Ai

Found 8 Search results

1. Israel's First Setback

   Rabbi Michael Hattin

   This lesson compares the biblical text with the archeological findings in Jericho, and then proceeds to explore the story of Akhan and his trespass, and Yehoshua’s response. This story is the background for the initial failure at the Ai, a sharp contrast with the initial success in Jericho. God stresses that  the destiny of Israel as a people is bound to their moral and ritual conduct.

2. The Trespass of Akhan

   Rabbi Michael Hattin

   This lesson considers the trespass of Akhan and its terrible consequences for the entire people of Israel. The core lesson of this tale is the indispensable bond of Jewish nationhood that tightly links all the people of Israel together, to the extent that the fortunes of the larger community or even the national grouping are sometimes affected by the acts of an individual. Having begun the process of settling the land, the formerly twelve disparate tribes will need to quickly assimilate the painful lesson of Akhan if they are to survive as a state. All human acts, of omission or commission, of good or evil, of selfish greed or altruistic love, impact upon the larger human and even cosmic reality of which the perpetrator and his innocuous deed represent only small but not insignificant parts.

3. The Victory Over the Ai

   Rabbi Michael Hattin

   At Jericho, the victory was God's alone. It was precipitated by His Ark, the symbol of His earthly throne, and resulted from the miraculous collapse of the city's fortifications. As aresult the spoils were prohibited. At the Ai, the groundwork for the undertaking that resulted in success was prepared by the twin components of Yehoshua's meticulous planning and the people's spirited struggle. While God in the end provided the critical catalyst for the victory, it was a triumph that belonged to all of Israel. Therefore, the spoils are also given over to them to stress the significance of THEIR initiative and to highlight THEIR involvement. 

4. Wanderings

   Rabbi Alex Israel | 43 minutes

   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. Miracles in the Book of Joshua

   Dr. Ruth Walfish | Hour and 8 minutes

   The book of Yehoshua is the point of transfer from a miraculous supernatural existence that Bnei Yisrael experienced in their years of sojourn through the desert to a more mundane, natural existence in the Land of Israel. This lecture points to a number of parallel events that occurred in both the desert and in the beginning of the book of Yehoshua, and draws comparisons between them, illustrating this gradual transition from the supernatural to mundane. 

6. Yehoshua Perek 7

   Jesse Salem | 20 minutes

   Yehoshua Perek 7 describes Bnei Yisrael’s failure at the battle with Ai, which came as a result of Achan’s sin following the conquest of Yericho. God explains to Bnei Yisrael what the nature of the sin was and how they may rectify the situation. 

    

   Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

7. Yehoshua Perek 8

   Jesse Salem | 31 minutes

   Yehoshua perek 8 describes the second attempt at capturing the city of Ai, and the ceremony of the blessings and curses on the mountains of Gerizim and Eval as commanded by Moshe in Sefer Dvarim. 

    

   Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

8. “Between Bethel and Ai” – Identifying Ai

   Prof. Yoel Elitzur

   Where is Ai located?  Bethel is mentioned numerous times on its own throughout Tanakh, but Ai is only once mentioned alone, without connection to Bethel. What can we learn from this? This article discusses the possible locations of this ancient city, and attempts to reconcile the Torah’s description of the location with archaeological findings.