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A LOT of Stuff Happens

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

On his own initiative, Shaul's son Jonathan took his armor-bearer and went to spy out the Philistine camp. Nobody knew that they had gone. Jonathan knew that, when they saw Philistines, if the enemy said "Halt - we'll come to you" that they were strong and confident, but if they said, "Hey, come here," then they were afraid of an ambush and that G-d would allow the Jews to defeat them.

They approached the Philistine camp and the guards saw them. They said, "Hey, come here! We want to tell you something!" Jonathan knew from the sign that G-d would deliver the Philistine army into the Jews' hands, no matter how unevenly matched they appeared to be. Jonathan and his armor-bearer then ran through the camp, routing the Philistine army, whom G-d had struck with fear.

Shaul's army saw the Philistine camp panicking and running amok. Clearly, something was up. They looked to see who was missing and realized that it was Jonathan and his attendant. Meanwhile, the crazed Philistines were wiping each other out in their panic and the Jews who had gone into hiding returned to fight.

In order to keep the people focused on the task at hand, Shaul decreed a fast. On pain of death, no man was to eat until nightfall. The battle raged into the forest where honey was dripping, but nobody tasted it because of Shaul's oath. Jonathan, however, hadn't been with the rest of the army at the time, so he didn't know about the oath. He ate some honey, which reinvigorated him. One of the other soldiers told him about his father's oath, with which Jonathan disagreed. (Shaul's reason was so that the people would not be distracted; Jonathan felt the army could use the extra energy.)

The Jews defeated the Philistines - clearly with G-d's help! They settled down to eat, but they ate "on the blood." The exact meaning of "on the blood" is unclear. It does NOT appear that they ate the blood itself (which is a very serious sin). More likely, they ate the meat of the sacrifices before the blood was sprinkled on the altar. (There are other explanations offered by the commentators.) Shaul saw this and put a stop to it. He set up an altar for the sprinkling of blood to obviate the problem.

Shaul then had the Kohein Gadol (High Priest) consult G-d via the Urim and Tumim as to whether or not they should pursue the remaining Philistines. G-d did not reply, which had never happened before. Shaul knew from this that there was still a sin hanging over the heads of the nation and he was determined to find out what it was. He said, "No matter who it is, even my own son Jonathan, shall die."

Shaul was able to determine that it was, in fact, Jonathan! He asked his son what he had done and Jonathan told him that he violated his father's oath of a fast. Shaul was prepared to carry out his word - it wouldn't do for the king to be guilty of favoritism! But the people rallied to Jonathan's defense, as the victory had been brought about through his actions. Because the people stood up for him, Jonathan was spared.

Shaul broke off pursuit of the Philistines, who retreated to their territory. Shaul strengthened his army and consolidated his rule. He fought against the nation's enemies on all sides.

I Samuel Chapter 13 Fri, Jan 20, 12

Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom - Length: 23:26  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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Saul's First Mistake

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Shaul selected 3,000 troops for his standing army and sent the rest of the people home. Shaul's son Jonathan, looking to provoke a battle with the Philistines, assassinated a Philistine commander. Saul gathered his army in Gilgal, while the Philistines mounted their forces. The people of Israel were massively intimidated by the size of the Philistine army, with 30,000 chariots and endless foot soldiers. Many of the Jews hid in caves, pits and towers. Some even ran to Trans-Jordan. Shaul was instructed by Shmuel to wait seven days for him. When Shmuel didn't arrive, people started to desert. Shaul took matters into his own hands and offered the sacrifice to G-d. As he was finishing, Shmuel arrived.

Shmuel became angry because Shaul had "jumped the gun." Shaul had what he felt was the best of reasons, but he didn't follow the instructions of G-d's prophet. This was the first step in Shaul losing the kingship. Shmuel informed Shaul that G-d had chosen another to succeed him as king, then he departed. (Shaul followed Shmuel, a fact that is not directly stated, but is evident from subsequent verses.)

Shaul counted what remained of his army and it was only 600 men. Furthermore, the Philistines had kept the Jews from employing blacksmiths, so the army of Israel had no swords or spears. (They had to go to Philistine blacksmiths to sharpen their farm tools.) So things looked pretty bleak, but appearances can be deceiving.

In Depth: I Samuel Chapter 11-12 Thu, Jan 19, 12

Rabbi Menachem Leibtag - Length: 23:26  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

The Monarchy & the purpose of God's People

I Samuel Chapter 12 Thu, Jan 19, 12

Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom - Length: 25:03  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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The Rain in Israel Falls Mainly on the Wheat

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Now that Shaul had been crowned king, Shmuel was ready to withdraw from his role as Judge. (He would still serve as prophet, but he was no longer the head of the government or the military.) Shmuel asked if anyone had any complaints against him; nobody did. Shmuel then reminded the people that it was G-d Who sent Moses and Aaron, and Who saved them from Egypt. But when the nation forgets G-d, He allows foreign powers like Sisera and the Philistines to oppress them. However, when the people return to G-d, he sends redemption through great leaders (and less-than-great leaders). Here Shmuel named the lesser Judges: Gideon, Samson and Yiftach. The Talmud in Rosh Hashana, daf 25b, top, says that these leaders were as appropriate for their generations as Moses and Aaron were for theirs. Speaking prophetically, Shmuel was impelled to include himself in the list of leaders of the Jewish people, doing so in the third person.

However, Shmuel still maintained that the people erred in demanding a king to lead them, rather than Hashem Himself. The fact that G-d had granted their request was no proof that it was necessarily a good thing, as Shmuel would proceed to demonstrate. It was summer, when it doesn't rain in Israel, and the wheat was standing in the fields. Shmuel called out to Hashem and a heavy thunderstorm rained down (which wasn't a good thing for the crop). The people were afraid that they had sinned by asking for a king and they asked Shmuel to pray for them. He told them not to worry, just to continue by listening to the Word of Hashem. If they follow Hashem, they will be His people. If they stray, both they and the king they requested are done for.

I Samuel Chapter 11 Wed, Jan 18, 12

Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom - Length: 26:03  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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What Am I, Chopped Oxen?

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Nachash, ruler of Ammon, attacked the city of Yaveish. They asked for a pact, in which case they would agree to serve him. He said, "One one condition - each of you must put out his right eye." (The commentators explain this to symbolically refer to a number of things, for example dissolving the Sanhedrin.) The people of Yaveish asked for a week's time. They then sent messengers to get help.

When the people heard of the attack, they wept. Shaul came in from plowing his field (according to Radak still not quite acting like a king!) and asked what the commotion was. When he heard what occurred, he took charge. He cut two oxen into pieces and had them sent throughout the land, saying that's what would be done to the oxen of anyone who doesn't join the fight. (This may superficially resemble what the Levite did with his concubine's body at the end of the Book of Judges, but you can see from the text that the intention of the two acts was very different. The Levite meant to shock people with "Look what they did!" Shaul meant to rally the people and to send a message of "united we stand, divided we fall.")

330,000 troops gathered and they sent word to Yaveish that they would be saved by the next afternoon. The people of Yaveish told Nachash, "We're coming to you tomorrow." Nachash took that to mean they would surrender the next day, so he was unprepared for attack.

Shaul divided his forces into three companies, which entered the Ammonite camp at dawn. They routed the Ammonites and the few survivors scattered. The Jews were so inspired by Shaul's leadership that they wanted to execute those who had bad-mouthed Shaul for their treasonous slander. Shaul refused to have anybody executed on a day on which Hashem had wrought such a victory. Instead, they retired to Gilgal, where they crowned Shaul again, this time unanimously. They offered sacrifices to Hashem and rejoiced there.

In Depth: I Samuel Chapter 8-10 Wed, Jan 18, 12

Rabbi Menachem Leibtag - Length: 27:01  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

Asking for a King - Thematic Flashbacks from Sefer Breishit.

I Samuel Chapter 10 Tue, Jan 17, 12

Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom - Length: 23:25  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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The Adventures of Saul in the Coat Room

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Shmuel anointed Shaul with oil - the commentators differ as to whether this was the shemen hamishcha, the special oil prepared by Moses, which was used to anoint the kings of the Davidic dynasty. Then, Shmuel gave Shaul three signs. First, he would meet two men who would tell him that his lost donkeys were found, and that his father was now looking for him. Next, Shaul would meet three men, bringing kids, loaves of bread and a jug of wine for sacrifices. He was to take the bread that would be offered him. Finally, he would meet a band of prophets and would, himself, be overcome by a spirit of prophecy and become "a different person." After all these signs came to pass, Shaul was to go to Gilgal, where he would be joined by Shmuel, who would offer sacrifices.

All of these things came to pass. When Shaul was prophesying with the prophets, he was seen. The sight amazed the people who coined an expression, "Saul is one of the prophets now?"

Shaul returned home and was met by his uncle. He told his uncle that Shmuel told him the donkeys had been found, but he didn't say anything about being made king.

Shmuel called a gathering at Mitzpah, where he announced that he was going to publicly anoint the king they had demanded. He drew lots Tribe by Tribe, family by family, until he came to Shaul, son of Kish. But when they called his name, the modest Shaul was hiding among the luggage. The people were impressed by the tall, handsome Shaul and proclaimed him their king. Shmuel repeated all the laws of the King, then sent them home. Some lowly people denigrated Shaul, saying he was unfit. He heard, but he let his natural humility win out. He is actually criticized for this, as a king may not forego the honor due him (see Talmud Yoma 22b, end).

I Samuel Chapter 9 Mon, Jan 16, 12

Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom - Length: 31:31  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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Dude! Where's My Donkey?

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

A man from the Tribe of Benjamin named Kish had a tall, handsome son named Shaul (Saul). One day, Kish's donkeys went missing, so he sent Shaul and a servant to go look for them. Shaul traveled far and wide, but he didn't find the donkeys. After a while, Shaul suggested that they return home, as by this point his father would probably be more worried about the search party than about the animals. (In his modesty, Shaul said to his attendant, "my father must be worried about us," including the servant, rather than "about me.") The attendant pointed out that they were not far from Shmuel's residence in Tzuf and suggested they go to him for guidance.

They got directions from some local girls, who engaged Shaul in conversation because he was so good-looking. They informed Shaul that Shmuel was presiding over a sacrifice and directed him to the location of the altar. (At this point, subsequent to the destruction of the Tabernacle and prior to the construction of the Temple, private altars were permitted.)

The day before, G-d had spoken to Shmuel, telling him that Shaul would arrive and that he would be the man Shmuel should annoint king of Israel.

Shaul arrived and asked for Shmuel. Shmuel identified himself and told him not to worry about the donkeys, as they had been found. As an aside he added, "Why are you so worried about some donkeys when the entire wealth of the nation lies before you?" This comment was confusing to Shaul, who considered himself a member of a minor family from the smallest Tribe. Shmuel then gave Shaul a seat at the head of his table and had Shaul served a portion of great honor. (The portion had been set aside for Shaul, as G-d had told Shmuel to expect him.) Shaul stayed overnight and the next morning, Shmuel gave him instructions from G-d.

(Thanks to Aliza Libman Baronofsky, from whom I stole for the title of the synopsis.)

I Samuel Chapter 8 Sun, Jan 15, 12

Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom - Length: 23:26  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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King Me!

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Having grown old because of the rigors of his job, Shmuel appointed his sons to assist him. They turned out to be unfit for the job; they took bribes and judged dishonestly. The Elders approached Shmuel and said that since he was getting too feeble to handle the task, and since his sons were unfit successors, he should appoint a king. G-d told Shmuel not to take it personally; the people were not rejecting Shmuel's leadership, but G-d's own! (When they requested this, they said "give us a king, like all the other nations," which was an improper motivation. Because of this, their first king would be a temporary ruler, rather than the permanent Davidic dynasty.)

Shmuel didn't like the Jews' request and tried to discourage them by relating all the powers a king would exercise, including taxation and confiscation of property. But the people would not be swayed and G-d told Shmuel to do as they asked.

(That the nation would eventually demand a king is foretold by the Torah in Deuteronomy chapter 17.)

In Depth: I Samuel Chapter 1-7 Sat, Jan 14, 12

Rabbi Menachem Leibtag - Length: 20:02  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

Tefillat Channa - A 'personal prayer' or a national 'turn-around'

I Samuel Chapter 7 Sat, Jan 14, 12

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Discombobulating the Philistines

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

The people of Kiryas Ye'arim took the Ark and put it in the house of a man named Avinadav, where it would reside for twenty years. Shmuel then presided over a national teshuvah movement. ("Teshuvah" means repentance, or a return to G-d.) The Jews discarded their idols and turned to G-d.

At a national gathering in Mitzpah, the Philistines attacked the nation. The people cried out to Shmuel to pray for them. He did and G-d sent thunderous noises that so discombobulated the Philistines that they were easily defeated. Shmuel established a monument to the event and called it "even-ezer," meaning "the rock where G-d helped us."

After this, the Philistine threat subsided and they remained in the background for the duration of Shmuel's tenure as a Judge. Shmuel was an exceptional Judge, traveling the country to go to the people, rather than expecting them to come to him. Unfortunately, the rigors of his self-imposed routine made him old before his time.

I Samuel Chapter 6 Fri, Jan 13, 12

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You Can't Make This Stuff Up

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

The Philistines asked their priests what to do about the fiasco with the Ark. They didn't say to send it back, but they did say, IF they were going to send the Ark back, a gift should be included to appease G-d. The gift was five golden hemorrhoids and five golden mice, to represent the plague and mice which were destroying the Philistine land. (The mice were not mentioned previously. Some commentators say that the mice would chew on the people's hemorrhoids or enter the people's bowels - see Rashi on 5:5 and Radak on 6:4.) The Ark and the golden statuettes were placed on a new wagon that was hitched to two nursing cows. (The cows would not be inclined to leave their young unless led by G-d.) The Philistines sent representatives to follow the wagon to Beis Shemesh in Israelite territory. The cows went straight there.

When the Jews saw the wagon with the Ark approaching, there was great rejoicing. They chopped up the wagon for firewood and offered the cows as a sacrifice to G-d. But some of the people disrespectfully looked into the Ark and were killed by G-d. (The text is unclear as to whether it was 50,000 people who were each worthy of being one of the 70 Elders of Israel, or 70 Elders each of whom was equal to 50,000 commoners, or perhaps 70 Elders AND 50,000 regular people. In any event, it was not a good thing.) The people of Beis Shemesh became too scared to host the Ark, so they asked the people of Kiryas Ye'arim if they would come and take it. (Contrast this with the Philistines, who just shipped it off to the next city. The Philistines attributed the plague to an inherent destructive force within the Ark itself and treated it like a "hot potato." The Jews attributed it to their own unworthiness and sought more appropriate hosts for the Ark.)

I Samuel Chapter 5 Thu, Jan 12, 12

Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom - Length: 31:30  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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God: 5, Dagon: 0

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Having captured the Ark from the Jews, the Philistines took it to the city of Ashdod and put it in the house of their idol, Dagon, who was possibly in the form a merman. The logic behind this move was that the "gods" would probably enjoy hanging out together. The next day, however, the Philistines found the idol of Dagon face down on the floor. They righted it, but the next day it was again fallen, only this time its head and hands were severed. The Philistines sanctified the place where the idol had fallen.

Seeing that the Philistines were a stubborn lot and just not getting the message, G-d sent the people of Ashdod a message that was harder to miss. He struck the entire city and its suburbs with hemorrhoids, a painful and embarrassing condition. The people of Ashdod responded by forwarding the Ark to the city of Gath. G-d struck Gath with even worse hemorrhoids, so they sent it to Ekron. The people in Ekron stared to die as a result of the affliction, so the Philistine rulers gathered together to plan a course of action. They decided that it might be a better idea to get rid of the Ark altogether.

I Samuel Chapter 4 Wed, Jan 11, 12

Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom - Length: 22:06  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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Raiders of the Lost... ah, you know!

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Israel went to war against the Philistines. The Jews lost the battle, so they brought the Ark out to the battlefield. The Philistine forces became scared that G-d Himself had joined the fray, but their leaers encouraged them to be brave.

The Philistines won this battle, too. Eli's sons, Chofni and Pinchas, were both killed (on the same day, as per the prophecy), and the Ark was captured.

A Benjaminite (possibly Saul) carried word to Eli of the battle's outcome. He tried to break it to him slowly, but the news of his sons' death and the Ark's capture was too much for him; he fell off his chair, broke his neck and died.

Eli's daughter-in-law, the wife of Pinchas, was pregnant. When she heard all these things, she went into labor. She had a son and called him "Ichabod," meaning "there is no more honor" because of all the calamities that had occurred. She died as a result of her difficult labor.

I Samuel Chapter 3 Tue, Jan 10, 12

Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom - Length: 25:22  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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Go Back to Sleep!

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

One night, G-d called to Shmuel. Shmuel wasn't training to be a prophet, so he didn't know what he was hearing. He assumed it was Eli calling calling him. Eli said, "I didn't call you" and sent Shmuel back to bed. G-d called a second time; once again, Shmuel ran to Eli, who again dismissed him. The third time this happened, Eli realized what was going on and he instructed Shmuel how to answer.

G-d told Shmuel that He was going to fulfill the curse against Eli's family. Shmuel was hesitant to tell this to Eli, but Eli said, "So may G-d do to you if you withhold any detail from me," so Shmuel felt compelled to tell him all. To his credit, Eli accepted G-d's judgment as just. Meanwhile, Shmuel acquired his reputation as a prophet.

I Samuel Chapter 2 Mon, Jan 09, 12

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I Am Sam. (Sam I Am.)

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

When Chana brought Shmuel to the Tabernacle, she sang a song of praise to Hashem that is full of prophetic meaning. As with Deborah's song in Judges, there's no way a synopsis can do it justice, so make sure you read it for yourself.

Shmuel remained with Eli in the Tabernacle, to be trained in the service of Hashem. Eli was assisted by his two sons, Chofni and Pinchas. Chofni and Pinchas are described by the Navi as "lawless" because they abused their authority. They used force and intimidation to take portions of sacrifices beyond those to which they were entitled. Eli got wind of the people's complaints against his sons and chastised them, but it was too little, too late. They kept on with their evil behavior, but as they were declining, Shmuel's star was rising.

G-d sent a prophet (possibly Elkanah) to Eli with a dire message. Because of his sons' behavior, the hereditary position of High Priest would be removed from Eli (a descendant of Aaron's son Itamar) and given to another branch of Aaron's descendants. Furthermore, none of Eli's descendants would live to see old age. The sign G-d gave was that Chofni and Pinchas would die on the same day. (The merit of Torah study and mitzvos could mitigate the curse; descendants of Eli were among the sages of the Talmud - see Rosh Hashana 18a.)

In Depth: I Samuel Intro Chapter Sun, Jan 08, 12

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Intro to Sefer Shmuel, its author and its first unit

From Judges to I Samuel Chapter Sun, Jan 08, 12

Rabbi Menachem Leibtag - Length: 19:26  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

From Sefer Shoftim to Sefer Shmuel and the thematic connection between them.

I Samuel Chapter 1 Sun, Jan 08, 12

Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom - Length: 40:46  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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Elkanah's Wives, Chana and Peninah

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

There was a man named Elkanah, who was Levite from Mt. Ephraim. Elkanah had two wives; Chana (Hannah) had no children, but Penina did. When Elkanah would bring a sacrifice, he would always give Chana an extra portion, but it was small consolation. Peninah would make snide comments that only made Chana feel worse.

Chana was at the Mishkan (Tabernacle) in Shiloh and she prayed to Hashem from the pain in her soul. She said that if Hashem gave her a son, he would be dedicated to Hashem all his life as a Nazirite (like Samson). Eli, the Kohein Gadol (High Priest) saw Chana praying. She was crying and moving her lips, but not making any sounds, so he thought she was drunk. Chana disabused him of this notion, so he blessed her that G-d should grant her prayer.

Soon after, Chana conceived and had a son, whom they named Shmuel (Samuel), meaning "requested from G-d." When the child was weaned, she brought him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh and reminded Eli of what had transpired, as well as that the child was dedicated to the service of G-d.

This chapter, which is read as the Haftarah on the first day of Rosh Hashana, is well known and full of meaningful lessons. We'll share just one here: Peninah was a righteous woman, who intentionally provoked the childless Chana in order to motivate her to prayer. Even though it worked, Peninah was still punished severely for her insensitive behavior. Pure motivations do not excuse cruel means.

In Depth: Judges Chapter 17-21 Sat, Jan 07, 12

Rabbi Jeremy Wieder - Length:   Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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Pesel, Pilegesh

Judges Chapter 21 Sat, Jan 07, 12

Rabbi Bini Maryles - Length: 24:18  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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Who Wants to Marry a Benjaminite?

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Because of the atrocity committed in Gibeah, the other Tribes had sworn at the meeting in Mitzpah not to give their daughters as wives to the Tribe of Benjamin. Now they had a problem: the entire Tribe had been wiped out except for the 600 refugees! What could be done? They couldn't violate their oath, but they also could not allow a Tribe to become extinct. What to do?

First, they determined that nobody had come to the meeting from the town of Yaveish-Gilad. Therefore, nobody from Yaveish-Gilad was bound by the oath. They struck down the population of Yaveish-Gilad, since attendance at the national assembly was mandatory on pain of death. They kept alive 400 marriageable girls for wives for Benjaminite refugees.

But this left 200 Benjaminite refugees without wives. How could they renew the Tribe without the other Tribes violating their oath? It was decided that the 200 remaining Benjaminites would go to the yearly festival in Shiloh. When the local girls went out to dance, each man would catch himself a wife. This would be done with the girl's consent, but not the parents', so there would be no violation of their oath not to give their daughters to the Tribe of Benjamin.

The Book of Judges ends by restating that there was no King in those days, suggesting that with a strong central leader, such tragedies could have been avoided. (That may be true, but we will see when we get to the Book of Kings that the ruler was the problem about as often as he was the solution!)

Judges Chapter 20 Fri, Jan 06, 12

Rabbi Bini Maryles - Length: 37:53  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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Perhaps We Over-Reacted

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Every Tribe sent representatives to the national meeting at Mitzpah. The Levite man told his story and the nation demanded an explanation from the Tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin refused to yield to national authority, insisting that they would deal with the situation as an internal matter. This was unacceptable to the rest of the Tribes, who declared war on Benjamin. Benjamin's army was 26,700. The rest of the nation had assembled an army of 400,000. (Perhaps Benjamin should have just handed over the offending members of their Tribe.)

In the first battle, Benjamin killed 22,000 Israelites. In the second battle, Benjamin killed another 18,000. Finally the 11 Tribes asked of G-d whether they should go to battle against Benjamin and G-d said yes, adding that they would then be victorious. (They had asked once before, but that was after they prepared for war. In other words, the first time they asked, their actions showed that they had already decided before asking.)

In the third battle, Israel ambushed Benjamin by surprise. Israel killed 25,100 Benjaminites. Benjamin retreated and was pursued. 18,000 soldiers were killed in battle and another 7,000 were killed in flight. 600 escaped to the Rock of Rimon, where they stayed for four months. The cities of Benjamin were eradicated, so that only the 600 refugees at Rimon survived.

Judges Chapter 19 Thu, Jan 05, 12

Rabbi Bini Maryles - Length: 35:45  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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Okay, Now THIS Is Messed Up!

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Another story from the early days of the Judges: there was a Levite who lived in Mt. Ephraim whose concubine left him and returned to her father's home. After four months, the Levite went to retrieve her. Everyone was reconciled and the Levite stayed at his father-in-law's house for several days. (A concubine is sort of like a wife, but without a marriage contract. It's beyond the scope of this synopsis to get into that here.) After a few days, the man and his concubine took to the road. At nightfall, they stopped in a Benjaminite city called Gibeah. There, they stayed with a local man, an Ephramite, who invited them in. Here's where things went horribly wrong.

A group of people from Gibeah acted like the inhabitants of Sodom did to Lot when he hosted the angels. They demanded that the man be sent out so that they could engage him in acts of sodomy. In a misguided show of hospitality, the host offered his own daughter and the concubine to the mob. (Wasn't the concubine also a guest deseving of his protection?) The mob initially declined this offer, but the man pushed his concubine out to them. A bird in the hand, they took the deal and molested her all night long. At daybreak, she was released, made her way back to the host's house, and collapsed on the doorstep, where she expired.

Okay, this next part is going to seem REALLY bizarre, but stay with me here:

When the man saw what had been done to his concubine (as if he hadn't pushed her out), he cut her corpse into 12 pieces and sent one to each Tribe telling the story of what the mob in Gibeah had done. (In this case, 12 includes both sons of Joseph and Levi; Benjamin did not receive one.) The purpose was to stir the passions of the nation that such a thing could be done. It worked, because they called a national meeting to address the atrocity.

Judges Chapter 18 Wed, Jan 04, 12

Rabbi Bini Maryles - Length: 28:12  Cable/DSL   Download mp3

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The Levite Revealed (Gasp!)

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Despite being placed after the story of Samson, there is a consensus that it actually occurred much earlier, in the time of Osniel, the first Judge.

Scouts from the Tribe of Dan were looking for territory when they discovered the altar in Micah's house. They asked the Levite if they would be successful in their quest and he said they would. (He answered in the name of G-d, rather than the idol. He didn't actually believe in the idol; that was "just a job.")

The Danites went about their mission. They reported back about Micah's idol, which they decided to seize. The Levite opposed them, so they offered him a better job: being priest for them, rather than for Micah alone. A job's a job, so he took the offer.

Micah found out what was going on and he opposed it. The Danite forces, who greatly outnumbered Micah's forces, strongly suggested that he just walk away. Dan conquered the city of Laish and renamed it Dan after their ancestor. (Laish is presumably the same city as Leshem in Joshua 19). They established a house of idolatry with the Levite as priest. At this point, the Navi reveals his name: Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Menashe.

But wait! The letter "nun" in the name "Menashe" is suspended halfway above the rest of the name! It's half in and half out. With the "nun" in, the name is Menashe. With the "nun" out, the name is Moshe!

The commentators explain that Jonathan was the grandson of Moshe (Moses). Moshe was a Levite and he had a son named Gershom, so it all makes sense. So why the "nun," rendering his name Menashe? Out of respect for Moses, the Navi concealed that fact. (It wasn't falsified, as the truth is still evident, but it was made more discreet.)

Judges Chapter 17 Tue, Jan 03, 12

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Idols in Our Midst

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

There was a man from Mt. Ephraim named Micah, who stole a large sum of silver from his mother, but returned it fearing her curse on the thief. She had already resolved to consecrate the money, so she gave it back to him to have made into a statue.

When he received the statue from the silver smith, Micah set it up in his house as an idol and he made one of his sons the priest of his new religion. Eventually, a Levite came traveling by. Micah was thrilled to have a Levite, from whose Tribe come real Kohanim (Jewish priests). He offered him a hefty salary to stay and be his priest. The Levite joined Micah's household and Micah took his presence as a sign of G-d's approval. (It wasn't.)

Please note that in the earliest verses of the chapter, the man's name is Micayehu. The suffix of his name, indicating G-d's Name, was dropped as soon as he embraced idolatry. Nothing makes G-d (metaphorically) depart quicker!

Judges Chapter 16 Mon, Jan 02, 12

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Samson and Delilah

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Samson went to Gaza where he saw a prostitute and desired her. The Philistines were told that Samson was in town, so they set an ambush. No problem for Samson! He simply ripped the city gates off the wall and carried them away with him. But here's where the trouble began: Samson was permitted to do some extraordinary things as part of his mission, but this incident was different. Sometimes one has to do an unpleasant task, such as fight a war or execute a criminal. These things should never be considered fun, but rather solemn duties. While Samson may have had lofty goals for his actions, in this case he simultaneously indulged his passions. (Basically, his mission was to attract Philistine attention in Gaza, not to have a good time doing it.)

Then Samson fell in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah. The Philistine leaders bribed her to find out the secret of Samson's great strength. He humored her with a series of lies: tie him up with wet twine, with new ropes, weave his braids on a loom - each of these proved false. Finally he told her that he was a Nazir to G-d from birth and that never shaving his hair was the secret. (She knew that this was the truth since he used the expression "a Nazir to G-d" and he wouldn't use G-d's name in vain.) Delilah shaved Samson's head while he slept, then called the Philistines to arrest him.

The Philistines put out Samson's eyes (this was a Divine punishment for his lusting after the prostitute in Gaza) and put him to work in the prison mill. During this time, his hair started to grow in. Later, during a Philistine celebration, they brought him up to make fun of him. Leaning on pillars, Samson prayed for G-d to return his strength so that he could knock the entire building down, killing everyone in it (himself included!). G-d obliged and Samson killed more of the enemy with his dying act than in his whole career.

The question must be asked how Samson could be permitted to commit suicide. The fact is that knocking down the Philistine temple required Divine assistance; it was not an act that Samson could have accomplished without G-d's help. From the fact that G-d returned Samson's supernatural strength, we see that He agreed that the request was appropriate.

Judges Chapter 15 Sun, Jan 01, 12

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Foxes and Donkeys

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Samson had left his wife with her father. He later went to reclaim her, only to find that the father had given her away to another man. Since she was not divorced from Samson, this was blatant adultery, tacitly sanctioned by the local Philistine community in violation of the Seven Universal Laws. Samson tied foxes together by the tails with torches and let them loose through the Philistines' fields, burning down their crops. When the Philistines heard of this, they burned the adulterous woman and her father. Samson reprimanded them that that's what should have been done in the first place.

The men of the Tribe of Judah were concerned that Samson was stirring up trouble with the Philistines and that it would come back to bite them. He allowed them to arrest him and to turn him over to the Philistines, but when they handed him over, he broke his bonds, grabbed a donkey's jawbone and killed 1,000 of the enemy troops.

Even though Samson's story is not yet finished, the Navi records here that he judged for twenty years. The Radak (on verse 16:31 in the next chapter) notes that this is because this incident was the high point of Samson's career. His decline now begins.

Judges Chapter 14 Sat, Dec 31, 11

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The Marriage of Samson

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Samson saw a Philistine woman in Timnah and asked his parents to get her for his wife. The obvious question is how this was permissible. Granted, people do impermissible things all the time, but Samson was the Judge of Israel and would logically be expected to follow halacha (Jewish law). Samson's parents were equally bothered by this, but Samson insisted. Verse 4 clarifies for us that this was mandated by G-d as part of Samson's mission to reduce Philistine oppression.

On the way to Timnah, Samson was attacked by a lion, which he killed with his bare hands. Some time later, he passed that way again and found that bees had built a hive full of honey inside the lion's carcass. Samson enjoyed the honey, but told no one whence it came.

At the wedding feast, he proposed a riddle based on this incident to his Philistine guests: "From the eater came food and from the strong came sweet." The wager was a hefty wardrobe and the guests had a week to solve it. They pressed Samson's wife, who was a Philistine, to get them the answer. She pestered Samson until he told it to her. Then, when the guests knew the answer, Samson knew they had cheated. He killed thirty Philistines and used their clothes to pay the debt. (Verse 19 again clarifies for us that this action was directed by G-d.)

Judges Chapter 13 Fri, Dec 30, 11

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The Coming of Samson

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

The Jews slacked off again, so G-d allowed the Philistines to take over for forty years. A man named Manoach, from the Tribe of Dan, had no children. An angel appeared to Manoach's wife and told her that she would have a child who would begin to save the nation from Philistine oppression; he would be a nazir (nazirite) from birth, so he should never eat grapes or drink wine and his hair should be grown long and never cut. The woman told Manoach that a prophet had spoken to her; he prayed for the messenger to come again. The angel returned and repeated his message. Manoach offered to prepare a goat for the guest, who they presumed to be human. The angel had them prepare it as a sacrifice, which was consumed by a Heavenly fire. When the messenger disappeared, they realized he was actually an angel. The woman gave birth and called the baby Shimshon (Samson).

It's interesting that the part of the prophecy about Samson saving the Jews from the Philistines was only told by the angel to the woman. Neither the angel nor the woman told it to Manoach. The woman was concerned that if that part of the prophecy became known, the Philistines would try to kill the child. Therefore, it was just for her ears.

Samson was going to be a different kind of fighter. Rather than leading armies in battle, he was a guerilla warrior. He got involved in fights with the Philistines that resembled personal disputes as an excuse to harm them without having them take revenge on the Jews as a whole. We will see the Navi note that Samson's often bizarre behavior was motivated by Hashem for this purpose.

Judges Chapter 12 Thu, Dec 29, 11

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Yiftach Messes Up - Part II

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

The warriors of Ephraim were once again upset about not being called to battle. They threatened to burn down Yiftach’s house, with him in it. While almost a century earlier, Gidon was able to appease them with words, Yiftach got into a chest-thumping contest with them. The people of Gilad, Yiftach’s home, warred with Ephraim. They blocked the crossings of the Jordan and whenever someone attempted to cross, they instructed the traveler to say “Shibboleth.” If the traveler said “Sibboleth” in the dialect of Ephraim, they would capture and kill him. 42,000 Ephramites were dispatched this way.

Yiftach ruled for six years. He was followed by Ivtzan, who is identified with Boaz from the Book of Ruth. Ivtzan judged for seven years and was succeeded by Elon. Elon ruled for ten years and was succeeded by Avdon, who ruled for eight years.

Judges Chapter 11 Wed, Dec 28, 11

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Yiftach Messes Up - Part I

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Yiftach (Jephthah in English) was a great warrior, but he had a different mother than his siblings. (She was possibly a prostitute, a concubine, or simply a woman from another Tribe - the commentators offer a variety of opinions.) His brothers expelled him so that he would not inherit with them. But when Israel went to war against Ammon, they summoned him back. Yiftach initially refused, but he then agreed to lead the forces of Israel against Ammon on the condition that they make him their leader, not just their general.

Yiftach sent messengers to the king of Ammon asking what their grievance was. The crux of the matter was land that Israel supposedly took from Ammon when they left Egypt. Yiftach pointed out some history - including that there were 300 intervening years in which Ammon could have made such a claim but didn't. Since Ammon's point of view could not be reconciled with Israel's, war was inevitable. (Does any of this sound familiar today?)

Yiftach made a vow to G-d that if he were successful in battle, he would offer as a sacrifice the first thing that greeted him upon his return. This was greatly lacking in judgment as Yiftach was successful in battle against Ammon and upon his return was greeted by his daughter. She agreed that it was important for Yiftach to keep his word and her friends gathered to bemoan her fate, which became an annual practice.

It's important to note that nowhere does it say that Yiftach actually sacrificed his daughter. Human sacrifice is one of the most reprehensible things to G-d. It appears that Yiftach did not actually offer up his daughter, but that she became sanctified and never married. (Her friends specifically bemoaned "her virginity.") In either case, Yiftach is criticized for not seeking to have the vow annulled.

Judges Chapter 10 Tue, Dec 27, 11

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G-d Says No. (Well, Okay, Maybe a Little)

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

After Avimelech, Israel was ruled by Tola for 23 years, then Yair for 22 years. (This actually totals 44 years, as there was one year in which both ruled.) The Jews then backslid into their bad habits and started worshipping idols again. G-d therefore allowed the nation to fall into the hands of Ammon and the Philistines. The Jews cried out for salvation and G-d said no. He had redeemed them many times and they always went back to their evil ways, so this time they could ask the idols to save them.

Even though G-d said no, the Jews did a sincere teshuva (repentance) and got rid of their idols. They said to G-d that they would rather be punished directly by Him than by foreign nations. Since they did a sincere repentance, G-d agreed to save them. There was a change, however. Prior to this time, great leaders would redeem Israel completely. The Judges who would arise from this point on, while still great people, were also flawed. And while Israel would receive relief from their enemies, those enemies would not be completely repelled.

Judges Chapter 9 Mon, Dec 26, 11

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The Rise and Fall of Avimelech

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Avimelech stirred up trouble in the city of Shechem. He suggested that all 70 of Gidon's sons would become rulers over the nation and wouldn't it be better if there was just one (i.e., him)? The people of Shechem were from Avimelech's mother's side of the family. They gave Avimelech 70 pieces of silver with which he hired mercenaries who killed all the other sons of Gidon, except for Yosam, the youngest, who hid. (Avimelech had them killed at a particular rock, a fact that will become important later on.) The people of Shechem then crowned Avimelech king.

Yosam then called out to the people of Shechem. He used a parable likening the great leaders Osniel, Devorah and Gidon to an olive tree, a fig tree and a grape vine, all of whom refused to be monarch over the nation, but Avimelech is like a thornbush - no fruit, only fuel for fire and destruction. Since the people of Shechem acted with malice against Gidon's family, they would be repaid in kind.

Avimelech ruled for three years, after which time the people of Shechem rebelled. Gaal son of Eved stirred up opposition against Avimelech and offered to depose him. Z'vul, a loyal city leader, sent word to Avimelech warning of the mutiny and asking him to put it down. Avimelech's army went forth and battled Gaal's forces. Avimelech set fire to the tower of Shechem and killed about a thousand people.

Proceeding to Teibeitz, Avimelech started to lay siege to another tower, but a woman dropped a millstone on his head, mortally wounding him. Avimelech asked his armorbearer to kill him so that history would not record that he was killed by a woman. After Avimelech's death, his army dispersed. Both Avimelech and the people of Shechem were repaid for their treachery against Gidon's family.

So, remember that Avimelech had his brothers killed at a particular rock? He was repaid in kind by being killed by a rock. Furthermore, we see the power of ego. Avimelech was so vain that with his dying breath he was worried that history would record that he was killed by a woman. In the end, not only does the Bible record that a woman killed him, but that he was so worried about his ego, even in death.

Judges Chapter 8 Sun, Dec 25, 11

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Gideon's Here to Knock Heads and Give Out Candy (Please Note: He's All Out of Candy)

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

The men of Ephraim complained to Gideon: Why didn't he call them for the battle with Midian, instead of leaving them the clean-up? Gideon replied that their role, which they perceived to be small, was actually greater than his accomplishment. (At the risk of waxing political, capturing Orev and Zeev could be compared to the US forces who found Saddam in his "spider hole." It was a significant event that happened after the battle was won.) The men of Ephraim accepted this from Gideon. (Compare how the Judge Yiftach mishandled a similar situation in Chapter 12.)

Gideon and his army were pursuing the Kings of Midian, when they came to the city of Succos. They asked for food, but were rebuffed because the people feared that Midian would remain in power and would punish them for helping Gideon. Gideon replied that he would capture the kings, then return to thrash the leaders of Succos with thorns. He proceeded to the city of Penuel. They likewise refused to assist Gideon because their city was protected by a tower; he swore to return and destroy the tower. Gideon caught the kings, then returned to punish those cities, as he had said.

Next, Gideon interrogated the captured kings and he learned that his own brothers were among their victims. More displeased than ever, he instructed his son to execute the captives. His son was still a youth and was too intimidated to do so, so Gideon did it himself.

The people asked Gideon to become king over them and to start a dynasty, but he declined. Instead, he collected gold nose rings from each of his soldiers' booty. He used them to make an ephod (a kind of apron, similar to the one worn by the High Priest) as a sign that G-d had wrought the victory. Unfortunately, his plan backfired and people worshipped it as an idol.

This was followed by 40 peaceful years. Gideon had many wives and 70 sons. Avimelech was Gideon's son from a concubine. Gideon died and the people started to fall back into their bad ways. To be continued next chapter...

In Depth: Judges Chapter 6-8 Sat, Dec 12, 09

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Gid'on

Judges Chapter 7 Sat, Dec 24, 11

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Thinning the Herd

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Gideon's army was too large for G-d's tastes. Yes, the army was too LARGE. G-d wanted it to be clear that the victory was in no way a natural occurrence and, while it is unlikely that 32,000 Jews would defeat 135,000 Midianites, it is not outside the realm of possibility.

G-d told Gideon to send home whoever was afraid of battle. 22,000 people went home, leaving 10,000 to fight 135,000 Midianites. You know what? Still too many.

G-d had Gideon bring the soldiers to the water to drink. Those who bent down to the water like dogs were sent home. Those who scooped water up remained. 300 remained. (300 Jews versus 135,000 Midianites? THAT'S more like it!)

Gideon and his attendant went down to the Midianite camp where they heard one of the enemy soldiers relating a dream to his friend. In his dream, a roasted loaf of barley bread rolled into their camp and knocked over a tent. The other Midianite interpreted the dream to mean that G-d has delivered them into Gideon's hands. (Overhearing this was most encouraging to Gideon.)

Gideon's game plan: he gave each of his men a shofar and a torch. Each man put his lit torch inside a jug (sort of like a Biblical-era "KosherLamp"). When Gideon gave the signal, they blew their shofars, making a tremendous noise. Then they broke the jugs which made even more noise and revealed the torches. All this was disorienting enough, but remember that armies normally have one torch-bearer and one bugler per platoon. Seeing so many torches and hearing so many shofars also made the Midianites think a giant army was put there in the dark.

The Jews had surrounded the Midianite camp on three sides. The enemy forces fled through the unblocked side and were pursued by the Israelite troops. Gideon sent messengers to the Tribe of Ephraim, asking them to block the enemy's escape. The people of Ephraim captured and executed two generals, Orev and Zeev. All's well that ends well, right? Keep reading...

Judges Chapter 6 Fri, Dec 23, 11

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Midian and Gideon

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

After 40 years of peace, the nation once again slacked off and G-d allowed Midian to occupy the country. The Midianites were particularly cruel; they didn't just raid the Jews' crops, they destroyed what they couldn't use. (Verse 5 compares them to a swarm of locusts.) The people cried out and G-d sent Gideon (Gidon in Hebrew, but we'll stick with the English).

Gideon was threshing wheat at his winepress in an effort to conceal it from the Midianites when G-d sent an angel to give him his "marching orders." Considering himself unworthy, Gideon asked for a sign. The angel had him put meat, matzos and broth on a rock. (The broth was poured over the solid food.) a fire came out of the rock and consumed the offering. (Yes, this is a preview of the miracle later wrought for Elijah in the Book of Kings.)

That night, G-d had Gideon break apart his father's altar to the Baal and cut down his Asheira (a tree worshipped for idolatry). He built an altar to Hashem and sacrificed his father's fattened bull on it, using the wood of the Asheira for kindling. The next morning, when the people of the town learned what Gideon had done, they wanted to kill him. Gideon's father Yoash interceded, saying that if Baal has a problem with what Gideon did, and if Baal had the ability to deal with it, then Baal would deal with it himself. This earned Gideon the nickname "Yerubaal," "let the Baal handle it."

Finally, Gideon asked for a sign so that the people would know he was sent by G-d. Gideon laid out a fleece on the threshing floor. On one night, the few fell only on the fleece, not on the ground. On the next, the few fell only on the ground, not on the fleece.

In Depth: Judges Chapter 1-5 Thu, Dec 22, 11

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The Obligation to Eradicate the Seven Nations

Judges Chapter 5 Thu, Dec 22, 11

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Life on Other Planets?

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Like Moses and Miriam after the salvation at the Red Sea, Devorah and Barak now sang a song of praise to G-d. It's very beautiful and a synopsis can't do it justice, so make sure you read it. We'll just hit a few high points here:

* In the song, Devorah refers to herself as a metaphorical mother to the nation. Some say that the song was Divinely inspired and that's what G-d instructed her to say. Others criticize her for her immodest choice of words.

* The Tribe of Issachar were renowned scholars. The members of Zevulun (Zebulon) supported them financially and shared in the merit of their learning (like a modern-day kollel). It's interesting to note that the song of Devorah refers to the Tribe of Zevulun as "those who wield a scribe's pen." One explanation is that it refers to the merchants of Zevulun, who wrote out receipts. Another explanation is that it refers to the scholars of Zevulun, even though Zevulun was not primarily a Tribe of scholars. May I suggest that it is perhaps because of the merit they got from supporting Issachar's Torah study? (Just thinking out loud...)

* Verse 20 says that the stars in their orbits joined the battle against Sisera. Verse 23 curses the inhabitants of Meroz for not coming to help. Some commentators say that Meroz was the name of a nearby city, but Rashi quotes the Talmud in Moed Katan (16a) that it's the name of a star. So who are the inhabitants of another star? Extraterrestrials? Not necessarily, but we can't rule it out...

* The song ends with a powerful description of Sisera's mother, looking out the window, waiting for her son to return from battle. Her attendants try to comfort her with the thought that he and his men are dividing the spoils and choosing attractive captives for themselves. That his mother would be comforted by such things says quite a lot about the environment in which Sisera was raised!

Judges Chapter 4 Wed, Dec 21, 11

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"...and the Bees."

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

When the Jews backslid into their bad ways, G-d allowed Canaan to occupy Israel, led by a general named Sisera. They cried put and G-d sent Devorah (Deborah, whose name is Hebrew for a bee) as a Judge to save them.

Devorah summoned Barak to lead her army. (Barak may be another name for Lapidos, and may have been Devorah's husband.) Barak considered himself unworthy and said he would only do so if Devorah agreed to go, as well. She did, but she cautioned Barak that now a woman would be credited with the victory - and she didn't mean herself!

Israel routed Sisera's army, but the general himself escaped. He ran to the tent of Yael, wife of Chever the Kenite. (The Kenites were descendants of Moshe's father-in-law, Yisro.) He asked to be hidden and for some water. She covered him with a blanket and gave him some milk to make him tired. (She may have done a few other things, but we won't go into them here.) When Sisera fell asleep, Yael took the tent peg and drove it into his temple. She then showed Barak where Sisera could be found.

The Navi tells us that Devorah judged people under a date tree. The reason she did so because of yichud, the prohibition against being secluded with a member of the opposite sex. If a woman of Devorah's caliber, who was above such temptations and certainly above suspicion, was concerned with such things, certainly we average folk should be careful with these laws!

Judges Chapter 3 Tue, Dec 20, 11

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Here Come the Judges! Here Come the Judges!

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

The chapter begins with a list of nations that still maintained a presence in Israel: Philistines, Amorites, Hittites, Jebusites, Tzidonites, Hivites and Perizites. They were there to serve as a constant test for the Jews, to see if they would follow G-d's laws.

The Jews didn't do so well.

They intermarried with the Canaanite nations and worshipped idols. G-d therefore delivered the nation into the hands of Kushan-Rishasayim, king of Aram-Naharayim (Mesopotamia). The Jews served him for eight years, at which time they cried out to Hashem and He sent them Osniel ben Kenaz, the first Judge. (This was Caleb's half-brother from Chapter One.) Osniel led the people to victory and they enjoyed forty years of peace.

Osniel was succeeded by Ehud ben Gera, who was left-handed. (That tidbit will be important shortly.) The Jews fell back into their bad habits, so G-d allowed Eglon, king of Moab to take over the land. Eglon was morbidly obese. (That fact, too, will be important soon.)

Ehud went to see Eglon. He strapped a short sword on his right side, which escaped unnoticed. (The overwhelming majority of soldiers were right-handed and wore their long swords on the right. Moab Homeland Security was not all that thorough.) Ehud told Eglon he had a message for him from G-d. Eglon sent his attendants out for privacy. He then stood up out of respect for G-d. Ehud drew his small, concealed sword and thrust it into Eglon's belly, including the hilt. Ehud left and locked the door behind him.

Excrement was pouring out of Eglon's wound. His servants smelled it and assumed that the king was relieving himself in his locked chamber. After a while, they became suspicious. They opened the door and found their king dead. Of course, by that time, Ehud was long gone. Ehud summoned the troops who routed the Moabite forces, leading to eighty years of peace.

Ehud was succeeded by Shamgar ben Anas, who was Judge for only a few months. In that time, he defeated the Philistines.

One interesting detail: Despite his position and his huge size, King Eglon of Moab rose out of respect for G-d. G-d rewarded this by allowing one of Eglon's descendants, the righteous Ruth, to become the ancestor of King David (and, therefore, Moshiach).

Judges Chapter 2 Mon, Dec 19, 11

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The Stage is Set

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

A messenger of G-d spoke to the people. (While the Hebrew word "malach" often refers to a Heavenly angel, it literally means a messenger. The Targum translates this as a "prophet" and Vayikra Rabbah and Seder Olam both state that it was Pinchas, the High Priest.)

The messenger (Pinchas) chastised the people for not chasing out the Canaanite nations, as G-d had commanded. Since they did not chase the other nations out, they would remain in Israel as a source of trouble and their idols would serve as a source of temptation. The people cried because of this message and they named the place Bochim, from the Hebrew word meaning to cry.

Time passed. A new generation arose that did not experience G-d's miracles firsthand. The Jews would worship idols, then G-d would punish them by allowing their enemies to invade and take over. Ultimately, G-d would send a Shofeit (Judge), who would encourage the people to repent. G-d would then redeem the Jews from their enemies. However, when the Judge died, the people would backslide and the cycle would start over again. This is the sad state of affairs we will see repeated throughout the Book of Judges.

Judges Chapter 1 Sun, Dec 18, 11

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Laying the Groundwork

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Following the death of Joshua, the Jews consulted G-d via the Urim and Tumim to see which Tribe should be the first to conquer remaining Canaanite pockets within their territory. The first role fell to the Tribe of Judah. Judah invited Simeon to join them as Simeon's cities were scattered throughout the portion of Judah. (Refer back to the Book of Joshua.)

Judah captured the Canaanite king named Adoni-Bezek and cut off his thumbs and big toes. This kind of mutilation is unprecedented in Jewish warfare, but it was Divinely mandated as an appropriate punishment. Adoni-Bezek related that he had done likewise to kings he conquered, forcing them to scavenge for scraps under his table, like dogs. Because of his confession, the Jews kept him alive and brought him back to Jerusalem.

At this time, Caleb offered his daughter Achasah as a wife to whoever could rid Hebron of its giants. This was accomplished by his half-brother Osniel. (More about him a little later on.) This is one of the cases cited by the Midrash as an example of someone making a condition that could have gone horribly wrong, but turned out okay. The conditions of Eliezer (to find a wife for Yitzchak in parshas Chayei Sarah) and Saul (to marry off his daughter in I Samuel 17) also turned out okay. Contrast these with the story of Yiftach in a few chapters - that one did NOT end well. (We'll see all the details in Chapter 11, G-d willing.) Why did G-d assist Eliezer, Saul and Caleb? They were using their conditions to make shidduchim (match-making). Yiftach wasn't, so he lacked that extra protection.

The chapter ends with a list of Tribes and the cities from where they did not expel the Canaanite nations, a fact that is about to become extremely significant.

In Depth: Judges Chapter Intro Sun, Dec 18, 11

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Sefer Shoftim - The Book of Judges: An Introduction

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Tanach now enters what appears to be a tumultuous period. In fact, I believe the period of the Judges is completely misunderstood by most people.

Here's what happens in the Book of Judges: Foreign occupation, assassination, idolatry, uprisings, apparent human sacrifice, civil war, intermarriage, treachery, prostitution, torture, more idolatry, murder, dismemberment, a bigger civil war, a Tribe almost wiped out, and girls seized as brides.

Casually reading Judges may make one think that ancient Israel was the most bloodthirsty, dysfunctional nation in the history of the world. G-d forbid! It's important to contextualize these events.

The book does not take place over the course of six months or a year. The Book of Judges occurs over the span of 355 years. That's considerably longer than the United States has been around (231 years as of this writing). Imagine a history of the United States in 21 short chapters. Chapter 1: Revolution. Chapter 4: The Army Gives Native Americans Blankets Infected with Small Pox. Chapter 8: Civil War; Lincoln Assassinated. Chapter 11: Sweatshops. Chapter 14: Internment Camps for Japanese-Americans. Chapter 16: McCarthyism. Chapter 18: JFK, RFK and MLK Shot. Chapter 19: Watergate. Chapter 20: Monicagate. Chapter 21: Abu Ghraib. To a reader 3,000 years in the future, the US would appear to be in one constant state of oppression or upheaval. But I think most of us walk down the streets feeling pretty secure. Sure, there are always things that need improvement, but for the most part things are actually pretty good.

Well, the time of the Judges was no different. Yes, there were regrettable, misguided incidents. There were occasionally huge lapses in judgment. But people overlook the lines in between. After the Judge Osniel, the Navi tells us that things were quiet for forty years (3:11). After Ehud, we are told that things were peaceful for eighty years (3:30). Add up such statements in the book and you'll see that the times when nothing was going on far outweigh the occasionally shocking incidents. It's just that the Navi tells us the shocking incidents in greater detail and in close proximity.

Several times, the Navi tells us that the land had no King in those days and that every person did what was right in his own eyes. (It even ends on that note.) That makes it sound as if the land was lawless, like the Wild West. But ancient Israel was no anarchy. While there was no centralized ruler in the form of a king, there were rulers and leaders. Each Tribe had leaders in the form of Elders. There were neviim (prophets). There was the Kohein Gadol (High Priest). And there were the Shoftim - the Judges - about whom this book was written. They were either great military leaders, Torah scholars, or both.

All of this is important to keep in mind so as not to get a skewed picture of the very long historical period that this book covers in just a few short bullet points.

In Depth: Joshua Chapter 24 Sat, Dec 17, 11

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A Renewed Covenant, and A Fitting Conclusion. The Parallels to Har Sinai and the connection to the Haggada of Pesach

Joshua Chapter 24 Sat, Dec 17, 11

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No Weddings, Three Funerals

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Joshua gathered the people in Shechem and gave a recap of Jewish history to that point:. Terach was an idolator, but G-d chose his son Abraham and promised the land of Canaan to his descendants. Abraham had Isaac, Isaac had Jacob and Esau, Jacob and his family went down to Egypt... (If this sounds familiar, it's because it's part of the Passover Haggadah.) Then Moses and Aaron, plagues in Egypt, splitting the Red Sea, and 40 years in the wilderness. After struggles with Balak and Balaam, they crossed the Jordan, took Jericho and inherited the land. (It sounds like a Biblical version of "We Didn't Start the Fire," lehavdil.)

Joshua then charged the people to wholeheartedly serve Hashem and only Hashem. The people replied that they would never dream of following foreign idols after all Hashem has done for them. Joshua warned the nation that if they strayed, the consequences would be dire. He then wrote the Book of Joshua until this point.

Joshua passed away at the age of 110. At this juncture, the Navi relates that Joseph's bones, which were taken out of Egypt by Moses, were buried in Shechem, although this no doubt happened much earlier. Elazar the Kohein Gadol (High Priest) died sometime subsequent to Joshua and was succeeded by (and buried by) his son Pinchas.

The Book of Joshua starts by comparing Joshua to his rebbe, Moses. However, in chapter one, Moses is called the "servant of Hashem" and Joshua is merely "the attendant of Moses." The Book ends calling Joshua a "servant of Hashem," the same title previously reserved for Moses. Despite the fact that Joshua did not merit the full 120 years of his teacher, he did earn this rare distinction, bestowed upon him by no less than G-d Himself.

Joshua Chapter 23 Fri, Dec 16, 11

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You Know, I Don't Read These Synopses for Mussar...

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

At age 110, Joshua realized that he wouldn't live much longer, so he gave words of encouragement to the Jewish people. He reminded them of all Hashem did for them and urged them to be strong in their observance of the Torah.

Joshua restated the prohibition on intermarriage, found in the Torah in parshas Va'eschanan. If the Jews intermarry, Joshua cautions them, Hashem will cease to drive out the Canaanite nations. Just as G-d has brought about every good thing He promised, if the Jews turn their backs on Him, He will bring about all the punishments about which He warned them.

Really, Joshua should have lived to 120, the same as his mentor, Moses. Additionally, like Moses, Joshua should have maintained his youthful vigor, yet we see this is not the case. We are told that this is because, as great at he was, Joshua didn't not fulfill his potential. He could have done (should have done!) an even better job in conquering the land. If a great leader like Joshua, who is favorably compared to Moses, fell short of his potential and is held responsible for it, how much harder should we "average" people work on meeting our potentials!

In Depth: Joshua Chapter 22 Thu, Dec 15, 11

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The borders of Israel & the Mizbeyach of Reuven & Gad

Joshua Chapter 22 Thu, Dec 15, 11

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Altar Egos

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Now that all 12 Tribes received their land, the men of Reuben, Gad and half of Menashe moved into their portions. Almost immediately, however, there was an enormous problem, as these two and a half Tribes assembled a giant altar on the eastern side of the Jordan River.

This was a huge source of concern to the other ten Tribes. What was the purpose of this huge altar? Was it for idolatry? (G-d forbid!) Perhaps they were starting a competing Mishkan (Tabernacle), which would be a rebellious act. The ten Tribes in Israel proper dispatched Pinchas and other emissaries to the two and a half Tribes. They reminded Reuben, Gad and half-Menashe of the consequences of the sin with the idol of Peor in the wilderness, and of Achan's sin and how others died for it.

The two and a half Tribes in Trans-Jordan were surprised, to say the least. "G-d forbid!" they exclaimed. "We would never do that!" No, they explained, the intent of their altar was the exact opposite of rebellion. Because they were on the opposite side of the Jordan, they were afraid that their descendants would not realize that they, too, had a share in the religious center of Israel. Therefore, they built a replica of the altar as a constant reminder of the Mishkan, then in Shiloh. They named this model "Eid" - "Witness."

The representatives of the ten Tribes found this explanation satisfactory and departed in peace.

In Depth: Joshua Chapter 18-21 Wed, Dec 14, 11

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The Prophetic Purpose of Sefer Yehoshua

Joshua Chapter 21 Wed, Dec 14, 11

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Levis Fit Right

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Next, the leaders of the Tribe of Levi approached Elazar and Joshua to apportion to them the cities and fields promised to them in parshas Masei. The Leviim were divided into four groups: the Kohanim, the rest of the descendants of Kehos, the descendants of Gershon and the descendants of Merari. Each of these groups received its own cities. In total, 48 cities were apportioned to the Leviim, along with the surrounding fields.

The Navi tells is that the Leviim approached Elazar and Joshua in Shiloh. Shiloh was the site of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Until the Mishkan was established in its place, the Leviim did not assume their "full-time" religious duties, which were the catalyst for their receiving cities, rather than a territory like the other Tribes.

The Kohanim received their cities in the portions of Judah, Benjamin and Simeon. These were near Shiloh, where the Mishkan was located, and near Jerusalem, where the Beis HaMikdash (Temple) would ultimately be built.

In a rare discrepancy, there are those who insert two verses between verses 35 and 36. The consensus, however, is that these two verses from Divrei HaYamim (I Chronicles 6) do not properly go here, despite their presence in the parallel text.

Joshua Chapter 20 Tue, Dec 13, 11

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Run Away! Run Away!

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Now that all 12 Tribes were settled in their portions, it was time to designate the cities of refuge as Hashem commanded Moshe in parshas Masei. These were cities where those who killed accidentally would flee. They would have to reside there until the death of the Kohein Gadol (High Priest). What did the High Priest have to do with manslaughter? One explanation, given by the Talmud in Makkos (11a) is that if he, as spiritual leader, had done a better job, such things wouldn't happen.

Moshe himself dedicated three cities on his side of the Jordan in parshas Va'eschanan, but they did not become active until the cities were dedicated in Eretz Yisroel proper.

In Depth: Joshua Chapter 13-19 Mon, Dec 12, 11

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Inherting the Land vs. Its Conquest

Joshua Chapter 19 Mon, Dec 12, 11

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Simeon Says

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Next came the portion of Shimon (Simeon), which, oddly enough, was scattered throughout the portion of Judah. One reason is given in the text of the Navi itself: Judah's territory was simply too big for a single Tribe. Another reason can be found in the brachos (blessings) given to the 12 sons of Jacob by their father. Because of the incident caused by Simeon and Levi in Shechem, Jacob said that they would be scattered in Israel, to prevent them from consolidating their forces. Levi was scattered by nature of their Temple service; Simeon was scattered simply because of Jacob's words. (See Gen. 49:7.)

The rest of the chapter discusses the portions of Zevulun, Issachar, Asher, Naftali, and Dan. Dan's territory was not sufficient for their growing Tribe, so they conquered the city of Leshem and renamed it Dan, after their ancestor. (This actually happened in the period of the Judges, but is recorded here because of its relevance.)

After the Tribes all received their portions, they gave Joshua a city of his choosing in Mount Ephraim. This fulfilled a previously-unrecorded commandment of Hashem.

Joshua Chapter 18 Sun, Dec 11, 11

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Survey of Israeli Geography 101

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

The Tribes of Judah and the sons of Joseph were settled in their territory, as were the Tribes with land in Trans-Jordan. Since Levi did not have a territory, this left seven Tribes waiting to receive their portions. Joshua had each of these Tribes select three members who would survey the land and describe its features. The land would then be divided into seven portions and distributed by lottery.

The first portion drawn went to the Tribe of Benjamin and fell in between the portions of Judah and Ephraim. The Navi describes the territory in some detail, then ends with a listing of cities in the territory, one of which was Jerusalem.

But wait! Didn't we say, back in chapter 15, that Jerusalem was in Judah's territory? Actually, the city of Jerusalem was shared by the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin. (Think Kansas City, lehavdil.) There is some discussion as to the exact location of the altar - see the commentary of the Radak on 18:28, citing the Talmud in Zevachim 53b and Deut. 33:12.

Joshua Chapter 17 Sat, Dec 10, 11

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Tzelofchad's Daughters Return!

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Continuing the territory of Joseph's sons, the Navi moves on the half of the Tribe of Menashe that did not settle in Trans-Jordan. Elazar the High Priest and Joshua were now approached by the daughters of Tzelofchad. You may recall that these five women approached Moshe in parshas Pinchas, saying that their deceased father had no sons. G-d instructed Moshe that they should inherit their father's portion in Eretz Yisroel. At this time, that promise was fulfilled. (Tzelofchad is identified in the Talmud as the man who gathered wood on Shabbos in parshas Shlach.)

The Tribe of Menashe, accompanied by Ephraim, complained to Joshua that the land they received was not sufficient, since they were a very large Tribe. During the time between the first census taken in the desert and entering the Land, Menashe had grown more than any other Tribe. They may have expected Joshua's sympathy, as he was from Ephraim, but the division of land was ordained by G-d. Joshua suggested that they clear some forest land in their territory. The Tribes of Joseph's sons balked out of fear of the Canaanite forces there. Joshua assured them that they would be victorious, despite the enemy's chariots.

Joshua Chapter 16 Fri, Dec 09, 11

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The Synopsis Shouldn't Be Longer Than the Chapter

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

A short chapter - a mere ten verses - starts a description of the territory of the sons of Joseph. Their territory extended from the Jordan opposite Jericho to Beth-El. In addition to their own territory, Ephraim had cities that extended into the territory of Menashe. Canaanite residents remained in Gezer, one of these cities, and they became laborers.

Joshua Chapter 15 Thu, Dec 08, 11

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Joshua, Judah, Judges, Jerusalem and Jebusites.

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

The Navi now details the land given to each Tribe. Judah's territory was in the south. It extended from the Mediterranean Sea on the west to the Dead Sea on the east. Jerusalem was at the northern end of Judah's territory, which extended southward into the Negev desert.

The division of the land started with Judah because Caleb was from the Tribe of Judah. Since he approached Joshua to fulfill Moses' promise in the last chapter, Joshua dealt with Judah's portion first. Giving Caleb Hebron would have been problematic if Judah were not assigned the portion in which it fell. However, it was G-d's will that Caleb receive Hebron, so Judah did indeed receive the right parcel of land.

Hebron was still occupied by giants when Caleb inherited it. He offered the right to marry his daughter Achsah to whoever removed the giants from the land. Caleb's half-brother Osniel conquered Hebron and married Achsah. Caleb gave them land containing springs. (This incident actually occurred after the death of Joshua and is recorded chronologically in the Book of Judges.)

The chapter concludes with an extensive list of cities in the portion of Judah. Jerusalem, however, could not be completely conquered in the time of Joshua and the Jebusites continued to maintain a presence there.

Joshua Chapter 14 Wed, Dec 07, 11

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Playing the Lottery

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

The remaining nine and a half Tribes were assigned their portion by lottery. But wait! If two and a half Tribes got their inheritance on the eastern shore of the Jordan (2.5), and the Tribe of Levi has no portion of land (+1), and nine and a half Tribes got land by lottery (+9.5), that's 13 Tribes, not 12 (=13!)! Yes, the Navi reminds us, Jacob's son Joseph became two Tribes: Ephraim and Menashe. Sometimes we consider Ephraim and Menashe the sons of Joseph as one and then Levi is Tribe #12. In the context of dividing the land, however, Ephraim and Menashe are two Tribes and Levi is not included.

Caleb (Kalev) ben Yefuneh, like Joshua, was one of the twelve spies dispatched by Moses in parshas Shelach. Because they were the only two spies to bring back a favorable report, Caleb and Joshua were the only members of their generation who merited entering the Land of Israel. Furthermore, Moses promised Caleb the land that only he was brave enough to scout out: Hebron. Joshua fulfilled the promise of Moses and gave Caleb Hebron as his inheritance.

Joshua Chapter 13 Tue, Dec 06, 11

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Seven Years Later...

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

While the majority of it is discussed passingly over the course of two chapters, the conquest of the land actually took seven long years. After seven years of battles to acquire the land, Joshua spent seven years dividing the land and settling it among the Tribes.

Joshua divides the land on the west of the Jordan, the Navi details how Moses gave two and a half Tribes their portion on the eastern side. You may recall how in parshas Matos, the Tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the Tribe of Menashe asked for their inheritance on the east of the Jordan. They said that they would fight the Canaanite nations along with the other Tribes and not settle their land until the other Tribes received their portions. That time was now.

In discussing the conquest of the land of Reuben, the Navi mentions Balaam and refers to him as a sorcerer rather than a prophet. The Radak explains that Balaam really was only a sorcerer and that the gift of prophecy only came to him temporarily. He suggests that it was perhaps out of respect for Israel that G-d sent him a message through a malach (angel) rather than through his normal sorcerous means.

After describing the portions of Reuben, Gad and Menashe, but before moving on to the other Tribes, the Navi reminds is that the portion of the Tribe of Levi is not real estate, but the service of G-d in the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and, later, the Beis HaMikdash (Temple).

Joshua Chapter 12 Mon, Dec 05, 11

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Role Call

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

The Navi now gives a list of kings defeated by Israel. First it lists those defeated by Moshe on the other side of the Jordan: Sichon and Og. Then it lists those conquered by Joshua, totaling thirty-one.

The Navi lists the thirty-one kings in an odd, apparently redundant, fashion. It says, "The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai...one," etc. We could just count the kings and see there are thirty-one, without saying "one" after each king. The Radak says that each of these 31 kings ruled more than just the one city; the cities named were the capitals of their kingdoms.

While the thirty-one kings listed in this chapter were all destroyed, not all of their cities were necessarily occupied by Israel at this time. For example, Jerusalem would not be conquered until after the death of Joshua, in the first chapter of the Book of Judges (Shoftim).

In Depth: Joshua Chapter 9-12 Mon, Dec 05, 11

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Conquest Without Siege!

Joshua Chapter 11 Sun, Dec 04, 11

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Hamstring the Horses?

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Hearing about Joshua's conquest of the southern cities, the kings of the northern cities became quite scared. They formed a coalition against Israel under the leadership of Yavin, king of Chatzor and set up camp by the waters of Merom. G-d told Joshua that He would deliver the Canaanite forces into Israel's hands and that they should hamstring the enemy's horses and burn their chariots. This Joshua did. Israel conquered the cities of the north and burned the city of Chatzor.

The chapter ends with a summary of Joshua's conquests. The only city that chose to make peace, we are told, was Givon (Gibeon); the rest chose to fight and were destroyed in battle. G-d "strengthened their hearts" as He did with the Pharaoh in Egypt, so that they could overcome their fear of Israel and do battle, rather than flee. Joshua also removed the giants, seen by the meraglim (spies) in parshas Shelach.

One has to wonder about the order to hamstring the horses. This certainly flies in the face of our "standard operating procedure" of tzaar ba'alei chaim, not to inflict unnecessary pain on animals. Why did G-d command us to render the horses unfit for future battle?

Chariots were the "heavy artillery" of the day. Israel had never before faced an army with horses and chariots. G-d had no interest in Israel capturing them and becoming the military superpower of their time. Had they kept the horses and chariots for battle, they might have forgotten that their strength doesn't come from their weaponry, but from G-d Himself. That is why G-d had the chariots destroyed and the horses rendered unsuitable for warfare.

Joshua Chapter 10 Sat, Dec 03, 11

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Hail, Hail, The Gang's All Here! or Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Adoni-Tzedek, king of Jerusalem got wind that the Gibeonites made a pact with Joshua and he was very displeased. He contacted other local kings to join him in an attack on Gibeon. When five kings attacked, the Gibeonites sent messengers to Joshua asking for help. Joshua obliged and was victorious. G-d Himself joined the battle, raining giant hailstones on the enemy, causing even more damage than the battle itself. (The Talmud says that these hailstones were those suspended in mid-air when Moses called for an end to the plague of hail.)

Then, Joshua commanded the sun and the moon to stand still in their paths. (It was Friday afternoon and the Jews would have stopped their pursuit of the enemy upon sunset.) This miracle was unprecedented in that "Hashem listened to the voice of a person." Joshua didn't pray to G-d to stop the sun, he simply commanded the sun and G-d agreed. This was a sign that G-d was fighting for Israel. (See verse 10:14.)

The five kings who instigated the battle were found holed up in a cave. Joshua commanded that the cave be sealed and guards posted until the battles were over. After that, they opened the cave, removed the kings and executed them. The Navi ends the chapter with a description of various cities Joshua, including those of the five attacking kings.

Joshua Chapter 9 Fri, Dec 02, 11

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Tricked!

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

When the people of Gibeon heard about what happened in Jericho and Ai, they got scared. They decided to use subterfuge to seal a pact with Joshua. They dressed up in worn out clothes and took old, dried out supplies so that they would look as if they had just come from a long journey. They told Joshua that they represented a kingdom far away and that they wished to forge a covenant. Joshua was suspicious that they might actually be a Canaanite people, but they showed him the dried bread and the cracked wineskins, as well as their worn out clothes and shoes. Joshua therefore agreed to the treaty with the Givonim (Gibeonites).

Three days later, the Jews discovered that they had been tricked. A party of Israelites traveled to the surprisingly close Gibeonite cities. The people complained, but the leaders insisted that the deal be kept despite the deception. The Gibeonites had sworn themselves as servants to Israel, so they became wood choppers and water carriers for the nation. Joshua cursed them that that's all they would ever be. The Nesinim of the Talmud are descended from the Gibeonites.

A word about conquest: the Canaanite nations had three choices during Israel's invasion. They could evacuate the land in peace, they could agree to accept Israel's rule (including observing the Seven Universal Laws for all mankind), or they could fight. The Gibeonites effectively chose "none of the above."

In Depth: Joshua Chapter 6-8 Thu, Dec 01, 11

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Walled Cities & Miracles

Joshua Chapter 8 Thu, Dec 01, 11

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If At First You Don't Succeed, Ai, Ai Again

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

The problem caused by Achan resolved, Hashem sent Joshua back to Ai. Joshua took 30,000 soldiers by night to the rear of the city. They pretended to flee as they had the first time. When the King of Ai had his forces pursue the Jewish army, he left the city unprotected. Joshua had hidden 5,000 troops, who then easily took the city. When the army of Ai (who were pursuing Israel) saw their city burning, they became confused and were easily overpowered when Joshua's army stopped pretending to flee. The King of Ai was captured and executed.

After this victory, Joshua built an altar on Mt. Eival and wrote the Torah on the stones taken from the Jordan back in chapter 4. The Tribes stood on Mt. Eival and Mt. Gerizim in order to recite the blessings and curses, as was called for in Deut. 27.

Joshua Chapter 7 Wed, Nov 30, 11

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Ai for an Ai

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Joshua next sent spies to the city of Ai, which was judged to be small and weak, therefore not requiring many troops. Nevertheless, the army of Ai quickly gained the upper hand. Joshua inquired of G-d as to why this was and G-d informed him that it was because someone looted consecrated property from the conquest of Jericho. A Divinely-inspired lottery narrowed it down by Tribe and family until it was determined that Achan ben Karmi of the Tribe of Judah was the guilty party. He confessed that he had stolen gold, silver and clothes and hidden them in the ground beneath his tent. (He says, "kazos v'kazos asisi" - "like this and like this I have done." The Talmud explains that he was also confessing to having done likewise in battle during the time of Moses.)

The stolen property was uncovered and Achan was executed at G-d's command. (Meilah - appropriation of Temple property - is not normally punishable by death. This was hora'as sha'ah - an extraordinary measure taken as a deterrent, since such actions cause Hashem's presence to depart. As a result of Achan's actions, 36 men died in battle.) While Joshua commanded that Achan be brought to the valley where he would be executed along with his property and family, do not be misled into thinking that his family paid the price for his actions. The Navi says quite clearly that only Achan was stoned. His family had to serve as witnesses, just as other people. Furthermore, the Talmud tells us that, despite his actions, Achan secured his place in the Next World by his confession.

Joshua Chapter 6 Tue, Nov 29, 11

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"Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho"

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Joshua sealed the city of Jericho so that nobody could enter or leave. The army circled the city once a day for six days, following which seven Kohanim would blow shofar. On the seventh day, the army circled the city seven times. When the Kohanim blew shofar, the city walls collapsed. The city was routed but, as promised, Rachav and her family were spared. (As mentioned earlier, they converted and joined Israel.) Joshua placed a curse on anyone who would rebuild Jericho, or even call another city by that name. (This prohibition is not listed among those applicable to us in either the Shulchan Aruch or the Rambam, as it only applied to the initial rebuilding of Jericho, long since past. So if you live in Jericho, NY, don't worry about it.)

Unlike the lyrics of the once-popular song, the walls of Jericho did not "come tumbling down." Rather, they sank straight down into the ground. This creates a quandary, as we were already told that Rachav's house was built into the city wall. One answer is that only the portion of the city wall adjacent to the army sank. Another explanation is that Rachav's house probably wasn't built completely into a hole in the city wall. Rather, the city wall probably also served as one wall of the house. When the city wall sank, it would have left only that one side exposed.

In Depth: Joshua Chapter 5 Mon, Nov 28, 11

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Brit Milah & the Purpose of the Land of Israel

Joshua Chapter 5 Mon, Nov 28, 11

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A National Circumcision. (What, Again?)

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

When the kings of the Canaanite nations heard about the miracle that G-d performed for the Jews at the Jordan, they weren't too happy. In fact, they were petrified!

Meanwhile, Yehoshua set about circumcising all of the Jewish males. (They hadn't performed the mitzvah of bris milah - circumcision - during the forty years in the desert because they had to be ready to travel at a moment's notice and that could be dangerous for newborns who just had surgery.) Joshua 4:19 tells us that the nation crossed the Jordan on the 10th day of the month of Nisan. Having entered into the Land of Israel, the Jews would celebrate, in four days' time, the first Pesach since leaving Egypt. Since an uncircumcised male may not eat the korban Pesach (Passover sacrifice - see Exodus 12:48), a national circumcision was necessary for the second time. (The first was before the Exodus from Egypt.) After offering the korban Pesach, the manna which the Jews received daily in the wilderness ceased.

While Yehoshua was standing outside of Jericho, he was confronted by a malach (angel) with a drawn sword. The malach told Yehoshua symbolically that he had been neglecting his spiritual obligations and not to do so, as the conquest of the land would not - could not - be carried out by natural means alone. The Talmud (Megilla 3a) identifies the primary problem as bitul Torah - neglecting Torah study - a problem which Yehoshua immediately rectified.

In Depth: Joshua Chapter 1 - 4 Sun, Nov 27, 11

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Parallels to the Exodus, and their purpose.

Joshua Chapter 4 Sun, Nov 27, 11

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The Fulfillment of a Rare Mitzvah

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

At this juncture, Yehoshua erects a memorial to commemorate the miracle that Hashem performed for the Jewish people at the Jordan River. He ordered twelve men, one from each Tribe, to each carry a stone from the river to the place where they were camped. This was actually the fulfillment of a commandment given in Deuteronomy 27, in which the Jewish people were commanded to erect 12 stones and to write the Torah upon them.

The entire time, the Kohanim had been standing there, holding the Aron. (Actually, the Aron carried its bearers, but that's another story.) When the people were done erecting the stones, the Kohanim carried the Aron out of the river bed and the Jordan resumed its usual flow.

The people set up camp in Gilgal, at the eastern end of Jericho. Gilgal would serve as the temporary capital for the next 14 years.

Joshua Chapter 3 Sat, Nov 26, 11

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How to Stack a River

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

The nation camped by the Jordan River in anticipation of crossing into the Holy Land. The people were instructed to follow the Aron (Ark), which would be carried by the Kohanim. They were to keep a distance of 2,000 cubits, about half a mile, to show proper respect but also so that everyone should be able to see the impending miracle.

In order to demonstrate that Yehoshua was a suitable successor to Moshe, G-d performed a miracle similar to one He did when the Jews left Egypt; He split the Jordan River so that the Jews could cross. However, unlike the Red Sea, the Jordan River is a flowing body of water. The rushing water has to go somewhere! Accordingly, the waters upstream piled up vertically into a column.

Given its thematic connection to crossing the Red Sea, Joshua chapter 3 is part of the haftarah for the first day of Pesach. The haftarah continues with excerpts from chapters 5 and 6.

Joshua Chapter 2 Fri, Nov 25, 11

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Saved by a "Woman of Ill Repute"

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

You may recall the Yehoshua was one of the twelve meraglim (spies), who were sent by Moshe to investigate the Land and its inhabitants in parshas Shlach (Numbers 13). Yehoshua and Kalev ben Yefuneh (Caleb) were the only two who delivered a positive report and were the only members of their generation to enter the Land. Now, Yehoshua sent two spies to investigate the city of Jericho. They stayed at the house of a woman named Rachav (Rahab), who was a "woman of ill-repute." Despite her occupation, she was a righteous woman and she concealed the spies from the King of the city who had heard rumors of their arrival. She gave the King misdirection and sent his soldiers on a wild goose chase.

In exchange for saving their lives, the spies agreed to spare Rachav and her family when the city would be invaded. This promise was conditional, however, on Rachav hanging a red string from her window so that her apartment, which was in the city walls, could be identified.

Rachav later converted to Judaism, married Yehoshua himself, and is the ancestor of several prophets, including Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah).

This chapter is the haftarah for parshas Shlach.

Joshua Chapter 1 Thu, Nov 24, 11

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Why Joshua?

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

This chapter continues the narrative immediately after the conclusion of the Torah in parshas V'zos HaBracha. Accordingly, it is read as the Haftarah on Simchas Torah.

Yehoshua (Joshua) is named the successor of Moshe (Moses) by Hashem. He is commanded to lead the Jewish people across the Jordan River to the Land which G-d has promised them. G-d charges Yehoshua to be strong and brave and to keep the Torah that G-d gave through Moshe. "This book of the Torah shall not leave your mouth," G-d says, "rather you shall be involved with it both day and night." Yehoshua then readies the people, particularly reminding the Tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half Tribe of Menashe of their promise to fight alongside the rest of the nation, despite having received their portion of the Land on the other side of the Jordan (see Numbers 32). The nation affirms that, since G-d is with Yehoshua as He was with Moshe, they will follow Yehoshua as they did Moshe.

Much has been made of the fact that Yehoshua is introduced as m'shareis Moshe, Moshe's attendant. Moshe had two sons, but neither of them was chosen his successor. That role was given to Yehoshua who attended Moshe. In a yeshiva, Yehoshua would have been the student who cleaned up the Beis Medrash just to have more time around the Rosh Yeshiva, absorbing from him everything possible. (See Brachos 47b for the importance of attending to Torah giants.)

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