{"id":80755,"date":"2018-07-09T17:51:40","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:51:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-1117\/"},"modified":"2022-02-02T19:42:53","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T17:42:53","slug":"wall-1117","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-1117\/","title":{"rendered":"weekend-from-20240428-to-20240504"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"weekend","wall_id":"1117","date_from":"20240428","date_to":"20240504","book":"Psalms","books_group":"Writings","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"81164","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"2","name":"Marking The End Of The Beginning ","post_title":"Marking The End Of The Beginning","slug":"marking-the-end-of-the-beginning-3","old_id":"81164","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"586","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

In honor of the end of Deuteronomy, we asked our writers to choose their \"favorite\" verse in the Torah.
\r\nThe fascinating posts on this page - and the song - are the results - click here!.<\/a>
\r\nWhat's your<\/em> favorite?<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":52573,"alt":"","title":"favs-1844","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844.jpg","width":806,"height":396,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844-300x147.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":147,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844-768x377.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":377,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844.jpg","large-width":806,"large-height":396,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844.jpg","1536x1536-width":806,"1536x1536-height":396,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844.jpg","2048x2048-width":806,"2048x2048-height":396,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844.jpg","post_full_size-width":806,"post_full_size-height":396,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844.jpg","home_baner-width":806,"home_baner-height":396}},"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":"For Simchat Torah and Completion of the Torah","tile_main_caption":"Marking The End Of The Beginning","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"In honor of the end of Deuteronomy, we asked our writers to choose their \"favorite\" verse in the Torah. The fascinating posts on this page - and the song - are the results. What's your favorite?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":52573,"alt":"","title":"favs-1844","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844.jpg","width":806,"height":396,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844-300x147.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":147,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844-768x377.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":377,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844.jpg","large-width":806,"large-height":396,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844.jpg","1536x1536-width":806,"1536x1536-height":396,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844.jpg","2048x2048-width":806,"2048x2048-height":396,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844.jpg","post_full_size-width":806,"post_full_size-height":396,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/favs-1844.jpg","home_baner-width":806,"home_baner-height":396}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Psalms","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"586","date":"20271128","wall_id":"586"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"52542","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Mobius Endings\/Beginnings ","post_title":"Mobius Endings\/Beginnings","slug":"mobius-endings-beginnings","old_id":"52542","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38634,"post_title":"Rachel Barenblat","slug":"rachel-barenblat","old_id":"38634","first_name":"Rachel ","last_name":"Barenblat ","description":"Rabbi Rachel Barenblat has blogged since 2003 as the Velveteen Rabbi. A Founding Builder at Bayit: Your Jewish Home, and author of several poetry collections (including Texts to the Holy, Ben Yehuda Press 2018, and 70 faces: Torah poems, Phoenicia 2011) she serves as spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Israel in western Massachusetts, USA. ","short_description":"Rabbi Rachel Barenblat of Congregation Beth Israel in Western Massachusetts, blogs as the Velveteen Rabbi. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38635,"alt":"","title":"rachel barenblat","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/rachel-barenblat-e1535268212237.png","width":328,"height":424,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/rachel-barenblat-e1535268212237-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/rachel-barenblat-e1535268212237-232x300.png","medium-width":232,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/rachel-barenblat-e1535268212237.png","medium_large-width":328,"medium_large-height":424,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/rachel-barenblat-e1535268212237.png","large-width":328,"large-height":424,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/rachel-barenblat-e1535268212237.png","1536x1536-width":328,"1536x1536-height":424,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/rachel-barenblat-e1535268212237.png","2048x2048-width":328,"2048x2048-height":424,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/rachel-barenblat-e1535268212237.png","post_full_size-width":328,"post_full_size-height":424,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/rachel-barenblat-e1535268212237-325x420.png","home_baner-width":325,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"187","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The original never-ending story, continually spiraling onward","post_main_content_content":"

I want to write the Torah <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>on a mobius strip of parchment<\/span><\/p>\r\n

so that the very last lines <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>(never again will there arise,<\/span><\/p>\r\n

arpeggio of signs and wonders<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>stout strength and subtle teaching)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

would lead seamlessly to<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>the beginning of heavens<\/span><\/p>\r\n

and earth, the waters<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>all wild and waste, and God<\/span><\/p>\r\n

hovering over the face of creation<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>like a mother bird.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This is the strong sinew<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>that stitches our years together:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

that we never have to bear<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>the heartbreak of the story ending<\/span><\/p>\r\n

each year the words are the same<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>but something in us is different<\/span><\/p>\r\n

on a mobius strip of parchment<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>I want to write the Torah<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

One of my favorite moments in all the year comes when we read the solemn last lines of the Torah -- these last words from this chapter -- and immediately read the opening lines of the Torah. Sometimes we do it with two scrolls. Sometimes we unroll a single scroll all the way from end to end, holding it in gloved fingers carefully in a giant circle around the room so we can see it in all of its complex beauty. We read the ending, and then we read the beginning.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It's the original never-ending story. Just as the story of human growth and potential never ends, only spirals onward, so our reading of the Torah never ends but we begin again. For me as a lover of <\/span>story<\/span><\/i>, this says something important about who we are and how we understand ourselves.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Every year offers us a chance to begin again. Every year that new beginning is informed by who we are and where we've been. One door closes and another one opens. The last words lead to the first words which will eventually, a year from now, lead us to the last words again. And then, again, the first words. One of my favorite moments in all the year.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":52543,"alt":"","title":"dt34-mobius","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius.jpg","width":2142,"height":998,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius-300x140.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":140,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius-768x358.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":358,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius-1024x477.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":477,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":716,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":954,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius-1200x559.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":559,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius-901x420.jpg","home_baner-width":901,"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":"929 Poetry Corner","tile_main_caption":"Mobius Endings\/Beginnings","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The original never-ending story, continually spiraling onward","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":52543,"alt":"","title":"dt34-mobius","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius.jpg","width":2142,"height":998,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius-300x140.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":140,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius-768x358.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":358,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius-1024x477.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":477,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":716,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":954,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius-1200x559.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":559,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-mobius-901x420.jpg","home_baner-width":901,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Deuteronomy","chapter":"34","chapter_main_number":"187","date":"20260518","wall_id":"187"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"410","name":"Torah","old_id":"810"}]},{"order":3,"id":"52553","color":"#f6f5de","size":"1","name":"The Torah\u2019s Most Human Sense Of An Ending ","post_title":"The Torah\u2019s Most Human Sense Of An Ending","slug":"the-torahs-most-human-sense-of-an-ending","old_id":"52553","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38322,"post_title":"James A. Diamond","slug":"james-a-diamond","old_id":"38322","first_name":"James ","last_name":"Diamond ","description":"Prof. James A. Diamond holds the Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Chair of Jewish Studies at the University of Waterloo. His most recent book is \u201cJewish Theology Unbound\u201d published by Oxford University Press. ","short_description":"Prof. James A. Diamond holds the Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Chair of Jewish Studies at the University of Waterloo.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38323,"alt":"","title":"James Diamond","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/James-Diamond-e1534858914913.jpg","width":1186,"height":1386,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/James-Diamond-e1534858914913-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/James-Diamond-e1534858914913-257x300.jpg","medium-width":257,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/James-Diamond-e1534858914913-768x898.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":898,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/James-Diamond-e1534858914913-876x1024.jpg","large-width":876,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/James-Diamond-e1534858914913.jpg","1536x1536-width":1186,"1536x1536-height":1386,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/James-Diamond-e1534858914913.jpg","2048x2048-width":1186,"2048x2048-height":1386,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/James-Diamond-e1534858914913-1027x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1027,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/James-Diamond-e1534858914913-359x420.jpg","home_baner-width":359,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"187","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"No monuments need be built to the righteous for their words are their memorials","post_main_content_content":"

Deuteronomy\u2019s final three verses spell out the uniqueness of Moses\u2019 three-pronged legacy: an unparalleled <\/span>face to face<\/span><\/i> intimacy of with God; the efficacy of <\/span>the miracles that the Lord sent him to display in Egypt against Pharaoh; <\/span><\/i>and <\/span>all the great might and awesome power that Moses displayed before Israel.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n

Moses\u2019 singularity is first evident in his private life communing with God, and then in two dimensions of his public life, combatting enemies and sustaining his leadership within his own community. Yet, note the subtle distinction made between Moses as God\u2019s emissary vis-\u00e0-vis the Egyptians, and Moses in his own capacity vis-\u00e0-vis Israel. It may have taken miracles to convince the taskmasters of the Israelite God\u2019s invincibility to release their repressive stranglehold on their slaves. However, the establishment of a cohesive nation and its continuing viability cannot rest on miracles and otherworldliness. That requires human autonomy and human sensitivity to the social, political, and moral dimensions of a human polis, which Moses <\/span>qua<\/span><\/i> Moses independently set in motion for his successors to follow.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rashi ends his Torah commentary analogously with a striking midrashic explication of the Torah\u2019s final verse that accentuates its extraordinary emphasis on the human dimension. Rashi oddly identifies that <\/span>awesome power<\/span><\/i> wielded by Moses in front of the entire nation of Israel with his breaking of the Tablets at Sinai. As Rashi states, Moses \u201cdecided on his own to break the tablets publicly. God acquiesced to his will, offering him congratulations (<\/span>yishar kochacha<\/span><\/i>) on breaking them.\u201d Rabbinically the Torah\u2019s ending picks up on its patent sense of human aptitude but empowering it to the utmost extent of overcoming even God, of persuading God to defer to the human perspective. In fact, this midrash is the very source for idiomatic salutation, idiomatically offered as <\/span>yasher koyach<\/span><\/em> (may your strength be firm) in grateful response to any job well done, particularly those that benefit community. Every single positive human accomplishment and societal contribution then resonates with its origins in Moses\u2019 exertion of the very outer limits of human capacity.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This is why it is so important for the Torah, despite its minimalist narrative style, to emphasize the seemingly superfluous detail of the hiddenness of Moses\u2019 grave- <\/span>no one knows his burial site to this day. <\/span><\/i>Given the prevalent phenomenon of worshipping dead saints, it is not difficult to imagine the idolization Moses\u2019 gravesite would have certainly attracted. Shockingly to many, yet soberly, Maimonides discourages frequenting cemeteries and halachically rules in his legal code, the Mishneh Torah, against the erection of monuments on the graves of the righteous (<\/span>tzadikim<\/span><\/i>), \u201cfor their words are their memorials.\u201d (Laws of Mourning 4:4) As Moses\u2019 life and death illustrate, Judaism must never lapse into a cult of the dead but must be a celebration of life and thought. Moses\u2019 grave remains concealed precisely to ensure that our focus is on his \u201cwords\u201d, on the legacy of the life he lived and the profound teachings he transmitted.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image by: Michael Segan-Cohen, \"Moses,\" 1977-78.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":52554,"alt":"","title":"dt34-moses monument","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument.jpg","width":447,"height":862,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument-156x300.jpg","medium-width":156,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument.jpg","medium_large-width":447,"medium_large-height":862,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument.jpg","large-width":447,"large-height":862,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument.jpg","1536x1536-width":447,"1536x1536-height":862,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument.jpg","2048x2048-width":447,"2048x2048-height":862,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument.jpg","post_full_size-width":447,"post_full_size-height":862,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument-218x420.jpg","home_baner-width":218,"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 Torah\u2019s Most Human Sense Of An Ending","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"No monuments need be built to the righteous for their words are their memorials","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":52554,"alt":"","title":"dt34-moses monument","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument.jpg","width":447,"height":862,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument-156x300.jpg","medium-width":156,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument.jpg","medium_large-width":447,"medium_large-height":862,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument.jpg","large-width":447,"large-height":862,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument.jpg","1536x1536-width":447,"1536x1536-height":862,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument.jpg","2048x2048-width":447,"2048x2048-height":862,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument.jpg","post_full_size-width":447,"post_full_size-height":862,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt34-moses-monument-218x420.jpg","home_baner-width":218,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Deuteronomy","chapter":"34","chapter_main_number":"187","date":"20260518","wall_id":"187"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"383","name":"Death","old_id":"783"},{"term_id":"384","name":"God","old_id":"784"},{"term_id":"397","name":"Moses","old_id":"797"}]},{"order":4,"id":"69219","color":"#efefef","size":"1","name":"The Gap Between God and Humankind ","post_title":"The Gap Between God and Humankind","slug":"the-gap-between-god-and-humankind","old_id":"69219","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":69185,"post_title":"Elliott Rabin","slug":"elliott-rabin","old_id":"69185","first_name":"Elliott ","last_name":"Rabin","description":"Elliott Rabin is Director of Thought Leadership at Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools, where he edits Prizmah's magazine HaYidion, writes, produces podcasts and manages research projects. He formerly served as Director of Educational Programs for RAVSAK: The Jewish Community Day School Network and Director of Education for the 92nd Street Y\u2019s Makor\/Steinhardt Center. and served as Assistant Editor at Harper\u2019s Magazine. He is the author of two books on Tanakh: The Biblical Hero: Portraits in Nobility and Fallibility (JPS, March 2020), and Understanding the Hebrew Bible: A Reader\u2019s Guide (Ktav). \r\nPhoto by: Adele Rabin","short_description":"Elliott Rabin is Director of Thought Leadership at Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":69187,"alt":"","title":"Elliott Rabin.Photo by Adele Rabin","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin.jpg","width":3293,"height":2957,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin-300x269.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":269,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin-768x690.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":690,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin-1024x920.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1379,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1839,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin-1200x1078.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1078,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Elliott-Rabin.Photo-by-Adele-Rabin-468x420.jpg","home_baner-width":468,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"1","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The Bible conceives of human creatureliness in radically democratic terms.","post_main_content_content":"

To grasp the way the Bible portrays its heroes, one must start by understanding the place of humanity within the wide canvas of Creation:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>the moon and stars that You set in place,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>what is man that You have been mindful of him,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>mortal man that You have taken note of him,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>that You have made him little less than God,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>and adorned him with glory and majesty? (Ps. 8:4-6)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The psalmist projects astonishment in two directions. When he looks in the heavens, he appreciates the enormousness of the universe\u2014all, in his eyes, the work of God\u2019s hands. On this cosmic scale, human existence seems insignificant, a mere pittance. Yet at the same time, on the terrestrial level, people are \u201cadorned in glory and majesty,\u201d granted power like a god on earth. From the first perspective, humankind is impossibly distant from God; from the second perspective, humankind is so close, \u201ca little less than God.\u201d These two perspectives form the warp and woof from which biblical stories are woven.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Babylonian creation epic Enuma Elish presents humanity\u2019s mission in far less glorious terms, emphasizing the contrast between people and gods. Marduk, the chief god, creates humankind as servants of the gods. People are to do the hard work so that the gods can live a life of leisure.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Bible\u2019s Creation story does not present humanity\u2019s role as being in service to God. Instead, the Bible\u2019s opening chapters emphasize the psalmist\u2019s \u201clittle less.\u201d When God rests on the seventh day, the text does not say that people step in to serve God; rather, God establishes a rhythm of work and rest that (we discover in Exodus 31) is given to people as well. The Bible thus underscores the <\/span>resemblance<\/span><\/em> between humanity and God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Etymology powerfully reveals this resemblance. The Hebrew word for image in Genesis 1:26, <\/span>tzelem<\/span><\/em>, comes from the Akkadian word <\/span>tzalmu<\/span><\/em>, referring to a physical, man-made object, often a statue or figurine of a king in which a divinity chooses to reside. There is something of God within all people, \u201cmale and female\u201d; no person is created with more or less of God\u2019s image. The Bible conceives of human creatureliness in radically democratic terms.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As the Bible has it, a gap extends between God and people. Sometimes, this gap appears small, merely a \u201clittle less,\u201d; while at other times, the gulf seems enormous, unbridgeable. Either way, according to the Bible, all people reside together on the other side of this gap. No special individuals\u2014no heroes\u2014can jump over to God\u2019s side.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Bible\u2019s emphasis on the essential distance between people and God deeply colors the way it portrays all characters. The biblical narrator ensures that the reader is always cognizant that human heroes are not, and can never become, divine. Compared to heroes that readers encounter from other cultures, then, biblical heroes begin with a profound handicap.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Adapted from The Biblical Hero: Portraits in Nobility and Fallibility<\/em> by Elliott Rabin by permission of the Jewish Publication Society. \u00a92020 by Elliott Rabin.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":69430,"alt":"","title":"BiblicalHero","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero.jpg","width":3200,"height":2372,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero-300x222.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":222,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero-768x569.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":569,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero-1024x759.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":759,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1139,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1518,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero-1200x890.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":890,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero-567x420.jpg","home_baner-width":567,"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 Gap Between God and Humankind","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The Bible conceives of human creatureliness in radically democratic terms.","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":69430,"alt":"","title":"BiblicalHero","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero.jpg","width":3200,"height":2372,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero-300x222.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":222,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero-768x569.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":569,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero-1024x759.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":759,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1139,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1518,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero-1200x890.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":890,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BiblicalHero-567x420.jpg","home_baner-width":567,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"1","date":"20250831","wall_id":"1"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"370","name":"Divine\/human","old_id":"770"}]},{"order":5,"id":"80787","color":"#f2e9df","size":"1","name":"Psalmsongs 14 ","post_title":"Psalmsongs 14","slug":"psalmsongs-14","old_id":"80787","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":80010,"post_title":"Gaya Aranoff Bernstein","slug":"gaya-aranoff-bernstein","old_id":"80010","first_name":"Gaya Aranoff ","last_name":"Bernstein ","description":"Gaya (Aranoff, M.D.) Bernstein has been a student of Rav Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz for many years. With his encouragement, she published Psalmsongs, A Gathering of Psalms (An Arthur Kurzweil Book, New York\/Jerusalem, 2013), and translated The Steinsaltz Tehillim, Commentary by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz (Koren Publishers Jerusalem Ltd, 2018). She is a professor of pediatric endocrinology on the faculty of Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City.\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Gaya Aranoff Bernstein is the author of Psalmsongs: A Gathering of Psalms.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":80011,"alt":"","title":"gaya bernstein","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gaya-bernstein.jpg","width":332,"height":492,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gaya-bernstein-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gaya-bernstein-202x300.jpg","medium-width":202,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gaya-bernstein.jpg","medium_large-width":332,"medium_large-height":492,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gaya-bernstein.jpg","large-width":332,"large-height":492,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gaya-bernstein.jpg","1536x1536-width":332,"1536x1536-height":492,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gaya-bernstein.jpg","2048x2048-width":332,"2048x2048-height":492,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gaya-bernstein.jpg","post_full_size-width":332,"post_full_size-height":492,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gaya-bernstein-283x420.jpg","home_baner-width":283,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"581","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

they say God is dead
\r\n<\/span>then they do as they please
\r\n<\/span>but God sees
\r\n<\/span>everything<\/span><\/p>\r\n

He sees them
\r\n<\/span>sit down to dinner
\r\n<\/span>blood on their hands
\r\n<\/span>meat in their teeth
\r\n<\/span>laughing
\r\n<\/span>victorious
\r\n<\/span>as we mourn<\/span><\/p>\r\n

we cry
\r\n<\/span>they chew
\r\n<\/span>devouring us
\r\n<\/span>oblivious
\r\n<\/span>to our pain
\r\n<\/span>and God\u2019s
\r\n<\/span>presence<\/span><\/p>\r\n

He hears us
\r\n<\/span>He sees them
\r\n<\/span>He remembers
\r\n<\/span>everything<\/span><\/p>\r\n

we\u2019ll get out of this
\r\n<\/span>alive
\r\n<\/span>as God lives<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Excerpted from: Gaya Aranoff Bernstein,\u00a0Psalmsongs: A Gathering of Psalms<\/em>, (An Arthur Kurzweil Book, New York\/Jerusalem, 2013).<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":80037,"alt":"","title":"psalmsongs4","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4.jpg","width":2894,"height":1928,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4-1024x682.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":682,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1023,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1364,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4-1200x799.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":799,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"929 Poetry Corner","tile_main_caption":"Psalmsongs 14","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"they say God is dead then they do as they please","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":80037,"alt":"","title":"psalmsongs4","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4.jpg","width":2894,"height":1928,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4-1024x682.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":682,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1023,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1364,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4-1200x799.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":799,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/psalmsongs4-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Psalms","chapter":"14","chapter_main_number":"581","date":"20271121","wall_id":"581"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":6,"id":"80842","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Deliverance Emanates from Zion ","post_title":"Deliverance Emanates from Zion","slug":"deliverance-emanates-from-zion","old_id":"80842","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33877,"post_title":"Marc Bregman","slug":"marc-bregman","old_id":"33877","first_name":"Marc","last_name":"Bregman","description":"Marc Bregman received his Ph.D. from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1991. He taught at the Hebrew Union College (Jerusalem), The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Schechter Institute for Judaic Studies in Jerusalem, and at the Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheba, Israel. During 1993 he was Visiting Associate Professor at Yale University, and during 1996 he was the Stroum Professor of Jewish Studies and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Washington in Seattle. During 2005, Bregman served as the Harry Starr Fellow in Judaica at Harvard University and was awarded a Teaching Fellowship at the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He also has served as Forchheimer Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Humanities at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is the author of The Tanhuma-Yelammedenu Literature: Studies in the Evolution of the Versions (Gorgias Press, 2003). In 2006, Bregman was appointed the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he also headed the program in Jewish Studies, until 2013. Bregman retired from UNCG as of July 31, 2017. He has now returned to Jerusalem where he is continuing his research and teaching activities.","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Marc Bregman is the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies emeritus, at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33878,"alt":"Marc Bregman","title":"Marc Bregman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","width":361,"height":488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-222x300.jpg","medium-width":222,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","medium_large-width":361,"medium_large-height":488,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","large-width":361,"large-height":488,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","1536x1536-width":361,"1536x1536-height":488,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","2048x2048-width":361,"2048x2048-height":488,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","post_full_size-width":361,"post_full_size-height":488,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"581","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"And other good things too\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Our psalm, a vehement denunciation of atheism and associated sins, is repeated, nearly verbatim, in Psalm 53 (<\/span> Psalm 53<\/span><\/a>). Both Psalms end almost identically: \u201cO that the deliverance of Israel might come from Zion! When the Lord [\u201cGod\u201d in Psalm 53] restores the fortunes of His people, Jacob will exult, Israel will rejoice\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The expression translated \u201cO that \u2013<\/span>mi yiten<\/span><\/em>\u201d is a recurring Biblical idiom expressing a wish or hope, which might also be translated \u201cGrant\u2026\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>Mi yiten<\/span><\/em> is similar to another Biblical expression <\/span>lu yehi <\/span><\/em>\u2013<\/span><\/i> \u201cLet it Be\u201d (<\/span>Genesis 30:34<\/span><\/a>). This expression was used by<\/span> \u00a0Naomi Shemer -- Lu Yehi<\/em><\/span><\/a> in translating the title and repeated refrain of the popular Beatles song \u201cLet it Be\u201d (for more on that expression and its use in the song - <\/span>see here<\/span><\/a>). The Biblical expressions of hope are often replaced in Modern Hebrew by the Rabbinic expression <\/span>halev\u2019ai<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Midrash VaYiqra Rabbah 24:4<\/span><\/a> [Margulies edition, pp. 555-556],<\/span> Midrash Tehillim (end)<\/span><\/a> and<\/span> Pesiqta Rabbati (end)<\/span><\/a> employ our verse in an extensive celebration of Zion. Rabbi Levi said: All the good, the blessings and the consolations which the Holy One will give to Israel in the future will come from Zion. Deliverance is from Zion, as it says: \u201cO that the deliverance of Israel might come from Zion!\u201d (<\/span>14:7<\/span><\/a>). And similarly, Might, Blessing, the Sounding of the Shofar, life-giving Dew, Torah, and Divine help all come from Zion.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Midrash Tehillim goes on to interpret that the repetition of <\/span>Mi Yiten<\/em> <\/span>in the final verse of both Psalms 14 and 53 may be compared to a Rabbi teaching his disciple. Moshe Rabbenu said: \u201cO that they [Israel] may be of a heart to revere Me [God] and follow all My commandments, that it may go well with them and with their children forever\u201d (<\/span>Deuteronomy 5:26<\/span><\/a>). His disciple David replied not once but twice (!) with the hope: \u201cO that the deliverance of Israel might come from Zion\u201d. And though what both Moses and David said may not come to pass in this world, their words will be fulfilled in the World to Come.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Midrash Tehillim continues with a remarkable depiction of Jacob. When Israel suffers because of their sins, Jacob \u2013 though buried in the Cave of the Patriarchs (see<\/span> Talmud Bavli Eruvin 53a<\/span><\/a>) \u2013 feels their pain. And so too, when the final redemption comes, Jacob will exult together with Israel, as it says: \u201cWhen the Lord restores the fortunes of His people, Jacob will exult, Israel will rejoice\u201d (<\/span>14:7<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Ephraim Moses Lilien, Zion, 1903 \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59922,"alt":"","title":"2sam5-zion","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion.jpg","width":473,"height":587,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion-242x300.jpg","medium-width":242,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion.jpg","medium_large-width":473,"medium_large-height":587,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion.jpg","large-width":473,"large-height":587,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion.jpg","1536x1536-width":473,"1536x1536-height":587,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion.jpg","2048x2048-width":473,"2048x2048-height":587,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion.jpg","post_full_size-width":473,"post_full_size-height":587,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion-338x420.jpg","home_baner-width":338,"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":"Deliverance Emanates from Zion","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"And other good things too","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59922,"alt":"","title":"2sam5-zion","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion.jpg","width":473,"height":587,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion-242x300.jpg","medium-width":242,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion.jpg","medium_large-width":473,"medium_large-height":587,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion.jpg","large-width":473,"large-height":587,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion.jpg","1536x1536-width":473,"1536x1536-height":587,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion.jpg","2048x2048-width":473,"2048x2048-height":587,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion.jpg","post_full_size-width":473,"post_full_size-height":587,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam5-zion-338x420.jpg","home_baner-width":338,"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":"Writings","book":"Psalms","chapter":"14","chapter_main_number":"581","date":"20271121","wall_id":"581"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":7,"id":"80893","color":"#e0e9ef","size":"1","name":"The Essence of Torah ","post_title":"The Essence of Torah","slug":"the-essence-of-torah","old_id":"80893","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":"582","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"From 613 down to 11...\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The Talmud situates our psalm in the context of a discussion regarding the number of Torah commandments (Makkot 23 b, ff.). After stipulating their number as 613, it begins to argue for the drastic reduction of that number, stating: \u201cDavid came and set them at eleven,\u201d citing the balance of our psalm and identifying each of these characteristics with a biblical or talmudic personality, or with a particular moral attribute. We may rightly presume that the Talmud is not trying to eliminate mitzvot but to point to a larger purpose that their observance achieves; namely, the perfection of one\u2019s ethical and moral character:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

He who lives without blame (Abraham), who does what is right (Abba Hilkiyahu), and in his heart acknowledges the truth (R. Safra); whose tongue is not given to evil (Jacob); who has never done harm to his fellow (\u201che who does not set up in opposition to his fellow craftsman\u201d), or borne reproach toward his neighbor (\u201che who befriends his near ones\u201d); for whom a contemptible man is abhorrent (King Hezekiah), but who honors those who fear the Lord (King Jehoshaphat); who stands by his oath even to his hurt (R. Yohanan); who has never lent money at interest\u00a0 (\u201cnot even from a heathen\u201d), or accepted a bribe against the innocent (R. Yishmael ben Yosi).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From eleven, the number is reduced to six (courtesy of Isaiah), three (Micah), two (again Isaiah), and, eventually: \u201cHabakkuk came and based them all on one principle: \u2018The righteous shall live by his faith\u2019\u201d (2:4).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

To illustrate the quest for moral perfection, let us take an example from our psalm: the Talmud\u2019s identification of one \u201cwho has never lent money at interest\u201d (v.5) as: \u201cnot even from a heathen.\u201d If one merely refrained from taking interest from a fellow Jew, one would be observing a Torah commandment, which is certainly commendable, but no more so than the observance of other mitzvot. However, if one refrained from taking interest from a heathen\u2014which the Torah permits (Deut. 23:21)\u2014one is worthy of special acclaim for exceeding the Torah\u2019s minimum requirements.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":80895,"alt":"","title":"ps15-shalt not","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not.jpg","width":4239,"height":3286,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not-300x233.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":233,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not-768x595.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":595,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not-1024x794.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":794,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1191,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1588,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not-1200x930.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":930,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not-542x420.jpg","home_baner-width":542,"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 Essence of Torah","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"From 613 down to 11...","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":80895,"alt":"","title":"ps15-shalt not","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not.jpg","width":4239,"height":3286,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not-300x233.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":233,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not-768x595.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":595,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not-1024x794.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":794,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1191,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1588,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not-1200x930.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":930,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-shalt-not-542x420.jpg","home_baner-width":542,"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":"Writings","book":"Psalms","chapter":"15","chapter_main_number":"582","date":"20271122","wall_id":"582"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":8,"id":"80897","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"What Constitutes A Virtuous Life? ","post_title":"What Constitutes A Virtuous Life?","slug":"what-constitutes-a-virtuous-life","old_id":"80897","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":"582","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"But who is capable of doing all these things? An intriguing answer from the insect world.\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The Psalm asks the age-old question: what in God\u2019s eyes constitutes a virtuous life? Although Jewish tradition is replete with commandments that govern our responsibilities both vis-\u00e0-vis God (<\/span>Mitzvot Bein Adam LeMakom<\/span><\/em>), as well as the appropriate manner in which to treat our fellow man (<\/span>Mitzvot Bein Adam LeChaveiro<\/span><\/em>), the specific examples that appear in this extremely short psalm all refer to the how we ought to relate to human beings, as opposed to the Divine.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Psalm 15 supports taking quite literally what Hillel says to the potential convert, upon being asked \u201cto be taught the entire Torah while \u2018standing on one foot\u2019:\u201d (Shabbat 31a) \u201c<\/span>That which is hateful to you do not do to another<\/span><\/em>;<\/em> that is the entire Torah, and the rest is its interpretation. Go study.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There are many instances in the Rabbinic tradition when a sage gives one answer to an \u201coutsider,\u201d and quite a different response to his personal students (see e.g. Leviticus Rabbah 4:6; Numbers Rabbah 19:8; and Tanchumah, Parashat Chukat #26). I have wondered whether Hillel\u2019s interaction with this individual was another example of this \u201cdouble-sided\u201d phenomenon. However, Psalm 15 suggests that the aim of Judaism is indeed to produce a virtuous individual, and the program is deemed successful only when the qualities that the psalmist lists are in ample evidence.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, the midrash suggests that the words of the psalm, rather than being reassuring to men and women who devote their lives to aspiring to virtue, could have just the opposite effect. It is notable that the erudite R. Akiva applies a derivation from overt ritual law to encourage his colleague with respect to Psalm 15:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When R. Gamliel would read this text, he would be reduced to tears. He said: Who is capable of doing all these things? However, when R. Akiva read these verses, he would laugh.\u00a0
\r\n<\/span>Gamliel asked him: Why are you laughing?
\r\nHe said to him: See what the Torah says concerning \u201cswarming things:\u201d (Leviticus 11:43) \u201cYou shall not draw abomination upon yourselves through <\/span>everything <\/span><\/i>that swarms, you shall not make yourselves ritually impure therewith....\u201d One might think that one doesn\u2019t become ritually impure until he is contaminated by <\/span>all<\/span> of the various types of swarming things. Yet if an individual comes into contact with a single bean-size swarming thing, he is deemed ritually impure.
\r\n<\/span>God\u2019s desire to do good is 500 times greater than his inclination to punish. If touching a single bean-size swarming thing is considered equivalent to having had contact with all of them, doesn\u2019t it logically follow that if a person does a single aspect of one of the commandments listed in Psalm 15, he will be considered as if he has carried them all out? (Yalkut Shimoni, #665)
\r\n<\/span>Gamliel said to R. Akiva: You have comforted me. You have comforted me.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

But we are left with the question: did R. Akiva really believe what he was saying to R. Gamliel? Does it not matter?<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":80898,"alt":"","title":"ps15-virtues","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues.jpg","width":3000,"height":2000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"What Constitutes A Virtuous Life?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"But who is capable of doing all these things? An intriguing answer from the insect world.","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":80898,"alt":"","title":"ps15-virtues","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues.jpg","width":3000,"height":2000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps15-virtues-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Psalms","chapter":"15","chapter_main_number":"582","date":"20271122","wall_id":"582"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":9,"id":"80916","color":"#e6f5f3","size":"1","name":"Do Biblical Heroes Doubt? ","post_title":"Do Biblical Heroes Doubt?","slug":"do-biblical-heroes-doubt","old_id":"80916","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":80006,"post_title":"Bencian Grjnhaus","slug":"bencian-grjnhaus","old_id":"80006","first_name":"Bencian ","last_name":"Grjnhaus ","description":"Bencian Grjnhaus was a pre-War Lithuania scholar who authored an unpublished Bible commentary, Bina BeMikra, that encompassed all the biblical books excluding the books of the Pentateuch. The manuscript was recently donated to the National Library in Israel where it is being digitized and made available to scholars. The excerpts of his work that appear here have been selected, translated and adapted by Rabbi Shalom Z. Berger, Ed.D.","short_description":"Bencian Grjnhaus was a pre-War Lithuania scholar who authored an unpublished Bible commentary, Bina BeMikra, that encompassed all the biblical books excluding the books of the Pentateuch. ","credit":"","image":false,"image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"583","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Some thoughts on Psalms - from pre-War Lithuania\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Do biblical heroes have doubts? Questions of faith?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Psalm 16 describes how David, the righteous king, queries, investigates and questions the power and existence of God. But suddenly he becomes fearful lest the belief system upon which he relies will collapse in the face of doubts, questions, and faulty dogmas, whose argument is that God has abandoned this world to holy idols \u2013 according to the beliefs of those who worship them \u2013 and those idols, which rule the earth, decree who deserves punishment and who deserves mercy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

David becomes very agitated, and with a powerful spirit raises himself up to cry out in a strong voice: \u201cNo! No! God save me from these worthless thoughts!\u201d \u2013 similar to the statement \u201cAvert my eyes from seeing falsehood\u201d (Ps 119:37) \u2013 for only You offer me protection, and not the deaf-and-dumb idols. I have no interest or desire for them, nor will I continue my attempts to approach and fathom God by means of investigations, because I now recognize that I will never be able to know and to comprehend the ways of God. <\/span>\u00a0<\/b>For the righteous person shall live by his faith, and that faith lights his way.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But after David has thrown off what he perceived as his detestable investigations, his emotions calmed somewhat and he began to contemplate to himself again, saying to his soul: When you investigated God, was God my master commanding only good? Perhaps not. Maybe the good that came to me was not brought about by You. Rather it was those other, powerful ones \u2013 the idols of the land.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In response, he declares that he will never accept or listen to those investigations that suggest that the idols are the princes who command good or evil. In fact, he curses others who suffer many sorrows and derive no benefit from their beliefs, who will soon recognize that their idols have no power to redeem them from their troubles and their sadness. Those idols he finds more disgusting than blood. Those who some perceive as \u201cprinces of the land,\u201d can never be accepted as heroes, for it is God who is his allotted share and portion.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Translated and adapted by Rabbi Shalom Z. Berger, Ed.D.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: cover page of the manuscript of\u00a0Bencian Grjnhaus, adapted by\u00a0Jacob Kutschenko\u00a0<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":83538,"alt":"","title":"Bencian Grjnhaus cover pic","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic.png","width":1000,"height":667,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic-300x200.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic-768x512.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic.png","large-width":1000,"large-height":667,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic.png","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":667,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic.png","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":667,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic.png","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":667,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic-630x420.png","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Do Biblical Heroes Doubt?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Some thoughts on Psalms - from pre-War Lithuania","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":83538,"alt":"","title":"Bencian Grjnhaus cover pic","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic.png","width":1000,"height":667,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic-300x200.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic-768x512.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic.png","large-width":1000,"large-height":667,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic.png","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":667,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic.png","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":667,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic.png","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":667,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Bencian-Grjnhaus-cover-pic-630x420.png","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Psalms","chapter":"16","chapter_main_number":"583","date":"20271123","wall_id":"583"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":10,"id":"80955","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"Without A Name ","post_title":"Without A Name","slug":"without-a-name","old_id":"80955","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36669,"post_title":"Yakov Azriel","slug":"yakov-azriel","old_id":"36669","first_name":"Yakov ","last_name":"Azriel","description":"Yakov Azriel, who lives in Israel, has published five books of poetry in the USA and hundreds of poems in journals and magazines. His poems have won twenty-two prizes in international poetry competitions, and he has twice been awarded fellowships from the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture.","short_description":"Yakov Azriel is an English language poet who lives in Israel","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36670,"alt":"","title":"Yakov.Azriel.Photo","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","width":1099,"height":1519,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-217x300.jpg","medium-width":217,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-741x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":741,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-741x1024.jpg","large-width":741,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","1536x1536-width":1099,"1536x1536-height":1519,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","2048x2048-width":1099,"2048x2048-height":1519,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-868x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":868,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-304x420.jpg","home_baner-width":304,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"584","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"So can I write this prayer to You, my God?\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

\" \u2026 incline Your ear unto me, hear my speech.\" (Psalm 17:6)<\/span>
\r\n
\r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

I cannot leave my bed without a prayer.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>cannot walk across the room without <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>a prayer. I cannot even think about<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>another night without a prayer. But dare <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>I pray? How can I pray when everywhere <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>I turn, it seems as if my shadows doubt <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>the need to pray, as if my shadows shout <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>in ancient Greek You neither see nor hear.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

So can I write this prayer to You, my God?<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>I've found some paper and a ball-point pen.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>And words \u2014 these very simple words that came <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>to me when dreaming that I pray. How odd <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>it is, to wake up from a dream again <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>and pray to You, the Name without a name.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":80956,"alt":"","title":"ps17-pen","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen.jpg","width":3872,"height":2592,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen-300x201.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":201,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen-768x514.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":514,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen-1024x685.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":685,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1028,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1371,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen-1200x803.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":803,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen-627x420.jpg","home_baner-width":627,"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":"929 Poetry Corner","tile_main_caption":"Without A Name","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"So can I write this prayer to You, my God?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":80956,"alt":"","title":"ps17-pen","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen.jpg","width":3872,"height":2592,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen-300x201.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":201,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen-768x514.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":514,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen-1024x685.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":685,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1028,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1371,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen-1200x803.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":803,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps17-pen-627x420.jpg","home_baner-width":627,"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":"Writings","book":"Psalms","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"584","date":"20271124","wall_id":"584"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":11,"id":"80961","color":"#f7f7f5","size":"1","name":"Giving A Single Coin ","post_title":"Giving A Single Coin","slug":"giving-a-single-coin","old_id":"80961","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":"584","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"All that\u2019s required to see God\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The final verse in Psalm 17 states \" I, in righteousness (tzedek<\/em>) I will behold Your presence, I will be satisfied when I awake with your likeness.\" The Talmud, in tractate Bava Batra 10a picks up the use of the Hebrew word <\/span>tzedek<\/span><\/em>\/righteousness. The word <\/span>tzedek<\/span><\/em>, is very similar to the word <\/span>tzedakah<\/span><\/em>, the Hebrew word for charity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Gemara uses this verse to show how God is greater than any living monarch. When one wants an audience with a monarch, they would bring a large expensive gift. Even with such a gift it is uncertain that the ruler will accept the gift. Even if the monarch accepts the gift, it is uncertain they will accept an audience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Taking this verse, the Talmud explains that God is different. God says \"I, with charity (<\/span>tzedakah<\/span><\/em>), will behold your presence.\u201d All God needs is for man to give a single coin to a poor neighbor for an audience. God does not require massive expensive gifts. David, as a monarch himself, responds to this message in the second part of the verse. \"I will be satisfied when I awake with Your likeness.\" David hopes to emulate God's humble ask of man in his own throne room. Opening up the doors of his palace to those who do something simple as an act of charity for the poor.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Giving A Single Coin","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"All that\u2019s required to see God","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Psalms","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"584","date":"20271124","wall_id":"584"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":12,"id":"80968","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"It\u2019s Like, Similar ","post_title":"It\u2019s Like, Similar","slug":"its-like-similar","old_id":"80968","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":64450,"post_title":"David Curwin","slug":"david-curwin","old_id":"64450","first_name":"David ","last_name":"Curwin ","description":"David Curwin is a writer living in Efrat, and the author of the Balashon blog www.balashon.com","short_description":"David Curwin is a writer living in Efrat, and the author of the Balashon blog www.balashon.com","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":64452,"alt":"","title":"david curwin","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","width":427,"height":464,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin-276x300.png","medium-width":276,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","medium_large-width":427,"medium_large-height":464,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","large-width":427,"large-height":464,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","1536x1536-width":427,"1536x1536-height":464,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","2048x2048-width":427,"2048x2048-height":464,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","post_full_size-width":427,"post_full_size-height":464,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin-387x420.png","home_baner-width":387,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"584","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The Hebrew imaginary\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In Psalm 17, David declares his faithfulness to God, even though enemies pursue him. He describes his foes as follows:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cGuard me like the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings from the wicked who despoil me, my mortal enemies who encircle me. Their hearts are closed to pity; they mouth arrogance; now they hem in our feet on every side; they set their eyes roaming over the land.\u201d (Psalms 17:8-11)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In these verses, his pursuers are mentioned in the plural. However, in the following verse, a particular enemy is mentioned:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cHe is like a lion eager for prey, a king of beasts lying in wait.\u201d (17:12)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The commentaries differ on who is compared to the lion here. Ibn Ezra says each one of the marauders is like a lion. Radak, however, says that David is portraying in this psalm his feelings when he was fleeing from Saul, and that King Saul was the lion-like figure. Radak points out that in an earlier psalm we see this imagery:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201c\u2026concerning Cush, a Benjaminite [a reference to Saul] \u2026 deliver me from all my pursuers and save me, lest, like a lion, they tear me apart.\u201d (Psalms 7:1-3)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In our verse, the Hebrew word for \u201clike, similar,\u201d <\/span>dimyon<\/span><\/em>, is a hapax legomenon \u2013 that is it appears only once in the entire bible. In some cases, that makes interpreting the meaning rather difficult (just wait until we get to the book of Job). But here \u201clike\u201d is certainly the meaning. It derives from the root <\/span>damah<\/span><\/em>, which means \u201cto be like, resemble.\u201d From \u201clikened,\u201d it progressed to \"compared\" to \"considered\" to \"imagined\". And this gives us another meaning of <\/span>dimyon<\/span><\/em>\u00a0in modern Hebrew \u2013 \u201cimagination.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This same root gave us a number of other familiar words in Hebrew:<\/span><\/p>\r\n