Shmuel
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Requesting a King
Haftarot: Korah
Rabbi Mosheh LichtensteinWhy does the nation ask for a king? When is a judge preferable to a king, and when is a king the better option? The nation requests a king when Shmuel is the leader, and he believes his leadership is preferable to the leadership of a king. Shmuel presents the spiritual dangers of monarchy and a world that is less sensitive to God's intervention.
Battling Empires and Battling Devils: Shmuel, Rav Chiya and Rebbi Yitzchak
Chazal's Preambles to Megillat Esther: Part 1
Rabbi Moshe Taragin | 17 minutesThis short series looks at Chazal’s introductions to the Book of Esther. What is the real miracle of Purim? Although Israel has betrayed God and are exiled from their land—God will not abandon them. Purim is a template for Jewish History, and contains the first real instance of antisemitism. But just as the commemorations of Purim will never be abolished, the Jewish people will never be destroyed, and the covenant will never be nullified.
Eliyahu in Horev (Part 2)
Eliyahu's Flight (Part 3)
Rabbi Elchanan SametDespite the fact that he has performed great miracles, Eliyahu senses danger and flees because he no longer identifies with his Divine mission. The Midrash points to Eliyahu’s humanity despite the fact that his actions are paralleled to God’s actions. This is what makes the great figures of Tanakh our moral guides and shining examples for all of humanity: for all of their elevated greatness, they never cease to be human. And for this reason, they are susceptible to human mistakes and weaknesses.
Korach and the Power of Democracy
Rabbi Alex Israel | 39 minutesOne troubling aspect of Parshat Korah is that the rebellion never dies down. That seems to be because there are real issues here - Moshe and Aharon seem to have all the closeness to God, and the people do not share in the leadership or decision-making. So what was the problem with Korach? Is it possible for non-Leviim to attain holiness? The example of Shmuel ha-Navi provides a key.
The Storm (Part 3)
Eliyahu's Journey to His Place of Ascent (I)
Rabbi Elchanan SametGilgal mentioned in this story does not seem to correspond with other places with the same name mentioned in the Tanakh. It appears to be North of Beit El. In the Elisha stories we find that Elisha is a travelling prophet like Shmuel, however, Gilgal is his permanent dwelling. Eliyahu arrives in Gilgal in order to depart from his student.
Shmuel and the House of Eli - Of Fathers, Sons and Sacrifice
Rabbi Chanoch Waxmanתאריך פרסום: תשעד | |
What was the major sin of Bnei Eli, and why do some of their sins receive apparently greater emphasis in the text? What is the significance of their abuse of the Kehuna? We examine the structural challenge of Chapter Two in Sefer Shmuel, and attempt to figure out how the "interruptions" about Shmuel and Chana integrate with the rest of the perek. Our study brings us to excerpts from the Books of Devarim and Bereisheet, as our chapter in Sefer Shmuel teaches us about larger themes about Divine Service - and prayer - in general, as well as the more specific messages about parents and children in this chapter: Divine Service is not about taking, but rather about the radical act of giving.
Why did the Ammonite Threat Provoke the Israelites to Demand a King?
Rabbi David SilverbergRaining on the Request for a King
Rabbi David SilverbergYiftah and Shemuel: The Power of Speech
Dr. Yael Ziegler | Hour and 3 minutesThe Tanakh often presents us with similar characters who at their core have similar kinds of personalities, but their spiritual lives wind up taking very different directions. The Tanakh, in presenting these kinds of characters, and Chazal, in picking up on these “mirror characters” are offering a distinction between a person’s fate and their destiny. The deciding factor is not the fate that they are born with, but the destiny that they choose. This lecture explores the similarities and differences between the figures of Yiftach and Shmuel.