Ascent and Descent

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1. Ahazya (Part 7)

   Ascent and Descent (I)

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   Verbs describing "Ascent" and "Descent" are used multiple times throughout the story. At the beginning of the story the Angel of God commands Eliyahu to rise to meet the messengers of Ahazya and at the end of the story the Angel commands him to descend with the captain to the king. "Ascent" and "Descent" do not describe topographical movement, but rather describe opposing styles of actions that Eliyahu must utilize in his faceoff with Ahazya.

2. Ahazya (Part 8)

   Ascent and Descent (II)

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   In this story those whose ascent was positive, merit also to come down. Those whose ascent was bound up with sin (Ahazya and the first two captains) do not merit to come down from the place of their ascent, for they die. The victory of Eliyahu, as bearer of God's word, is expressed not only in his "ascent" at the beginning of the story but also in the fact that he later "comes down." His descent is to life and safety, and he completes his mission by standing before the wicked king and fearlessly declaring God's message to him.

3. The "Ascending and Descending" Offering

   Rabbi Amnon Bazak

   At the beginning of chapter 5 in Parshat Vayikra, the Torah discusses specific sins that are subject to the law of what Chazal refer to as the "ascending and descending offering" (korban oleh ve-yored). In these cases, the Torah takes into consideration the financial situation of the sinner and determines his obligation accordingly. 

   What are the circumstance of the sins for which the Torah permits a poor person to bring a more modest offering, a situation which has no parallel in the case of other transgressions? According to the simple meaning of the text, this provision applies in three cases, all set forth in the first four verses of chapter 5.

   What is so special about these three particular situations? Why does the Torah provide special consideration for the poor specifically in these instances? In order to answer this question, we must first understand what these cases actually entail. This is not a simple task, since the interpretation of these verses generally accepted among Chazal does not, for the most part, follow the simple meaning of the text. We shall therefore first attempt to understand the simple level of the text, and afterwards try to understand why the Torah shows special consideration here.