Brit Avot

Found 9 Search results

1. Fear Not For I Am With You

   Haftarot: Lekh Lekha

   Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein

   The prophet emphasizes God's ability and desire to redeem His nation, both because of their significance, and because of the covenant of the Forefathers.

2. The Two Consecrations of Moshe

   Prof. Jonathan Grossman

   Why is Moshe sent on his mission to Egypt twice? The second consecration includes a new and important element: God's covenant with the forefathers. The covenant is mentioned here, and not previously, because of the change in Moshe's attitude toward the redemption of Bnei Yisrael. He now understands that the reasons behind the redemption involve more than morality: they are embedded in a historical - national covenant.

3. The Appointment of Moshe

   Parashat Va'era

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman

   Early in Parashat Va’era God commands Moshe to rescue Bnei Yisrael from Egypt. However, Moshe was already consecrated for this mission once, by the Burning Bush. What is the significance of this duality? Why is there a need for two consecrations? An analysis of each episode reveals the different reasons for saving the Children of Israel; each consecration focuses on another aspect of redemption.

4. The Appointment of Moshe (Audio)

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 21 minutes

   God’s mission and Moshe’s response from the Burning Bush appear to be briefly repeated in Parashat Va'era. The “second” mission responds to the problematic outcome of the first mission, but why are two parts necessary for the redemption? A textual comparison of the two missions reveals two distinct aspects of God’s redemption of the Israelites: compassionate empathy, and fulfilling the Covenant of the Forefathers (Brit Avot).

5. Battling Empires and Battling Devils: Shmuel, Rav Chiya and Rebbi Yitzchak

   Chazal's Preambles to Megillat Esther: Part 1

   Rabbi Moshe Taragin | 17 minutes

   This short series looks at Chazal’s introductions to the Book of Esther. What is the real miracle of Purim? Although Israel has betrayed God and are exiled from their land—God will not abandon them. Purim is a template for Jewish History, and contains the first real instance of antisemitism. But just as the commemorations of Purim will never be abolished, the Jewish people will never be destroyed, and the covenant will never be nullified.

6. The Ceremony of the Stones

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 33 minutes

   What is the purpose and significance of the plastered stones and rough altar to be set up upon entry to the land? Comparing the ceremony at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal with the ceremony of the Covenant at Sinai, and reviewing Abraham's altars and his Covenant with God upon his entry to the Land reveals that the command in our Parsha is intrinsically connected to both.

7. The Fall and Rise of Yisrael

   Rabbi Alex Israel

   During Yehu's reign Aram, headed by Hazael occupy the Eastern bank of the Jordan. In Yehoahaz's time the situation becomes direr as Aram imposes a full demilitarization of Israel. The turnaround begins in the days of Yoash who receives a deathbed prophecy from Elisha of a victory over Aram and peaks in the time of Yerovam ben Yoash who receives a prophecy from Yona ben Amitai and restores the Northern border to a magnitude previously witnessed only during the days of David and Shlomo. While historians describe the decline of Aram due to the rise of Assyria, the book of Kings describes a divine process which is surprisingly almost entirely devoid of any repentance. 

   Does the outcome of the prophetic action that Elisha preforms with Yoash on his deathbed actually have an impact on the outcome in reality?

   Is the resurrection from death of the man who came in contact with Elisha's buried bones just another miracle of Elisha or does it symbolize a national resurrection?

8. God's Speech of Salvation

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   At the beginning of Parshat Vaera there is an interruption in the narrative of the Exodus process, and God delivers a speech. By closely examining this speech - by dividing it into two parts and noticing structural and chiastic parallels, we learn that this speech was meant to elevate Moshe's mission from a personal-ethical mission to a national- historical one. 

9. The Abominations of their Fathers

   Part 2

   Dr. Tova Ganzel

   The act of offering children to Molekh and passing them through fire – was common among pagans and is echoed in the story of Akeidat Yitzhak. It led to a perception that such practices had Divine legitimacy. Yirmiyahu emphasizes, in each of the three verses where the burning of children by fire is mentioned, that the act violates God’s command; that such an idea never “came into God’s mind,” and that God would never mislead His people  this way. If indeed – as it appears from Yehezkel – the view prevailed among the people that this act was legitimate in God’s eyes, then it is clear why Yirmiyahu repeats over and over the prophetic message that there is no basis for it.

    

   According to Yehezkel’s prophecy, the future revival of the nation will not come because of the covenant of the forefathers – which is not mentioned here at all – nor as the result of the nation repenting. It is a “forced” redemption, motivated by the desecration of God’s Name inherent in the very fact of the nation’s exile. The nation should therefore be ashamed of its deeds because of the Divine motivation to restore them to their land. This redemption is “forced” upon the people, as it were, with no opportunity for them to exercise their free choice – perhaps even against their will. It is for this reason that the whole nation will not return.