{"id":99463,"date":"2018-07-09T18:03:03","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:03:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-2038\/"},"modified":"2021-12-14T01:19:49","modified_gmt":"2021-12-13T23:19:49","slug":"wall-2038","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-2038\/","title":{"rendered":"book-Writings-I Chronicles"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"book","wall_id":"2038","book":"I Chronicles","books_group":"Writings","date":"","hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":"","updates_last_update":"28\/06\/2020","date_from":"20211214","date_to":"","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"98835","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"\u201cThe Only Purpose Served by Chronicles is Homiletical\u201d","post_title":"\u201cThe Only Purpose Served by Chronicles is Homiletical\u201d","slug":"the-only-purpose-served-by-chronicles-is-homiletical","old_id":"98835","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":"865","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The most peculiar book in the Bible\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

I have been anticipating the Book of Chronicles with some trepidation. Daniel and Ezra-Nehemiah were challenging, but, at least, they are set in discrete chronological frameworks. How does one approach a book (and it is one book; its division in two, like those of Samuel, Kings and Ezra, is medieval and non-Jewish in origin) that begins with Adam and concludes with Cyrus\u2019s edict permitting the return to Zion\u2014an era that, according to traditional Jewish chronology, spans some 3,000 years?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the end, it\u2019s not that bad. The first chapter all by itself skims up through the lifetime of Jacob\u2014a period of over 2,000 years\u2014and by chapter 3, we have already arrived at the Davidic era, which was nearly 1,000 years after that. Note that, according to the narrative, Abraham was born in 1,948 AM (<\/span>anno mundi<\/span><\/i>, years to creation); the Exodus from Egypt was about 500 years later, and the Temple was built almost 500 years after that.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

These and related oddities were considered by Radak in his introduction to Chronicles.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Book of Chronicles belongs to the Holy Scripture in which it was incorporated because it contains an account of the events of the Judean monarchy. It begins with an abbreviated genealogy from Adam to Noah and from Noah to Abraham and from Abraham to David, who is the focus. Therefore, it narrows the genealogies of the Children of Israel to Judah (1 Chr. 2:3) until it arrives at David (2:15) and only subsequently does it relate the genealogies of the other tribes (4:24-8:40) and that [only] in order to establish their population in David\u2019s days. Everything in between that relates to the genealogies of other nations; any attempt to relate world events in an orderly fashion comparable to the Book of Genesis is provided in an abbreviated fashion.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Enter the Midrash, which proclaims: \u201cChronicles was given only to be expounded (homiletically, <\/span>l\u2019hidaresh;\u00a0<\/span><\/em>Vayikra Rabbah 1, <\/span>inter alia<\/span><\/em>) or, in another version, \u201conly to expound on matters of Torah\u201d (Lekach Tov Exodus 2). Alter calls Chronicles \u201cthe most peculiar book of the Hebrew Bible.\u201d It is an invitation to compare persons, places, and things in Chronicles and their counterparts in their earlier biblical locations and to invest these comparisons and contrasts with meaning. (See <\/span>my post in praise of interpretation <\/span><\/a>in Nehemiah 3).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The central question that we plan to pursue is: what criteria govern these selections? Why are some things repeated and others not, and why are some details different here from wherever they first appear?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":98836,"alt":"","title":"1chron1-podium sermon","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon.png","width":960,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon-150x300.png","medium-width":150,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon-512x1024.png","medium_large-width":512,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon-512x1024.png","large-width":512,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon.png","1536x1536-width":768,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon.png","2048x2048-width":960,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon-600x1200.png","post_full_size-width":600,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon-210x420.png","home_baner-width":210,"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":"Introduction to 1 Chronicles","tile_main_caption":"\u201cThe Only Purpose Served by Chronicles is Homiletical\u201d","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The most peculiar book in the Bible","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":98836,"alt":"","title":"1chron1-podium sermon","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon.png","width":960,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon-150x300.png","medium-width":150,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon-512x1024.png","medium_large-width":512,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon-512x1024.png","large-width":512,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon.png","1536x1536-width":768,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon.png","2048x2048-width":960,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon-600x1200.png","post_full_size-width":600,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron1-podium-sermon-210x420.png","home_baner-width":210,"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":"I Chronicles","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"865","date":"20281221","wall_id":"865"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"98847","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"The First Generations Of Humankind","post_title":"The First Generations Of Humankind","slug":"the-first-generations-of-humankind","old_id":"98847","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":"865","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"There\u2019s a lesson in those lists\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The Books of Chronicles begin by listing the first generations of mankind<\/span> from Adam to the sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel (i.e. Jacob)<\/span><\/a>, based on<\/span> Genesis 1:26 to 35:27<\/span><\/a>. Clearly, the interest of the Chronicler is to situate the people of Israel in the family of nations. This opening section of the First Book of Chronicles may be seen as a kind of inner-biblical midrash on \u201cThe Book of the Generations of Adam\u201d mentioned at the beginning of<\/span> Genesis Chapter 5<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Significantly, the 5<\/span>th<\/span> to 7<\/span>th<\/span> century CE mosaic inscription discovered in the<\/span> ancient synagogue at Ein Gedi<\/span><\/a> begins with a similar, but much shorter, list of the first generations of mankind from Adam to the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham and Japhet, which simply cites I Chronicles 1:1-4: \u201cAdam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Midrash Tanhuma Buber<\/span><\/a> relates the Biblical commandment of tithing to the recurrence of repeated series of ten early generations of mankind. \u201cYou shall set aside every year a tenth part (i.e. a tithe) of all the yield of your sowing that is brought from the field\u201d (<\/span>Deut. 14:22<\/span><\/a>). \u201cMoses said, \u2018Lord of the Universe! From here should we learn that we are commanded to withhold and pay out as a tax one tenth of all produce?\u2019 The Holy One, blessed be He, answered by citing<\/span> Scripture<\/span><\/a>: \u201cAsk the generation past. Study what their fathers have searched out, for we are of yesterday and know nothing. Our days on earth are a shadow. Surely they will teach you and tell you, speaking out of their understanding.\u2019 How so (i.e. where in the first generations of mankind do you learn the importance of the number ten?)? Note that there were ten primeval generations from Adam to Noah. Then from Noah to Abraham there were another ten generations.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This midrash may be related to<\/span> Mishnah Avot<\/span><\/a> which records that there were ten generations from Adam to Noah, in order to make known how long-suffering is God. For all those first ten generations kept on provoking Him, until He brought upon them the waters of the flood. And yet again there were ten subsequent generations from Noah to Abraham, in order to make known how long-suffering is God. For those ten generations also kept on provoking God, until Abraham came and received the reward of all of them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Tanna de-Bey Eliyahu Rabbah<\/span><\/a> explains that the first generations of mankind were granted exceptionally long lives as a test. The third generation Enosh was willing to serve his father Seth but not his grandfather Adam. And so it was until the tenth generation Noah, who provided not only for his father and his grandfather but for all those still then living. And for his righteousness, Noah was rewarded by God, as it<\/span> says<\/span><\/a>: \u201cThen the Lord said to Noah, \u2018Go into the ark, with all your household, for you alone have I found righteous before Me in this generation.\u2019\u201d<\/span>
\r\n
\r\n<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":98848,"alt":"","title":"1 chronicles Genealogy2","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2.jpeg","width":1228,"height":615,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2-150x150.jpeg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2-300x150.jpeg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":150,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2-768x385.jpeg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":385,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2-1024x513.jpeg","large-width":1024,"large-height":513,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2.jpeg","1536x1536-width":1228,"1536x1536-height":615,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2.jpeg","2048x2048-width":1228,"2048x2048-height":615,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2-1200x601.jpeg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":601,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2-839x420.jpeg","home_baner-width":839,"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 First Generations Of Humankind","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"There\u2019s a lesson in those lists","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":98848,"alt":"","title":"1 chronicles Genealogy2","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2.jpeg","width":1228,"height":615,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2-150x150.jpeg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2-300x150.jpeg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":150,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2-768x385.jpeg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":385,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2-1024x513.jpeg","large-width":1024,"large-height":513,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2.jpeg","1536x1536-width":1228,"1536x1536-height":615,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2.jpeg","2048x2048-width":1228,"2048x2048-height":615,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2-1200x601.jpeg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":601,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-chronicles-Genealogy2-839x420.jpeg","home_baner-width":839,"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":"I Chronicles","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"865","date":"20281221","wall_id":"865"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":3,"id":"98971","color":"#f6f5de","size":"1","name":"The Story Begins","post_title":"The Story Begins","slug":"the-story-begins","old_id":"98971","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":"869","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Games of the throne - redux\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Until this point, Chronicles has been almost exclusively genealogies. In chapter five, more story starts to creep in. The first half of chapter 5 deals with the two and half tribes that lived on the eastern part of the Jordan river. In Numbers 32, we learn that the tribes of Reuben and the tribe of Gad wanted to stay in the lands on the eastern bank of the Jordan river. Much like Lot centuries earlier, these tribes desired the lush fields for their flock. Moses acquiesced to this request and included half the tribe of Manasseh with Gad and Reuben. In Joshua chapter 1, Joshua reminds the two and half tribes that Moses\u2019 promise came with a condition- that they fight with their brethren to conquer the land. The two and half tribes fulfil this promise, and then return.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In Chronicles we see what happens to them. The outer tribes battle the descendants of Hagar (Ishmaelites). Ultimately, they fall into sin, \u201cthey strayed after the gods of the people of the land that God had destroyed before them\u201d (5:25). God then sends the Assyrians to exile them forever.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There are a few conclusions from the first part of the chapter. Verses 1-2: Continuing with the theme that the book was written from the perspective of the tribe of Judah, the author makes sure to remind us that although Reuben was born first, he was not the ultimately heir to the throne. In fact, the author elevates the tribe of Joseph as well by pointing out that Joseph was given the birthright, while Judah was given the kingship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Praising Joseph conflicts with what we have seen so far, so why mention it? Because Reuben was the first born it was imperative that the author make sure his claim to the throne is disproven. Therefore, the author is willing to elevate the tribe of Joseph if it means knocking down the tribe of Reuben.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The second point is the ending warning that the tribes worshipped the gods of the eastern Jordan. It would have been fine to simply tell the story from a historical perspective providing details of the tribes\u2019 triumphs and also their destruction. Including the reason behind the downfall is meant to link this reason with the ultimate downfall of the kingdom of Judah. Cynically, one could say the author is linking the downfalls to excuse the destruction of Jerusalem for the same reasons. However, it is more likely the author is warning the reader that it was not a unique punishment that God eventually metes out to Jerusalem. The very first tribes to be exiled- those of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh were also guilty of turning away from God and following the gods of the local community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It is also a warning to the people who return after the exile during the time of Ezra. These returness have a difficult time separating themselves from the local people.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":52469,"alt":"","title":"dt33-crown","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown.jpg","width":1920,"height":1440,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1440,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Story Begins","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Games of the throne - redux","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":52469,"alt":"","title":"dt33-crown","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown.jpg","width":1920,"height":1440,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1440,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/dt33-crown-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"I Chronicles","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"869","date":"20281227","wall_id":"869"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":4,"id":"98995","color":"#efefef","size":"1","name":"Reading Between The Names","post_title":"Reading Between The Names","slug":"reading-between-the-names","old_id":"98995","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":46656,"post_title":"Molly Morris","slug":"molly-morris","old_id":"46656","first_name":"Molly ","last_name":"Morris ","description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Her particular area of interest is biblical leadership. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":92561,"alt":"","title":"molly morris","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","width":2192,"height":2488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-264x300.jpg","medium-width":264,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-768x872.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":872,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-902x1024.jpg","large-width":902,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","1536x1536-width":1353,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","2048x2048-width":1804,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-1057x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1057,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-370x420.jpg","home_baner-width":370,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"870","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Articles of faith hidden in plain sight\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The list of names that began in Chapter 1 of 1 Chronicles continues through Chapter 9. We are told of family units, tribal units, who married who, who fathered who and which wives bore which children. The list begins with Adam and takes us through an abbreviated journey of Jewish history to arrive at King David. Ezra, the author of Chronicles, is not merely providing a family tree. Interspersed at critical junctures in the narrative from Chapters 2 through 6, there are several references to God\u2019s actions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Chapter 2 began with a list of the 12 tribes of Israel and then focused our attention on the sons of Judah. The list of names pauses here to tell us that \u201cEr, Judah\u2019s first born, \u201cwas evil in the eyes of God and He caused him to die (2:3).\u201d Ezra seems to be turning our attention to the fact that God punishes evil, and whole potential branches of family trees get cut off because of it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In Chapter 4 we learn about Jabez, who was so named because his mother, who suffered giving birth to him, transposed the last two letters of the word for pain, <\/span>etzev, <\/span><\/i>(\u05d9\u05e2\u05d1\u05e6 - \u05e2\u05e6\u05d1) into a new name. Our sages comment that Jabez\u2019s mother either hoped that her pain would be transformed into something good for the Jewish people, or she had a prophetic understanding that her son\u2019s tremendously hard work would result in an equally tremendous level of Torah knowledge that he would pass on to his followers. Jabez prayed that God bless him \u201cand God granted him that which he requested\u201d (4:10). Another lesson: God hears and answers our prayers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Chapter 5 has two teachable moments. When the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and half of Menashe waged a defensive war against the Hagrites (related to the Ishmaelites), they cried out to God and \u201cput their trust in Him (5:20-22)\u201d and were victorious It seems that Ezra wants us to remember that God\u2019s hand is in historical events and ultimately on the side of those who trust in Him. Following that passage, when those same tribes eventually turned to idol worship and \u201cstrayed after other gods\u201d the \u201cGod of Israel\u201d eventually exiled them to Assyria (5:25-26).\u00a0 The sin of worshipping other gods is met with Divine punishment.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Finally, almost as a follow up to the reward and punishment object lessons, the genealogical list of Levites is paused mid-stream with an explanation of the sacrificial offerings of atonement \u201caccording to all that Moses, the servant of God, commanded (6:33).\u201d The lesson: though we may sin, God has provided us with a vehicle for atonement.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

These lessons are broad in scope and sometimes difficult to see clearly in our day-to-day lives.\u00a0 But when we read between the lines, or in this case between the names, we arrive at some very key principles of our faith.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":98996,"alt":"","title":"1chron6-magnifying glass search","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search.png","width":1280,"height":1260,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search-300x295.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":295,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search-768x756.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":756,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search-1024x1008.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":1008,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1260,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1260,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search-1200x1181.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1181,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search-427x420.png","home_baner-width":427,"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":"Reading Between The Names","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Articles of faith hidden in plain sight","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":98996,"alt":"","title":"1chron6-magnifying glass search","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search.png","width":1280,"height":1260,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search-300x295.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":295,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search-768x756.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":756,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search-1024x1008.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":1008,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1260,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1260,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search-1200x1181.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1181,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-magnifying-glass-search-427x420.png","home_baner-width":427,"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":"I Chronicles","chapter":"6","chapter_main_number":"870","date":"20281228","wall_id":"870"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":5,"id":"98992","color":"#f2e9df","size":"1","name":"Names, Names And More Names","post_title":"Names, Names And More Names","slug":"names-names-and-more-names","old_id":"98992","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":"870","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Some familiar - some uncommonly strange\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Several oddities occur in this lengthy chapter (66 verses), which features the extensive genealogies of the tribe of Levi, following, in birth order, after Reuben (Chapter 5). The excessive attention paid to Judah and Levi, personifying the monarchy and the priesthood, are hallmarks of the books of Chronicles whose first compiler, Ezra, was a descendant of \u201cAaron the chief priest\u201d (Ezra 7:5).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In listing the descendants of Levi\u2019s son Kohath (7 ff., exclusive of Amram, father of Moses and Aaron, whose progeny are enumerated in 5:29 ff.), we note, first, the recurrence of the name Elkanah four times in a span of perhaps a dozen generations. This is of more than passing interest to us because Elkanah son of Jeroham (12) was the father of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1), who appears to be the Samuel mentioned in the very next verse (13): <\/span>uvnei Shmuel, habechor Vashni, ve-Aviyah<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n

This is patently problematic<\/span>. <\/span>JPS translated it as \u201cThe sons of Samuel: his first-born Vashni, and Abijah,\u201d while Alter rendered it \u201cAnd the sons of Samuel were Joel the firstborn and the second Abijah.\u201d Alter\u2019s rendition appears in JPS as a marginal note headed: \u201cSome ancient versions read,\u201d while he himself, surprisingly, offered no explanation for his choice. Medieval exegetes were not unaware of the problem or of its likely resolution. Radak explained:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Some interpret \u201cVashni\u201d as <\/span>v\u2019hasheini<\/span><\/em>, as though it said: \u201cand the second was Abijah.\u201d The \u201cfirstborn\u201d was unnamed because he was well-known to be Joel (18) and the second was Abijah as in \u201chis second son\u2019s name was Abijah\u201d (1 Samuel 8:2).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In case you are thinking that Vashni is a very odd name, I must point out that it is far from the most unlikely or unusual name to appear in these lists. Looking no further than the next chapter, we encounter, in two consecutive verses: \u201cThe sons of Japhlet: Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath\u201d (33), and: \u201cThe sons of Shemer: Ahi, Rohgah, Hubbah, and Aram\u201d (34).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Some biblical names (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses\u2026) persevered throughout Jewish history. Others (Tamar, Michal, Tirtzah\u2026) were renewed, largely in Israel, in the 20<\/span>th<\/span> century. Still others (Bimhal, Ashvath, Hubbah, and, of course, Vashni) have been consigned to oblivion.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":98993,"alt":"","title":"1chron6-names","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names.png","width":1280,"height":640,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names-300x150.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":150,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names-768x384.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":384,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names-1024x512.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":512,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":640,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":640,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names-1200x600.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":600,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names-840x420.png","home_baner-width":840,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Names, Names And More Names","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Some familiar - some uncommonly strange","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":98993,"alt":"","title":"1chron6-names","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names.png","width":1280,"height":640,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names-300x150.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":150,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names-768x384.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":384,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names-1024x512.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":512,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":640,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":640,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names-1200x600.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":600,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron6-names-840x420.png","home_baner-width":840,"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":"I Chronicles","chapter":"6","chapter_main_number":"870","date":"20281228","wall_id":"870"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":6,"id":"99032","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Faith And Courage: To Wait Or To Act?","post_title":"Faith And Courage: To Wait Or To Act?","slug":"faith-and-courage-to-wait-or-to-act","old_id":"99032","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":92960,"post_title":"Calev Ben-Dor","slug":"calev-ben-dor","old_id":"92960","first_name":"Calev ","last_name":"Ben-Dor ","description":"Having grown up in London, Calev Ben-Dor now lives in Jerusalem with his family. He writes and teaches about Israel and Judaism and is involved in a Whatsapp facilitated 929 learning group with members from across the world.","short_description":"Calev Ben-Dor lives in Jerusalem and writes and teaches about Israel and Judaism.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":92962,"alt":"","title":"calev ben dor","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","width":428,"height":414,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1-300x290.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":290,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","medium_large-width":428,"medium_large-height":414,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","large-width":428,"large-height":414,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":428,"1536x1536-height":414,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":428,"2048x2048-height":414,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","post_full_size-width":428,"post_full_size-height":414,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","home_baner-width":428,"home_baner-height":414}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"871","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A fascinating little-known story from the recesses of Jewish history\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In early 1902 in Odessa the young and gifted poet, Hayyim Nahman Bialik, was working on a poem in which the protagonists would be heroic biblical figures seeking to enter the land of Israel without any divine guarantee of success.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The result, <\/span>Metei Midbar<\/span><\/em>, the Dead of the Desert, was published that spring and focused on Israelites who \u2013 after the sin of the spies and God\u2019s declaration that the entire generation would not merit entry to the land \u2013 sought to go anyway. Chapter 15 of Bamidbar\/Numbers describes how these Israelites \u2013 the <\/span>Ma\u2019apilim<\/em> <\/span>\u2013 were destroyed by Amalekites and Canaanites.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Bialik\u2019s heroes represented values early Zionist thinkers sought to inculcate: that passive reliance on God wasn\u2019t helping; that people needed to take initiative; and that a new Hebrew person needed to be created, imbued with what Max Nordau in 1898 had called \u2018muscular Judaism.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Individuals historically denigrated by Rabbinic Judaism thus gained a new lease of life. Yitzchak Tabenkin a founder of the Kibbutz movement, argued that \u201cour national existence was preserved by the military valour of the Jewish zealots [during 2<\/span>nd<\/span> temple times] and its memory.\u201d Nordau wrote of how Bar Kochba, leader of the failed rebellion against Rome 60 years later, was \u201cthe last embodiment in world history of a bellicose, military Jewry.\u201d Characters such as the <\/span>Ma\u2019apilim<\/span><\/em>, the zealots, Bar Kochba and the Maccabees signified the heroic and rebellious part of Jewishness that early Zionist intellectuals believed had been lost (or pacified by the Rabbis.) Indeed, when the British Mandatory authorities barred mass Jewish immigration to Palestine, those trying to get in were known as the <\/span>Ma'apilim<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

All of which makes it so surprising that <\/span>one<\/span><\/i> group \u2013 whose story predates the <\/span>Ma\u2019apilim<\/span><\/em> \u2013 were seemingly forgotten. Yet their roots can be found in 1 Chron. 7.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And the sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah--and Bered was his son\u2026 And Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath that were born in the land slew, because they came down to take away their cattle.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Ephraim was born and died in Egypt. The Exodus hasn\u2019t happened yet. Yet his descendants Ezer and Elad were reported killed by Philistines in Gat in Canaan. How did they get there?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Shir Hashirim Rabbah and Shemot Rabbah explain that the Children of Ephraim (mis)calculated the end of time of the exile by 30 years (they counted 400 years from the <\/span>Brit Bein HaBetarim<\/span><\/em>, Abraham\u2019s covenant between the pieces,\u00a0 rather than from the birth of Isaac).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Picture the scene. The Israelites are deep in slavery, crying for salvation. The 400 years are seemingly up and neither Moses nor God are anywhere to be seen. It is then that Ephraim\u2019s descendants lead their followers (Midrashic figures put numbers at an astronomical 180,000 \u2013 300,000) to Canaan where they are tragically killed.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why this proto-Zionist story never made it people\u2019s consciousness is unclear. But Ephraim\u2019s children certainly deserve their place amongst other tough, fearless Jews who prioritized initiative over waiting passively for God.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":78957,"alt":"","title":"hag1-encourage","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"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":"Faith And Courage: To Wait Or To Act?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A fascinating little-known story from the recesses of Jewish history","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":78957,"alt":"","title":"hag1-encourage","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hag1-encourage-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"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":"I Chronicles","chapter":"7","chapter_main_number":"871","date":"20281231","wall_id":"871"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":7,"id":"99047","color":"#e0e9ef","size":"1","name":"And Benjamin Begot: Selfing Myself in 1 Chronicles 8","post_title":"And Benjamin Begot: Selfing Myself in 1 Chronicles 8","slug":"and-benjamin-begot-selfing-myself-in-1-chronicles-8","old_id":"99047","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":59587,"post_title":"Benjamin Morse","slug":"benjamin-morse","old_id":"59587","first_name":"Benjamin ","last_name":"Morse ","description":"Dr. Benjamin Morse studied religion and art history at Vassar, Oxford, and the Courtauld before completing a PhD in biblical interpretation. His dissertation reads the Hebrew Bible\u2019s \u201cmodern methods\u201d through the lens of painting and collage. His illustrated children\u2019s Torah, The Oldest Bedtime Story Ever, has won multiple awards.\r\nPhoto by Lenka Opalena.","short_description":"Dr. Benjamin Morse studied religion and art history, and is the author and illustrator of the illustrated children\u2019s Torah, The Oldest Bedtime Story Ever. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":59588,"alt":"","title":"Benjamin Morse by Lenka Opalena","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena.jpg","width":1069,"height":1576,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena-203x300.jpg","medium-width":203,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena-695x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":695,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena-695x1024.jpg","large-width":695,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena.jpg","1536x1536-width":1042,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena.jpg","2048x2048-width":1069,"2048x2048-height":1576,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena-814x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":814,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena-285x420.jpg","home_baner-width":285,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"872","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Saying their names does not keep them alive but it respects the hand that recorded them\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

A member of my book group recently shared that she didn\u2019t \u201cfeel seen\u201d by the novel we were reading, a dynamic that made her \u201cdeeply uncomfortable.\u201d I should be used to the trend that says feelings are in fact facts, but this one floored me. When, my internal cynic asked, has it ever been a narrative\u2019s role to see me? Surely the responsibility for seeking identification with a text lies with the reader.<\/p>\r\n

I am guilty however of choosing the chapter in 1 Chronicles that begins with my name. As a cumbersome genealogy whose purpose is to locate the tribe of Benjamin within \u201cthe events of the day,\u201d chapter 8 is blind to my existence. It insists on a family tree that is Benjamin-down, rather than Benjamin-up.<\/p>\r\n

Yet if I activate a relationship with the written word, I can find multiple points with which to commune. They may not be much, but they are better than stewing in a corner of isolation. Benjamin who begets five offspring asks me to consider my legacies to date. Childless, I can instead take stock of my limited achievements and contemplate if and how I will be remembered. The exiled chiefs (vv. 6-8) can in turn alert me to lost tribes within the tides of humanity; they raise questions about land ownership (13) in the long arc of civilization. More obscure names follow, until we pause to learn a number dwelt in Jerusalem (28). An anchor, a return, a reminder that this clan had a claim on the holy city equal to Judah\u2019s.<\/p>\r\n

The descendants of Gibeon then commit a disjunctive error found in the previous verses: we cannot connect Saul and Jonathan to this ancestor because the Chronicler doesn\u2019t say who fathered Saul\u2019s grandfather (33). Has this link been lost, or is the text conspicuously ignoring my need for a tidy line of succession?<\/p>\r\n

The Benjaminites seal the pre-exilic genealogies with their men of substance, excellent archers whose prolific progeny (40) help fulfil the covenant at Bethel. It is reassuring to know certain promises come true\u2014that ideas which started small can multiply till they are like stars in the sky.<\/p>\r\n

Beyond Benjamin, these are the names of men (and a few women) who once lived. We can doubt the literal accuracy of such lists but have every reason to believe people named Uzza, Shaharaim, Abdon, Zichri, and Eliphelet once left footprints in Moab (8) and in the hills north of Judah. Sons called Ishpan and Iphdeiah obeyed and rebelled against dads like Shashak. The Hodeshes who gave their husbands seven sons (9), did they see the mere two born to Hushims as superfluous?<\/p>\r\n

Saying their names does not keep them alive but it respects the hand that recorded them, the passing of so many batons from one child of Israel to the next, the unfathomable totality of the ones who went before.<\/p>\r\n

Consider not just yourself, Benjamin, but the infinite utterances, generations ago, century after century.<\/p>\r\n

And be humbled.<\/p>\r\n

Image: The author with his father.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":99048,"alt":"","title":"1chron8-BMorse and father","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father.jpg","width":2434,"height":2479,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father-295x300.jpg","medium-width":295,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father-768x782.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":782,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father-1005x1024.jpg","large-width":1005,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father.jpg","1536x1536-width":1508,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father.jpg","2048x2048-width":2011,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father-1178x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1178,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father-412x420.jpg","home_baner-width":412,"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":"And Benjamin Begot: Selfing Myself in 1 Chronicles 8","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Saying their names does not keep them alive but it respects the hand that recorded them","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":99048,"alt":"","title":"1chron8-BMorse and father","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father.jpg","width":2434,"height":2479,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father-295x300.jpg","medium-width":295,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father-768x782.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":782,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father-1005x1024.jpg","large-width":1005,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father.jpg","1536x1536-width":1508,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father.jpg","2048x2048-width":2011,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father-1178x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1178,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron8-BMorse-and-father-412x420.jpg","home_baner-width":412,"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":"I Chronicles","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"872","date":"20290101","wall_id":"872"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":8,"id":"99085","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"Changing Times, Changing People","post_title":"Changing Times, Changing People","slug":"changing-times-changing-people","old_id":"99085","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":70715,"post_title":"Judry Subar","slug":"judry-subar","old_id":"70715","first_name":"Judry ","last_name":"Subar","description":"Judry Subar, who lives in Potomac, Maryland, spent most of his professional career as a lawyer with the federal government in Washington, DC. Since his retirement, Jud has been involved in various writing and educational projects.","short_description":"Judry Subar spent most of his professional career as a lawyer with the federal government in Washington. Since his retirement, he has been involved in various writing and educational projects.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":70716,"alt":"","title":"judry subar","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/judry-subar.jpg","width":400,"height":400,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/judry-subar-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/judry-subar-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/judry-subar.jpg","medium_large-width":400,"medium_large-height":400,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/judry-subar.jpg","large-width":400,"large-height":400,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/judry-subar.jpg","1536x1536-width":400,"1536x1536-height":400,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/judry-subar.jpg","2048x2048-width":400,"2048x2048-height":400,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/judry-subar.jpg","post_full_size-width":400,"post_full_size-height":400,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/judry-subar.jpg","home_baner-width":400,"home_baner-height":400}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"873","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"We needn\u2019t fear changing our inherited way of life in some way, as long as our changes are made in the full light of day\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Bob Dylan applauds the fact that \u201cthe times they are a-changin\u2019.\u201d\u00a0 In her poem \u201cChange Upon Change,\u201d Elizabeth Barrett Browning asks \u201cwhy . . . [s]hould I change less than thou?\u201d\u00a0 But the first verse of 1 Chronicles 9 exhibits a more attenuated approach to the experience of change.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

According to this verse, the residents of Judah were exiled to Babylon \u201cbecause of their trespass.\u201d\u00a0 The root of the Hebrew word for trespass \u2013 <\/span>mem<\/span>, <\/span>ayin<\/span>, <\/span>lamed<\/span><\/em> \u2013 shows up elsewhere, too. Earlier, in 5:25, we\u2019re told that the Israelite northern kingdom came to an end because of its <\/span>me\u2019ilah<\/span><\/em>, its trespass, consisting of the misdirected worship of false gods. In Numbers 5:12-13, the term refers to the actions of an unfaithful wife. And In Leviticus 5:15, <\/span>me\u2019ilah<\/em> <\/span>means misuse of sanctified objects. So in these three sources, <\/span>me\u2019ilah<\/span><\/em> has to do with altering a relationship: between a person and a holy item, between two spouses, or between a nation and the divinity to which it owes allegiance. Therefore, the Talmud tells us in <\/span>Me\u2019ilah<\/span><\/em> 18a, the biblical term <\/span>me\u2019ilah<\/span><\/em> refers to change. When a problematic change is made in a given relationship, it\u2019s called a trespass, a <\/span>me\u2019ilah<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There\u2019s one problem, though. Our verse, 9:1, says that Judah committed <\/span>me\u2019ilah<\/span><\/em>, trespass or change, but makes no mention of any particular error that was made or relationship that was altered.\u00a0 The verse appears to blame change in general for Judah\u2019s downfall. Perhaps the author of this book just didn\u2019t like change; any change in national character or way of life would have been a trespass that warranted exile. After all, up to this point, Chronicles tells the story of the birth and early existence of the proto-Judaic people without any reference to the Torah or any other set of rules. Maybe the author wanted to assume that, rather than looking to articulated rules for guidance as to appropriate conduct, people should consider how they have always lived to determine how they should continue to live, meaning that any change could lead to catastrophe.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But our chapter contains at least one hint that change doesn\u2019t always have to be resisted.\u00a0 In verse 24, we read that the gatekeepers of the Lord\u2019s House stood on the four sides of the Temple: north, south, west, and east.\u00a0 The word used for \u201ceast\u201d is not <\/span>kedma<\/span><\/em>, <\/span><\/i>which is found, for example in 2 Chronicles 4:10.\u00a0 The root of that term for \u201ceast\u201d reminds the etymologically-inclined among us that long ago our forefathers arrived in Canaan from the east. Instead, verse 24 uses the word <\/span>mizrach<\/span><\/em>, which linguistically has to do with the rising of the sun in the east.\u00a0 Maybe we can infer that problematic change is unilluminated change, and that we needn\u2019t fear changing our inherited way of life in some way, as long as our changes are made in the full light of day and with serious attention to their root meaning and broad implications.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":71154,"alt":"","title":"jer29-change","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer29-change.jpg","width":1920,"height":858,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer29-change-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer29-change-300x134.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":134,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer29-change-768x343.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":343,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer29-change-1024x458.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":458,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer29-change.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":686,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer29-change.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":858,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer29-change-1200x536.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":536,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer29-change-940x420.jpg","home_baner-width":940,"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":"Changing Times, Changing People","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"We needn\u2019t fear changing our inherited way of life in some way, as long as our changes are made in the full light of day\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":68807,"alt":"","title":"is65-change","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is65-change.jpg","width":1920,"height":858,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is65-change-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is65-change-300x134.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":134,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is65-change-768x343.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":343,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is65-change-1024x458.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":458,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is65-change.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":686,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is65-change.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":858,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is65-change-1200x536.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":536,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is65-change-940x420.jpg","home_baner-width":940,"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":"I Chronicles","chapter":"9","chapter_main_number":"873","date":"20290102","wall_id":"873"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":9,"id":"99114","color":"#e6f5f3","size":"1","name":"When It All Falls Apart","post_title":"When It All Falls Apart","slug":"when-it-all-falls-apart","old_id":"99114","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":98697,"post_title":"David Mark","slug":"david-mark","old_id":"98697","first_name":"David ","last_name":"Mark","description":"Rabbi David E. Mark is the founder of Nachmans Wisdom (www.nachmanswisdom.com) and the head of Urban Sustainability for Ateret Cohanim (www.ateretcohanim.org). He is a teacher, counselor, and rabbi, who is a thought leader in relating the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and the broader Chassidic world in an accessible and meaningful way. \r\n","short_description":"Rabbi David E. Mark is the founder of Nachmans Wisdom (www.nachmanswisdom.com) and the head of Urban Sustainability for Ateret Cohanim.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":98870,"alt":"","title":"david mark","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/david-mark.jpeg","width":718,"height":1024,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/david-mark-150x150.jpeg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/david-mark-210x300.jpeg","medium-width":210,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/david-mark-718x1024.jpeg","medium_large-width":718,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/david-mark-718x1024.jpeg","large-width":718,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/david-mark.jpeg","1536x1536-width":718,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/david-mark.jpeg","2048x2048-width":718,"2048x2048-height":1024,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/david-mark.jpeg","post_full_size-width":718,"post_full_size-height":1024,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/david-mark-294x420.jpeg","home_baner-width":294,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"874","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"In order to rise, we must be ready to leave behind the systems we built for ourselves that still hold us back\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

We traverse the arduous paths of the world hoping to find some sort of breakthrough -\u00a0 a path forward to more expansive understanding. Yet, with all our searching we often remain stuck\u00a0 - fixed in a frame of reference like those around us.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It is only when we allow the perceptions we have built up within to fall apart that we can move forward to a greater, more growth-minded outlook.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The cognitive biases we develop from our youth and which are fed to us by our surrounding environment may help us to feel comfortable, but it is exactly this comfort that holds us back from our real self - the one we are meant to actualize while we are down in this world.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Saul and David are two archetypal leaders of the Nation of Israel and like all other elements in the Tanakh, these archetypes are part of us -\u00a0 within us. Saul was a king like all other kings.\u00a0 Perhaps righteous, but still exhibiting a fixed mindset - locked in his ways.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

David was expansive - growth oriented. He was always striving to reach higher even when he found himself in the lowest of places.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Kingdom of Israel could not move forward as long as it remained stuck in the Saul paradigm, no matter how comfortable. Only when Saul\u2019s kingdom fell apart, did something completely different arise.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This is how it is for all of us. We remain stuck until we let go of our biases and outlooks that developed over the years.\u00a0 When we allow them to fall apart, the David paradigm or our true self within rises up, enabling our real growth and actualization to take place.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Like everything else in our world, the choice is ours.\u00a0 We can remain within the Saul mindset, fixed into a world of complacency or allow it to fall apart and by picking up the pieces of our life realize just how precious it is to strive higher and allow the real self to emerge.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rebbe Nachman teaches that a person who strives to be an \u201cIsh Yisraeli\u201d, a growth minded person, is one who rises one level at a time.\u00a0 However, in order for this to happen, we must be ready to leave behind the systems we built for ourselves that still hold us back.\u00a0 Each level up, our old ways of understanding - those hangups and misconceptions fall apart more and more until they are no more - allowing us to achieve real transcendence and freedom.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":99115,"alt":"","title":"1chron10-comfort zone","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone.jpg","width":1920,"height":786,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone-300x123.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":123,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone-768x314.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":314,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone-1024x419.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":419,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":629,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":786,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone-1200x491.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":491,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone-1026x420.jpg","home_baner-width":1026,"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":"When It All Falls Apart","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"In order to rise, we must be ready to leave behind the systems we built for ourselves that still hold us back","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":99115,"alt":"","title":"1chron10-comfort zone","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone.jpg","width":1920,"height":786,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone-300x123.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":123,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone-768x314.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":314,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone-1024x419.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":419,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":629,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":786,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone-1200x491.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":491,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron10-comfort-zone-1026x420.jpg","home_baner-width":1026,"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":"I Chronicles","chapter":"10","chapter_main_number":"874","date":"20290103","wall_id":"874"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":10,"id":"99142","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"What\u2019s In A Name?","post_title":"What\u2019s In A Name?","slug":"whats-in-a-name-6","old_id":"99142","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":87952,"post_title":"Sara Levene","slug":"sara-levene","old_id":"87952","first_name":"Sara ","last_name":"Levene ","description":"Sara Levene is a retired doctor who made Aliyah from London to Jerusalem four years ago. She was very active in the London Jewish Community. In Israel she has taken more time to focus on Jewish studies and to enjoy main hobby of knitting.","short_description":"Sara Levene is a retired doctor who made Aliyah from London to Jerusalem four years ago","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":87953,"alt":"","title":"sara levene","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/sara-levene.jpg","width":296,"height":356,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/sara-levene-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/sara-levene-249x300.jpg","medium-width":249,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/sara-levene.jpg","medium_large-width":296,"medium_large-height":356,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/sara-levene.jpg","large-width":296,"large-height":356,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/sara-levene.jpg","1536x1536-width":296,"1536x1536-height":356,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/sara-levene.jpg","2048x2048-width":296,"2048x2048-height":356,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/sara-levene.jpg","post_full_size-width":296,"post_full_size-height":356,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/sara-levene.jpg","home_baner-width":296,"home_baner-height":356}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"875","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Some observations on Jewish naming customs\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In recent chapters in Chronicles as well as in Ezra and Nehemiah there have been many lists of names. Though these are clearly Jewish names hallowed by age and appearance in the Tanach, they aren\u2019t names that are used these days to name children. I can understand that some might be a bit of a mouthful - Jaareshiah say - but others seem to me acceptable and even pleasant - Eder, Zichri. This made me think about why we use certain names and not others so I undertook some research.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Jewishly speaking, there is no clear halachic guidance about choice of name. All rules are <\/span>minhagim<\/em> <\/span>(customs). They therefore vary between communities.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Many people will be familiar with the idea of naming after ancestors. Ashkenazim name after the deceased, Sephardim name after the living. So my son is named after a grandfather he never knew, while my Sephardi stepfather shared a name with his own father, his son and his grandson. It is good to name after someone directly involved in their existence, so in some communities this might include a <\/span>rebbe <\/span><\/i>who officiated at the parental wedding. It could also apply to an infertility specialist.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Names of people traditionally considered wicked are not used. A major exception is Ishmael, which has been used as a Jewish name since Talmudic times. This may be because the name was given by God to Ishmael\u2019s mother Hagar.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There is a widespread idea that names of people who preceded Abraham should not be used. An exception is where the naming is actually in honor of a worthy person. So Noah after a grandparent is acceptable but after the biblical figure is not. I\u2019m not sure how this fits with Noah being the second most popular boys name in the United States for several years running.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A child should not be named after someone who died very young, unless it is to honor a martyr like a child who died in the Holocaust.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Names not of Jewish origin are widely used - Alexander, Golda, Aviva. (Some communities frown on this). This acceptability appears to extend even to names based on foreign gods. For example Esther may be a form of Ishtar Babylonian deity.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Two siblings should have different names. I apologize to George Foreman who has five sons named George.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A Jewish name can readily be changed. This could be done on recovery from a serious illness, or in some communities if more complex naming rules, like not marrying a woman with your mother\u2019s name, are broken.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

My advice to parents based on personal experience is to choose a name that is easy to pronounce (mine is Sara, rhymes with \"car-a\" not \"care-a\") and easy to spell (it doesn\u2019t have an H). I do enjoy having a Hebrew name that\u2019s the same as my English name, especially now I\u2019m living in Israel.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":55889,"alt":"","title":"jud13-name","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name.jpg","width":1618,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-768x513.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":513,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-1024x684.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":684,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name.jpg","2048x2048-width":1618,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-1200x801.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":801,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-629x420.jpg","home_baner-width":629,"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\u2019s In A Name?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Some observations on Jewish naming customs","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":55889,"alt":"","title":"jud13-name","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name.jpg","width":1618,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-768x513.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":513,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-1024x684.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":684,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name.jpg","2048x2048-width":1618,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-1200x801.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":801,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud13-name-629x420.jpg","home_baner-width":629,"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":"I Chronicles","chapter":"11","chapter_main_number":"875","date":"20290104","wall_id":"875"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":11,"id":"99441","color":"#f7f7f5","size":"1","name":"Talking Turkey","post_title":"Talking Turkey","slug":"talking-turkey","old_id":"99441","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":"880","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The bird of giving thanks?","post_main_content_content":"

In 1 Chronicles 16, we read of a song of praise given by the Levites when the Ark was brought to Jerusalem: \u201cThen, on that day, David first commissioned Asaph and his kinsmen to give praise to the L<\/span>ORD<\/span>\u201d (1 Chronicles 16:7)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The song, much of which is also found in Psalms 105, contains praises of God both for what He has done for the nation in the past, and also how He protects and sustains them in the present. As such, the sages found it fitting to include in the morning daily prayers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There are different traditions to the order of these prayers. According to one tradition, Nusach Ashkenaz, this section is read after the opening blessing of <\/span>Baruch She\u2019amar<\/span><\/em>. But other traditions, like Nusach Sefarad and Edot HaMizrach, place these verses at the very beginning of the morning service. The first verse of this song, \u201cPraise the L<\/span>ORD<\/span>; call on His name; proclaim His deeds among the peoples\u201d (1 Chronicles 16:8) opens with the Hebrew word <\/span>hodu<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>(praise). So when people want to mark the schedule of the morning prayers, they often say that <\/span>Hodu<\/span><\/em>\u00a0will begin at a certain time.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The more literal meaning of the verb <\/span>hodeh<\/span><\/em>\u00a0(the singular of <\/span>hodu<\/span><\/em>) is \u201cto give thanks.\u201d It is the origin of the Hebrew word for \u201cthanks\u201d \u2013 <\/span>todah<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Today America marks the holiday of Thanksgiving. In Hebrew, this is usually rendered as <\/span>Chag Hahodaya<\/span><\/em>, using that same root. On Thanksgiving, it is customary to eat turkey. As it happens, the Hebrew word for the bird \u201cturkey\u201d is also <\/span>hodu<\/span><\/em>. While it might be entertaining to connect the two, they have entirely different origins.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The full name for turkey in Hebrew is <\/span>tarnegol hodu<\/span><\/em>. Since going back to biblical Hebrew (Esther 1:1)\u00a0<\/span>hodu<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>also means \u201cIndia,\u201d the word for turkey literally means \u201cIndian Chicken.\u201d This name is found in many European languages, including the Yiddish <\/span>indik<\/span><\/em>, which likely influenced the Hebrew version.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But the turkey originated in North America, so why is it associated with India? This goes back to the mistake of the first Europeans who reached the Western Hemisphere, and thought they were in India and named the native people Indians. So their bird was an \u201cIndian Chicken\u201d, even though it came from nowhere near India.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

If we take even a closer look at the two meanings of <\/span>hodu<\/span><\/em>\u00a0in Hebrew, we\u2019ll see that they weren\u2019t even initially pronounced the same. Unlike the verb meaning \u201cpraise,\u201d the word meaning \u201cIndia\u201d originally had a letter <\/span>nun<\/span><\/em>\u00a0embedded in it. It derived from the Persian <\/span>Hindu<\/span><\/em>, but as often happens in Hebrew, the <\/span>nun<\/span><\/em>\u00a0dropped out.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

So enjoy your <\/span>hodu<\/span><\/em>\u00a0today, and give praise to God, but don\u2019t assume they are connected.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":88565,"alt":"","title":"ps107-puritan thanksgiving","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving.png","width":1280,"height":717,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving-300x168.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":168,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving-768x430.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":430,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving-1024x574.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":574,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":717,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":717,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving-1200x672.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":672,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving-750x420.png","home_baner-width":750,"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":"Talking Turkey","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The bird of giving thanks?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":88565,"alt":"","title":"ps107-puritan thanksgiving","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving.png","width":1280,"height":717,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving-300x168.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":168,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving-768x430.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":430,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving-1024x574.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":574,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":717,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":717,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving-1200x672.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":672,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ps107-puritan-thanksgiving-750x420.png","home_baner-width":750,"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":"I Chronicles","chapter":"16","chapter_main_number":"880","date":"20290111","wall_id":"880"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":12,"id":"99502","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"David\u2019s Positive Psychology","post_title":"David\u2019s Positive Psychology","slug":"davids-positive-psychology","old_id":"99502","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":99130,"post_title":"Sandra Lilienthal","slug":"sandra-lilienthal","old_id":"99130","first_name":"Sandra ","last_name":"Lilienthal ","description":"Dr. Sandra Lilienthal is an independent adult educator in South Florida. Besides her many weekly classes, she is a frequent speaker at Jewish education conferences, synagogues and other Jewish organizations. Sandra is a 2015 winner of the Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education.","short_description":"Dr. Sandra Lilienthal is an independent adult educator in South Florida, and is a 2015 winner of the Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":99132,"alt":"","title":"sandra lilienthal","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1.jpg","width":2319,"height":2209,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1-300x286.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":286,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1-768x732.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":732,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1-1024x975.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":975,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1463,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1951,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1-1200x1143.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1143,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sandra-lilienthal-1-441x420.jpg","home_baner-width":441,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"881","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Not a single line of complaint or sadness for the \u201cno\u201d he had received from God\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

King David has good intentions in his desire to build a House for God; how can he, a human king, live in a palace while the Ark is in a tent? God, however, has different plans and instructs Nathan, the prophet, to go to David and tell him that it is his son Solomon who will build the Temple. It would have been easy for David to be frustrated and angry \u2013 after all, building the Temple would have been the fulfillment of his dream, and an everlasting physical reminder of David\u2019s greatness. Yet, after hearing Nathan\u2019s words, the text presents us with twelve verses of David\u2019s gratitude speech, with not a single line of complaint or apparent sadness for the \u201cno\u201d he had received from God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Every one of us encounters moments of frustration and anger in life: times in which our projects are rejected, our plans are foiled, our dreams are shattered. At those times, it is very easy (and human) to focus on what has been lost, on what went wrong. It is also easy (and human) to search for someone or something we can blame for the apparent failure, whether it is circumstances, people, or God. David offers us a different model \u2013 when faced with disappointment, instead of focusing on what we do not have, on what we have not achieved, one should look back at all our successes, on what we have been able to build so far, on the many accomplishments which have brought us to where we are today and be thankful for all of it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Our life\u2019s journey is made of ups and downs, of moments of movement and moments of inactivity, of successes and failures, of right and wrong choices, just as David\u2019s life was. Every step of the journey is responsible for bringing us to where we are today. Shattered dreams, as much as realized dreams, make us who we are. Pain, as much as comfort, builds understanding and resilience. It is only when we look back and see a full picture of our lives that we can see how those difficult moments helped us become stronger and better people.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Modern research in the field of Positive Psychology shows that gratitude leads to improved health, happiness, and stronger personal relationships. Thousands of years earlier, King David knew it intuitively. Let us learn from David to be grateful for our blessings not only when all is going well, but most importantly, when difficult times knock on our door.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":99503,"alt":"","title":"1chron17-satisfaction positive psychology","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology.jpg","width":1920,"height":1114,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology-300x174.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":174,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology-768x446.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":446,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology-1024x594.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":594,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":891,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1114,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology-1200x696.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":696,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology-724x420.jpg","home_baner-width":724,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"David\u2019s Positive Psychology","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Not a single line of complaint or sadness for the \u201cno\u201d he had received from God","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":99503,"alt":"","title":"1chron17-satisfaction positive psychology","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology.jpg","width":1920,"height":1114,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology-300x174.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":174,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology-768x446.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":446,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology-1024x594.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":594,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":891,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1114,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology-1200x696.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":696,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1chron17-satisfaction-positive-psychology-724x420.jpg","home_baner-width":724,"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":"I Chronicles","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"881","date":"20290114","wall_id":"881"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":13,"id":"99565","color":"#eceffa","size":"1","name":"Seek Not Their Peace","post_title":"Seek Not Their Peace","slug":"seek-not-their-peace","old_id":"99565","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":"883","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The Ammonites expose the prejudice inherent in Jewish law\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

1 Chronicles 19 serves as a cautionary tale regarding how an innocent gesture of respect (v. 1-2,) due to excessive suspicion and xenophobia on the part of the recipient, can be misinterpreted and even becomes the catalyst for war.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Ammonite officials said to Hanun: \u201cDo you think David is really honoring your father just because he sent you men with condolences? Why, it is to explore, to subvert, and to spy out the land that his courtiers have come to you\u201d (verse 3).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What began as an innocent enough acknowledgment of mourning, led directly to the hiring of mercenary fighters (v. 6-7,16) and the deaths of many innocents (v. 14-5, 18.)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One wonders who is most to blame for the terrible events that transpired\u2014the Ammonite advisors who recommended that what appeared harmless, was in fact a tactic intended to spy out the homeland for future Jewish conquests, or the Jews themselves who were unable to make clear their peaceful intentions, and, in retrospect, would have been better served by either not comforting the mourners at all, or doing so from afar.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Accusing outsiders of reconnoitering a foreign territory in preparation for military action, was a common tactic in biblical times. Joseph, dressed as an Egyptian potentate, and therefore unrecognizable to his siblings, states regarding his brothers\u2019 intentions:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201c<\/b>And Joseph \u2026 said unto them: \u201cYe are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come\u201d \u2026 And Joseph said unto them: \u201cThat is it that I spoke unto you, saying: Ye are spies\u201d (<\/span>Gen. 42:9, 14<\/span>).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

He manipulates this bogus charge to cause his half-brothers to bring his true brother, Benjamin, to Egypt (see ibid. 15-6).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rashi, in his commentary on v. 3, even attributes to these Ammonite royal advisors familiarity with Torah law, in order to make their case to Hanun:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cDo you think that David honors your father\u201d<\/span>-<\/b> Is it not written in their Torah (Deut. 23:7): \u201cYou shall not seek their (<\/span>non-Jews\u2019<\/span><\/em>) peace or their prosperity\u201d? Do you think that he (<\/span>David<\/span><\/em>) is forsaking the commandment of his God and is coming to greet you, and that he sent comforters in honor of your father?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Prejudice such as this inherent within Jewish law itself, while understandable\u2014various moral and theological assumptions are made concerning pagans and non-believers\u2014can serve as a source of friction between communities. While changing Divinely-given laws is a difficult proposition, non-Jewish peoples and their religions can be redefined as no longer qualifying to be treated as were biblical non-Jews of old.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

An example of a rabbinic leader who did just this is R. Menachem HaMeiri (1249-1316). He defined Christians, rather than as idolaters, as \u201camong the nations bound by the ways of religion.\u201d\u00a0 By all accounts, he was a true pioneer in this regard.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image:\u00a0Extermination of Canaanites by Henry F. Philippoteaux. John Clark Ridpath, Universal history 1897 \/ wikimedia<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":53850,"alt":"","title":"jo13-canaanites","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites.jpg","width":2912,"height":2306,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites-300x238.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":238,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites-768x608.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":608,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites-1024x811.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":811,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1216,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1622,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites-1200x950.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":950,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites-530x420.jpg","home_baner-width":530,"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":"Seek Not Their Peace","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The Ammonites expose the prejudice inherent in Jewish law","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":53850,"alt":"","title":"jo13-canaanites","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites.jpg","width":2912,"height":2306,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites-300x238.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":238,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites-768x608.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":608,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites-1024x811.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":811,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1216,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1622,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites-1200x950.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":950,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo13-canaanites-530x420.jpg","home_baner-width":530,"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":"I Chronicles","chapter":"19","chapter_main_number":"883","date":"20290116","wall_id":"883"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":14,"id":"99686","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"The Duty Roster","post_title":"The Duty Roster","slug":"the-duty-roster","old_id":"99686","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38047,"post_title":"Shoshana Michael Zucker","slug":"shoshana-michael-zucker","old_id":"38047","first_name":"Shoshana Michael ","last_name":"Zucker ","description":"Shoshana Michael Zucker is a translator and editor by profession, but would much rather be learning and teaching Torah. A graduate of Barnard College, she made aliyah in 1983 and now lives in Kfar Saba where she is an active member of the Masorti Congregation Hod veHadar. ","short_description":"Shoshana Michael Zucker is a translator and editor and lives in Kfar Saba \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38048,"alt":"","title":"Shoshana Michael Zucker","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","width":231,"height":310,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker-224x300.jpg","medium-width":224,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","medium_large-width":231,"medium_large-height":310,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","large-width":231,"large-height":310,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","1536x1536-width":231,"1536x1536-height":310,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","2048x2048-width":231,"2048x2048-height":310,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","post_full_size-width":231,"post_full_size-height":310,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","home_baner-width":231,"home_baner-height":310}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"887","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The inner psychological and organizational logic of a division of labor\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

\u201cAmong the last acts of David was the counting of the Levites from the age of twenty and upward\u201d (verse 27).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This and the following chapters recount not only the census figures but also the work assignments of the Levites and priests in the Temple. Why was it necessary to make permanent work assignments?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rabbis in Number Rabbah (5:1) offered some opposing perspectives. Rabbi Eliezer ben Pedat said in the name of Rabbi Yose Ben Zimra, that some Levites were overly concerned by the risk inherent in handling the Holy Ark, and avoid that assignment in favor of less risky tasks. To avoid this slight to the ark, permanent assignments were necessary.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rabbi Samuel Bar Nachman disagreed. On the contrary, he said that many people were ready to give their lives for the ark, and also sought the greater reward that accompanied the hazardous but important task. From his perspective, it was necessary to have an authoritative division of assignments to prevent animosity and quarrels.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We cannot know which of the rabbis, if any, correctly understood the mindset that motivated King David to prepare a Levitical duty roster even before the Temple was constructed. Conversely, it isn\u2019t difficult to imagine the situation within the community of each of them: where the tendency was to leave important but difficult tasks for others, and where leaders sought honor and took on more than they could handle even at the cost of less successful work. Or perhaps they were addressing not different communities but different people within the same community. An even finer resolution should also be considered: the varying behavior of the same person in diverse places and situations.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What is clear (to me at least) is that human nature has not changed. In any group, workplace, community or even family, organization for getting the job done is best done by considering not only individual strengths and skills but also character traits.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0Nick Youngson,\u00a0Alpha Stock Images<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":99687,"alt":"","title":"1chron23-duty-rosters","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters.jpg","width":1200,"height":800,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":800,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":800,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters-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":"The Duty Roster","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The inner psychological and organizational logic of a division of labor","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":99687,"alt":"","title":"1chron23-duty-rosters","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters.jpg","width":1200,"height":800,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":800,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":800,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1chron23-duty-rosters-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":"I Chronicles","chapter":"23","chapter_main_number":"887","date":"20290122","wall_id":"887"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/99463"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}