Choosing Jerusalem

Found 12 Search results

1. Aravna's Threshing Floor and the Selection of Jerusalem

   Chapter 24 (IV)

   Rabbi Amnon Bazak

   Why is the purchase of the granary of Arvana the Yevusite paralleled to the Akeida? Why was this story chosen to end Sefer Shmuel?

2. The Tragedy of Yoshiyahu

   Rabbi Alex Israel

   Yoshiyahu's dramatic religious revolution led him to two erroneous conclusions, giving him the confidence to confront Pharaoh Nekho who lead his army through Israel in order to confront the emerging Babylonian empire. Firstly, he believed that the religious level that was achieved was one that would make God support him against an idolatrous king. Secondly, he believed that the revolution was sincere and accepted among the people, when in fact in the short amount of time since the major change it was imposiible to uproot norms and beliefs that had set in over such a long period. This folly decision led to his death by the archers' arrows ending abruptly the reign of a righteous king. The lack of real change among the people means that wheels of Hurban that were set in motion by Menashe were not stopped - though they might have had the chage been sincere.

   Modern Biblical scholars claim that Devarim was the Sefer Torah that Yoshiyahu discovered and it was written in his time and not by Moshe. The claim of the 7th century authorship is refuted by a series of simple proofs.

3. The Chosen Place

   Rabbi Yair Kahn

   What does Parashat Re'eh's seemingly repetitive use of the phrase "the place that Hashem will choose" teach us about the prohibition on bringing sacrifices outside the Temple?

4. The Chosen Place (Audio)

   Rabbi Yair Kahn | 13 minutes

   What does Parashat Re'eh's seemingly repetitive use of the phrase "the place that Hashem will choose" teach us about the prohibition on bringing sacrifices outside the Temple?

5. It's How You Say It - The Final Rebuke of Moshe Rabbeinu

   Rabbi David Milston | Hour and 11 minutes

   The Torah commands us to rebuke someone who is acting in a wrong manner. However, delivering such rebuke can be challenging and counterproductive. As parents and educators, how can our rebukes be productive and helpful and not harmful?  We turn to Moshe during his last speech to Israel prior to entering the land as the model of successful and productive rebuke, learning from the various tactics he employs and applying them to our own lives. 

6. Nusach Ha-mikra – Accuracy of the Biblical Text

   Part 7 - Textual Amendments

   Rabbi Amnon Bazak

   An examination of several proposals to amend the biblical text shows that while the amendment might make sense on a superficial level, they miss various literary messages in the text. Therefore, the greatest degree of caution must be exercised in this area.

7. Why was Beit El not Chosen?

   Rabbi David Silverberg

8. Introduction to Sefer Tehillim

   Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | Hour and 10 minutes

   What is Tehillim? What is the purpose of the book? How does one properly study the book of Tehillim? This lecture discusses the various options as to the purpose of the book, and outlines a methodology for the proper study and approach to mizmorei Tehillim through a close examination of chapter 23. 

9. Why Does the Chumash Not Mention Jerusalem by Name?

   Rabbi Yitzchak Levi

   Surprisingly, nowhere in the Pentateuch is Jerusalem mentioned by its full name.  We encounter “Jerusalem” (Yerushalayim) for the first time in the Book of Yehoshua.  Of course, there are innumerable mentions of Jerusalem throughout the rest of the Neviim and Ketuvim. However, while the Torah (i.e., the Chumash) does not mention Jerusalem explicitly, there are several hints to the city.

   Why is Jerusalem not mentioned in the Torah by its full name? Aided by classical commentators, we explore a few explanations. Each of  these explanations emphasizes a different aspect of the significance of Jerusalem. 

10. Jerusalem's Dual Election by Avraham and David

    Rabbi Dr. Avraham Walfish

    תאריך פרסום: 5777 | | Hour and 10 minutes

    This shiur focuses on the four-fold process of Jerusalem's election, examining the two different narratives within the Avraham story, as well as the two narratives within the David saga. While we do so, we consider the concepts of sacred time and sacred space and their importance in the description of the Mikdash. There are two main Jewish positions as to the nature of the Temple's original sanctity - historical (as a moment within the history of the Jewish people), and primordial (that the site of the Temple's holiness was already built into creation.

    As we look at the (dual) biblical view, while examine the stories of David's relationship with Jerusalem and Avraham's Akeida ordeal, difficult and disturbing questions arise about God's demands of humanity. How could God ask Avraham to sacrifice his son? Why was the punishment so harsh after David's census? 

    These stories are meant to disturb - and meant to tell us something about the place that God is going to select. The values of human autonomy and Divine will are intertwined in the Mikdash. Though free will is an important value, we must also remember that  human will is ultimately subordinate to the Divine will.

11. An Unnatural Fault Line: Jerusalem

    The Biblical Significance of the Reunification of Jerusalem

    Rabbi Moshe Shulman

    תאריך 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.

     

12. Ezra & Nehemia Celebrate Jerusalem's Jubilee

    Tanach Study

    Shani Taragin | Hour and 12 minutes

    Through an exploration Sefer Nehemia—textual analysis as well as its context and chronological setting, we can understand the challenges of the time and the religious message it carries with it through Shivat Tzion and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. 

    Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com