DOCSLIB.ORG

Kol Mevaseret 5781

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Kol Mevaseret 5781 קול Kol מבשרת Mevaseret A Compilation of Insights and Analyses of Torah Topics by the students of MICHLELET MEVASERET YERUSHALAYIM Jerusalem, 5781 Editors in Chief: Racheli Schachter ● Batsheva Shekhter ● Meira Steiner Editorial Staff: Hannah Aaron ● Hallie Gordon ● Amira Isenberg Aliza Kass ● Yehudis Tova Samuels ● Atara Shtern Emma Spirgel ● Nechama Stein ● Yonina Weinberg Faculty Advisor: Rabbi Eliezer Lerner © 2021 / 5781 – All rights reserved Printed in Israel מכללת מבשרת ירושלים Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim Rabbi David Katz, Director Mrs. Sharon Isaacson, Asst. Director Mrs. Sarah Dena Katz, Asst. Director Derech Chevron 60 Jerusalem 93513 Tel: (02) 652-7257 / US Tel: (212) 372-7226 Fax: (02) 652-7162 / US Fax: (917)-793-1047 [email protected] U.S. Mailing Address 500 W. Burr Blvd Suite #47 Teaneck, NJ 07666 www.mevaseret.org/mmy HaDaF Typesetting [email protected] CONTENTS Letter from the Editors............................................... 7 Introduction Rabbi David Katz ................................................... 9 תנ"ך חתן דמים Leah Baron .......................................................... 15 Ben Sorer U’moreh: באשר הוא שם or נידון על שם סופו Michal Eckman .................................................... 19 Yehuda and Yosef: What it Truly Means to Be a Leader Kayla Goldstein ................................................... 23 Pesach: More Than Just the Holiday of Redemption Hallie Gordon....................................................... 33 A Guide to Becoming a Better Oveid Hashem Chana Rus Grossman .......................................... 39 Disability Through the Lens of the Torah Amira Isenberg..................................................... 43 The Shared Nevuah of Yeshaya and Yechezkel Shayna Kahane ................................................... 49 Spaces that Mean Something Aliza Kass ........................................................... 55 ?Why Only Twice – אסון Tiferet Mondrow................................................... 63 Sibling Relationships Hannah Pearlman ................................................ 67 Who Are You? Anonymous Characters in the Torah Batsheva Shekhter ...................................................77 The Indecisiveness of the Shalshelet Kayla Zlotnick ...................................................... 81 הלכה Vaccines and Halacha Elisheva Glatt ...................................................... 89 פסיק רישא דלא ניחא ליה Ora Hochberg and Racheli Schachter..................... 95 תוכחה Linoy Plashteav.................................................. 101 יום ההולדת Tehila Sciunnache .............................................. 105 מחשבה Do I have a Choice? Yehudis Naomi Bookatz...................................... 111 True Art and Science – The Center of Religiosity Ateret Ellituv ...................................................... 115 The Laws of Korban Pesach: A Blueprint for Spiritual Transformation Kayla Goldstein ................................................. 121 Takkanot of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai Racheli Gottesman ............................................. 129 Hashem is Truly Everywhere Ilana Knoll ......................................................... 135 Looking Beyond Joy to Find Simcha Rivka Marcus..................................................... 141 The Purpose of Humanity Dena Sheer ........................................................ 147 Family Atara Shtern ...................................................... 153 Protecting our Jewish Neshama Emma Sprigel..................................................... 161 Don’t Forget About Me Meira Steiner ..................................................... 165 The Significance of Jewish Names Aliza Warburg.................................................... 175 Shema Yisrael Yonina Weinberg ................................................ 179 Faculty What Hides Inside the Jewish Soul? Rav Kook’s “Torah Lishmah” Rabbi Adam Friedman........................................ 185 LETTER FROM THE EDITORS בן זומא אומר מצינו פסוק כולל יותר והוא שמע ישראל וגו'. בן ננס אומר מצינו פסוק כולל יותר והוא ואהבת לרעך כמוך. שמעון בן פזי אומר מצינו פסוק כולל יותר והוא את הכבש האחד תעשה בבוקר וגו'. עמד ר' פלוני על רגליו ואמר הלכה כבן פזי (הקדמה לעין יעקב) It’s surprising that this technical pasuk describing the korban tamid is considered the pasuk that is most encapsulating. It is noteworthy that this pasuk perfectly captures the experience of MMY 5781. We knew stepping onto the plane that we were not en route to a typical seminary year. And we were not wrong. However, whether we were in two capsules, five capsules, and finally no capsules, our Torah learning remained constant. While we never knew what tomorrow would bring, one thing was for sure – class would start in the Beit Midrash at 8:30. This level of stability was only afforded to us thanks to the unbelievable dedication of our amazing faculty, whose warmth and enthusiasm permeated the many layers of plastic. We cannot fully express our gratitude to our rebbeim and mechanchot for fostering a love of Torah and encouraging us to pursue it for ourselves. We express hakarat hatov to Rabbi Lerner for the many hours he has spent ensuring that this publication properly represents our Torah learning this year. Additionally, we thank the student editors for working tire- lessly – sourcing, editing, revising, and perfecting all of the articles, always with a smile; this publication could not have been done without them. Thank you, of course, to our contributors, as well. To MMY 5781, thank you for fostering an atmosphere ringing with positivity and enthusiasm, and sharing your Torah with us. This past year has taught us that .הקב"ה Lastly, we thank nothing can be taken for granted. Hashem has blessed us with a year of consistent and “normal” learning and gifted us the Torah .בין הערביים and בבוקר Hakedoshah as a guiding light in our lives, both Sincerely, The Kol Mevaseret Editors 5781 INTRODUCTION What a challenging year it has been. Although 5780 in MMY ended abruptly for many of us, who knew that 5781 would be, in many ways, even more challenging. We promised to do our best to give you a full experience even if it would be “different”, and it would seem that b’ezrat Hashem, that is in fact how it played out. It was a year full of kabbalat Hatorah and yearning for an Eretz Yisrael experience; a year with lots of twists and turns, multiple lockdowns where our bein adam lachaveiro was tested, as we remained confined indoors for long periods of time and were careful to not negatively impact on the personal space of our friends; a year where human weaknesses would be evident, but also one where our personal strengths would shine and our innate emunah pshuta would carry us through. Sounds familiar? In Parshat Masei we are reminded, in detailed fashion, of all of the twists and turns, ups and downs, of .למה נכתבו המסעות הללו .our forty year journey through the desert Why does the Torah enumerate each and every stop along the way? The midrash quotes multiple reasons for this long, seemingly unnecessary listing. I would like to focus on four of them. 1. It serves as hakarat hatov to the various host encampments על שקבלו את – for protecting Bnei Yisrael during the sojourn there .ישראל ועתיד הקדוש ברוך הוא ליתן שכרן 2. Rashi initially quotes R’ Moshe HaDarshan that it is a praise to Hashem for making us change locations only twenty times in a Although the long .להודיע חסדיו של מקום .thirty-eight year time span travels served as a punishment for the chet hameraglim, Hashem’s hashgacha provided a tremendous silver lining in the ‘clouds’. 3. As his second approach, Rashi quotes R’ Tanchuma who provides a Mashal: משל למלך שהיה בנו חולה והוליכו למקום רחוק לרפאותו. כיון שהיו חוזרין התחיל אביו מונה כל המסעות. אמר לו כאן ישננו כאן הוקרנו כאן חששת את ראשך. There was a king who had an ill child. They needed to travel a great distance to cure the child. Once the exhausting emotional and physical journey was over, there was time to reflect and tell over all of the stories of where they found solace despite the challenges. It is a hakarat hatov to Hashem not only for the hashgacha of the relative short span of the difficulties (as in Rashi’s first approach), but rather for the individual hashgachot which took place each and every step along the long and winding road to recovery. 4. The Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim (quoted by the Ramban), points out that it is human nature to forget all of the details as time goes on. We will remember the overall experience, but the detailed hashgacha will get lost with time. כי הנסים והאותות הנעשות היו אמיתיות לכל רואיהם, אך בעתיד יהיו דברים בשמועה ויכזיבם השומע ... על כן ... כדי שיראו אותם הדורות הבאים וידעו האותות הגדולות איך עמדו בני אדם במקומות ההם ארבעים שנה. Revisionist history will say that we must have survived the desert with the help of neighboring cities and food delivery services, and of course Zoom. So the Torah reminds us that the details of the reality are important and we should entrench them in our awareness while they are fresh in our consciousness so that they aren’t deleted from the historical record. MMY 5781 was a long forty week saga. Our talmidot benefited from tremendous personal attention from the MMY administration and teachers. The efforts to get our students here before the year began, the ongoing love and care – in sickness and in health – was indescribable. They had an intense kabbalat haTorah and Eretz Yisrael experience because they also had a matan Torah
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Exile and Exodus 2 the Kabbalist Haggadah: a Handbook of the Seder
    Exile and Exodus 2 The Kabbalist Haggadah: A Handbook of the Seder The Exile of Da’at – Knowing In order to understand the meaning of Passover, celebrating the Exodus from Egypt, we must be clear about the meaning of the Egyptian exile. It was, to use the terminology of the Kabbalah, ‘The Exile of Knowing.’ The Hebrew word for ‘Knowing’ is Da’at - ,gs. Of all the trees in the Garden of Eden, one was forbidden to Adam. In the text of Genesis (2 :9), it is named the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the Tree of Da’at of Tov and Ra. In the simplest of terms, eating of the Tree of Knowledge precipitated a crisis in the world - it became and remains impossible to separate good and evil absolutely. Since the time of the eating, good and evil are mingled, confused and often indistinguishable. An example of the confusion that prevails: In Ger- many between the years 1933-45, cruelty toward animals was considered a hei- nous crime, and progressively harsher laws were passed to punish it. What can one say to such a statement? Is any part of it good or bad? Is the good not inex- tricably confused with the evil? Maimonides, in his monumental work on Jewish Law (Hilchoth Teshuvah 5:5) discusses ‘Knowing’ both in the divine and human spheres. If you ask: Since God knows everything, does He have prior knowledge of who will be virtuous and who will be evil, or does God not know? If God knows someone will be virtuous is it possible for him not to be so? If you say that God knows the person will be virtuous but the possi- bility remains that he will be evil, is there not something confused about God’s knowledge? Know, the answer to this question measures longer than the world, broader than the ocean.
    [Show full text]
  • Chassidus on the Chassidus on the Parsha +
    LIGHTS OF OUR RIGHTEOUS TZADDIKIM בעזרת ה ' יתבר A Tzaddik, or righteous person , makes everyone else appear righteous before Hashem by advocating for them and finding their merits. Kedushas Levi, Parshas Noach (Bereishis 7:1) VA’ES CHA NAN _ CHASSIDUS ON THE PARSHA + Dvar Torah Deciphered Messages The Torah tells us ( Shemos 19:19) that when the Jewish people gathered at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah , “Moshe spoke and Hashem answered him with a voice.” The Gemora (Berochos 45a) der ives from this pasuk the principle that that an interpreter should not speak more loudly than the reader whose words he is translating. Tosafos immediately ask the obvious question: from that pasuk we see actually see the opposite: that the reader should n ot speak more loudly than the interpreter. We know, says Rav Levi Yitzchok, that Moshe’s nevua (prophecy) was different from that of the other nevi’im (prophets) in that “the Shechina was speaking through Moshe’s throat”. This means that the interpretation of the nevuos of the other nevi’im is not dependent on the comprehension of the people who hear it. The nevua arrives in this world in the mind of the novi and passes through the filter of his perspectives. The resulting message is the essence of the nevua. When Moshe prophesied, however, it was as if the Shechina spoke from his throat directly to all the people on their particular level of understanding. Consequently, his nevuos were directly accessible to all people. In this sense then, Moshe was the rea der of the nevua , and Hashem was the interpreter.
    [Show full text]
  • Is It Right for Christians to Use Birth Control?
    Wordofhisgrace.org BBBible Q&AAA Q. Is it right for Christians to use birth control? A. First, what we mean in this answer by birth control is conception control or contraception. We are not here addressing abortion, which is another issue. Unfortunately, various churches and Christian writers express differing opinions on contraception or birth control, most of which do not fully express the biblical view. The Bible does not mention birth control as such. Therefore, we must look at the implications of what the Bible says on the subjects of children and mercy to find the biblical view of birth control. First, we must dispense with a Scripture that is often used to condemn birth control, but which really has little to do with the subject. It is Genesis 38:7-10: "And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also." In these verses, Onan uses a form of birth control called coitus interruptus. Because verse 10 says, "the thing which he did displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also," this Scripture is often pointed to as proving that God is displeased with birth control.
    [Show full text]
  • Vayeshev – the Sins of Er and Onan (5778-2018) Rabbi Uriel Romano
    Vayeshev – The Sins of Er and Onan (5778-2018) Rabbi Uriel Romano Yehuda had three children: Er, Onan and Shelah. According to the Torah, the first two sons did what was “evil in the eyes of the Lord” and for that reason they died. The Torah is explicit about the transgression of Onan: “Now Onan knew that the progeny would not be his, and it came about, when he came to his brother’s wife, he wasted [his semen] on the ground, in order not to give seed to his brother.” (Gen. 38:9) But what was Er’s transgression? The Torah is silent about it but the Midrash, quoted by Rashi, tells us that his transgression was the same as Onan’s: “Now, why should Er waste his semen? So that she (Tamar) would not become pregnant and her beauty be impaired.” (Yebamot 34b). Er and Onan sinned in the same way but with different purposes: the first did not want to make his wife pregnant so that she would not lose her beauty and the second did not want to have a child named after his deceased brother. In other words, the Sages want to tell us that “doing evil in the eyes of God” is often related to selfishness and pettiness. Er and Onan were punished for thinking only about themselves without thinking about others. While there is no certain and accurate criteria to be sure that our actions will find grace before God we can venture to say that if we act only on self interest to the detriment of others, surely those actions will not find favor in the eyes of God.
    [Show full text]
  • 41 Retelling the Story of Judah and Tamar in The
    Ilorin Journal of Religious Studies, (IJOURELS) Vol.4 No.2, 2014, pp.41-52 RETELLING THE STORY OF JUDAH AND TAMAR IN THE TESTAMENT OF JUDAH Felix Opoku-Gyamfi Valley View University Accra – Ghana [email protected] +233-20341-3759, +233-2020-29096 Abstract Many Christians assume that Old Testament documents were „Christianised‟ during the New Testament era, although the process predates the New Testament. This assumption may be premised on the lack of much information about how early Christians re- interpreted Old Testament stories to meet new trends of thinking during the Inter- Testament period. This paper, therefore, focuses on the story of Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38, which is retold in the Testament of Judah to discover the intentions and the worldviews of the author of the Testament of Judah. For the presupposition of this paper, the Testament of Judah will be studied as a Christian document. The other side of the debate that the Testaments are the works of a Jewish author is thus put aside at least for a while in this paper. This is because the Testaments look more like a Christian document than Jewish. As a result, the texts for comparison would be the LXX and the Greek version of theTestaments. The paper utilizes literary analyses of the two passages while it progresses through three main headings; the overall structure of the Testament of Judah, exegesis of the story of Judah and Tamar in both Genesis 38 and The Testament of Judah, an analysis of key characters and a summary of the significant differences between the two stories.
    [Show full text]
  • The }Amnia Period in Jewish History
    NOTES AND STUDIES 347 THE }AMNIA PERIOD IN JEWISH HISTORY. I. THE request made by R'J ochanan ben Zakkai, when he secured the favour of Vespasian, that the Sanhedrin should be allowed to settle at J amnia 1 is clear evidence of his wisdom and knowledge. The town itself had remained loyal to the Romans, and the Jewish population, hitherto in the majority 2 had just been considerably weakened by the importation of an alien eJement.3 Neither in }amnia nor anywhere in the neighbourhood could rebellion be even suspected. The Jewish population in the Plain of Sharon too had suffered but little in the war, and besides the whole plain from Carmel to Gaza, with the low hills of the Shephelah, was amongst the most fertile and desirable land in Palestine. The fertility of Lydda is specially mentioned 4 and ·from Ganoth Zeriphim, near J oppa, G the firstfruits of the wheat had been taken for presentation in the Temple. Nowhere else in the Holy Land could the maximum return be so easily secured with the minimum of labour. We need not then be surprised that the population was large, though of course the numbers given must be discounted in view of the manifest megalomania of the recorders. The little Jewish State, to some extent administered from }amnia ·from A. D. 70 to 135, is defined as extending from Antipatris to Gib­ bethon, the latter of which must have been somewhere in the Philistine country, as Bethshemesh is mentioned as having been between them.6 There we have it stated that there were no fewer than 6oo,ooo villages, and that Bethshemesh was the smallest.
    [Show full text]
  • Contraception and Sterilization Are They
    CONTRACEPTION AND STERILIZATION: ARE THEY MORTAL SINS? St. Peter Catholic Church Faith Fact August 2014 Information compiled by Fr. Daniel Brouillette. ISSUE: Are contraception and sterilization always mortal sins? RESPONSE: The Catholic Church has always taught that contraception and sterilization are sinful and that those who engage in such practices with full knowledge and consent commit mortal sins, severing their relationships with Jesus Christ. DISCUSSION: Although the Catholic Church, through the Pope and the Magisterium, has been given the authority to “bind and loose” and to declare what is sinful, in reality that authority is only to speak for Christ, not to change what has already been divinely communicated. Unlike all of the other churches in existence, the Catholic Church has never changed a moral teaching. This extreme constancy of teaching makes the almost 2,000-year-old Catholic Church unique among institutions, offering strong evidence that it is divinely guided. Throughout the past twenty centuries, much has been said by this unique institution about the grave sinfulness of contraception and sterilization. 191 AD: Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor of Children “Because of its divine institution for the propagation of man, the seed is not to be vainly ejaculated, nor is it to be damaged, nor is it to be wasted” (2:10:91:2). 307 AD: Lactantius - Divine Institutes “[Some] complain of the scantiness of their means, and allege that they have not enough for bringing up more children, as though, in truth, their means were in [their] power…or God did not daily make the rich poor and the poor rich.
    [Show full text]
  • Pornography: an Investigation of Jewish Sexual Perspectives
    Pornography An Investigation of Jewish Sexual Perspectives by Rabbi Ariel Root Wolpe www.arielwolpe.com Table of Contents Methodology 1 She’elah: May the Modern Jew Consume Porn & Erotica? 1 Teshuvah 2 I. Masturbation 3 II. Hirhur Arayot: Fantasy or Reality? 8 III. Shir Hashirim and Divine Sexuality 10 IV. Exposing Ourselves: The Issue of Modesty 14 V. The Impact of Porn Use on People and Relationships 16 VI. The Porn Industry: Business Ethics and Objectification of Women 19 Conclusion: Permitted or Forbidden? 23 Towards a Future of Erotic Health in the Jewish Community 25 Works Cited 28 Methodology This teshuvah presents an examination of issues around pornography use through both traditional Jewish text and contemporary studies. While taking into account the thousands of years of halakhic development that have led to modern stances on porn and masturbation, this teshuvah explores how modern psychological and social studies might present a different picture on how to adhere to Jewish values of health, relationships, and connection with God. We are compelled to combine wisdom from past teachers with up-to-date research to make informed halakhic decisions that respond to the needs of modern-day Jewry. This teshuvah hopes to provide guidance for the coming generations on how to develop a spiritual and health-conscious relationship to their sexuality, specifically around the use of pornography. She’elah: May the Modern Jew Consume Porn & Erotica? As long as pornography has been available, society has been uneasy with its use, and that uneasiness pervades America today even as pornography consumption continues to rise. A 2013 study reported that 12% of Americans admit to consuming online porn and that the numbers are growing yearly (Pew Research Center).
    [Show full text]
  • Kabbalah Kabbalah - by the Blessing of G-D H”B with the Knowledge of Heaven D”Sb Contents Everything Belongs to Hashem
    Kabbalah Kabbalah - By the blessing of G-d h”b With the knowledge of heaven d”sb Contents Everything belongs to Hashem. }”hl Kabbalah - Title Page Kabbalah Meditation from Torah to Self-improvement to Prophecy ● I. Introduction hawbn la rswm la hrwt }m twnnwbth hlbq ● II. Torah Prophetic Truth and Version - 11/1/2001 Talmudic Dialectic Hermeneutical This work in progress is intended to train one to experience authentic Reality kabbalah. Study the manual by browsing the table of contents, links, ● III. The Written Law and footnotes. Let your spirit be your guide and Ribono Shel Olam (the ❍ A. Torah Master of the World) will reveal what you need to learn next. The work ■ 1. Bereshis -- In the focuses on learning kabbalah through character improvement through Beginning – Genesis the theoretical, meditative, and practical kabbalah. While I have written down some of my own kabbalistic journeys, in the final analysis one ■ a) Parsha Bereshsis must choose his own path and with the blessing of G-d reveal another truth path to the Infinite. ■ b) Parsha Noach This work uses a Hebrew true-type font that should be downloaded and ■ c) Parsha Lech installed on a PC to view the work correctly. To install the Hebrew true L’hah type font: ■ 2. Shemot - Names - Exodus ● Open location heb_tt.zip ● ■ a) Parsha Save the file to a location on your disc Terumah ● Double click on heb_tt.zip and extract files to a directory ● Double click on Install_Hebrew.ttf.vbs ■ 3. Vayikra - And Called - Leviticus ■ 4. Bamidbar - In the Your Hebrew fonts should now be installed.
    [Show full text]
  • Masturbation and the Sin of Onan
    The Sin of Onan: contraception http://webspace.webring.com/people/ko/oneida_co_ccl/sinofon... "It is illicit and shameful for a man to lie with even his lawful wife in such a way as to prevent the conception of offspring." The sin of Onan revisited By Brian W. Harrison "Onanism," the term derived from Genesis 38:9-10 which in traditional Christian usage has designated both masturbation and unnatural intercourse between a man and woman, is not exactly a pleasant theme to write about. And in a sense, that fact itself is the short answer to those who claim that these sorts of acts are ethically indifferent or innocent. In other words, the spontaneous negative emotional reaction of ordinary, decent people to such practices is really a "message" from the God who speaks to us in the still, small voice of our moral conscience. Most readers will recall that the subject of masturbation made headlines not long ago when U.S. President Bill Clinton dismissed Dr. Joycelyn Elders as Surgeon-General of the United States because of her public statement that in the present AIDS crisis, solitary sex acts might well be discussed sympathetically in school classrooms, as a part of health education. The controversy quickly spread to Puerto Rico, where the present writer resides. While the island’s Health Secretary, Dr. Carmen Feliciano, expressed support for Elders’ viewpoint, she did not lose her job for this statement, in spite of several calls for her dismissal on the part of Puerto Rican Church spokesmen. Although much media attention was thus focused on the question of whether or not Elders and Feliciano merited dismissal for their "liberal" statements about masturbation, the substantive issue was of course whether or not this practice should be discussed as a "safe-sex option" in schools.
    [Show full text]
  • Vigilante Reactions. Biblical Interpretation Series 15
    REPRODUCTION 219 Seland, Torrey. Establishment Violence in Philo and Luke: Ruth 4:i3; Luke 1:25), and God "closes wombs~ with­ A Study of Non-conformity to the Torah and Jewish holding pregnancy (e.g., Gen 20:18; 1 Sam 1:5). God Vigilante Reactions. Biblical Interpretation Series 15. promised to make Abraham's progeny too numerous Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, 1995, to count (e.g., Gen 13:t6; 15:5; 16:to ). Exodus 23!25-26, Torrey Seland further stressing God's prominent role in fertility, states, "You shall serve the Lord your God and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will remove sickness from your midst. No woman in your land shall REPRODUCTION miscarry or be barren: I will let you enjoy the full count of your days:' Hosea 9:n places Israel's fertility in This purpose of this article is to review biblical texts God's hands yet again, stating. "As for Ephraim, their related to reproduction-including procreation, con­ glory shall fly away like a bird; no birth, and no preg­ traception, and abortion-and the ongoing legacy nancy, and no conception:' According to Psalm 127:3, that they have for Christian and Jewish tradition. "Children are the provision of the Lord, the fruit of Procreation in the Bible. Genesis 1:28 states, "And the womb his reward~ and Psalm 113!9 states, "He sets God blessed them and God said to them, 'be fruitful the barren woman among her household as a happy and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it:" Here, mother of children:' Finally, Genesis 49:25, at the end after God created human beings-male and female­ of the patriarchal and matriarchal narratives, states, God blessed them with fertility.
    [Show full text]
  • This Week's Parasha Is a Great Illustration of How Human And
    Shabbat December 21, 2019, Vayeshev Torah Reading, Genesis 37:1 – 40:23 This week’s parasha is a great illustration of how human and flawed the families of our patriarchs and matriarchs are, with all manner of familiar – and familial – strife. In last week’s reading Jacob and Esau reconcile after years of enmity and estrangement, enmity that was caused by parental preference. Yet Jacob hasn’t learned the lesson of that estrangement and he repeats the same error in his parenting of his own children. He favors Joseph of all of his sons, sowing resentment in Joseph’s brothers. Jacob gives Joseph a special gift as evidence of his special regard, a ketonet passim. We don’t really know what it is. Ketonet is a coat or tunic, but passim appears only in this story and in one other place in the Tanakh, where it also part of the phrase ketonet passim. From context it’s clear that it is a rare and special garment. Rashi said it was made of a particularly fine wool. It’s the Septuagint translation that makes it a coat of many colors (and, of course, it’s Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Weber who made it a Technicolor dreamcoat). This favor enrages the brothers at least as much as Joseph’s dreams, in which he rules over them. The brothers plot to kill Joseph, although in a last minute change of heart they sell him to a passing caravan. But they keep the ketonet passim, tearing it and smearing blood on it to deceive their father into believing that Joseph was killed by a beast.
    [Show full text]