Renewal of the Covenant

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The Two Great Covenants: Sinai and Moab
Rabbi Dr. Daniel Tropper
תאריך פרסום: תשע"ג | |
The covenant between G-d and Israel is a basic underpinning of the Jewish tradition. The Torah contains two covenants: one immediately after the exodus, and one immediately preceding entering the Land of Israel. Why is the covenant repeated twice? What can we learn from a comparison of the two? And what is the relationship between these covenants and the covenant with Abraham?
Chapter 24:Yehoshua's Final Address
Rabbi Michael Hattin
This lesson will analyze the final chapter of Yehoshua, which describes Yehoshua’s final words to the nation before his death. What is most remarkable about Yehoshua's address is that he has distilled his presentation of the rich and full account of Israelite history into a single irreducible notion: be counted among those who follow God and faithfully fulfill His commands in order to succeed and prosper, or else abandon Him and His ways to betray Israel's unique destiny and perish.
Aviya, Assa, and Ba'sha – Civil War
Rabbi Alex Israel
Sharp discrepancies between the account of Aviyam in Melakhim and in Divrei Hayamim lead to the conclusion that Aviya served God while concurrently tolerating other religious phenomena - an anathema to the worldview of Melakhim: zero tolerance for idolatry and hence absolute condemnation of Aviya. Assa, the next king, removes idolatry from Yehuda and reestablishes the covenant with God. However, when he perceives a military threat from the Northern Kingdom he turns to Aram for help and not to God.
Three Prophecies Regarding the Future
Rabbi David Sabato
In three prophecies in the unit of prophecies of consolation, Yirmiyahu foresees the changes that will take place at the time of the redemption.

The first prophecy deals with Israel being replanted in their land and the new relationship between the actions of the fathers vs. the consequences to the sons.

The second prophecy deals with a new covenant and its consequences. The difference between the old covenant and the new one relates not to the contents or the addressee as Christianity believes, but to the manner in which it will be made and its consequences. The prophet contrasts the old covenant that was broken by the people and the new covenant that apparently will not be broken because it will be engraved on the hearts of the people. One of the general motifs in the book of Yirmiyahu is the internalization of holiness and opposition to the formal, mechanical conception of holiness. Standing out against this in many places in the book of Yirmiyahu is prayer and moral deeds as a condition for holiness. The underlying problem with the tablets of the covenant and ark is their remoteness from the people, which allows people to escape from them. The removal of the ark and the transfer of its contents inwards into the hearts of the people will create the desired change and turn the covenant into an eternal covenant.

The third prophecy addresses the rebuilding of Jerusalem which will be holy to the Lord and will not be plucked up again forever.
The Redemption of the Field of Hanamel
Rabbi David Sabato
Yirmiyahu is commanded by God to buy the land of his cousin, Hanamel, despite the fact that the destruction is imminent. At the beginning of the story, Yirmiyahu acted as a prophet – a messenger of God who fulfills His word without hesitation. But after the fulfillment of the words of the prophecy in the presence of all the people, Yirmiyahu turns to God as a person with a turbulent prayer and challenges God.

Yirmiyahu's objection does not refer to the contrast between the real situation and the utopian prophecy. This is a theological objection that focuses on a contradiction in God's ways, for the prophecy of consolation contradicts the entire course of Yirmiyahu's prophecies from the beginning of his path as a prophet until the present. According to the principles of reward and punishment established by God, calamity must now befall the people; why then does he speak of redemption and consolation? The focus of the prayer is not found in the practical unreasonableness, but rather in the theological aspect of the deed, and this is an objection against God's ways of governance.

God’s response to Yirmiyahu stresses that He is not only the Maker of heaven and earth, but also the God of all flesh, and therefore, God has the power to turn the hearts of His people toward Him in the future and to thereby ensure the redemption.
"The Words of the Covenant" in the Prophecy of Yirmiyahu
Rabbi David Sabato
In Yirmiyahu's three part prophecy in chapter 11, he relates to the historic covenants at Sinai and at Arvot Moav. He challenges the people to keep the covenant which was attempted during Yoshiyahu’s reign. In this regard, Yirmiyahu differed from the prophetess Hulda by expressing hope in Yoshiyahu’s ability to repair and save the covenant. But the days of Yoshiyahu’s reign ended with the realization that his upheaval did not succeed in penetrating deeply and did not succeed in creating a real change. With the arrival of Yehoyakim’s reign it becomes apparent to the initially optimistic Yirmiyahu that the covenant will not be repaired and the fate of the people is sealed to the extent that Yirmiyahu is forbidden to pray on behalf of the people.
He Speaks in Allegories
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Throughout the chapters dating to the years prior to the destruction there is a motif of words and terms that relate to women. This image is fully realized with the death of the prophet’s wife, symbolizing the final destruction of the city.

The detailed description of the unfaithfulness of this woman – Jerusalem – emphasizes the chasm between her humble beginnings, with no lineage and no identity, and the abundance God bestowed upon her and His favors done for her that ultimately end in her betrayal. God’s response is a detailed description of total annihilation.

Yehezkel compares the deeds of the city of Jerusalem to those of Shomron and Sodom. The sin of Sodom, as depicted here, is that despite the economic stability and strength of its inhabitants, they did not support the poor and needy. Yehezkel attributes only social sins to Sodom in order to emphasize the more grievous sins of Jerusalem, which are described as unfaithfulness.

Despite the people’s actions in the present, the covenant that God remembers and maintains even in the future is a covenant of youth, and even at the time of their sin, this historical covenant will stand. This is also why the nation is rebuked just as it is being forgiven.
Can the People Keep the Covenant?
Rabbi David Sabato
Buying a Field before Destruction - Is God Sending a Contradictory Message?
Rabbi David Sabato
Mordechai and Esther
Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein | Hour and 8 minutes
What makes Purim a special yom tov and why is it a day of festivity and celebration? Why is Purim unique as opposed to other days of Jewish salvation? Why is the megilla called Megillat Esther and not Megillat Mordechai? A close examination of the Purim story within its historical context provides answers to these questions, by understanding Purim as a celebration of the renewal of the covenant between Israel and God.
The Commandments of the Covenant
Rabbi Dr. Tamir Granot
After God is revealed to Moshe for the second time on Mount Sinai, He reveals His attributes of mercy and tells Moshe that He has forgiven the nation of Israel completely. God informs Moshe that He is renewing His covenant with them, and adds a list of commandments – some related to the prohibition of idolatry, others related to Shabbat and the pilgrim festivals. Part of this list looks very similar to Parashat Mishpatim, where the lengthy collection of "judgments" (mishpatim) is followed by an appendix of "ritual" laws, including Shabbat, pilgrim festivals, meat and milk, etc. The resemblance between these two parshiyot extends beyond their content; they are also similar in their style and language.

Hence, we need to understand why God repeats an entire body of mitzvot that has already been conveyed – and recently, too. Furthermore, what is the significance of the slight differences between the two versions?

Through a comparison between the two units, we can understand the dual nature of these laws, and the necessity of renewing the covenant following the sin of the Golden Calf.
Separating From Foreign Wives
Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky
Ezra’s response to the news of intermarriage is at once severe and passive. His actions seem conflicted. The success of the initiative is similarly mixed. At first glance, it appears to be a remarkable triumph. Upon closer examination, however, the people’s commitment appears lukewarm. The fact that Nehemya was repeatedly required to confront the sin implies that Ezra had failed to truly solve the problem.

Ezra was a different type of leader than Nehemya. Whereas Nehemya was a forceful political personality deeply grounded in Torah values, Ezra was first and foremost a brilliant, dedicated scholar. Ezra was not, in essence, a man of action. Only when prodded does Ezra rise to the occasion and move mountains to profoundly shape his community.

The parallels to the Revelation at Sinai teach despite the fact that the community has sinned, repentance creates the possibility of renewed covenantal commitment. Shivat Tzion represents a time of renewed commitment to our relationship with God.
The Oath
Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky
Nechemia chapter 10, perhaps the climax of the nation’s renewed commitment to Torah, summarizes the binding oath accepted by the community.

In many instances, the oath seems to supersede the obligations that are set forth explicitly in the Torah. The commentators struggle with a fundamental question: to what extent was the oath a renewed commitment to the ancient laws of the Torah, albeit with some novel interpretations, and to what extent are these new, proto-Rabbinic laws? As we have seen, it is most likely that our chapter presents a mix of the two views. On any view, our chapter – and, indeed, the entire period of Shivat Tzion – exemplifies a careful balance between commitment to tradition and an understanding that specific commandments require additional emphasis or even innovation at particular moments in history.
A Retrospective
Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky
Conflicting proofs exist as to whether the books of Ezra and Nehemya are one book or two. The preponderance of evidence inclines toward the position that they are a unified work. The differences noted center on Ezra and Nehemya’s distinct leadership styles, one religious and the other political - two contrasting modes of leadership that are crucial in the post prophetic era.

While similarities to the rest of Tanakh are abound in the books of Shivat Tzion, still, there are significant departures from the rest of Tanakh.

The omnipresent temptation of idolatry has been overtaken by the allure of intermarriage.

The post-prophetic period will feature uncharted territory for a Jewish community that had been led by monarchs and prophets for as long as they could remember. As opposed to the prophets’ black-and-white, explicit directives, the Shivat Tzion community must learn to embrace ambiguity.

The contemporary messages of the works of Shivat Tzion include:
- There are multiple legitimate models of Jewish leadership.
- At times leadership demands clinging to core principles, even if at great risk.
- Redemption, in Shivat Tzion as today, is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Shivat Tzion interweaves idealism and realism. We must celebrate partial victories, even as the work remains dauntingly incomplete.
- National rituals and shared memory are keys to Jewish survival.
- Education is the key that unlocks Jewish commitment and continuity.
- Politics are unpleasant, but are necessary and not inherently evil.
- No matter the challenges, we remain God’s beloved.