The Marital Relationship

Found 11 Search results

1. The Difference Between Haftarat Nahamu and Haftarat Ekev

   Haftarot: Ekev/Nahamu

   Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein

   The nation's suffering is intensified due to the length of the exile, and the feeling that God has abandoned them. The prophet encourages the nation by reminding them of the stable elements in their relationship with God: The fact that God relates to them as a parent, and views them as children; the fact that God vies them as a precious treasure; and the parable to a divorced wife to whom God continues to be loyal. The prophet later claims that God has not forgotten His nation, but the nation has shown that they are not ready for redemption.

2. Relationships Revealed - Rachel, Leah and the "Dudaim" Episode

   Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein | 56 minutes

   By examining the story of the "dudaim", we notice Yaakov's complex familial relationships: the parent-child relationships of Leah and her children, and the husband-wife relationship of Yaakov and Rachel. While Rachel and Leah may have thought that these relationships may be bartered and exchanged, the "dudaim" story teaches us that in fact this is not the case. 

3. The Role of the Watchmen in Shir Hashirim

   Rabbi Moshe Taragin

   תאריך פרסום: תשע"ה | |

   The watchmen appear in Shir HaShirim at two extremely dramatic, pivotal moments. At these critical moments they are not passive bystanders, but actually intervene. What is their role? We delve into these two passages, looking at the text as well as comments of Hazal. These two seemingly similar narrative are foils for each other and serve as metaphors for vastly different periods in Jewish History. The dramatic literary devices can help us appreciate lessons about exile, return to the Land, our relationship with God, and of the missed – and renewed - opportunities of Jewish History. 

4. Hoshea 1-3 - Matan Al HaPerek

   Rabbi David Sabato

   The first unit in the book of Hoshea includes perakim 1-3, and deals with the prophet’s marriage and its symbolic meaning as regards the relationship of God and Israel.

   These perakim are a mixture of prophecies of doom and harsh rebuke with words of consolation and visions of redemption. The unit comprises six sections, which are arranged in a chiastic structure. In this study guide, we will follow the sections in order, while comparing them to the parallel sections. An appendix deals with the topic of Ba'al worship.

    

5. The Marriage of God and Israel in Yehezkel 16

   Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman | 54 minutes

   This class examines the political, theological, and social allegories presented in Yehezkel chapter 16. Through a close analysis of the text, we examine the metaphor of a husband and wife relationship as reflecting the relationship between Am Yisrael and God, which is crucial for understanding the first chapter of Eicha. 

6. God's Presence in the Mishkan after the Golden Calf: The Nature of God's Relationship with Israel

   Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 22 minutes

   In Vayakhel-Pekudei, there is an interesting phenonenon of the repetition (in certain places) of "as God commanded" - mostly occuring in the descriptions of the construction of the Mishkan vessels. It comes up once again after the Mishkan is set up. Afterward, God's presence is felt in the Mishkan to the extent that even Moshe cannot enter the Tent of Meeting.

    The description of Bnei Yisrael's fulfilment of God's instructions, and especially, the description of God's presence entering the Mishkan,  highlight the special relationship between God and Israel. Astonishingly, even after the Sin of the Golden Calf (and its aftermath), the relationship continues. In this shiur, we contemplate the duality of God's relationship with Israel as expressed in these chapters: there are aspects of the constancy (and difficulty) of a parent-child relationship, as well as the passion (and risks) of the marriage relationship.

7. Haftarat Bemidbar: Two Terms for "Husband"

   Rabbi David Silverberg

8. Harsher Criticism

   Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

   Echoing the covenant of peace forged with Pinhas, and especially Moshe’s blessings before his death, in this passage Malakhi castigates the priests for their shortcomings not in regard to their role in the sacrificial service, but as Torah teachers. In contrast to a previous era, in which the Levites observed the covenant and feared the Almighty, they have now “turned out of the way of that course.”

   The emphasis on the priests’ lapses as halakhic decisors, although to a degree rooted in earlier Biblical passages, sounds strikingly post-prophetic. All this betokens a clear transition in leadership from priest as primarily focused on the Temple service to one also centered on Torah education.

   In light of the centrality of the familial metaphor, it may be that the dialogue between God and the nation is the perfect organizing principle. Constructed as a series of tense exchanges between quarrelling but loving spouses, the discussion motif offers a realistic snapshot of a marital relationship and is therefore particularly apt.

9. Dreams and Dialogues in Shir Hashirim

   Rabbi Moshe Taragin

   תאריך פרסום: 5777 | | Hour and 11 minutes

   In this shiur, we look at the four main poems in Shir HaShirim: the song of longing and wistfulness, the wedding preparations, the frustrated expectations, and the search for renewal (as well as the chorus of the “oaths”). We consider the nature of the communication in Shir Hashirim, and explore the multiple perspectives within the songs and within the midrash and commentaries on Shir HaShirim. As we navigate the blending of time and blurred consciousness in the dream sequences, we ask:What messages about Am Yisrael can we uncover from the dream metaphors in Shir HaShirim? What roles do the dreams play in expressing emotions, and how many characters are really in Shir HaShirim?

10. Mishlei - Part 9: Tips for Success

    Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen | 40 minutes

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

11. Eikha: Chapter 1 (continued)

    Shiur #14

    Dr. Yael Ziegler

    Eikha 1:8: The haunting portrait of suffering abruptly gives way to harsh accusation: “Jerusalem surely sinned!” Until now, Jerusalem’s misery inclines the reader to empathize with her suffering. The tone shifts sharply here as the narrator points an accusatory finger at Jerusalem.