Gideon

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1. The Right Man at the Wrong Time

   Haftarot: Hukat

   Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein

   Yiftah of Gilad is described between the era of saviors and the era of leadership. Yiftah could become a savior, having won the war for Israel, but he desired to be a leader - which is beyond his reach. He demonstrates this desire by taking a frivolous oath. Instead of finding a way to nullify the oath and spare his daughter, he stubbornly decides to see it through. This lack of willingness to compromise is inappropriate for a leader in times of peace.

2. The Appointment of Gideon

   Rabbi Michael Hattin

   The appearance of the prophet to the nation in chapter 6, which is reminescent of the appearance of the angel to the nation in Bokhim in chapter 2, signifies the end of the era of selfless, righteous, and manifestly inspirational leadership. 

   Gideon, threshing wheat in the wine pit, is appointed as the new leader to fight the threat of Midyan. By challenging God, Gideon paradoxically demonstrates that he cares much about Him and especially about the fate of His people.

3. Gideon's Challenge

   Rabbi Michael Hattin

   Gideon's attempt to evade the mission given to him by the angel of God is reminiscent of Moshe's conduct at the Sneh. Gideon's unexpected appointment as leader of the people of Israel is not extended by God unconditionally.  He will first have to prove his fitness for the noble task by demonstrating fortitude and faith, by publicly proclaiming his opposition to the corrupt values and corrosive belief system then current among his own people. While Gideon successfully completes the task, he shows himself to have been insidiously infected by the penchant of Ba'al's adherents for seeking signs before proceeding to battle the enemy.

4. Gideon Leads the People

   Rabbi Michael Hattin

   If Israel prevails against Midian by sheer force of their numbers, then they will fail to recognize God's pivotal role.  But if Israel prevails against the Midianite hordes, with a tiny force, then God's involvement will be undeniable.

   While earlier judges had to contend with challenges at least as great as that of Gideon, none merited quite the same degree of Divine hand-holding that Gideon received.  This highlights the measure of his own limited spiritual resources to be able to do so unassisted. However, if the caliber of the shoftim decreases as the book progresses, it is also an indictment of the spiritual state of the people of Israel.

   The noise of the smashing jars, the blare of the shofarot and the outcry of the Israelite force, the burning torches that suddenly appear out of the darkness, the enemy forces that attack from three directions simultaneously, combined with the belief that Gideon  has a colossal army at his disposal, causes the Midianites to flee.

5. The Victory Over Midyan

   Rabbi Michael Hattin

   Gideon's brief but disturbing exchanges with the people of Sukkot and Pnuel highlights an ongoing problem in the book of Judges: The feeling among certain tribes or even towns within tribes that unless direct and immediate benefit was to accrue to them for their participation in the larger conflicts, they would much prefer to sit it out and leave the fighting to someone else, namely, their compatriots that were more directly threatened by the oppressor. The tribes still had a very long way to go in forging a national identity that could transcend narrow partisan concerns to address the greater issues and threats of the day.

   The Midianites raise the possibility of Gideon being a king, a possibility that the people subsequently raise, but Gideon refuses because he feels that such innovations will have the effect of shifting communal and national focus away from serving God to instead concentrate it upon man.

   The end of Gideon's life is marred by the episode of the golden Ephod, but his victories are remembered and referred to throughout Tanakh.

6. The Brief Reign of Avimelekh

   Rabbi Michael Hattin

   Yotam, in his parable comparing Avimelekh to an Atad is stating that Avimelekh lacks any of the constructive and useful qualifications to become a good king and useful leader, he has seized the vacant position by force. And though he promises to protect those who had been persuaded to appoint him, in the end he will destroy them and himself with his self-centered recklessness. 

   This chapter serves as a severe caution, providing us with a profile of the anti-ruler who must not be empowered even when the people are justifiably desperate for leadership.  The anti-ruler candidate possesses a lust for power that should immediately be regarded with suspicion and alarm.

7. Yiftah's Legacy

   Rabbi Michael Hattin

   Yiftah, like Gideon, faces harsh criticism from the tribe of Ephraim due to their lack of inclusion in the battle against Ammon. However, as opposed to Gideon, Yiftah's reaction is violent and destructive. His rash and reckless words were his undoing, condemning both his kinsman to the slaughter as well as his own daughter to death.

   The chapter concludes with the mention of three minor judges who seem to hail from the north of the country. The town of Beit Lehem mentioned in the context of Ivtzan might be in the territory of Zevulun. However, Hazal identify Beit Lehem with the town in the territory of Yehuda and Ivtzan with Boaz from Megillat Ruth, giving us a glimmer of hope in this otherwise dark and tragic era.

8. Shoftim 5-6

   Matan Al Haperek

   Matan Al HaPerek - Neta Shapira

   In perek 5 we read one of the longest poetic sections of Tanach: The Song of Devorah. This “song” provides us with additional perspectives on the battle fought by Devorah and Barak described in the previous perek. In perek 6, the period of Gidon’s leadership begins, a period we will continue to explore in the coming week. 

9. Shoftim 7-8

   Matan Al Haperek

   Matan Al HaPerek - Neta Shapira

   These perakim describe Gidon’s war against the Midianites, the participation of the various tribes in the war, and the relationship Gidon has with them. The brilliant victory in battle removes what had been a national threat to Israel for many years. In addition, Gidon’s leadership causes the people of Israel to express, for the first time, their desire for a king.