Vows

Found 17 Search results

  1. Divine Command and Human Initiative OR Why Does Matot Begin With the Laws of Women's Vows?

    Prof. Jonathan Grossman

    The sin of Baal Peor, Pinchas’s act, and the commandment to battle Midian – are separated from the actual Midian War by six seemingly unrelated episodes: The census; Zelophehad’s daughters; God’s command that Moshe should go up to Har ha-Avarim; the appointment of Yehoshua; the supplementary (musaf) sacrifices; and the vows of woman and girls. These six episodes can be divided into three pairs, with one common theme: the tension between human initiative and Divine command. The episodes can all be linked to the sin of Baal Peor, and this tension is prevalent in the Midian War as well.

  2. The Character of Chana (part 1)

    Chapter 1

    Rabbi Amnon Bazak

    Hannah's powerful character is at the center of the first story in the Book of Shmuel. Hannah copes with emunah and extraordinary strength of character with extreme difficulties, while forging new paths toward Avodat Hashem.

  3. Vows

    Parashat Matot

    Rabbi Yehuda Rock

    Parashat Matot begins with the laws of vows - nedarim. When can a father or husband nullify a woman's vows? Can they invalidate any vow (vs. 4-13), or only vows that affect her ability to function (14-16)? This lesson will examine the episode relating to vows based on Breuer's Aspects Theory, and analyze the practical implications of each aspect.

  4. Listen

    Shani Taragin |

    The root "Shama" - to hear or listen - is a key word in Numbers 30, where the laws of women's vows are detailed. This is one of the units that interrupts the sequence of the Sin of Pe'or and the war against Midian, when Bnei Yisrael take revenge on the Midianites for enticing them to sin. The sin of prohibited relations leads to the destruction of the family unit, whereas listening and hearing one another - the theme emphasized in this chapter - enable a strengthening of the family unit and home. 

  5. Yiftach's Vow

    Rabbi Michael Hattin

    A close read of the text and a textual link to Akeidat Yitzhak points to the conclusion that the intention of Yiftah's vow was in fact human sacrifice. In the larger context, what this episode corroborates is that Israel and its leaders, in this horrible culmination of the process throughout the era of the Judges have become indistinguishable from the Canaanite. Yiftah, a self-styled leader of Israel and a seeming servant of all that is just and holy, is at the same time a product of the terrible effects of corrosive Canaanite culture that seeks to guarantee victory upon the battlefield by vowing to immolate an innocent human being.

  6. A Fresh Look at Eicha Chapter 5

    Rabbi Chaim Brovender

    תאריך פרסום: תשס"ט | | 52 minutes

    This shiur examines chapter 5 in Megillat Eikha, which seems to differ in both style and content from the rest of the megilla. These differences can be explained through an analysis of the process of categorizing the books of Tanach, and the differences between the books in Nevi'im and Ketuvim. Noticing the differences between the books in each category teaches us about the goals of the books, and sheds light on chapter 5 of Eikha - focusing on the concepts of teshuva, zachor, and what they mean for us today. 

  7. The Harmony of Shemitta

    Rabbi Dr. Avraham Walfish

    How does the seemingly anti-climactic final chapter of Parshat Bechukotai fit into the larger context of Sefer Vayikra? By examining the end of the book we can notice that Chapter 27 concludes the book of Vayikra by weaving together the two main themes of the book: (a) the sanctity derived from the indwelling divine Presence, symbolized and embodied by the Sanctuary, and (b) the sanctity of the Israelite individual and community, embodied in all walks of life, but achieving its chief expression in the way in which Israel realizes the sanctities of space and time.

  8. The Harmony of Shemitta (Audio)

    Rabbi Dr. Avraham Walfish | 13 minutes

    How does the seemingly anti-climactic final chapter of Parshat Bechukotai fit into the larger context of Sefer Vayikra? By examining the end of the book we can notice that Chapter 27 concludes the book of Vayikra by weaving together the two main themes of the book: (a) the sanctity derived from the indwelling divine Presence, symbolized and embodied by the Sanctuary, and (b) the sanctity of the Israelite individual and community, embodied in all walks of life, but achieving its chief expression in the way in which Israel realizes the sanctities of space and time.

  9. The Second Census

    Rabbi Yair Kahn

    The beginning of our parasha contains a rare scriptural phenomenon known as a "pesik be-emtza pasuk" – a break in the middle of a verse.  In the Torah scroll, there is a space between the beginning of verse 26:1, "When the plague was over," and the continuation of the pasuk, "Hashem said to Moshe and to Elazar son of Aharon the Kohen."

    This abrupt break itself demands an explanation, but the difficulty is compounded when we take a closer look at the context of this verse, that seemingly digresses from the general theme of the war with Midian. Suddenly, we find a thematic digression as the Torah introduces the recounting of Bnei Yisrael, the incident of the daughters of Tzelofchad, and the appointment of Yehoshua. This is followed by two halakhic sections, a lengthy description of communal sacrifices and a brief section dealing with personal vows. Finally, the Torah returns to the campaign against Midian and repeats the command to attack. Why is the command to attack Midian repeated? What is the meaning of this digression? Why was it necessary for the Torah to insert this entire section into such an inappropriate location? What is the connection between these sections to Sefer Bamidbar, and with the war against Midian?

  10. Parshat Mattot - War Ethics

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 37 minutes

    Parashat Mattot presents us with considerable challenges. Much of it is very technical in nature, and seems to contain three distinct, seemingly disconnected chapters: Chapter 30 discusses laws of vows, chapter 31 deals with the war against the Midianites and the spoils from the war, and chapter 32 narrates the request and plan for the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and Menashe to act as shock-troops and then settle land on the eastern side of the Jordan.

    Our focus in this shiur is the equal division of the spoils of war, which ultimately connect the three chapters of this parasha. Why does Judaism devote so much energy to this topic? Why do we need organized legal arrangements about the spoils of vanquished enemies? We explore ethical, tactical, and theological approaches to this question.

  11. A Leader’s Vow

    Rabbi Ben-Tzion Spitz

  12. After the Foxhole

    Rabbi Ben-Tzion Spitz

  13. What's Wrong with Taking Spoils?

    Rabbi Alex Israel

  14. POLITICIANS – KEEP YOUR PROMISES

    Rabbi Dr. Yehuda Brandes

  15. The Religious Experience

    Rabbanit Dr. Michal Tikochinsky

  16. Rav Hirsch on Vows

    Rabbi David Silverberg

  17. When you make a vow

    Rabbanit Dr. Michal Tikochinsky