Rabbi Alex Israel

נמצאו 161 תוצאות חיפוש

1. God's Power

   Rabbi Alex Israel | 35 דקות

   This parasha seems to starts out with a grand statement but then fizzles out, pausing to list geneology, and then repeats Moshe's worry about his speech impediment. Upon closer examination, we see that the parasha's chiastic structure emphasizes the transformation of Moshe's mission from a political role to that of “emissary of God” (Sheliach Hashem).

2. The Case of the Eshet Yefat Toar

   Rabbi Alex Israel

   תאריך פרסום: September 2011 (5771) | | 30 דקות

   This class deals with the troubling case of the “Eishet Yefat To’ar”—the beautiful woman from battle. We explore and analyze the differing approaches of Rashi, Ramban, and the Rambam to better grapple with apparent issues of morality and ethics of war and society.

3. Noah in the Garden of Eden

   Rabbi Alex Israel | 38 דקות

   Parashat Noah is famous for the flood story, but this shiur focuses on the final story of Noah: the strange story of his drunkenness. Why did Noah deliberately plant a vineyard? Comparing this story with other stories bearing similar thematic and linguistic elements, such as the Garden of Eden, allows us to gain insight into Noah’s state of mind and character. 

4. Wanderings

   Rabbi Alex Israel | 43 דקות

   When Avraham arrives in the Land of Canaan, despite the promise of a land for him and his descendants, he does not seem to settle down. In the world as it was then, Avraham could not find a home. But his wandering serves another purpose, too: publicizing the name of God.

5. Avraham and the Command of the Akeida

   Rabbi Alex Israel | 33 דקות

   The Story of Akeidat Yitzhak (The Binding of Isaac) has been a troubling one for many. This shiur examines various approaches to the significance, challenge, and purpose of the command given to Avraham, comparing and contrasting this challenge with other ones Avraham faces. Avraham’s character and approach to Divine service and morality is brought into sharper focus.

6. The Legacy of Sarah

   Rabbi Alex Israel | 35 דקות

   Parashat Hayyei Sarah is comprised of three main stories: purchasing the cave, finding a wife for Isaac, and Abraham’s third marriage. Why is the Machpela purchase so lengthy? This shiur examines parshanut, literary and philosophic approaches. It emerges that this episode allows Abraham to establish roots, further ensuring that Isaac continues the legacy and values of Sarah.

7. The Tenacity of Yitzhak

   Rabbi Alex Israel | 38 דקות

   Compared to the other forefathers, Yitzchak often seems to be presented as passive. Some say that his lack of originality is crucial for the successful continuity of Abraham’s legacy. But is it really fitting for a forefather to have no real distinctive characteristic of his own? Does this approach give enough credit to Yitzchak? This shiur develops another perspective, one which illuminates Yitzchak’s unique contribution.

8. Angels and Ladders

   Rabbi Alex Israel | 38 דקות

   When Yaakov embarks on his journey of exile to escape Esav’s wrath, he falls asleep and dreams of angels and a ladder, followed by God’s revelation to him. Yaakov immediately realizes that the dream and the location are significant, but do we? This shiur uses traditional parshanut and knowledge of the Ancient Near East to analyze the significance of the angels in Yaakov’s dream.

9. Yaakov Struggles

   Rabbi Alex Israel | 37 דקות

   Traditional explanations of Yaakov’s preparation for his meeting with Esav shows that Yaakov, who is terrified, is anticipating war. The subsequent meeting, however, is brotherly, even joyous, with no indication of obvious hostility. If Esav is so loving, why is Yaakov afraid? And what is the meaning of the mysterious fight in the night, which has semantic echoes in Yaakov’s daytime words to Esav? There seems to be evidence of a character transformation—but of whom?

10. Educating Joseph

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 38 דקות

    Bereisheet contains many stories illustrating dynamic character transformations, demonstrating that people can overcome natural tendencies to improve. What does the story of Potiphar’s wife (from the following parsha) contribute to this end? Remarkable self-restraint is evident, but how is the story relevant to Yosef’s problems with his brothers, or to his management ability? Why is his success followed by further punishment and exile? There is another key aspect to the story.

11. Family Healing

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 38 דקות

    Yosef acts like a hostile stranger when his brothers come to Egypt. Even if one could understand his behavior toward his brothers, he must know that his charade causes pain for Yaakov. How could he do this to his father, and why does Yosef frame Binyamin? Ultimately, the story touches upon mistakes of long ago and offers a chance for renewal and atonement.

12. Joseph's Economics

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 36 דקות

    This shiur focuses on the economic policy of Yosef in managing the grain in Egypt during the seven years of famine. The plain text is troubling: Is Yosef manipulating and buying people? Two approaches to the parsha are analyzed: Yosef saves the country while maximizing human dignity - or he has a flawed approach, from which we can learn a different type of lesson.

13. Not Egypt!

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 35 דקות

    Yaakov is on his deathbed, and he wishes to give his final instructions for his burial. Why does he repeat his instructions, and why is the first set given to Yosef, without the other brothers present? Why does Yaakov act so deferential, and yet insists on Yosef swearing an oath to fulfill his wishes? The two sets of instructions serve two different important purposes: political expediency and transmission of identity and legacy.

14. What is Redemption?

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 41 דקות

    This shiur looks at Ramban’s introduction to Sefer Shemot, which allows us to begin to look at Sefer Shemot with a bird’s eye view of the whole book. A macro- look at the themes throughout the book makes the Sefer make more sense, as we see that the story of Sefer Shemot—the Book of Exile and Redemption-- is the development of a relationship with God, the Jewish raison d’etre.  

15. The Speed of Redemption

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 41 דקות

    Central to Parashat Bo are the the unique Pesach Mitzrayim rituals, such as painting doorposts with lamb’s blood, carried out during the night of the Plague of the Firstborn. What is the purpose of Pesach Mitzrayim? After exploring the respective commentaries of Rambam and Rashi on the meaning and symbolism behind the rituals, we arrive at a message about the need to invest ourselves in the redemption process

16. Slave Mentality

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 41 דקות

    This parasha is very exciting –there is a building crescendo leading up to the miraculous splitting of the sea. But then Bnei Yisrael complain after a lack of food and water. Is God really leading the nation and providing for Bnei Yisrael? By examining literary structure and themes, and with the help of other texts, we will look at the educational message underlying the parasha.

17. The Closing Mitzvot

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 39 דקות

    Although many shiurim on Yitro focus on the Ten Dibrot, this shiur diverges and focuses on the maftir-- the last few pesukim of the parasha, beginning with “You yourselves have seen that I have spoken with you from the Heavens.” What is the significance of the set of laws in the pesukim that follow?

18. Of Judges and God

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 33 דקות

    After the dramatic Revelation with the Ten Dibrot on Har Sinai, we now move on to the practical examples of the “headlines” heard at Har Sinai. This shiur focuses on the rule about not cursing leaders ("Elohim" used along with "nasi"). Why is there a law specifically saying not to curse leaders (or God), and why is the term "Elohim" used here? We look at some different perspectives, aided by an examination of the appearance of “Elohim” meaning “leaders” or "judges" in different biblical contexts.

19. Meeting God

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 34 דקות

    In Parashat Teruma, we move to the world of the mishkan, from where, apparently, God “dwells amongst Bnei Yisrael”. These concepts can be difficult to comprehend, as is the long and detailed account of the building materials and process, and the differences of opinion by later commentaries about the placement of the Aron (Ark). Is God in the details? What is this for? We seek to understand the spiritual principles which guide the construction of the mishkan.

20. Bigdei Kehuna

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 39 דקות

    Our parasha describes the garments of the Kohen Gadol in great detail. What is the purpose for these beautiful clothes? Is it to increase honour for the position in the eyes of the people? Is there deeper significance? Looking at the various items involved, we explore the symbolism of these garments and their connection to memory and the Divine encounter.

21. The Mystery of the Acacia Tree

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 36 דקות

    This shiur focuses on the “Atzei Shittim” (acacia trees) brought for the mishkan. What are these trees, and how and where do Bnei Yisrael obtain them? We analyze several (mainly) midrashic approaches.

22. Dedicating the Mishkan

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 36 דקות

    Pekudei is the finale of Sefer Shemot, and the previous parshiyyot dealing with the mishkan arrive at a crescendo in our parasha, which describes the setting up of the mishkan. Comparing this story of “Hakamat Ha-Mishkan”—the dedication of the Mishkan with the other accounts in Vayikra and Bemidbar, we appreciate the unique nature of the one here in Sefer Shemot. 

23. Explaining Korbanot

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 38 דקות

    The Book of Vayikra is not generally easy to learn. Korbanot (offerings), a concept which often seems foreign to the modern reader, feature prominently. What is the purpose of korbanot? We examine different approaches to help us in our goal of reframing korbanot and bringing them to life to restore their relevance.

24. Alien Fire and Religious Passion

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 32 דקות

    Shemini includes the sudden death by fire of the sons of Aharon, as they bring the “strange fire”. What did they do wrong? While looking at related texts, we explore several different approaches to what happened, why they died, and the difficult messages that emerge.

25. The Living Dead

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 35 דקות

    In this shiur, we look at Parshiyyot Tazriya and Metzora in the wider context of the world of tum’a and tahara – purity and impurity. We explore some philosophical ideas behind the laws and rituals of tum’a and tahara (such as found in the Kuzari and in Rav Soloveichik’s Halakhic Man) to enable us to appreciate the meaning behind these abstract concepts.

26. Social Responsibility

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 37 דקות

    In this shiur, we probe the causes of tzaraat by looking at the structure of the parasha and by looking at other instance of tzaraat in Tanakh. In Biblical and midrashic literature, tzaraat seems to be related to problematic personality traits—social ills – which needs to be treated in a way that is connected to the goal of being rehabilitated into normal social interaction and involvement.

27. Rebuke

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 38 דקות

    This parasha has a symmetrical- perhaps chiastic – structure. It is framed by pesukim that emphasize the separation from foreign nations and forbidden relationships and practices. This shiur looks at how the structure highlights and interacts with the content of the parasha, and looks at the meaning of the mitzvah of tokheha- rebuke- which is also highlighted by a “frame” of “Ani Hashem”.

28. Kiddush Hashem

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 36 דקות

    In this parasha, which can often come out around the date of Yom Ha-Shoah, there is a source for Kiddush Hashem. This shiur focuses on this mitzvah and looks at some different parshanut approaches to what “Kiddush Ha-Shem” entails.

29. Shemitta: Three Aspects in the Torah

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 34 דקות

    This shiur takes a comparative look at the various descriptions of the Shemitta year in the Torah. We look at the different aspects of the mitzvoth as they appear in Shemot, Vayikra and Devarim.

30. The Amorality of Amalek

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 39 דקות

    Amalek is presented as an archetypal enemy, but what, precisely, is so objectionable about this nation? We look at how Amalek is described in the Torah, and in selected examples from Neviim Rishonim. We also examine the concept of “yirat Elokim”—fear of God as it pertains to our topic.

31. Moshe's Face

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 45 דקות

    Moshe ascends higher than any other prophet so much so that he needs to veil the radiance of his face after his Divine encounters. But it is scary to imagine a political leader being masked. Can the role of the prophetic, “superhuman” teacher be balanced with that of a very human leader, one who must bear with the flaws and foibles of his people?

32. Shabbat Ha-Gadol, Malachi, and Eliyahu Ha-Navi

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 40 דקות

    What does the haftara for Shabbat Ha-Gadol have to do with Pesach? This shiur seeks to explain why this haftara was chosen for Shabbat ha-Gadol. We begin by looking at the third chapter of Malachi. While considering various possible reasons for the choice of this haftara, we look to the character and story of Eliyahu ha-Navi for a clue.

33. Israel as Eden

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 35 דקות

    How do we relate to the content of the “Tohekha”? How do the blessings and curses relate to one another? Aided by various commentators, we look at different possibilities. Some comments by Rashi and Ramban lead us to think about a symbolic ideal of life in the Land of Israel as a reflection of the Garden of Eden, and we can then see the Tohekha in our parsha as part of a larger structure of messages in Vayikra.

34. The Camp of Israel

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 35 דקות

    In this introduction to Sefer Bemidbar, which starts with a census, we look at the idea of counting and examine Rashi’s comments here and elsewhere about the census being part of God’s love for Bnei Yisrael. Other commentators further enhance and expand our perspectives on the Divine census and the encampment of Bnei Yisrael in the desert.

35. The Unity of Parashat Naso

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 37 דקות

    Naso is a long parasha, with various topics strung together (such as Gezel ha-Ger; Sotah, Nazir, and Birkat Kohanim). This shiur maps out the content and then seeks to explain the juxtaposition of the topics in this parsha which ultimately form a coherent whole. 

36. Meat vs. Spirit

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 40 דקות

    Chapter 11 in Bemidbar relays the story of Kivrot ha-taava. How many stories are in the chapter? Three main questions are explored: Why does the structure of this parsha mix together two stories? Why is Moshe in such a crisis? And what is the significance of the story of the 70 Elders at this juncture?  

37. Korach and the Power of Democracy

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 39 דקות

    One troubling aspect of Parshat Korah is that the rebellion never dies down. That seems to be because there are real issues here - Moshe and Aharon seem to have all the closeness to God, and the people do not share in the leadership or decision-making. So what was the problem with Korach? Is it possible for non-Leviim to attain holiness? The example of Shmuel ha-Navi provides a key.

38. The Next Generation

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 31 דקות

    This parasha has some very interesting components, beginning with the Para Aduma and continuing with narratives of wars and complaints; sins and punishments; symbols and miracles; high points and low points. This parsha highlights the stark contrast between the generation coming out of Egypt and the generation about to enter the land—the generation that is growing out of their current leaders.

39. Struggle for the Throne

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Two approaches exist to the story of the contention over David's throne. One approach describes a political struggle with rivalries and palace intrigue, ultimately being resolved the moment the king has designated his heir. Even if another powerful candidate exists, there is an absolute transfer of power.

    A second, more spiritual approach, subtly takes the reader back to the sin of David and Bat Sheva. David's withdrawal from public life in the aftermath of the sin has created a situation in which he has not designated a successor. The ultimate choice of Shlomo - Bat Sheva's son - as the heir to the throne sends a clear message that David has paid for his various sins.  Shlomo ascends the throne clear of past complications; there is no residual stain on his monarchy.  

     

40. Generating Stability

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The first half of chapter 2 articulates David's final will and testament to Shlomo, and the second describes how Shlomo acts to secure his position as king.

    While David stresses the importance of keeping the Torah, the bulk of David's message relates to potential threats to Shlomo's ability to govern. David knows that once he has left the scene, political forces will be unleashed, factions that have remained concealed due to David's presence and authority. Interest groups will move quickly to maneuver or even unseat the young, fledgling king and Shlomo proves to know how to respond with wisdom.

41. Between War and Peace

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Yoav's murders of Avner and Amassa exhibit the simple act of dishonor to the king, and also jeopardize the prospect of national peace and unity. Yoav's bloody ways characterize the reign of David but are not appropriate for the peaceful reign of Shlomo.

    Shimi Ben Gera's venture to "Akhish ben Ma'akha, King of Gat" may be hinting that this is a venture of political maneuvering on Shimi's part, an appointment with a rival king and not a simple return of slaves. 

    The description in Divrei HaYamim of the transition between David and Shlomo is formal, regal, ceremonial, public, and sedate in contrast to the description in Melakhim. 

42. Shlomo's Spiritual Aspirations

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Shlomo's public spectacle in Givon is essentially his announcement of his initiative to transfer the altar to Jerusalem and eventually build the Mikdash there. He  offers sacrifices on the central altar at Givon, but then immediately travels to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices there.
    Shlomo's request for wisdom is followed by the famous case of his judgement. The story has two powerful messages: random people had access to the highest authority in the land and Shlomo sought to apply justice to the entire nation, and not simply to the upper classes.

43. Building an Empire

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Shlomo's government, free of military conflict, can turn itself towards a different set of priorities; it is primarily engaged in the Temple and affairs of State. Shlomo's reign includes colossal efforts on several fronts to change the kingdom into an empire: The creation of military cities for the maintenance of a large standing army, the creation of the port city in modern-day Eilat, the development of Jerusalem as a center of world knowledge, and all of these efforts for the purpose of exalting God's name in the world.  One of these endeavours is the demarcation of twelve administrative regions. Does this division to regions overtax the tribes of Yosef while exempting the tribe of Yehuda?

44. The Beit HaMikdash

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The Mikdash is much larger than the Mishkan and is filled with a disproportionate number of vessels in comparison to the Mishkan. The dating of the commencement of the building of the Mikdash to Yetziat Mitzrayim defines the Mikdash as the pinnacle of the redemption of Egypt. The Cherubs and the windows have a unique role in the Mikdash. The different systems for counting the months of the year are evaluated.

45. Majestic Buildings

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The description the building of Shlomo's palace - The House of the Lebanon Forest - interrupting the detailed description of the  of the building of the Mikdash, raises troubling questions as to the relationship between the Mikdash and the palace. The bulk of chapter 7 deals with the elaborate metalwork of the Mikdash - the two pillars, the Yam, the Mekhonot and the Kiyorim. Many of these vessels seem to include imagery which reminds us of the Merkava imagery. When Ahaz king of Yehuda later rebels against God and adopts an Assyrian deity, he rids the Mikdash of the vessels with the Merkava imagery. 

46. The Dedication of the Mikdash

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The Dedication of the Mikdash, the dedication of the Mishkan and Matan Torah at Sinai, the three foundational national events of collective revelation are linked together. This chapter raise several issues rearding the Mikdash:

    • The Mikdash as a place of prayer and a  conduit for all prayer, from near or far 
    • Is the Mikdash a place for God or a place for man?
    • The place of the non-Jew in the Mikdash

    The dedication concludes with God's promise that his sanctity dwelling in the Mikdash is conditional on keeping the Mitzvot. 

47. Shlomo’s Sins

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Three broad approaches exist to explain the jarring discrepancy between the love and dedication that Shlomo displayed towards God and His Mikdash and his love towards foreign women that led to idolatry.

    1) The approach adopted by the majority of traditional commentaries posits that Shlomo himself did not partake in idol worship but facilitated his wives’ idolatry and it is therefore attributed to him.

    2) A careful read of chapters 9 and 10 points to a wide range of failures, a sense of spiritual disorientation identified by Shlomo's overconfident abrogation of the Torah's restrictions for a king.  All these lead in a direct line to the more serious offenses of chapter 11. 

    3) Shlomo's marriage to Pharaoh's daughter at the very outset of his reign is a competing love to his love for God as is subtly described in the text and more explicitly described in the Midrash. Shlomo is caught ideologically between competing worlds.  Bat Pharaoh represents Egypt, the power and trade, the skills and crafts, wealth and international control that appeal to Shlomo's imperial mind.  These come along with a religious worldview that is polytheistic and pagan.  On the other side is the Torah, the Mikdash, the path of David Ha-Melekh.  Shlomo is committed to both.  He seeks to balance the two, but he fails.

     

48. Shlomo's Punishment

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Are Shlomo's three adversaries a threat only at the end of his reign after he has sinned, or  are they not so much existential threats in Shlomo's era, as the product of current dissent which becomes the seeds of future destruction?

    Shlomo's punishment is mitigated because of David. Why is Shlomo's fate different than Shaul's? What merit does David have that makes God swear to him that his sons after him can be punished but cannot lose the kingdom? 

49. The Rebellion of Yerovam

    Part 1

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Yerovam was a man who demonstrated impressive management and leadership skills.  His outstanding reputation led him to a high office when Shlomo appointed him as head of the administrative region of Yosef. However, at the point that Milo is built, Yerovam decided to confront Shlomo.  Ahiya HaShiloni's traumatic prophecy, involving the tearing of a new garment, may have come to Yerovam as a result of his confrontation with Shlomo or it might have been the catalyst that caused him to rebel.  

50. The Rebellion of Yerovam - New Kingdom, New Religion

    Part 2

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Shekhem is a city that has hosted mass events in the past and a city with historic significance in general. The challenge that Rehavam meets from the Northern tribes reawakens old tribal conflicts that expressed themselves in David and Shaul's reigns. Rehavam takes the advice of the younger less mature advisors who grew up with him in the luxury of Shlomo's palace.   Yerovam begins to fail as a leader when he sets up an alternative religion to the worship of God in the Mikdash in Jerusalem by setting up shrines in Beit El and Dan - two cities with a long history of religious significance. There he places golden calves reminiscent of Aharon's golden calf in the desert. Additionally, as per his democratic nature that fueled his rebellion against Shlomo, he appoints Kohanim from all of the people and establishes a new date for Sukkot. 

51. The Altar, the Prophet, and the Lion

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The Ish Haelokim's refusal to eat on his mission against Yerovam and the new form of worship in Beit El stems from God's command which proves the chastity of the prophet. He is not a paid prophet, but loyal to God, Nonetheless, when he disobeys God's word he dies at the hand of the lion. This is symbolic of the confusion surrounding Yerovam. On the one hand he is ordained by God in Ahiya's prophecy. On the other hand he is disobeying God in the new system of worship that he set up. He is given an opportunity to repent but rejects it. 

    Are the Golden Calves of Yerovam considered Idol Worship or an alternative but prohibited worship of God?

52. Yerovam’s Demise

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Both Yerovam and Shaul turn to the prophet that appointed them at their time of need. In both cases, the navi who appoints the king announces their rejection. Yerovam sends his wife to ask about their son, but why must she be disguised? Ahiya, prophecy is damning both for Yerovam - in a harsh and grotesque language - and for the entire nation. However, the parable and language that Ahiya uses for the punishement of the nation mitigates his message and gives hope. 

53. An Interim "Introduction" to Sefer Melakhim

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    From chapter 14 and onwards, we read brief accounts of kings that are formal and contain standardized language. The focus of the book of Melakhim is to be on the Mikdash.  The book begins with the rise of Shlomo and the building of the Mikdash, and it ends with its destruction.  The blame is also clear.  This is a book that targets the leaders, and hence it assesses the leadership – king by king - to discern which national figures accelerated the path to that great calamity of destruction and which tried to reverse or stem that process, steering the nation on a path of repentance.  Every king is listed and surveyed in order to understand their part.  Hence, no link in the chain from building to destruction may be omitted. It knows precisely where to place the blame, which area of deviance constitutes the core of the problem. Our book is focused and locked-in upon idolatry and its associated practices.

54. Rehavam: Three Sources - Three Perspectives

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The description of Rehavam in Melakhim focuses on the sin of idolatry and on the Mikdash in Jerusalem. In Divrei Hayamim the focus is on the sin of pride and has a broader regional focus. Archaeological evidence testifies that Shishak attacked Yerovam in the North. This is not mentioned in either of the bibical accounts. What is the relationship between the various accounts and what is the relationship between the biblkical account and history?

55. Aviya, Assa, and Ba'sha – Civil War

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Sharp discrepancies between the account of Aviyam in Melakhim and in Divrei Hayamim lead to the conclusion that Aviya served God while concurrently tolerating other religious phenomena - an anathema to the worldview of Melakhim: zero tolerance for idolatry and hence absolute condemnation of Aviya. Assa, the next king, removes idolatry from Yehuda and reestablishes the covenant with God. However, when he perceives a military threat from the Northern Kingdom he turns to Aram for help and not to God. 

56. Turbulence in the Northern Kingdom

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Our chapter depicts the instability of the Northern kingdom. Each house of royalty is brought to an abrupt end by bloody assassinations, as opportunists seize the throne time after time. If God approved of Basha’s act of deposing the royal House of Yerovam, then why is Basha condemned later for the self same act?  Was it divinely ordained and approved or was it an act of evil? Does the fact that this result was decreed by God free Basha from responsibility? The choice of Shomron as the capital by Omri puts the capital on the main trade route from north to south.

57. Ahav: An Introduction

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Following his father's legacy of alliance with Phoenicia, Ahav marries Izevel and together they transform the worship of Ba'al and Ashera into the national religion. The Canaanit culture and religion are attractive for many reasons. The rebuilding of Jericho signifies the spiritual low the nation has reached. But if Ahav is the most serious sinner thus far amongst the Israelite kings, why is his kingdom flourishing?

58. Three Years of Drought; Three Miracles

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Is God commanding Eliyahu his loyal servant - to decree a drought, or is Eliyahu - more zealous than God himself - issuing a decree that God agrees to?  As each year of drought passes, each scene describes an intensification of the famine alongside a miracle involving Eliyahu. If Eliyahu has decreed a famine in his zeal for God, the progression in the chapter expresses God's desire for Eliyahu to express some compassion and to rescind the decree. If Eliyahu was operating on God's command, the progression describes the development of Eliyahu as a prophet during the famine period. 

59. The Test at Mount Carmel

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Before the showdown at Mt. Carmel there is a lengthy description of Eliyahu's meeting with Ovadya. Ovadia personifies the dilemma of the nation and foreshadows the outcome of the showdown.  Just like the nation feels that it has two masters - God and Ba'al - so too Ovadya is Ahav's closest minister, but he is also God fearing.  Eliyahu forces Ovadya to make a choice.

    At Mount Carmel, Eliyahu seeks to broadcast a message to the entire nation and to activate them. Mount Carmel is chosen as the location for the test between Eliyau and the prophets of the Ba'al as it was a revered site for the worshippers of the Ba'al and because it overlooks the Ba'al culture of Phoenicia to the North and the Kingdom of Israel to the South. The killing of the prophets of Ba'al after Eliyahu's victory raises questions as to Ahav's allegiances in the aftermath of the showdown.

60. Eliyahu Prays for Rain

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    What does this episode of Eliyahu's prayer for rain add to the wider story? The storyline before and after Eliyahu's prayer appears to be stalled at the same point: Eliyahu encouraging Achav to proceed to Yizra'el hastily because the rain is on its way.  Classic commentators suggest that an immediate rain was necessary to impress Ahav or to make the clear connection between the sin of idolatry and the drought. However, there might be an additional lesson for Eliyahu himself. Though he decreed the drought, ultimately it is by God's word that the rain will come or go.

61. Prophet in Distress

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Eliyahu had orchestrated a three-year drought that had brought the nation to its knees. This had culminated in the decisive religious contest at Mt. Carmel that had exposed the falsity of the Baal, bringing king and country to proclaim faith in God alone. It had been an excruciating process, with Eliyahu living in exile for three years. Indeed, he had succeeding in turning the king around. But now the entire project, this huge educational endeavor, lay shattered, in ruins. It was not Izevel's death threat alone. Izevel's confidence highlighted the understanding that she was in control, and that the transformation of national priorities would be a more arduous, complex, and protracted process. All of this leads to Eliyahu's feeling of dejection and his rejection of his role as a prophet. Unlike Moshe, he is unable to be zealous towards the sinner but to invoke God's mercy on the nation as a whole. 

62. A Test of Faith

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Despite Eliyahu's response to the events in the aftermath of the showdown on Mt. Carmel, the evidence of the next few chapters would seem to show that the prophets of Ba’al do not return. Instead, prophets of God - many of them false prophets - have a fixed presence in the royal court which attests to the success of Eiyahu. When Aram lays seige on Shomron, Ahav is prepared to be a vassal state, but refuses a complete capitulation. Whether it is national pride that drives Achav, according to the Pshat, or a religious pride in protecting the Sefer Torah, according to the Midrash, God comes to Ahav's aid and sends him the tools for a miraculous victory.

63. Spoils of War

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    In Ahav's second battle with Aram, God yet again intervenes in a miraculous manner as per the prophet's prediction. Ahav has Ben Haddad cornered, but spares his life for which he is harshly criticized by the prophet and is told that he has forfeited his life. What motivated Ahav's behavior? Was it class solidarity as was Shaul's behavior towards Agag? Was Ahav leveraging his military advantage to accrue huge political, military or financial benefits for the nation at large?  A comparison to the story of Yehoshu'a conquest of Jericho implies that Ahav's motives may not matter. The victory was not his but God's and he had no mandate to sell away any part of the victory for any price.

64. A Perfect Murder: Navot's Vineyard

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Though it is completely clear from the beginning of the storyline that Ahav is legally powerless to commandeer Navot's vineyard - a significant statement regarding the autonomy of the common citizen in ancient Israel - the outcome after Izevel's ruthless plan displays the helplessness and vulnerability of the simple Jewish farmer. While the story describes Ahav as passive and ignorant of Izevel's plan and Izevel as the mastermind, Eliyahu makes it clear that Ahav is fully implicated in the murder. Ahav succeeds in taking Navot's ethical stand and grotesquely twisting it into an egotistical gesture of greed and as king he cannot absolve himself by claiming ignorance, all the more so when the pointers were rather obvious.

65. Confrontation, Punishment, Submission

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    There are two dimensions to Ahav's demise. On a personal level, Ahav is worse than all of his predecessors. However, the House of Omri, Ahav's royal lineage, is just another chapter in the dismal succession of kings of the Northern kingdom. 

    One might argue that the most severe of Ahav's crimes was idolatry, a sin on a national scale, whereas the murder of Navot was a personal crime, which didn't affect the national temper and did not influence wider ethical norms in ancient Israel. The Rambam insists, however, that murder is at the top of the pyramid, as it causes “the destruction of civilization,” the disintegration of society, undermining its cohesion and trust.

    On this backdrop, Ahav's sudden teshuva is disconcerting, arousing a sense of astonishment. Can one make amends so easily? Both in the subsequent texts and in the Midrash the degree and depth of Ahav's teshuva remains an open topic.

     

66. Ahav's Final Battle

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    While the 400 prophets in the narrative are not prophets of Ba'al, but speak in the name of God, they are nonetheless false prophets. The method in which God reveals himself to prophets, other than Moshe, does not allow two prophets to prophecy in the same words. At the request of Yehoshafat, the king of Yehuda who enthusiastically embraces unity with the Northern kingdom, a solitary true prophet is brought. He brings a message of Ahav's demise and for this he is punished. Despite his disguise, Ahav is mortally wounded in battle, but remains in the battleground, sacrificing his life, in order to give moral support to his soldiers. 

    Ahav is a wavering personality who lacks a solid backbone and is easily influenced. He can be swayed towards Ba'al and can be shocked to veer closer to God worship. It is this lack of personal resilience and consistency that leaves him so susceptible to wide alterations in his religious orientation. The damage that he inflicted upon both the nation and the unfortunate individuals who met their death as a result of his actions means that he is one of the worst kings in the history of the Northern kingdom.

     

67. Yehoshafat, King of Yehuda

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The brief description of Yehoshafat in Kings I indicates  that his perios was one of enormous prosperity and extensive political hegemony over the region. In Divrei Hayamim, his reign is described in luxurious detail, spanning four extensive chapters. Yehoshafat is determined to actively pursue national unity with the Northern kingdom and the House of Ahav despite prophetic criticism. The results of this questionable policy included one failed military campaign and a broken fleet of ships. Yehoshafat began his monarchy with a passion for spreading Torah, and later , upon receiving the criticism of the prophet he decides to rehabilitate the legal system.

    As a king, Yehoshafat is superior even to Shlomo in his positive and responsive interactions with the prophet and in the fact that, despite his association with Ahav, he is insusceptible to idolatry.  In the landscape of Sefer Melakhim, Yehoshafat stands as one of the greatest and most impressive kings of Yehuda.

68. “All the King's Men” - Ahazya's Messengers

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    By sending messengers to Ba'al Zevuv, the god Ekron, Ahazya has outdown his father. Turning to the surrounding nations is a desecration of God's name. Eliyahu turns Ahazya first messengers to Ekron into his messengers with God's message of Ahazya's death. Ahazya sends a captain with a company of fifty men with the intention of killing Eliyahu and nullifying his message. The first and second companies of soldiers are consumed by a fire from heaven. The actions of the third captain signify an absolute surrender of royal power to God's power. 

69. In a Whirlwind

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Eliyahu's dramatic ascent to the heavens highlights Elisha as opposed to the other Bnei Ha'Nevi'im. Elisha is also Eliyahu's succesor, but also operates in a completely different manner. Elisha, is always surrounded by other people and is deeply sensitive to the needs of others. Eliyahu is a lone spiritual figure. 

70. Healing, Death and Immortality

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Elisha heals the water of Jericho after crossing the Jordan, reminscent of the healing of the waters of Mara after the splitting of the Red Sea. Elisha's first act - healing the water - sharply contrasts Eliyahu's first act of decreeing a draught. Elisha's harsh reaction to the youth who taunted him reflects the message that was said to Elisha regarding his master Eliyahu. The question of Eliyahu's immortatlity is evaluated within the corpus of Tanakh and in the sources of the Sages.  

71. The War Against Moav

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Ambivalence pervades this chapter. On the one hand, the united forces of Israel find themselves in the desert without water, an error interpreted as a sign of God's disfavor. On the other hand, water is provided miraculously. Israel receives a prophecy from Elisha that it will deal a crushing blow to Moav; ultimately Israel withdraws, resulting in an inconclusive end to the battle. Israel is commanded in the Torah not to be destructive to the land on a military conquest but here Elisha commands them to destroy. Is it possible that Meisha's human sacrifice turns the tide of the war or is he successful in destroying the alliance between Edom and Israel by killing Edom's heir to the throne? Is God with Israel or is He not? This chapter ends with many questions remaining.

72. Elisha – Prophet of Miracles

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Elisha is constantly performing miracles. His miracles span from practical assistance to individuals or small groups, to operating at the national level, alongside kings and armies. The miracle with the widow and the oil - whose children are on the verge of being sold into slavery - is reminiscent of and sharply contrasted to Eliyahu's miracle with the widow in Zarfat. Eliyahu and Elisha may differ in educational philosophy: What is the more effective educational method: the stick or the carrot, confrontation or encouragement? The difference between the two might be a function of the times in which they live and serve. In Eliyahu's period, under the reign of Ahav, Israel enjoy economic prosperity, wielding international power. Elisha's era, in contrast, is characterized by Aram's devastating oppression of the Northern kingdom. When the nation is under siege, what is required is support, inspiration and encouragement.

73. Elisha and the Shunammite Woman

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Many similarities exist between the infertility, ultimate birth and near death experience of Yitzhak and the son of the Shunamite woman. Is the death of the son a criticism of the mother who failed to raise this miracle child in a worthy fashion or is it a criticism of Elisha who overstepped his limitations as a prophet? Geihazi's repeated failures in the story might attest to his flawed personality. However, perhaps his failure is meant to teach Elisha that his success as a prophet depends on a direct, non-bureaucratic contact with the common people.

74. Curing Na’aman

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The themes of the story of Naaman are: power and subservience, pride and humility, authority and submission. Ironically it is from the character of the lowest rank, the Israelite maid, that Na’aman's salvation shall emerge. At the outset we are struck by the enormous contrast between the "young girl – na’ara ketana" and Na’aman, the "great man – ish gadol"; the simple powerless slave child shall save the powerful general. This inversion of the power structure, whereby the lowest figure provides the key to salvation for her superior, undercuts the aforementioned hierarchy.  It is not the grand ceremonies and gestures, but the contrite heart that God sees; not opportunistic manipulation, but pure straightforward honesty and humility that stand before God. 

75. A Floating Axe Head and a Blind Army

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Why do the Bnei Ha'Nevi'im seak a new place to live? Could it be that the departure of Geihazi with the problems associated with him open the doors to new students to join Elisha? 

    Wars are characterized by aggression and domination. The king of Aram sought to use his superior firepower to bludgeon Elisha into submission. In contrast, Elisha's way is not the path of confrontation, but rather the provision of food and drink, hospitality, kindness, and humanity. Ultimately, this makes a deeper impression than war.

76. Siege and Salvation in Shomron

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Judaism does not always present redemption as flawless. We learn about the story of the siege and salvation of Shomron via characters who are ethically compromised: the cruel child-eating mothers and the selfish leprous outcasts. Moreover, God's salvation is discovered almost by accident. The study of this chapter leads to contemporary thought on a flawed redemption in modern day Israel.

77. Elisha's Tears

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Eliyahu's mission to avenge the sinful kingdom of Israel and the House of Ahav by appointing Hazael as King of Aram, Yehu as King of Israel is not preformed by him, but by Elisha who is also part of this mission. Elisha instigates Hazael's reign in this chapter, but his character is a non-vindictive figure. Elisha's role is to mitigate the force of Aram and to ultimately prophesy the reversal of the tables in favor of Israel. 

78. Chronology, Structure, and Two Judean Kings

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    In many of the Elisha stories the king in the story is not identified. While many assume that the anonymous king is Yehoram, Ahav's son, because of the sequence of the chapters, the good relationship between Elisha and the king in some of the stories and the ease in which Aram lays seige to Shomron indicate that the kings in the story belong to Yehu's dynasty. Two possible explanations are offered as to the non-chronological order of the Elisha's stories.

    Yehoram, King of Yehuda, strays from the path of Yehoshafat his father and adopts the path of the House of Ahav, of which his wife Atalya is a daughter. Besides the spiritual turmoil that his rule brings, Yehoram murders all of his brothers who he views as a threat to his rule and loses control over areas that have been under the rule of Yehuda since David's reign. How does Eliyahu send Yehoram a castigating letter long after his disappearance?

79. The Yehu Revolution

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    At first glance Yehu seems to adopt the zealotry of Eliyahu in destroying the house of Ahav and the worship of Ba'al. Elisha removes himself from this episode by sending one of his disciples to anoint Yehu and begin the rebellion. However, are all the people killed by Yehu justified? Are the violent and gory methods which he utilizes to execute his plans justified? Is Yehu to be remembered as a righteous king?

80. The Wicked Queen and the Boy King - Atalya and Yoash

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Despite the fact that the House of Ahav is in ruins after Yehu's rebellion, Atalya, driven like her mother Izevel by power, seizes the opportunity of her son Ahazyahu's death, killing her children and grandchildren and seizes the throne. Her rule marks the first break in the Davidic dynasty and is only overturned by a conspiracy in the highest circles of the kingdom. Yoash, her grandson, becomes the king at the age of seven and his heavily influenced by the Kohanim and the Beit HaMikdash. When he grows into a man he demands that the Kohanim raise money to repair the Beit HaMikdash. The initial method for raising funds - private initiatives by the Kohanim - fails and is not accountable. Only when a public and accountable system is initiated are the necessary funds raised.

81. Yoash's Reversal

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Melakhim describes Yoash as a good king. A different story is described in great detail in Divrei Hayamim. After Yehoyada's death, Yoash abandons the guidance of the Kohanim, turns to idolatry and murders the prophet Zekharya in the courtyard of the Beit HaMikdash - the son of the man who saved him and made him king. Just as he betrays, his servants betray him and kill him after he is injured in a battle against Hazael - King of Aram who despite being outnumbered defeats Yoash and walks away with great spoils. Different theories are suggested as how to reconcile the two accounts but it remains unclear why this episode is hardly even alluded to in Melakhim.

82. 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?

83. Amatzya and the War with Yoash

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Sefer Melakhim presents Amatzya as a King who is religiously devoted and successful in expanding his empire. His aggression towards Yisrael, possibly generated by overinflated hubris, lead to his demise. Divrei Ha-yamim detail the sources of political tension between the North and South, but it also presents two distinct stages of Amatzya's reign. Prior to the campaign against Edom, Amatzya obeys the prophet and acts faithfully to God; he demonstrates compassion (against his father's assassins) and seeks national unity. After the successful campaign in Edom, he worships idols, intimidates the prophet and resists his message, exhibits extreme cruelty to Edom, and engages in a bombastic war campaign. Divrei Ha-yamim offers a coherent rationale for Amatzya's downfall; his turn to idolatry and his direct challenge to God arouse God's punishment.

    In some ways Amatzya recalls his father, Yoash of Yehuda, whose early life was marked by ardent devotion to God, but who altered radically in later life, rejecting the priesthood, turning to idolatry. Both kings disastrously mismanaged a war which resulted in Yerushalayim being penetrated by the enemy, and both kings were assassinated by political opponents.

84. The Best of Times: The Reigns of Yerovam ben Yoash and Uziya

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The long and impressive reign of Yerovam ben Yoash sees the Northern Kingdom reaching the summit of its regional power and material prosperity. The prophet Amos who prophesies during this period, reveals a society of enormous wealth, complacency, and security and yet bearing startling inequalities of income, and outrageous exploitation of the poor by the rich.

    Uziya's long reign is filled with a long list of impressive accomplishments: Military conquests, extensive fortification of Jerusalem, development of agriculture and a cutting-edge military. However, his successes lead to arrogance and his eventual downfall, plagued till his death with Tzaraat. Yishayahu describes a society in Yehuda similar to what Amos described in the North.

    While Sefer Melakhim dwells almost exclusively on the issue of idolatry, Amos and Yishayahu highlight the sins of arrogance and social injustice. Amos warns of an earthquake which shakes the kingdom a mere two years after Amos begins his prophecy. And yet, even with a national disaster of this proportion, Israel and Yehuda fails to harness its peace and wealth towards kindness, justice, and communal support.

85. Tumult and Decline

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The chapter opens with the formidable King Uzzia of Yehuda, and closes with his son, "the flawless" Yotam, presenting a sixty-two year span of dynastic stability and serenity in the South. Concurrently, and occupying the central space of the chapter, five Northern kings are described as passing in rapid, tumultuous succession, with the Northern state racked by relentless political opportunism in which one national revolt is swiftly followed by further mutiny. The quick pace of coup and counter-coup along with foreign invasion race toward Yisrael's end, as Yisrael stands on the precipice of exile.

    The looming danger is the ascent of the Empire of Ashur, a superpower the likes of which the Middle East has never seen. It is a historical event that will fundamentally change the region. As a result, an unprecedented four prophets prophesy during this period.

86. King Ahaz – Abandoning God

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    After two generations of kings who upheld God's worship unequivocally, we encounter Ahaz - a king who is attracted to everything Assyrian. He looks to Assyria to offer his country military backing against Israel and Aram's alliance, disregarding an explicit prophetic directive from Yishayahu. In the religious sphere, he transforms the Beit HaMikdash into an Assyrian shrine. 

87. The Fall and Exile of Shomron

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Hoshea ben Ella rises to power as an apparent appointment of the Assyrian King, but soon after he joins an anti-Assyrian coalition. While Hoshea does not follow in the footsteps of the kings of Israel and residents of the northern kingdom participate in the Pessah Korban with Hizkiyahu in Jerusalem, this change is too late to stop the destruction and exile of the northern kingdom.

    The Assyrian policy of population transfer is aimed at crushing hostile populations. By dispersing the exiles to far-flung locations, Ashur succeeds in destabilizing and disorienting the defeated. This technique absolutely destroys the internal cohesion of the exiled community and strangles its political opposition. For Israel this policy is a death knell. Domestically, as alien populations are transferred to Shomron, along with a foreign governor, it essentially becomes impossible for Israel to reinstate itself as an independent entity and leads to the disappearance of the ten tribes.

    The people - not only the kings - of Israel chose to go in the ways of the surrounding nations and, just as the Torah warned, God and the land of Israel rejected them.

88. The Shomronim

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The exile of the ten tribes ultimately leads to their disappearance as a distinct group. The Assyrian policy of population transfer brings in foreigners who worship idols and since the Land of Israel does not tolerate sinners they are attacked by lions. They are saved not by rejectiong the idols, but by accepting God as supreme. The strict monotheism mandated for Jews is different from the level of belief required of other nations. For Israel, icons are absolutely forbidden, even when they serve as intermediaries to God. This is the primary sin for which the inhabitants of Shomron were exiled. However, for other peoples, idolatry and other gods are tolerable as long as God is recognized as the supreme deity, even while other gods are worshipped alongside Him.

    The status of the Shomronim - Samaritans is a long historical debate spanning from the period of the rebuilding of the second Beit HaMikdash, in which they were not permitted to participate, and continuing into the time of the Sages.  

89. The Rise of King Hizkiyahu

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    King Hizkiyahu heralds an exciting period in the kingdom of Yehuda. He is devoted to God and responsive to His prophet. During his reign, Hizkiyahu leads Israel in a religious renaissance and seeks to heal the rift between the kingdom of Israel in the north and the kingdom of Yehuda in the south in the observation of a national Pessah. He repudiates idolatry and dishonors his father Ahaz at his burial to send a strong message to the nation. He dedicates and purifies the Beit Hamikdash and makes learning Torah a national priority.

90. Sanheriv’s Siege of Jerusalem

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Hizkiyahu takes advantage of a gap in Assyrian rule and joins Egypt and Babylon in rebellion against Assyria. He fortifies Jerusalem and channels water into the walled city, while cutting off the water supply outside of the city. However, the new Assyrian king Sanheriv fights back, destroying 46 fortified cities in Yehuda, and sets his sights on Jerusalem. Sanheriv sends emissaries to Jerusalem to deflate the moral of the people and encourage them to surrender while boasting that God cannot stop him. After Yishayahu first prophecy sends Sanheriv away temporarily, Sanheriv returns to Jerusalem once again. This time Hizkiyahu prays to God and miraculously the entire Assyrian army is killed in one night. This description has an indirect corroboration in Assyrian historical documents that describe the war against Hizkiyahu in a manner which is jarringly inconsistent with other battles. This miracle led to the concept of Jerusalem's invincibility, a concept that the prophet Yirmiyahu could not change when he prophesied its destruction over a century later.

91. Tests of Faith

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Hizkiyahu's prayer in the face of a prophecy from Yishayahu of his impending death and the reversal of this prophecy to extend his life and his reign for 15 more years makes Hizkiyahu a paragon of faith. Conversely his dealings with Berodakh Baladan, King of Babylon, are criticized harshly by Yishyahu. Divrei Hayamim paints a picture of arrogance and pride as leading to Hizkiyahu's illness and perhaps the censure he received for his dealings with the Babylonian King. Melakhim seems to be critical of putting faith in other nations and forming alliances as a rejection of faith in God. 

    These two stories lead to a broader discussion within Hizkiyahu's character and in general of proactiveness versus faith in God. The Sages criticize Hizkiyahu for chanelling the waters of Gihon into the city and for utilizing the Book of Remedies as expressing a lack of faith. Are these criticisms justified?

92. King Menashe – An Idolatrous Kingdom

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Menashe introduces idolatry and bloodshed into Yehuda in ways previously unknown. He accepts complete Assyrian domination and sets the wheels of destruction and exile into motion. Sefer Melakhim ends the description of Menashe on this note. However, Divrei HaYamim describes Menashe being taken into captivity by the Assyrian general, praying to God, repenting, God returning him to his kingdom and Menashe removing the idolatry that he instituted. This enormous gap between the two stories shed light on the different agendas of the two books. Despite his repentance, Menashe's negative influence impacted beyond his reign, and specifically to his son Amon who followed in his evil ways.

93. Yoshiyahu and the Return to God

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Despite who is father and grandfather were, Yoshiyahu is unsurpassed as a champion of God worship, cleansing the kingdom of its idolatry and returning the nation to God. A process that begins in his youth, it further intensifies with the shocking discovery of the Sefer Torah. The precise identification of this Sefer Torah and its ramifications are debated amongst commentaries. However, the aftermath of this discovery is a purging of idolatry on an unprecedented scope including in the territories of the non-existent Northern kingdom that culminated in a mass celebration of Pessah in Jerusalem.  

94. 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.

95. The Decline towards Hurban

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The last four kings of Yehuda struggle under the crippling hegemony first of Egypt and then of Babylon, suffering military defeat, vassalage, humiliation, deportation, siege and torture. The sun is setting on the First Temple period and it will swiftly end in the conquest of Jerusalem and the exile of its people.

    Soon after Yehoahaz becomes king, Pharaoh Nekho makes his brother Yehoyakim the king placing on him a heavy tax. Yehoyakim and the higher strata of society lead a lavish lifestyle oppressing the regular people to pay the tax and for their lifestyles - something that the prophet Yirmiyahu fights against. Despite the growing power of Babylon and despite Yirmiyahu's prophecies, the people remain indifferent and believe the Beit HaMikdash to be invicible. Yehoyakim is removed by the Babylonian king and the child king Yehoyakhin rules for a mere three months. He, the skilled laborers and the vessels of the Beit HaMikdash are taken to Babylon beginning the exile of Yehuda and creating two centers - in Jerusalem with Tzidkiyahu and in Babylon with Yehoyakhin.

96. The End

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    Sefer Melakhim has little to say about the life of the last king of Yehuda, Tzidkiyahu. No specific happening or event that occurred during the first nine years of his eleven year rule are recorded. It is as if his reign was almost inconsequential and the Hurban just happens to transpire on his watch.

    From the book of Yirmiyahu, King Tzidkiyahu emerges as a weak leader, a spineless and fickle character. On the one hand, he seeks Yirmiyahu's advice and assistance, and then, when intimidated by his own officials, he submits to their demands that Yirmiyahu be imprisoned as a traitor. When conditions get dire, Tzidkiyahu tries to escape Jerusalem, saving his own life but abandoning his nation still entrapped within. Tzidkiyahu conspires with other kings to rebel against Babylon, supported by local false prophets, but Yirmiyahu continues to prophesy the imminent destruction of the Beit HaMikdash.

    In the aftermath of the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, Gedaliah is murdered, sealing the fate on any chance of continued Jewish life in Israel. Yehoyakhin's reprive at the end of Sefer Melakhim gives a glimmer hope for a better future for the Jewish people.

97. Teshuva: Reciprocal Return or Automatic Redemption?

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 33 דקות

    We explore teshuva as presented in Nitzavim. The paradigm of teshuva (return) presented is a loving reciprocal process that is initiated by the people of Israel after sin and exile. God then responds to Israel’s return and continues to raise Israel to new heights. Apparently, though, the end of Vayikra presents a different model of teshuva: one that is initiated by God after Israel’s punishments. Redemption in Vayikra may not be contingent on Israel’s behavior, but the redemption presented in Devarim may be more worth the wait.

98. How to Divide the Ten Commandments

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The Ten Commandments are maybe the best-known of all Jewish laws. They are perceived widely as a universal code of ethics. Within Judaism, they are one of the most prominent symbols of the faith. This article investigates certain aspects of this group of laws, namely, their unusual format and their unique message of the two different ways of approaching God. 

99. Encountering God

    Rabbi Alex Israel

100. Parshat Behaalotekha

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 28 דקות

     There seems to be a contradiction as to where the Ark of the Covenant was located during Am Yisrael's travels through the desert. On one hand, we know that they traveled in the formation in which they camped, meaning that the Ark was in the center of the nation. On the other hand, a verse in our parsha tells us that the Ark lead the nation - travelled at the front - through the desert. By closely examining the verses as well as the commentaries who grapple with this contradiction, we can learn about the nature of Am Yisrael's relationship with God during times of peace and times of war. 

101. Parshat Shelah

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 31 דקות

     In the story of the Sin of the Spies, It seems as though Calev is the only active defender of the land, as Yehoshua only joins him many verses later, in a much more passive way. What may explain this? By closely examining the story we can learn about the personalities of Calev and Yehoshua, where they each derive their strength to stand in the face of adversity, and about different forms of leadership.  

102. Naaman: Humility and Hubris

     A Close Reading of II Kings Chapter 5

     Rabbi Alex Israel

     תאריך פרסום: תשע"ד | |

     This shiur focuses on the story of Naaman, the army general of the king of Aram during the days of the prophet Elisha. Our analysis of the long narrative about Naaman brings us to a new understanding of the story. As well as a message about the power of Kiddush HaShem (Sanctifying the name of God) which jumps out after a first glance, we find a study of hierarchy, social ranking, and the layers and levels of authority. How do we negotiate the architecture of society within the limitations of our position within it?

103. Is God a Judge, an Enemy, or a Source of Faith?

     Rabbi Alex Israel

     תאריך פרסום: תשע"ב | | שעה ו- 10 דקות

     Our aim is to look into the heart of the collection of laments in the book of Eikha and to seek Hashem. We embark on a daring study wherein we ask: Where is God in the midst of the terrible suffering of the destruction of Jerusalem? We compare the first three chapters of Eikha, and look at the kinna recited on the night of Tisha b'Av. We discover that God is personified in different ways. Each personification acts as another layer in the depiction of God’s involvement in the Hurban. 

104. Bilaam and Avraham

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 35 דקות

     It is difficult to assess the character of Bilam. At first glance, Bilam seems to be a completely commendable character, and a devoted servant of God. Or is he? Why does he have a terrible reputation in the words of the Sages? Bilam appears in an increasingly negative light as the Torah’s narrative continues. We seek to present a fuller picture of Bilam, and examine positive and negative perspectives of Bilam. Following the Mishna's contrast in Masekhet Avot, we compare and contrast Bilam with Avraham. As we explore the powerful parallels, we find that elements of the story of Bilam have been interposed onto midrashic depictions of Avraham's journey for Akeidat Yitzhak.The power of prophecy comes with important choices. Character traits make the major difference in determining the value of one's prophecy.

105. Parshat Pinchas - A New Leader

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 38 דקות

     God commands Moshe to ascend a mountain to view the Land which he will not enter. Moshe asks that God appoint a leader to continue after Moshe’s death so that Bnei Yisrael will not be like sheep without a shepherd. Why does this need to come from Moshe’s initiative? How could it be that Bnei Yisrael would be without a leader? We examine various commentator’s perspectives on this episode. Is this a way of continuing Moshe’s relevance? Or is this a painful reminder that Moshe will not be entering the Land? Moshe’s response exemplifies his positive vision of the future. We examine the strange wording of Moshe’s request and God’s response. Linguistic ties to the episode of Korah provide us with a reminder of the type of leadership Bnei Yisrael will need -one of checks and balances-, and the challenge of transferring leadership from Moshe. 

106. Parshat Mattot - War Ethics

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 37 דקות

     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.

107. What's Wrong with Taking Spoils?

     Rabbi Alex Israel

108. Parshat Masei - Journeys

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 32 דקות

     Parashat Mas’ei opens with a rhythmic recounting of the 42 journeys of Israel. We are often taught that the Torah is careful with words. Why do we need this long list about the desert stops? Elsewhere in the Torah, we see that time is marked through lists (such as the genealogical lists in Bereisheet), and that this list form can be a form of literary style.

     We examine three radically different approaches to Bnei Yisrael’s journeys in the wilderness. Rashi presents two different approaches: Rabbi Moshe HaDarshan emphasizes God’s kindness throughout the punishment of the long desert journeys, and the Tanhuma brings an analogy of a transformative healing experience. Seforno looks at Masei as emphasizing how good Bnei Yisrael were to follow God in the desert.

     Masei is a fitting way to end Sefer BeMidbar, which often reads as a series of Bnei Yisrael’s failures. But the journey is one of growth, and there is a happy ending: they are now ready to enter the Land of Israel, Bnei Yisrael’s ultimate destination.

109. Parshat Devarim - Moses' Speech

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 35 דקות

     Sefer Devarim contains a series of speeches by Moshe Rabbeinu. The first few chapters seem to comprise an introduction to the second, significantly longer speech. Why do we need this introduction, and why does its historical account contain major gaps, leaving out the ten plagues and the splitting of the Red Sea? The first three chapters are meant to lead to a conclusion. The ten plagues are irrelevant to this speech’s purpose, which is not to highlight miracles or wonders, but to emphasize the secret to succeeding in the future:  Bnei Yisrael need to turn to God and follow God’s law instead of believing that they themselves are the sole architects of their own success.

110. Parshat Vaetchanan - Shema Yisrael

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 35 דקות

     Parashat Vaethanan is filled with well-known passages, including the Ten Commandments and the Shema. Reciting the Shema is seen as fulfilling the mitzvah of accepting the Yoke of Heaven. This shiur is devoted to developing a deeper appreciation of the first verse of Shema. Though only six words, it is a difficult text. We raise questions and examine the readings of various classical commentators, exploring historical, theological and philosophical readings which enrich our experience of this famous and meaningful declaration.

111. Parshat Eikev - Dependence and Independence

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 37 דקות

     This shiur analyzes the structure and content of Parshat Ekev, which discusses the reward and punishment that come with the covenant, and emphasizes that Israel’s tenure in the Land is contingent upon upholding the Torah. The main section also relates to different concerns “If you would say in your heart” and answers them with a call to remember something. There are responses for different mindsets and moments in life. Under-confidence- as well as certain types of overconfidence- are both religious errors. The motif of water that recurs in the parasha, especially in the contrast between the Land of Israel and Egypt, serves to highlight the tension between the human desire for independence and the Divine demand for dependence on God and adherence to the covenant.

      

112. Parshat Reeh - History of Meat

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 40 דקות

     Why does Parashat Re’eh cancel the prohibition (mentioned in Vayikra) of eating meat outside of the Mishkan? Upon closer examination,  there appears to be a development that goes back to earlier in the Torah: God seems to allow Adam in the Garden of Eden seems to eat plant material, but then grants Noah permission to eat animals. This shiur looks at the Torah’s presentation of meat and blood, and thinkers such as Rav Kook help us arrive at an explanation. When we have much still to improve with regard to human interactions, the time may not be ripe for vegetarianism to be mandated. 

113. The Methodology of the Ibn Ezra: Between Traditionalism and Rationalism

     Rabbi Alex Israel | שעה

     This shiur explores Ibn Ezra's exegetical methodology. By closely examining his commentary, we notice that Ibn Ezra can be viewed as both a traditional and also radical commentator. These differences are highlighted particularly as we look at the differences in his approach to narrative verses law. On one hand, he is famous for adopting a heavily textual and grammatical interpretation, and has a strong allegiance to the text of the Torah. However, when it comes to law, Ibn Ezra stresses the importance of the Oral Law and the rabbinic teachings, even to the point of rejecting rational grammatical texts. 

114. Parshat Haazinu - God's Children

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 36 דקות

     The Song of Haazinu is to serve as a witness for future generations. It tells a historical tale of Bnei Yisrael. But what story does Haazinu tell? This shiur sets out to follow through the story line and point out some interesting features, and then make some philosophical comments and spiritual insights.

     Many of the classical commentaries seem to present the Song of Haazinu as the ultimate story of the Jewish people- a story of exile and redemption, outlining the future of Jewish History. But is this indeed so? Rabbi Dr. Yoel Bin Nun and Rav Elhanan Samet point out that the song makes no reference to exile or to leaving the land. 

      If this is not a prediction of future exile and redemption, then what is this song, and why is this song needed? Why must it be so readily available for people to remember throughout the ages?  Is it another exile and redemption cycle? Or does the Song of Haazinu present a different paradigm – one entirely within the Land of Israel?

115. The Cycle of Haazinu

     Rabbi Alex Israel

116. Yerovam's Revolution- What Was the Secret of his Success?

     Rabbi Alex Israel | שעה ו- 12 דקות

     Who was Yerovam and why is he portrayed as such an evil person? Be closely examining the actions of Yerovam during his rebellion, one can see his motives and can notice the way in which he re-interprets stories in the Torah to fit with his own agenda. By noticing these parallels one can also learn about what it means to worship the correct God but through improper means. 

117. Parashat Noah: What is Wrong with the Tower of Babel?

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 30 דקות

     What is the problem that God sees in the building of the city and tower of Babel? How is it that the generation of the flood were killed, but the people in the Tower of Babel survived? Why did the people seek to build the town and tower? And if they wanted to reach the heavens, why would they build in a valley? We describe a number of approaches, challenge them, and then come up with a final approach: Is the goal supposed to be merely making a name for man, or to use human strength and talents to promote God’s name?

118. The Shunnamite Woman: Who is to Blame for the Death of the Boy?

     Rabbi Alex Israel

     תאריך פרסום: תשע"ה | |

     We examine the riveting tale of a miraculous birth, unexpected death, and instance of resurrection at the hands of the prophet Elisha. This story  is the haftara for Parashat Vayera, and there is symmetry between these stories: Both contain the elements of hospitality, childbirth after infertility, and miraculous restoration of life from the brink of death. Our exploration leads us through different perspectives on what went wrong in the story – why the child died and where Elisha and Gehazi lost their way. The Shunamite woman emerges as the heroine of this story. Her spiritual aspirations serve as a shining example, and she ultimately brings Elisha back to himself – and back to God.

119. Moses: A Biography - From a “Hiding Face” to “Face to Face”

     Rabbi Alex Israel |

     What is unique about Moshe Rabbeinu? When we examine the character of Moshe we can notice a unique dichotomy – he was the greatest prophet who ever lived, while also was the leader and judge of the Jewish people in the desert. How do these two characteristics fit together? How was he able to be a prophet, separated from the people, while also be an advocate for them and live among them as well? By examining various texts describing Moshe’s experience and personality, we can learn how Moshe indeed successfully mastered both roles simultaneously, which made him the ultimate leader of the Jewish nation. 

120. Parashat Bo: From Passive to Active

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 32 דקות

     Parashat Bo takes an exciting twist: we finally see Bnei Yisrael act. Egypt now knows that God is sovereign and Bnei Yisrael are almost ready to go. Throughout the process, Bnei Yisrael have been marignialized, but suddenly they are asked to do something: they are to prepare for The Plague of the Firstborn, and are given a set of instructions to prepare for the Pesach ritual in Egypt- a Pesach characterized by anticipation and tension rather than remembrance of future generations.
     Suddenly Bnei Yisrael turn from passive to active. This is a dramatic shift- and why is it here? Why are Bnei Yisrael commanded to act?
     Did they need this? We explore various possibilities and suggest that they need to bring themselves into a different state in order to make themselves worthy of coming out of Eypt - and worthy of redemption - in an absolute way.

      

121. Parashat HaShavua Parashat Shekalim - Everyone is Accountable for a Relationship With God

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 34 דקות

     In this shiur, we will look at the Parasha and Haftara for Shekalim, and offer contemporary perspective on the ideas therein.
     We will look at the haftara's connections with the Parasha but delve into the haftara to shed light on a lesson for contemporary life about implementing a system with checks and balances, with an appropriate balance between trust and accountability. We also find messages about the need for the People of Israel to rise above passivity - every individual must be active and involved in order to develop a relationship with God
      

122. Parashat Vayakhel Pekudei - Why the Repetition?

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 30 דקות

     Vayakhel - Pekudei contains the precise dimensions of the Mishkan, but these already appeared in Teruma and Tetzaveh. Why did "Moshe followed the instructions" not suffice? We try to understand the secrets behind this "list - repetition" phenomenon in Vayakhel - Pekudei. 

     We relate to the question of the detailed language and repetition of our parsha by looking at the wider context of the latter part of the Book of Shemot.
     Is this repetition part of the emphasis on the possibility of Israel's atonement for the Sin of the Golden Calf? Ultimately, the structure of the parasha and Sefer Shemot is such that it ends off with the message that God has come back to dwell within the midst of Israel, as the Mishkan is filled with a Divine cloud.
      

123. Structure and Meaning in the Ten Commandments

     Rabbi Alex Israel | שעה ו- 11 דקות

     How many commandments are included in the Aseret Hadibrot? How can they be divided? An analysis of the structure of the Ten Commandments, as well as its comparison with Ancient Near East treaties allows us to gain deeper insights into the messages of the Ten Commandments and the meaning of a personal connection with God. 

124. Parshat Ki Tavo - Pledge of Allegiance

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 33 דקות

     This shiur focuses on the description of the covenantal Ceremony of the Stones. It bears a striking resemblance to the covenantal ceremony at Sinai which took place the day after the Revelation at Sinai. What is the reason for the strong overlap? The ceremony occurs at an auspicious juncture as the People of Israel take a bold step- to become a nation with a land. The covenantal ceremony-  creating a triangle between the Nation, the Land, and God, mediated through the Torah - is meant to naturally continue the values of Sinai in Israel.

125. Yehuda - The Making of a Biblical Hero

     Rabbi Alex Israel

     תאריך פרסום: 5777 | | שעה ו- 10 דקות

     We will be discussing the Yehuda and Tamar episode, the essential story to understand Yehuda as a leader, and to understand the forefathers and Bereisheet as a whole. We explore some perplexing questions about this story, and seek to understand the strange behavior of all involved. How does this story fit in with the sale of Yosef, and which event came first? The juxtaposition of these stories provides perspective on the ultimate leadership roles of Yosef and Yehuda, and teaches important lessons about taking responsibility.

126. Parshat Bereshit Part 1: Creation: Days 1-6 (Perek 1)

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 35 דקות

     The first chapter of Bereshit describes the six days of the creation of the world. This podcast discusses the question of creation narrative alongside scientific theories, the structure of the different days of creation and the importance of this chapter given its historical context of Babylonian myths. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

127. Parshat Bereshit Part 2: Day 7 + Creation of Adam (Perek 2)

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 32 דקות

     What is the purpose of the second chapter of Sefer Bereshit? How is it different than the first chapter? Through a textual analysis we can explore these crucial differences, which allow us to understand different human dynamics and difference man-God relationships, and ultimately the goal of man in the world.  

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

128. Parshat Bereshit Part 3: Gan Eden (Perek 3)

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 33 דקות

     Through a close textual analysis of chapter 3, we explore the psychology of temptation and sin, and the changes that occur in the lives of Adam and Eve after they eat from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge. Most glaringly, we notice the transition from childlike innocence into the complexity of adulthood. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

129. Parshat Bereshit Part 4: Cain & Hevel

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 32 דקות

     The story of Cain and Hevel contains many vague details- why did God accept Hevel’s offering but not Cain’s? What exactly occurred in the field? What was Cain’s punishment? A close examination of the text allows us to suggest answers to these questions. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

130. Parshat Bereshit Part 5: Lemech's Song

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 28 דקות

     The rest of chapter 4 following the story of Cain and Hevel can be explained in two opposing ways, providing us with two completely different messages about sin, repentance, and intuitive morality in our lives.  

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

131. Parshat Bereshit Part 6: Lineage of Shem; Decline of Humankind

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 34 דקות

     This podcast explains the end of Parshat Bereishit- through the detailed genealogies and the decline of mankind. The structure of the entire parsha sheds light on its cryptic ending and allows us to gain a deeper understanding into the parsha as a whole. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

132. Parshat Noah Part 1: Before the Flood

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 32 דקות

     What was the purpose of the flood in Parshat Noah? What was God’s plan? Through an exploration of the text we can understand that God’s plan wasn’t to destroy the world, it was merely to restore it to its original state.  

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

133. Parshat Noah Part 2: Decreation & Recreation

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 34 דקות

     Through an analysis of the perek describing the flood, we can glean within the text hints to a re-creation of the world by God, utilizing the pattern of the initial six days of creation. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

134. Parshat Noah Part 3: After the Flood

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 29 דקות

     In the aftermath of the flood, there is a covenant between Noah and God, and between God and all of mankind. An analysis of the laws for the newly re-created world sheds light on the nature of the sins for which the world had been destroyed. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

135. Parshat Noah Part 4: Rainbow & a Drunken Noah

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 33 דקות

     This section of Parshat Noah deals with the aftermath of the flood. What is the hidden symbolism behind the rainbow? What can we learn from the narrative of Noah’s drunkenness? Through an examination of the text we can answer these questions and gain deeper insights into the story of the flood.  

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

136. Parshat Noah Part 5: The Dispersion

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 36 דקות

     What messages can be learned from the story of the Tower of Bavel? Through an analysis of the text as well as classical commentaries we can understand why the tower was understood as a rebellion against God, and we can appreciate the reason behind the resulting punishment. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

137. Parshat Noah Part 6: From Shem to Avram

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 28 דקות

     Perek 11 describes God’s shift from a universalistic approach to the world to His focus on a specific person, family, and ultimately, nation. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

138. Parshat Lech-Lecha Part 1: Go Forth!

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 30 דקות

     Perek 12 begins the Avraham narratives with God’s commandment to relocate to Canaan, and continues with Avraham and Sara’s journey to Egypt. We learn of God’s promise to Avraham of land and offspring, and notice that this promise becomes compromised repeatedly throughout the narratives. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

139. Parshat Lech Lecha Part 2: Challenges of Egypt

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 30 דקות

     Through the stories of the journey to Egypt and the separation from Lot we can understand the process that Avraham undergoes as he develops and cultivates his new identity. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

140. Parshat Lech Lecha Part 3: Battle of the Kings

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 32 דקות

     What can we learn from the story of the battle between the four and five kings? Through a close examination of the text we can appreciate Avraham’s deep concern for Lot that extended despite their separation, Avraham’s connection to the land and his actions as a warrior. We can also see the beginning of God’s promises to Avraham in the beginning of the parsha come into fruition.  

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

141. Parshat Lech Lecha Part 4: Berit Ben Habetarim

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 27 דקות

     Many questions emerge from the chapter of Brit Bein Habetarim- The Covenant of the Pieces. Through a close examination of the text we can understand the powerful message behind this covenant- outlining the trajectory of events in the future of the nation. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

142. Parshat Lech Lecha Part 5: Sarai and Hagar

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 28 דקות

     Perek 16 describes the story of Hagar and Sarah. What transpires in this story? What can we understand about Sarah’s actions? A close analysis of the text reveals a new understanding of this story, and an appreciation of Sarah’s great sacrifice.  

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

143. Parshat Lech Lecha Part 6: Berit Milah

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 28 דקות

     What is the significance of the covenant of circumcision, commanded to Avraham in Perek 17? This podcast examines the reasons behind the practice and the parallels this covenant shares with the previous covenant of Brit Bein Habetarim. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

144. Parshat Vayera Part 1: Hospitality

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 26 דקות

     Avraham’s hospitality is the central theme of the beginning of Parshat Vayera. Through a close examination of the narrative describing the guests’ news of Yitzchak’s impending birth we can understand the nature of this revelation as told separately to Avraham and Sarah. We can also appreciate the various opinions among the classical commentators regarding the interactions between humans and angelic representatives of God. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

145. Parshat Vayera Part 2: Justice & Righteousness

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 29 דקות

     The latter half of chapter 18 reveals to us the remarkable character of Avraham and his steadfast commitment to justice and righteousness even when faced with the evil city of Sedom. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

146. Parshat Vayera Part 3: Escape from Sedom

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 32 דקות

     Chapter 19 describes the destruction of Sodom and Lot’s escape. This podcast compares Avraham’s hospitality at the beginning of Parshat Vayera with the hospitality Lot shows the angels in Sodom, and attempts to analyze Lot’s character through a close examination of the text and classical commentaries.  

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

147. Parshat Vayera Part 4: Gerar

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 27 דקות

     What is the nature of the occurrence in Gerar? Was Avimelech evil or righteous? Through a close examination of the text we can gain a deeper understanding of this episode.  

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

148. Parshat Vayera Part 5: Expulsion of Yishmael

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 32 דקות

     Perek 21 describes the birth of Yitzchak and the banishment of Yishmael, solidifying Yitzchak’s status as Avraham’s heir. This podcast discusses the nature of this decision and its implications for future generations. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

149. Parshat Vayera Part 6: The Akeda

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 29 דקות

     Perek 22 describes the formidable narrative of Akeidat Yitzchak. Through a close examination of the text, we can understand the story in its context of Avraham’s experiences so far, we can compare the two instances of “lech lecha” in his life, and can gain a deeper understanding as to the reasons behind this very difficult test.  

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

150. Parshat Chayei Sarah Part 1: Introduction - Ages of Yitzchak and Rivkah

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 25 דקות

     What is the connection between the Akeda and Sarah’s death? How much time passed between the two? This podcast deals with these questions, which have crucial implications regarding the age of Yitzchak at the Akeda, as well as Rivka’s age when she marries Yitzchak.  

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

151. Parshat Chayei Sarah Part 2: Burial Negotiations

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 29 דקות

     This podcast provides a deeper interpretation of the story of Avraham’s negotiations with Ephron for the purchase of the burial plot for Sarah. Through an analysis of this story we can understand the difference between the locals’ view of Avraham and his own self-identity. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

152. Parshat Chayei Sarah Part 3: Finding Rivkah

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 34 דקות

     Chapter 24 describes Avraham’s servant journeying to find a wife for Yitzchak. A close analysis of the text reveals Avraham’s goals of ensuring his continuity following the death of Sarah.  

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

153. Yosef & His Brothers: How a Family Can Be Transformed

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 52 דקות

     Why didn’t Yosef contact his father for all the years he was in Egypt? Why did he make his brothers suffer such hardships? What was the motivation behind this plan? This class explores these important questions, allowing us to understand that these actions were crucial to allow Yosef to return to his brothers, and for the siblings to work on repairing the family unit.  

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

154. Parshat Chaye Sarah Part 4: It is From God

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 31 דקות

     This podcast discusses the meeting between Avraham’s servant and Rivka’s family, and the betrothal agreement. A close look at the text reveals a great deal about Rivka’s character and her identification with the same values represented by the house of Avraham. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

155. Parshat Chaye Sarah Part 5: Yitzchak and Rivka

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 20 דקות

     Traditional commentators view the scene in which Yitzchak meets Rivka in both positive and negative ways, reflecting two perspectives on the relationship between Yitzchak and Rivka which is to emerge in the chapters that follow. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

156. Parshat Chayei Sarah Part 6: Death of Avraham

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 26 דקות

     This final podcast of Parshat Chayei Sarah reflects on the three main stories of the parsha, and discusses their common theme of Avraham securing his future. 

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

157. Parshat Shoftim - The Psychology of War

     Rabbi Alex Israel | 36 דקות

     In this shiur, we will look at the notion of war as expressed in series of parshiyyot within Parashat Shoftim about Israel going to war.

     These parshiyyot present a comprehensive approach, discussing who goes, who is exempt; if a call for peace is to be made or not, proper conduct for sieges, and in the next parasha - captive situations. We will examine various stages of war and ask what is going on in some of the strange features that are present. Why ask people if they are afraid? What is the role of the Kohen on the battlefield?

      

158. The Rise & Fall of King Solomon

     Tanach Study

     Rabbi Alex Israel | שעה ו- 4 דקות

     This class examines the character of King Solomon and attempts to explain the downfall he experiences throughout his life. This analysis allows us to gain important insights into both the character of King Solomon, and to learn important messages for our lives as well.

     Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

159. Are We Waiting for Mashiach or is He Waiting for Us? Two Models of Redemption

     Rabbi Alex Israel | שעה ו- 6 דקות

     Sefer Vayikra and Devarim offer two variant paradigms of Redemption. We shall apply these to the Egyptian Exile, and to the exiles that followed, and relate to our current state of play; are we currently in Exile or Redemption?

      

160. Understanding Techanun

     Tehillim Chapter 6

     Rabbi Alex Israel | שעה

     Tachanun, Tehillim chapter 6, is the prayer that the average shul goer is happy to omit. We shall probe the text, context and even the posture of this powerful Psalm, revealing the dramatic story that underpins the text to carve a pathway to kavannah in reciting this in the context of Tefilla.

161. The Structure of Pesukei D’zimra

     Rabbi Alex Israel

     תאריך פרסום: 2023 | | שעה ו- 12 דקות

     Tehillim 145-150 is a self-contained literary unit that has been fixed in our siddur to be recited daily, with a blessing before and after. What is the structure, and what are the central themes of this set of Tehillim?