Week 13 (Book 2): David and Avigail, and the Quality of "Sharp Discussion"

HAAZINU: He made them ride upon the high places of the earth, that they would eat the produce of the field. He let them suck honey from a rock, and oil from the mighty part of the crag. (Deuteronomy 32:13)

HAFTARAH: From the brightness before Him flamed forth coals of fire. (II Samuel 22:13)

QUALITY TO ACQUIRE THE TORAH: Sharp Discussion with Students (Pilpul HaTalmidim)

PROPHET(S): David and Avigail

LEVITICAL CITY: ‘Almon

The eleventh week of the year includes the first days of Chanukah. The verse in Haazinu refers to high places and miraculous occurrences, as well as to oil. These concepts can all be found in the Chanukah story. On Chanukah, G-d led the Jewish people to victory in a very high way, that was above nature. The Hebrew word used for “high places,” Bamah, also means altar. The pure oil of the miracle of Chanukah, can also be understood as the pintele yid, the innermost part of every Jew, which always remains pure, and which reveals itself in times of struggle.

This week’s Haftarah verse is also related to the events of Chanukah. It speaks of brightness and fire, which are related to the light of the Menorah, and the Chanukah miracle in general. Furthemore, again the metaphor of coals is used. Coals can be burning on the inside, but it takes an additional step to make that fire be revealed.

The quality for this week is sharp discussion with students, which in Hebrew is called pilpul. One of the qualities that the Jewish people acquired during the Greek exile was the use of tremendous sharpness and logic. As already mentioned in Week 10, the name of the Greek king at the time of Chanukah was Ptolomy (Talmai in Hebrew), which has the same numerical value (gematria) as the word “Talmud.” The Talmud was greatly developed due to the influence of the Greeks, and even includes many Greek words.

This week’s prophets are David and Avigail. King David represents monarchy, and the Maccabees formed the Hasmonean dynasty. King David represents the ability of the Jewish people to be extremely holy and yet extremely involved in the affairs of this world, joining spirituality and physicality, Torah study and prayer, with managing government affairs and fighting wars. One of the major themes of Chanukah is this combination as well. Chanukah has two major themes, the military-political victory over the Greek army, and the victory of Jewish wisdom over Greek wisdom – these two aspects are represented by King David and King Solomon (next week’s prophet) respectively.

Furthermore, Avigail was able to avoid bloodshed by approaching King David and speaking to him about her husband – the Hasmoneans also were able to avoid further bloodshed by forming an alliance with Rome.

David and Avigail both had tremendous powers of pilpul, sharp discussion. King David was known for his sharp mind and the halachah always followed his opinion (source). It was Avigail’s discussion with King David that convinced him not to fight against her husband. (I Samuel, 25:18-38)

The levitical city for this week is ‘Almon. ‘Almon means “hidden” from the word “He’elem” and “Olam.” One of the main ideas of Chanukah and of Kislev as a whole is that of revealing that which is “hidden.” Through the miracle of Chanukah we see that the whole world “Olam” is just an illusion and that G-d’s power is supreme.

On Chanukah even the most “hidden” of Jews come out from their hiding. While there are limitations of what kinds of materials can be used to light Shabat candles, there is no such limitations for Chanukah. Every Jew is “lit up” and excited by Chanukah.

Week 14 (Book 2): Solomon and Having a Settled Mind

HAAZINU: The cream of cattle and the milk of sheep, with the fat of lambs and rams of Bashan and he goats, with kidneys of wheat, and it [the congregation of Israel] would drink the blood of grapes [which was] as the finest wine. (Deuteronomy 32:14)

HAFTARAH: The Lord thundered from heaven; and the Most High gave forth His voice. (II Samuel 22:14)

QUALITY TO ACQUIRE THE TORAH: Calmness (Yishuv)

PROPHET: Solomon

LEVITICAL CITY: Elteke

On Week Fourteen, which is the continuation of Chanukah and also includes Rosh Chodesh Teveth, Haazinu’s verse speaks of various kosher animals (cattle, sheep, lambs, rams, and goats) and various products, such as fat, wheat, and wine, all of which were part of the Temple sacrifices. This appears to be related to the rededication of the Temple on Chanukah.

The Haftarah’s verse also appears to continue the theme of Chanukah. Thunder is related to light bursting through darkness, perhaps a reference to Chanukah’s miracle. Miracles in general, and the Chanukah miracle in particular, was an open revelation of G-d’s “voice.”

The quality for this week is calmness. The Hebrew word used is yishuv, which can also mean to to settle, to sit, and to dwell. These are all characteristics of Chanukah. The Temple is after all the dwelling place of G-d on Earth. The fight with the Greeks was about our being able to serve Him calmly and peacefully, in our land, the Land of Israel. Chanukah also means “Chanu K”H” they rested on the 25th[of Kislev].

This week’s prophet, King Solomon, was known for his wisdom. He’s considered to be the wisest of all men. Chanukah is also connected to wisdom, Chochmah - Jewish Chochmah that countered the Chochmah of the Greeks. King Solomon was also the one who constructed and dedicated the First Temple, and his time was one of tremendous prosperity, corresponding to the “cream of cattle and the milk of sheep, the fat of lambs... the finest wine,” depicted in Haazinu.

Similarly, King Solomon, very much illustrates what is meant by yishuv. The First Temple was the place for the Divine presence to settle. Of all prophets, he is the one that is best known for calmness and serenity. Shalom, peace, is the very root of his name. His calmness is also displayed in the Tanach in in the way he would settle disputes. 

This week’s levitical city is Elteke. Not very much is known about this city, other than that it was apportioned to the Tribe of Dan. Elteke appears to be quite famous for a war in which Sancherib defeated the Egyptians. After this conquest, Sancherib laid siege to Jerusalem. When all seemed lost, Isaiah told the king not to worry – his kingdom would be saved. Sure enough, the next day Sancherib’s troops were struck with a plague. This took place on Passover– the Jewish people and the angels in heaven were reciting Hallel that night, which is what we do during Chanukah. It is said that after this event, G-d wanted to make Chezekiah the Mashiach, but did not do so because he did not recite Hallel after this miracle.

The city’s name also bears significant resemblance to the name of another city in Israel, Tekoa. Both cities’ names’ roots contain the letters Tav and Kuf, which is not very common. Tekoa was a city in Israel known for its olive oil, which plays a prominent role in the Chanukah miracle. In fact, the oil of Tekoa was the only one chosen to be used in the Temple in Jerusalem.[2] At the time of the rededication of the Temple, pure olive oil had to be taken from Tekoa as well. It took eight days for the pure oil to be produced – the number of days the small flask of the Kohen Gadol lasted, and also the number of days of the Chanukah miracle. Today, there is also a Jewish settlement (a yishuv) in Tekoa (although probably in a different location than the one mentioned in the Chanukah story)

Olive oil also represents wisdom, a defining characteristic of the Chanukah holiday, as explained above:

In mystical thought, oil is symbolic of chochmah, the highest aspect of the intellect from which inspirational thought is derived. The Talmud mentions that in Tekoa, where the use of olive oil had become common, chochmah had also become common. Just as chochmah is related to the highest level in the intellect, inspired thinking, it is also related to the fear of G-d as it is written in Psalms 111, "the beginning of chochmah is the fear of G-d."[1]

---

[1] http://www.jewishmag.com/97mag/chanuka/chanuka.htm

[2] http://www.gush-etzion.org.il/tekoa.asp

Week 15 (Book 2): The Prophet Iddo and the Importance of Scripture

HA'AZINU: And Jeshurun became fat and rebelled; you grew fat, thick and rotund; [Israel] forsook the G-d Who made them, and spurned the [Mighty] Rock of their salvation. (Deuteronomy 32:15)

POSITIVE INTERPRETATION OF THE ABOVE VERSE: And Jeshurun became full of oil and kicked [away the enemy]; you grew full of oil, thick and rotund [in holiness]; [Israel] spread out [the knowledge of] the G-d Who made them, and made song with the lyre regarding the [Mighty] Rock of their salvation.

HAFTORAH: And He sent out arrows and He scattered them, lightning and He discomfited them. (II Samuel 22:15)

QUALITY TO ACQUIRE THE TORAH: Scripture (Mikrah)

PROPHET: Iddo

LEVITICAL CITY: Gibbethon

The fifteenth week of the year includes the Fast of the Tenth of Teveth. The verse in Haazinu refers to the Jews’ rebellion against G-d after so much that He had done for them. During the time of the tragedies related to the 10th of Teveth, the Jewish people “grew fat,” forsaking G-d and not properly valuing the Torah.

The verse in Haazinu can also take a more positive meaning. Interestingly, the Hebrew word for fat, shemen, used twice in this verse, is the same word in Hebrew for oil. Oil, of course, is related to the Chanukah miracle. The lights of Chanukah include Rosh Chodesh Teveth, and in this way shine through the entire month. This verse can therefore understood in a more positive light as, “Yeshurun became full of the miraculous oil from Chanukah.” Every year on Chanukah there is a mitzvah to publicize the miracles that took place during this time. Perhaps this is how the second part of this verse should be understood: “[Israel] spread out the word of the G-d Who made them.”  

This week’s Haftarah verse appears to be more in line with this more positive interpretation. The Haftarah contains the theme of spreading/scattering, as well as of light.

The quality for this week is scripture. As mentioned previously, the reason for the destruction of First Temple was related to not saying the blessing over the study of Torah, and not valuing sufficiently the holiness of scripture.

This week’s prophet, Iddo, is also connected to the written Torah.  The only reference to Iddo in Tanach is that he wrote down the events of Rehoboam as well as the genealogy of the kings of Israel, along with Shemaiah the Prophet. Iddo took the importance of scripture and of written records very seriously.

Iddo’s actions also appear related to a violation of the word of Hashem, such as occurred on the 10^th of Teveth. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 89b) teaches us that Iddo is the prophet that violated his own word and was therefore mauled by a lion. How parallel this is to the 10^th of Teveth, when the Jewish people failed to heed to the words of the prophets and scripture.

The levitical city for this week is Gibbethon. This city is also connected to tragedy. The Talmud states that the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva that died were “from Gibbethon to Antipatris.” Similar to the message of the month of Teveth (and the Tribe of Dan), from an additional five students, Rabbi Akiva was able to rebuild everything. 

Week 16 (Book 2): Michaiah and the Oral Torah

HAAZINU: They provoked His zeal with alien worship; they made Him angry with abominable deeds. (Deuteronomy 32:16)

Positive Light: They were zealous for Him against alien worship; they were angry for Him against abominable deeds.

HAFTARAH: And the depths of the sea appeared; the foundations of the world were laid bare, by the rebuke of the Lord and the blast of the breath of His nostrils. (II Samuel 22:16)

QUALITY TO ACQUIRE THE TORAH: Mishnah (Oral Torah)

PROPHET: Michaiah son of Imlah

LEVITICAL CITY: Ajalon

On Week Sixteen, still in the month of Teveth, Haazinu’s verse speaks of how the Jewish people made G-d angry due to their idol worship. Idol worship and other abominations were also the cause of the destruction of the First Temple, which is related to Teveth. Idol worship is also specifically related to the Tribe of Dan (represented by Teveth), in that this trie was the first one to introduce idol worship in the Land of Israel after its conquest. This tragic event is depicted in the account of Pessel Micha, the statue of Micha, toward the end of the Book of Judges.

This week’s verse in Haazinu can also be understood more positively. Perhaps the zealousness and anger here can be understood not as a reference to Hashem, but as a reference to the Jewish people, in that they were zealous and angry for G-d. In fact, the tremendous zeal against idolatry was one of the defining characteristics of the Macabbees. Kohanim as a whole are known for their zeal as well as sometimes for their “hot-headedness.”

The Haftarah’s verse again appears to parallel a more positive interpretation of the verse in Haazinu. Rashi comments that the verse is actually a reference to the redemption from Egypt – the splitting of the Sea of Reeds. 

Perhaps the depths of the sea is a reference to the Talmud; similarly, the “foundations of the world” may also be a reference to the Temple. The Temple itself (and the Even Shtiah, the foundation stone, contained within it), represents the foundation of the world, the point in which Creation began.

The quality for this week is Mishnah, the Oral Torah. This week is still very much connected to the tragedy of the 10^th of Teveth, which occurred due to the relative lack of importance and holiness attributed to Torah study.

This week’s prophet is Michaiah son of Imlah. One of the key aspects of the oral Torah is the need to be true to its method of being passed on from generation to generation, and the need to be true to ourselves in the method of its interpretation. Sometimes, there are “rabbis” who claim to be speaking in the name of the oral tradition, but are in fact corrupting it. In Machaia’s story, in Kings I, Chapter 22, 400 false prophets claimed to have a positive interpretation of the events, while only one prophet, the true one, saw things as they really were. The story shows that even false prophets can be moved by a “spirit,” but that spirit nonetheless may be false. Michaia prophesized in the times of Ahab, who was a wicked king that nevertheless studied Torah. Again, this represents a corruption of the values connected to Torah study, which are at the root of the events of the 10^th of Teveth.

The levitical city for this week is Ayalon. This is the place in which Joshua ordered the moon to stop, and where he was greatly victorious against five Amorite kings. The Talmud states that the sun and a the moon are a metaphor for Moshe and Joshua, and the process of disseminating the oral tradition. Just as Joshua received the oral tradition from Moshe, so too does the moon receive its light from the sun. The moon contains no light of its own – it is completely nullified to the light of the sun.

Teveth is the only month that has a holiday in the new moon, Chanukah. The new moon and its subsequent waxing and waning are symbolic of the concept of being small but then growing tremendously, a characteristic of the month of Teveth and the Tribe of Dan. Just as the moon almost disappears completely but then makes its way back  to full size, so too the Jewish people.

Ayalon’s history after its conquest by Joshua is depicted in various places in Tanach, and like the story of the Jewish people as a whole, it had its “ups and downs.” The Amorites pushed out the Tribe of Dan from this area, although it was later the scene of victory of King Saul and Jonathan over the Philistines, and was later inhabited by the tribes of Benjamin and Efraim. When the Kingdom split between Israel and Judah, Ayalon was near the border between these two entities, and the city was fortified by Rehoboam, the King of Judah.

Week 17 (Book 2): Obadiah and Minimized Business Activity

HAAZINU:They sacrificed to demons, which have no power, deities they did not know, new things that only recently came, which your forefathers did not fear. (Deuteronomy 32:17)

Positive Light: Would they sacrifice to demons? No. [Their] power was G-d; they did not know new ones. They came from close by, [and] your forefathers did not fear them.

HAFTARAH: He sent from on high [and] He took me; He drew me out of many waters. (II Samuel 22:17)

QUALITY TO ACQUIRE THE TORAH: Minimized Business Activity (Miut Schorah)

PROPHET: Obadiah

LEVITICAL CITY: Gath-Rimmon

The seventeenth week of the year is the last in the month of Teveth. The verse in Haazinu continues to make reference to idolatry and their abandoning G-d. As mentioned previously, these are themes related to Teveth and the Tribe of Dan.

Again, this week’s verse in Haazinu can also take on a more positive note. It could be read in such a way that would indicate that they rejected idolatry and assimilation. Assimilation’s attraction, in the times of the Greeks as well as today, is that it is depicted as being something new and contemporary, while the values of the Torah are portrayed as being “outdated.” Another attraction of assimilation is that the attraction of other cultures is exactly related to those aspects that are closest to the Torah and to people that are like us. The Greeks and helenized Jews came from close, they championed values, such as wisdom and humanism, that were often quite close to Jewish ideals.

This week’s Haftarah verse is in line with the positive interpretation of the verse in Haazinu. Hashem remained connected to the Jewish people throughout their struggles. In times of many enticements, he drew them “out of many waters.” As mentioned in Book 1, “many waters” is a reference to struggles when making a living.

The quality of this week is minimized business activity, miut schorah. Business activity and the quest for money can easily become “idolatrous.” It can become an end in of itself, and we end up forgetting the whole point of why we sought to have money in the first place – to be able to better serve our Creator and provide for our families. That is why the Torah advises us to conduct our business affairs with “miut,” smallness and humility, remembering that ultimately our study of Torah and our service to G-d is what is most important.

This week’s prophet is Obadiah. Obadiah, like Michaia, prophecized in the times of King Ahab, in which idolatry became rampant. Ahab himself also exemplified the very lack of miut schorah – taking the field of another by force, and killing the owner. It was for this act that Ahab was punished with a Heavenly death sentence.

Obadiah, on the other hand, is perhaps the best example of “business activity” with humility and smallness before G-d. He used his money to keep alive one hundred prophets, and protect them against Ahab and his evil wife Jezebel.  It was this act that earned him prophecy. Obadiah’s name also hints to this quality, as it means the servant/worker of G-d. Obadiah understood that his main work was not for men, but for G-d.

Obadiah’s prophecy, recorded in the Tanach, is about how G-d loves Jacob and hates Esau – the message in the fight against assimilation. Much of what attracted the Jews to Roman culture and its ofshoots are their similarities with Judaism. Esau is Jacob’s brother after all. Like Jacob himself told Esau,

And he said to him, "My master knows that the children are tender, and the flocks and the cattle, which are raising their young, depend upon me, and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die. Now, let my master go ahead before his servant, and I will move [at] my own slow pace, according to the pace of the work that is before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my master, to Seir. (Genesis 33:13, 14)

Jacob did not want to stay with Esau and have him be a bad influence on his family. Perhaps now it is also better understood why Jacob spoke of the flocks as well as of his children. Jacob did not want his possessions to be prey to Esau’s unending ambition.

The levitical city for this week is Gath-rimmon. It means winepress of pomegranites: Here again, when we are out in the world, engaging in business activity and facing its darkness, we have the opportunity to do many mitzvoth, and be full like the pomegranate. The pomegranate’s many seeds is also a reference to the ability to multiply, which is connected with Teveth.