Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

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1. And Mordekhai Would Not Bow

   Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

   תאריך פרסום: תשע"ב | |

   Mordekhai's refusal to prostrate before Haman is the key to the plot of the Megilah - if he doesn't refuse, there is no decree, no Purim - and no Megilat Esther. Yet Mordekhai's actions are enigmatic and appear to have no justification. We will explore the various suggestions raised over the millenia to explain his refusal - and suggest another one. 

2. Shemesh b'Givon Dom: Unraveling a Biblical Riddle

   Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

   תאריך פרסום: תשע"ג | |

   This famous declaration/Tefillah uttered by Yehoshua presents a literary challenge, due to internal contradictions and an unexpected choice of words. By observing several similar phenomena in the canon, we will offer a solution with surprising implications.

3. A Portrait of Yehoshua Bin Nun

   Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom |

   We will study the relevant passages introducing us to Yehoshua, discerning the reason for his Divine selection as Moshe Rabbenu's successor and the primary challenges he faced as he assumed the reins of leadership of B'nei Yisrael. This session will serve as an introduction to the study of Nevi'im Rishonim - the "historic" books of the Prophets.

4. By the Waters of Babylon: Analyzing Mizmor 137

   Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

   תאריך פרסום: תש"ע | |

   Traditionally, mizmor Tehillim 137 of "Al neharot bavel" is known to be about mourning for the Beit Hamikdash while in exile. However, by analyzing this mizmor within the context of the purpose of Tehillim as a whole, we can uncover an alternative understanding - that this mizmor is actually a joyous reflective song about survival and triumph in the face of destruction.

5. Menasheh and Ephraim: Who Was Being Blessed?

   Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

   תאריך פרסום: תשע"ה | |

   This shiur analyzes Yaakov's vision and strategy through the lens of the penultimate blessing scene in Beresheet, drawing on parallels with other scenes of blessings or instructions involving the forefathers. Yaakov wants to create a symbiosis such that there are two counterbalancing forces within the family.

6. The Unique Role of Miriam in the Exodus

   Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

   תאריך פרסום: תשעד | | Hour and 4 minutes

   Miriam is unique – she is the most central female character in the Torah after Bereisheet. In this shiur, we look at Miriam’s role in the story of the Exodus. We look at her various titles (such as “sister of Aharon” and “sister of Moshe”, respectively), as well as other references to her in Tanakh. We examine her anonymity in her first appearances and consider what makes her Miriam “the prophetess.” While doing so, we use important methodological tools for studying Tanakh.  Ultimately, Miriam shines as an agent of God’s will who acts as a unifying force, not least working to bring her family together.

7. Introduction to Sefer Tehillim

   Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | Hour and 10 minutes

   What is Tehillim? What is the purpose of the book? How does one properly study the book of Tehillim? This lecture discusses the various options as to the purpose of the book, and outlines a methodology for the proper study and approach to mizmorei Tehillim through a close examination of chapter 23. 

8. Esther's Brilliant Plan

   Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | Hour and 3 minutes

   What do the first two chapters of Megillat Esther add to the story? Why do we need this seemingly unimportant background to the Purim story? Through a close examination of the first few chapters of the megillah, we notice that these chapters provide us with important psychological profiles of the main characters – Achashverosh, Esther, and Haman. It is based on these character descriptions that we can understand Esther’s plan- playing into their psychological weaknesses in order to ultimately save the Jewish nation.  

9. The Elusive Iyov

   Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | Hour and 6 minutes

   What is the goal of Sefer Iyov? What is the historical context? Did Iyov actually exist, or is the book allegorical? An examination of the various answers to these questions leads us to entertain many different ideas as to the purpose of Sefer Iyov, both as a particularly Jewish text but also as a universal one, presenting universal challenges and solutions. 

10. On The Waters of Babel: A Celebratory Psalm (Tehillim 137)

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | 51 minutes

    Although traditionally Psalm 137 is seen as a sad and mournful psalm, through a close examination of the psalm we can view it in a completely different light. Rather than describing the mourning in exile, the psalm may be expressing the mourning as the cause for celebration- by refusing to forget about our status in exile we merited our return to the land of Israel. 

    Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

11. What Happened to the Three Day Festival

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    תאריך פרסום: 5777 | | Hour

    What happened to the "three - day festival?" Contrary to what might be expected when seeing the title, this shiur is not about the "three-day yom-tov" phenomenon.  Rather, we will address the issue of the three day festival that was the premise of Yetziat Mitzrayim (the Exodus from Egypt). Moshe asked Pharaoh for permission to take the Israelites to worship God for three days in the wilderness. Do the Israelites actually do this? As we explore this topic, we also must ask what sort of literature the Torah is, and why the Song of the Sea is not found in the Book of Tehillim (Psalms). 

12. Introduction to the Prophets

    Shiur #01

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    In this introduction, I will present an overview of nevua (prophecy) throughout the biblical period. As such, it will be overly broad, with a goal to refining our understanding of the role of the prophets whose works we will study together. I will examine eight possible definitions of prophecy, each of which is reasonable and anchored in traditional sources. This will provide an overview of the range of nevua within biblical history. 

    The “anti-establishment” prophets come in two large waves – one prior to the demise of the northern kingdom of Israel, the other prior to the fall of the southern kingdom of Judea. The prophets whose works we will study, Hoshea and Amos, belong to this era and type. Both prophesied during the mid-late 8th century BCE and stood independently of the court and delivered their prophecies against the elite of the Samarian (and, in a few cases, Judean) society. 

13. The Prophecies of Amos: Introduction

    Shiur #02

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    This chapter will present the historic background of Amos’s prophecies, along with a brief biographic sketch of the prophet. We will then look at the opening lines of his prophecy and assay its role within his oratory.

    The dating scheme at the beginning of Amos and the others among the "four synchronous prophets" is not merely a device for identifying when the prophet operates. It also tells us something about the content of each mission. The strange reference to King Yeravam of Israel (in addition to four kings of Judah) in the title verse may serve to foreshadow the confrontation between king and prophet that will define Amos’s agency.

     

14. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles against the Nations

    Shiur #03

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    תאריך פרסום: 5778 |

    In this chapter, we will introduce Amos’s famous prophecies against the surrounding nations, which make up the first twenty verses and comprise a “set-up” for his prime audience in Shomeron. Amos delivers oracles against Aram, Peleshet, Tzor, Edom, Ammon and Moav, then Yehuda before zeroing in on Yisrael.  Why does Amos deliver prophecies foretelling punishment specifically to these nations? Why does he not mention Assyria or Egypt, two major (and threatening) superpowers? What is his prophetic purpose, and what is the nature of these "prophecies to the nations?" 

    Looking at the map, we see that as the people of Israel hear the prophecies of doom for their enemies, they feel some relief. And then they realize that they are being entrapped instead of protected, and destruction is looming closer and closer. 

15. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles against the Nations(Continued)

    Shiur #05

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    תאריך פרסום: 5778 |

    In this lesson, we will analyze the rhetorical style of the Oracles to the Nations at the beginning of Amos, specifically the opening formula of each. Each of the oracles follows a common pattern – a pattern which is then greatly expanded in the final, culminating oracle against Yisrael. We will analyze the use of the "messenger formula" ("koh amar"  - "thus says") here and elsewhere in Tanakh, and the theological and political tension carried with it.  We will then look at the meaning of the "three and four" formula and the rhetorical twist used for the final verse.  

16. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles Against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #06

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    תאריך פרסום: 5778 |

    Aram, the first nation “addressed” by Amos, will be the focus of this shiur.  Aram’s mention at the top of the list is due partially to Aram’s position as the most frequent enemy Yisrael faces during this period.

    A brief background sketch of Aram and the role it plays in regional warfare will give us a broader understanding of the specifics of the oracle. This includes the pesha that seals Aram’s fate (and the meaning of "pesha" here) as well as the nature of that fated punishment. 

17. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles against the Nations (continued)

    07

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    תאריך פרסום: 5778 |

    In this shiur, we will continue our study of Amos’s oracles against the nations. Last week, we surveyed the history of Aram in order to put the crime of which they are accused and the punishment designated for them into context. We will do much the same with the oracles against Philistia (“Peleshet”) and Phoenicia (“Tzor”). The rationale for studying these two together goes beyond convenience
    and their juxtaposition in the text. It may well be that these two coastal nations – the only two to be accused of the crime of handing over war refugees – have more in common than alphabetical proximity.

18. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #08

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    In this lecture, we will continue our study of Amos’s oracles against the nations. In the previous chapter, we surveyed the histories of the coastal “interlopers,” the Phoenicians and the Philistines, in order to put their crimes and punishments in context. In this lecture, we will do the same with the oracle against Edom. The rationale for isolating Edom is its rich background vis-à-vis Israel, with which we will begin our survey. In addition, this oracle completes the first cycle of “long-long-short-short” speeches in Amos. Next week, we will turn to Ammon and Moav. 

19. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #09

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    In this lecture, we will continue our study of Amos’ oracles against the nations. In the previous chapter, we surveyed the history of Eisav/ Edom until the end of the First Commonwealth. We looked at the background of Edomite-Israelite relations in order to put into context their indictment and their punishment. In this lecture, we will do the same with the oracles against Ammon and Moav. From a literary perspective, it may be tough to defend grouping these two oracles together, as one echoes Edom’s brutal desires while the other focuses on explicit brutality towards another royal house. Their both having “long” punishment formulae might be sufficient reason to address them in one lecture, but we have more than that to rely on to justify it. 

20. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles against the Nations (Cont.)

    Shiur #04

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    In this lesson, we will analyze the rhetorical style of these prophecies, specifically the opening formula of each. In the next lecture, we will study the overall pattern of the oracles and identify the underlying message of this pattern. In the following lectures, we will study the substance of the first seven of these oracles and then we will, in the final lecture of this series, complete our study of this section, analyzing the final oracle in the section – the prophecy against Yisrael.

     

    Each of the oracles follows a common pattern – a pattern which is then greatly expanded in the final, culminating oracle against Yisrael.

     

21. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles Against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #10

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    As we prepare to consider the final oracle of Amos, against Israel, we take a moment to consider the structure of the preceding oracles. Where does the indictment of Yehuda fit in, and how can the theory of chiasmus help us understand biblical passages?

22. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #11

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    Having considered the seven oracles with which Amos opens his book, we now turn to the rousing conclusion: the oracle against Samaria. What does its structure mean, and how does the seer from Tekoa once again shock his audience?

23. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #12

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    As we consider the oracle of Amos against Israel, we puzzle over the first charge of the indictment: selling the innocent for silver and the poor for shoes. What crime does this refer to, what is its meaning in the Ancient Near East, and why does the Midrash associate it with the sale of Yosef?

24. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #13

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    As we examine the final charges of the indictment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel, we consider the unique language Amos employs. Is idolatry, incest or injustice at the core of Samaria's crimes?

25. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles Against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #14

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    In this shiur, we will continue our study of Amos’s ultimate prophecy in this series of oracles against the nations. In the previous chapter, we concluded our analysis of the seven crimes of which Yisrael stand accused. We will now move on to the surprising segment of the oracle, which is unmatched in any of the previous seven (set-up) prophecies: the recitation of kindnesses, an almost liturgical presentation of God’s beneficence towards Yisrael in the conquest of the Land, several centuries earlier.

26. Parshat Yitro Part 1: Yitro's Arrival

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | 43 minutes

    Who was Yitro? What motivated Yitro to come meet Moshe? What did he hear about? This podcast closely analyses the text in the beginning of Parshat Yitro in order to answer these questions. 

    Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

27. Parshat Yitro Part 2: Yitro's Advice

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | 33 minutes

    This podcast discusses Yitro’s advice to Moshe regarding the nation’s judicial system, and Moshe’s internalization and implementation of this advice. It also compares this episode with the version in Devarim and explains the glaring differences between the two accounts.  

    Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

28. Parshat Yitro Part 3: Introduction to the Berit

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | 33 minutes

    This podcast discusses the dialogue between God and Bnei Yisrael through Moshe as they prepare for the revelation at Sinai. 

    Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

29. From Sinai, Back to Sinai

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | 54 minutes

    Through a two-part discussion of the sequential narrative of the book of Exodus, and specifically the date of Matan Torah relating to the manna and the story of Moshe at the burning bush, we can gain a deeper understanding of Moshe as the representative of God.  

    Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

30. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles Against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #15

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    Amos in his oracle to Israel refers to the Amorites as trees. What is the significance of this simile? Why is this people, among the seven nations of Canaan, singled out?

31. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles Against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #16

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    When Amos invokes the Exodus and Wilderness narratives, what does he have in mind? Which other Later Prophets invoke these powerful historical events, and for what purposes?

32. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles Against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #17

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    What role does the Exodus play for the Latter Prophets? Why is it so rarely invoked in the waning days of the First Temple, and what can this tell us about Amos's use of it in the oracle against the Northern Kingdom of Israel?

33. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles Against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #18

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    As we continue to look at the hymn of praise in the oracle against Israel, we wonder: What does this tell us about the purpose of the Exodus? When does the Exodus from Egypt reach its conclusion?

34. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles Against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #19

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    In this shiur, we examine a single verse from Amos's oracle to Israel, which talks about the nevi'im and nezirim God raised up. Who are these prophets and Nazirites, and what is the role of each in a Jewish society?

35. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles Against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #20

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    Before Amos launches into the devastating punishment awaiting the Kingdom of Israel, we find a verse of ambiguous meaning. In this shiur, we strive to understand if the prophet is meant as reprise or foreshadowing--or perhaps both!

     

36. The Prophecies of Amos: Oracles Against the Nations (continued)

    Shiur #21

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    After criticizing six foreign nations and Judea, Amos declares his oracle about Israel. What form does the punishment take, and why? Moreover, what is the significance of the unique simile used by the prophet to describe God's attitude towards his people?

37. A Man, His Father and a Maiden - Amos' Oracle Against Israel

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | Hour and 5 minutes

    Commentators have puzzled over – and disputed the meaning of – the central line in Amos’ chastisement of the northern kingdom: “A man and his father go to the (same) maiden, in order to profane My name” (Amos 2:7). In this shiur, we survey the several broad directions taken by commentators to unravel this mystery. We then take a step back to view Amos' oracle from a panoramic perspective; by doing so, we raise a novel suggestion which helps resolve the numerous difficulties inherent in the text. This resolution also helps us gain a deeper understanding into the context and purpose of Amos' oracle against the north.

    Click here for a downloadable audio version of this lecture

38. Chronological Riddles in Bereshit

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | Hour and 13 minutes

    Sefer Bereshit seems to be out of order chronologically. When did the events occur? When were Yaakov's sons born? What is the actual timing of the stories? A close analysis of the text leads to an exploration of these questions.

    Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

39. A Portrait of Yehoshua Bin Nun

    Tanach Study

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | 53 minutes

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom examines the character of Yehoshua Bin Nun, the leader who follows Moshe Rabbenu and brings the Jewish nation to the land of Israel, through an analysis of all the texts in which Yehoshua is mentioned. Rabbi Etshalom goes through the development of Yehoshua as a leader and explains the overarching theme of the first sefer of Neviim, Sefer Yehoshua.

    Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

40. Mikra: Gateway to Midrash?

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | Hour and 10 minutes

    The Midrashic authors of the millenium following the era of the Mishnah, saw the Tanakh not as a document rather as a living testament of ongoing history, including their own post-Biblical world. They undertook a responsibility, both social and pedagogic, to derive lessons, to associate stories and to vivify Biblical characters in their own Byzantine, Sassanian, Islamic and Christian worlds. In this session, we will investigate a sampling of over 20 Midrashic/Aggadic texts to demonstrate this approach and to provide examples of various perspectives of this "ongoing dialogue with Mikra"
    
     

41. Deena in Shekhem - Reassessing the Tragic Events of Bereishit 34

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom

    תאריך פרסום: 2022 | | Hour and 6 minutes

    We already know how the stories of Tanach are going to end, and we can’t read them without assuming we understand the narratives we've been taught. When it comes to the story of Deena in Shekhem, we assume it's about rape and abduction. However, If we actually read the text thoroughly, without any preconceptions, we can find a completely different story, one where Deena and Shekhem form a loving relationship and Beni Yaakov unintentionally cause the delay of settling the land.

     

     

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42. “For the Three Sins”: Amos’ Oracles Against the Nations. A Study in Prophetic Rhetoric

    Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom | Hour and 5 minutes

    The book of Amos, perhaps the earliest of our literary prophets, begins with a series of prophecies aimed at the nations that surround Israel. We analyze the rhetoric used by the prophet from Tekoa and assess the intended impact on his audience, revealing the rhetorical genius of the Navi.
     

    In memory of Rosina Pardo Korda, Shoshana Bat Saadi Z”L, who learned, loved, celebrated, and performed Torah and Mitzvot with all of her heart and soul.