{"id":78114,"date":"2018-07-09T17:48:46","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:48:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-2020\/"},"modified":"2020-08-04T18:11:01","modified_gmt":"2020-08-04T15:11:01","slug":"wall-2020","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"book-Prophets-Micah"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"book","wall_id":"2020","book":"Micah","books_group":"Prophets","date":"20200805","hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"\u05e1\u05d9\u05db\u05d5\u05dd \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05de\u05d9\u05db\u05d4","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":"","updates_last_update":"05\/05\/2020","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"78448","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"Micah: Retrospective and Overview\u00a0 ","post_title":"Micah: Retrospective and Overview\u00a0","slug":"micah-retrospective-and-overview","old_id":"78448","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":67893,"post_title":"Saul Sadka","slug":"saul-sadka","old_id":"67893","first_name":"Saul ","last_name":"Sadka","description":"Saul Sadka is a businessman and author living in Tel Aviv, the author of the Sadka-Rabinowicz edition of the Torah. ","short_description":"Saul Sadka is a businessman and author living in Tel Aviv, the author of the Sadka-Rabinowicz edition of the Torah. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":67894,"alt":"","title":"saul sadka","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/saul-sadka.jpg","width":1200,"height":1600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/saul-sadka-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/saul-sadka-225x300.jpg","medium-width":225,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/saul-sadka-768x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/saul-sadka-768x1024.jpg","large-width":768,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/saul-sadka.jpg","1536x1536-width":1152,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/saul-sadka.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":1600,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/saul-sadka-900x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":900,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/saul-sadka-315x420.jpg","home_baner-width":315,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"2020","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Even an irredeemable Israel would still have to be redeemed\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Micah warns Israel and Judah that their sins will lead to their destruction at the hands of Assyria and Babylon respectively. The book is broken up into four distinct oracles.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

First, we see an ironic re-enactment of Sinai, with God descending over the people, but this time rather than sealing a covenant, He is delivering the curses set out in that covenant to bear on his counterpart, Israel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the second section we read Micah\u2019s condemnation of the leaders and prophets of Israel and Judah. The leaders are blamed for the nation's corruption and for reducing their poor brethren to servitude and depriving them of their land. This resonates, because soon they will be reduced to servitude and deprived of their land while the poor will remain on their land, even after the exile.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the third section we have a complete eschatological account that sets up Israel\u2019s role as the enlightener of the world in the clearest terms in the Tanakh. Before giving us some details of the process that the ultimate redemption will take, the prophet encapsulates the purpose of the redemption. It is so that \u201cthe nations will come and say:\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u2018Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yhvh,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span> to the house of the God of Jacob.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span> He will teach us His ways,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span> so that we may walk in His paths.\u2019<\/span>
\r\n<\/span> The law will go out from Zion,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span> the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the fourth section the ultimate redemption of Israel is tackled from a different angle, that of justice. Israel\u2019s history is recounted followed by its betrayal and its misery and suffering as a result of the judgment against it. In a final flourish, a personified Israel recognizes that the mercy of God is paramount and that redemption awaits even if undeserved, because of God\u2019s promise to the forefathers. God\u2019s truth and God\u2019s mercy become one. His promise was a device to guarantee that even an irredeemable Israel would still have to be redeemed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Paul Gustave Dor\u00e9, Micah Exhorts the Israelites to Repent, 1866 \/ 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In the opening verse of this chapter, Micah issued the following rebuke: \u201cAh, those who plan iniquity and design evil on their beds; when morning dawns, they do it, for they have the power.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rashi, Kara, and Ibn Ezra took this simply as plotting evil overnight, and Radak added the observation that such plotting occurs at night because \u201cwhen people lie in bed at night they do more thinking because they are not using their other senses.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While it is certainly a crime\/sin to perpetrate an evil deed, is it prohibited to harbor an evil thought? Is it not a rule in talmudic jurisprudence that \u201cmatters of the heart do not count\u201d (Kiddushin 49 b, etc.)? Malbim appears to have had this in mind when he wrote:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While they lie on their beds, by themselves, they are unable to steal and rob; they can only think evil thoughts. However, these people both plot robbery and theft and carry them out. That is why he described their crimes as rising at the crack of dawn to perpetrate [their evil] because they have the power. Therefore, their contemplation of evil is tantamount to practicing it, since they let nothing interrupt between the plotting and its exercise.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

At the close of the chapter, Micah offered a brief word of consolation, drawing upon the pastoral imagery that we have encountered on previous occasions:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

I will assemble Jacob, all of you; I will bring together the remnant of Israel; I will make them all like sheep of Bozrah, like a flock inside its pen\u2014 they will be noisy with people. One who makes a breach goes before them; they enlarge it to a gate and leave by it. Their king marches before them, the LORD at their head. (12-13)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Just as a ram or he-goat will break through a pen and release the remaining sheep or goats, so will Israel follow its leader\u2014its king\u2014to freedom. <\/span>As we have noted Micah\u2019s fondness for plays on words <\/span><\/a>(in Chapter 1), it is likely that his choice of <\/span>poretz<\/span><\/em> (the \u201cone who makes a breach\u201d) is intended to invoke the Davidic monarchy, which was descended from Peretz.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":78183,"alt":"","title":"mic2-thief","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief.png","width":1920,"height":1560,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief-300x244.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":244,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief-768x624.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":624,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief-1024x832.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":832,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1248,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1560,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief-1200x975.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":975,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief-517x420.png","home_baner-width":517,"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":"Micah And The Thought Police","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Nightly plottings lead to crimes in broad daylight","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":78183,"alt":"","title":"mic2-thief","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief.png","width":1920,"height":1560,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief-300x244.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":244,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief-768x624.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":624,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief-1024x832.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":832,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1248,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1560,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief-1200x975.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":975,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic2-thief-517x420.png","home_baner-width":517,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Micah","chapter":"2","chapter_main_number":"534","date":"20270915","wall_id":"534"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":3,"id":"78201","color":"#efefef","size":"1","name":"Speak Out! ","post_title":"Speak Out!","slug":"speak-out","old_id":"78201","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":77376,"post_title":"Sara Goldberger","slug":"sara-goldberger","old_id":"77376","first_name":"Sara ","last_name":"Goldberger ","description":"Sara Goldberger is a master's student in the Bible department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 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Speaking out against the leaders of society can be a daunting and even risky undertaking. In chapter 3, Micah does exactly that, reprimanding the leaders of the people for promoting injustice and corruption. He blames the impending destruction of Jerusalem on the unethical behavior of these chiefs, prophets, and priests.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The destruction of Jerusalem does not occur during Micah\u2019s lifetime, at the end of the eighth century BCE, but more than one hundred years later during the lifetime of another prophet with a similar message - Jeremiah. Micah\u2019s prophecy, though, seems to have made a lasting impression on his audience and remained well known in Jeremiah\u2019s time. When Jeremiah is arrested for voicing God\u2019s plan to destroy Jerusalem in the Temple courtyard, the elders of the people remember Micah the Morashtite and quote his prophecy: \u201cZion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, and the Temple Mount a shrine in the woods\u201d (Micah 3:12, Jeremiah 26:18). These elders remind the priests and prophets how King Hezekiah responded to Micah\u2019s words. The God-fearing Hezekiah did not kill the prophet, but rather listened to him, imploring God not to bring destruction, and thus saving the city.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

By quoting Micah\u2019s prophecy, these elders save Jeremiah from the priests and prophets who wanted to kill him for his critical words. In hindsight, Micah\u2019s prophecy is viewed as a successful case, where his warnings to the leaders made a difference and saved the city. Jeremiah on the other hand, while not put to death for his prophecy, is not heeded by Jehoiakim and the other leaders of the people. He does experience the destruction predicted in Micah\u2019s words \u201cJerusalem shall become heaps of ruins.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The difference in the two cases underlines the importance of speaking out against authority when necessary and the different outcomes this can produce depending on whether or not the leadership is willing to engage its critics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":78202,"alt":"","title":"mic3-speak out","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out.png","width":1643,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out-257x300.png","medium-width":257,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out-768x897.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":897,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out-876x1024.png","large-width":876,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out.png","1536x1536-width":1314,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out.png","2048x2048-width":1643,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out-1027x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1027,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out-359x420.png","home_baner-width":359,"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":"Speak Out!","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"What happens when leaders don\u2019t listen to their critics - and when they do","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":78202,"alt":"","title":"mic3-speak out","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out.png","width":1643,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out-257x300.png","medium-width":257,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out-768x897.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":897,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out-876x1024.png","large-width":876,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out.png","1536x1536-width":1314,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out.png","2048x2048-width":1643,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out-1027x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1027,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic3-speak-out-359x420.png","home_baner-width":359,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Micah","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"535","date":"20270916","wall_id":"535"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":4,"id":"78251","color":"#f2e9df","size":"1","name":"Hamilton, Washington And Micah ","post_title":"Hamilton, Washington And Micah","slug":"hamilton-washington-and-micah","old_id":"78251","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"536","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A vision of peace for all time\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Micah chapter 4 contains multiple memorable quotes. Verse 2 \"For instruction shall come forth from Zion, The word of the LORD from Jerusalem.\u201d\u00a0 Verse 3 \"They shall beat their swords to plowshares and their spears to pruning hooks,\" and \"Nation shall not take up Sword against nation; They shall never again know war.\"\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But fans of the musical <\/span>Hamilton <\/span><\/i>will recognize verse 4. \"They will sit, each man under his vine and under his fig tree and none will make them afraid.\"\u00a0 As <\/span>Washington informs Hamilton that he is not seeking reelection, he paraphrases this line <\/span><\/a>from Micah. In fact, this line from Micah <\/span>appears in many letters written by George Washington<\/span><\/a>. The most famous from a Jewish history perspective is the letter he wrote to the Jewish community of Newport Rhode Island in which he comforts the congregation: \u201cMay the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants \u2013 while everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.\"\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Washington\u2019s farewell address, which is the subject of the song from Hamilton, is full of themes that exhort the new nation to try to avoid open warfare and to bring forth the peaceful potential of the nation. For a founding father whose rise to fame came as result of the brutal revolutionary war, it is comforting that his favorite line from scripture is from Micah. The promise of no war. The promise of calm and peace for all people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: photo by Tina Saey, <\/span>Washington and Alexander Hamilton<\/span><\/em>, <\/span><\/i>2008 \/ flickr<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":78252,"alt":"","title":"mic4-hamilton","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton.jpg","width":3264,"height":2448,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1536,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Hamilton, Washington And Micah","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A vision of peace for all time","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":78252,"alt":"","title":"mic4-hamilton","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton.jpg","width":3264,"height":2448,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1536,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hamilton-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Micah","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"536","date":"20270919","wall_id":"536"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":5,"id":"78257","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"A Nation Of Laws, Not Land ","post_title":"A Nation Of Laws, Not Land","slug":"a-nation-of-laws-not-land","old_id":"78257","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":46656,"post_title":"Molly Morris","slug":"molly-morris","old_id":"46656","first_name":"Molly ","last_name":"Morris ","description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. 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":"536","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"And a bottom-up theory of social change and peace-building\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Micah Chapter 4 opens with this familiar prophecy:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cHe shall <\/span>judge<\/span> between many peoples<\/span><\/em>, and shall <\/span>arbitrate between strong nations<\/span><\/em> far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more\u201d (4:3).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It\u2019s familiar today because those words are used by politicians and poets, peacemakers and musicians. But it was familiar to Micah\u2019s audience because it\u2019s almost verbatim the same prophecy given by Isaiah, with two small exceptions:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cHe shall <\/span>judge<\/span> between the nations<\/span><\/em> and shall <\/span>arbitrate for many peoples<\/span><\/em>; they shall beat their swords into plowshares... (Isaiah 2:4).\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In Micah\u2019s version God is judging people and arbitrating between nations, while in Isaiah\u2019s version He is judging nations and arbitrating between people. Ultimately the two versions add up to judging and arbitrating between both nations and people, but who\u2019s doing the beating of swords into plowshares? They \u2013 the people, or they- the nations?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There is one significant difference between the Jewish \u201cnation\u201d and all the other nations to whom these prophecies are directed. In the most common version of world history, people settle a land, call it their home and develop a set of laws to govern their nation. The Jews, however, are the only nation in history who had laws before a country. We received the Torah from God long before we settled the land of Israel. Our peoplehood, that is the people of God and Torah, came first; our nationhood followed. As Saadia Gaon expressed it, \u201cOur nation is only a nation by virtue of its Torah (Book of Beliefs and Opinions, 7:3).\u201d It was our peoplehood that merited us our nationhood, and when we weren\u2019t living up to our obligations as people, we were exiled from our land.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Could it be that these two prophecies, taken together, are meant to teach us about the circular relationship between people, their leaders and their nations? Leaders, at least in the free world, are elected by the people and in turn pass national laws that are imposed on the people. The entry point to this ever-spinning wheel is the people. Ultimately, it\u2019s not nations that will beat their swords into plowshares, but the nation\u2019s citizens. And when that happens, nations will have no swords to lift against other nations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Could it be that the power is with the people to fulfill the prophecy that nations shall not learn war anymore?<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":64797,"alt":"","title":"is2-mural","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","width":500,"height":374,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural-300x224.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":224,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","medium_large-width":500,"medium_large-height":374,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","large-width":500,"large-height":374,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","1536x1536-width":500,"1536x1536-height":374,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","2048x2048-width":500,"2048x2048-height":374,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","post_full_size-width":500,"post_full_size-height":374,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","home_baner-width":500,"home_baner-height":374}},"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":"A Nation Of Laws, Not Land","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"And a bottom-up theory of social change and peace-building","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":64797,"alt":"","title":"is2-mural","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","width":500,"height":374,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural-300x224.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":224,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","medium_large-width":500,"medium_large-height":374,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","large-width":500,"large-height":374,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","1536x1536-width":500,"1536x1536-height":374,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","2048x2048-width":500,"2048x2048-height":374,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","post_full_size-width":500,"post_full_size-height":374,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/is2-mural.jpg","home_baner-width":500,"home_baner-height":374}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Micah","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"536","date":"20270919","wall_id":"536"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":6,"id":"78270","color":"#e0e9ef","size":"1","name":"Portraits Of Hope ","post_title":"Portraits Of Hope","slug":"portraits-of-hope","old_id":"78270","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":47905,"post_title":"Natasha Mann","slug":"natasha-mann","old_id":"47905","first_name":"Natasha ","last_name":"Mann ","description":"Rabbi Natasha Mann serves as a rabbi at New London Synagogue and Hatch End\/Mosaic Masorti. Natasha hails from the grassy hills of Hertfordshire, England, and has spent most of her adult life between Los Angeles and the Holy City of Jerusalem. Natasha has worked in Jewish education and the non-profit world, promoting better education and legislation on human trafficking issues. ","short_description":"Rabbi Natasha Mann serves as a rabbi at New London Synagogue and Hatch End\/Mosaic Masorti.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":47906,"alt":"","title":"natasha mann","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-e1548150986169.jpg","width":735,"height":954,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-e1548150986169-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-e1548150986169-231x300.jpg","medium-width":231,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-768x568.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":568,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-1024x757.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":757,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-e1548150986169.jpg","1536x1536-width":735,"1536x1536-height":954,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-e1548150986169.jpg","2048x2048-width":735,"2048x2048-height":954,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-1200x887.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":887,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-e1548150986169-324x420.jpg","home_baner-width":324,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"536","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The birth of the messianic idea\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Micah is a master of imagery. When God approaches us for judgment, the mountains will melt like wax and the valleys will burst open (1:4). The corrupt rulers of Israel have devoured the people\u2019s flesh and picked the meat from their bones (3:3). In the fourth and fifth chapters of the Book of Micah, the text turns to the question of the future redemption, and Micah paints a series of portraits of hope.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

These visions differ significantly in tone and content. They become a swirl of messianic ideas, tilting from universal to particular, from comforting to concerning and back again. One of the most significant differences is the place of the nations. Will the nations be joining us in Jerusalem to worship the Universal Divine in a time of peace (4:1-5), or will the nations attack Jacob and be consequently crushed by Jacob\u2019s God (5:6-14)? Micah does not resolve this apparent contradiction, nor does he seem to see an issue with presenting these diverse images of the future.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Perhaps these visions differ so significantly because we are witnessing the birth and development of the messianic idea. The early messianic texts seem interwoven with the promise to return from the first exile and rebuild the Temple. These concepts are so connected that it is often difficult to tell whether the prophets are talking about the return from Babylon or the eschatological vision. To the historical eye, it seems that the messianic hope - the eschatological return - grows out of the more pressing question of returning from the Babylonian Exile. In that case, what we are witnessing in the texts of the literary prophets is the birth of the messianic ideal.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This might help us to understand Micah\u2019s colorful tapestry of visions of redemption. Micah\u2019s visions might not be intended to be understood narrowly and literally, but instead as explorations of the messianic concept. In order to accept this, we must think of prophecy as something that unfolds and develops. However, Micah also teaches us an important lesson: we do not need the specificity of eschatological details in order to believe that redemption will occur, and that God is good.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":78271,"alt":"","title":"mic4-hope future","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future.jpg","width":1920,"height":1273,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future-300x199.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":199,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future-768x509.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":509,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future-1024x679.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":679,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1018,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1273,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future-1200x796.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":796,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future-633x420.jpg","home_baner-width":633,"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":"Portraits Of Hope","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The birth of the messianic idea","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":78271,"alt":"","title":"mic4-hope future","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future.jpg","width":1920,"height":1273,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future-300x199.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":199,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future-768x509.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":509,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future-1024x679.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":679,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1018,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1273,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future-1200x796.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":796,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mic4-hope-future-633x420.jpg","home_baner-width":633,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Micah","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"536","date":"20270919","wall_id":"536"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":7,"id":"78351","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"The Seven Shepherds ","post_title":"The Seven Shepherds","slug":"the-seven-shepherds","old_id":"78351","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":"537","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Methuselah, the Messiah and the Rock of Ages\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In the continuation of the assurances of consolation that begin in Chapter 4, Micah promised: \u201cAnd that shall afford safety. Should Assyria invade our land and tread upon our fortresses, we will set up over it seven shepherds, eight princes of men\u201d (5:4). First, to the meaning of the verse.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Talmud reports: \u201cWho are the seven shepherds? David is in the middle. Adam, Seth, and Methuselah are to his right, and Abraham, Jacob, and Moses are to his left. Who are the eight princes of men? Adam, Jesse, Saul, Samuel, Amos, Zephaniah, Zedekiah, the Messiah, and Elijah\u201d (Sukkah 52b). If you are unable to figure out the rationale behind these lists, you are in the company of Rashi, whose commentary to our verse reads: \u201cOur rabbis listed their names in Tractate Sukkah, but I have no idea where they obtained it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Citing Ecclesiastes 11:2: \u201cDistribute portions to seven or even to eight,\u201d Ibn Ezra and Eliezer of Beaugency conclude that the numbers are imprecise. Modern scholarship calls such numbers \u201ctypological,\u201d with seven symbolizing the natural order and eight representing its transcendence.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, Maharsha (Shlomo Eidels, 1555-1632), in his talmudic commentary, had a theory about the shepherds:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Shepherds are the leaders of a generation of whom there will be seven, with David in the middle, like the seven planets with the sun in the middle. It was said of the Davidic monarchy that it would stand \u201clike the sun\u201d and like it states explicitly above: \u201cYou, Bethlehem of Efrat\u2026 from one shall come forth to rule Israel for Me (5:1),\u201d which indicates that David will be the core of these leaders\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n

He also pointed out that David, Jacob, and Moses were shepherds, and Seth replaced Abel who was also a shepherd.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

After Hanukah lights are kindled, it is customary in many homes to sing the hymn <\/span>Ma`oz Tzur<\/em> <\/span>(Rock of Ages), whose final stanza (according to the correct version) ends with the words: \u201cRaise up for us the seven shepherds\u201d (<\/span>hakim lanu ro`im shiv`ah<\/span><\/em>), a plea for the renewal of the Davidic monarchy just as promised by Micah.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: a different version of the 7 Shepherds...<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":61305,"alt":"","title":"2sam24-7 shepherds","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","width":700,"height":379,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds-300x162.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":162,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","medium_large-width":700,"medium_large-height":379,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","large-width":700,"large-height":379,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","1536x1536-width":700,"1536x1536-height":379,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","2048x2048-width":700,"2048x2048-height":379,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","post_full_size-width":700,"post_full_size-height":379,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","home_baner-width":700,"home_baner-height":379}},"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 Seven Shepherds","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Methuselah, the Messiah and the Rock of Ages","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":61305,"alt":"","title":"2sam24-7 shepherds","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","width":700,"height":379,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds-300x162.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":162,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","medium_large-width":700,"medium_large-height":379,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","large-width":700,"large-height":379,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","1536x1536-width":700,"1536x1536-height":379,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","2048x2048-width":700,"2048x2048-height":379,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","post_full_size-width":700,"post_full_size-height":379,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam24-7-shepherds.jpg","home_baner-width":700,"home_baner-height":379}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Micah","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"537","date":"20270920","wall_id":"537"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":8,"id":"78330","color":"#e6f5f3","size":"1","name":"The Skill Of A Shepherd\u00a0 ","post_title":"The Skill Of A Shepherd\u00a0","slug":"the-skill-of-a-shepherd","old_id":"78330","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":"537","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Crucial for the CV of a future leader of Israel\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Micah 5:3 employs a pastoral verb to represent the Messiah\u2019s overall leadership style: \u201cHe shall stand and shepherd \u201c<\/span>ve-ra\u2019ah<\/span><\/em>\u201d by the Might of the LORD, by the power of the Name of the LORD his God\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The theme of \u201cshepherding\u201d appears in the next verse, as well: \u201cWe will set up over it seven shepherds\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Commentators debate the identity of these seven, but the Talmud (Sukka 52b) identifies them definitively:\u00a0 \u201cWho are these seven shepherds? David is in the \u201cmiddle\u201d (<\/span>the centrality of his role as progenitor of the Messiah<\/span><\/em>); Adam, Seth, and Methuselah are to his \u201cright\u201d (<\/span>earlier \u201cshepherds<\/span><\/em>\u201d<\/span><\/i>); Abraham, Jacob, and Moses are to his \u201cleft\u201d (\"<\/em><\/span>later shepherds\u201d<\/span><\/em>).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While Rashi on v. 4 states that he is at a loss regarding how the Talmud arrived at these specific individuals, Maharsha, in his commentary on Talmudic Aggada, s.v. Zayin Ro\u2019im VeChulai, offers the fullest explanation:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201c\u2026and they are called \u201cshepherds\u201d rather than \u201cleaders,\u201d because it is stated explicitly in connection to \u201cmost\u201d of them that they were actually shepherds in this world: David shepherded his father\u2019s flocks (I Samuel 16:11); Jacob shepherded the flocks of Laban (Genesis 31:38-40); Moses shepherded his father-in-law Yitro\u2019s flocks (Exodus 3:1); concerning Seth, it is written: (Genesis 4:25) \u201c\u2026for God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel\u2026\u201d and Abel was a shepherd (Ibid. 2.) And certainly the Messiah will be greater than all of them, as it is written: (Ezekial 37:22) \u201c\u2026and one king shall be king to them all\u2026 \u201d It is therefore derived that these seven will have some authority, and they had a tradition that these seven would share responsibilities (<\/span>of leadership<\/span><\/em>) with the Messiah.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While this interpretation assumes the miraculous resurrection of the dead, the description of worthiness for leadership via the experience of \u201cshepherding\u201d is an extension of the following midrash (Exodus Rabba 2:2):<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u2026And whom does He test? The righteous individual, as it says: (Psalms 11:5) \u201cThe LORD trieth the righteous\u2026\u201d And with regard to what does He test him? With shepherding a flock. He tested David with shepherding, and found him to be a good shepherd\u2026He would hold back the more mature animals to allow the younger animals to graze first on the softer blades of grass, then he permitted the elder animals to graze on the middling blades, and finally the \u201cyoung bucks\u201d to graze on the toughest blades. Said the Holy One, Blessed Be He: Whomever knows how to allow animals belonging to another to graze each according to his own ability, he should come and \u201cshepherd\u201d My flock\u2026\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One does not ordinarily associate sensitivity to animals dependent upon you for their care, with the ability to properly lead large groups of people. Micah\u2019s shepherd metaphor certainly supports this literary tradition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Christian Mali: Die junge Hirtin (\u201cThe Young Shepherd\u201d), 1886 \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":78346,"alt":"","title":"Mic5-Christian_Mali_Die_junge_Hirtin_1886","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mic5-Christian_Mali_Die_junge_Hirtin_1886.jpg","width":800,"height":434,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mic5-Christian_Mali_Die_junge_Hirtin_1886-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mic5-Christian_Mali_Die_junge_Hirtin_1886-300x163.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":163,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mic5-Christian_Mali_Die_junge_Hirtin_1886-768x417.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":417,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mic5-Christian_Mali_Die_junge_Hirtin_1886.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":434,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mic5-Christian_Mali_Die_junge_Hirtin_1886.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":434,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mic5-Christian_Mali_Die_junge_Hirtin_1886.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":434,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mic5-Christian_Mali_Die_junge_Hirtin_1886.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":434,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mic5-Christian_Mali_Die_junge_Hirtin_1886-774x420.jpg","home_baner-width":774,"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 Skill Of A Shepherd\u00a0","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Crucial for the CV of a future leader of 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Kindness And Holiness ","post_title":"Justice, Kindness And Holiness","slug":"justice-kindness-and-holiness","old_id":"78382","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38047,"post_title":"Shoshana Michael Zucker","slug":"shoshana-michael-zucker","old_id":"38047","first_name":"Shoshana Michael ","last_name":"Zucker ","description":"Shoshana Michael Zucker is a translator and editor by profession, but would much rather be learning and teaching Torah. A graduate of Barnard College, she made aliyah in 1983 and now lives in Kfar Saba where she is an active member of the Masorti Congregation Hod veHadar. ","short_description":"Shoshana Michael Zucker is a translator and editor and lives in Kfar Saba \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38048,"alt":"","title":"Shoshana Michael Zucker","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","width":231,"height":310,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker-224x300.jpg","medium-width":224,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","medium_large-width":231,"medium_large-height":310,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","large-width":231,"large-height":310,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","1536x1536-width":231,"1536x1536-height":310,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","2048x2048-width":231,"2048x2048-height":310,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","post_full_size-width":231,"post_full_size-height":310,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","home_baner-width":231,"home_baner-height":310}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"538","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"All wrapped up into one image\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The words of Micah 6:8: \u201cDo justice, love goodness, and walk modestly with your God\u201d figure prominently on the doors of the Aron Kodesh<\/em> (Torah Ark) of Kehillat Hod veHadar in Kfar Saba, where they keep some rather surprising company.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The ark \u2013 dedicated by Leah and the late Eliezer Tal in memory of their son Tzachi; designed and executed by sculptor Avi Shacham \u2013 is topped by a crown of angels. The first time I saw them, I could barely conceal my surprise, but was quickly reassured that an appropriate halakhic authority had approved the design: the angels passed because they don\u2019t have faces. The doors also feature a diagram of the kabbalistic tree of sefirot, one of the most mystical of Jewish visual symbols.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What can we make of the juxtaposition?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Micah 6:8 \u2013 one of the first verses I remember learning as a child \u2013 is a succinct statement of the Torah\u2019s social vision. We are commanded to do justice by conducting our personal and public lives according to principles of fairness and integrity that do not give preference to the wealthy and powerful, and distribute resources so that the basic needs of all are met. Loving goodness is more than a pleasant inner feeling. Torah calls for active love: aiding the needy and weak in society with concrete assistance, feeding the hungry, providing for the homeless and clothing the naked; and being a supportive presence for people in vulnerable situations: the sick and injured, lonely and bereaved. \u200eWalking modestly with God is less about how we dress, and more about not calling undue attention to ourselves and our acts, because they\u2019re not about us.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Moreover, the Babylonian Talmud (Makkot 24a) considers this verse a distillation of all 613 commandments contained in the Torah, which makes it especially appropriate for the context. The phrase \u201cKnow before Whom you stand\u201d is written above the ark in many synagogues; Micah 6:8 completes the thought, as if to say: \u201cYou stand before God who demands justice, loving goodness, and modesty.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The arc of angels recalls the seraphim who stand above the God\u2019s throne in Isaiah 6:2, and represent unattainable holiness. The sefirah tree is the Kabbalists\u2019 attempt to portray and organize the complexity of the universe: everything is interconnected. It is a grand scheme beyond the grasp of many. Micah brings it all down-to-earth, with guidelines for building a better human society through actions in which everyone can participate. The ark in its entirety represents the balance between different aspects of religious striving and human involvement.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Photo: The doors of the Aron Kodesh (Torah Ark) of Kehillat Hod veHadar in Kfar Saba, courtesy of the author.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":78383,"alt":"","title":"mic6-aron kodesh-SMZ","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ.jpg","width":558,"height":1024,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ-163x300.jpg","medium-width":163,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ-558x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":558,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ-558x1024.jpg","large-width":558,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ.jpg","1536x1536-width":558,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ.jpg","2048x2048-width":558,"2048x2048-height":1024,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ.jpg","post_full_size-width":558,"post_full_size-height":1024,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ-229x420.jpg","home_baner-width":229,"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":"Justice, Kindness And Holiness","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"All wrapped up into one image\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":78383,"alt":"","title":"mic6-aron kodesh-SMZ","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ.jpg","width":558,"height":1024,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ-163x300.jpg","medium-width":163,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ-558x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":558,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ-558x1024.jpg","large-width":558,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ.jpg","1536x1536-width":558,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ.jpg","2048x2048-width":558,"2048x2048-height":1024,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ.jpg","post_full_size-width":558,"post_full_size-height":1024,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-aron-kodesh-SMZ-229x420.jpg","home_baner-width":229,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Micah","chapter":"6","chapter_main_number":"538","date":"20270921","wall_id":"538"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":10,"id":"78385","color":"#f7f7f5","size":"1","name":"Needed: A Counter-Prophet ","post_title":"Needed: A Counter-Prophet","slug":"needed-a-counter-prophet","old_id":"78385","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":72765,"post_title":"George Daniel Frankel","slug":"george-daniel-frankel","old_id":"72765","first_name":"George Daniel","last_name":"Frankel","description":"Danny Frankel lives in New York City. He is the author of \u201cDan Shall Judge His People: 5 Essays on Torah im Derech Eretz and the Breuer Community Today.\u201d\r\n","short_description":"Danny Frankel lives in New York City. He is the author of \u201cDan Shall Judge His People: 5 Essays on Torah im Derech Eretz and the Breuer Community Today.\u201d\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":72766,"alt":"","title":"danny frankel","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/danny-frankel.jpg","width":1822,"height":2743,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/danny-frankel-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/danny-frankel-199x300.jpg","medium-width":199,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/danny-frankel-680x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":680,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/danny-frankel-680x1024.jpg","large-width":680,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/danny-frankel.jpg","1536x1536-width":1020,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/danny-frankel.jpg","2048x2048-width":1360,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/danny-frankel-797x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":797,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/danny-frankel-279x420.jpg","home_baner-width":279,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"538","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"To tell God what\u2019s what\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

This chapter, sublime though it may be, exposes once again the fundamental imbalance in prophetic rhetoric. As always, when God, speaking through a prophet, issues a call for a debate with the Jews, what follows is not a debate but a harangue.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And God, as always, comes off sounding like the sort of clueless parent who, when presented with a list of grievances, will protest: \u201cBut I paid for your college tuition!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What is needed is\u2026a counter-prophet, who will ask God the hard questions and equalize the debate.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Let us recast the chapter with the counter-prophet advocating for the Jewish people.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God\/Micah: O my people, what have I ever done to you?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Counter-Prophet: Crusades, inquisitions, pogroms\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God\/Micah: But wherein have I wearied you?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Counter-Prophet: Auschwitz, Treblinka, Bergen-Belsen\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God\/Micah: I took you out of Egypt!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Counter-Prophet: We\u2019re still in Egypt (only they call it America)!\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God\/Micah: I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Counter-Prophet: What have you done for us lately?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God\/Micah: I gave you the State of Israel!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Counter-Prophet: We paid for that dearly in blood.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God\/Micah: Remember Balaam.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Counter-Prophet: We remember only the talking donkey!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God\/Micah: Everything I did was just so that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Counter-Prophet: You have a funny way of showing them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God\/Micah: I expect gratitude.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Counter-Prophet: Well, aren\u2019t we the most generous people on earth? We give to our local synagogue, to UJA, to Israel Bonds. Isn\u2019t that enough?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God\/Micah: All I ask is that you do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Counter-Prophet: And all WE ask is for a God who will have our back, who won\u2019t use us as a whipping boy for all the world\u2019s ills, and who won\u2019t make impossible demands of us.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Silence.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":69222,"alt":"","title":"jer4-blame","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame.jpg","width":1920,"height":932,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame-300x146.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":146,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame-768x373.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":373,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame-1024x497.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":497,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":746,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":932,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame-1200x583.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":583,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame-865x420.jpg","home_baner-width":865,"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":"Needed: A Counter-Prophet","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"To tell God what\u2019s what","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":69222,"alt":"","title":"jer4-blame","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame.jpg","width":1920,"height":932,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame-300x146.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":146,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame-768x373.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":373,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame-1024x497.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":497,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":746,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":932,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame-1200x583.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":583,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer4-blame-865x420.jpg","home_baner-width":865,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Micah","chapter":"6","chapter_main_number":"538","date":"20270921","wall_id":"538"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":11,"id":"78392","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Be Virtuous ","post_title":"Be Virtuous","slug":"be-virtuous","old_id":"78392","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36277,"post_title":"Yedidya Sinclair","slug":"yedidya-sinclair","old_id":"36277","first_name":"Yedidya","last_name":"Sinclair","description":"Rabbi Yedidya Sinclair serves as Senior Rabbinic Scholar at Hazon, the leading US Jewish environmental organization. From 2011-16 he was Vice President for Research and Senior Economist at Energiya Global, a Jerusalem-based solar energy company focused on the developing world and he continues to consult on renewable energy and climate change preparedness. In 2014 he published together with Hazon, a translation of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook's great work on shmitta, the Sabbatical year, \"Introduction to Shabbat Ha'aretz.\" Yedidya holds a BA from Oxford University, an MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and lives with his family in Jerusalem.","short_description":"Yedidya Sinclair is a Jerusalem-based rabbi and economist, and is Senior Rabbinic Scholar at Hazon. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36278,"alt":"","title":"yedidya sinclair","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","width":200,"height":200,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","medium_large-width":200,"medium_large-height":200,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","large-width":200,"large-height":200,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","1536x1536-width":200,"1536x1536-height":200,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","2048x2048-width":200,"2048x2048-height":200,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","post_full_size-width":200,"post_full_size-height":200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","home_baner-width":200,"home_baner-height":200}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"538","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"But no virtue-signalling!\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

A famous passage of Talmud (Makkot 24a) attempts to reduce the 613 mitzvot of the Torah to the minimum, bare essentials.\u00a0 Kind David managed to condense them into 11 core tenets; the prophet Isaiah boils them down to six, and Micah, in today\u2019s chapter is said to encapsulate the whole Torah in just three cardinal principles:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u00a0\u201cHe has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do justice, to love goodness and to walk modestly with your God.\u201d (Micah 6:8)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

These three directions are all, no doubt, fine guiding lights to live by, but how do they encompass everything? Why do they constitute a summation of all that God desires of us?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Talmudic commentator Maharsha, Shmuel Eidels (1555 \u2013 1631), suggests a thought-provoking answer. He writes that much of Judaism is good ethical sense, giving rules for life to which most reflective and morally sensitive people would assent. \u201cDo justice and love goodness;\u201d - strive to do good to other people and to build a just society - is a comprehensive summary of that whole side of Torah; fulfill this mandate and you will live in a way that other good people will recognize as right.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But a godly religion demands of us more than just acting in a way that decent people around you would approve of. According to Maharsha, it requires living well out of total disregard for what anybody thinks. It asks of us \u201cnot to do mitzvot for any extraneous reasons, but only for the sake of Heaven.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This is what the third part of the triptych, \u201cand to walk modestly with your God,\u201d adds. \u201cEven when doing something good in public, a person shouldn\u2019t draw attention to it and say, \u201clook what I did\u201d. That\u2019s just preening and self-pride,\u201d warns Maharsha. (\u201cVirtue-signaling\u201d might be an approximate contemporary translation for \u201cpreening and self-pride.\u201d)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cThat\u2019s mixing in extraneous motivations,\u201d he goes on.\u00a0 Rather, we \u201cshould walk modestly with God\u201d even when doing good that is unavoidably public, such as assisting in burying the dead or helping a poor bride to marry, and all the more so when doing good things that are best done in private, like giving tzedakah or studying Torah.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cWalking modestly with God,\u201d is the side of Torah that does not care about public approval or applause. If Judaism is just \u201cdoing justice and loving goodness,\u201d then the temptation to court the crowd\u2019s admiration and praise for acts of justice and goodness is ever-present. Only when we also \u201cwalk modestly,\u201d and do good secretly and for its own sake, do we walk with God.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":78395,"alt":"","title":"mic6-virtue","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1.jpg","width":516,"height":466,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1-300x271.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":271,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1.jpg","medium_large-width":516,"medium_large-height":466,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1.jpg","large-width":516,"large-height":466,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":516,"1536x1536-height":466,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":516,"2048x2048-height":466,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1.jpg","post_full_size-width":516,"post_full_size-height":466,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1-465x420.jpg","home_baner-width":465,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Be Virtuous","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"But no virtue-signalling!","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":78395,"alt":"","title":"mic6-virtue","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1.jpg","width":516,"height":466,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1-300x271.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":271,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1.jpg","medium_large-width":516,"medium_large-height":466,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1.jpg","large-width":516,"large-height":466,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":516,"1536x1536-height":466,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":516,"2048x2048-height":466,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1.jpg","post_full_size-width":516,"post_full_size-height":466,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic6-virtue-1-465x420.jpg","home_baner-width":465,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Micah","chapter":"6","chapter_main_number":"538","date":"20270921","wall_id":"538"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":12,"id":"78443","color":"#eceffa","size":"1","name":"The Twin Pillars Of Forgiveness And Loyalty ","post_title":"The Twin Pillars Of Forgiveness And Loyalty","slug":"the-twin-pillars-of-forgiveness-and-loyalty","old_id":"78443","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":73524,"post_title":"Yaakov Beasley","slug":"yaakov-beasley","old_id":"73524","first_name":"Yaakov ","last_name":"Beasley ","description":"Yaakov Beasley is the Tanakh Coordinator at Yeshivat Hesder Lev haTorah, the host of the TanachTalks podcast, and the author of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah: Lights in the Valley (Maggid Press, 2020). ","short_description":"Yaakov Beasley is the Tanakh Coordinator at Yeshivat Hesder Lev haTorah, podcast host and author. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":73525,"alt":"","title":"yaakov beasley","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/yaakov-beasley.jpg","width":409,"height":484,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/yaakov-beasley-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/yaakov-beasley-254x300.jpg","medium-width":254,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/yaakov-beasley.jpg","medium_large-width":409,"medium_large-height":484,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/yaakov-beasley.jpg","large-width":409,"large-height":484,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/yaakov-beasley.jpg","1536x1536-width":409,"1536x1536-height":484,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/yaakov-beasley.jpg","2048x2048-width":409,"2048x2048-height":484,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/yaakov-beasley.jpg","post_full_size-width":409,"post_full_size-height":484,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/yaakov-beasley-355x420.jpg","home_baner-width":355,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"539","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"And the dynamic of internal failings and external enemies\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Micah concludes by establishing the parameters of Israel's new relationship with God. Verses 18 and 19 describe the first pillar of this relationship \u2013 God's historical forgiveness of his people. Micah's question there \"Who is a God like You?\" praises God for his uniqueness, but not in power or strength. Instead, Micah finds God's uniqueness in His ability to forgive the sins of the \"remnant of His people.\" This concept of forgiveness appears in seven different forms in these final verses. The repetition reflects a need to reassure the people that despite all their failings and misdeeds, God will redeem them. These verses form the basis of the <\/span>Tashlich<\/em> <\/span>ceremony on Rosh Hashanah afternoon, when Jews symbolically separate themselves from their sins and petition God for forgiveness.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Micah also alludes to the Jewish people's first critical mistake \u2013 the creation of the Golden Calf (Ex. 32). People thought that due to the betrayal of the covenant forged at Sinai, the relationship between God and His people was irrevocably ruptured. Instead, God chose to present Moses with a new paradigm for their relationship \u2013 one based on forgiveness, as formulated in Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. These are the attributes alluded to by Micah: He will not stay angry forever (Ex. 34:6) but instead desires kindness (graciousness). By mentioning kindness, Micah engages in a clever ambiguity \u2013 he does not specify who is performing the kindness. The simple understanding of the verse is that God is the subject. Nevertheless, given that loving-kindness is one of the three fundamental demands God asks of humanity \u2013 we can understand Micah as meaning that God desires for us to be deserving by our performing acts of kindness.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Micah concludes with the second pillar of the relationship, which is the basis of his confidence in the ultimate redemption. God will always remain loyal to His promises to Jacob and Abraham. To the forefathers, God promised the land of Israel in posterity to their descendants, and this promise and covenant remain active.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Additionally, Micah's final chapter shares several parallels with the Song of the Sea (Ex. 15), including \"who is like you, God?\", the performance of wonders, Israel being called God's inheritance, and God's sending the Jewish people's enemies to the depths of the sea. Micah makes one significant shift \u2013 in Exodus 15, the Egyptians are Israel's enemy that are cast aside. In Micah, Israel's worst enemy are their own sins \u2013 in other words, themselves. Israel's real enemies, the ones that have led to its downtrodden state, are their sins.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The correspondence between internal failings and external enemies is an apt conclusion to the message that Micah has been preaching from the beginning. If Israel and Judah had built societies modeled on the moral principles outlined in the Torah, had its prosperous practiced compassion and not corruption, had is leadership acted from kindness and not avarice, then no country in the world, even a superpower as strong as Assyria, could have hurt Israel in any manner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Columnas Plus Ultra (Emblems of Charles V of Spain in the Town Hall of Seville) \/ wikipedia\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":78446,"alt":"","title":"mic7-pillars","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars.png","width":1022,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars-284x300.png","medium-width":284,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars-768x812.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":812,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars-969x1024.png","large-width":969,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars.png","1536x1536-width":1022,"1536x1536-height":1080,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars.png","2048x2048-width":1022,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars.png","post_full_size-width":1022,"post_full_size-height":1080,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars-397x420.png","home_baner-width":397,"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 Twin Pillars Of Forgiveness And Loyalty","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"And the dynamic of internal failings and external enemies\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":78446,"alt":"","title":"mic7-pillars","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars.png","width":1022,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars-284x300.png","medium-width":284,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars-768x812.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":812,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars-969x1024.png","large-width":969,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars.png","1536x1536-width":1022,"1536x1536-height":1080,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars.png","2048x2048-width":1022,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars.png","post_full_size-width":1022,"post_full_size-height":1080,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/mic7-pillars-397x420.png","home_baner-width":397,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Micah","chapter":"7","chapter_main_number":"539","date":"20270922","wall_id":"539"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/78114"}],"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=78114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}