Patriarchal Inheritance

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1. Navot's Vineyard (Part 3)

   Navot's Refusal and its Motives

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   Despite Ahav’s generous offer, Navot refuses to sell his vineyard. The narrative describes Ahav’s attempt to ignore the real reason behind Navot’s refusal and Izevel describes it as petty. In fact, Navot’s refusal is based on the value of preserving the patriarchal inheritance which was viewed not as an asset with monetary value, but rather as part of a social structure in which the individual was connected to his family.

2. 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.

3. The Significance of Tzelofhad not Joining Korach

   Rabbi David Silverberg