Bein Adam LaHaveiro

נמצאו 6 תוצאות חיפוש

1. "Because They Sold The Righteous For Silver"

   Haftarot: Vayeshev

   Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein

   The nation turns to idolatry for two reasons: seeking spirituality and seeking pleasure. Amos rebukes the nation for their hedonism, and explains that the flaws in interpersonal relationships are also a flaw in our relationship with God.

2. Repentance and Atonement: The Haftara of Yom Kippur

   Haftarot: Yom Kippur

   Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein

   Does the haftara of Yom Kippur teach us about repentance or atonement? This lesson examines the terms teshuva and kappara, while highlighting the connection between these concepts and mitzvot between Man and His Fellow as opposed to mitzvot between man and God.

3. Megillat Esther and Sefer Zekharya

   Rabbi Menachem Leibtag

   

   According to the chronology posited by Seder Olam, Ahashveyrosh was the king immediately after Cyrus but before Darius, and the story of Megillat Esther immediately led to the building of the second Beit HaMikdash and a mass Aliya. However, according to the common historical approach Ahashverosh was the king who succeeded Darius. The Beit HaMikdash was already built and two decades pass before any new Aliya movement. In fact, no major event takes place immediately after the events in Megillat Esther. However, parallels between Megillat Esther and the prophecies of Zekharya imply that the initiators of the holiday of Purim understood that the ultimate success of the Return to Zion and the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash depended on the implementation of social Mitzvot. 

4. 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.

5. "The Temple of the Lord, Are These"

   Rabbi David Sabato

   Yirmiyahu addresses the "lying words" regarding the Temple's intrinsic holiness and inability to be destroyed. The people's misconception regarding the role of the Temple led them to think that they could continue to sin without repercussions. Further discussed is the connection between this chapter and the prophecy in chapter 3 regarding the Ark and the destruction of Shilo, as well as the contrast with the prophecies of Yishayahu regarding Jerusalem.

6. Amos: The Social Justice Prophet

   Rabbi Hayyim Angel | שעה ו- 1 דקות

   Who is Amos? What is so unique about his prophetic message? Through a close examination of the central theme of Amos' prophecy, and comparing it to that of Hoshea and some of the other major prophets, we notice that Amos was almost exclusively concerned with social justice among all humans, as opposed to Am Yisrael’s idol worship, which is the central theme of many other prophets’ messages. Amos’ prophecy is tied to the idea that the fate of Am Yisrael, on a national level, is tied to their morality and interpersonal behavior.