punishment and exile

Found 6 Search results

1. Educating Joseph

   Rabbi Alex Israel | 38 minutes

   Bereisheet contains many stories illustrating dynamic character transformations, demonstrating that people can overcome natural tendencies to improve. What does the story of Potiphar’s wife (from the following parsha) contribute to this end? Remarkable self-restraint is evident, but how is the story relevant to Yosef’s problems with his brothers, or to his management ability? Why is his success followed by further punishment and exile? There is another key aspect to the story.

2. Is God a Judge, an Enemy, or a Source of Faith?

   Rabbi Alex Israel

   תאריך פרסום: תשע"ב | | Hour and 10 minutes

   Our aim is to look into the heart of the collection of laments in the book of Eikha and to seek Hashem. We embark on a daring study wherein we ask: Where is God in the midst of the terrible suffering of the destruction of Jerusalem? We compare the first three chapters of Eikha, and look at the kinna recited on the night of Tisha b'Av. We discover that God is personified in different ways. Each personification acts as another layer in the depiction of God’s involvement in the Hurban. 

3. The Exile in Egypt and the Connection to Eretz Yisrael

   Hanan Porat

4. Vayetze: The Parasha of Exile

   Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 20 minutes

   Parashat Vayeitze seems to be the parasha of galut. Both forced and voluntary aspects of exile are present. We attempt to define "galut" and ask why Yaakov - and later, Israel - is in exile? Is it merely a punishment, or is there something more - another purpose? Why is the Torah given outside of Eretz Yisrael? Perhaps acceptance is a step that is necessarily before the period of implementation - exile lessens responsibilities, and perhaps offers an important opportunity for growth and development.

    

5. Shemot - Purpose and Nature of Exile

   Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 20 hours

   Parashat Shemot makes us think of many issues of galut and geula (exile and redemption). -What is the nature and purpose of this exile? Is it a punishment for the selling of Yosef? But how would this explain God telling Avraham that his descendants would be enslaved for hundreds of years, after which they would leave triumphantly?

   Should we really be asking why the exile happened, or what our response should be - what behavior or changes should exile prompt?

    

6. Thesis (105) - Antithesis (106) – Synthesis (107): Historical Responsibility

   The Structure & Story of Book IV (90-106)

   Dr. Beni Gesundheit | Hour and 11 minutes

   Mizmorim 105-107

   What can we learn from the connection between 2 historical overviews (105-106) and giving thanks for salvation (107)? What does this relationship, which is also the bridge between Books IV and V, come to teach us?

   Mizmorim 105-106, which close Book IV, present 2 historical reviews. Mizmor 105, the thesis, contains God’s blessed leadership for the people. Mizmor 106, the antithesis, focuses on the people’s disobedience which results in the Exile and their prayer to return to Zion at the end of Book IV. Mizmor 107, the synthesis which opens Book V, is filled with thanks by 4 groups of people saved from difficult situations and their return from the Exile after they called upon God. Contextual interpretation will explore the interface between the mizmorim at the end of Book IV and the beginning of Book V which request for and begin to describe the realization of the dream of redemption and revival in Eretz Yisrael. With these insights at the end of the chapter, Mizmor 107 serves as a meaningful opening for Book V, which will be discussed in the next lecture.