Justice

Found 16 Search results

1. A Better Smell and a Better World

   Chazal's Preambles to Megillat Esther: Part 6

   Rabbi Moshe Taragin | 23 minutes

   Pesukim about shrubbery in Yeshayahu are interpreted as symbolizing Esther, Vashti, Mordechai, and Haman. Is Vashti evil? Why does she appear here? The symbolism in Yeshayahu suggests tangible, objective improvement. In addition to justice against the would-be destroyers of the Jewish people and Temple, the triumph of the righteous heroes cause an objective improvement to society at large.

2. Yehuda's Plea and Its Audiences (Audio)

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 23 minutes

   Yehuda’s plea to the second-in-command of Egypt is reminiscent of Abraham’s prayer for justice. The tripartite structure of Yehuda’s plea includes appeals to mercy and to justice. But there is a third part which does not seem to belong - a spontaneous outburst about his father. What does this surprising addition reveal?

3. The Drought (part 12)

   Eliyahu Revives the Widow of Tzarfat's Son (part V)

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   Up until this point, Eliyahu only represented God’s trait of strict justice. After Eliyahu resurrects the woman's dead son for the child's own sake the true man of God is revealed – one who represents God's trait of compassion in the world, and performs miracles through this trait. The widow’s praise for Eliyahu as messenger of God's word is a type of Divine assent to what seems to be Eliyahu's new path: he now represents God both in strict justice and in mercy and compassion. The symmetrical structure of the story highlights Eliyahu’s second prayer as the climax of the story.

4. Turbulence in the Northern Kingdom

   Rabbi Alex Israel

   Our chapter depicts the instability of the Northern kingdom. Each house of royalty is brought to an abrupt end by bloody assassinations, as opportunists seize the throne time after time. If God approved of Basha’s act of deposing the royal House of Yerovam, then why is Basha condemned later for the self same act?  Was it divinely ordained and approved or was it an act of evil? Does the fact that this result was decreed by God free Basha from responsibility? The choice of Shomron as the capital by Omri puts the capital on the main trade route from north to south.

5. A Fresh Look at Eicha Chapter 5

   Rabbi Chaim Brovender

   תאריך פרסום: תשס"ט | | 52 minutes

   This shiur examines chapter 5 in Megillat Eikha, which seems to differ in both style and content from the rest of the megilla. These differences can be explained through an analysis of the process of categorizing the books of Tanach, and the differences between the books in Nevi'im and Ketuvim. Noticing the differences between the books in each category teaches us about the goals of the books, and sheds light on chapter 5 of Eikha - focusing on the concepts of teshuva, zachor, and what they mean for us today. 

6. The Best of Times: The Reigns of Yerovam ben Yoash and Uziya

   Rabbi Alex Israel

   The long and impressive reign of Yerovam ben Yoash sees the Northern Kingdom reaching the summit of its regional power and material prosperity. The prophet Amos who prophesies during this period, reveals a society of enormous wealth, complacency, and security and yet bearing startling inequalities of income, and outrageous exploitation of the poor by the rich.

   Uziya's long reign is filled with a long list of impressive accomplishments: Military conquests, extensive fortification of Jerusalem, development of agriculture and a cutting-edge military. However, his successes lead to arrogance and his eventual downfall, plagued till his death with Tzaraat. Yishayahu describes a society in Yehuda similar to what Amos described in the North.

   While Sefer Melakhim dwells almost exclusively on the issue of idolatry, Amos and Yishayahu highlight the sins of arrogance and social injustice. Amos warns of an earthquake which shakes the kingdom a mere two years after Amos begins his prophecy. And yet, even with a national disaster of this proportion, Israel and Yehuda fails to harness its peace and wealth towards kindness, justice, and communal support.

7. The Torah: The Birthplace of the Idea of Equality

   Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman | 58 minutes

   When comparing societal law in the Torah to that of other ancient Near East codes, one can notice that the Torah is far more advanced in the area of societal equality than the surrounding cultures during that time. This lecture examines economic  law, political vision, and societal norms in the Torah and highlights the Torah as a blueprint for a society that is far less hierarchical and stratified, and much more egalitarian and just. 

8. Foundations for Life

   Rabbi Ben-Tzion Spitz

9. Why Avraham's Belief is Called "Tzedaka"

   Rabbi David Silverberg

10. Jerusalem - City of Justice

    Rabbi Yitzchak Levi

    We attempt to show that the spiritual character of Jerusalem and the Temple are bound up with justice. Jerusalem is a place that expresses the source and essence of justice, and the absence of justice in this place leads to its destruction.

    Jerusalem – which is called tzedek, justice – fundamentally expresses the principle of justice; without it, this city cannot exist. 

    (This is an abridged selection from Rav Levi's VBM course on Jerusalem in the Bible.)

11. Two Essential Lessons Before Receiving the Torah

    Rabbi Yehuda Amital

    Two incidents appear in Parashat Yitro before the account of the giving of the Torah, yet their actual chronology is nonetheless unclear:  the arrival of Yitro, Moshe's father-in-law (Shemot 18:1-12); and Yitro's critique and improvement of the judicial system (Shemot 18:12-27).

    There is a classical dispute about whether these incidents occurred prior to the giving of the Torah, or whether they really happened after the giving of the Torah, and are for some reason written out of place.  

     Why do we need to hear of Am Yisrael's having a system of justice even before the giving of the Torah? In order to impress upon us that there is a morality, a basic system of right and wrong, even before the giving of formal commandments. 

     

    Based on a sicha by Harav Yehuda Amital (summarized by Ramon Widmonte)

12. Ki Tetze: Eiphah and Eiphah - Multiple Measures

    Rabbanit Dr. Michal Tikochinsky

13. Mishlei - Part 1: Introducing Mishlei

    Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen | 33 minutes

    Mishlei is a book of philosophical poetry, relating to the deeper messages of our lives. A proper understanding of its themes - religiosity, wisdom, personal growth, and the relationship among them - can only be understood through a careful literary analysis of the poetry. 

    We begin the first shiur in this series with the very beginning of the book: the first of the set of short poems. We set out to understand how the key themes of wisdom, ethics, and justice are expressed through these poems.

    short ideas that look so easy, so obvious, so accessible, that until you analyze them you don’t realize how much effort is necessary – in order to expend those efforts effectively, one needs to have yirat Hashem at the head of it all.

    What does the first part of Misheli tell us? In the various stages of development, there are different types of wisdom, different aspects of one's personality. Wisdom will touch you on whatever level you have attained and will move you ahead – but only if you are willing to approach it with Yirat Hashem (Fear of God) and humility -not as the chacham (clever one) but as the navon (discerning one).

14. Ramban on Mishpatim: "Justice Belongs to God"

    Rabbi Ezra Bick | 34 minutes

    We will look at a comment of the Ramban on a pasuk that does not exist, but first we will look at one that does. We begin with the verse about the indentured servant who does not wish to leave his master. He is to be taken before judges in order to continue his arrangements – but the judges are referred to as “Elohim.” Why is this word used? The judges are God’s agents, as it were – but are they more than that? We find some interesting philosophical questions and insights about interplay between the fallibility or infallibility of judges – and God, the ultimate Judge.

15. Eikev: What Does It Mean To Be A Good Person? Part I

    Rabbi David Fohrman |

    In this week's parsha, Moshe tells the nation exactly what God wants of us, but the prophet Micah makes a similar speech many generations later and exhorts the people very differently. Why? Rabbi Fohrman takes us into Micah's speech and explains the critical building blocks to being a good person.

     

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16. The First Tablets and the Second Tablets - The Differences Between Mishpatim and Ki-Tisa

    Rabbi Dr. Yoel Bin Nun

    In this shiur, we will compare and contrast a number of parallel passages in Parshiyot Misphpatim and Ki Tisa, focusing on the differences resulting from the sin of the golden calf, which took place in the interim.