Articles with the tag: shoftim
See What I’m Saying
Would you rather be blind or deaf? If you had to make a choice, which would you keep; which would you give up? This week’s opening verse: “See, I have placed before you today, blessings and curses,” (Devarim 11:26) is perhaps suggesting that G-d ‘needs’ us to see. But surely we are not talking here about actual sight: after all no blessings or curses were physically visible! Torah is simply describing intellectual concepts, and the word ‘see’ refers to comprehension as in, “Do you see what I’m telling you?” or, “I see what you mean.”
Interestingly enough, there is another famous Biblical term that symbolizes understanding: “Hear, O’ Israel, G-d is our L-rd, G-d is One.” Once again, we are…
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Prophecy’s Proof
G-d constantly speaks. Some of His words form a stream of divine energy that maintains the world’s existence; other communications are directed to a prophet. Their purpose is not to reveal the meaning of life, or to legislate new laws. That’s covered in the Bible. Instead, prophecy was used to foretell the future, redirect a wayward Jewish society, warn of dire consequences, deliver a private message to a king, or convey a one-time-only command not contained in the Torah.
Thus, Isaiah was sent to describe the Messianic era; Jeremiah the destruction of the Temple; Samuel to inform King Saul to wage war; and Elijah to conduct the famous duel on Mount Carmel. But no prophet ever said anything that was…
Continue reading Prophecy’s Proof
Open Your Jewish Hand (21:7)
Approximately twenty five years ago two Israeli scientists, Dr. Leo Sachs of the Weizmann Institute and Dr. M. Bat-Miriam of the Israeli Institute of the Biological Research, came forth with an astounding theory. They analyzed the fingerprints of 4,000 Jewish immigrants and after careful analysis the scientists came to the conclusion that Jewish fingerprints show identical common traits which are not discernible in other races or groups of people. In other words, the Jew has a distinctive fingerprint!
Whether we accept their assertion or not, and whether further evidence will be discovered to either bolster or demolish their research, has yet to be determined. But this I do know, that in fact there is a time-tested and proven method of…
Continue reading Open Your Jewish Hand (21:7)
Are You a Good Investment? (20:1)
These next two sections in the Torah deal with issues resulting from being in a state of war. Among the specific issues are the kohen who exhorted the people not to fear the enemy, a delineation of who was exempt from the fighting, details of how a siege should be conducted, and the subsequent treatment of certain captives. Surprisingly enough, in the midst of all this warfare, which is by its very nature destructive, the Torah demands that we do not destroy the local trees of the cities we are besieging.
In truth, this commandment is not limited to trees in the heat of battle, but is extended by our Sages to not waste anything needlessly. This Biblical passage is…
Continue reading Are You a Good Investment? (20:1)
A Sanctuary in Time (19:4)
David furtively looked around. As he scanned the short span of highway that led to the city gates, he breathed a sigh of relief. The road was clear. He emerged from the thicket and moved towards the walled city. Suddenly from behind a rock, he saw whom he feared most, the brother of the man he had accidentally killed. Drawing upon a source of energy he was previously unaware of, he dashed to safety. He had entered a city of refuge.
In this week’s Biblical portion we read about the ancient cities of refuge manned by the Levites, to which a man who had killed accidentally could find sanctuary. In a well known Chassidic comparison, the final month of the…
Continue reading A Sanctuary in Time (19:4)
A State Is Not a Society (17:16)
Can there be a mitzvah that the Torah is ambivalent about? Apparently the commentaries believed so. Thus, while Maimonides regarded the appointment of a king as a bona-fide command, Ibn Ezra read it as an option. Abarbanel went further; he saw the passage as a mere concession to human weakness.
Indeed, the very wording hints to a hesitancy on the part of the Torah. First is the unique prologue which foresaw the Jews asking for a king in order to be, “Like all the nations.” This runs counter to the purpose of most mitzvohs, which was to make Israel distinctive and holy.
Second is the list of caveats placed upon the king: not to multiply wives, horses, or wealth. It…
Continue reading A State Is Not a Society (17:16)
Government & Rabbis (17:15)
Is there a Jewish theory on government? Should a democratically elected Knesset have to listen to Rabbis? What if the issue is Synagogues to be destroyed in Gaza, or settlers removed from Hebron? Perhaps Rabbis should be consulted about houses of worship, but ignored when the topic is Movie Theatres open on Shabbat? What do you think? What does the Torah think?
Today’s Biblical reading addresses the topic of government, and asks the question, how should the nation be ruled? Before we consider the Torah’s answer three background propositions should be born in mind.
The first is that biblical Israel did not represent a “religion” in the sense that word conveys today. Religion as practiced currently is a way of…
Continue reading Government & Rabbis (17:15)
Prophecy’s Proof (18:22)
G-d constantly speaks. Some of His words form a stream of divine energy that maintains the world’s existence; other are directed to a prophet. Its purpose is not to reveal the meaning of life, or to legislate new laws. That’s covered in the Bible. Instead, prophecy was used to foretell the future, redirect a wayward Jewish society, warn of dire consequences, deliver a private message to a king, or convey a one-time-only command not contained in the Torah.
Thus, Isaiah was sent to describe the Messianic era; Jeremiah the destruction of the Temple; Samuel to inform King Saul to wage war; and Elijah to conduct the famous duel on Mount Carmel. But no prophet ever said anything that was the…
Continue reading Prophecy’s Proof (18:22)
Open Your Jewish Hand (21:7)
Approximately twenty five years ago two Israeli scientists, Dr. Leo Sachs of the Weizmann Institute and Dr. M. Bat-Miriam of the Israeli Institute of the Biological Research, came forth with an astounding theory. They analyzed the fingerprints of 4,000 Jewish immigrants and after careful analysis the scientists came to the conclusion that Jewish fingerprints show identical common traits which are not discernible in other races or groups of people. In other words, the Jew has a distinctive fingerprint!
Whether we accept their assertion or not, and whether further evidence will be discovered to either bolster or demolish their research, has yet to be determined. But this I do know, that in fact there is a time-tested and proven method of…
Continue reading Open Your Jewish Hand (21:7)
Are You a Good Investment? (20:1)
These next two sections in the Torah deal with issues resulting from being in a state of war. Among the specific issues are the kohen who exhorted the people not to fear the enemy, a delineation of who was exempt from the fighting, details of how a siege should be conducted, and the subsequent treatment of certain captives. Surprisingly enough, in the midst of all this warfare, which is by its very nature destructive, the Torah demands that we do not destroy the local trees of the cities we are besieging.
In truth, this commandment is not limited to trees in the heat of battle, but is extended by our Sages to not waste anything needlessly. This Biblical passage is…
Continue reading Are You a Good Investment? (20:1)
A Sanctuary in Time (19:4)
David furtively looked around. As he scanned the short span of highway that led to the city gates, he breathed a sigh of relief. The road was clear. He emerged from the thicket and moved towards the walled city. Suddenly from behind a rock, he saw whom he feared most, the brother of the man he had accidentally killed. Drawing upon a source of energy he was previously unaware of, he dashed to safety. He had entered a city of refuge.
In this week’s Biblical portion we read about the ancient cities of refuge manned by the Levites, to which a man who had killed accidentally could find sanctuary. In a well known Chassidic comparison, the final month of the…
Continue reading A Sanctuary in Time (19:4)
A State Is Not a Society (17:16)
Can there be a mitzvah that the Torah is ambivalent about? Apparently the commentaries believed so. Thus, while Maimonides regarded the appointment of a king as a bona-fide command, Ibn Ezra read it as an option. Abarbanel went further; he saw the passage as a mere concession to human weakness.
Indeed, the very wording hints to a hesitancy on the part of the Torah. First is the unique prologue which foresaw the Jews asking for a king in order to be, “Like all the nations.” This runs counter to the purpose of most mitzvohs, which was to make Israel distinctive and holy.
Second is the list of caveats placed upon the king: not to multiply wives, horses, or wealth. It…
Continue reading A State Is Not a Society (17:16)
Government & Rabbis (17:15)
Is there a Jewish theory on government? Should a democratically elected Knesset have to listen to Rabbis? What if the issue is Synagogues to be destroyed in Gaza? Perhaps Rabbis should be consulted about houses of worship, but ignored when the topic is Movie Theatres open on Shabbat? What do you think? What does the Torah think?
Today’s Biblical reading addresses the topic of government, and asks the question, how should the nation be ruled? Before we consider the Torah’s answer three background propositions should be born in mind.
The first is that biblical Israel did not represent a “religion” in the sense that word conveys today. Religion as practiced currently is a way of life one practices in private,...
Continue reading Government & Rabbis (17:15)