Irony

Found 5 Search results

1. The River and the Redeemer (Audio)

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 12 minutes

   The Torah tells the story of Moshe's infancy in detail, yet skips his formative years and moves straight to his adulthood stories of rescuing others from injustice. This shiur explores the significance of Moshe’s infancy narrative, emphasizing the textual and symbolic connections between Moshe's Israelite birth mother and his Egyptian adoptive mother (Pharaoh's daughter).

2. I am Esau Your Firstborn - And Now, My Son, Listen to My Voice

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 35 minutes

   Rivka is often viewed as the heroine in the story of the blessings: she disguises Yaakov as Esav so that her younger son will receive Yitzchak's blessing. The problematic deception, and the ensuing separation, exile, and suffering point to another perspective in the story. Does Rivka's daring plan exemplify the importance of human initiative alongside Divine Providence, or is it a tragic mistake?

3. Megillat Esther and its Hidden Message

   Rabbi Menachem Leibtag

   The verse that introduces Mordekhai in the Megillah is full of satire and irony. In fact,  the entire Megillah is written with satire and irony. But its inclusion in the Tanakh implies a hidden prophetic message. How does the reader uncover this message?

4. The Theme of the Megilla and its Satire

   Rabbi Menachem Leibtag

   Based on this historic and prophetic setting, one might suspect that the impending destruction of Am Yisrael by Haman may be a Divine punishment for their apathy. After all, the Jews living in the Persian empire appear to have:

   • Preferred Shushan over Yerushalayim;
   • Opted to subjugate themselves to Ahashveyrosh rather than respond to God's call to return to their land;
   • Replaced the Beit HaMikdash with the palace of Ahashveyrosh!

5. Why Satire?

   Rabbi Menachem Leibtag

   The message of Megillat Esther is hidden, but why is the message only hinted at but not explicitly stated by Chazal?