DOCSLIB.ORG

Parashat Ki Tavo

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

111111 lil n11w1 Yeshivat Har Etzion - Israel Koschitzky VBM Parsha Digest, Year Ill, Parashat Ki Tavo 5781 Selected and Adapted by Rabbi Dov Karoll Quote from the Rosh Yeshiva According to Deva rim 28:47, God decrees punishment, "Because you did not serve the Lord your God with happiness, with gladness and with abundance of everything." On the simplest level, this means that if one does not serve God while life is good, one will have to face circumstances which are less pleasant. However, we may read it another way: all the calamities which come upon us are because we serve God joylessly. We cannot find true happiness in our lives unless we can enjoy our observance of mitzvot and a Torah lifestyle. If, on the other hand, a spiritual journey begins joyfully, at the end of it one will reach faith and fear of Heaven as well. -Harav Yehuda Amital zt"I from : https://etzion.org.il/en/holidays/studies-repentance/righteousness-yours-o-lord-while-shame-ours Parashat Ki Tavo Reward and Punishment Based on a Sicha by Harav Aharon Lichtenstein zt"I Based on: https://etzion.org.il/en/tanakh/torah/sefer-devarim/parashat-ki-tavo/reward-and-punishment I. INTRODUCTION: THE TWO TOKHACHOT At the end of Vayikra and near the end of Deva rim, we find the tokhachot - long rebukes that warn the Jews of their fate if they transgress the Torah . The tokhecha in Parashat Bechukotai is uttered by God, while the one in Ki Tavo is uttered by Moshe. There are many differences between the 2, and the gemara compares them at length (see Bava Batra 88b). II. THE PREDICTED OUTCOME While the gemara compares the 2 tokhachot in a quantitative sense, this observation holds true when we examine the contents of the 2 tokhachot as well. The dissonance is manifest in 2 ways: a) in the conclusions of the tokhachot, and b) in the severity and scope. Moshe concludes all the terrible curses: "And God will return you to Egypt in ships, along the path that I told you, 'You will not see again;' and you will be sold there as slaves to your enemies, but there will be no buyers." (28:68) You will return to Egypt - the place I forbade you from returning to, and that I promised you that you will never return to! Egypt is not only a geographical area; it represents a state of being. Returning to Egypt means a reversal of the Exodus and of the giving of the Torah, devolving back to, at best, a national existence devoid of any spiritual life. In contrast, the tokhacha in Bechukotai, although it too speaks of terrible horrors, ends on a positive note, telling of Bnei Yisrael returning to God, and God returning to Bnei Yisrael. God promises us that we will repent (see Vay. 26:39-40). God also promises us that He will remember His covenant with the Patriarchs (see 26:42-45). While Moshe's tokhecha ends with the virtual breakdown of the unique relationship between Bnei Yisrael and God, God's tokhacha concludes with a reaffirmation of this relationship - both from the people's side and from God's. Ill. IDOLATRY AS BOTH SIN AND PUNISHMENT The second difference between the 2 tokhachot is in their severity. In Ki Tavo, the tokhacha reads: "And God will spread you out unto all the nations ... and there you will worship other gods of wood and stone, whom neither you nor you fathers knew." (28:64) Idol worship, the worst of all sins, is the cause of the curses in Bechukotai as well. However, in Moshe's tokhacha, it is not only the cause; it is the punishment itself. What is idol worship? It is turning away completely from God, forsaking the King of Kings for wood and stone! In Tehillim (73:28), King David says, "And I, nearness to God is good for me" - "goodness" depends on how close you are to God. The curse that Bnei Yisrael will turn to idol worship represents the complete separation of Bnei Yisrael from God - the worst possible thing in the world, worse than the curse that you will eat your own children! On the other hand, Moshe's blessing promises: "God will make you a holy nation" (28:9), and lbn Ezra says that this refers to keeping the mitzvot. Again, not only is the keeping of the mitzvot the cause for the blessings, but it is also the ultimate blessing itself. IV. MESSAGE OF ACTION In our times, unfortunately, we see so many of our brothers in Kial Yisrael who are completely disconnected from anything Jewish. We witness entire communities completely divorced from Judaism, worshipping the modern equivalent of wood and stone! However, when we look in Parashat Va'etchanan, we find a mini-tokhacha given by Moshe Rabbeinu whose content is similar to the one in Ki Tavo: "And you will worship, there, gods the work of man, wood and stone, who do not see, do not smell, do not eat and do not hear" (4:28). However, as opposed to Ki Tavo, this parasha ends: "And you will seek God from where you are and you will find Him ... And [He] will not forget the covenant with your forefathers" (4:29-31). Thus, even within the tokhecha of Moshe Rabbeinu, the Torah guarantees an ultimate return on the part of Bnei Yisrael as well as from the side of God. It is based on this promise of redemption that we, as bnei Torah who are privileged to be brought up with a Torah education, and to be exposed to Torah personalities in the world of the Beit Midrash, are charged with the responsibility - both towards God and towards our fellow members of Kial Yisrael - to try to bring closer these people who have become distanced from Judaism. We must all feel, and teach others to feel, that closeness to God, keeping His mitzvot, is the ultimate good, and that distance from God, obliviousness to His word, is the ultimate evil. (Originally delivered on leil Shabbat, Parashat Ki Tavo 5755 [1995]. Summarized by Rav Menachem Linzer) Parashat Ki Tavo The Covenant of Moav By Rav Yair Kahn Based on: https:/ /etzion.org.il/en/tanakh/torah/sefer-devarim/parashat-ki-tavo/ki-tavo-covenant-moav I. Chorev and Moav The section of berakhot and kelalot - the list of blessings Yisrael will receive if they abide by the Torah and the curses they will receive if they do not, found in chapter 28 - concludes with the verse, "These are the terms of the covenant that Hashem commanded to Moshe to make with Bnei Yisrael in the land of Moav, aside from the covenant which he made with them at Chorev" (28:69). This verse connects the covenant of Chorev (Sinai), documented in Parashat Bechukotai (Vayikra 26), with the parallel section found in our paras ha . Our study of the covenant of Moav will therefore begin with a brief review of the Sinai covenant. In Parashat Bechukotai, the calamities follow a clear progression. The Torah begins with disasters that are not life threatening and continues with worse disasters that cause a loss of life. Later, the Torah describes an invasion of hostile forces, which not only brings death, but also compromises Yisrael's sovereignty. The Torah ends with the destruction of the Mikdash and exile from the Land of Israel. In contrast, there seems to be no progression in Parashat Ki Tavo. In fact, there seems to be no order at all. Consider verse 36, where, after warning of various calamities, Moshe mentions exile. Following the pattern of Bechukotai, the section should end here; in Parashat Ki Tavo the list of calamities continues, and they have nothing to do with difficulties Yisrael will face in exile. The subsequent verses deal with agricultural disasters that will occur in Eretz Yisrael, apparently before the exile (see vv. 38-40). Did Moshe merely record a random list of calamities, lacking rhyme and reason? Moreover, the section is repetitive. We have already noted the mention of exile in verse 36. Consider the following verse that appears at the end of the section: "And Hashem shall scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods of wood and stone, which you and your ancestors have not known" (28:64) . Similarly, Moshe mentions that a foreign nation will eat the produce of the land in verse 33: "The fruit of your land and all your labors shall be eaten by a nation which you do not know and you shall be only oppressed and crushed all the days:' This same exact idea is repeated later in the section: "A nation of fierce countenance that shall not regard the elderly, nor show favor to the young. He shall eat the fruit of your cattle, and the fruit of your land, until you are destroyed" (28:50-51 ). Instead of the structured development found in the Bechukotai section, the section in Parashat Ki Tavo seems to be characterized by repetition and confusion. 2 II. The Berakha Section Before trying to make sense out of the kelala section, let us take a closer look at the berakha section. The section begins as follows: If you shall hearken diligently to the voice of Hashem your God, to observe to do all His mitzvot which I command you this day, then Hashem your God will set you on high above all the nations of the earth.
Recommended publications
  • Etzionupdate from Yeshivat Har Etzion

    Etzionupdate from Yeshivat Har Etzion

    בסד Summer 5777/2017 etzionUPDATE from Yeshivat Har Etzion Etzion Foundation Dinner 2017 On Wednesday March 29, hundreds of when Racheli delivered words of thanks The dinner culminated with dancing, friends gathered for the annual Etzion and chizuk. All the honorees appeared in bringing together all the members of the Foundation Dinner. The Foundation was a video presentation that also featured Gush community – Ramim and alumni, proud to present the Alumnus of the Year Roshei Yeshiva, Ramim, peers, children parents and children all rejoicing arm in award to Rabbi Jeffrey Kobrin ’92PC and and talmidim. The videos can be viewed at arm. Yair Hindin ‘98 commented, “It‘s this Michelle Greenberg-Kobrin. Simcha and http://haretzion.org/2017-honorees sense of community that always pulses Barbara Hochman, parents of Ayelet ’11MO through the Grand Hyatt during the Gush Rosh Yeshiva Rav Mosheh Lichtenstein and Ariel ’13, were honored with the dinner, this sense of the common bonds we spoke nostalgically and passionately of Parents of the Year award. all share, that keeps me coming back year the early days of his family’s aliyah and after year.” The Dor l’Dor Award was given to the state of the Yeshiva upon their arrival. Rav Danny Rhein his daughter, Describing the present, he noted the near Before the dinner, a reception was held Racheli (Rhein) Schmell ’07MO, whose impossibility of imagining not only the honoring the alumni of ’96 and ’97 on their combined warmth exponentially impacts current success of Gush but also the ever- 20th anniversary. In honor of the occasion, the tone and flavor of both Yeshivat Har growing presence that Migdal Oz has on the students from those years formed Etzion and Migdal Oz.
  • Source Sheet on Prohibitions on Loshon Ha-Ra and Motzi Shem Ra and Disclosing Another’S Confidential Secrets and Proper Etiquette for Speech

    Source Sheet on Prohibitions on Loshon Ha-Ra and Motzi Shem Ra and Disclosing Another’S Confidential Secrets and Proper Etiquette for Speech

    Source Sheet on Prohibitions on Loshon ha-ra and motzi shem ra and disclosing another’s confidential secrets and Proper Etiquette for Speech Deut. 24:9 - "Remember what the L-rd your G-d did unto Miriam by the way as you came forth out of Egypt." Specifically, she spoke against her brother Moses. Yerushalmi Berachos 1:2 Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said, “Had I been at Mount Sinai at the moment when the torah was given to Yisrael I would have demanded that man should have been created with two mouths- one for Torah and prayer and other for mundane matters. But then I retracted and exclaimed that if we fail and speak lashon hara with only one mouth, how much more so would we fail with two mouths Bavli Arakhin15b R. Yochanan said in the name of R.Yosi ben Zimra: He who speaks slander, is as though he denied the existence of the Lord: With out tongue will we prevail our lips are our own; who is lord over us? (Ps.12:5) Gen R. 65:1 and Lev.R. 13:5 The company of those who speak slander cannot greet the Presence Sotah 5a R. Hisda said in the name of Mar Ukba: When a man speaks slander, the holy one says, “I and he cannot live together in the world.” So scripture: “He who slanders his neighbor in secret…. Him I cannot endure” (Ps. 101:5).Read not OTO “him’ but ITTO “with him [I cannot live] Deut.Rabbah 5:10 R.Mana said: He who speaks slander causes the Presence to depart from the earth below to heaven above: you may see foryourselfthat this is so.Consider what David said: “My soul is among lions; I do lie down among them that are aflame; even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword” (Ps.57:5).What follows directly ? Be Thou exalted O God above the heavens (Ps.57:6) .For David said: Master of the Universe what can the presence do on the earth below? Remove the Presence from the firmament.
  • Blogging Rav Lichtenstein

    Blogging Rav Lichtenstein

    BLOGGING RAV LICHTENSTEIN A JOURNEY THROUGH A GIANT’S WRITINGS AS THE SERIES ORIGINALLY APPEARED ON TORAHMUSINGS.COM by GIDON ROTHSTEIN Please note that throughout the text, RA”L, Rav Lichtenstein and R. Lichtenstein all refer to Rabbi Dr. Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l. Blogging Rav Lichtenstein: A Journey Through a Giant’s Writings © 2016 Gidon Rothstein. All Rights Reserved. Blogging Rav Lichtenstein INTRODUCTION AND INVITATION This past Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, the world of Torah and avodat Hashem lost a giant, mori ve-rabi R. Aharon I in ,ואני בעניי ,Lichtenstein. Many people are taking on important acts and learning projects in his memory my limited capabilities, wanted to join in that. The idea that came to me was to review R. Lichtenstein z”l’s published volumes. While he wrote more than many realize (here’s the bibliography), there are, as far as I know, thirteen books he wrote or that were based on his talks. Eight of those are notes on shiurim he gave at Yeshivat Har Etzion, one is a collection, Minchat Aviv, of articles he published, and four volumes (By His Light, two volumes of Leaves of Faith, and Varieties of Religious Experience) collect English language talks he gave or articles he wrote. As I try to review for myself some of the fruit of R. Lichtenstein’s toiling and tilling in the garden of Torah, I hope to share one stimulating idea a week. I make no pretense that I will be comprehensive, will capture all or a representative sample of what is found in those works, only that I can, in a few hundred words, share a thought worth knowing.
  • Super Safe Super Sunday Hillel Academy Announces Journal

    Super Safe Super Sunday Hillel Academy Announces Journal

    October 23-November 5, 2020 Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton Volume XLIX, Number 35 BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK Super Safe Super Sunday By Reporter staff this year’s Campaign is ‘Socially Distant, “The pandemic has added an extra stress The Jewish Federation of Greater Bing- Spirituality Connected’ and, while we were to running a successful Campaign, but you hamton held a Super Safe Super Sunday on unable to gather in one place, the spirit of don’t have to wait for a call,” she said. October 18. Rather than having volunteers our community was alive in each volunteer “So we ask for your help. There are three gather at the Jewish Community Center, making a call. A big thank you to all our easy ways for you to make a pledge: You the volunteers made calls from the safety Campaign volunteers for kicking off our can visit our website at www.jfgb.org and of their own homes. teers call from their homes. It was very remote Campaign with much success. I am click on ‘make a pledge,’ you can e-mail “We were already planning on having important to make certain our volunteers grateful for all the hard work everyone has me at [email protected] with ‘pledge’ in the a limited number of volunteers at a time were super safe.” put forth. To all our community members subject line or fill out the form in the ad on in the JCC’s auditorium and meeting Hubal and Marilyn Bell, the chairwoman that have pledged, I want to say ‘yasher page 7 and mail it to the Jewish Federation room,” said Shelley Hubal, executive of the 2021 Campaign, discussed the issue koach.’ I am so proud to be part of this of Greater Binghamton, 500 Clubhouse Rd., director of the Federation.
  • Shorshei Minhag Ashkenaz Minhag Ashkenaz: Sources and Roots

    Shorshei Minhag Ashkenaz Minhag Ashkenaz: Sources and Roots

    Shorshei Minhag Ashkenaz Minhag Ashkenaz: Sources and Roots By Rabbi Binyomin Shlomo Hamburger Synopsis ofvolulnes I-IV Machan Moreshcs Ashkenaz The Institute for German-Jewish Heritage Bnei Brak 2010 Cutting A Boy's Hair Without Doing a Chalaka (Ups herin) The German custom to bring a young boy to the synagogue with a wirnpel (wrapping for the Torah scroll) has no connection whatsoever to the practice of the chalaka (the Arabic term 0h for Upsherin) observed by Sepharadirn and later adopted by many Chasidirn. The custom of holding a special celebration marking the boy's first haircut developed among these groups. The celebration takes place at a specific age, usually three. The festivity is customarily held near the gravesite of a tzadik or in a synagogue. This custom was unknown in ancient Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities. The earliest reports of the chalaka celebration are found in accounts written by Sepharadim early in the period of the Acharonim. Some three centuries later, we find the first indications that the custom had made its way into Chasidic circles. The most important source concerning the chalaka is the account of the celebration in which the Ari-zal is involved. The details of this story are somewhat vague, and it is unclear whether the Ari-zal made a chalaka for his son, or whether the account refers to his disciple, Rabbi Yonatan Sagish. There is also some question as to whether the Ari-zal patrticipated in Lag Ba 'orner events in Meron after his kabalistic insights because the custom to conduct a chalaka on Lag Ba 'orner runs in opposition to the Ari-zal's final ruling that forbade hair cutting during the orner period.
  • Parashat Pinchas

    Parashat Pinchas

    1111u lil n11w1 Yeshivat Har Etzion - Israel Koschitzky VBM Parsha Digest, Year Ill, Parashat Pinchas 5781 Selected and Adapted by Rabbi Dov Karoll Quote from the Rosh Yeshiva To those who have, over the years, been privileged to hear Rav Amital, the day [Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur], the man an d the tefillot are all inextricably interwoven. The lilting cadences of his renditions remain a permanently haunting presence, pregnant with quiet vigor and laden with pervasive emotion. Who can forget the compressed humility of his \!JY)'.))'.) ')Yil '))il, or the plaintive lament of his rnJ7)'.) ')llil ill\!JY, its tragic sequence interrupted only for the gnawing, sobbing, query, of the survivor, asking, with the paytan and out of the profundity of his emunah, illJ\!J m illln 1r? "Is this Torah and its reward"? Or the tuneful optimism of the complex of l)~mm □ l'il, followed by the conclusion of NJ.7 N)'.)7\!J Nil' of kaddish? Or the reverential joy with which, figuratively holding a thousand mit'pallelim in his hand, he leads them, to the climactic resolution of keter? No one. What we, impelled by conscience and enriched by experience, can do is to strive to remember and to perpetuate; to harness our energies in order to assure that the world which nurtured Rav Am ital and which he then re-created, join the ranks of those which □ Ylm ')10' N7 □ l]Tl □ '"Tlil'il 7,n)'.) llJ.Y' N7. -Harav Aharon Lichtenstein zt"I, Rosh Hashanah message 5771 [shared to commemorate Harav Amital's 11th Yahrzeit, 27 Tammuz] Parashat Pinchas Is the Zeal of Pinchas to be Emulated? By Harav Yehuda Amital zt"I Based on: https:// etzion .org.il/ en/tanakh/torah/sefer-ba mid bar/ parashat-pincha s/ pinchas-zeal-pinchas-be-emu lated Pinchas son of Elazar son of Aharon, the kohen, turned back My anger from Bnei Yisrael, in his zeal for My sake among that I did not destroy Bnei Yisrael in My zeal.
  • Jewish Law Research Guide

    Jewish Law Research Guide

    Cleveland State University EngagedScholarship@CSU Law Library Research Guides - Archived Library 2015 Jewish Law Research Guide Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Library Follow this and additional works at: https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/researchguides Part of the Religion Law Commons How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! Repository Citation Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Library, "Jewish Law Research Guide" (2015). Law Library Research Guides - Archived. 43. https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/researchguides/43 This Web Page is brought to you for free and open access by the Library at EngagedScholarship@CSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Law Library Research Guides - Archived by an authorized administrator of EngagedScholarship@CSU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Home - Jewish Law Resource Guide - LibGuides at C|M|LAW Library http://s3.amazonaws.com/libapps/sites/1185/guides/190548/backups/gui... C|M|LAW Library / LibGuides / Jewish Law Resource Guide / Home Enter Search Words Search Jewish Law is called Halakha in Hebrew. Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life. Home Primary Sources Secondary Sources Journals & Articles Citations Research Strategies Glossary E-Reserves Home What is Jewish Law? Need Help? Jewish Law is called Halakha in Hebrew. Halakha from the Hebrew word Halakh, Contact a Law Librarian: which means "to walk" or "to go;" thus a literal translation does not yield "law," but rather [email protected] "the way to go". Phone (Voice):216-687-6877 Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and Text messages only: ostensibly non-religious life 216-539-3331 Jewish religious tradition does not distinguish clearly between religious, national, racial, or ethnic identities.
  • THE STORY of the 9Th of ADAR TOLD THROUGH DISAGREEMENTS

    THE STORY of the 9Th of ADAR TOLD THROUGH DISAGREEMENTS

    THE STORY OF THE 9th OF ADAR TOLD THROUGH DISAGREEMENTS Daniel Roth Introduction The 9Adar Project: Jewish Week of Constructive Conflict seeks to cultivate the culture of constructive conflict and healthy disagreement across personal, political, and religious divides. The project does this through promoting public awareness around the annual Jewish Week of Constructive Conflict which occurs from the 2nd through the 9th of the Hebrew month of Adar. This document is an attempt to tell the story of the 9th of Adar directly through the sources. On virtually every aspect of the story, the sources themselves are full of disagreement, and this document addresses the sources through these various disagreements. An understanding of disagreements for the sake of Heaven (mahloket l'shem is recommended. See the G-dCast video and sources for )מחלוקת לשם שנים/shamayim "Disagreements for the Sake of Heaven". This document is not comprehensive nor is it meant to be a lesson plan or stand-alone lesson. It does, however, contain some guiding questions that can be used in an adult education setting. For more information, see www.9Adar.org. The 9Adar Project is a project of the Pardes Center for Judaism and Conflict Resolution, part of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. 1 Disagreement #1: What exactly happened on the 9th of Adar? Perhaps the most authoritative source that mentions the 9th of Adar is Rabbi Yosef Karo’s Shulchan Aruch. Read this source carefully. What is clear and unclear about this day? שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הל' תענית (Shulchan Aruch, Laws of Fasts (580 תקפ (Rabbi Yosef Karo, 1488–1575, Spain/Land of Israel) אלו הימים שאירעו בהם צרות These are the days that tragedies befell our לאבותינו וראוי להתענות בהם..
  • Rebbe Meir People of the Book.Pptx

    Rebbe Meir People of the Book.Pptx

    People of the Book III Rabbi Efrem Goldberg November 26, 2014 Rebbe Meir One of the most important scholars in the development and transmission of the Oral Torah Lived in the second century in Israel Fascinating life story and history Lived in a tumultuous time and led a tumultuous life First, need to understand the historical context… Rebbe Meir - People of the Book III Fall of Judea After the fall of Beitar, the Romans sought to destroy the Jews of Judea. We find references to destruction and restoration of cities throughout Israel in the Talmud. Hadrian sought to destroy not only cities but the religious leadership. Decade after Bar Kochba rebellion which ended c. 148 CE was time of shmad, forced conversion. Rabbis were executed for teaching Torah. Rebbe Meir witnessed the murder of his illustrious teacher, Rebbe Akiva before his very eyes. Rebbe Meir - People of the Book III Fall of Judea Twenty four thousand students of Rebbe Akiva died in a plague. Rebbe Akiva sought to defy the Romans and give semicha to his 5 surviving students (sanhedrin 14a): Rebbe Meir Rebbe Yehudah bar Elai Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai Rebbe Yossi Rebbe Elazar ben Shamua. Rebbe Akiva appointed Rebbe Meir to be the head of the group (Yevamos 62b). He wasn’t able to complete the semicha and so after R’ Akiva’s death, R’ Yehudah ben Bava did (Sanhedrin 14a) The Romans killed R’ Yehudah ben Bava as he ordained Rebbe Meir Rebbe Meir - People of the Book III Fleeing to Babylonia These 5 great Rabbis fled to Babylonia which was part of the Parthian Empire.
  • The Talmudic Tradition in Dialogue with Rev. Dr

    The Talmudic Tradition in Dialogue with Rev. Dr

    THE TALMUDIC TRADITION IN DIALOGUE WITH REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. One of the most sacred texts in Jewish tradition is the Talmud which was an ongoing oral tradition that was committed to writing and finally canonized in the sixth Century. The Talmud was designed so that the sacred text was found in the center of the page in large print and later commentaries surrounded the margins of the page. These commentaries explained, asked questions, resolved contradictions and added information. They were actively in conversation with the text. We have borrowed from this format by bringing Dr. King’s I have a dream speech as the sacred text with our rabbinic commentators in “conversation” with many of the concepts found in Dr. King.s address. We have created a conversation that transcends at least three millennia, but is just as fresh as if it happened an hour ago. Below you will find some navigating questions so that you too can join in the conversation with Dr. King, the Hebrew Scriptures, and the Sages of the Jewish Talmud and Midrash. YOUR DREAM NAVIGATOR JOYOUS DAYBREAK TO END THE LONG NIGHT 1) In the Passover Haggadah the metaphor used to describe the journey from slavery to freedom is “from darkness to great light”. How are these metaphors similar? How are they different? 2) How is Jewish emancipation portrayed in the Haggadah as opposed to how it is portrayed in Dr. King’s speech? THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW 1) When Dr. King speaks of “the fierce urgency of now” whom does he agree with Hillel or Shammai? 2) How do you understand Shammai’s response to Hillel? To which statements does he respond? 3) Does Shammai necessarily disagree with Hillel? Does Hillel necessarily disagree with Shammai? Can you reconcile their statements, or alternatively can you articulate what exactly they are arguing about? 4) Are you a Hillel or Shammai sympathizer and why? GOD’S CHILDREN 1) When Dr.
  • Purim and the “Thrust” to Yerushalayim

    Purim and the “Thrust” to Yerushalayim

    SPECIAL PURIM SECTION RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN Ram, Yeshivat Har Eztion ample eye-candy for voyeuristic people Purim and the who passed by the royal gardens. Perhaps the food at this party was glatt kosher but “Thrust” to there are certain events which should be “off limits” to religious people - regardless Yerushalayim of the kashrut level of the food which is served. abbi Shimon Bar Yochai, the great However, participation in an immoral talmudic scholar was questioned party still doesn’t justify such a harsh Rby his students: why were the response. Evidently, there was something Jews of Shushan imperiled by Haman’s far more criminal in this decision to join murderous plan; what possible sin war- the Ahchashverosh and his merry revelers. ranted this devastating and potentially Purim mustn’t be viewed as a “miracle in existential threat? Instead of replying, a bottle”; It can’t be reduced simply to the Rebbi Shimon signaled to his students storyline of a mass-murderer who set his that they should suggest a reason. They sights on Jewish annihilation but whose replied that the Jews were punished for plans were dashed by Divine intervention. participating in royal festivities directed This story has occurred throughout Jewish by Achashverosh. history and Purim isn’t, in this respect that The Achashverosh party wasn’t exactly an exceptional. Without understanding the exhibition of high-minded moral values or broader “historical framework” of Purim, a display of human compassion. Rapacious the miracle feels a bit commonplace. noblemen gorged for a 180-day culinary According to Chazal’s timeline, the miracle orgy while the peasants of the country-side in Shushan occurred AFTER our initial were taxed through the nose to foot the bill return to Israel.
  • The Meshalim in the Mekhiltot

    The Meshalim in the Mekhiltot

    Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism Edited by Maren Niehoff (Jerusalem) Annette Y. Reed (Philadelphia, PA) Seth Schwartz (New York, NY) Moulie Vidas (Princeton, NJ) 176 Lieve M. Teugels The Meshalim in the Mekhiltot An Annotated Edition and Translation of the Parables in Mekhilta de Rabbi Yishmael and Mekhilta de Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai With the assistance of Esther van Eenennaam Mohr Siebeck Lieve M. Teugels, born 1965; 1994 PhD; 2000-02 visiting professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York; currently professor of Jewish Studies at the Protestant Theological Uni- versity in Amsterdam; involved in a research project on parables in early Jewish and early Chris- tian literature, funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). orcid.org/0000-0002-0013-782X Esther Van Eennennaam, born 1990; BA in Theology & Religious Studies, Utrecht Univer- sity; currently master’s studies in Religion & Society, Utrecht University; involved with Pardes, an organisation concerned with the study of Jewish sources. ISBN 978-3-16-155648-7 / eISBN 978-3-16-156346-1 DOI 10.1628/978-3-16-156346-1 ISSN 0721-8753 / eISSN 2568-9525 (Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism) The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliographie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de. © 2019 Mohr Siebeck Tübingen. www.mohrsiebeck.com This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form (beyond that permitted by copyright law) without the publisher’s written permission. This applies particularly to reproduc- tions, translations and storage and processing in electronic systems.