God's Love of Israel

Found 6 Search results

  1. 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?

  2. Duplication and Contradiction

    Part 6 - Three Themes Unique to Sefer Devarim

    Rabbi Amnon Bazak

    Devarim has a special nature with its idiosyncratic style and unique ideas. Moshe, in his speeches, treats identical topics found in Devarim and in the other books of the Torah with different emphases utilizing specific themes.  This provides a convincing response to the questions raised by Biblical scholars from de Witte onwards regarding the disparities between Devarim and other books of the Torah.

    The expression "remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt", which occurs five times over the course of Devarim, is a motif that reflects the emphasis in Moshe's speech on the moral dimension of the commandments, in contrast – or in addition – to the religious aspect that is emphasized in the other books of the Torah. Moshe delivers his speeches as the nation is about to cross the Jordan and enter the land, undergoing a great transformation from a nomadic people to a nation living in its own land. For this reason, Moshe regards it as essential to emphasize the social aspect of the commandments, as a fundamental condition to sustain Israel’s presence in the land for the coming generations.

    Moshe's speeches are the only sources in the Torah that treat the relationship between God and Israel from a perspective of love and the reciprocal command for Israel to love God. Only in the Land of Israel can the relationship between God and Israel reach a level that may properly be called "love." For this reason, it is just prior to entry into the land that Moshe permits himself to mention this concept to describe the bond between God and the nation.

    The phenomenon of the sanctity of Israel appears so prominently in Devarim. It would seem that on the eve of the entry into the land, Moshe describes a utopian reality – the ideal situation of Israel. The whole nation was indeed supposed to be imbued with the same sanctity as that of the kohanim, but only if Israel were truly deserving of their status as a holy nation. This question – of whether Israel merit God’s benevolence and designation as a holy nation – is one of the central themes of Moshe's speeches throughout Devarim. On the one hand, he asserts that the people are indeed holy. On the other hand, this vision itself hints strongly that this holiness is not automatic; rather, it is contingent upon observance of the commandments. This idea, too, recurs in Moshe's speeches on the eve of the entry into the land. 

  3. Who's Who in Shir Hashirim

    Dr. Adina Sternberg

    תאריך פרסום: תשעד | |

    We look at some of the background and theories about Shir HaShirim and see how they can be applied in the text. Why is Shir HaShirim part of Tanakh?Most, though not all, opinions among Hazal view Shir HaShirim as allegorical. We seek to understand the pshat and offer varying perspectives about the allegory - many describe the "ra'aya" as representing Israel and the "dod" as representing God, but there is also a view that the "ra'aya" represents God and that the "dod" represents Israel. We explore the symbolism, and powerful message of commitment found in this perspective.

     

  4. Rashi - Part 6 - Rashi and Christianity (I)

    Dr. Avigail Rock

    The comments and midrashim that Rashi brings not because of any interpretative need, nor because of their educational or moral significance, but rather because of their exigency for his generation, a generation living beneath the shield and the sword of the Christian faith are examined.

    Rashi sometimes strays from the peshat of the verses because of the need to contend with Christian claims against the Jews, out of his desire to strengthen the spirit of his nation.

    There is no doubt that Rashi, in his commentary to Shir Ha-shirim, is responding to the First Crusade. Similarly, in his commentaries to a number of psalms and the Book of Yeshayahu, Rashi relates to the cruelty of the Christians, their claims against the nation of Israel, and the punishment that God is destined to bring upon them.

    Also in the Torah itself, we find anti-Christian trends in Rashi's commentary.

  5. A Retrospective

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Conflicting proofs exist as to whether the books of Ezra and Nehemya are one book or two. The preponderance of evidence inclines toward the position that they are a unified work. The differences noted center on Ezra and Nehemya’s distinct leadership styles, one religious and the other political - two contrasting modes of leadership that are crucial in the post prophetic era.

    While similarities to the rest of Tanakh are abound in the books of Shivat Tzion, still, there are significant departures from the rest of Tanakh.

    The omnipresent temptation of idolatry has been overtaken by the allure of intermarriage.

    The post-prophetic period will feature uncharted territory for a Jewish community that had been led by monarchs and prophets for as long as they could remember. As opposed to the prophets’ black-and-white, explicit directives, the Shivat Tzion community must learn to embrace ambiguity.

    The contemporary messages of the works of Shivat Tzion include:

    • There are multiple legitimate models of Jewish leadership.
    • At times leadership demands clinging to core principles, even if at great risk.
    • Redemption, in Shivat Tzion as today, is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Shivat Tzion interweaves idealism and realism. We must celebrate partial victories, even as the work remains dauntingly incomplete.
    • National rituals and shared memory are keys to Jewish survival.
    • Education is the key that unlocks Jewish commitment and continuity.
    • Politics are unpleasant, but are necessary and not inherently evil.
    • No matter the challenges, we remain God’s beloved. 

  6. Rashi

    Part 7 - Rashi and Christianity (II)

    Dr. Avigail Rock

    In the Torah itself, we find the following pro-Israel and anti-Christian trends in Rashi's commentary that appear to be a response to Christianity:

    • The Eternal Selection of Jewish Nation
    • The Jewish Nation as a Moral People
    • The demonization of Esav as a symbol of Christianity
    • The defense of Yaakov and his entitlement to the birthrite and the blessings

    These interpretations of Rashi cannot be seen only as encouraging the Jewish community at a time of persecution; it appears that Rashi’s aim is to teach his generation how to answer theological challenges.