Parable

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1. Yeshayahu 3-4

   Matan Al HaPerek

   Neta Shapira

   In contrast with the universal prophecy which appears in perek 2, perakim 3-4 detail prophecies directly toward only Yehuda and Yerushalayim. The beginning of perek 3 (1-12) describes the unraveling of Yehuda’s leadership, bringing utter chaos and destruction to the kingdom. Following this section, the prophecy laments the moral corruption mentioned in previous chapters 13-15) and then includes another rebuke against the prideful and) haughty (16-25). This pride is not the pride of creativity mentioned in perek 2, but rather pride exhibited by pampered and overindulged .women who devote themselves to shallow pursuits of materialism. The rebuke is accompanied by a description of their fate: harsh destruction which will punish them measure for measure.

2. Tzidkiyahu

   Part 2

   Dr. Tova Ganzel

   Yehezkel continues his criticism of Tzidkiyahu by means of a parable. By relying on the king of Egypt to aid him and rebelling against Nevukhadnetzar, Tzidkiyahu decreed his own death in Babylonia. This violation was a grave breach of trust.  Yehezkel goes further by comparing the violation of the covenant with Nevukhadnetzar to violation of the covenant with God.

   This conclusion to the prophecy indicates that the potential for renewal of the monarchy in Israel rests with Yehoyakhin, who is in exile. This conclusion once again emphasizes the unique status of Yehoyakhin in Sefer Yehezkel; and, indeed, it is Zerubavel – the grandson of Yehoyakhin – who will eventually lead the nation at the start of the Second Temple period.

    

3. The Fate of the Kings of Yehuda

   Dr. Tova Ganzel

   Yehezkel’s prophecy to the kings of Yehuda in this chapter is conveyed through two parables: in the first, the royal family of Yehuda is compared to a family of lions; in the second, to a vine. To understand the significance of the first parable, the prophecy is compared with the historical events to which it refers.

   This second parable does not appear to be directed at any specific king of Yehuda; rather, it marks the end of the monarchy of the kings of Yehuda collectively. This parable is noticeably harsher than the previous one. The outcome in the first parable is the capture of the kings alive, whereas in the second parable nothing remains of the vine at all.

   This prophetic unit is entirely devoid of any mention of God’s Name. The parable does not mention His Name, and – unlike the other parables that Yehezkel uses to convey his messages – no interpretation is supplied at its conclusion. This omission is especially glaring given the many instances in which Yehezkel’s prophecy is attributed to God.

   The description of the fate of the last king of Yehuda, Tzidkiyahu, appears as part of a series of prophecies in Chapter 21 that describe the end of the kingdom of Yehuda. The message it suggests is that the kings of Yehuda have been arrogant; they have not maintained, along with their role as kings, their subjugation to God and His charge. They have not upheld God’s sanctity. In this way they have brought about the Destruction of Jerusalem and of the Temple.

4. He Speaks in Allegories

   Dr. Tova Ganzel

   Throughout the chapters dating to the years prior to the destruction there is a motif of words and terms that relate to women. This image is fully realized with the death of the prophet’s wife, symbolizing the final destruction of the city.

   The detailed description of the unfaithfulness of this woman – Jerusalem – emphasizes the chasm between her humble beginnings, with no lineage and no identity, and the abundance God bestowed upon her and His favors done for her that ultimately end in her betrayal. God’s response is a detailed description of total annihilation.

   Yehezkel compares the deeds of the city of Jerusalem to those of Shomron and Sodom. The sin of Sodom, as depicted here, is that despite the economic stability and strength of its inhabitants, they did not support the poor and needy. Yehezkel attributes only social sins to Sodom in order to emphasize the more grievous sins of Jerusalem, which are described as unfaithfulness.

   Despite the people’s actions in the present, the covenant that God remembers and maintains even in the future is a covenant of youth, and even at the time of their sin, this historical covenant will stand. This is also why the nation is rebuked just as it is being forgiven.

5. As an Ox Licks

   Rabbanit Dr. Michal Tikochinsky

6. Mishlei - Part 1: Introducing Mishlei

   Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen | 33 minutes

   Mishlei is a book of philosophical poetry, relating to the deeper messages of our lives. A proper understanding of its themes - religiosity, wisdom, personal growth, and the relationship among them - can only be understood through a careful literary analysis of the poetry. 

   We begin the first shiur in this series with the very beginning of the book: the first of the set of short poems. We set out to understand how the key themes of wisdom, ethics, and justice are expressed through these poems.

   short ideas that look so easy, so obvious, so accessible, that until you analyze them you don’t realize how much effort is necessary – in order to expend those efforts effectively, one needs to have yirat Hashem at the head of it all.

   What does the first part of Misheli tell us? In the various stages of development, there are different types of wisdom, different aspects of one's personality. Wisdom will touch you on whatever level you have attained and will move you ahead – but only if you are willing to approach it with Yirat Hashem (Fear of God) and humility -not as the chacham (clever one) but as the navon (discerning one).

7. Mishlei - Part 9: Tips for Success

   Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen | 40 minutes

   In our ninth lecture, we will look at the sixth chapter of Mishlei. This chapter is composed of four short poems divided into two halves. They comprise separate units, but there is a basic theme and connection between them. The second poem is similar to the first half in form, but the message seems to be quite different. We must ask what type of message we are supposed to try to glean from these poems? We must return to the beginning to analyze it anew to find a deeper meaning to what seems to be a moral, yet self-defeating rule. Are we dealing with a practical guide to life as a successful person, or are we talking about something completely different: practical guidance on a deeper level - about repentance?

8. Mishlei - Part 10: Wisdom as a Sister

   Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen | 37 minutes

   This tenth part of our series looks at the seventh and half of the eighth chapter of Mishlei. The metaphor of the negative woman comes up again, but in this chapter it is used in new ways. What new ideas are developed in this metaphor, and how do they compare to ideas of wisdom developed in the eighth chapter (the last instance of this metaphor in the entire book of Mishlei)? How do we relate to wisdom being called a “sister”? We will focus our energy more on dealing with the psychology of evil than the psychology of wisdom. People involved in evil doings (who are not really evil at heart) often become psychologically hidden to themselves. They close off their hearts and are unwilling to look honestly at the problematic issues in their lives.