Jane Austen and Shalom Aleichem","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":48433,"alt":"","title":"num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad.jpg","width":500,"height":500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad.jpg","medium_large-width":500,"medium_large-height":500,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad.jpg","large-width":500,"large-height":500,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad.jpg","1536x1536-width":500,"1536x1536-height":500,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad.jpg","2048x2048-width":500,"2048x2048-height":500,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad.jpg","post_full_size-width":500,"post_full_size-height":500,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/num27-FB-Daughters-of-Zelophehad-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Numbers","chapter":"27","chapter_main_number":"144","date":"20260318","wall_id":"144"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"373","name":"Literature","old_id":"773"},{"term_id":"483","name":"Feminism","old_id":"883"},{"term_id":"614","name":"Daughters","old_id":"1014"},{"term_id":"761","name":"Tradition","old_id":"1161"}]},{"order":4,"id":"48416","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Zelophehad\u2019s Daughters Mansplained ","post_title":"Zelophehad\u2019s Daughters Mansplained","slug":"zelophehads-daughters-mansplained","old_id":"48416","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":"144","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Human laws privilege men, but Divine justice is egalitarian","post_main_content_content":"

Similar to the story in Numbers chapter 9, the story of Zelophehad\u2019s daughters introduces us to a group of people who, feeling excluded by the <\/span>halacha,<\/span><\/i> come to Moses with the question: \"Why should we be any less?\" God's response to Moses in chapter 9 demonstrates that he was just waiting for someone to ask in order to introduce new laws that were even more far-reaching and inclusive than that which was requested. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

In our story, the message emphasized by Rashi is that not only does God <\/span>want<\/b> people to ask, He <\/span>needs <\/b>them to. \"Thus is it written before me above, teaching that their eyes saw what Moses\u2019 eyes did not see\" (Rashi on 27:7). The halacha of inheritance as it had been presented up until that point was lacking! The daughters of Zelophehad needed to burst into the <\/span>beit midrash<\/span><\/em> and make their demand in order for the \"Torah-true\" approach to be revealed. Without their intervention, there would have been a dissonance between the divine law above and its application in the world below.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But what motivated this intervention? An honest, non-anachronistic reading of the text would seem to yield no proto-feminist motivations behind the daughters\u2019 request, and perhaps just the opposite. What moves Zelophehad\u2019s daughters is their desire that the patriarchal name of the family not be diminished, not any criticism of the lack of egalitarianism in Jewish law. This plain reading is replaced by a \u201cmansplained\u201d reading by the Sifrei, but with an astonishing twist.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"When the daughters of Zelophehad heard that the land was being divided among the tribes and not the women, they gathered together to advise. They said: the mercy of flesh and blood is not like the mercy of God! Flesh and blood have more mercy on men, but God is not like this, rather, on men and women, He has mercy on all...\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When women in modern times have advocated for halakhic change, they have frequently been met with the accusation that they are not motivated by Torah values, but rather by an egalitarian ideology which is foreign to Torah. The rabbinic readings above tell nearly the same story, with the opposite conclusion. The egalitarian assumptions of Zelophehad\u2019s daughters are what allow them to access to previously unrevealed truths of Torah.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cYes, Zelophehad\u2019s daughters\u2019 words are just\u2026\u201d (27:7). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

And what of the words of their spiritual great-granddaughters?<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":73253,"alt":"","title":"ez6-justice","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice.jpg","width":1920,"height":927,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice-300x145.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":145,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice-768x371.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":371,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice-1024x494.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":494,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":742,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":927,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice-1200x579.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":579,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice-870x420.jpg","home_baner-width":870,"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":"Zelophehad\u2019s Daughters Mansplained","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Human laws privilege men, but Divine justice is egalitarian","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":73253,"alt":"","title":"ez6-justice","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice.jpg","width":1920,"height":927,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice-300x145.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":145,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice-768x371.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":371,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice-1024x494.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":494,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":742,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":927,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice-1200x579.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":579,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez6-justice-870x420.jpg","home_baner-width":870,"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":"Torah","book":"Numbers","chapter":"27","chapter_main_number":"144","date":"20260318","wall_id":"144"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"370","name":"Divine\/human","old_id":"770"},{"term_id":"384","name":"God","old_id":"784"},{"term_id":"391","name":"In\/Justice","old_id":"791"},{"term_id":"483","name":"Feminism","old_id":"883"}]},{"order":5,"id":"48605","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"What Does Judaism Sound Like? ","post_title":"What Does Judaism Sound Like?","slug":"what-does-judaism-sound-like","old_id":"48605","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":37333,"post_title":"Esther Jilovsky","slug":"esther-jilovsky","old_id":"37333","first_name":"Esther ","last_name":"Jilovsky","description":"Dr Esther Jilovsky is a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. A native of Melbourne, Australia, she comes to the rabbinate with a PhD from the University of London in 2011. A granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she is the author of Remembering the Holocaust: Generations, Witnessing and Place and co-editor of In the Shadows of Memory: The Holocaust and the Third Generation. \r\n\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr Esther Jilovsky is a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":52868,"alt":"","title":"esther jilovsky.jpeg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1.jpg","width":3581,"height":5371,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-200x300.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-683x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":683,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-683x1024.jpg","large-width":683,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1024,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1365,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-800x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/esther-jilovsky.jpeg-1-280x420.jpg","home_baner-width":280,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"146","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Hearing contemporary echoes from the distant past","post_main_content_content":"

What does Judaism sound like? The cantor\u2019s melancholy voice as she sings Kol Nidre? The upbeat tune of Mi Chamocha? The excited chatter at a bar mitzvah oneg? The silence at brunch as everyone tucks into their bagels and lox?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

These sounds may be familiar to many Jewish communities today. But what about the sounds of the past? What did it sound like, when the Israelites crossed the Sea of Reeds? What was the noise, as the burning bush crackled and spoke to Moses? Was Sarah\u2019s laugh more of a giggle than a chortle? What was the tone of Rebecca\u2019s voice as she convinced Jacob to impersonate his twin brother Esau? How did the boisterous antics of Jacob\u2019s sons reverberate as they played and fought with each other?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Torah does not come with sound effects. We have no way of knowing many of these sounds. Yet there are some sounds in the Torah that we still hear today. The Torah tells us that the first day of the seventh month shall be a sacred occasion, a day of no work. It is also a day \u2018when the horn is sounded\u2019 (Numbers 29:1). A sacred day that we still observe today \u2013 Rosh HaShanah, the beginning of our year.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The shofar blast is an evocative, sparse, beautiful sound. The shofar\u2019s haunting, poignant, primal cry cuts through the modern noises of cell phones buzzing, traffic passing and televisions blaring. This simple sound fills a room, stopping us in our tracks.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Before the ritual sounding of the shofar, we say: \u201cBlessed are you, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to hear the sound of the Shofar.\u201d We are not commanded to blow the shofar, but to hear it. In the shofar, we hear a cry from the past. A cry for the future, for the new year to come. In the shofar blast, we hear a sound from the Torah. We hear the same sound our ancestors heard. We may not know what Sarah\u2019s laugh sounded like, or Rebecca\u2019s voice, but in the shofar blast, we hear our Torah.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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Her particular area of interest is biblical leadership. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":92561,"alt":"","title":"molly morris","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","width":2192,"height":2488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-264x300.jpg","medium-width":264,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-768x872.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":872,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-902x1024.jpg","large-width":902,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","1536x1536-width":1353,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","2048x2048-width":1804,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-1057x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1057,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-370x420.jpg","home_baner-width":370,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"366","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Needed now, as much as then\u00a0","post_main_content_content":"

Early in this chapter Isaiah defines the ideal king with the very poetic analogies of a leader who will be \u201clike a refuge from gales, a shelter from rainstorms, like brooks of water in a desert, like the shade of a massive rock in a languishing land. (32:2).\u201d Rav Schwab, in <\/span>Rav Schwab on Yeshayahu<\/span><\/em> quotes the opinion of Julius Hirsch (son of Samson Raphael Hirsch) that these words are a description of a righteous king\u2019s influence on his nation. By setting the example of righteousness, goodness and kindness, a leader inspires his nation to follow suit and \u201cact as a shelter to his fellow man in times of trouble and need, and be a source of nourishment, refreshment, shade and protection during times of drought and exhaustion.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This is more of a personal musing than a biblical text analysis, but after I studied this chapter in which the Prophet addresses societal structure and how it is impacted by its leadership, I spent several days considering what this looks like today. And during those days, though I sadly didn\u2019t encounter many examples of how a society is uplifted by its leaders, I did encounter several examples of how society is lowered by poor leadership.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This week alone, in my own backyard, Canada\u2019s Prime Minister broke with fifteen years of opposition to UN Israel-bashing, betraying this country\u2019s Jewish community. In the same week, students at a major Canadian university who wanted nothing more than to have kosher food options on campus were told no, that would be too pro-Israel. And at the very university at which I work, anti-Israel BDSers protested a pro-Israel event with shouts of \u201cviva intifada\u201d and physical violence.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While one can\u2019t draw causal relationships from one event to another, or one individual to collective behavior, it is hard to deny that leadership, be it national, institutional, global, regional, religious or secular, sets a tone that will eventually be mirrored. And so, here we are, in a world of divisiveness, isolationism and anti-Semitism rising at a frightening pace, with what seems like a plethora of world leaders who are lowering their respective national consciences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We are badly in need of leaders who, like Isaiah described, will nurture a better world than this.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: The 50 world leaders most followed on facebook \/ public facebook profiles<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66556,"alt":"","title":"is32-world leaders","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders.png","width":1871,"height":936,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders-300x150.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":150,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders-768x384.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":384,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders-1024x512.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":512,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":768,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders.png","2048x2048-width":1871,"2048x2048-height":936,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders-1200x600.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":600,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders-840x420.png","home_baner-width":840,"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":"Wanted: Leaders To Inspire A Better World","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Needed now, as much as then\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":66556,"alt":"","title":"is32-world leaders","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders.png","width":1871,"height":936,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders-300x150.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":150,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders-768x384.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":384,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders-1024x512.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":512,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":768,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders.png","2048x2048-width":1871,"2048x2048-height":936,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders-1200x600.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":600,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-world-leaders-840x420.png","home_baner-width":840,"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":"Isaiah","chapter":"32","chapter_main_number":"366","date":"20270124","wall_id":"366"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"402","name":"Leadership","old_id":"802"},{"term_id":"539","name":"Israel","old_id":"939"}]},{"order":7,"id":"66568","color":"#f2e9df","size":"1","name":"Exposing Hypocrites And Posers ","post_title":"Exposing Hypocrites And Posers","slug":"exposing-hypocrites-and-posers","old_id":"66568","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":62571,"post_title":"Yaakov Bieler","slug":"yaakov-bieler","old_id":"62571","first_name":"Yaakov ","last_name":"Bieler ","description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University in 1974. He has lectured and written extensively on Modern Orthodoxy, and blogs daily at https:\/\/yaakovbieler.wordpress.com ","short_description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":62572,"alt":"","title":"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","width":141,"height":180,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler-141x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":141,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium-width":141,"medium-height":180,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium_large-width":141,"medium_large-height":180,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","large-width":141,"large-height":180,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","1536x1536-width":141,"1536x1536-height":180,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","2048x2048-width":141,"2048x2048-height":180,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","post_full_size-width":141,"post_full_size-height":180,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","home_baner-width":141,"home_baner-height":180}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"366","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"No more shall a villain be called noble...","post_main_content_content":"

Isaiah 32:5-8 states how evil individuals, who have been hypocritically and deliberately misrepresenting themselves in public, have been mistakenly lionized and considered by others as \u201cpillars of society.\u201d Isaiah hopes they will no longer be able to perpetrate such fraud when Hezekiah will be king.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Two derogatory terms appear in the text for what the evil-doers are. One is \u201c<\/span>naval<\/span><\/em>\u201d, one with evil in his heart (see I Samuel 25 for a description of an individual whose name was \u201cNaval\u201d and behaved accordingly); the other \u201c<\/span>chilai<\/span><\/em>\u201d, a knave. Alongside these terms is what these individuals claim publicly to be: \u201c<\/span>nediv<\/span><\/em>\u201d (noble, generous of spirit), and \u201c<\/span>sho\u2019a<\/span><\/em>\u201d (a gentleman, influential person).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Verse 6 describes the terrible things that the \u201cnaval<\/em>\u201d is really guilty of, i.e., 1) he speaks in an abominable manner; 2) he commits transgressions within his heart; 3) he engages in flattery; 4) he speaks against God errantly; 5) he empties the heart of the hungry (by promising to take care of them, but ends up not doing so); 6) and causes the thirsty not to be able to drink. It is the true \u201cnediv<\/em>\u201d who does the opposite of all of these things (v. 8), and therefore, for the \u201cnaval<\/em>\u201d to claim that he is a \u201cnediv<\/em>\u201d, is a travesty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While the \u201cchilai<\/em>\u201d is not as abject a sinner as the \u201cnaval<\/em>,\u201d nevertheless, the shortcomings associated with such an individual are listed by the prophet in v. 7, and they are also are reprehensible: 1) his instruments are \u201cevil\u201d (perhaps a reference to weights and measures that are dishonest); and 2) he devises plots to harm the poor with lying words in frivolous lawsuits.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Talmud quotes King Yannai, hardly a righteous leader himself, as describing the essence of a \u201chypocrite\u201d:\u2026their deeds are the deeds of Zimri, but they expect a reward like Pinchas\u201d (Sota 22b, <\/span>see Numbers 25:1-15<\/span><\/i>).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Some individuals are quite aware of what they could be doing on behalf of others, but because they are\u00a0 so self-absorbed, and\/or believe that ignoring the needy is more personally profitable, easier, \u201cfun,\u201d etc., they prefer to \u201chave their cake and eat it too\u201d in the sense of covering up their corruption by claiming to be high-minded and sacrificial. Such individuals count on the belief that to engage in the type of muck-raking necessary to expose their immoral actions will be costly, difficult, challenging, and, therefore, highly unlikely. The type of government administration that Isaiah believed King Hezekiah would lead, apparently held out the promise that the hypocrites and posers would be exposed, and those hitherto exploited by them, protected.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

By the time Isaiah recognized that his expectations in this regard were not going to be realized, he was highly disappointed, as are many social reformers whose dreams are frustrated.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66575,"alt":"","title":"is32-wolf sheep","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","width":529,"height":327,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep-300x185.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":185,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","medium_large-width":529,"medium_large-height":327,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","large-width":529,"large-height":327,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","1536x1536-width":529,"1536x1536-height":327,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","2048x2048-width":529,"2048x2048-height":327,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","post_full_size-width":529,"post_full_size-height":327,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","home_baner-width":529,"home_baner-height":327}},"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":"Exposing Hypocrites And Posers","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"No more shall a villain be called noble...","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":66575,"alt":"","title":"is32-wolf sheep","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","width":529,"height":327,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep-300x185.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":185,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","medium_large-width":529,"medium_large-height":327,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","large-width":529,"large-height":327,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","1536x1536-width":529,"1536x1536-height":327,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","2048x2048-width":529,"2048x2048-height":327,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","post_full_size-width":529,"post_full_size-height":327,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","home_baner-width":529,"home_baner-height":327}},"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":"Isaiah","chapter":"32","chapter_main_number":"366","date":"20270124","wall_id":"366"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"391","name":"In\/Justice","old_id":"791"},{"term_id":"436","name":"Morality","old_id":"836"},{"term_id":"542","name":"Generosity","old_id":"942"},{"term_id":"739","name":"Hypocrisy","old_id":"1139"}]},{"order":8,"id":"66633","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Wisdom and Knowledge ","post_title":"Wisdom and Knowledge","slug":"wisdom-and-knowledge","old_id":"66633","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":64700,"post_title":"Yaakov Jaffe","slug":"yaakov-jaffe","old_id":"64700","first_name":"Yaakov ","last_name":"Jaffe ","description":"Rabbi Dr. Yaakov Jaffe is Dean of Judaic Studies at the Maimonides School in Brookline, and is the Rabbi of the Maimonides Kehillah there. He is the author of Isaiah and his Contemporaries, now available from Kodesh Press at: https:\/\/kodeshpress.com\/product\/isaiah-and-his-contemporaries","short_description":"Rabbi Dr. Yaakov Jaffe is Dean of Judaic Studies at the Maimonides School in Brookline, and is the Rabbi of the Maimonides Kehillah there. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":64701,"alt":"","title":"yaakov-jaffe","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"367","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Traits of the good king, along with justice, righteousness, faith and divine strength to protect the people","post_main_content_content":"

The 33rd chapter of Isaiah further reassures the people that it will be specifically this king, Hezekiah, who would help the people and bring them towards salvation. The new chapter begins with the key word \u201cWoe\" indicating a new address to a new subject, in this case Assyria the nation known already for its plundering in 10:6 (Ibn Ezra). The Israelites pray to God to be saved from this plundering nation who had overcome many other countries (33:1-4).\u00a0 And the prophet predicts that God will save them \u201cAnd the lastingness of your times and the strength of salvation will be wisdom, knowledge and the fear of God.\u201d (33:5-6).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

After a review of the mourning and times of dread for the people (33:7-14), the nation asks \u2018who can live opposite this great enemy of fire (Assyria), who can live opposite the burning of eternity?\u201d\u00a0 The prophet answers that it is the king who can support the nation. The king is extolled for his many virtues (33:15): <\/span><\/p>\r\n

who walks with justice, and speaks the straight (truth), who is disgusted by the money\u00a0 of oppression, he shakes his hands from being supported by bribes, who closes his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and who closes his eyes from seeing evil. He shall reside in the high-places, towers of rocks is his strength; his bread is provided, his water is faithful.\u00a0 Your eyes shall see a king in his beauty, [instead of a king of a far-away land].
\r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In a time of hunger, famine, and meager rations, the righteous king has his bread provided from heaven, and his water is always faithful, a never ending stream. You will no longer fear the tax-collectors evaluating the size of the city, and the foreign nation speaking a foreign tongue (33:18-19)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

See Zion, the city of our gathering; your eyes will see Jerusalem a serene dwelling place, a tent that will not be uprooted, that its stakes\u00a0 will not be moved forever, and all of its strings will not be detached.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rather, God will reside in and protect Jerusalem, complete with Divine strength, as if surrounding the city with a moat of protection\u00a0 that enemy warships not be able to cross. To the Assyrians, trying to cross the moat of protection, the prophet continues the parable: you are like a boat \u201cwhose cords have been forsaken [by its sailors], the mast cannot be tightened and the sails are not spread out,\u201d the boat will sink, and its treasures spoils will be divided, even to the week or limping. The Israelites that remain will be victorious, and called the nation \u201cforgiven of sin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Wisdom & Knowledge Shall Be The Stability Of Thy Times (Is. 33:6), relief by Lee Lawrie on GE Building of Rockefeller Center, 1934 \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66634,"alt":"","title":"is33-wisdom and 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The King In His Beauty ","post_title":"Beholding The King In His Beauty","slug":"beholding-the-king-in-his-beauty","old_id":"66612","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":"367","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Both earthly regents, and the Heavenly One","post_main_content_content":"

In a prophecy combining both severe warning and great hope, our chapter includes the promise: \u201cYour eyes shall behold the King in His beauty and they shall perceive a distant land\u201d (Isaiah 33:17). This verse is employed in later Jewish texts in a variety of ways.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Talmud Bavli Yoma 78b explains the halakhic rule that, despite the general prohibition of bathing on Yom Kippur, a king may wash his face, for \u201cYour eyes shall see the king in his beauty.\u201d This seems based on Israel having been commanded: \u201cYou shall put over you a king whom the Lord God shall choose\u201d (Deut. 17:15). A well-groomed king inspires fear like the roaring of a lion (see Proverbs 20:2).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

More metaphysically speaking, it is stated (Midrash Leviticus Rabbah 23:13) that anyone who does not \u201cfeast his eyes\u201d (<\/span>zan einav<\/span><\/em>) upon seeing a sexual transgression <\/span>being committed, merits seeing the Face of the Shekhinah. Our chapter provides the Scriptural proof: \u201cThose who walk righteously\u2026and shut their eyes against contemplating evil\u201d (Isaiah 33:15), is followed by: \u201cYour eyes shall see the King in His beauty\u201d (Isaiah 33:17).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A later Rabbinic text, Eliyyahu Rabbah (Chapter 13 end) states that The Holy One, blessed be He, will sit in His great academy of Torah study with the righteous before him and say to them: Because you have martyred yourselves for Me, you will live forever like Me, and \u201cyour eyes shall see the King in His beauty.\u201d Eliyyahu\u00a0 Zuta (Chapter 1 end) elaborates that it is righteous behavior <\/span>that causes the soul to ascend and sit next to the divine Throne of Glory. For it says: \u201cMaintain justice and do righteousness; for My salvation is close at hand, and My righteousness shall soon be revealed\u201d (Isaiah 56:1). And of the one who behaves righteously is written: \u201cHe shall dwell on high\u2026Your eyes shall see the King in his Beauty\u201d (Isaiah 33:16-17). This verse continues \u201cthey shall perceive a distant land\u201d, which is interpreted that the righteous shall behold the Hekhalot (Heavenly Palaces) that the Holy One, blessed be He, conceived of, nine hundred and seventy-four generations before He created the world.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the Hekhalot texts of ancient Jewish mysticism, the ultimate goal of those who ascend to the Divine Chariot (the \u201cMerkavah\u201d -- described in Ezekiel, Chapter 1) is to \u201csee the King in His Beauty\u201d. Pirqe Hekhalot Rabbati 23:3 dramatically describes the tortuous ascent of those who would dare seek this mystic vision: He shall shake, tremble in fear, be shocked into panic, faint and fall backwards. But Anaphiel, the greatest of the ministering angels, together with the sixty-three guardians of the seven gates of the Hekhalot palaces, shall support him. Together they shall encourage him by saying: Be not afraid, O son of beloved seed! For you shall not be slaughtered, neither shall you be burnt -- Enter and \u201cBehold the King in His Beauty\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Engraved illustration of the \"chariot vision\" of the Biblical book of Ezekiel, chapter 1, after an earlier illustration by Matthaeus (Matth\u00e4us) Merian (1593-1650), for his \"Icones Biblicae\" (a.k.a. \"Iconum Biblicarum\") \/ 1670 \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66615,"alt":"","title":"is33-vision","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is33-vision.jpg","width":417,"height":323,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is33-vision-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is33-vision-300x232.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":232,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is33-vision.jpg","medium_large-width":417,"medium_large-height":323,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is33-vision.jpg","large-width":417,"large-height":323,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is33-vision.jpg","1536x1536-width":417,"1536x1536-height":323,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is33-vision.jpg","2048x2048-width":417,"2048x2048-height":323,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is33-vision.jpg","post_full_size-width":417,"post_full_size-height":323,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is33-vision.jpg","home_baner-width":417,"home_baner-height":323}},"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":"Beholding The King In His Beauty","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Both earthly regents, and the Heavenly 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Determined By Lots ","post_title":"Lots Determined By Lots","slug":"lots-determined-by-lots","old_id":"66740","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":64450,"post_title":"David Curwin","slug":"david-curwin","old_id":"64450","first_name":"David ","last_name":"Curwin ","description":"David Curwin is a writer living in Efrat, and the author of the Balashon blog www.balashon.com","short_description":"David Curwin is a writer living in Efrat, and the author of the Balashon blog www.balashon.com","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":64452,"alt":"","title":"david curwin","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","width":427,"height":464,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin-276x300.png","medium-width":276,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","medium_large-width":427,"medium_large-height":464,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","large-width":427,"large-height":464,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","1536x1536-width":427,"1536x1536-height":464,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","2048x2048-width":427,"2048x2048-height":464,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","post_full_size-width":427,"post_full_size-height":464,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin-387x420.png","home_baner-width":387,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"368","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Determining fate can be a dicey thing","post_main_content_content":"

In chapter 34, Isaiah prophesies about the destruction of Edom \u2013 first by human conquerors, then by vicious birds and beasts. In the last verse of the chapter, Isaiah describes how God will divide up the land among the animals:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And it is He who apportioned it to them by lot,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Whose hand divided it for them with the line.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>They shall possess it for all time,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>They shall dwell there through the ages (Isaiah 34:17).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This dreadful imagery mirrors the division of the Land of Israel by lots in the time of Joshua (13:6, 18:6-8). But unlike Israel coming to settle the land, the land of Edom will be desolate.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Hebrew word for \u201clot\u201d in these verses is <\/span>goral<\/span><\/em>. It originally referred to the small stone used to cast lots. That word for \u201csmall stone, pebble\u201d found its way into the Greek <\/span>korallion<\/span><\/em> (where it indicated a particular red stone found in the Mediterranean), and later the Latin <\/span>corallium<\/span><\/em> \u2013 and from there eventually became the English word \u201c<\/span>coral<\/span><\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The <\/span>goral<\/span><\/em> was used in a number of occasions to determine the outcome of an unclear choice or future. It was placed on each of the identical goats in the Yom Kippur ceremony (Leviticus 16:8), and as we mentioned, it was used to determine the division of the land between the tribes. We see a similar connection in English, between the words \u201clot\u201d (as in plot of land) and \u201clottery\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Casting lots indicated that the decision was no longer in human hands, but rather in the hand of God. So it\u2019s not surprising that the meaning of the word eventually developed into the meaning most common today, \u201cfate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, it was not only believers in God who cast lots. Famously, in the book of Esther, Haman cast lots to determine the most auspicious day to carry out his plan of annihilating the Jews. But he didn\u2019t use the Hebrew word <\/span>goral<\/span><\/em>, but rather the Akkadian word <\/span>pur<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0 His plan failed, but as a commemoration, we celebrate the day determined by his casting of the lots as Purim. It might seem strange to name the holiday that way, but by doing so we come to understand that casting lots can\u2019t be used as a means to undermine God\u2019s plan, but will only be successful when combined with obedience to God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: by Ben Schachter<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66741,"alt":"","title":"Is34-DCurwin - lots","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots.jpg","width":1082,"height":227,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots-300x63.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":63,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots-768x161.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":161,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots-1024x215.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":215,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots.jpg","1536x1536-width":1082,"1536x1536-height":227,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots.jpg","2048x2048-width":1082,"2048x2048-height":227,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots.jpg","post_full_size-width":1082,"post_full_size-height":227,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots.jpg","home_baner-width":1082,"home_baner-height":227}},"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":"Lots Determined By Lots","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Determining fate can be a dicey thing","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":66741,"alt":"","title":"Is34-DCurwin - lots","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots.jpg","width":1082,"height":227,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots-300x63.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":63,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots-768x161.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":161,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots-1024x215.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":215,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots.jpg","1536x1536-width":1082,"1536x1536-height":227,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots.jpg","2048x2048-width":1082,"2048x2048-height":227,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots.jpg","post_full_size-width":1082,"post_full_size-height":227,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is34-DCurwin-lots.jpg","home_baner-width":1082,"home_baner-height":227}},"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":"Isaiah","chapter":"34","chapter_main_number":"368","date":"20270126","wall_id":"368"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"361","name":"Hebrew language","old_id":"761"},{"term_id":"384","name":"God","old_id":"784"},{"term_id":"783","name":"Destiny","old_id":"1183"}]},{"order":11,"id":"66668","color":"#e6f5f3","size":"1","name":"Lilith\u00a0 ","post_title":"Lilith\u00a0","slug":"lilith","old_id":"66668","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":41525,"post_title":"Sivan Rotholz","slug":"sivan-rotholz","old_id":"41525","first_name":"Sivan ","last_name":"Rotholz","description":"Sivan Rotholz is a joint rabbinical and MARE student at Hebrew Union College, where she is a Wexner Graduate Fellow and a New Israel Fund Elissa Froman Fellow. She taught feminist Torah study and creative writing at Brooklyn College, Tel Aviv University, and Temple Israel of the City of New York. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from Brooklyn College and a Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University School of Law and is the Managing Editor of the Saturday Poetry Series on As It Ought To Be. ","short_description":"Sivan Rotholz is a joint rabbinical and MARE student at Hebrew Union College, where she is a Wexner Graduate Fellow and a New Israel Fund Elissa Froman Fellow. 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Isaiah 34:14 contains an end-of-days prophecy in which \u201cwildcats shall meet hyenas [and] goat-demons shall greet each other. There, too, the lilith shall repose and find herself a resting place.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Hebrew word that is translated here as \u201cthe lilith\u201d has been elsewhere translated as \u201cscreech owl,\u201d \u201cnight creature,\u201d \u201cnight bird,\u201d \u201cnight monster,\u201d \u201cnight owl,\u201d and \u201cLilith.\u201d\u00a0 Whatever the English translation, the Hebrew word <\/span>lilit<\/span><\/em> comes from \u05dc\u05d9\u05dc (layil<\/em>), or \u05dc\u05d9\u05dc\u05d4 (lailah<\/em>), meaning 'night.'<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Lilith entered the world stage roughly 2,500 years BCE via the Sumerian King List and <\/span>The Epic of Gilgamesh<\/span><\/i>. In the centuries that followed, this demon of the night seduced men and bore them ghostly children; she was a harlot and a vampire; she was a threat to infants and to women in childbirth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Her first <\/span>Jewish<\/span><\/em> incarnation is in Isaiah 34:14. \u2018Lilith\u2019 is a word that appears only once in the Bible, a <\/span>hapax legomenon<\/span><\/em><\/a>. We can surmise from the context that she is something dark and foreboding, appearing alongside hyenas and goat-demons during the End of Days. Lilith\u2019s appearance in Isaiah without definition or explanation indicates that Jews of the Isaian age would have known who -- or what -- Lilith was, without needing explanation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A kind of Near Eastern bogeyman, it is likely that the Jews borrowed Lilith from their neighbors, that this demon made her way from Sumerian-Babylonian lore to strike fear in the hearts of the Jewish people. By the time of the writing of Isaiah, Lilith was an integral part of Jewish culture and society.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From this point on, Lilith is a distinctly Jewish figure. She is warned against in the Mishnah and Talmud, and when the mystical rabbis ask why Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 appear to tell two different stories of the creation of womankind, the answer is that there were, in fact, two \u2018first\u2019 women created; before Eve, there was Lilith. And when she did not submit to the patriarchal gender hierarchy Adam sought to impose upon her, she escaped the Garden of Eden and became a demon. The Zohar took Lilith to new heights; according to Kabbalistic lore, she reigns alongside God on the throne of heaven, where she will sit until the world is free from sin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For the rabbis of the middle ages, Lilith\u2019s tale was one of warning: women who do not submit to their husbands will be banished and demonized, replaced. But in the modern age, standing up for gender equality is -- to many -- inspiration rather than a horror story. With the rise of Jewish feminism,<\/span> Lilith has been reclaimed<\/span><\/a> and repurposed. For the first time in her nearly 5,000-year history, she is seen as a heroine and celebrated for her sacrifice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Lilith, a woodcut on paper by Ernst Barlach, c. 1922, Los Angeles County Museum of Art<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66669,"alt":"","title":"is34-lilith","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith.jpg","width":375,"height":500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith-225x300.jpg","medium-width":225,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith.jpg","medium_large-width":375,"medium_large-height":500,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith.jpg","large-width":375,"large-height":500,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith.jpg","1536x1536-width":375,"1536x1536-height":500,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith.jpg","2048x2048-width":375,"2048x2048-height":500,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith.jpg","post_full_size-width":375,"post_full_size-height":500,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith-315x420.jpg","home_baner-width":315,"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":"Lilith\u00a0","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"From ancient demon to modern heroine","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":66669,"alt":"","title":"is34-lilith","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith.jpg","width":375,"height":500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith-225x300.jpg","medium-width":225,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith.jpg","medium_large-width":375,"medium_large-height":500,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith.jpg","large-width":375,"large-height":500,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith.jpg","1536x1536-width":375,"1536x1536-height":500,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith.jpg","2048x2048-width":375,"2048x2048-height":500,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith.jpg","post_full_size-width":375,"post_full_size-height":500,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-lilith-315x420.jpg","home_baner-width":315,"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":"Isaiah","chapter":"34","chapter_main_number":"368","date":"20270126","wall_id":"368"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"404","name":"Myth","old_id":"804"},{"term_id":"483","name":"Feminism","old_id":"883"},{"term_id":"600","name":"Women","old_id":"1000"},{"term_id":"983","name":"Lilith","old_id":"1383"}]},{"order":12,"id":"66752","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"The Sword of the Lord ","post_title":"The Sword Of The Lord","slug":"the-sword-of-the-lord","old_id":"66752","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":"368","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"It both avenges and educates","post_main_content_content":"

\"The LORD has a sword; it is sated with blood, it is gorged with fat\u2014 the blood of lambs and he-goats, the kidney fat of rams. For the LORD holds a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom\" (6).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From the traditional medieval perspective, sacrifice (<\/span>zevach<\/span><\/i>) and slaughter (<\/span>tevach<\/span><\/i>) are interchangeable, both carried out by the blood-sated sword with which the sacrifice or slaughter (of the lambs, goats, and rams) is carried out. Malbim,* again, manages to draw meaningful distinctions among these otherwise synonymous elements.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God will wreak His vengeance on Edom because it destroyed His Temple, but His action against Bozrah [a city on Edom] will come in order to get them to recognize Him, as implied later in \u201cWho comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, in this majestic attire\u201d (63:1). Accordingly, he said here that God has a sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in Edom because sacrifice is for the purpose of providing food while slaughter is a means of vengeance. The slaughter for vengeance will occur in the Land of Edom and in Bozrah there will be a great feast of sacrifice producing enough pleasure to offset the false ideas and to set the table for faith and [true] wisdom.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Therefore, the slaughter is linked to the great sword engorged by the blood of the lambs and he-goats, to whom the heroes and nobility are compared, and the sacrifice, whose purpose is not vengeance but providing edible delights, is linked with the kidney fat of rams. He used the simile of kidney fat because [the kidneys] provided erroneous advice, so [their removal] will restore them to the true faith.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Bear in mind that in the ancient world there was a belief that wisdom reposed in the kidneys and that one of God\u2019s epithets is \u201cwho tests the kidneys and the heart\u201d (Jer. 11:20).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

*For the significance of Malbim\u2019s commentary to the Book of Isaiah,<\/span> see our introduction to chapter 1.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\r\n

Image:\u00a0 the Sword of 72 Names (amulet)<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66753,"alt":"","title":"is34-sword1","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1.jpg","width":510,"height":843,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1-181x300.jpg","medium-width":181,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1.jpg","medium_large-width":510,"medium_large-height":843,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1.jpg","large-width":510,"large-height":843,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1.jpg","1536x1536-width":510,"1536x1536-height":843,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1.jpg","2048x2048-width":510,"2048x2048-height":843,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1.jpg","post_full_size-width":510,"post_full_size-height":843,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1-254x420.jpg","home_baner-width":254,"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 Sword Of The Lord","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"It both avenges and educates","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":66753,"alt":"","title":"is34-sword1","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1.jpg","width":510,"height":843,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1-181x300.jpg","medium-width":181,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1.jpg","medium_large-width":510,"medium_large-height":843,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1.jpg","large-width":510,"large-height":843,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1.jpg","1536x1536-width":510,"1536x1536-height":843,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1.jpg","2048x2048-width":510,"2048x2048-height":843,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1.jpg","post_full_size-width":510,"post_full_size-height":843,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is34-sword1-254x420.jpg","home_baner-width":254,"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":"Isaiah","chapter":"34","chapter_main_number":"368","date":"20270126","wall_id":"368"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"387","name":"Sacrifice","old_id":"787"}]},{"order":13,"id":"66774","color":"#f7f7f5","size":"1","name":"God Bless Us, Every One! ","post_title":"God Bless Us, Every One!","slug":"god-bless-us-every-one","old_id":"66774","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":"369","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"All will participate in this vision of redemption - especially if we make it so","post_main_content_content":"

Some imagine redemption \u2013 that glorious future when suffering and tribulation cease \u2013 as a victory lap for the strong and faithful. Separating the saints from the sinners, the chosen from the rejected, this end time celebration will be the ultimate assertion of privilege.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

I\u2019ve always wondered how a true saint could possibly participate in such a disgrace. How can you enjoy paradise knowing that others are suffering torment? That doesn\u2019t feel like a loving God to me, nor does it seem like a vision worth following.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And Isaiah agrees. His beautiful inclusive vision of redemption includes us all. Indeed, he focuses not on the powerful, the rich, the favored. No, his prophetic vision of the endtime is one that includes the outcast, the wretched, and the weak:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Strengthen weak hands and give support to failing knees. Say to the anxious of heart, \u2018Be strong and fear not! Behold your God! \u2026 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb shall shout aloud \u2026 they shall attain joy and gladness, while sorrow and sighing flee.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Isaiah knows that God\u2019s deep love and firm justice demands that everyone will participate in this gathering and celebration. Even those considered marginal \u2013 the weak and infirm, those with special needs \u2013 they will reclaim their rightful place at the heart of our communities and will rejoice along with the rest of us.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But I read his words one step further: he doesn\u2019t say that the blind are no longer blind, that the deaf are no longer deaf. He says that we will find ways to open their eyes, give them access to sight. We will open their ears, making possible communication. The burden for this redemption lies on us all: can we be sufficiently creative and diligent to create ways for people with disabilities to connect despite the challenges. That means finding ways to communicate for people whose modes of communication may be more restricted. But we do not let that challenge be the final word. No, we lean in and create means for them to share their thoughts and feelings, however inaccessible they once were. We roll up our sleeves and invent means for them to perceive the beauty of what is all around them. Not their disabilities, but their abilities will define them \u2013 thanks to our commitment and God\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the end of days, people of every ability will participate fully. No special need will become an insuperable barrier. And in that day, we will all be better because none of us will live with the specter of eventual marginality and isolation.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And in that day, we will attain joy and gladness, all of us.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66779,"alt":"","title":"is35-accessibility","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-accessibility.jpg","width":1352,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-accessibility-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-accessibility-211x300.jpg","medium-width":211,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-accessibility-721x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":721,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-accessibility-721x1024.jpg","large-width":721,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-accessibility.jpg","1536x1536-width":1082,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-accessibility.jpg","2048x2048-width":1352,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-accessibility-845x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":845,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-accessibility-296x420.jpg","home_baner-width":296,"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":"God 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New Abnormal ","post_title":"The New Abnormal","slug":"the-new-abnormal","old_id":"66781","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":37561,"post_title":"Deena Cowans","slug":"deena-cowans","old_id":"37561","first_name":"Deena ","last_name":"Cowans","description":"Deena Cowans is a rabbinical student at JTS and alumnus of the Master's in Public Administration- Development Practice at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). \r\nDeena is the Director of Education (Rosh Chinuch) at Camp Ramah in the Rockies since January 2016, and was the Youth and Family Programs at Congregation Ansche Chesed in 2016-2017.","short_description":"Deena Cowans is a rabbinical student at JTS, and the Director of Education at Camp Ramah in the Rockies","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":37562,"alt":"","title":"deena cowans","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/deena-cowans-e1534076835642.jpg","width":181,"height":207,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/deena-cowans-e1534076835642-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/deena-cowans-e1534076835642.jpg","medium-width":181,"medium-height":207,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/deena-cowans-e1534076835642.jpg","medium_large-width":181,"medium_large-height":207,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/deena-cowans-e1534076835642.jpg","large-width":181,"large-height":207,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/deena-cowans-e1534076835642.jpg","1536x1536-width":181,"1536x1536-height":207,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/deena-cowans-e1534076835642.jpg","2048x2048-width":181,"2048x2048-height":207,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/deena-cowans-e1534076835642.jpg","post_full_size-width":181,"post_full_size-height":207,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/deena-cowans-e1534076835642.jpg","home_baner-width":181,"home_baner-height":207}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"369","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The need for a vision of joy in a world threatened with catastrophe\u00a0","post_main_content_content":"

In 1947, a group of scientists created something they called<\/span> \u201cThe Doomsday Clock\u201d<\/span><\/a>, which tells how close we are to a human-made global catastrophe. The closer the \u201ctime\u201d is to midnight, the closer we are to \u201cdoomsday\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When the scientists first set the clock, we were seven minutes from midnight.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Today, at the end of 2019, it is 11:58. We are two minutes from midnight, a mere two notches away from an unprecedented cataclysm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The clock has been set backwards and forwards 23 times in its 72 year history. Many of us have lived most of our lives within a few minutes of midnight; we have always walked with the burden of understanding that one or two moments, whether they are bad decisions on the part of policy makers, or failures to heed the warnings of climate scientists, are all that separate us from complete societal or environmental breakdown.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

So when we read this chapter of Isaiah, which describes a joyful, messianic time full of growth and healing, perhaps we cannot even imagine the lightness of spirit this chapter shows us. The desert suddenly in bloom? Abundant water bursting forth from parched land? People able to travel in peace and safety? The descriptions of physical healing are, for many in the disability community, a disturbing white-washing of physical diversity. In this context, however, we can read them as a desire for humanity to be free of the physical and emotional suffering that comes from living under great duress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As more countries experience catastrophic climate change, and as this change forces more people to seek safety and security in foreign lands, Isaiah\u2019s vision begins to feel absurd.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Which is exactly why we need to read this chapter. The scientists of the Doomsday Clock recently labeled our time \u201cthe new abnormal\u201d, warning us not to get too comfortable with this existence on the precipice of disaster. We have been here so long that we might forget how close we are to losing the world as we know it. We must not get comfortable here, but rather set our sights far away from midnight, on a time when we can see a light on the horizon and feel hope and joy. Then, as verse 10 promises, we shall be crowned with the joy of the world on our heads, not live with the burden of our impending destruction on our shoulders.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66782,"alt":"","title":"is35-clock","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock.png","width":900,"height":900,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock-300x300.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock-768x768.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock.png","large-width":900,"large-height":900,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock.png","1536x1536-width":900,"1536x1536-height":900,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock.png","2048x2048-width":900,"2048x2048-height":900,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock.png","post_full_size-width":900,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock-420x420.png","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The New Abnormal","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The need for a vision of joy in a world threatened with catastrophe\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":66782,"alt":"","title":"is35-clock","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock.png","width":900,"height":900,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock-300x300.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock-768x768.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock.png","large-width":900,"large-height":900,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock.png","1536x1536-width":900,"1536x1536-height":900,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock.png","2048x2048-width":900,"2048x2048-height":900,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock.png","post_full_size-width":900,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is35-clock-420x420.png","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"35","chapter_main_number":"369","date":"20270127","wall_id":"369"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"451","name":"Hope","old_id":"851"},{"term_id":"500","name":"Messiah","old_id":"900"},{"term_id":"582","name":"Healing","old_id":"982"},{"term_id":"743","name":"Joy","old_id":"1143"},{"term_id":"785","name":"Climate","old_id":"1185"}]},{"order":15,"id":"66825","color":"#e8ecf6","size":"1","name":"Lessons Our Enemies Teach Us ","post_title":"Lessons Our Enemies Teach Us","slug":"lessons-our-enemies-teach-us","old_id":"66825","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":57331,"post_title":"Josh and Leora Blechner","slug":"josh-and-leora-blechner","old_id":"57331","first_name":"Josh and Leora ","last_name":"Blechner","description":"Josh and Leora Blechner have been learning Tanach together since Leora was five years old. Josh is an in-house attorney in New Jersey and Leora is a middle school student at SAR academy.","short_description":"Josh and Leora Blechner have been learning Tanach together since Leora was five years old. Josh is an in-house attorney in New Jersey and Leora is a middle school student at SAR academy.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":57484,"alt":"","title":"blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/blechner-1.jpg","width":501,"height":509,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/blechner-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/blechner-1-295x300.jpg","medium-width":295,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/blechner-1.jpg","medium_large-width":501,"medium_large-height":509,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/blechner-1.jpg","large-width":501,"large-height":509,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/blechner-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":501,"1536x1536-height":509,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/blechner-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":501,"2048x2048-height":509,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/blechner-1.jpg","post_full_size-width":501,"post_full_size-height":509,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/blechner-1-413x420.jpg","home_baner-width":413,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"370","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Those Egyptians are as good for Israel as a broken reed","post_main_content_content":"

In Isaiah chapter 36 we have a retelling of the story of Rabshakeh and Sennecharib's Assyrian officers' dire warning to the people of Jerusalem. In his pronouncement, Rabshakeh excoriates the people of Jerusalem for putting their hopes in the hands of Egypt. Rabshakeh uses the metaphor of a reed staff that when leaned on, splinters and punctures the hand of the person using it. The apt analogy warns of leaning too heavily on Egypt for support against the Assyrian armies, for in the end Egypt would be no support at all. The message resonates with Hezekiah and the people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This metaphor is used again in Tanach also to describe Egypt, but the next time is by God through the prophet Ezekiel. In his admonition regarding Egypt, in Ezekiel 29:6-7, Ezekiel describes the Egyptians as \"a reed staff for Israel\" that \"When they grasped you with the hand, you would splinter, And wound all their shoulders, And when they leaned on you, you would break, And make all their loins unsteady.\"\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We have two questions: 1) Why would a Prophet a hundred years later borrow the metaphor of the emissary of the Assyrian government? 2) Why is this story\u00a0 of Rabshakeh, which appears again in II Kings and II Chronicles, repeated 3 times? \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The simple answer is that Rabshakeh was correct in his assessment of Egypt and the people listened to what he was saying. They were afraid. That\u2019s why the advisers of Hezekiah wanted Rabshakeh to speak in Aramaic, so the people wouldn\u2019t understand his message. It\u2019s also why we see such a strong reaction from Hezekiah. He is distraught and prays to God. In essence Rabshakeh is actually a very effective prophet. Later on, Ezekiel takes this message and repeats it as a way to remind the people about the forewarning of Rabshakeh and to borrow his effective messaging.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Even our enemies can teach us lessons.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66826,"alt":"","title":"is36-reed staff","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff-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":" Lessons Our Enemies Teach Us","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Those Egyptians are as good for Israel as a broken reed","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":66826,"alt":"","title":"is36-reed staff","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-reed-staff-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":"Isaiah","chapter":"36","chapter_main_number":"370","date":"20270128","wall_id":"370"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"469","name":"Egypt","old_id":"869"},{"term_id":"854","name":"Metaphor","old_id":"1254"},{"term_id":"898","name":"Hezekiah","old_id":"1298"}]},{"order":16,"id":"66830","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"Rabshakeh: Who Was This Hebrew-Speaking Assyrian? ","post_title":"Rabshakeh: Who Was This Hebrew-Speaking Assyrian?","slug":"rabshakeh-who-was-this-hebrew-speaking-assyrian","old_id":"66830","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36147,"post_title":"Aaron Koller","slug":"aaron-koller","old_id":"36147","first_name":"Aaron","last_name":"Koller","description":"Aaron Koller is professor of Near Eastern studies at Yeshiva University, where he is chair of the Beren Department of Jewish Studies. His last book was Esther in Ancient Jewish Thought (Cambridge University Press), and his next is Unbinding Isaac: The Akedah in Jewish Thought (forthcoming from JPS\/University of Nebraska Press in 2020); he is also the author of numerous studies in Semitic philology. Aaron has served as a visiting professor at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and held research fellowships at the Albright Institute for Archaeological Research and the Hartman Institute. He lives in Queens, NY with his wife, Shira Hecht-Koller, and their children.","short_description":"Aaron Koller is professor of Near Eastern studies at Yeshiva University, and chair of the Department of Jewish Studies there.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36148,"alt":"","title":"AJ Koller headshot","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot.jpg","width":5184,"height":3456,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"370","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Could he have been an exiled Israelite, serving his Assyrian captors?","post_main_content_content":"

The story that starts in today\u2019s chapter should sound familiar: it is also found in 2 Kings 18-20. One character in this story stands out: Rabshakeh. He is the star of Isaiah 36, delivering two long, chilling speeches at the wall of Jerusalem, designed to intimidate the residents into submitting to the Assyrians.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Although in the Bible this seems to be a name, we now know it was a title of an Assyrian official: <\/span>rab shaqeh<\/span><\/em> is similar to the Hebrew <\/span>sar ha-mashqim<\/span><\/em>, \u201cchief cupbearer.\u201d That doesn\u2019t mean he was primarily a butler, but the great historian Hayim Tadmor showed that the rab shaqeh<\/em> was primarily a domestic official, not usually involved in diplomatic or military missions. Why, then, is this rab shaqeh<\/em> at Jerusalem?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The language is the key. After his first speech, the Judean officials at the way say to the rab shaqeh<\/em>: \u201cPlease, speak to your servants in Aramaic, as we understand it! Don\u2019t speak to us in Judean, in the hearing of the people on the wall!\u201d Now, the speech had been in Hebrew, but that did not seem surprising, since the Bible is basically always in Hebrew. Joseph and Pharaoh speak in Hebrew, as do Moses and the later Pharaoh; Ahashverosh and Haman speak in Hebrew, as does Nebuchadnezzar. Of course, this doesn\u2019t mean that these characters are meant to be understood as actually speaking Hebrew, only that the narrative is in Hebrew and so everyone is quoted in that language. But here, we are told, the rab shaqeh<\/em> was actually speaking Hebrew!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why was he speaking Hebrew? The Judeans already gave the answer, and the rab shaqeh<\/em> gives it back to them: \u201cWas it to your master and to you that my master sent me to speak those words? It was precisely to the men who are sitting on the wall\u2014who will have to eat their dung and drink their urine with you.\u201d He is trying to reach the common folk, and while in the late eighth century, Judean officials also spoke Aramaic, regular people only spoke Hebrew.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

How did he know Hebrew? Tadmor had quite a brilliant suggestion for this. Recall that twenty years earlier, the Assyrians had conquered and exiled the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the \u201cTen Tribes.\u201d Some of those Israelites were brought to Assyria, and conceivably had integrated into the bureaucracy there. If this rab shaqeh<\/em> was an exiled Israelite, he would of course be a native speaker of Hebrew \u2013 and this would explain why a normally domestic official was brought out for this mission.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This would also make the rab shaqeh\u2019s<\/em> last line all the more chilling. When he asked, \u201cWhere were the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where were the gods of Sepharvaim? And did they save Samaria from me?,\u201d the people would know that the people of Samaria and the people of Jerusalem shared not only a language, but a religion. And if Samaria fell, didn\u2019t that mean that Jerusalem was next?<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66845,"alt":"","title":"is36-rabshakeh2","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2.jpg","width":600,"height":704,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2-256x300.jpg","medium-width":256,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2.jpg","medium_large-width":600,"medium_large-height":704,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2.jpg","large-width":600,"large-height":704,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2.jpg","1536x1536-width":600,"1536x1536-height":704,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2.jpg","2048x2048-width":600,"2048x2048-height":704,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2.jpg","post_full_size-width":600,"post_full_size-height":704,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2-358x420.jpg","home_baner-width":358,"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":"Rabshakeh: Who Was This Hebrew-Speaking Assyrian?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Could he have been an exiled Israelite, serving his Assyrian captors?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":66845,"alt":"","title":"is36-rabshakeh2","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2.jpg","width":600,"height":704,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2-256x300.jpg","medium-width":256,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2.jpg","medium_large-width":600,"medium_large-height":704,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2.jpg","large-width":600,"large-height":704,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2.jpg","1536x1536-width":600,"1536x1536-height":704,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2.jpg","2048x2048-width":600,"2048x2048-height":704,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2.jpg","post_full_size-width":600,"post_full_size-height":704,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-rabshakeh2-358x420.jpg","home_baner-width":358,"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":"Isaiah","chapter":"36","chapter_main_number":"370","date":"20270128","wall_id":"370"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"361","name":"Hebrew language","old_id":"761"},{"term_id":"598","name":"Israelites","old_id":"998"},{"term_id":"953","name":"Assyria","old_id":"1353"}]},{"order":17,"id":"66801","color":"#f6f5de","size":"1","name":"The Promise And Perils Of Diglossia ","post_title":"The Promise And Perils Of Diglossia","slug":"the-promise-and-perils-of-diglossia","old_id":"66801","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34011,"post_title":"Jeremy Benstein","slug":"dr-jeremy-benstein","old_id":"34011","first_name":"Jeremy","last_name":"Benstein","description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English. He is one of the founders of the Heschel Center for Sustainability. He writes the MiliMiliM - Hebrew Corner on the site, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34232,"alt":"","title":"Jeremy Benstein","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"370","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Aramaic vs. Hebrew on the ramparts of Jerusalem","post_main_content_content":"

A person who has a native language and learns a foreign one becomes bilingual. Bilingualism is a feature of an individual.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Historically, multi-lingual Jews have been something else. Jews generally spoke a Jewish language (such as Yiddish or Ladino) in the home and street, while using Hebrew for prayer and study, making them a community that knew and used several languages in specific circumstances for specific purposes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This is not bilingualism, but <\/span>diglossia<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n

Diglossia refers to national groups or communities who use more than one language (often connected or related) in very defined and structured ways. One language is considered \"high\" or formal, or sanctioned by authority, and is used in writing, formal contexts, literature, and education. The other variant, the \"low\" language, or vernacular, exists in opposition to political power, is used in the home and the marketplace, and is rarely written down.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As opposed to bilingualism, which applies to individuals, diglossia describes the reality for an entire community, where people know which language to speak, where, when, and to whom.\u00a0<\/span>The idea of Jews speaking different languages at different times for different purposes is nothing new. Our chapter has an example of this.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Around 700 BCE, after the fall of the Northern Kingdom, the Assyrian king Sennacherib marches against Judea and King Hezekiah. Upon reaching Jerusalem, the Assyrian general, known as the Rabshakeh, proceeds to deliver a torrent of abuse in Hebrew (verses 4-20). The barrage is clearly \u201cpsychological warfare\u201d consisting of terror, ridicule, and promises, accentuating the futility of resistance. The invaders want their propaganda to strike fear into the hearts of anyone who might resist them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Fearing the abuse will demoralize the gawking public, who understand the Rabshakeh\u2019s message loud and clear, the leaders beg the Rabshakeh to speak in Aramaic, the (\"high\") political language of Western Asia, which they (unlike the ordinary Jerusalemites) understand. But Rabshakeh's precise aim is to undermine the confidence of Jerusalem's population in their God, their king, and their own ability to resist, and so like a good demagogue \u2013 spoke to the people in a way they could understand.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But \u2013 spoiler -\u00a0 there\u2019s a happy ending: despite this strategy of talking directly to the people and trying to sway them with braggadocio and threats, the Judeans are delivered from the Assyrians (Is. 37).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But note the linguistic aspect of this story. The Assyrian delegation spoke Hebrew (a language they probably learned for the purpose of ruling over Israelite subjects), and the Judean officials spoke Aramaic\u2014which the Judean citizenry didn\u2019t. In our diglossic model, Aramaic was thus the Judeans\u2019 \"high\" language of political power and international relations, while Judean (Hebrew) was the \u201clow\u201d language, spoken and understood by the common people.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Later in Jewish history, Hebrew becomes the \"high\" language of prayer and study, with other Jewish languages filling the role of the \"low\" vernaculars. The modern 'revival' of spoken Hebrew represents a rare example of re-tooling a language of scholarship to become a vernacular used in all strata of society.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Excerpted from: <\/span>Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World, <\/span><\/i>Jeremy Benstein, Behrman House, 2019, p. 39.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66802,"alt":"","title":"is36-Benstein-HRJR","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR.png","width":550,"height":472,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR-300x257.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":257,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR.png","medium_large-width":550,"medium_large-height":472,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR.png","large-width":550,"large-height":472,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR.png","1536x1536-width":550,"1536x1536-height":472,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR.png","2048x2048-width":550,"2048x2048-height":472,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR.png","post_full_size-width":550,"post_full_size-height":472,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR-489x420.png","home_baner-width":489,"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":"Excerpt from \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes\"","tile_main_caption":"The Promise And Perils Of Diglossia","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Aramaic vs. Hebrew on the ramparts of Jerusalem","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":66802,"alt":"","title":"is36-Benstein-HRJR","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR.png","width":550,"height":472,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR-300x257.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":257,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR.png","medium_large-width":550,"medium_large-height":472,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR.png","large-width":550,"large-height":472,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR.png","1536x1536-width":550,"1536x1536-height":472,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR.png","2048x2048-width":550,"2048x2048-height":472,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR.png","post_full_size-width":550,"post_full_size-height":472,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is36-Benstein-HRJR-489x420.png","home_baner-width":489,"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":"Isaiah","chapter":"36","chapter_main_number":"370","date":"20270128","wall_id":"370"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"361","name":"Hebrew language","old_id":"761"},{"term_id":"444","name":"History","old_id":"844"}]}],"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\/66525"}],"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=66525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}