Faith in God
נמצאו 25 תוצאות חיפוש
Lack of Confidence, Lack of Faith
Rabbi Yair KahnThe previous parasha tracked the spiritual deterioration of the nation when they embark on the desert journey. The Sin of the Spies presents a new low, damaging the very foundations of the Camp of Israel. A close reading reveals that the Sin of the Spies contains two very different aspects: a lack of belief in God, and a lack of maturity required to enter and inherit the Promised Land.
Nothing Happens By Chance
Haftarot: Behukotai
Rabbi Mosheh LichtensteinThe haftara of Behukotai reinforces the need to trust in God despite the troubles experienced by the nation, in two ways: 1. The trust in providence as opposed to chance and human causality; and 2. The importance of trust in God in times of crisis. These two messages make this prophecy an appropriate choice for the parasha of rebuke.
The Lord is My Light and My Salvation
Psalm 27 - L'David Hashem Ori ve-Yishi
Rabbi Elchanan SametPsalm 27 can be divided into two parts, each part representing opposing points of view. The first half expresses a religious position of absolute trust in God, untainted by doubt while the second half expresses the psalmists anxiety and lack of confidence. Can the mizmor be read as one unified text nonetheless? What is the significance of presenting these two views side by side in one psalm?
Mizmor 13
Rabbi Avi BaumolMizmor 13 begins in despair and ends in ecstasy. The Mizmor describes the feeling of despair and abandonment from God. Alternatively, the Mizmor is about believing in God, rejoicing in impending salvation, and being capable of composing a new song to God in the face of the adversity.
Mizmor 27
Rabbi Avi BaumolMizmor 27 relates the constant struggle between absolute faith in God and uncertainty due to enemies leaving the poet with a "single" multifaceted request: to bestow upon him the glory of God, in all aspects of his life, to certify that his enemies will no longer detract from his uncompromising faith in his savior.
Yitro: Standing in Awe
Rabbi Dr. Avraham Walfishתאריך פרסום: תשס"ו | | 45 דקות
Parashat Beshallah and Yitro share a rare feature: for both parshiyyot, some have the custom to stand during one of the aliyyot during the Torah reading. These sections, Song at the Sea and the Giving of the Torah, are two of the most significant in Moshe’s career and in the development of the people of Israel. Examining these stories together presents a picture of the Israelites’ transition into a permanent relationship with God.
Aviya, Assa, and Ba'sha – Civil War
Rabbi Alex IsraelSharp 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.
Tests of Faith
Rabbi Alex IsraelHizkiyahu'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?
Parshat Beshalach
Rabbi Menachem LeibtagBnei Yisrael gloriously depart Egypt, expecting a short journey to the Land of Israel. To their surprise, they encounter instead situations of frightening war, terrible hunger, and life-threatening thirst. Are Bnei Yisrael expected not to complain; to passively accept this fate, to wait patiently for God's salvation? Is God simply 'testing' their patience? In order to answer these questions we explore the purpose of the Exodus from Egypt as a process of building trust in God. During the six week period after the Exodus, Bnei Yisrael encounter several traumatic experiences and changes in daily routine which help transform their instinctive physical dependence on Egypt to their instinctive physical dependence on God.
Parshat Vaetchanan - Shema Yisrael
Rabbi Alex Israel | 35 דקותParashat 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.
Parshat Eikev - Dependence and Independence
Rabbi Alex Israel | 37 דקותThis 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.
The Inconsistent Nature of Man
Rabbi Avi BaumolThe Duality of Man's Stance before God
Rabbi Elchanan SametRamban vs. Ralbag: Escaping the Famine - Sin or Responsibility?
Rabbi David SilverbergWhy Avraham's Belief is Called "Tzedaka"
Rabbi David SilverbergWalk Before Me and Be Tamim
Rabbi David SilverbergTehillim 92: A Song for Shabbat - and for Teshuva?
Rabbi David SilverbergThe "Song to Counter Evil" - Psalm 91
Part 1
Rabbi Elchanan SametOur psalm describes in detail both a person’s trust in God and the kindness and protection that God grants him.
The question that arises is regarding the subject of our psalm. Is it the person of faith himself who is the speaker here? Is the psalmist presenting the man of faith in the third person? Perhaps the man of faith is being addressed by the psalmist in second person. All three of the above possibilities appear in the psalm, and they are constantly being exchanged.
Generally speaking, exegetical efforts are aimed towards blurring the transition from one speaker to another, so as to arrive at a psalm that is uniform and harmonious from a linguistic, literary point of view.
The "Song to Counter Evil" - Psalm 91
Part 2
Rabbi Elchanan SametOther interpretations regard our psalm as a drama comprising three voices: a dramatic exchange of different characters who speak over the course of the unit.
This interpretation is preferable because it avoids the forced explanations of the other commentaries, who find it necessary to blur the transition from one speaker to another. However, it also raises a series of new questions:
- What is the nature of the relationship between the various voices?
- Why is the principal dialogue repeated twice?
- What is the role of God in the conclusion of the psalm when Psalms is not a book of prophecies?
- What is the significance of the dramatic form used in this Psalm?
The "Song to Counter Evil" - Psalm 91
Part 4
Rabbi Elchanan SametOther chapters of Tehillim that speak of trust and deliverance usually address a present danger, and the worshipper’s trust in God’s deliverance stands him in good stead and brings about his salvation. What makes our psalm unique is that it does not speak of present, immediate threats; rather, it describes the various types of dangers that attack a person in this world. How can one develop an awareness that can deal with the perpetual danger facing him at every step and at every moment of his life?
A person must be aware of the existential dangers that surround him; he should not live under the false illusion that the world is a tranquil, safe place. On the other hand, this awareness should not embitter him or cause him to live in constant fear. Admittedly, the world is full of all sorts of dangers, but it is not ownerless: God watches over His creatures and treats each according to its needs. A person who trusts in God and makes Him his abode and his refuge will enjoy His protection from all of the dangers in the world. As his trust in God and closeness to Him grow, so God’s Divine patronage in his regard will assume deeper and broader significance.
To learn all of this, the disciple needs the guidance of his teacher – the other character in this drama, who is older and more experienced, who is familiar with the world and its threats, and who recognizes the Divine protection enjoyed by the disciple.
This confirmation of the teacher’s words is provided, for the benefit of the reader, in the form of God’s word in support and elaboration of what the teacher has said.
Yaakov's Reunion with Yosef and the Message of the Shema
Rabbi David SilverbergAvraham's Aliya, Our Aliya, and the Chagim
Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 18 דקותWe see from last week’s parsha that Avraham has picked up and headed for Canaan, even before receiving a commandment from God.
This parasha is full of messages about belief, trust in God, and Aliyah - in the midst of Avraham's immigration which is full of question marks.
There is a commandment but also a pull toward Eretz Yisrael. For Avraham and for contemporary olim (immigrants), there is no initial promise that everything is going to work out - we have to wait for the next part of the parasha where God will give us the promise. The idea of hope during a time of many unknowns also relates to Rosh Hodesh, a time of optimism and looking forward to the middle of the month when the moon is in full view, and when many of our festivals are celebrated, symbolizing God's manifestation to Israel after periods of seeming obscurity - periods to cultivate optimism.
“But Do Not Rebel Against the Lord”
Rabbi Gad EldadOf the complaints that had a significant impact on the history of Am Yisrael, the sin of the spies stands out prominently. As a result of this sin, it was decreed that the entire generation would die in the desert instead of reaching the Promised Land.Why could God not have found some punishment that would leave room for recovery and moving on, along with recognition of the sin and atonement for it?
We find a real crisis in the people’s faith in God-- a lack of confidence so profound that even the spontaneous initiative of the ma’apilim, who realize the gravity of their sin and propose proceeding anyway to Eretz Yisrael, cannot repair the damage.
Translated by Kaeren Fish
Radak - Rav David Kimchi
Dr. Avigail RockThe Radak — R. David Kimchi — was born and active in Provence, in southern France, near Spain. The Radak was a member of a family of Spanish grammarians and exegetes. Like R. Avraham ibn Ezra, the Kimchi family brought the fundamentals of linguistics and grammar from Spain to France.
Despite the fact that Radak sees himself as a pashtan, he does not hesitate to cite derash. However, when the Radak quotes these sources, it is obvious that he has a distinction between peshat and derash.
Two principles guide the Radak in citing Midrashic sources:
- When it is difficult to resolve the peshat without the derash.
- For the lovers of derash - in order to explain the text and engage his readers.
The view of the Radak is that the Torah is not a historical tome. Those stories of the Patriarchs which have been selected to put into the Torah with all of its details must fulfill one criterion: teaching a moral lesson.
Just as one may learn from the positive acts of the forefathers, so one may learn from their negative acts. The Radak does not engage in apologetics; instead, he writes explicitly that the narratives which describe the negative acts of the Patriarchs have been written in order to help us avoid this sort of behavior.
The Radak points out consistently that the Torah often uses repetitious language, not because each word introduces new meaning, but because the verse seeks to stress the significance of a given issue. This view stands in stark contrast to that of Rashi, who argues that generally speaking, one must assign meaning to every word, as there cannot be any redundancy in the biblical text.
Devarim: What Does It Mean To Have Faith?
Rabbi David Fohrman |In this week's parsha, Moses accuses the nation of Israel of not having faith. What? The people know firsthand about all the miracles God has done for them, how could they not have faith? Drawing on the Maharal, Rabbi Fohrman gives us a novel approach to faith, and challenges us to rise to this level of intimacy with God and with each other.
If you enjoyed this video, please visit AlephBeta.org to watch more.