Rabbi Moshe Shulman
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The Biblical Roots of Midrashic 'Stories'
Rabbi Moshe Shulmanתאריך פרסום: תשע"ג | |
We take a methodological look at “Midrashic stories” and how our Sages used these stories, often borrowed or reframed from completely different parts of Tanach, to interpret and highlight Biblical events of parallel or contrasting nature.
Ruth: Of Loyalty and Treason
Rabbi Moshe Shulmanתאריך פרסום: תשע"ה | |
Why do Elimelekh and his sons die? And why had they left the Land of Israel in the first place – if their purpose was to escape the famine, then going to Moav would not ameliorate their situation, as Moav would ostensibly be similarly affected. We turn to the stories of Lot and Avraham as well as the Book of Shoftim, supplemented by Midrash and commentary, to help us explore the mystery of the famine and the journey to Moav. This famine is not caused by rain: this famine is caused by war. His decision to go to Moav is not about leaving the Land of Israel, but rather an act of treason - which contrasts the loyalty and courage of Rut, Naomi, and Boaz.
Ruth: Paragon of Modesty?
Rabbi Moshe Shulmanתאריך פרסום: תשע"ו | |
Who or what is Ruth the Moabite? In this shiur, we examine the relationship between Boaz and Ruth. We look at two conflicting midrashic portrayals of Ruth, explore the deeper meaning, and analyze and challenge the midrash based on the pshat. Is her behavior that of cleverness, or of modesty? How does the “naar” or the foreman in the field of Boaz see Ruth? As we gain deeper insight to the mitzva of leket (gleaning), we discover another dimension of the difficulties Ruth faced as a stranger.
Na'aseh Ve'nishma & Sefer Habrit: What Did We Know & When?
Rabbi Moshe Shulmanתאריך פרסום: תשעד | |
Every year on Shavuot we talk about the significance of the fact that when Bnei Yisrael were offered the Torah, they said "Na'aseh venishma" - "we will do and we will listen." Why are we so enthralled by this, and are we really so enthralled by the acceptance of the Torah before even knowning what the Torah said?
When did Bnei Yisrael make this declaration - before the Torah was given, afterward, or something else? From where does the "gvura" of this declaration come from? And what does was the "Sefer haBrit" that came up in the Covenant of the Basins?
The Fall of Shiloh: The Mystery of the Tanach's Silent Tisha B'av
Rabbi Moshe Shulman | Hour and 6 minutesYirmiyahu the prophet uses the destruction of the mishkan in Shiloh as the paradigm on which to model the imminent destruction of the Temple. What is the relationship between the destruction of Shiloh and the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash? What was the sin of Shiloh? When and why was Shiloh destroyed? This lecture addresses these questions, as well as the discussion of why this cataclysmic event in Jewish history is barely mentioned in Tanach.
An Unnatural Fault Line: Jerusalem
The Biblical Significance of the Reunification of Jerusalem
Rabbi Moshe Shulmanתאריך פרסום: 5777 | | Hour
In this shiur, we explore some of the issues surrounding the choice of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish people and as the place of the Mikdash. We also look at the split between the northern and southern kingdoms.The kingdom was split on an unnatural fault-line - why? We go back to the roots of the split and explore what the division was, what was it that changed, and why. And did God choose Jerusalem, or did David?
Jerusalem was chosen as a way to unite two groups that were already divided to some degree, and annexing Binyamin to Yehuda saved Jerusalem and the Beit haMikdash from becoming a border city of warring nations.
Biblical Roots of Midrashic Stories-Towards an Understanding of Midrashic Methodology
Rabbi Moshe Shulman | Hour and 6 minutesThis lecture discusses the relationship between the Biblical text and the midrashic text through an analysis of a number of midrashim. We explore the methodology of midrash and understand its foundations and its intersections with pshat.
Avraham & Iyov: Contemporaries?
Rabbi Moshe Shulmanתאריך פרסום: 2023 | | Hour and 10 minutes
One of the biggest questions that come up from reading Iyov is during what period he was in. Our Sages offer many opinions, including the suggestion that he was a contemporary of Avraham. Many questions arise from this suggestion, like why is Iyov never mentioned in the book of Genesis if he lived during that time? We will explore the ramifications of this approach, in particular, for understanding both the story of Iyov and the role of Avraham.
In memory of Israel and Yetra Goldberg in honor of their dedication in furthering Jewish education in St. Louis, Missouri.
David & Batsheva: Does Teshuva Set Us Free?
Rabbi Moshe Shulmanתאריך פרסום: 2022 | | Hour and 12 minutes
In this lecture, we delve into David's repentance while he remains married to Batsheva, the source of his sin, and examine Natan the Prophet's punishment for him without explicitly demanding their separation. We'll also find profound insights into the aftermath of David and Batsheva's story from the unique perspective of the Prophet's message.