Category Archives: Torah Study

Shemuel Alef Chapter 13

The Recording

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 13

King Shaul and his son Yonatan, commanding an army of 3,000 men, have already made inroads in their battle with the Pelishtim. This progress alarms the Pelishtim and begin to ready themselves for what they hope will be a decisive strike against Israel. Many Jews are intimidated and flee the area or hide in caves from protection from what they perceive as an imminent onslaught. Shaul and his men camp at Gilgal and anticipate the arrival of Shemuel who had commanded the king to wait for him for seven days before proceeding to the battlefield.

Noticing that the troops had begun to lose confidence in him and defect from the war effort, Shaul gives up on Shemuel and offers the standard sacrifices himself instead. As soon as he finishes, Shemuel appears and takes Shaul to task for failing to follow the divine instructions. Shaul explains that he was compelled to act quickly because the troops were losing patience and abandoning him, Shemuel was late, and he did not want to head out to battle without having first paid homage to the Almighty.

Shemuel castigates Shaul for his foolishness and informs Shaul that his monarchy is now doomed to fail; he will eventually be replaced by a king who is true to the word of Hashem. In the meantime, only six hundred unarmed men remain in Shaul’s camp (the Jews were forbidden by the Pelishtim from possessing weapons or even having metalworkers in their midst who could sharpen agricultural implements, leaving them at a distinct military disadvantage.) The Pelishtim, by contrast, have divided themselves into three enormous groups that are fast approaching and expecting to leave death and devastation in their wake.

This chapter represents a watershed moment for King Shaul – it is the ultimate test of his ability (or lack of ability) to overcome his need for approval and popularity and remain true to the word of Hashem. There is a stark contrast between the previous two chapters, in which Shaul and Shemuel seemed to be working together toward common goals, and this chapter, in which Shemuel rebukes Shaul and then leaves him stranded on the battlefield to fend for himself.

Shaul’s failure to follow the instructions of the spiritual leader was tantamount to a declaration that the political and military operations of Israel, governed by the king, would function independently of the wisdom and guidance of Torah. Shaul justified his action based upon practical-logistical concerns, as well as blaming Shemuel (he was late) and offering his own religious rationale (that it would be inappropriate to go to war without bringing a sacrifice first.)

The latter two “excuses” not only treat political matters outside of any Torah perspective, they go so far as to imply that Shaul “knows better” on religious issues than a “rabbi” or prophet. This catastrophic move validates the concerns of Shemuel (and Hashem) regarding the establishment of the monarchy to begin with, and demonstrates why Shaul will not ultimately live up to the lofty expectations that the Torah has of a Jewish King.

There is an interesting parallel in the story to the narrative of the Golden Calf. In both cases, the spiritual leader of the nation is absent and his return is delayed; as a result, the people begin to panic or lose hope. In response, the acting leader (there, Aharon; here, Shaul) engages in an unauthorized religious service to reassure them and hold onto their allegiance, rationalizing that it is necessary in order to prevent an even more tragic outcome.

The sin of the Golden Calf occurred because the people’s clamoring for emotional security threatened the stability of communal life and the decision was made to choose the politically expedient route over the religiously correct one – in essence, to give the people what they wanted. This error proved to be a devastating one for the Jewish people, undermining its covenantal relationship with the Almighty, forcing fundamental changes in infrastructure (the firstborn were replaced by the Levites) and placing its whole existence in jeopardy.

Similarly, Shaul’s lack of trust in the word of Hashem and his capitulation to the people in the name of political necessity sets a terrible precedent for his regime which will eventually cause it to disintegrate, as we will see in the chapters ahead.

Shemuel Alef Chapter 12

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 12

In this chapter, Shemuel once again (perhaps more officially) presents the newly selected King Shaul to his subjects. In so doing, Shemuel is essentially retiring from his career as undisputed leader of the Jewish people. Shemuel remarks on his own advanced age and challenges the citizens of Israel to speak up if he has ever mistreated or taken advantage of them in any way. They unanimously declare that he has never oppressed them nor utilized his position of authority for personal gain.

Shemuel then recounts the history of Hashem’s salvation of the people of Israel, beginning with their sojourn in Egypt until the era of the Judges, which is now reaching its conclusion. He emphasizes that Hashem’s protection and support of the nation has always been dependent upon one fundamental factor – whether or not the Jews remained committed to the observance of Torah and the rejection of idolatry. When they deviated from the covenant, Hashem abandoned them to the persecutions of their enemies; when they returned to the proper path, He ensured that the appropriate leaders would arise and liberate them.

Despite this clear historical pattern, Shemuel observes, the recent conflict with Ammon has finally pushed the Jews to their breaking point and moved them to demand a king. While Hashem has honored the request of His nation and chosen a fitting monarch for them, they must remain cognizant of the fact that their success and failure will continue to depend not on the strength of the human king who leads them but on the quality of their relationship with the Almighty.

Shemuel warns the people that Hashem will now indicate His disapproval of the movement to establish a monarchy by bringing heavy rain in the midst of the typically dry harvest season. Such rain could potentially destroy the crops in the fields. The clouds quickly appear and the nation acknowledges its wrongdoing in the eyes of Hashem. Frightened of the consequences of rainfall for their food supply and livelihood, they appeal to Shemuel to pray to Hashem to stop the storm. Shemuel does so, but once again reminds them of the lesson they have learned – that Hashem, and not Shaul, will determine their destiny in the long run.

One question we can raise about this chapter is what Shemuel’s motive was in asking the people to acknowledge that he had treated them fairly and never mistreated or taken advantage of them. How was this relevant to the message about kingship he wished to convey here? It seems that he is contrasting the style of prophetic leadership with that of a monarch which he had described at length just a couple of chapters ago.

The king possesses substantial authority and not only CAN but WILL make use of his power to enrich himself and his family. The benefits the king reaps from his position may be legal but they nonetheless impose unnecessary financial and physical hardships on his subjects. Shemuel wants the community to declare that he did not conduct himself in the manner of a king during his tenure so that they will perceive the difference between what they are seeking and what they are dismissing in this shift from prophet/judge to king.

The challenge of Shemuel to the people is reminiscent of the statement of Moshe Rabbenu to Hashem during the rebellion of Qorah, “not one donkey did I take from them, nor did I commit any trespass against any of them.” Here, Shemuel, the descendant of Qorah, is paraphrasing the words that Moshe used when confronted with the uprising against his authority. There, Moshe Rabbenu was perceived by the rebels as a self-styled King rather than a religious leader, and he was being accused of political overreach in making himself king. He responds to the accusations by drawing attention to the honesty and integrity that characterized all of his dealings with members of the nation. Here, Shemuel the religious leader is being rejected in favor of a political figurehead who will, in fact, seize and confiscate the property of Jewish citizens. The irony can’t be missed.

The appearance of rainfall during the harvest season is the perfect sign to prove Hashem’s point as conveyed by Shemuel. Ultimately, the environment and the weather are in the hands of the Almighty; He will therefore determine the prosperity of any given year. This, in turn, means that essential factors impacting the economic welfare of the Jewish people are beyond the control of any human being, including the king. The Book of Ecclesiastes observes that “the king is enslaved to the land.”
In the story of the Exodus, we see that even the mighty Pharaoh was brought to his knees after the decimation of crops in the plague of Hail. Our story is certainly reminiscent of that iconic narrative; the people, fearing the total destruction of their food supply in a “plague”, express remorse for their sins, and Shemuel (like Moshe before him) accedes to the request that he pray for the removal of the ominous existential threat. This experience reminds the people of the fundamental principle they were taught through the Exodus – all human power, no matter how impressive, is an illusion. True salvation is found in the presence of Hashem alone, and our point of connection to Him will always be through the Torah and the teachers, Levites and prophets who represent His will and wisdom.

Shemuel Alef Chapter 11

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 11

This chapter depicts the first military campaign led by Shaul whereby he establishes himself as a worthy leader of the nation. For reasons that are unclear in the text, Nahash the Ammonite has laid siege to the Jews living in Yavesh Gilead and refuses to accept any compromise or settlement that would avert war. The elders of Yavesh Gilead promise to respond to the declaration of Nahash within seven days; they hope that their fellow Jews will come to their aid before the deadline arrives.

When Shaul receives word of the crisis, he is greatly troubled. He cuts up oxen and sends their parts throughout Israel, threatening to similarly kill the oxen of anyone who refuses to join him in the effort to defend Yavesh-Gilead. The nation is unified around the mission and 330,000 troops report for battle. Shaul divides them into three companies and handily defeats the men of Nahash.

When he returns home, now a “decorated general”, his supporters seek to punish the naysayers who derided and belittled him when he was first appointed King. Shaul demurs from this course of action, preferring to focus the energy of the people on celebrating their divinely wrought salvation rather than exacting retribution from his detractors.

One of the important points that is prominent in this story is the harmonious partnership between Shaul and Shemuel. They appear to be working together seamlessly and in tandem with one another. Shaul orders the people to follow him AND Shemuel into war, recognizing the battle as a joint effort of king and prophet. Both figures field questions and complaints from and deliver instructions to the nation. There is an emphasis on “joy” – the happiness experienced by the citizens of Yavesh Gilead when they learn that the support of their brethren is behind them as well as the happiness experienced by the Jewish people because of their newfound unity.

The parallels between this story and that of the “Concubine at Giveah” are striking. In both cases, someone (either the husband of the concubine or Shaul) is inspired with passion to act, and is determined to move others to act, in response to a terrible injustice. In both cases, the nation is rallied around a cause by having “cut up flesh” circulated to the various tribes. In both cases, the resultant unity of purpose in Israel is emphasized. And in both cases, Yavesh-Gilead and the tribe of Benjamin (represented by Shaul himself) play a central role in the drama.

However, it is in this final element that there is a bit of irony. In the story of the Concubine, the men of Yavesh Gilead were the only citizens of Israel who opted out of the war effort and chose not to join their brethren in punishing the tribe of Benjamin for its immorality. In fact, the males of Yavesh Gilead were killed and their women taken to provide mates for the survivors of the tribe of Benjamin, because the rest of the tribes had sworn not to allow their daughters to marry a Benjaminite.

One might have expected the tribes of Israel to be reticent about coming to the aid of a group of people that did not join national military campaigns previously; however, they immediately rallied to the defense of Yavesh-Gilead regardless of prior issues that may have existed between them. We might also imagine that the people of Yavesh Gilead are unsure whether they can count on the tribes of Israel to support them when, in the not-too-distant past, they had been declared enemies of the state. The fact that the Jewish people came through for Yavesh Gilead probably served to heal whatever rifts had developed between them in the wake of their complicated history.

Moreover, it is not unreasonable to assume that there is a longstanding rift between Yavesh-Gilead and Benjamin. The tribe of Benjamin was indirectly responsible for the massacre of Yavesh-Gilead. The behavior of Binyamin, judged worthy of a severe and devastating response from the other tribes, was what persuaded Israel to take up arms against their brethren and ultimately singled out Yavesh-Gilead as the lone “conscientious objectors” to the conflict. This marginalization of Yavesh-Gilead, in turn, led to the execution of its entire male population.

Yavesh-Gilead may well have harbored significant resentment toward Binyamin for its role in this dark and painful chapter in Jewish history. So the fact that a King descended from Binyamin was boldly emerging as their defender and protector must have conveyed the symbolic message that bygones would now officially be bygones and that a new era of peace and harmony under King Shaul was about to be inaugurated in Israel.

Finally, the very fact that the chosen king is a member of the Tribe of Benjamin – vilified and marginalized at the end of the Book of Shofetim and almost eliminated from the midst of Israel – has tremendous symbolic significance. It indicates that the deep political, emotional and spiritual wounds of the past have completely healed and that the nation of Israel has officially become “one” again.

Shemuel Alef Chapter 10

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 10

Shemuel anoints Shaul as the first King of Israel and informs him that, on his way back home he will experience three signs that testify to the fact that Hashem’s plan for the Jewish people is now manifesting itself in his personal life. First, Shaul will meet two men near the Tomb of Rachel who will substantiate Shemuel’s message that the donkeys he had originally gone looking for had indeed been found and who will also confirm Shaul’s hunch that his father would be preoccupied with worry about his son’s whereabouts by now.

At the second “rest stop” along his journey, Shaul is told that he will encounter three men on their way to worship God at Bet El, and that these individuals will present him with a gift of two loaves of bread. Finally, Shaul is informed that he will meet and join together with a band of prophets accompanied by four types of musical instrument and will undergo a spiritual transformation whereby he himself is granted prophetic inspiration.

Shemuel also foretells that the nation will soon gather in Gilgal and that Shaul is to wait for Shemuel’s arrival for seven days before offering any sacrifices or heading out to war; we will read more about this incident and its outcome in a future chapter. All of the signs occur as predicted by Shemuel; nevertheless, when he returns home, Shaul does not share any of the details of his new appointment with his family members.

Shemuel convenes a national meeting at Mitzpah and, after once again castigating the people for succumbing to their weaknesses and demanding a king, conducts a lottery through which Shaul is identified as the chosen monarch. Surprisingly, however, he is nowhere to be found, having hid himself amongst the luggage to avoid notice. Shemuel triumphantly introduces the modest yet physically impressive new king to his subjects, many of whom immediately accept his authority and bring gifts of tribute to him. Nonetheless, a significant group of citizens are unconvinced of Shaul’s ability to lead them and refuse to offer him any obeisance. Shaul, with characteristic modesty, ignores these slights.

There is much to comment on in this chapter. I will point out just a few highlights. The signs provided by Shemuel, rather than serving to reassure him or assuage his doubts, instead seem to chart the course of the evolution of Shaul himself from a modest and dutiful seeker of donkeys, to a recipient of tribute from those seeking Hashem, to finally one who encounters Hashem directly through the intimate experience of prophecy. The progression in numbers – two men are involved in the first sign, three in the second, and four instruments in the third – reflects the notion of elevation and ascendance in Shaul himself, it is indicative of a process of growth he is undergoing.

There is another key element to the signs that should be mentioned. On one hand, the fact that the first sign is manifest near the Tomb of Rachel has symbolic import; Shaul, a member of the Tribe of Benjamin, is a descendant of Rachel, and this pedigree justifies his claim to the throne. At the same time, the phrase “is Shaul also among the prophets”, coined when people observed him in the state of prophetic inspiration, emphasizes that one’s background and lineage is insignificant – what counts is who you are, not necessarily where you came from. We see, then, that a delicate balance must be struck between the politics of royal lineage and heritage – important to ensure that a king’s authority will be accepted by the populace – and the requirements of moral character, knowledge and wisdom that determine whether the leadership provided by the king will be accepted by the Almighty.

Shaul’s excessive modesty is also a subject worthy of consideration. While it is praised in some Midrashim as a testimony to his greatness, other Rabbinic sources construe it as reflecting a lack of confidence or assertiveness that would be unbecoming of a monarch. The truth is that the career of Shaul ultimately substantiates the negative assessment of his modesty – it was a symptom of his insecurity, need for human approval and fear of rejection by his brethren/subjects, rather than a genuine and heartfelt humility rooted in an awareness of the Creator that would have given him the strength to withstand the temptation to capitulate to peer pressure. And, as upcoming chapters will reveal, this weakness proved to be a fatal flaw for Shaul in the long run.

Shemuel Alef Chapter 9

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 9

This chapter details the first meeting of Shaul and Shemuel and beginning of the process that will lead to Shaul’s being anointed King of Israel. Some of the female donkeys of Shaul’s father, Kish, have gone missing, and Shaul and a young lad are dispatched on a mission to find them. After three days of travel, Shaul suggests that they abandon the search and return home. His young assistant responds that there is a well-known prophet in the area whom they could consult about the whereabouts of the missing donkeys.Shaul is hesitant to approach this man of God empty handed; the lad reassures Shaul that he has a little bit of money on his person that he can offer the prophet as a tribute.

When they reach the area in which Shemuel the prophet resides, Shaul and the lad encounter some young women who are drawing water nearby. The girls provide them with detailed information as to where and when they are most likely to secure an audience with the prophet. Following these directions, Shaul and his assistant encounter Shemuel on the street as he is about to enter a home for a sacrificial meal with about thirty participants.
The day before, Shemuel had already received a prophecy from Hashem predicting this meeting. Upon meeting Shaul, he informs him that the donkeys he was seeking had already found their way home safely, adding the enigmatic comment that this should be insignificant to Shaul whose family “has it all” anyway. Shaul questions the meaning of this statement, being that he, his tribe (Binyamin) and his family are of very humble stock, but the prophet does not address these objections. Shemuel had already set aside a very honorable portion of meat for Shaul at the gathering, again suggesting that Shaul is destined for greatness and demonstrating that Shemuel was more than prepared for his illustrious visitor. The chapter ends with Shemuel poised to deliver a secret message to Shaul, which is presented in full form in the next chapter.
As an introduction to Shaul as a person, this story provides us with some insight into his character and his fitness for which he is using the best users of mass gaining supplements. He presents as a humble and hard-working young man who perseveres in the task of searching for his father’s donkeys but is at the same time realistic and modest enough to abort the mission when it begins to seem fruitless or counterproductive. He does not seem like an especially wealthy or showy individual; he pursues the donkeys on foot, not on horseback, and he has no cash on him to donate to the prophet (the servant, who has a negligible amount of money in his pocket, apparently has more than the master!)

When the two men interact with the women by the water, despite the romantic overtones of the setting and the flirtatious behavior of the ladies (the rabbis say that their long-winded instructions were drawn out intentionally so they could spend more time gazing at the handsome Shaul), the object of their affections is single-mindedly focused on his job and not distracted by amorous interests. All of these qualities – humility, disinterest in riches and control of his instinctual drives – qualify him to serve as the King of Israel. The Torah commands the king to limit the wealth he amasses, the number of women he marries, and the number of horses he possesses, as well as instructing him to study Torah constantly so he remains cognizant of his modest place in the universe as a creature standing in the presence of Hashem.

At the same time, we observe some intimation of the limits of Shaul’s character even at this early stage of his career. Twice Shaul makes a pronouncement that is “overruled” by his servant; it would be unnecessary to point out these fine details, other than to suggest to the reader that Shaul is susceptible to suggestion and easily influenced by the expectations and demands of others. As we will see, this quality of modesty reflects a deeper flaw in Shaul’s personality that will pose significant problems for him moving forward.

Shemuel Alef Chapter 8

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 8

This chapter is undoubtedly the “turning point” in the Book of Shemuel. Shemuel is now old and appoints his sons, Yoel and Aviyah, to serve as judges in his stead. However, the text tells us that the sons of Shemuel exhibited signs of corruption – they took bribes – and therefore did not find favor in the eyes of the people as Shemuel had. In response to this “failed” process of succession, the nation approaches Shemuel and demands that a king be chosen to rule over them.

Shemuel is greatly disturbed by this request and prays to Hashem. Hashem reassures Shemuel that he should not interpret this development as an indictment of him; rather, it is a sign that the Jewish people reject Hashem as their king. Hashem instructs Shemuel to fulfill the request of the Jews but first to make them aware of how the coronation of a king will affect their lives.

Shemuel addresses the populace and details the various ways in which the needs of the king and his government will impinge upon the freedoms and property of his subjects. He will collect taxes in the form of money, produce and livestock and will draft both men and women into his service. He will enjoy the benefits of absolute authority and they will be subordinate to his desires and direction. The Jews insist that they nevertheless wish to have a king rule over them, and Hashem commands Shemuel to begin the process of finding the right man for the job.

The question of whether the establishment of a monarchy was a positive or negative development in the history of Israel is hotly debated by the commentators. The Tanakh itself seems to send mixed messages on the issue. On one hand, the Torah is understood as commanding us to choose a king, and the key refrain of the Book of Shofetim – which charts the disastrous decline of the Jewish people in the absence of a strong central government – appears to support the view that having a king is a necessity. On the other hand, Shemuel’s reaction in this chapter, and Hashem’s statement that the request for a king is a sign of rejection of the Almighty, indicate that the move to appoint a king is perceived negatively.

We may be able to distinguish here between two functions that a monarchy serves. The primary benefit that it would provide to the nation would be much-needed stability. We can see that Shemuel was sensitive to this concern and intended to respond to it in two ways; first, by proactively engaging in public life, traveling, educating and inspiring, and by passing the mantle of leadership on to his sons so that the momentum thus created would not end with his eventual death. He was the first Shofet to take steps to prevent a relapse into idolatry after his demise. This aspect of “kingship” is a welcome development even from Shemuel’s perspective.

Sadly, Shemuel’s efforts in this regard fall flat because his sons are not capable of replacing him. The Midrash tells us that they didn’t actually take bribes but set up a bureaucratic system of judging the nation that entailed charging court fees and expecting remuneration for their time. Apparently, the absence of charisma, enthusiasm and selfless devotion on their part – the reduction of the position of Shofet into a mere “job” – left a bad taste in the mouths of the people, perhaps reminding them of the regime of the sons of Eli all over again.

The presence of Shemuel, an individual of immense spiritual stature, filled the void of leadership to such an extent that the idea of a king seemed irrelevant; the people were satisfied. His sons, by contrast, left much to be desired; perhaps the people figured that, if they are going to settle for career politicians of one sort or another, they might as well have the “real deal”, a king.

The second function served by a king is providing an emotional sense of security to the people. This is where, from a religious standpoint, the establishment of a monarchy is inherently problematic and objectionable. The human king projects a comforting illusion that everything is under control and that everyone is well protected, but he exacts a heavy price for this from his subjects in the form of taxes and services.

Other nations are prepared to make these sacrifices in exchange for what they believe is the only source of security available to them – the beneficent protection of a king. However, the Jewish people should know better. They should realize that ultimately, protection and security come only from Hashem and are dependent on the Jewish people’s observance of Torah and mitzvoth. Shemuel was profoundly disappointed that the psychological weakness of the people led them to seek emotional reassurance from a ruler of flesh-and-blood instead of inspiring them to develop a more lasting and genuine sense of confidence from their relationship with the True King.
So we can say that Shemuel recognized and even tried to address the first motive for having a king – namely, the need for stability. This function of the monarchy is what was “missing” in the Book of Shofetim that Shemuel himself wrote, and appointing a king to serve this purpose would indeed constitute a mitzvah. On the other hand, the desire for the false emotional security provided by a king is what distressed Shemuel and aroused his opposition; this search for a human being who would offer the nation a superficial feeling of safety and protection was construed as a rejection of Hashem’s kingship rather than the fulfillment of His will.

Shemuel Alef Chapter 7

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 7

This chapter begins with a verse that actually serves as the conclusion of the previous paragraph; it describes the relocation of the Ark of the Covenant to the home of Avinadav where it would remain for the next twenty years.

This is the only chapter in which we observe Shemuel as the actual spiritual and political leader of the nation. The Jewish people have wearied from the oppression of the Pelishtim and finally turn to Hashem to seek relief from their suffering. They gather around Shemuel in Mitzpah. In marked contrast from the corrupt regime of the sons of Eli that capitalized on the magical and superstitious thinking of the common folk, Shemuel assures them that simplistic solutions like invoking the power of the Ark will not work; if they wish to be worthy of Hashem’s assistance, they must reject idolatry and serve Him exclusively.

In response, the Jews acknowledge their waywardness and fast, pouring water on the ground as a symbolic gesture of “pouring out their souls” before Hashem. When the Pelishtim hear that the Jewish people have congregated in Mitzpah, they prepare to attack. The Jews ask Shemuel to pray on their behalf – he offers a sacrifice and through a miraculous thunderstorm and divine intervention, the Pelishtim are confounded and defeated by Israel.

The chapter concludes by recounting that Shemuel’s leadership of the Jews continued for the rest of his life. Rather than relying on the nation to approach him for guidance, Shemuel would travel throughout the country regularly in order to teach and judge the citizens in every region of Israel, returning to his home in Ramah once each circuit was completed. This ensured that the Jewish people remained on the proper path and, as a function of his tireless efforts, the Jews enjoyed success, prosperity and peace during those “golden” years.

The story of Shemuel is reminiscent of the cycle of the “Shofetim” with which we are already familiar; the spiritually decadent nation finally yearns for Hashem after years of oppression and persecution, a spiritual leader arises who is capable of directing them with genuine wisdom, and they once again find themselves the recipients of the Divine blessings promised to them in the Torah.

However, Shemuel stands out from among his predecessors in his proactive approach to governance and his ability to unify the Jewish people both religiously and politically. He is not content with the mere removal of idolatry from the midst of Israel; he dedicates his entire life and career to inspiring and educating the Jews.

In this way, the activities and character of Shemuel “rehabilitate” the image of the Shofet that had been tarnished by the indiscretions of less impressive leaders like Gideon, Yiftah and Shimshon. He also represents the reemergence of the special role of the tribe of Levi, who had been chosen by Hashem to be the primary teachers and religious educators of the Jewish people.

The sacred task of the Levites had been neglected for generations, as we saw in the stories of the Graven Image of Mikha and the Concubine at Giveah where Levites, rather than serving as paragons of virtue and selflessness, embody corruption and materialism. The descent of the Levites and Kohanim from holy to profane was most disturbingly manifest in the depraved conduct of the sons of Eli whom Shemuel had been selected to replace.

In this connection it is noteworthy that Shemuel was a descendant of Qorah. Qorah rebelled against Moshe Rabbenu in the wilderness, challenging the validity of the selection of Kohanim as the designated servants of Hashem in His sanctuary. However, his efforts were misguided and self- serving, so he ultimately failed and he and his followers were severely punished. Shemuel continues the legacy of his ancestor in contesting the “status quo” of priestly authority, this time on a legitimate basis – as a response to the immoral behavior of the sons of Eli.

In this way, Shemuel “redeems” the memory of Qorah and salvages what was positive and genuine in Qorah’s otherwise ill-conceived struggle. Shemuel’s offering of a sacrifice in this chapter, as well as the Midrashim that depict his “innovating” the controversial principle that a non-Kohen is allowed to slaughter (though not offer) sacrifices in the Temple, reflect this element of his role as gadfly to the religious establishment of the time.

Shemuel Alef Chapter 6

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 6

After seven months of attempting to hold onto the Ark of the Covenant, the Pelishtim seek advice from their magicians as to how to properly return it. The sorcerers tell them to fashion five golden hemorrhoids and five golden mice, corresponding to the five leaders of the Pelishtim and their respective regions, and to send it with the Ark as a gift of tribute. They further instruct the people to place the Ark on a brand new wagon pulled by two nursing cows whose young are confined at home; if the terrible punishments that have come upon the Pelishtim were of divine origin, then the cows will proceed toward Bet Shemesh despite their natural instinct to be reunited with their babies.

The Pelishtim comply with the instructions and watch as the cows pull the wagon and carry the Ark all the way to Bet Shemesh, where it is discovered by a group of Jews working in the field. The men of Bet Shemesh are ecstatic when they see the Ark. They chop the boards of the wagon up into firewood and offer two nursing cows as thanksgiving sacrifices to Hashem.

However, their joy is short-lived, because their behavior is judged by Hashem to be disrespectful to the holiness of the Ark and a plague strikes the men of Bet Shemesh, claiming the lives of “seventy men, and fifty thousand men”. Stricken with fear by this turn of events, no one among the citizens of Bet Shemesh is willing to accept the responsibility of receiving and guarding the Ark. They summon the people of Qiryat Yearim to retrieve the Ark from them immediately.

At first glance, there is no clear explanation for the calamity that befalls the Jews in Bet Shemesh. What exactly did they do wrong? Our chapter is an excellent illustration of the two extremes of relationship to ritual objects and institutions, both of which are unhealthy. Venerating the Ark and attributing magical powers to it borders on idolatry and is a symptom of profound distortion in our relationship to Torah and Hashem. On the other hand, discounting the significance and holiness of the Ark undermines its purpose, which is to inspire us with reverence and love for Hashem.

The Jewish people had moved beyond their superstitious attitude toward the Ark (a good thing) but had replaced that with a casual and irreverent attitude. And as we read in the Torah in several places, access to the Mishkan and the holy objects within it was severely restricted in order to prevent people from becoming too comfortable or blasé about them.

One who treats the Mishkan or its implements with disrespect is punished very harshly, because these entities are concrete symbols of the Divine presence. The devastation at Bet Shemesh was a reminder from Hashem that while avoiding superstitious and magical thinking is imperative, it should not lead us to disregard the significance of the sacred tools Hashem has given us with which to serve Him.

We must guard ourselves from thinking that a Sefer Torah, Mezuzah, Tefillin or any other holy item has its own independent supernatural effects on the world; only Hashem governs His creation and no other forces operate besides Him. At the same time, we should not allow ourselves to shift to the opposite extreme and to denigrate these objects or treat them as mundane, since this will prevent the commandments of Hashem from achieving their purpose of drawing us closer to Him. They should not be seen as ends in themselves but as means to an end. But we must venerate and cherish them because of the holy end that they serve.

One last point that is worthy of mention is the number of casualties recorded in connection with the incident at Bet Shemesh – was it seventy men, fifty thousand men or both? It is also difficult to imagine that there were fifty thousand people living in Bet Shemesh! The Rabbis suggest that one or the other of these numbers is not literal but metaphoric: either seventy righteous men died, each of whom was the equivalent of fifty-thousand because of his greatness, or fifty-thousand died, each of whom was equivalent to the seventy members of the Sanhedrin in greatness. Targum Yehonatan states that both numbers are literal; according to him, seventy leaders and fifty-thousand commoners perished.

If the fifty thousand is to be taken literally, perhaps it refers to deaths throughout Israel as a result of this sin, and is not limited to citizens of Bet Shemesh. Or perhaps it refers to all those who died on account of the Ark, including both Jews and Pelishtim. Another possibility is that this represents the cumulative number of Jewish casualties over the entire conflict with the Pelishtim and its battles. Previously, fifty thousand had died; the seventy men lost at Bet Shemesh brought the total number to 50,070.

Shemuel Alef Chapter 5

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 5

The Pelishtim place the Ark of the Covenant in the house of their god Dagon in Ashdod, as if to indicate that their idol had triumphed over of the God of the Jews. The next morning, when they arrived at the temple, the statue of Dagon had fallen over before the Ark. They put it back on its stand; the following morning, the severed head and hands of Dagon were found at the threshold of the temple. Stubbornly committed to their pagan superstitions, this spectacle persuaded the priests of Dagon to institute a new “custom” that prohibited stepping directly on the threshold in the spot where the limbs of their god had been discovered. (Dagon was a fish-man god, therefore he had no feet.)

The residents of Ashdod were then smitten with plagues and with painful hemorrhoids. Assuming that this was the result of the conflict between the God of Israel and Dagon whose house was located in their territory, they asked the rulers of the Pelishtim to transfer the Ark somewhere else. It is moved to Gat and then to Eqron; each time, deadly illness and painful affliction strikes those who dwell in the city where it is placed. Recognizing that the unbearable suffering they are experiencing is associated with their continued possession of the Ark, the Pelishtim resolve to send it back to the Jews as soon as they possibly can.

There is a clear connection between this narrative and that of the story of the plagues in Egypt. This link is explicitly acknowledged by the Pelishtim in their reflection upon what is befalling them and their consideration of the appropriate response. The suffering they experience forces them to release the Ark, representing the Divine presence, from its captivity and to free it to travel to the Holy Land.

The Pelishtim are compelled to acknowledge the power and dominion of the God of Israel, and although they first attempt to deny His omnipotence – they hope that moving the Ark from city to city, they will eventually find a location He is unable to afflict – they ultimately realize that His judgment is inescapable. The parallel to Pharaoh in Egypt and his resistance but eventual capitulation to the plagues is quite evident.

It is interesting to note that Hashem did not provide assistance or support to the Jews in their battle against the Pelishtim, yet He is very persistent in hammering the Pelishtim with plagues so they will relinquish the Ark. We saw that the Jews’ overemphasis on the Ark was an unfortunate distortion of their religious priorities; yet here it seems as if Hashem Himself is more zealously protective of the Ark than of His people!

In order to understand what is happening here, we must distinguish between the circumstances at hand. The Jewish people, because of their distance from Torah and mitzvoth, were unworthy of Divine help; to empower them and bless them would be to implicitly validate their corruption. However, the fact that the Pelishtim had successfully taken the Ark was at first perceived as proof of the superiority of their god, Dagon, to Hashem; allowing such a desecration of Hashem’s name and boon to the practitioners of idol worship would have been just as disastrous as allowing the Jews to prevail in battle in their state of corruption. This explains the critical need for Hashem’s miraculous intervention here – it was for the sake of His glory, not that of the Ark.

 

Shemuel Alef Chapter 4

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 4

This chapter describes the fulfillment of Shemuel’s prophecy about the implosion of the house of Eli. The Jewish people have sustained serious losses in their ongoing military conflicts with the Pelishtim. The elders advise them to bring the Ark of the Covenant, accompanied by Hofni and Pinhas, the sons of Eli, onto the battlefield with them.

The soldiers of Israel receive the Ark enthusiastically, feeling that it signifies that their success is guaranteed. At the same time, the Pelishtim are stricken with fear and panic, worrying that the powerful God of Israel will indeed defeat them. It seems that the Pelishtim either believed that the Ark was itself a god or that the Keruvim atop the Ark were the gods of the Jews.

Notwithstanding the fact that the Ark was with them, the Jews lose the battle. Hofni and Pinhas, sons of Eli, are both killed. The Ark itself is captured and placed in the idolatrous house of the Phillistine god Dagon. Eli HaKohen was sitting at the gate of the city nervously; he was extremely anxious about the decision to take the Ark to the battlefield and eagerly awaited its safe return. A messenger arrives and informs Eli that his sons have died and that the Ark has been taken; when he hears the news of the Ark, the shock causes him to lose his balance, fall backwards and break his neck, killing him instantly.

The wife of Pinhas, one of the sons of Eli, was pregnant. Upon hearing the news of the demise of her husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law and of the capture of the Ark, she enters premature labor and delivers a baby boy whom she names “Ikhavod”, meaning “there is no honor”. She saw the deaths of the religious leaders and the loss of the Ark as the ultimate affront to the dignity of Israel; when she restates the meaning of the name before dying, however, only the capture of the Ark is mentioned as a reason why the honor of the Jewish people has departed.

It is worth highlighting that the attitude of the Jewish people to the Ark of the Covenant is tainted with a healthy measure of superstition and idolatry. They relate to the Ark as a kind of magical talisman or good luck charm and believe that Hofni and Pinhas, despite their incorrigibly bad behavior and distance from Hashem, will confer divine blessing to the troops with their mere presence.

When the Ark arrives at the camp, the Jews celebrate, proclaiming that the Ark will save them from the Pelishtim and ignoring the fact that it is their relationship with the Almighty (or lack thereof) that will ultimately determine their fate. The Jewish orientation toward the Ark is, in the final analysis, not that much different from the view articulated by the thoroughly idolatrous Pelishtim, and it comes as little surprise to the reader that Hashem does not enable the Jews to triumph over their enemies at this time. Eli HaKohen and his daughter-in-law share this overestimation of the power of the Ark of the Covenant. In the aftermath of the battle, both of them react to the capture of the Ark as if it constitutes a tragedy that surpasses the deaths of Hofni and Pinhas in importance.

Another interesting point in the story is the parallelism between the death of Pinhas’ wife here and the death of Rachel as described in the Torah. Both enter labor suddenly and assign names with a “tragic” overtone to their children (although Yaaqov changed the name Ben-Oni, “son of my suffering”, to Binyamin). Both die in childbirth and the deaths of both are linked to the “taking” of something associated with divine power or influence – in this case, the capture of the “magical” Ark and in Rachel’s case, her stealing of the “fortune-telling” teraphim from her father Lavan.

The deaths of these women mark the end of their respective eras in Jewish history. The connection between the narratives is highlighted by the text when it mentions that the messenger who delivers news from the battlefield is from the tribe of Binyamin; this biographical detail would seem to be insignificant, but it draws our attention to the similarity between the story here and the story in Beresheet.

Undoubtedly, the religious beliefs espoused here by the Jews are evidence of the influence of the surrounding pagan culture upon them. The removal of the Ark of the Covenant from the spiritual landscape of the nation and its eventual return is a symbolic “restart” for Israel, clearing away old, distorted, pagan ideas that attached themselves to Jewish ritual objects and performances and making room for the new era of Torah study and authentic divine service that will be ushered in by the prophet Shemuel.

Shemuel Alef Chapter 3

Audio Reading

Audio Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 3

After reading of the stark contrast between the spiritual emptiness of the sons of Eli and the spiritual growth of Shemuel, we now learn about a watershed moment in Jewish history – Shemuel’s first prophetic experience and the beginning of his career as one of the greatest prophets who has ever lived.

Shemuel and Eli were both asleep at the Temple complex. Suddenly, Shemuel hears a voice beckoning to him; assuming that it is the elderly (now blind) Eli who must be in need of his assistance, Shemuel gets out of bed and runs over to him. Eli assures Shemuel that he did not call him and sends him back to bed. This happens twice more; finally, Eli realizes that what Shemuel is hearing is the voice of the Almighty calling to him in prophecy. He instructs his young protégé to respond to the voice next time he hears it and to receive its message.

Hashem informs Shemuel of the imminent destruction of the priestly house of Eli, including the untimely demise of his two sons. Hashem explains that Eli himself is worthy of this terrible punishment because he failed to intervene and prevent his children from desecrating God’s name, and that the sin was so severe that it could not be expiated.

The next morning, Shemuel is understandably hesitant to share the content of the message with Eli, but Eli insists that he be told the truth. One gets the impression that Eli may have suspected that Shemuel’s prophecy, like the prophecy of the unnamed prophet who visited Eli in chapter two, probably had to do with the Heavenly decree against his family. Shemuel divulges the details of the communication he received. Eli, in his typically weak and passive fashion, accepts the judgment of Hashem upon himself and does not argue, repent or otherwise seek to have it overturned.

With Shemuel’s ascendance to the level of prophecy, the Jewish people are finally in a position to be taught, inspired and redeemed by a leader of the highest caliber. Therefore, the process of removing the corrupt “old guard” (i.e., the sons of Eli) from the picture is now underway. It is especially appropriate that the inaugural prophetic vision of Shemuel is itself a revelation about the radical transformations that are about to take place; namely, the replacement of the entrenched, defective and dysfunctional religious establishment with an enlightened, prudent and godly one.
One tragic element of the story is the weakness of Eli HaKohen. Although in all respects a righteous man, he seems to lack the courage or strength of conviction necessary to put a stop to the injustices being perpetrated by his sons. Moreover, Eli interprets the prophetic messages conveyed to him as if they are fatalistic pronouncements. Normally, we view such communications as Hashem’s way of offering us opportunities to learn from our mistakes and rectify them before it is too late; Eli simply resigns himself to what he perceives as inevitable.
The Rabbis note that in Shemuel’s prophecy he is told that the sins of the sons of Eli will not be atoned for through a sacrifice or meal offering; they comment that the sins could, however, have been atoned for by Torah study and charity. In other words, there was no quick ritual fix that would “change God’s mind” about the sons of Eli the way that a superficial religious person might expect. Doing more of the same – more sacrifices, more offerings, more empty, external religious actions – would not serve to shift the worldview such hardened criminals in any fundamental way nor enable them find favor in the eyes of the Almighty.
Real internal change, however, WAS and always is possible. Advances in Torah knowledge and self-understanding, genuine and lasting improvement of character, or the replacement of selfishness and greed with generosity and compassion would have constituted profound and revolutionary change and might very well have led to the cancelation of the devastating decree against the house of Eli.
Sadly, rather than read between the lines of the prophecies and attempt to engage in or facilitate genuine repentance to avert the disastrous consequences that are in store, Eli is unwilling to confront his sons and redirect them constructively. By his own choices and actions, then, Eli is the one who renders the prophetic warning absolute and irrevocable. It is, we might say, a literal example of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Shemuel Alef Chapter 2

Shemuel Alef Chapter 2

This chapter opens with the famous Tefillat Hannah, the prayer of thanksgiving that Hanna recited after being blessed with a child and bringing him to the Mishkan to leave him there. The prayer reflects on the instability of human fortune and emphasizes that only the Creator ultimately determines our fate. It concludes with a request that the enemies of Hashem be decimated and that true leaders – specifically, a chosen King of Israel – be uplifted and strengthened.

The sons of Eli are well known for their insensitivity, unabashed corruption and mafia-style tactics of managing the affairs of the sanctuary at Shiloh. They demand more of the sacrificial animals’ flesh than the portions to which they are entitled. Even more disturbingly, they refuse to show the slightest deference to the sanctity of the religious services and at least wait until the rituals are completed before partaking of the meat.When their instructions are not carried out, they take what they want by brute force. Rumors swirl that they have even engaged in inappropriate liaisons with women who come to visit the Temple precincts.

Needless to say, the sons of Eli have a terrible reputation in Israel and are the object of the animosity and resentment of their fellow Jews. They are a prime example of desecration of Hashem’s name, representing the Almighty in a negative way and conveying the impression that the service of God is just another manifestation of materialism, avarice and selfishness. The “religion” of the sons of Eli has nothing to do with transcendence or holiness.

In the meantime, Shemuel grows both in his knowledge and devotion to Hashem and in his popularity among the people. His parents visit him yearly and his mother Hanna, repeatedly blessed by Eli HaKohen for her noble act of dedicating Shemuel’s life to Divine service, has five more children.

Eli HaKohen makes a feeble and unsuccessful attempt to rebuke his sons and correct their behavior. Unsurprisingly, his efforts have little or no effect. A prophet visits Eli and informs him that because his sons have brought shame upon the priesthood and defiled the offerings of God, his descendants will be cursed with short lifespans and severe poverty. The two sons of Eli are destined to die on the very same day and to be replaced by a trustworthy and honorable Kohen who (together with his children) would restore dignity to the office of the priesthood, the institution of the Temple and the Torah of Hashem.

There is much to comment upon in this chapter but for the sake of brevity I will suffice with a single observation. The prayer of Hanna is often misunderstood as being unrelated to the specific content of her story and to have minimal relevance to the narrative of the book of Shemuel. Some reputable scholars and rabbis (for instance, Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom) have even suggested that it was a generic hymn that people would recite on occasions of salvation and deliverance and that it merely became associated with Hanna because she chose to use it to celebrate this milestone in her life.

Our understanding of the introduction to the Book of Shemuel, however, leads us to precisely the opposite conclusion. The greatness of Hanna was that she saw the universal significance of her particular story. It makes perfect sense that her thanksgiving ode to Hashem would likewise reflect the broad principles she felt were exemplified by her plight and Hashem’s answer to her prayer and that they wouldn’t be bogged down with the details of her personal life.

Because Hanna rose above the limitations of her own family drama and diagnosed the spiritual illness of the nation as a whole, she took the bold steps that actually resolved the crisis that had gripped the Jewish people for generations. In her prayer, she presents us with a “big picture” perspective on Divine providence as well as expressing her hope that the actions she had taken would eventuate in the establishment of a stable and successful monarchy in the land of Israel.

NEW BOOK – Shemuel Alef Chapter 1

Shemuel Alef Chapter 1

It is important to note that the appellation “Shemuel Alef” is actually a misnomer; our tradition counts only one “Sefer Shemuel” in Tanakh. However, due to the length of the book, it was subdivided for convenience into “Alef” and “Bet”.

The Book of Shemuel begins with the story of another “Levite” and his family. Elqanah has two wives, Hanna and Peninah; Hanna is barren while Peninnah has children. Unlike the Levite in the story of the “Concubine in Giveah”, Elqana does not merely talk about visiting the House of God – indeed, he does so on a regular basis with his entire family.

During this period of Jewish history, the Kohanim who provided religious leadership to the nation and officiated the Temple services were exceedingly corrupt (we will learn more about the depth of their corruption in the next chapter.) Nonetheless, Elqanah, seemingly a pious Jew, believed in supporting “the system” and was very committed to making pilgrimages to the sanctuary at Shiloh at the appointed times.

The routine visits to Shiloh were particularly uncomfortable experiences for the family. Peninnah would use them as opportunities to draw attention to the fact that she, unlike her rival co-wife, had children (the Sages ascribe noble motives to Peninnah, suggesting that she wished to inspire Hannah to pray to God for the blessing of fertility.) Like any childless woman sitting at a holiday table surrounded by children who are not her own, Hanna would become deeply depressed and would often completely lose her appetite. Elqanah’s attempts to comfort and console her were unsuccessful.

Finally, on one visit to Shiloh, Hannah decides to visit the sanctuary and pray to God for a miracle. She makes a vow that if she is indeed blessed with a child, she will consecrate him as a Nazirite and leave him at the Mishkan for his entire life so he can be exclusively devoted to the service of Hashem.

Eli, the High Priest whose sons have been managing the religious affairs of Israel in an egregiously immoral manner, is himself a decent man; believing Hannah to be drunk and muttering to herself erratically, he rebukes her. When she explains her plight he instead offers his blessing that her prayer be accepted. She returns to her husband with a hopeful and optimistic attitude.

Hashem answers Hannah’s petition and she has a son named Shemuel. When the time comes for the family to visit Shiloh, Hannah declines to join, preferring to wait until her new baby is weaned and can be left at the sanctuary permanently in fulfillment of her vow. When he finishes nursing, Hanna keeps her promise and presents the young boy to Eli the Kohen by whom he will be trained in the study of Torah and the service of Hashem.

One key difficulty that many encounter in studying this story is the vow of Hanna. If she plans on giving up her child anyway, why bother praying for him in the first place? Most mothers who ask Hashem to grant them fertility do so for the purpose of experiencing motherhood and enjoying its many gratifying milestones. Hanna’s request appears to defy logic.

In order to understand Hanna’s motivation and her greatness we must reflect upon the background of this narrative and its context. Hanna’s breakthrough comes when she realizes that her problem is not a personal one; rather, it is symptomatic of the general spiritual decline of the Jewish people. The Torah tells us that when the Jews are faithful to their covenant with Hashem, no woman among them will be infertile. Thus, Hanna identified her infertility as a manifestation of the withdrawal of the divine presence from Israel. She also realized that this absence of Divine providence was itself a function of the poor spiritual leadership of the nation.

Kohanim and Levites who should have been sources of inspiration and education for the people had transformed the religious institutions into corrupt vehicles of their own enrichment. Pilgrims who came to visit the sanctuary, rather than being treated to healthy doses of wisdom, insight and encouragement, were shaken down for money (or, at that time, the meat of sacrifices).

Hanna realized that the only way for the general curse upon the nation to be lifted would be if a leader amongst the Jews would arise and reform the institutions that had fallen into spiritual disrepair; for a person to emerge who could challenge the status quo, reestablish the principles and values that had been forgotten, and guide the Jewish people back to the Torah and its commandments once again.

This leader would need to stand out from among his brethren (hence being a Nazirite) and be isolated from the general culture of the common folk (hence growing up on the Temple grounds). Hanna hoped that the pain of infertility she experienced, a sign of the distance of her people from Hashem, could be transformed into the change that would alleviate not only her suffering but that of many others.

Shofetim Chapter 21 – The Conclusion of Sefer Shofetim

Sefer Shofetim Chapter 21

The final chapter of the Book of Shofetim describes the consequences of the civil war with the tribe of Benjamin. The allied tribes had decimated Binyamin, leaving only six hundred male survivors. The nation gathers together at Mitzpah and undertakes a solemn oath that no one should give his daughter in marriage to a member of the tribe of Binyamin. Shortly after making this vow, however, the Jews regret this choice because it will inevitably lead to the elimination of a tribe of Israel. Unwilling to violate their oath, they must find a way to provide wives to the surviving Benjaminites so they do not die out.

Upon reflection, it becomes clear that there was one community in Israel that did not join with the allied forces in the war against Binyamin – namely, the men of Yavesh Gilead. The decision is made that in retribution for failing to support the military effort, they will kill of the men of Yavesh Gilead and then present the women of that city to the tribe of Benjamin for marriage. Yavesh Gilead is attacked and its male citizens are slaughtered, but only four hundred women become available. Two hundred of the men of Benjamin still require mates.

The congregation comes up with another creative solution; each year at Shiloh, there is a festival during which the young women go out and dance in the fields. The vow taken by the Jewish people stipulated only that they would not GIVE their daughters to the tribe of Binyamin for marriage – they didn’t say that the Benjaminites couldn’t TAKE wives for themselves! So they advise the men of Binyamin to hide out in the fields and, when the girls arrived to dance, kidnap the ones they liked to keep as wives.

If the family of the girl protested, they would be implored to have compassion on the remnant of Binyamin that had no other viable way to ensure the survival of its tribe and its heritage. The tribe of Benjamin followed this advice and was thereby confident that its future was secure. The Book of Shofetim concludes by once again remarking that at this time there was no king in Israel; each man did what was right in his eyes.

This narrative, like that of the Pilegesh in Givah, is full of tragic irony. Lack of foresight leads the nation to take a vow with disastrous (and rather obvious!) consequences, reminiscent of the vow of Yiftah that symbolized a misguided religious fervor not tempered by reason or proper deliberation. Considering that, as a communal oath, it must have been formulated and promulgated by the leaders of the community, we can infer that whoever was guiding the Jewish people politically and spiritually was doing an inadequate job, to say the least.

Rather than devise a creative way to release themselves from their vow, they are fully committed to honoring their foolhardy proclamation, and this propels them to further bloodshed. They massacre the citizens of Yavesh Gilead who, as far as we know, had committed no actual trespass that made them worthy of the death penalty. Finding even this outcome insufficient for the needs of the tribe of Benjamin upon whom they had imposed sanctions, they advise kidnapping young girls as the solution to the problem. As horrific a suggestion as this is, one wishes they had thought of this idea first rather than seeking a pretext to justify the attack on Yavesh Gilead.

Ironically, in their zeal to demonstrate their distaste for the events in Giveah and to isolate the offending tribe by refusing to intermarry with them, the Nation of Israel ends up justifying mass murder and (for all intents and purposes) recommending kidnapping and rape, the same crimes for which they were condemning the Tribe of Benjamin to begin with!

The Book of Shofetim ends with a clear message to the reader as to the underlying cause for all of this confusion of values and priorities – there was no king in Israel, no central authority to provide Torah-based religious and political guidance to the people so that such tragedies could be mitigated or avoided. The disorder and disarray that reigned in the land left much destruction and despair in its wake, and leaves those of us studying the book with a definite sense of the important role that strong and determined leadership plays in the spiritual and material success of our nation.

In this way, the Book of Shofetim serves as the ideal prelude to the Book of Shemuel. By illustrating the havoc that ensues in the absence of a strong central government, the prophet demonstrates that the institution of the monarchy, while imperfect, is truly necessary. The Book of Shemuel will pick up on this theme by describing to us the process by which a stable and principled national leadership is finally put in place.

Shofetim Chapter 20

 

Sefer Shofetim Chapter 20

In a rare show of unity, the entire nation of Israel gathers together to address the travesty that occurred in Givah. The Levite husband presents a sanitized version of the events that acquits him of all wrongdoing while highlighting the evil of the people of Binyamin. The Jewish people demand that the Tribe of Binyamin hand over the perpetrators of the crime to be punished; this request is denied. The tribes decide to go to war against Binyamin because they have chosen to harbor, and therefore aid and abet, wicked criminals.

A large military force representing all eleven of the tribes is mobilized to fight against Binyamin. The nation consults with Hashem (via the Urim Vetummim) and are told that the tribe of Yehuda should lead them into battle. Surprisingly, the Tribe of Benjamin defeats the much larger national army in the first conflict. The Jews again ask Hashem if they should attack their brethren and they are told that they should; however, they suffer serious losses in the second battle as well.

Crying, fasting and offering sacrifices to Hashem, the Jews inquire for a last time whether they should pursue this cause and Hashem assures them that in the third battle they will prevail. The “allied forces” position an ambush outside of the city of Givah and lure the soldiers of Binyamin out onto the open roads and fields. They flee from before the Tribe of Benjamin so as to convey the impression that they are once again losing the fight. This spurs the Benjaminites on with even greater intensity.

Meanwhile, the ambushing party conquers the city of Givah and sets it aflame, and a pillar of smoke billows up to the heavens. When Israel see this signal of victory they are emboldened; when Binyamin realizes they have been fooled, they are bewildered and begin to fail. The national military force finally and decisively triumphs over Benjamin in the civil war as promised by Hashem.

There are several interesting points in this story that are worth mentioning. One is the obvious similarity between the consultation with Hashem here in our chapter and the consultation with Hashem at the beginning of the Book of Shofetim, both of which culminate in the same answer – namely, that Yehuda should go first. The similarity in phrasing suggests that the Jewish people have, in the wake of this tragedy, recaptured some of the initial unity that they had exhibited when they first entered the land and began settling it.

The third and final battle against Binyamin is also unmistakably similar to the battle against Ha-Ai. In that conflict, recorded in the Book of Yehoshua, the Jewish people lost the first battle only to employ the same sort of “lure-them-out-and-ambush-them” strategy to vanquish them in the next fight. Here, too, the national army capitalized on the growing confidence of the troops of Benjamin and fooled them into exiting the confines of their city, leaving it exposed to the soldiers who were lying in wait to destroy it.

There is a very important question that nearly all of the commentaries raise about this story; namely, why did the national army of Israel lose the first two battles? The difficulty is compounded by the fact that Hashem Himself endorses their attack of Binyamin, implying that He will provide assistance, support and victory to their troops. Instead, they sustain enormous casualties in both conflicts.

The Sages explain that these losses can be attributed to an element of hypocrisy in their pursuit of this battle. The Jews acted as if they were motivated to preserve the purity of Judaism and Jewish ethics and therefore could not tolerate the depravity of Binyamin, yet they were not mobilized in such a fashion against the graven image of Mikha and the proliferation and embrace of idolatry among the Jews.This irony and self-contradiction is highlighted by the limited Divine assistance provided to them in the story; the battle with Binyamin is both a success and a failure, both a positive accomplishment and a punishment of the victors for their complacency in the face of idolatrous worship.

We may be able to take this a step further and suggest that the nation of Israel believed that the righteousness of their cause guaranteed that miracles would be done on their behalf. They assumed, in their “religious” fervor, that they had no chance of losing on the battlefield against Binyamin – God’s justice would not allow it. As in the battle against Ha-Ai in the era of Yehoshua, there was an exaggerated sense of entitlement at play in their rush out to the battlefield.

However, the truth was that, in order to win, they would have to employ intelligent strategy to vanquish their opponents. Hashem would not present them with victory on a silver platter as if they deserved it. And as the Rabbis point out, we can understand His hesitation to “reward” them with such assistance given their tolerance for the idolatrous practices that were being imported into Jewish society via their assimilation. Ironically, again, the same nation that was so hesitant to drive the Canaanites and their pagan traditions out of Israel and chose, instead, to dwell alongside them, is now arming itself to battle fellow Jews over an incident (however terrible) of injustice.

We have also learned, both in the Book of Yehoshua and of Shofetim, that one of the signature signs of the Jews’ distance from Hashem is their reliance on magical thinking in battle, their belief that without any strategy, planning or intelligent preparation for battle, they are guaranteed success. The mere fact that they are under the illusion that Hashem will help them supernaturally without any effort on their part is an indication of their remoteness from Him, not their closeness to Him. Their irrational religious zeal leading up to this battle is symptomatic of the influence of idolatry upon the thought processes and attitudes of the Jewish people such that they have adopted a simplistic, distorted perspective on the workings of Divine providence.

Shofetim Chapter 19

Sefer Shofetim Chapter 19

This chapter is the first of three that contain the concluding story of the Book of Shofetim, known as “Pilegesh B’Givah” or “The Concubine in Givah”. It begins with a tale of marital discord between a Levite from Har Ephraim and his “pilegesh”, or concubine. She leaves him and returns to live with her father in Bet Lehem in the territory of Yehuda. After one year and four months, the husband decides to attempt reconciliation with his concubine, so he travels to her father’s home and remains with his in-laws for three days.

The reunion is a joyous and positive one, so much so that, contrary to his planned itinerary, he stays a fourth day. On the fifth day, the couple get a late start returning home but insist on leaving, over the objections of the concubine’s father. Unfortunately, it becomes dark long before they make it home, so they must find a place to stay for the night. Rather than seek lodging in a non-Jewish town, they come to a city of the tribe of Binyamin hoping to be invited into someone’s residence to sleep. However, they are ignored completely; nobody offers them hospitality.

Eventually, an elderly man from Har Ephraim who is sojourning in Givah encounters them on the street and welcomes them into his home. In a scene clearly reminiscent of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, the townspeople form an angry mob and surround the house, demanding to meet the strange visitor who had trespassed in their village. The homeowner initially offers to give them his virgin daughter and his visitor’s concubine as a consolation prize so they will desist from harming the Levite guest; they stubbornly refuse.

The Levite then decides to take the initiative himself, placating the crowd by physically presenting them with his concubine. This strategy seems to satisfy the mob which proceeds to abuse the woman throughout the night. When the Levite wakes up in the morning he founds her lifeless body on the doorstep. He cuts her corpse into twelve pieces and sends one to each of the tribes of Israel, insisting that they respond to this depraved behavior and redress the horrific injustice that was committed.

This terrible story illustrates the moral decline of the Jewish people. The tribe of Binyamin conducts itself like Sodom and Gomorrah, denying hospitality to fellow Jewish visitors and raping and assaulting innocent women to satisfy their aggressive instincts. The details of the plot are disturbingly similar to those of the account of Lot and his daughters in Sodom. Indeed, the phraseology used in the text is deliberately borrowed from the story in Genesis to emphasize this commonality. The Torah’s description of Sodom and Gomorrah was meant to serve as an illustration of everything the descendants of Avraham are NOT supposed to become; clearly, they have fallen short of this expectation.

Ironically, the Levite believed he was making a wiser and safer choice visiting a Jewish town than a non-Jewish neighborhood; the text means to highlight how far the circumstances on the ground had changed. The kindness and compassion of Jews, our sacred heritage from Avraham Avinu, could no longer be relied upon simply as a matter of course. The Jewish people had exchanged their moral and ethical standards for those of their Canaanite neighbors; they had fundamentally lost their unique “Jewish” identity.

At the same time, the story does not reflect well on the “protagonists” either. The Levite, first of all, has a concubine instead of a legal wife. This is surely inconsistent with the spiritual calling of the Tribe of Levi. When approached by the man from Har Ephraim who becomes his host, he presents himself as a pilgrim on the way to the House of God in Shiloh, a far cry from the true explanation of why he happened to be in Givah that night (his marital situation coupled with partying a bit too intensely at his in-laws’ home).

The Levite is supposedly repulsed by the horrific deed committed by the Benjaminites, but he himself was responsible for providing the angry crowd with his concubine as a plaything and he didn’t even bother to check on her again until he had gotten a good night’s sleep inside! Bear in mind that he had just “reconciled” with this woman after a lengthy separation and was happily returning with her to their shared residence in Har Ephraim; yet somehow neither he nor his host had any compunction about offering her as a commodity or a bribe to the townspeople so they would leave the men in the house alone.

None of the characters in this sordid tale emerge as paragons of justice, compassion or morality. This is undoubtedly a further indictment of the Jewish people, and the Levites in particular, for their spiritual and religious failures and for the wanton violation of their covenant with Hashem.

Shofetim Chapter 18

Sefer Shofetim Chapter 18

The tribe of Dan is still in the process of securing its inheritance in the land of Israel and has sent a delegation of five men to scout out a potential conquest. On their way to complete their mission, these men stop in at the house of Mikha, which not only provided a place for religious worship but also served as a kind of “bed and breakfast” for traveling Jews. They recognize the Levite who is working for Mikha (he had apparently made the rounds in Israel during his search for gainful employment) and ask him what he is doing there; he happily explains to them the wonderful financial package he receives from his boss. They then ask him to inquire of God whether they will succeed in their military efforts and he reassures them that they will indeed triumph in battle.

The Danites plan to attack the current citizens of Layish who are living in peace and tranquility, isolated from the rest of the Canaanites in the land and blissfully unaware of the threat to their existence. Once the troops are mobilized for the conquest, the delegation of spies first leads them to the house of Mikha which they totally plunder, robbing him of his idol, his teraphim, and all the accoutrements of his “House of God”.
When the Levite questions their actions, they recommend that he remain silent and follow them – wouldn’t he rather be the priest of an entire tribe than a priest working for just one man?

Mikha discovers that he has been robbed and pursues the Danites in protest, but they respond with fierce threats and he is forced to retreat. The men of Dan go on to conquer the land they had chosen, slaughtering its innocent inhabitants, and they establish the “House of God” and the idol of Mikha in their newfound territory, where it remained until the Jews were exiled from their land centuries later.

Once again we are struck by the thread of injustice and betrayal that weaves its way through this story. The plot of the tribe of Dan to conquer Layish while its inhabitants dwell there peacefully and vulnerably is itself troubling; it reflects an almost Amaleq-like quality about these Jews. Furthermore, the Danites shamelessly steal from Mikha who had only recently provided them with lodging in his home, demonstrating absolutely no sense of gratitude or common decency to their hosts.

The Levite-priest of Mikha, who had been treated like a son by his employer, did not hesitate to abandon him for a more prestigious and lucrative position, joining the pirates who plundered him. Clearly, they are birds of a feather. And yet, this travesty is committed in the name of establishing a “House of God” in Dan, a tragic irony that underscores the self-contradiction and hypocrisy that had become part and parcel of the culture and worldview of the assimilated Jews in Israel.

The Rabbis (and many other scholars) contend that the last two stories in the Book of Shofetim actually transpired much earlier, closer to the beginning of the period of the Judges. There are several pieces of evidence to support this, such as the fact that the Tribe of Dan is still seeking to inherit its portion in the land and the fact that Pinhas, son of Elazar, is still serving as Kohen Gadol.

The Sages also have a -tradition that the Levite-Priest of Mikha, Yehonatan the son of Gershom the son of Menashe, was none other than the grandson of Moshe Rabbenu (the letter nun in the name Menashe is small, suggesting that it should read “son of Gershom son of MOSHE.”) This tradition supports the earlier dating of the narrative and also points to how quickly and pervasively spiritual corruption spread amongst the Jews as soon as they began to live side-by-side with the idolatrous and immoral Canaanites.

Shofetim Chapter 17

Sefer Shofetim Chapter 17

The last five chapters of the Book of Shofetim comprise a kind of concluding section of the text. The fact that there is no king in Israel is mentioned four times, twice in each of the last two narratives we read. The upcoming stories will present us with a picture of Israel at its spiritual low-point – the breakdown of religious worship and its admixture with paganism as well as the terrifying loss of any sense of morality or decency among the Jewish people. Both of these phenomena can be traced to the fact that there is no king in Israel – the Jews lack a central authority to guide and direct them, and therefore are subject to the influence of the culture around them and are overpowered by the temptation to assimilate.

This chapter is the first half of a famous story known as “Pesel Mikha” or the graven image of Mikha. Mikha lives in Har Ephraim. His mother had stashed away a significant amount of money (1100 pieces of silver) and found them missing; she cursed whoever it was who had misappropriated them. Mikha informs her that he was the one that took the money and returns it. Regretting the curses she unwittingly heaped upon her own son, she reassures him that he is blessed to Hashem and that, in fact, she has dedicated the funds in honor of Hashem. Ironically, however, she has actually consecrated them to become a graven image.

Sponsored by his mother’s generous donation, Mikha establishes a “house of God” at his residence, which includes various items typically associated with pagan religion (“teraphim” or statues and an ephod which apparently serve some fortune-telling function). He appoints one of his sons to serve as officiant in the new sanctuary.

One day, a Levite from Bet Lehem is passing through and visits the house of Mikha. Mikha enthusiastically invites this Levite to become a Kohen/priest in his temple, offering him a handsome salary, new wardrobe and a stipend for food and other necessities. The Levite accepts the deal and Mikha feels blessed that God has provided him with a genuine priest to lead services in his sanctuary.

There is an obvious element of tragic irony in this story. Mikha and his mother see no contradiction between pagan worship and idolatry on one hand and the service of Hashem on the other, combining them in their ungodly “House of God”. The Levite, who is expected to be a representative of Hashem and Torah wisdom and who should have rebuked the family of Mikha for their waywardness, is in reality a mercenary who is willing to sell his religious services for a price.

The tale of “Pesel Mikha” illustrates to us the extent to which living among the Canaanites has influenced and distorted Judaism even among the purported spiritual leaders. Indeed, it seems that even the Levites, who had historically been the most outspoken against idol worship and most fervent in their devotion to Hashem, have themselves fallen victim to the allure of paganism and materialism.

Shofetim Chapter 16

Sefer Shofetim Chapter 16

This chapter essentially depicts the downfall of Shimshon. It opens with Shimshon visiting a harlot in Azza. Hearing that is in town, a group of Pelishtim in Azza attempt to ambush him but their plot is foiled when he wakes up in the middle of the night and carries the gates of the city up to the top of a mountain with his bare hands.

The remainder of the chapter contains the famous story of Shimshon and Delilah. Shimshon becomes smitten with Delilah and takes her as his wife. The Pelishtim, seeing an opportunity, bribe Delilah to investigate the source of Shimshon’s great strength so they may take advantage of this information and capture him.

Delilah accepts the offer and probes Shimshon for the secret to his strength. Three times he provides her with misinformation and, acting based on that misinformation, Delilah summons the Pelishtim to ambush an (allegedly) vulnerable Shimshon. First, he claims that binding him with seven cords would restrain him. She ties him with seven fresh cords while he is sleeping, but when the Pelishtim attack him he is still fully capable of defending himself. Delilah presses Shimshon for the truth, and Shimshon then claims that being tied with seven brand new ropes would rob him of his strength; Delilah tries this as well, and it fails. Third, he claims that tying the locks of his hair to a loom would weaken him but this, too, does not have any effect on him.

It is interesting to note how, with each answer, he moves closer to the truth – the number seven is, indeed, the number of locks of hair he has, and this is mentioned in the first two answers. The third answer correctly identifies his hair as the source of his strength but misleads Delilah as to how that strength could be taken from him (i.e., by cutting it, not attaching it to a loom.)

A careful reading also suggests that the Pelishtim were less and less involved in Delilah’s ruse as they came to doubt her ability to complete the job. For example, while the first time they provided the cords to Delilah to bind Shimshon, suggesting they had confidence in her, it doesn’t even seem that an ambushing party showed up to fight Shimshon the third time.

Eventually, under intense pressure (the Rabbis say Delilah withheld marital relations from Shimshon until he could no longer stand it) Shimshon finally reveals his secret – he is a Nazirite whose long hair symbolizes his devotion to God Who is the true source of his strength, and were his hair to be cut, he would become like any other man. Delilah summons the Pelishtim one final time and they successfully capture Shimshon and blind him in both eyes. He is taken to the temple of the idol of Dagon so that the Pelishtim can mock him and celebrate the great victory that they believe their god has handed them.

The Pelishtim order the blind Shimshon to dance so they can jeer at him; tired after his performance, he asks the boy who has been leading him to let him lean upon the pillars of the building. During his time in prison, Shimshon’s hair has begun to grow once again; calling out to Hashem for one last miracle, he asks that his supernatural prowess be restored so that he can put a stop to the terrible desecration of God’s name that is transpiring around him. He pushes against the pillars, bringing the entire building down on the assembled gathering and killing himself together with thousands of Pelishtim. His family recovers his body from the rubble and gives him a proper burial.

There are a couple of important points to consider in this chapter. First, it is noteworthy that the chapter begins with Shimshon visiting a prostitute for no reason – purely for pleasure – unlike his prior romantic escapades that were motivated by his search for pretexts to attack the Pelishtim. Along similar lines, he seems to genuinely “falls in love” with Delilah rather than having a plan to use his relationship with her to extract vengeance from his enemies.

These two elements of the narrative point to the disintegration of Shimshon as a leader – he begins to focus on himself and the satisfaction of his own desires separate and apart from his higher mission as a savior of Israel.

This trend also helps us explain the strange episode with Delilah. The story of Shimshon and Delilah raises two obvious questions – first of all, why is Shimshon so foolish? Realizing that Delilah intends to carry out whatever actions he claims will rob him of his strength, he must know that she will cut his hair, leaving him exposed to the assaults of the Pelishtim (attacks we can safely assume that love-struck Shimshon did NOT realize his own wife was instigating.) Second, why does the shaving of his head “magically” cause Shimshon to lose his strength? Is there something magical about the physical locks of hair that makes him powerful?

I believe the answer is that the story with Delilah is meant to illustrate the extent to which Shimshon has lost all focus on his Divine mission. He is so wrapped up in his relationship with her, so consumed with seeking her love and approval, that he places the nation at risk by divulging a closely guarded secret. Again, it is reasonable to assume that he did not believe she would place him in harm’s way and invite the Pelishtim to take advantage of his weakened state.

However, Shimshon’s desire for Delilah blinded him (note the poetic justice of his punishment!) to the healthy suspicion he should have had of this foreign woman – suspicion that should have forbidden him to hand over information that rendered the entire Jewish people vulnerable to their enemies. By sharing the secret with her, he literally empowered her to determine his fate and the fate of the nation of Israel – a horrific mistake on his part.

It was this poor decision of Shimshon, this placing of his amorous interests above those of the people of Israel, that truly resulted in the withdrawal of the Divine Presence from him and in his losing the position of leadership that he had been granted. The cutting of his hair was merely a manifestation of his absolute and final failure as protector of the Jewish people. Shimshon is the only one of the Shofetim whose career ends in a dramatic and tragic defeat, and he is the last Shofet whose story is detailed in this book.

Shofetim Chapter 15

Sefer Shofetim Chapter 15

Shimshon returns to visit his Phillistine wife only to find that she has been given away to another man in his absence. His father-in-law offers his younger daughter as a substitute but Shimshon declines. Instead, he uses the injustice as a pretext for inflicting more harm on the Pelishtim. He catches three hundred foxes and lights one hundred and fifty torches; he ties the foxes in pairs with torches between their tails and releases them into the grain fields and olive groves of the Pelishtim where they cause extensive damage.

When the Phillistine community discovers the reason for Shimshon’s actions – the infidelity of his wife, abetted by her father – they burn the two perpetrators in fire as a punishment and perhaps also to assuage the rage of Shimshon. However, rather than find favor with the measures taken on his behalf, Shimshon “switches sides” in the conflict, now holding the Pelishtim accountable for killing rather than merely chastising his wife. This time, he slaughters an untold number of Pelishtim as revenge.

Shimshon goes into hiding for a while and he is approached by the people of Judah who ask him to turn himself in to the Pelishtim for their sake. He agrees to allow them to deliver him to the Pelishtim while bound by ropes; however, when the Pelishtim approach him, he easily casts the restraints aside and proceeds to kill a thousand Pelishtim with the jawbone of a donkey. After his mighty feat, Shimshon is thirsty and cries out to Hashem for water; Hashem miraculously causes water to flow from a nearby rock to satisfy his need and restore his energy.

This chapter highlights the vigilante nature of Shimshon’s activities against the Pelishtim. Not only does he fail to develop any following, his controversial behavior is seen as troublesome and potentially dangerous by his fellow Jews. Nonetheless, Shimshon ignores his lack of popularity and low approval rating and continues to fulfill the mission Hashem has given him – namely, to interfere with and obstruct the dominion of the Pelishtim in the land of Israel as much as possible.