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3 episodes with Ashkenaz
J.J. and Dr. Talya Fishman whip themselves up into a frenzy over the thought and influence of the pietists of the Medieval Rhineland. Follow us on Bluesky @jewishideaspod.bsky.social for updates and insights!Please rate and review the the show in the podcast app of your choice.We welcome all complaints and compliments at podcasts@torahinmotion.org For more information visit torahinmotion.org/podcastsTalya Fishman is Associate Professor of Medieval and Early Modern Jewish Intellectual andCultural History in the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Middle Eastern Languagesand Cultures. Her research projects attempt to understand riddles of premodern Jewish culture byexploring them within their broader historical, geographic and religious contexts, both Islamicand Christian. Along with many articles – some on Hasidei Ashkenaz, Fishman is the author of Shaking the Pillars of Exile: "Voice of a Fool"'s Early Modern Jewish Critique of Rabbinic Culture, (Stanford University Press, 1997), and Becoming the People of the Talmud: Oral Torah as Written Tradition Medieval Jewish Cultures (2011), Winner of 2011 Nahum M. Sarna Award for Scholarship of the National Jewish Book Council. She co-edited Regional Identities and Cultures of Medieval Jews, (Littman Library, Oxford, 2018) with Ephraim Kanarfogel. In the soon-to-be published What is Talmud, edited by Jay Harris and Christine Hayes and (Harvard University Press), her article, “Medieval Jewish Subcultures Receive the Talmudic Text: The Impact of Regional Trends and Antecedent Oral Cultures”, further develops the thesis that certain differences in the halakhic cultures of Ashkenaz, Sefarad and Provence are linked to perduring assumptions about composition and authority that were specific to discrete geographic regions in antiquity. Professor Fishman's current research project concerns the place of materiality in medieval Jewish thought and experience.
Disclaimer: Any views or opinions presented in this podcast are personal and belong to the content creator. Any views or opinions are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company or individual. Disclaimer: The passage of Scripture read out loud in the beginning of each podcast episode will be in Hebrew followed by the direct translation in English from the Complete Jewish Study Bible. To my dear listeners believers and non believers alike, SHALOM!שלום My apologies for being away from you for so long! I won't bore you to death with stories of my absence yet I will state that life had seriously got in the way (I had lost my job) and so my focus has been on all the drama and necessity of finding new employment, reluctantly. To be frank, I would rather wait a while longer until I have all my notes laid out properly rather than rush into things. After all, Messiah Yeshua deserves my very best. I also had a time to reflect and digest what I've discovered in regards to the origins of Rabbinical Judaism and specifically what Maimonides had written about those Jews who don't believe in the so-called Divine authority of their Oral Torah which later becomes the Talmud. It was shocking, to be sure and to say the least! I thought I was surely reading something out of fanatic, fundamentalist Islam, not Judaism! The words of Maimonides are a direct slap in the face to the Divine commandment "Love your neighbor as you love yourself!"! Abhorrent behavior! Now I understand why Jews behave in such an ugly way towards non-Jews; their very rabbis and sages justify such ugly behavior! Murder of non Jews is justified, according to Maimonides! How is this any different from the evil of the Quran which calls for the murder of infidel "Kafir" who doesn't believe in Muhammad or Islam?! It's NOT any different. In fact, it's the very same evil, just with a different face. But it doesn't stop there, my dear listeners! Oh no, the perversion of Judaism goes even further as you will soon find out in my next, upcoming episode. I will be sharing from Dr. Eitan Bar's book "Why Don't Jews Believe In Jesus", continuing from exactly where I had left off at the end of Episode XXIX. We will be exploring the further distortion of Rabbinical Judaism and how it split into two ethnic groups (Ashkenaz vs Sefardic) with two separate approaches to the Talmud (Hassidism vs Kabbalism) and also we will discover how Rabbinical Judaism had absorbed pagan rituals (!) throughout the centuries, making it practically unrecognizable from its original Biblical form. In fact, most of the traditions that I had grown up with (Kadish, Lighting candles on Shabbat, to name a few) as a Rabbinical Jew are rooted in paganism! There will be a supplemental podcast that will follow Episode Thirty that will touch upon two major theological objections to Yeshua being The Messiah, the first one being the Trinity (Tri-Unity) which we will soon learn that it is actually a JEWISH concept, and the second one being the absence of an aforementioned world peace that is promised to accompany The Messiah when He arrives. It was just too much content for one podcast episode and I really didn't want to overwhelm you! All this leads up to the Second Reason why Jews don't believe in Jesus - Christian Antisemitism and the evil doctrine of Replacement Theology - a topic I've already touched on lightly in a previous podcast. This will be the subject of Episode XXXI of #FindingHyerGround. Stay tuned, stay blessed and stay in the Presence of Messiah Yeshua! Blessings to you and Shalom!שלום https://a.co/d/1Zpbdbg https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2504642986508288310&created=1745593916
Welcome to The Habura's public podcast. Explore our private podcast, membership options, and more at www.thehabura.comJoin us this week as Rabbi Yosie Levine explores one of the most unique figures in Jewish history - Hakham Tsevi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The New World Order, Agenda 2030, Agenda 2050, The Great Reset and Rise of The 4IR
Intelligence Notes: Misinformation Concerning the Ancient Hebraic Israel and today's Euro-Proselytes. History and Education (1)To support the [Show] and its [Research] with Donations, please send all funds and gifts to :$aigner2019 (cashapp) or https://www.paypal.me/Aigner2019 or Zelle (1-617-821-3168). Shalom Aleikhem!
1) What is the meaning of מעין הברכות, said on Shabbos eve?[1]2) My mechutan and I share the same first name. Is that an issue?[2]3) Four seminary girls agreed to go jeeping together on a day off and to share the cost. One girl fell ill and pulled out. Does she still have to pay her share?[3]4) A boy was born on the 30th of Adar 1. His Barmitzvah isin a regular year, but which day?[4]5) We have two men wishing to have Maftir this Shabbos [Zochor], but only one Baal Korei. Could we take another Sefer Torah to a side room just for Maftir, thus enabling two Maftirim? [5]6) At Shacharis, the 10th man left during Chazoras haShatz.Does the Chazan say the half-Kaddish as well the KaddishTiskabel?[6]7) What is the source for the Chabad custom to recite Morning Brochos at home, unlike the general Ashkenaz custom – to recite those brochos in Shul?[7]8) When leining megillah for others after having fulfilled the mitzvah of megillah for oneself: should the reader make the brochos on behalf of the listeners? If the listeners say the brocho, should the nusach of the brocho change to lishmoa megilla? [8]9) What should be done about the brocho shehechyonu?10) Feedback on Jewish name that became obsolete:[9]https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9764852268?omn=89886673325Index to previous Panorama Shiurim: PanoramaIndex 2 - Google DocsNext Shiur: Thursday 20th Adar (20thMarch) 8:30 – 9:30.[1] בסדור 'שילמורא' פירש כעין ברכות מ א: "בכל יום ויום תן לו מעין ברכותיו". הכפלת מעין'מודים' בברכה זו – כתב שם שהוא כנגד 'מודים דרבנן'.[2] צוואת ר' יהודההחסיד אות כד. שלחן מנחם ח"ו סי' לב. וראה שבח הנישואין עמ' 92.[3] אמרי יעקב (על שוע"רחו"מ דיני שאלה סכ"א) בביאורים, ע' רסא; פסקי המשפט סי' שלג אות ב.[4] במשנ"ב סי' תקסחס"ק מב כתב לענין יארצייט שיעשה בל' שבט. אבל בשו"ת אגרות משה(יו"ד ג קנט) כתב: ר"ח ניסן. ולענין בר-מצוה, במשנ"ב מהדורת 'דרשו'(סי' נה מס' 57) הובאו דעות שונות ושראוי להחמיר בכל ענין.[5] פסקי תשובותסרפ"ד אות ב ואות ו כתב שזה אפשרי ומציין לאג"מ ח"אסק"ב. [6] ראה שו"ע סי' נהס"ג בהגה; משנ"ב שם סקי"ט; שוע"ר שם ס"ה. והשואל טעהבהבנת לשון המקור בשו"ת תרומת הדשן סי' טו.[7] כן נהג האריז"ל (שערהכוונות ע' ג; כף החיים סי' ו סק"ג). וכן מרומז בסדור אדה"ז לפני 'מהטובו'. [8] ראהנתיבים בשדה השליחות ח"ב פט"ז סעיפים ה-ו. [9] יומן ר' נ"י).
History Of The Siddur Series #2 - Nusach Ashkenaz and Nusach Sephard: searching for the authentic Nusach 02/02/2016
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Length: 1 hour 17 minutesSynopsis: This morning (1/3/24), in our tefilah-focused Machshavah Lab series for women, we began a new series: an analysis of the berachos in the amidah! What, exactly, does this entail? That's what we spent the first 20 minutes of shiur discussing: how can we get the most out of our analysis, given our temporal limitations, and what should our objectives be? After we settled on 5-6 objectives, we translated the berachah, compared the standard nusach Ashkenaz with three old nuschaos, raised a ton of questions and problems, and did a quick read-through of the Abudarham. Next time, we will focus on the conclusion of the berachah in an attempt to understand the main idea, which we'll use to achieve our objectives (בג"ה).-----מקורות:ברכת אבות נוסח אשכנזנוסח ארץ ישראלסידור רס"גסידור הרמב"םאבודרהם-----This week's Torah content has been sponsored l'zecher nishmas Yosef Yoshayahu ben Yechezkel Eliezer, whose yahrzeit is on the 3rd of Teves. Yehi zichro baruch.-----If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.-----Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissInstagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comOld Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0HAmazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel
Meryl chats with Michelle about her new novel, Napoleon's Mirage (November 12, 2024). They discuss how Michelle came to write this sequel to Beyond the Ghetto Gates and the themes she wanted to raise for readers. They also talk about the role of women in history, Napoleon and his relationship to the Jews, and antisemitism then and now. Michelle Cameron is the author of Jewish historical fiction, with her most recent being Napoleon's Mirage, the sequel to Beyond the Ghetto Gates. Previous work includes Babylon: A Novel of Jewish Captivity, a finalist in religious fiction in the 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the award-winning Beyond the Ghetto Gates and The Fruit of Her Hands: the story of Shira of Ashkenaz. Michelle is a director of The Writers Circle, a NJ-based creative writing program serving children, teens, and adults. She lives in Chatham, NJ, with her husband and has two grown sons of whom she is inordinately proud. Author's website: https://michelle-cameron.com/ Instagram: @michellecameronwriter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellecameronauthor Host Website: merylain.com/ Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network #AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #MichelleCameron #NapoleonsMirage #Sequel #BeyondTheGhettoGates #HistoricalFiction #AntiWarNovel #RoleOfWomenInHistory #KetubahWorkshop #NapoleonicEra #ProclamationToJews #Research #Jews #JewishHistory #Christians #Muslims #ThreeMajorReligions #Egypt #RealityofWar #RuinedWoman #LongDistanceRelationship #MilitaryMistakes #Babylon #ShiraOfAshkinaze #HistoricalFiction #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead!
Meryl chats with Michelle about her new novel, Napoleon's Mirage (November 12, 2024). They discuss how Michelle came to write this sequel to Beyond the Ghetto Gates and the themes she wanted to raise for readers. They also talk about the role of women in history, Napoleon and his relationship to the Jews, and antisemitism then and now. Michelle Cameron is the author of Jewish historical fiction, with her most recent being Napoleon's Mirage, the sequel to Beyond the Ghetto Gates. Previous work includes Babylon: A Novel of Jewish Captivity, a finalist in religious fiction in the 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the award-winning Beyond the Ghetto Gates and The Fruit of Her Hands: the story of Shira of Ashkenaz.Michelle is a director of The Writers Circle, a NJ-based creative writing program serving children, teens, and adults. She lives in Chatham, NJ, with her husband and has two grown sons of whom she is inordinately proud. Author's website: michelle-cameron.com/Instagram: @michellecameronwriterFacebook: www.facebook.com/michellecameronauthor Host Website: merylain.com/ Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #MichelleCameron #NapoleonsMirage #Sequel #BeyondTheGhettoGates #HistoricalFiction #AntiWarNovel #RoleOfWomenInHistory #KetubahWorkshop #NapoleonicEra #ProclamationToJews #Research #Jews #JewishHistory #Christians #Muslims #ThreeMajorReligions #Egypt #RealityofWar #RuinedWoman #LongDistanceRelationship #MilitaryMistakes #Babylon #ShiraOfAshkinaze #HistoricalFiction #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead!
Meryl chats with Michelle about her new novel, Napoleon's Mirage (November 12, 2024). They discuss how Michelle came to write this sequel to Beyond the Ghetto Gates and the themes she wanted to raise for readers. They also talk about the role of women in history, Napoleon and his relationship to the Jews, and antisemitism then and now. Michelle Cameron is the author of Jewish historical fiction, with her most recent being Napoleon's Mirage, the sequel to Beyond the Ghetto Gates. Previous work includes Babylon: A Novel of Jewish Captivity, a finalist in religious fiction in the 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the award-winning Beyond the Ghetto Gates and The Fruit of Her Hands: the story of Shira of Ashkenaz. Michelle is a director of The Writers Circle, a NJ-based creative writing program serving children, teens, and adults. She lives in Chatham, NJ, with her husband and has two grown sons of whom she is inordinately proud. Author's website: https://michelle-cameron.com/ Instagram: @michellecameronwriter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellecameronauthor Host Website: merylain.com/ Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network #AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #MichelleCameron #NapoleonsMirage #Sequel #BeyondTheGhettoGates #HistoricalFiction #AntiWarNovel #RoleOfWomenInHistory #KetubahWorkshop #NapoleonicEra #ProclamationToJews #Research #Jews #JewishHistory #Christians #Muslims #ThreeMajorReligions #Egypt #RealityofWar #RuinedWoman #LongDistanceRelationship #MilitaryMistakes #Babylon #ShiraOfAshkinaze #HistoricalFiction #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead!
We kick things off with seven fascinating stories from the teshuvos of medieval Spain, where we discover shul seats being treated like real estate: bought, sold, inherited, mortgaged—and sometimes the center of heated disputes. Then, we shift our focus to Ashkenaz, where this phenomenon is noticeably absent, suggesting a very different set of attitudes and conventions about shul seats. Finally, we dive into how the poskim tackled some of these disputes, applying Halachah to their contemporary realities. Benches, Bargains, and Bickering: Shul Seating in the Middle Ages
What happened when a group of chasidim wanted to take over a dying shul but the set nusach was Ashkenaz?
1) Some further feedback re. wearing a wristwatch on Yomtov:[1] 2) At an event I drank some wine. Later soup is served. Do I say a brocho for the soup?[2] 3) Many of us are accustomed to light a special candle (or: 3 candles) for Shabbos Shuva. This year, Erev Shabbos Shuva is Rosh haShono. May one light the Shuva candle?[3] 4) Is Sushi acceptable for Eruv Tavshilin?[4] 5) May the Cholent for Shabbos Shuva be half-cooked at sunset?[5] 6) Thinking ahead to Succos: May one trap a bee on Shabbos or Yomtov?[6] 7) One who lived in Eretz Yisroel and emigrated to Chutz loOretz for legitimate reasons. What if/when those reasons no longer apply?[7] 8) I Daven Shacharis at a small Ashkenaz minyan. Today, as they were to start Shmoine Esrei, I was holding at Oz Yoshir. Should I skip something? Any other advice?[8] 9) A Ger whose father was Jewish, would prefer being called to the Torah by his father's name rather than “ben Avraham”, but will accept either Psak. What's the din?[9] 10) Having repositioned a Mezuza – due to Heker Tzir, should one say a brocho?[10] 11) Feedback on the saga of the measure of flour needed for separating with a brocho?[11] https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9764852268?omn=87994703865 Index to previous Panorama Shiurim: Panorama Index 2 - Google Docs [1] ספר השיחות תרפ"ט ע' 38. זכרונות של סבי ע"ה משמע"צ תרפ"ח; שמח"ת תרצ"ב (העה"ת מונטריאל פג-פה); סיפור על ר"י כ"ץ; עם ר"מ הארליג (בית חיינו ה ע' 448). [2] סדר ברכת הנהנין פ"א הכ"א. וראה קצות השלחן סי' נג הע' כז; שערי הברכה פי"ח הע' לב. [3] ראה שוע"ר סי' רסא ס"ב; קצור שו"ע סי' צח ס"א; מסגרת השלחן שם; ביאור הלכה סי' תקיד ד"ה נר, וש"נ לשו"ת כתב סופר [או"ח סי' סה]. אלא דאינהו מיירי ביו"ט עצמו ואילו נדו"ד הוא על סמך העירוב תבשילין. בס' עירוב תבשילין הערוך (סי' ג ס"ז) התיר להדליק נר יארצייט לשבת רק ע"י נכרי. [4] ראה שוע"ר סי' תקכז סי"א שצ"ל תבשיל שמלפתים בו את הפת. [5] כ"כ להקל בפרי מגדים, וכדבריו נפסק בקשו"ע סי' קב ס"ג ובמשנ"ב סי' תקכז סק"ג. אבל אדה"ז לא הזכיר כלום מזה. [6] ראה פסקי תשובות סי' רטז אות יב ובהע' 107 שם. [7] ראה אנציקלופדי' תלמודית כרך ב ע' רכד.{לחפש בשיחות ק' אודות תל' הקבוצה, שהיתר "ללמוד תורה" שייך כל זמנם בחו"ל.} [8] ראה שוע"ר סי' נב. אין היתר דילוג בברכת קר"ש – ראה קצש"ע סי"ד ס"ז. אם יתפלל עם הש"ץ מלה במלה מצטרף לט' עונים (אשי ישראל פט"ו ס"ד, בשם הגרש"ז אוירבך). [9] ראה שו"ת מנחת יצחק ח"א סי' קלו. [10] בשו"ע [11] בשנת תש"ג ותש"ד הופיע מטעם המל"ח לוח לתלמידים צעירים, כעין לוח 'היום יום'. בלוח היו שאילות, והתשובות עליהן התפרסמו בירחון Talks & Tales. ביום כ"ה סיון תש"ד יש השאלה: "האם אתה איך מצות חלה מתקיימת בימינו?" ברם המענה הנוכחי אינו מופיע בירחון הנ"ל, וניתוסף על ידי המהדיר בשנת תשע"ג! (תודה להר"מ רוטנברג נ"י)
“It's quite clear to me that he was trying to recreate the hillside of Haifa with the gardens... It comes from somebody being ripped out from their home.” Syrian Jewish Playwright Oren Safdie, son of world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie, who designed Habitat 67 along with much of modern Jerusalem, knows loss, regret, and longing. Oren and his father explore their Syrian heritage and their connection to the Jewish state that has developed since Moshe's father left Aleppo, Syria and moved, in the mid-20th century, to what is modern-day Israel. Oren also knows that being Jewish is about stepping up. Describing his frustrations with modern anti-Israel sentiments and protests that harken back to 1943, Oren is passionately combating anti-Israel propaganda in theater and academia. Abraham Marcus, Associate Professor Emeritus at University of Texas at Austin, joins the conversation with historical insights into Jewish life in Syria dating back to Roman times. —- Show notes: Sign up to receive podcast updates here. Learn more about the series here. Song credits: Al Fadimem, Bir Demet Yasemen, Fidayda; all by Turku, Nomads of the Silk Road Aleppo Bakkashah Pond5: “Desert Caravans”: Publisher: Pond5 Publishing Beta (BMI), Composer: Tiemur Zarobov (BMI), IPI#1098108837 “Oud Nation”: Publisher: Pond5 Publishing Beta (BMI); Composer: Haygaz Yossoulkanian (BMI), IPI#1001905418 “Arabic (Middle Eastern Music)”: Publisher: Pond5 Publishing Beta (BMI), Composer: Andrei Skliarov, Item ID #152407112 “Fields Of Elysium”; Publisher: Mysterylab Music; Composer: Mott Jordan; ID#79549862 “Middle Eastern Dawn”: Publisher: Victor Romanov, Composer: Victor Romanov; Item ID #202256497 “Ney Flute Melody 01”: Publisher: Ramazan Yuksel; Composer: Ramazan Yuksel; P.R.O. Track: BMI 00712367557 “Uruk”: Publisher: Pond5 Publishing Beta (BMI); Composer: Marcus Bressler; Item ID: 45886699 “Suspense Middle East” Publisher: Victor Romanov, Composer: Victor Romanov; Item ID: 196056047 ___ Episode Transcript: OREN SAFDIE: I've sort of wanted to shine a light on North American Jews being hypercritical of Israel. Because I've spent a lot of time in Israel. And I know what it is. It's not a simple thing. And I think it's very easy for Americans in the comfort of their little brownstones in Brooklyn, and houses in Cambridge to criticize, but these people that live in Israel are really standing the line for them. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: The world has overlooked an important episode in modern history: the 800,000 Jews who left or were driven from their homes in the Middle East and North Africa in the mid-20th century. Welcome to the second season of The Forgotten Exodus, brought to you by American Jewish Committee. This series explores that pivotal moment in history and the little-known Jewish heritage of Iran and Arab nations. As Jews around the world confront violent antisemitism and Israelis face daily attacks by terrorists on multiple fronts, our second season explores how Jews have lived throughout the region for generations despite hardship, hostility, and hatred, then sought safety and new possibilities in their ancestral homeland. I'm your host, Manya Brachear Pashman. Join us as we explore untold family histories and personal stories of courage, perseverance, and resilience from this transformative and tumultuous period of history for the Jewish people and the Middle East. The world has ignored these voices. We will not. This is The Forgotten Exodus. Today's episode: leaving Aleppo. MANYA: Playwright and screenwriter Oren Safdie has had just about enough of the anti-Israel sentiments on stage and screen. And what irks him the most is when it comes from Jewish artists and celebrities who have never spent time in the Middle East's one and only democracy. Remember film director Jonathan Glazer's speech at the 2024 Academy Awards? JONATHAN GLAZER: Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people. Whether the victims of October the … [APPLAUSE] MANYA: Yeah, Oren didn't much appreciate his own Jewishness being hijacked in that moment. Drawing a moral equivalence between the Nazi regime and Israel never really sits well with him. OREN: I do feel like they're very selective in their criticism of Israel. You know, it's very easy to say, ‘Oh, well, they didn't do that. They don't do this.' But it's a complicated situation. And to simplify it, is just to me beyond, especially if you're not somebody who has spent a lot of time in Israel. MANYA: Oren Safdie has penned more than two dozen scripts for stages and screens around the world. His latest film, Lunch Hour, starring Alan Cumming, is filming in Minnesota. Meanwhile, The Man Who Saved the Internet with A Sunflower, another script he co-wrote, is on the festival circuit. And his latest play Survival of the Unfit, made its North American debut in the Berkshires this summer, is headed to Broadway. And by the way, since an early age, Oren Safdie has spent quite a bit of time in Israel. His father Moshe Safdie is the legendary architect behind much of modern Jerusalem, Ben-Gurion International Airport, and the Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum. Oren's grandfather, Leon, emigrated from Syria. OREN: I'm sort of a synthesis of the two main parts that established Israel because my mother came from Poland, escaped the Holocaust. And my father's family came from Syria. So, I'm a half breed. I've never been asked about my Sephardic side, even though that was really the dominant side that I grew up with. Because my mother's family was quite small. I grew up in Montreal, it was much more in the Syrian tradition for holidays, food, everything like that. My grandfather was from Aleppo, Syria, and my grandmother was from Manchester, England, but originally from Aleppo. Her family came to Manchester, but two generations before, had been from Aleppo. So, they're both Halabi Jews. MANYA: Halabi refers to a diverse group of Jews from Aleppo, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world that has gone by several names. The oldest? Haleb. Halabi Jews include Mizrahi Jews -- the name for Jews who call the Middle East or North Africa home; and Sephardi Jews, who fled to the region after being expelled from Spain in the 15th Century. Jews are believed to have been in what is now Syria since the time of King David and certainly since early Roman times. ABRAHAM MARCUS: It's a community that starts, as far as we can record, in the Greco-Roman period. And we see the arrival of Islam. So the Jews were really the indigenous people when Arabs arrived. MANYA: Abraham Marcus, born to parents from Aleppo, is an internationally renowned authority on the city. He served as director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. For the past 16 years, he has been working on a book about the history of Aleppo's Jews that goes well beyond what has been previously published. As part of his research, he examined thousands of documents from the Syrian national archive and the Ottoman archive in Istanbul. He also did extensive fieldwork on the ground in Aleppo, documenting the synagogues, cemeteries, residential districts, and workplaces. MARCUS: One of the synagogues, the famous ancient synagogue of Aleppo, which dates to the 5th Century, meaning it predates the arrival of Arabs. It is a remarkable structure. Unfortunately, what is left of it now is really a skeleton. MANYA: Abraham is referring to the Great Synagogue or Central Synagogue of Aleppo, which functioned as the main house of worship for the Syrian Jewish community for more than 1,600 years. For 600 of those years, its catacombs safeguarded a medieval manuscript believed to be the oldest, most complete, most accurate text of the Hebrew Bible, known as the Aleppo Codex. The codex was used by Maimonides as a reference for his magnum opus, the Mishneh Torah, or Jewish religious legal code. In the 7th Century, Aleppo was conquered by Arab Muslims and a Great Mosque was built. For the next four centuries, the Byzantine Empire, Crusaders, and various Muslim rulers fought to gain control of Aleppo and the surrounding region. A savage Mongol invasion, a bout of the Black Death and another invasion took its toll on the city, and its Jews. For most of this time, Muslim rulers treated them as dhimmis, or second-class citizens. MARCUS: There were restrictions on dress, which were renewed time and again. They could not carry arms. They could not ride horses. MANYA: After half of Spain's Jews converted to Christianity following the pogroms of 1391, the Catholic monarchs issued the Alhambra Decree of 1492 – an edict that expelled any remaining Jews from the Iberian Peninsula to ensure their descendants didn't revert back to Judaism. As Jews fled, many made their way to parts of the Ottoman Empire. In 1516, Aleppo became part of that empire and emerged as a strategic trading post at the end of the Silk Road, between the Mediterranean Sea and Mesopotamia, or modern-day Iraq. As was the case in other parts of the Ottoman Empire, Jews lived relatively comfortably, serving as merchants and tax collectors. MARCUS: The policy of the Ottoman Empire was to essentially welcome the Sephardic Jews. The Sultan at the time is reputed to have said, ‘I don't understand the King of Spain. But if he's thinking at all, giving up all this human capital, essentially, we can take it.' Many of the successful Jews in Aleppo and Damascus–in business, as leaders, as rabbis–were Sephardic Jews. They revived these communities, they brought new blood and new energy to them, a new wealth. MANYA: This was not always the case throughout Ottoman Syria as persecution and pogroms erupted at times. By the mid-19th Century, Aleppo's Jewish population was slightly smaller than that of Baghdad, by about 2,000. In 1869, the opening of the Suez Canal shifted trade away from the route through Syria. Aleppo lost much of its commercial edge, motivating many Jews to seek opportunity elsewhere. MARCUS: The story of Aleppo is one of a society gradually hemorrhaging, losing people. They went to Beirut, which was a rising star. And Egypt became very attractive. So they went to Alexandria and Cairo. And many of the rabbis from the 1880s began to move to Jerusalem where there were yeshivot that were being set up. And in effect, over the next several decades, essentially the spiritual center of Aleppo's Jews was Jerusalem and no longer Aleppo. MANYA: Another turning point for Aleppo came in World War I when the Ottoman Empire abandoned its neutral position and sided with the Central Powers–including Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary and Germany. Many wealthy Jews had acquired foreign nationalities from countries that were not allies. Now considered enemy citizens, they were deported and never came back. In addition, Jews and Christians up to that point could pay a special tax to avoid serving in the army. That privilege ended in 1909. MARCUS: Because of the Balkan Wars, there was a sense that the empire is going to collapse if they don't essentially raise a large force to defend it. And there was a kind of flight that really decimated the community by 1918, when the war ended. MANYA: Besides those two wartime exceptions, Abraham says the departure of Jews from Syria was almost always motivated by the promise of better opportunities. In fact, opportunity might have been what drew the Safdie family to and from Aleppo. MANYA: Originally from Safed, as their name suggests, the Safdie family arrived in Aleppo sometime during the 16th or 17th centuries. By that time, the Jewish community in Safed, one of the Four Holy Cities in Judaism located in modern-day Israel, had transformed it into a lucrative textile center. So lucrative that the sultan of the ruling Ottoman Empire ordered the forced deportation of 1,000 Jewish families to Cyprus to boost that island's economy. It's not clear if those deportations or the decline that followed pushed the Safdie family north to Aleppo. Most of them stayed for roughly three centuries–through World War One and France's brief rule during the Interwar period. But in 1936, amid the Great Depression, which affected Syria as well, Leon Safdie, the ninth of ten children born to textile merchants, moved to Haifa and set up his own trading business. Importing textiles, woolens, and cottons from England and fabrics from Japan and India. A year later, he met his wife Rachel who had sailed from Manchester to visit her sister in Jerusalem. She spoke English and a little French. He spoke Arabic and French. They married a month later. OREN: My grandfather lived in Haifa, he was a merchant like many Syrian Jews were. He imported textiles. He freely went between the different countries, you know, there weren't really so many borders. A lot of his people he worked with were Arab, Druze, Christian, Muslim. Before independence, even though there was obviously some tension, being somebody who is a Syrian Jew, who spoke Arabic, who spoke French, he was sort of just one of the region. MANYA: Moshe Safdie was born in 1938. He says the onset of the Second World War created his earliest memories – hosting Australian soldiers in their home for Shabbat and making nightly trips into air raid shelters. Every summer, the family vacationed in the mountain resorts of Lebanon to visit aunts and uncles that had moved from Aleppo to Beirut. Their last visit to Lebanon in the summer of 1947 culminated with all of the aunts, uncles, and cousins piling into three Chrysler limousines and caravanning from Beirut to Aleppo to visit their grandmother and matriarch, Symbol. MOSHE: I remember sort of the fabric of the city. I have vague memories of the Citadel of Aleppo, because it was an imposing structure. I remember her – a very fragile woman, just vaguely. MANYA: While most of Moshe's memories of Aleppo are vague, one memory in particular is quite vivid. At that time, the United Nations General Assembly was debating the partition plan that would divide what was then the British Mandate of Palestine between Jews and Arabs. Tensions ran high throughout the region. When Moshe's uncles noticed Moshe wearing his school uniform on the streets of Aleppo, they panicked. MOSHE: They were terrified. We were walking in the street, and we had khaki shirts and khaki pants. And it had stitched on it, as required in our school, the school badge, and it said, ‘Thou shalt be humble' in Hebrew. And they saw that, or at least they noticed we had that, and they said: ‘No, this is very dangerous!' and they ripped it off.' MANYA: It would be the first and last time Moshe Safdie visited Aleppo. On the 29th of November, the UN voted on a resolution to divide Palestine into two states, one Arab and one Jewish. The news arrived in Aleppo the following morning. MARCUS: This was New York time, in the evening, when the decision was made. So already, people started planning demonstrations for the next day, in support of the Palestinians. And that next day began with what was a peaceful demonstration of students, and then all kinds of people joined in and before long it became an attack on Jewish property. The synagogues were set ablaze. Many Jewish homes were burned, businesses were looted. And so the day ended with the Jews really in a state of fright. MANYA: The mob looted the Jewish quarter and burned the Great Synagogue, scattering and desecrating the pages of the Aleppo Codex. The caretaker of the synagogue and his son later returned to the ashes to salvage as much as they could. But most of the community's leadership took a train to Beirut and never looked back. Of course, as previously mentioned, Aleppo had already witnessed a steep decline in its Jewish population. The numbers vary widely, depending on the source, but by 1947, on the eve of the Jewish exodus from Syria, Iraq, and other Arab countries, Aleppo had anywhere between 6,000 and 15,000 Jews, whereas Baghdad had between 75 and 90,000. MARCUS: More than half the population left within a month. The community after that, in the next two, three weeks, was in a situation in which some people decided that was the end. They took possessions that they could, got on buses and left for Beirut. That was the safe destination to go to. And there was traffic between the two areas. Some people decided to stay. I mean, they had business, they had interest, they had property that they didn't want to leave. You can imagine the kind of dilemmas face people suddenly, the world has changed, and what do I do? Which part of the fork do I go? MANYA: Those who left effectively forfeited their property to the Syrian government. To this day, the only way to reclaim that property and be allowed to sell it is to return and become Syrian citizens. Those who stayed were trapped. Decimated and demoralized, Aleppo's Jews came under severe travel restrictions, unable to travel more than four kilometers from their homes without permission from the government, which tracked their comings and goings. MARCUS: The view was that if they leave, they'll end up in what's called the Zionist entity and provide the soldiers and aid to the enemy. So the idea was to keep them in. So there's a reality there of a community that is now stuck in place. Unable to emigrate. That remained in place until 1970, when things began to relax. It was made possible for you to leave temporarily for a visit. But you have to leave a very large sum as a deposit. The other option was essentially to hire some smugglers to take you to the Turkish or the Lebanese border, and basically deliver you to another country where Jews had already networked. The Mossad had people who helped basically transfer them to Israel. But that was very risky. If you were caught, it's prison time and torture. Over the next 45 years, many of the young left gradually, and many of them left without the parents even knowing. They will say ‘I'm going to the cinema and I'll come back'. MANYA: On May 14, 1948, Israel declared independence. But the socialist politics of the new Jewish state did not sit well with Leon Safdie who much preferred private enterprise. He also felt singled out, as did many Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews in Israel at the time. OREN: In some ways, it almost created some tension for him on several fronts, right? First of all, between him and his clients, who he had been doing business with in the Arab world, for many years. All of a sudden, those relationships are called into question. And as my grandfather was an importer of textiles, it was considered a luxury good. And when you're in wartime, there were rations. The high tariffs really killed my grandfather's business. So, he wanted to stay in Israel. He helped with the war effort. He really loved the country and he knew the people, but really for three years, he sat idle and just did not have work. He was a man that really needed to work, had a lot of pride. MANYA: In 1953, Leon and Rachel sought opportunity once again – this time in Montreal – a move Moshe Safdie would forever resent. When in 1959 he married Oren's mother Nina, an Israeli expat who was trying to return to Israel herself, they both resolved to return to the Jewish state. Life and phenomenal success intervened. While studying architecture at McGill University, Moshe designed a modern urban apartment building [Habitat 67] that incorporated garden terraces and multiple stories. It was built and unveiled during the 1967 World's Fair in Montreal, and Moshe's career took off. OREN: It's quite clear to me that he was trying to recreate the hillside of Haifa with the gardens. And it's something that has sort of preoccupied him for his whole career. It comes from somebody being ripped out from their home. Those kinds of things I think stay with you. MANYA: Eventually, in 1970, Moshe opened a branch of his architecture firm in Jerusalem and established a second home there. Oren recalls visiting every summer – often with his grandfather Leon. OREN: And I remember going with him when he'd come to Israel when I was there, because we used to go pretty much every summer. He would love to go down to Jericho. And we'd sit at the restaurants. I mean, there was a period of time, you know, when it was sort of accepted that Jews could travel to the West Bank, to Ramallah and everything. And he loved to just speak with the merchants and everything, he loved that. He felt so at home in that setting. It was not dangerous, as it is today, obviously. I think everyone back then thought it was a temporary situation. And obviously, the longer it goes, and the more things happen, it feels more permanent. And of course, that's where we are today. But that time, in my head, sort of just is a confirmation that Jews and Arabs have a lot more in common and can get along … if the situation was different. MANYA: As the son of an Israeli citizen, Oren is considered an Israeli citizen too. But he concedes that he is not fully Israeli. That requires more sacrifice. In 1982, at the age of 17, he signed up for Chetz V'Keshet, at that time a 10-week program run in conjunction with the Israel Defense Forces for American and Canadian teens and designed to foster a connection to Israel. The program took place during the First Lebanon War, Israel's operation to remove terrorists from southern Lebanon, where they had been launching attacks against Israeli civilians. OREN: So this was a mix of basic training, where we trained with artillery and things and did a lot of war games. And from there, you know, their hope was that you would join the military for three years. And I did not continue. I guess there's a part of me that regrets that. Even though I'm an Israeli citizen, I can't say I'm Israeli in the way that Israelis are. If the older me would look back, then I would say, ‘If you really want to be connected to Israel, the military is really the only way. I'd say at that young age, I didn't understand that the larger picture of what being Jewish, what being Israeli is, and it's about stepping up. MANYA: Now in his early 50s, Oren tries to step up by confronting the anti-Israel propaganda that's become commonplace in both of his professional worlds: theater and academia. In addition to writing his own scripts and screenplays, he has taught college level playwriting and screenwriting. He knows all too often students fall prey to misinformation and consider anything they see on social media or hear from their friends as an authoritative source. A few years ago, Oren assigned his students the task of writing a script based on real-life experience and research. One of the students drafted a script about bloodthirsty Israelis killing Palestinian children. When Oren asked why he chose that topic and where he got his facts, the student cited his roommate. Oren didn't discourage him from pitching the script to his classmates, but warned him to come prepared to defend it with facts. The student turned in a script on an entirely different topic. OREN: You know, there were a lot of plays that came up in the past 10 years that were anti-Israel. You'd be very hard-pressed to find me one that's positive about Israel. No one's doing them. MANYA: Two of his scripts have come close. In 2017, he staged a play at the St. James Theatre in Old Montreal titled Mr. Goldberg Goes to Tel Aviv– a farce about a gay Jewish author who arrives in Tel Aviv to deliver a blistering attack on the Israeli government to the country's left-leaning literati. But before he even leaves his hotel room, he is kidnapped by a terrorist. Investors lined up to bring it to the silver screen and Alan Cumming signed on to play Mr. Goldberg. But in May 2021, Hamas terrorists launched rockets at Israeli civilians, igniting an 11-day war. The conflict led to a major spike in antisemitism globally. OREN: The money people panicked and said, ‘We can't put up a comedy about the Middle East within this environment. Somebody is going to protest and shut us down,' and they cut out. MANYA: Two years later, an Israeli investor expressed interest in giving the movie a second chance. Then on October 7 [2023], Hamas launched a surprise attack on 20 Israeli communities -- the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. More than 1,200 Israelis have been killed, thousands of rockets have been fired on Israel, and more than 100 hostages are still in captivity. OREN: Mr. Goldberg Goes to Tel Aviv collapsed after October 7th. I don't think anybody would have the appetite for a comedy about a Hamas assassin taking a left-wing Jew hostage in a hotel room. MANYA: Another play titled “Boycott This” was inspired by Oren's visit to a coffee shop in Oaxaca, Mexico in 2011. The walls of the cafe were plastered with posters urging boycotts of Israel and accusing it of blood libel. Oren and his daughter created their own posters and stood outside the coffee shop calling on customers to boycott the cafe instead. But the father and daughter's impromptu protest is just one of three storylines in the play, including one about the 1943 boycott of Jews in Poland–where his mother spent part of her childhood in hiding during the Holocaust. The third storyline takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where Iran has succeeded in wiping Israel off the map. A Jewish woman has been forced to become one of the enemy's wives – a threat some hostages taken on October 7 have reported hearing from their captors. OREN: It was really my attempt to try and show how the boycotts of Israel today, in light of, you know, 1943, were really not different. MANYA: Even now, Oren has not been able to convince a college or theater to stage “Boycott This,” including the Jewish museum in Los Angeles that hosted his daughter's bat mitzvah on October 7, 2023. OREN: I've sort of wanted to shine a light on North American Jews being hypercritical of Israel, which I guess ties into BDS. Because I've spent a lot of time in Israel. And I know what it is. It's not a simple thing. And I think it's very easy for Americans in the comfort of their little brownstones in Brooklyn, and houses in Cambridge to criticize, but these people that live in Israel are really standing the line for them. MANYA: When Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton finally secured a legal way for Syrian Jews to leave between 1992 and 1994, most did. The last Jews of Aleppo were evacuated from the city in October 2016. MARCUS: They took all the siddurim and everything, put them in boxes. It was just essentially closing shop for good. They knew they're not coming back. MANYA: The food, liturgy, music, the traditions of hospitality and social welfare endure, but far from the world of which it was part. Walk into any synagogue in the Aleppo tradition after sundown on Shabbat and be treated to a concert until dawn – a custom called baqashot. MANYA: Before Oren's grandmother Rachel passed away, his cousin Rebecca did a piece for Canadian Broadcast News featuring their 95-year-old grandmother in the kitchen. RACHEL SAFDIE: When we were children, we used to love all these dishes. My mother used to make them all the time and it's very, very tasty. Anything made, Middle East food, is very tasty. OREN: It's 10 minutes for me to see my grandmother again, in video, cooking the mehshi kusa, which is sort of the stuffed eggplant with the apricots and the meat. And there's really a great moment in it, because they're doing it together and they put it in the oven, and at the end of this 10-minute movie, they all come out of the oven, and like they're looking at it and they're tasting, and my grandmother points … RACHEL: I know which ones you did. You did this one. CBN INTERVIEWER: How do you know? RACHEL: I know. And this recipe has been handed down from generation to generation. OREN: It's so much like my grandmother because she's sort of a perfectionist, but she did everything without measuring. It was all by feel. The kibbeh, beans and lamb and potatoes and chicken but done in a different way than the Ashkenaz. I don't know how to sort of describe it. The ka'ake, which were like these little pretzels that are, I'd say they have a taste of cumin in them. MARCUS: Stuffed aubergine, stuffed zucchini, tomatoes, with rice, pine nuts and ground beef and so forth. Meatballs with sour cherries during the cherry season. MANYA: Oren would one day like to see where his ancestors lived. But according to Abraham, few Aleppo Jews share that desire. After the Civil War and Siege of Aleppo in 2012 there's little left to see. And even when there was, Aleppo's Jews tended to make a clean break. MARCUS: People did not go back to visit, the second and third generations did not go back. So you see, for example, here Irish people of Irish origin in the United States, they still have families there. And they go, and they take the kids to see what Ireland is like. Italians, they do the same, because they have a kind of sense, this is our origin. And with Aleppo, there wasn't. This is a really unusual situation in terms of migrations of people not going back to the place. And I think that probably will continue that way. MANYA: Syrian Jews are just one of the many Jewish communities who, in the last century, left Arab countries to forge new lives for themselves and future generations. Join us next week as we share another untold story of The Forgotten Exodus. Many thanks to Oren and Moshe for sharing their story. You can read more in Moshe's memoir If Walls Could Speak: My Life in Architecture. Too many times during my reporting, I encountered children and grandchildren who didn't have the answers to my questions because they'd never asked. That's why one of the goals of this project is to encourage you to ask those questions. Find your stories. Atara Lakritz is our producer. T.K. Broderick is our sound engineer. Special thanks to Jon Schweitzer, Nicole Mazur, Sean Savage, and Madeleine Stern, and so many of our colleagues, too many to name really, for making this series possible. You can subscribe to The Forgotten Exodus on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can learn more at AJC.org/theforgottenexodus. The views and opinions of our guests don't necessarily reflect the positions of AJC. You can reach us at theforgottenexodus@ajc.org. If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to spread the word, and hop onto Apple Podcasts or Spotify to rate us and write a review to help more listeners find us.
Zero Ethnic Divide - Not Racially Pure but SinfullyWebsite: http://www.battle4freedom.comNetwork: https://www.mojo50.comStreaming: https://www.rumble.com/Battle4Freedomhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+3%3A28&version=CJBGalatians 3:28there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor freeman, neither male nor female; for in union with the Messiah Yeshua, you are all one.https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2010&version=CJBHistorical data that is not based on race.1 Here is the genealogy of the sons of Noach — Shem, Ham and Yefet; sons were born to them after the flood.Lineage of Yefet2 The sons of Yefet were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Yavan, Tuval, Meshekh and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Rifat and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Yavan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim. 5 From these the islands of the nations were divided into their lands, each according to its language, according to their families, in their nations.Lineage of Ham6 The sons of Ham were Kush, Mitzrayim, Put and Kena'an. 7 The sons of Kush were S'va, Havilah, Savta, Ra'mah and Savt'kha. The sons of Ra'mah were Sh'va and D'dan.8 Kush fathered Nimrod, who was the first powerful ruler on earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before Adonai — this is why people say, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before Adonai.” 10 His kingdom began with Bavel, Erekh, Akkad and Kalneh, in the land of Shin'ar. 11 Ashur went out from that land and built Ninveh, the city Rechovot, Kelach, 12 and Resen between Ninveh and Kelach — that one is the great city.13 Mitzrayim fathered the Ludim, the 'Anamim, the L'havim, the Naftuchim, 14 the Patrusim, the Kasluchim (from whom came the P'lishtim) and the Kaftorim.15 Kena'an fathered Tzidon his firstborn, Het, 16 the Y'vusi, the Emori, the Girgashi, 17 the Hivi, the 'Arki, the Sini, 18 the Arvadi, the Tz'mari and the Hamati. Afterwards, the families of the Kena'ani were dispersed. 19 The border of the Kena'ani was from Tzidon, as you go toward G'rar, to 'Azah; as you go toward S'dom, 'Amora, Admah and Tzvoyim, to Lesha.20 These were the descendants of Ham, according to their families and languages, in their lands and in their nations.Lineage of Shem21 Children were also born to Shem, ancestor of all the descendants of 'Ever and older brother of Yefet. 22 The sons of Shem were 'Elam, Ashur, Arpakhshad, Lud and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram were 'Utz, Hul, Geter and Mash. 24 Arpakhshad fathered Shelach, and Shelach fathered 'Ever. 25 To 'Ever were born two sons. One was given the name Peleg [division], because during his lifetime the earth was divided. His brother's name was Yoktan. 26 Yoktan fathered Almodad, Shelef, Hatzar-Mavet, Yerach, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 'Oval, Avima'el, Sheva, 29 Ofir, Havilah and Yovav — all these were the sons of Yoktan. 30 Their territory stretched from Mesha, as you go toward S'far, to the mountain in the east.31 These were the descendants of Shem, according to their families and languages, in their lands and in their nations.32 These were the families of the sons of Noach, according to their generations, in their nations. From these the nations of the earth were divided up after the flood.
For study, consult elder chasidim. Generally, start Tanya with volumes 3, 2, and then 1. Also, study from Derech Mitzvosecha. Approach study with Naseh Venishma: study and understanding will come in time, even if it seems difficult at first. The Yetzer Hara nowadays especially tries to stop people from learning Chassidus. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/011/009/3569
Join us for a fascinating journey through the intersection of Jewish history, copyright law, and community politics in our latest episode, "Printing Press Politics: Investigating the Mishneh Torah Copyright Controversy". Dr. Tamara Morsel-Eisenberg, a renowned expert in Jewish studies, joins us to delve into the contentious debate surrounding the reprinting of Maimonides' monumental work, the Mishneh Torah - as addressed by the Rema (responsum no. 10). From the printing presses of 16th-century Italy to modern-day copyright disputes, we explore how this controversy reflects deeper tensions between ownership, accessibility, and the public good. With Dr. Morsel-Eisenberg's insightful guidance, we uncover the complex dynamics shaping the future of Jewish publishing and the dissemination of Torah knowledge. Bio: Dr. Tamara Morsel-Eisenberg is assistant professor of Jewish History at NYU's Skirball Department for Hebrew and Judaic Studies. She specializes in the cultural and intellectual history of early modern Ashkenaz, especially the history of halakha, and is interested in how knowledge, law, and history interact. Dr. Morsel-Eisenberg has held fellowships at the Leo Baeck Institute, the Center for Jewish History, and Harvard. She has written numerous articles on early modern halakha and the transmission of knowledge in academic journals, including the Journal for the History of Ideas, AJS Review, Diné Israel and Critical Inquiry, as well as more popular outlets such as Tablet magazine and the Lehrhaus. Starting in Spring 2025, Dr. Morsel-Eisenberg will be teaching at Tel Aviv University. To view the Mishneh Torah 1550 Justiniani Title Page referenced in the episode, please click here.
Many hold that it is permissible to change from Ashkenaz to Sefard, while everyone agrees that it is not permitted to change from Sefard to Ashkenaz. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/011/008/3445
Meryl chats with Michelle about her new novel, Babylon: A Novel of Jewish Captivity (September 12, 2023). They discuss how Michelle came to write about the Biblical saga of the Babylonian exile, and its meaning for today. They also talk about historical fiction and Michelle's writing and research process. Michelle is the award-winning author of several works of historical fiction and poetry including Beyond the Ghetto Gates, The Fruit of Her Hands: The Story of Shira of Ashkenaz, and In the Shadow of the Globe. Her new novel, Babylon: A Novel of Jewish Captivity is the multi-generational Biblical saga of Sarah, her children and grandchildren, exiled to Babylon when King Nebuchadnezzar's army conquers Judea and destroys the Temple. Michelle lived in Israel for fifteen years and served as an officer in the Israeli army teaching air force cadets technical English. She is a director of The Writers Circle, a NJ-based organization that offers creative writing programs to children, teens, and adults. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and has two grown sons. Author's website: michelle-cameron.com/ Instagram: @michellecameronwriter Facebook: www.facebook.com/michellecameronauthor Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network #AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #MichelleCameron #Babylon #ANovelOfCaptivity #BabylonianExile #Intermarriage #DestructionOfTheTemple #Sarah #DanielTheProphet #Nebuchadnezzer #Judea #HistoricalFiction #TheBible #BeyondTheGhettoGates #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #Sequel #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead!
église AB Lausanne ; KJV Genesis 10 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. ...
In this shiur we discuss: 1) Cooking on non-kosher grates, 2) Making kiddush on whiskey, coffee and tea, 3) Davening at a plag mincha/maariv minyan, 4) Davening at a 7:00 minyan on Friday night's, 5) The bracha of Borei Minei Bisamim, 6) The bracha of Hatov V'Hameitiv on wine, 7) Someone who davens Nusach Sefard who is in a Ashkenaz shul when should he recite Aleinu in the mornings?
In 1827 Czar Nicholas I implemented the military draft on the Jewish community of Russia as a means of integrating Jews into Russian society. The Jewish kahal was required to supply the young recruits, who then generally served for 25 years in the Czar's army. The most infamous element of the draft was the cantonists. These were a select group of future draftees who were taken at a younger age to special cantonist brigades, where they underwent paramilitary training, and significant percentages of its ranks converted to the Russian Orthodox Church. The story of the cantonists in Czar Nicholas's army has gone down in Jewish lore as one of the great tragedies of modern Jewish history. Through both fact and legend, the cantonists fate has come to define the troubled relationship between the Czarist government and the Jewish subjects of the Pale, as well as the points of tension and conflict within the Jewish community itself. Though the military reforms of Nicholas's successor Czar Alexander II ended the cantonist draft and shortened the general military draft following the end of the Crimean War in 1856, the saga of the cantonists would haunt Jewish history for decades to come. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: yehuda@yehudageberer.com
In this episode we take a more in depth look at the origins of the different Nusachs. Can someone change from Ashkenaz to Sefard, or from Sefard to Ashkenaz? What is the issue connected to? We also look at the issue of does Chassidus have any antinomian element to it? Where does the practice of davening after, ‘the time of Tefila', come from? Nach Yomi: Join R' Wittenstein's Nach Yomi on WhatsApp. We learn a perek a day five days a week, with a nine minute shiur covering the key issues. Click here to join! For tours, speaking engagements, or sponsorships contact us at jewishhistoryuncensored@gmail.com PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS
Les Juifs ne forment pas un peuple monolithique. Ils sont en effet divisés en deux groupes principaux, les Ashkénazes et les Séfarades. Ce qui distingue d'abord ces deux familles, ce sont leurs origines géographiques. Venant du nom de celui d'un patriarche biblique, Ashkenaz, le terme "Ashkénaze" se réfère à l'Allemagne dans la littérature rabbinique. Par extension, il en est venu à désigner non seulement les Juifs vivant en Allemagne, mais aussi tous ceux qui se sont installés en Europe du Nord et de l'Est. De son côté, le terme "Séfarade", tiré d'un verset de la Bible, s'applique d'abord aux Juifs installés en Espagne, au Ier siècle de notre ère, puis, après leur expulsion de la péninsule ibérique, à la fin du XVe siècle, à ceux qui émigrent notamment vers le continent américain et l'Afrique du Nord. Ashkénazes et Séfarades diffèrent encore dans d'autres domaines. À commencer par celui de la langue. En effet, les Juifs Ashkénazes parlaient plutôt le yiddish, un mélange d'allemand et de langues slaves. L'idiome des Séfarades était plutôt le judéo-arabe, une forme de dialecte arabe adopté par cette famille de Juifs. Ces langues n'étant presque plus parlées aujourd'hui, ces différences linguistiques se sont estompées. D'autres différences tiennent aux pratiques cultuelles. Si les grands principes de la religion hébraïque sont communs aux deux groupes, Ashkénazes et Séfarades n'ont pas fait les mêmes choix en matière de littérature sacrée. En effet, les premiers étudient plutôt le Talmud de Jérusalem, alors que les seconds préfèrent le Talmud de Babylone. Rappelons que ces livres religieux contiennent les enseignements et les préceptes des rabbins les plus éminents. Des nuances existent également en matière de culture. En effet, les traditions musicales des Séfarades s'inspirent surtout de l'Espagne, alors que la musique ashkénaze, avec notamment le "klezmer", un style instrumental caractéristique, dérive plutôt des rythmes du Moyen-Orient. Enfin, la cuisine séfarade privilégie les produits de la mer, comme le poisson frit, alors que les Ashkénazes aiment déguster des mets plus consistants, comme le ragoût de bœuf ou la carpe farcie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Les Juifs ne forment pas un peuple monolithique. Ils sont en effet divisés en deux groupes principaux, les Ashkénazes et les Séfarades.Ce qui distingue d'abord ces deux familles, ce sont leurs origines géographiques. Venant du nom de celui d'un patriarche biblique, Ashkenaz, le terme "Ashkénaze" se réfère à l'Allemagne dans la littérature rabbinique.Par extension, il en est venu à désigner non seulement les Juifs vivant en Allemagne, mais aussi tous ceux qui se sont installés en Europe du Nord et de l'Est.De son côté, le terme "Séfarade", tiré d'un verset de la Bible, s'applique d'abord aux Juifs installés en Espagne, au Ier siècle de notre ère, puis, après leur expulsion de la péninsule ibérique, à la fin du XVe siècle, à ceux qui émigrent notamment vers le continent américain et l'Afrique du Nord.Ashkénazes et Séfarades diffèrent encore dans d'autres domaines. À commencer par celui de la langue. En effet, les Juifs Ashkénazes parlaient plutôt le yiddish, un mélange d'allemand et de langues slaves.L'idiome des Séfarades était plutôt le judéo-arabe, une forme de dialecte arabe adopté par cette famille de Juifs. Ces langues n'étant presque plus parlées aujourd'hui, ces différences linguistiques se sont estompées.D'autres différences tiennent aux pratiques cultuelles. Si les grands principes de la religion hébraïque sont communs aux deux groupes, Ashkénazes et Séfarades n'ont pas fait les mêmes choix en matière de littérature sacrée.En effet, les premiers étudient plutôt le Talmud de Jérusalem, alors que les seconds préfèrent le Talmud de Babylone. Rappelons que ces livres religieux contiennent les enseignements et les préceptes des rabbins les plus éminents.Des nuances existent également en matière de culture. En effet, les traditions musicales des Séfarades s'inspirent surtout de l'Espagne, alors que la musique ashkénaze, avec notamment le "klezmer", un style instrumental caractéristique, dérive plutôt des rythmes du Moyen-Orient.Enfin, la cuisine séfarade privilégie les produits de la mer, comme le poisson frit, alors que les Ashkénazes aiment déguster des mets plus consistants, comme le ragoût de bœuf ou la carpe farcie. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.
Daily Halacha Podcast - Daily Halacha By Rabbi Eli J. Mansour
The Poskim discuss whether a man who is away from home in a hotel may light Hanukah candles with a Beracha, if his wife is at home lighting for the family. Is he automatically included in the lighting done at home, in which case his Beracha would be L'vatala (in vein)? The Trumat HaDeshen (Rabbi Yisrael Isserlein, 1390-1460, Ashkenaz) in Siman 101 deals with such a case and rules that he may light with a Beracha. He has the right to light with the Beracha under the category of "Mehadrin Min HaMehadrin" which mandates that every single member of the house lights, which means, in this case, even if he is not in the house. The Maharil (Rabbi Yaakov ben Moshe Levi Moelin, 1365-1427, Germany) also rules that he may light, but for a different reason. He can consciously exclude himself from being subsumed in his wife's lighting. By having Negative Kavana (intent) he cannot be forced to be included in her Beracha. The Rema (Siman 677) rules in accordance with this Maharil. The Mishna Berura there says that while one cannot object to someone following this Rema, it is preferable not to recite the Beracha himself but to hear it from somebody who is certainly obligated. On the other hand, the Peri Hadash (Rav Hizkiya Da Silva, 1656-1695) and the Hida (Rabbi Hayim Yosef David Azulai,1724-1807) rule that one should not recite a Beracha when away from home. They argue that negative Kavana does not work in this case because the Misva is on the house, and once they lit at home, it is no longer in his control; his house and him have already fulfilled the Misva. The consensus of Hacham Bension and Hacham Ovadia in the name of Hacham Ezra Atiya is NOT to recite a Beracha when away from home. If he wants to light without a Beracha, that is his prerogative. However, there is a case in which he would be obligated to light without a Beracha: If one did not know this Halacha and had negative Kavana to exclude himself from his wife's lighting, he has put himself in a debacle. Now, according to the Maharil and Rema he has not fulfilled his Misva, yet according to the other authorities he has. His only solution is to light, to fulfill the Maharil's opinion, but not recite a Beracha, in deference to the other opinions. SUMMARY If one is away from home on Hanukah in a hotel, if his wife is lighting at home, he may light but not recite a Beracha.
Favorite Episodes | Initially released in December 2022. We can learn about the public presence of women in a given society by examining how various rabbis understood the story of Dina. We'll witness the difference between Ashkenazic and Sefardic commentaries, between the Tanchuma and Bereishis Rabah, and between Ashkenazic and Sefardic halachic norms. Between Ashkenaz and Sefard: Medieval Women, Biblical Dena, and the Public Square
Old Testament: Jeremiah 51–52 Jeremiah 51–52 (Listen) The Utter Destruction of Babylon 51 Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai,12 and I will send to Babylon winnowers, and they shall winnow her, and they shall empty her land, when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble.3 Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not stand up in his armor. Spare not her young men; devote to destruction2 all her army.4 They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and wounded in her streets.5 For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the LORD of hosts, but the land of the Chaldeans3 is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel. 6 “Flee from the midst of Babylon; let every one save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance, the repayment he is rendering her.7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.9 We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies.10 The LORD has brought about our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God. 11 “Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for his temple. 12 “Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up watchmen; prepare the ambushes; for the LORD has both planned and done what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.13 O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.14 The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself: Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory over you. 15 “It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.16 When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.17 Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.18 They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.19 Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name. 20 “You are my hammer and weapon of war: with you I break nations in pieces; with you I destroy kingdoms;21 with you I break in pieces the horse and his rider; with you I break in pieces the chariot and the charioteer;22 with you I break in pieces man and woman; with you I break in pieces the old man and the youth; with you I break in pieces the young man and the young woman;23 with you I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; with you I break in pieces the farmer and his team; with you I break in pieces governors and commanders. 24 “I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea before your very eyes for all the evil that they have done in Zion, declares the LORD. 25 “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares the LORD, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burnt mountain.26 No stone shall be taken from you for a corner and no stone for a foundation, but you shall be a perpetual waste, declares the LORD. 27 “Set up a standard on the earth; blow the trumpet among the nations; prepare the nations for war against her; summon against her the kingdoms, Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz; appoint a marshal against her; bring up horses like bristling locusts.28 Prepare the nations for war against her, the kings of the Medes, with their governors and deputies, and every land under their dominion.29 The land trembles and writhes in pain, for the LORD's purposes against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.30 The warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting; they remain in their strongholds; their strength has failed; they have become women; her dwellings are on fire; her bars are broken.31 One runner runs to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to tell the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every side;32 the fords have been seized, the marshes are burned with fire, and the soldiers are in panic.33 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while and the time of her harvest will come.” 34 “Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me; he has made me an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he has filled his stomach with my delicacies; he has rinsed me out.435 The violence done to me and to my kinsmen be upon Babylon,” let the inhabitant of Zion say. “My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,” let Jerusalem say.36 Therefore thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry,37 and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, the haunt of jackals, a horror and a hissing, without inhabitant. 38 “They shall roar together like lions; they shall growl like lions' cubs.39 While they are inflamed I will prepare them a feast and make them drunk, that they may become merry, then sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the LORD.40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams and male goats. 41 “How Babylon5 is taken, the praise of the whole earth seized! How Babylon has become a horror among the nations!42 The sea has come up on Babylon; she is covered with its tumultuous waves.43 Her cities have become a horror, a land of drought and a desert, a land in which no one dwells, and through which no son of man passes.44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and take out of his mouth what he has swallowed. The nations shall no longer flow to him; the wall of Babylon has fallen. 45 “Go out of the midst of her, my people! Let every one save his life from the fierce anger of the LORD!46 Let not your heart faint, and be not fearful at the report heard in the land, when a report comes in one year and afterward a report in another year, and violence is in the land, and ruler is against ruler. 47 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the images of Babylon; her whole land shall be put to shame, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.48 Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, shall sing for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers shall come against them out of the north, declares the LORD.49 Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth. 50 “You who have escaped from the sword, go, do not stand still! Remember the LORD from far away, and let Jerusalem come into your mind:51 ‘We are put to shame, for we have heard reproach; dishonor has covered our face, for foreigners have come into the holy places of the LORD's house.' 52 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will execute judgment upon her images, and through all her land the wounded shall groan.53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify her strong height, yet destroyers would come from me against her, declares the LORD. 54 “A voice! A cry from Babylon! The noise of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!55 For the LORD is laying Babylon waste and stilling her mighty voice. Their waves roar like many waters; the noise of their voice is raised,56 for a destroyer has come upon her, upon Babylon; her warriors are taken; their bows are broken in pieces, for the LORD is a God of recompense; he will surely repay.57 I will make drunk her officials and her wise men, her governors, her commanders, and her warriors; they shall sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 58 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: The broad wall of Babylon shall be leveled to the ground, and her high gates shall be burned with fire. The peoples labor for nothing, and the nations weary themselves only for fire.” 59 The word that Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah king of Judah to Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign. Seraiah was the quartermaster. 60 Jeremiah wrote in a book all the disaster that should come upon Babylon, all these words that are written concerning Babylon. 61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah: “When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, 62 and say, ‘O LORD, you have said concerning this place that you will cut it off, so that nothing shall dwell in it, neither man nor beast, and it shall be desolate forever.' 63 When you finish reading this book, tie a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates, 64 and say, ‘Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disaster that I am bringing upon her, and they shall become exhausted.'” Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. The Fall of Jerusalem Recounted 52 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3 For because of the anger of the LORD it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4 And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and laid siege to it. And they built siegeworks all around it. 5 So the city was besieged till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 6 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 7 Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled and went out from the city by night by the way of a gate between the two walls, by the king's garden, and the Chaldeans were around the city. And they went in the direction of the Arabah. 8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. 9 Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. 10 The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah. 11 He put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in chains, and the king of Babylon took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death. The Temple Burned 12 In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who served the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. 13 And he burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. 15 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive some of the poorest of the people and the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the artisans. 16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen. 17 And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all the bronze to Babylon. 18 And they took away the pots and the shovels and the snuffers and the basins and the dishes for incense and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple service; 19 also the small bowls and the fire pans and the basins and the pots and the lampstands and the dishes for incense and the bowls for drink offerings. What was of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver. 20 As for the two pillars, the one sea, the twelve bronze bulls that were under the sea,6 and the stands, which Solomon the king had made for the house of the LORD, the bronze of all these things was beyond weight. 21 As for the pillars, the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits,7 its circumference was twelve cubits, and its thickness was four fingers, and it was hollow. 22 On it was a capital of bronze. The height of the one capital was five cubits. A network and pomegranates, all of bronze, were around the capital. And the second pillar had the same, with pomegranates. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; all the pomegranates were a hundred upon the network all around. The People Exiled to Babylon 24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the threshold; 25 and from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the men of war, and seven men of the king's council, who were found in the city; and the secretary of the commander of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the midst of the city. 26 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 And the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken into exile out of
Old Testament: Jeremiah 51–52 Jeremiah 51–52 (Listen) The Utter Destruction of Babylon 51 Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai,12 and I will send to Babylon winnowers, and they shall winnow her, and they shall empty her land, when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble.3 Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not stand up in his armor. Spare not her young men; devote to destruction2 all her army.4 They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and wounded in her streets.5 For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the LORD of hosts, but the land of the Chaldeans3 is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel. 6 “Flee from the midst of Babylon; let every one save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance, the repayment he is rendering her.7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.9 We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies.10 The LORD has brought about our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God. 11 “Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for his temple. 12 “Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up watchmen; prepare the ambushes; for the LORD has both planned and done what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.13 O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.14 The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself: Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory over you. 15 “It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.16 When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.17 Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.18 They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.19 Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name. 20 “You are my hammer and weapon of war: with you I break nations in pieces; with you I destroy kingdoms;21 with you I break in pieces the horse and his rider; with you I break in pieces the chariot and the charioteer;22 with you I break in pieces man and woman; with you I break in pieces the old man and the youth; with you I break in pieces the young man and the young woman;23 with you I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; with you I break in pieces the farmer and his team; with you I break in pieces governors and commanders. 24 “I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea before your very eyes for all the evil that they have done in Zion, declares the LORD. 25 “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares the LORD, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burnt mountain.26 No stone shall be taken from you for a corner and no stone for a foundation, but you shall be a perpetual waste, declares the LORD. 27 “Set up a standard on the earth; blow the trumpet among the nations; prepare the nations for war against her; summon against her the kingdoms, Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz; appoint a marshal against her; bring up horses like bristling locusts.28 Prepare the nations for war against her, the kings of the Medes, with their governors and deputies, and every land under their dominion.29 The land trembles and writhes in pain, for the LORD's purposes against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.30 The warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting; they remain in their strongholds; their strength has failed; they have become women; her dwellings are on fire; her bars are broken.31 One runner runs to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to tell the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every side;32 the fords have been seized, the marshes are burned with fire, and the soldiers are in panic.33 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while and the time of her harvest will come.” 34 “Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me; he has made me an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he has filled his stomach with my delicacies; he has rinsed me out.435 The violence done to me and to my kinsmen be upon Babylon,” let the inhabitant of Zion say. “My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,” let Jerusalem say.36 Therefore thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry,37 and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, the haunt of jackals, a horror and a hissing, without inhabitant. 38 “They shall roar together like lions; they shall growl like lions' cubs.39 While they are inflamed I will prepare them a feast and make them drunk, that they may become merry, then sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the LORD.40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams and male goats. 41 “How Babylon5 is taken, the praise of the whole earth seized! How Babylon has become a horror among the nations!42 The sea has come up on Babylon; she is covered with its tumultuous waves.43 Her cities have become a horror, a land of drought and a desert, a land in which no one dwells, and through which no son of man passes.44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and take out of his mouth what he has swallowed. The nations shall no longer flow to him; the wall of Babylon has fallen. 45 “Go out of the midst of her, my people! Let every one save his life from the fierce anger of the LORD!46 Let not your heart faint, and be not fearful at the report heard in the land, when a report comes in one year and afterward a report in another year, and violence is in the land, and ruler is against ruler. 47 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the images of Babylon; her whole land shall be put to shame, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.48 Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, shall sing for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers shall come against them out of the north, declares the LORD.49 Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth. 50 “You who have escaped from the sword, go, do not stand still! Remember the LORD from far away, and let Jerusalem come into your mind:51 ‘We are put to shame, for we have heard reproach; dishonor has covered our face, for foreigners have come into the holy places of the LORD's house.' 52 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will execute judgment upon her images, and through all her land the wounded shall groan.53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify her strong height, yet destroyers would come from me against her, declares the LORD. 54 “A voice! A cry from Babylon! The noise of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!55 For the LORD is laying Babylon waste and stilling her mighty voice. Their waves roar like many waters; the noise of their voice is raised,56 for a destroyer has come upon her, upon Babylon; her warriors are taken; their bows are broken in pieces, for the LORD is a God of recompense; he will surely repay.57 I will make drunk her officials and her wise men, her governors, her commanders, and her warriors; they shall sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 58 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: The broad wall of Babylon shall be leveled to the ground, and her high gates shall be burned with fire. The peoples labor for nothing, and the nations weary themselves only for fire.” 59 The word that Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah king of Judah to Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign. Seraiah was the quartermaster. 60 Jeremiah wrote in a book all the disaster that should come upon Babylon, all these words that are written concerning Babylon. 61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah: “When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, 62 and say, ‘O LORD, you have said concerning this place that you will cut it off, so that nothing shall dwell in it, neither man nor beast, and it shall be desolate forever.' 63 When you finish reading this book, tie a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates, 64 and say, ‘Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disaster that I am bringing upon her, and they shall become exhausted.'” Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. The Fall of Jerusalem Recounted 52 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3 For because of the anger of the LORD it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4 And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and laid siege to it. And they built siegeworks all around it. 5 So the city was besieged till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 6 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 7 Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled and went out from the city by night by the way of a gate between the two walls, by the king's garden, and the Chaldeans were around the city. And they went in the direction of the Arabah. 8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. 9 Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. 10 The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah. 11 He put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in chains, and the king of Babylon took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death. The Temple Burned 12 In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who served the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. 13 And he burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. 15 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive some of the poorest of the people and the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the artisans. 16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen. 17 And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all the bronze to Babylon. 18 And they took away the pots and the shovels and the snuffers and the basins and the dishes for incense and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple service; 19 also the small bowls and the fire pans and the basins and the pots and the lampstands and the dishes for incense and the bowls for drink offerings. What was of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver. 20 As for the two pillars, the one sea, the twelve bronze bulls that were under the sea,6 and the stands, which Solomon the king had made for the house of the LORD, the bronze of all these things was beyond weight. 21 As for the pillars, the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits,7 its circumference was twelve cubits, and its thickness was four fingers, and it was hollow. 22 On it was a capital of bronze. The height of the one capital was five cubits. A network and pomegranates, all of bronze, were around the capital. And the second pillar had the same, with pomegranates. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; all the pomegranates were a hundred upon the network all around. The People Exiled to Babylon 24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the threshold; 25 and from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the men of war, and seven men of the king's council, who were found in the city; and the secretary of the commander of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the midst of the city. 26 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 And the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken into exile out of
Morning: Jeremiah 51–52 Jeremiah 51–52 (Listen) The Utter Destruction of Babylon 51 Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai,12 and I will send to Babylon winnowers, and they shall winnow her, and they shall empty her land, when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble.3 Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not stand up in his armor. Spare not her young men; devote to destruction2 all her army.4 They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and wounded in her streets.5 For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the LORD of hosts, but the land of the Chaldeans3 is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel. 6 “Flee from the midst of Babylon; let every one save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance, the repayment he is rendering her.7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.9 We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies.10 The LORD has brought about our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God. 11 “Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for his temple. 12 “Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up watchmen; prepare the ambushes; for the LORD has both planned and done what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.13 O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.14 The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself: Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory over you. 15 “It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.16 When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.17 Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.18 They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.19 Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name. 20 “You are my hammer and weapon of war: with you I break nations in pieces; with you I destroy kingdoms;21 with you I break in pieces the horse and his rider; with you I break in pieces the chariot and the charioteer;22 with you I break in pieces man and woman; with you I break in pieces the old man and the youth; with you I break in pieces the young man and the young woman;23 with you I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; with you I break in pieces the farmer and his team; with you I break in pieces governors and commanders. 24 “I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea before your very eyes for all the evil that they have done in Zion, declares the LORD. 25 “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares the LORD, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burnt mountain.26 No stone shall be taken from you for a corner and no stone for a foundation, but you shall be a perpetual waste, declares the LORD. 27 “Set up a standard on the earth; blow the trumpet among the nations; prepare the nations for war against her; summon against her the kingdoms, Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz; appoint a marshal against her; bring up horses like bristling locusts.28 Prepare the nations for war against her, the kings of the Medes, with their governors and deputies, and every land under their dominion.29 The land trembles and writhes in pain, for the LORD's purposes against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.30 The warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting; they remain in their strongholds; their strength has failed; they have become women; her dwellings are on fire; her bars are broken.31 One runner runs to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to tell the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every side;32 the fords have been seized, the marshes are burned with fire, and the soldiers are in panic.33 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while and the time of her harvest will come.” 34 “Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me; he has made me an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he has filled his stomach with my delicacies; he has rinsed me out.435 The violence done to me and to my kinsmen be upon Babylon,” let the inhabitant of Zion say. “My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,” let Jerusalem say.36 Therefore thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry,37 and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, the haunt of jackals, a horror and a hissing, without inhabitant. 38 “They shall roar together like lions; they shall growl like lions' cubs.39 While they are inflamed I will prepare them a feast and make them drunk, that they may become merry, then sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the LORD.40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams and male goats. 41 “How Babylon5 is taken, the praise of the whole earth seized! How Babylon has become a horror among the nations!42 The sea has come up on Babylon; she is covered with its tumultuous waves.43 Her cities have become a horror, a land of drought and a desert, a land in which no one dwells, and through which no son of man passes.44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and take out of his mouth what he has swallowed. The nations shall no longer flow to him; the wall of Babylon has fallen. 45 “Go out of the midst of her, my people! Let every one save his life from the fierce anger of the LORD!46 Let not your heart faint, and be not fearful at the report heard in the land, when a report comes in one year and afterward a report in another year, and violence is in the land, and ruler is against ruler. 47 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the images of Babylon; her whole land shall be put to shame, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.48 Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, shall sing for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers shall come against them out of the north, declares the LORD.49 Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth. 50 “You who have escaped from the sword, go, do not stand still! Remember the LORD from far away, and let Jerusalem come into your mind:51 ‘We are put to shame, for we have heard reproach; dishonor has covered our face, for foreigners have come into the holy places of the LORD's house.' 52 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will execute judgment upon her images, and through all her land the wounded shall groan.53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify her strong height, yet destroyers would come from me against her, declares the LORD. 54 “A voice! A cry from Babylon! The noise of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!55 For the LORD is laying Babylon waste and stilling her mighty voice. Their waves roar like many waters; the noise of their voice is raised,56 for a destroyer has come upon her, upon Babylon; her warriors are taken; their bows are broken in pieces, for the LORD is a God of recompense; he will surely repay.57 I will make drunk her officials and her wise men, her governors, her commanders, and her warriors; they shall sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 58 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: The broad wall of Babylon shall be leveled to the ground, and her high gates shall be burned with fire. The peoples labor for nothing, and the nations weary themselves only for fire.” 59 The word that Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah king of Judah to Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign. Seraiah was the quartermaster. 60 Jeremiah wrote in a book all the disaster that should come upon Babylon, all these words that are written concerning Babylon. 61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah: “When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, 62 and say, ‘O LORD, you have said concerning this place that you will cut it off, so that nothing shall dwell in it, neither man nor beast, and it shall be desolate forever.' 63 When you finish reading this book, tie a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates, 64 and say, ‘Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disaster that I am bringing upon her, and they shall become exhausted.'” Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. The Fall of Jerusalem Recounted 52 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3 For because of the anger of the LORD it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4 And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and laid siege to it. And they built siegeworks all around it. 5 So the city was besieged till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 6 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 7 Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled and went out from the city by night by the way of a gate between the two walls, by the king's garden, and the Chaldeans were around the city. And they went in the direction of the Arabah. 8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. 9 Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. 10 The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah. 11 He put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in chains, and the king of Babylon took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death. The Temple Burned 12 In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who served the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. 13 And he burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. 15 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive some of the poorest of the people and the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the artisans. 16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen. 17 And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all the bronze to Babylon. 18 And they took away the pots and the shovels and the snuffers and the basins and the dishes for incense and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple service; 19 also the small bowls and the fire pans and the basins and the pots and the lampstands and the dishes for incense and the bowls for drink offerings. What was of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver. 20 As for the two pillars, the one sea, the twelve bronze bulls that were under the sea,6 and the stands, which Solomon the king had made for the house of the LORD, the bronze of all these things was beyond weight. 21 As for the pillars, the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits,7 its circumference was twelve cubits, and its thickness was four fingers, and it was hollow. 22 On it was a capital of bronze. The height of the one capital was five cubits. A network and pomegranates, all of bronze, were around the capital. And the second pillar had the same, with pomegranates. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; all the pomegranates were a hundred upon the network all around. The People Exiled to Babylon 24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the threshold; 25 and from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the men of war, and seven men of the king's council, who were found in the city; and the secretary of the commander of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the midst of the city. 26 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 And the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken into exile out of its la
Meryl chats with Michelle about her new novel, Babylon: A Novel of Jewish Captivity (September 12, 2023). They discuss how Michelle came to write about the Biblical saga of the Babylonian exile, and its meaning for today. They also talk about historical fiction and Michelle's writing and research process. Michelle is the award-winning author of several works of historical fiction and poetry including Beyond the Ghetto Gates, The Fruit of Her Hands: The Story of Shira of Ashkenaz, and In the Shadow of the Globe. Her new novel, Babylon: A Novel of Jewish Captivity is the multi-generational Biblical saga of Sarah, her children and grandchildren, exiled to Babylon when King Nebuchadnezzar's army conquers Judea and destroys the Temple. Michelle lived in Israel for fifteen years and served as an officer in the Israeli army teaching air force cadets technical English. She is a director of The Writers Circle, a NJ-based organization that offers creative writing programs to children, teens, and adults. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and has two grown sons. Author's website: https://michelle-cameron.com/ Instagram: @michellecameronwriter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellecameronauthor Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network #AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #MichelleCameron #Babylon #ANovelOfCaptivity #BabylonianExile #Intermarriage #DestructionOfTheTemple #Sarah #DanielTheProphet #Nebuchadnezzer #Judea #HistoricalFiction #TheBible #BeyondTheGhettoGates #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #Sequel #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead!
We are excited to announce the release of a new book, the Living Emunah on the Parashah. B'ezrat Hashem, it's the first of its kind, and it's now available from ArtScroll and can be ordered using the link below, or can be found in any local bookstore https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422627402.html When a person realizes how intimately Hashem is involved inhis life, it brings such a good feeling. It brings a sense of calm andtranquility. He understands that everything that is transpiring in his life isbeing orchestrated by his loving Father who only wants his best. So even whenthings are not going the way that he hoped, he's still able to remain in acomplete state of happiness, knowing with a clarity that whatever is happeningis exactly what is meant to be happening. Hashem knows our innermost feelings.He feels what we're feeling. He knows what we're going through. That itselfshould give a person chizuk to persevere through times of challenge. When a personsees so clearly Hashem's loving care for him, it strengthens his Emunah in avery big way. A woman told me that one year ago, before Rosh Hashanah,her father received a gift from a Yeshiva that he helped support. It was abeautiful set of black leather-bound benchers. Being that he is Sephardic andthe benchers were nusach Ashkenaz , he really had no use for them. Thenext time he went to visit his daughter at her house, he brought over the setand gave them to her. She said "Dad, I also have no use for these."He told her, "Please find someone who could use them." So she leftthem on her front table for the time being. That erev Shabbat was thefirst time she could remember that she finished her Shabbat preparations early,and she decided to go sit out on her front porch to relax a little. When shewent outside, she saw a religious man walking by. She immediately thought ofthe benchers and ran in to get them. She sent her son to go give them to thatman telling him that they have no use for them and would be happy if someoneelse would use them. Initially, the man refused the extravagant gift, but afterthe woman told him from her porch that he would be doing them a favor by takingthem, he accepted them. Fast forward one year to this year during the AseretYemei Teshuva. This woman got a knock at her door from a Mrs. Goldberg whomshe did not recognize. Mrs. Goldberg said, "I'm here to thank you. I meantto come so many times this year. I just never got around to it. Last year, atthis time you gave my husband the leather-bound benchers. You have no idea whatthat meant to me. You see, last year we had the hardest year financially of ourlives. My husband told me we were not going to be able to buy anything new forthe Yom Tov of Sukkot. I totally accepted it. But there was one thingthat I really wanted— new black leather-bound benchers. I did not tell oneperson about it, not even my husband. Only Hashem knew what was in my heart.Then my husband came home that erev Shabbat and said he managed to getme a Yom Tov present, and explained how. When I saw what it was, I feltlike I got the biggest hug from Hashem. He knew exactly what I wanted, and Hedelivered it right into my hands." The hashgacha of this storyis mind blowing—for that woman to be on her porch at that time, and just thenthe one man whose wife wanted those benchers so badly happened to be walkingby. This episode gave that woman so much strength. Although she was having ahard year, she realized Hashem was in total control and taking care of everyone of her needs. And that gave her the most chizuk.
Short form (not every word)
Jeremiah 51–52 Jeremiah 51–52 (Listen) The Utter Destruction of Babylon 51 Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai,12 and I will send to Babylon winnowers, and they shall winnow her, and they shall empty her land, when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble.3 Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not stand up in his armor. Spare not her young men; devote to destruction2 all her army.4 They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and wounded in her streets.5 For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the LORD of hosts, but the land of the Chaldeans3 is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel. 6 “Flee from the midst of Babylon; let every one save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance, the repayment he is rendering her.7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.9 We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies.10 The LORD has brought about our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God. 11 “Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for his temple. 12 “Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up watchmen; prepare the ambushes; for the LORD has both planned and done what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.13 O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.14 The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself: Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory over you. 15 “It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.16 When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.17 Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.18 They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.19 Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name. 20 “You are my hammer and weapon of war: with you I break nations in pieces; with you I destroy kingdoms;21 with you I break in pieces the horse and his rider; with you I break in pieces the chariot and the charioteer;22 with you I break in pieces man and woman; with you I break in pieces the old man and the youth; with you I break in pieces the young man and the young woman;23 with you I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; with you I break in pieces the farmer and his team; with you I break in pieces governors and commanders. 24 “I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea before your very eyes for all the evil that they have done in Zion, declares the LORD. 25 “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares the LORD, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burnt mountain.26 No stone shall be taken from you for a corner and no stone for a foundation, but you shall be a perpetual waste, declares the LORD. 27 “Set up a standard on the earth; blow the trumpet among the nations; prepare the nations for war against her; summon against her the kingdoms, Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz; appoint a marshal against her; bring up horses like bristling locusts.28 Prepare the nations for war against her, the kings of the Medes, with their governors and deputies, and every land under their dominion.29 The land trembles and writhes in pain, for the LORD's purposes against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.30 The warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting; they remain in their strongholds; their strength has failed; they have become women; her dwellings are on fire; her bars are broken.31 One runner runs to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to tell the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every side;32 the fords have been seized, the marshes are burned with fire, and the soldiers are in panic.33 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while and the time of her harvest will come.” 34 “Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me; he has made me an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he has filled his stomach with my delicacies; he has rinsed me out.435 The violence done to me and to my kinsmen be upon Babylon,” let the inhabitant of Zion say. “My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,” let Jerusalem say.36 Therefore thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry,37 and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, the haunt of jackals, a horror and a hissing, without inhabitant. 38 “They shall roar together like lions; they shall growl like lions' cubs.39 While they are inflamed I will prepare them a feast and make them drunk, that they may become merry, then sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the LORD.40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams and male goats. 41 “How Babylon5 is taken, the praise of the whole earth seized! How Babylon has become a horror among the nations!42 The sea has come up on Babylon; she is covered with its tumultuous waves.43 Her cities have become a horror, a land of drought and a desert, a land in which no one dwells, and through which no son of man passes.44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and take out of his mouth what he has swallowed. The nations shall no longer flow to him; the wall of Babylon has fallen. 45 “Go out of the midst of her, my people! Let every one save his life from the fierce anger of the LORD!46 Let not your heart faint, and be not fearful at the report heard in the land, when a report comes in one year and afterward a report in another year, and violence is in the land, and ruler is against ruler. 47 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the images of Babylon; her whole land shall be put to shame, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.48 Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, shall sing for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers shall come against them out of the north, declares the LORD.49 Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth. 50 “You who have escaped from the sword, go, do not stand still! Remember the LORD from far away, and let Jerusalem come into your mind:51 ‘We are put to shame, for we have heard reproach; dishonor has covered our face, for foreigners have come into the holy places of the LORD's house.' 52 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will execute judgment upon her images, and through all her land the wounded shall groan.53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify her strong height, yet destroyers would come from me against her, declares the LORD. 54 “A voice! A cry from Babylon! The noise of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!55 For the LORD is laying Babylon waste and stilling her mighty voice. Their waves roar like many waters; the noise of their voice is raised,56 for a destroyer has come upon her, upon Babylon; her warriors are taken; their bows are broken in pieces, for the LORD is a God of recompense; he will surely repay.57 I will make drunk her officials and her wise men, her governors, her commanders, and her warriors; they shall sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 58 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: The broad wall of Babylon shall be leveled to the ground, and her high gates shall be burned with fire. The peoples labor for nothing, and the nations weary themselves only for fire.” 59 The word that Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah king of Judah to Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign. Seraiah was the quartermaster. 60 Jeremiah wrote in a book all the disaster that should come upon Babylon, all these words that are written concerning Babylon. 61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah: “When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, 62 and say, ‘O LORD, you have said concerning this place that you will cut it off, so that nothing shall dwell in it, neither man nor beast, and it shall be desolate forever.' 63 When you finish reading this book, tie a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates, 64 and say, ‘Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disaster that I am bringing upon her, and they shall become exhausted.'” Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. The Fall of Jerusalem Recounted 52 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3 For because of the anger of the LORD it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4 And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and laid siege to it. And they built siegeworks all around it. 5 So the city was besieged till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 6 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 7 Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled and went out from the city by night by the way of a gate between the two walls, by the king's garden, and the Chaldeans were around the city. And they went in the direction of the Arabah. 8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. 9 Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. 10 The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah. 11 He put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in chains, and the king of Babylon took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death. The Temple Burned 12 In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who served the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. 13 And he burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. 15 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive some of the poorest of the people and the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the artisans. 16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen. 17 And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all the bronze to Babylon. 18 And they took away the pots and the shovels and the snuffers and the basins and the dishes for incense and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple service; 19 also the small bowls and the fire pans and the basins and the pots and the lampstands and the dishes for incense and the bowls for drink offerings. What was of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver. 20 As for the two pillars, the one sea, the twelve bronze bulls that were under the sea,6 and the stands, which Solomon the king had made for the house of the LORD, the bronze of all these things was beyond weight. 21 As for the pillars, the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits,7 its circumference was twelve cubits, and its thickness was four fingers, and it was hollow. 22 On it was a capital of bronze. The height of the one capital was five cubits. A network and pomegranates, all of bronze, were around the capital. And the second pillar had the same, with pomegranates. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; all the pomegranates were a hundred upon the network all around. The People Exiled to Babylon 24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the threshold; 25 and from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the men of war, and seven men of the king's council, who were found in the city; and the secretary of the commander of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the midst of the city. 26 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 And the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken into exile out of its land.
With family: 1 Samuel 14; Romans 12 1 Samuel 14 (Listen) Jonathan Defeats the Philistines 14 One day Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2 Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah in the pomegranate cave1 at Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men, 3 including Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of the LORD in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4 Within the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side. The name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The one crag rose on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba. 6 Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.” 7 And his armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish.2 Behold, I am with you heart and soul.” 8 Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us,' then we will go up, for the LORD has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.” 11 So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.” 12 And the men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armor-bearer and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you a thing.” And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Come up after me, for the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel.” 13 Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor-bearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer killed them after him. 14 And that first strike, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, killed about twenty men within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre3 of land. 15 And there was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and even the raiders trembled, the earth quaked, and it became a very great panic.4 16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude was dispersing here and there.5 17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Count and see who has gone from us.” And when they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there. 18 So Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here.” For the ark of God went at that time with the people6 of Israel. 19 Now while Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle. And behold, every Philistine's sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion. 21 Now the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines before that time and who had gone up with them into the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise, when all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they too followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So the LORD saved Israel that day. And the battle passed beyond Beth-aven. Saul's Rash Vow 24 And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people had tasted food. 25 Now when all the people7 came to the forest, behold, there was honey on the ground. 26 And when the people entered the forest, behold, the honey was dropping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. 28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food this day.'” And the people were faint. 29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.” 31 They struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint. 32 The people pounced on the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slaughtered them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, “Behold, the people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood.” And he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a great stone to me here.”8 34 And Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Let every man bring his ox or his sheep and slaughter them here and eat, and do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood.'” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night and they slaughtered them there. 35 And Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first altar that he built to the LORD. 36 Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light; let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” But the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” 37 And Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day. 38 And Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people, and know and see how this sin has arisen today. 39 For as the LORD lives who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who answered him. 40 Then he said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.” 41 Therefore Saul said, “O LORD God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant this day? If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, O LORD, God of Israel, give Urim. But if this guilt is in your people Israel, give Thummim.”9 And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. 42 Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was taken. 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I will die.” 44 And Saul said, “God do so to me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathan.” 45 Then the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die. 46 Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place. Saul Fights Israel's Enemies 47 When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned he routed them. 48 And he did valiantly and struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them. 49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger Michal. 50 And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. 51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 52 There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he attached him to himself. Footnotes [1] 14:2 Or under the pomegranate [tree] [2] 14:7 Septuagint Do all that your mind inclines to [3] 14:14 Hebrew a yoke [4] 14:15 Or became a panic from God [5] 14:16 Septuagint; Hebrew they went here and there [6] 14:18 Hebrew; Septuagint “Bring the ephod.” For at that time he wore the ephod before the people [7] 14:25 Hebrew land [8] 14:33 Septuagint; Hebrew this day [9] 14:41 Vulgate and Septuagint; Hebrew Therefore Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Give Thummim.” (ESV) Romans 12 (Listen) A Living Sacrifice 12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers,1 by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.2 2 Do not be conformed to this world,3 but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.4 Gifts of Grace 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members,5 and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads,6 with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Marks of the True Christian 9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit,7 serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.8 Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it9 to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Footnotes [1] 12:1 Or brothers and sisters [2] 12:1 Or your rational service [3] 12:2 Greek age [4] 12:2 Or what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God [5] 12:4 Greek parts; also verse 5 [6] 12:8 Or gives aid [7] 12:11 Or fervent in the Spirit [8] 12:16 Or give yourselves to humble tasks [9] 12:19 Greek give place (ESV) In private: Psalm 30; Jeremiah 51 Psalm 30 (Listen) Joy Comes with the Morning A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple. 30 I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me.2 O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.3 O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.1 4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.25 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.3 Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. 6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”7 By your favor, O LORD, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed. 8 To you, O LORD, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy:9 “What profit is there in my death,4 if I go down to the pit?5 Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me! O LORD, be my helper!” 11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever! Footnotes [1] 30:3 Or to life, that I should not go down to the pit [2] 30:4 Hebrew to the memorial of his holiness (see Exodus 3:15) [3] 30:5 Or and in his favor is life [4] 30:9 Hebrew in my blood [5] 30:9 Or to corruption (ESV) Jeremiah 51 (Listen) The Utter Destruction of Babylon 51 Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai,12 and I will send to Babylon winnowers, and they shall winnow her, and they shall empty her land, when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble.3 Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not stand up in his armor. Spare not her young men; devote to destruction2 all her army.4 They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and wounded in her streets.5 For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the LORD of hosts, but the land of the Chaldeans3 is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel. 6 “Flee from the midst of Babylon; let every one save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance, the repayment he is rendering her.7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.9 We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies.10 The LORD has brought about our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God. 11 “Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for his temple. 12 “Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up watchmen; prepare the ambushes; for the LORD has both planned and done what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.13 O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.14 The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself: Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory over you. 15 “It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.16 When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.17 Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.18 They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.19 Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name. 20 “You are my hammer and weapon of war: with you I break nations in pieces; with you I destroy kingdoms;21 with you I break in pieces the horse and his rider; with you I break in pieces the chariot and the charioteer;22 with you I break in pieces man and woman; with you I break in pieces the old man and the youth; with you I break in pieces the young man and the young woman;23 with you I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock;
Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 19 Psalm 19 (Listen) The Law of the Lord Is Perfect To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 19 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above1 proclaims his handiwork.2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.4 Their voice2 goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. 7 The law of the LORD is perfect,3 reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules4 of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Footnotes [1] 19:1 Hebrew the expanse; compare Genesis 1:6–8 [2] 19:4 Or Their measuring line [3] 19:7 Or blameless [4] 19:9 Or just decrees (ESV) Pentateuch and History: 1 Samuel 7:3–17 1 Samuel 7:3–17 (Listen) Samuel Judges Israel 3 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the LORD only. 5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.” 6 So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah. 7 Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. And Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him. 10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the LORD thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them, as far as below Beth-car. 12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen1 and called its name Ebenezer;2 for he said, “Till now the LORD has helped us.” 13 So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 The cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites. 15 Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all these places. 17 Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there, and there also he judged Israel. And he built there an altar to the LORD. Footnotes [1] 7:12 Hebrew; Septuagint, Syriac Jeshanah [2] 7:12 Ebenezer means stone of help (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Jeremiah 51 Jeremiah 51 (Listen) The Utter Destruction of Babylon 51 Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai,12 and I will send to Babylon winnowers, and they shall winnow her, and they shall empty her land, when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble.3 Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not stand up in his armor. Spare not her young men; devote to destruction2 all her army.4 They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and wounded in her streets.5 For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the LORD of hosts, but the land of the Chaldeans3 is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel. 6 “Flee from the midst of Babylon; let every one save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance, the repayment he is rendering her.7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.9 We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies.10 The LORD has brought about our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God. 11 “Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for his temple. 12 “Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up watchmen; prepare the ambushes; for the LORD has both planned and done what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.13 O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.14 The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself: Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory over you. 15 “It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.16 When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.17 Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.18 They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.19 Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name. 20 “You are my hammer and weapon of war: with you I break nations in pieces; with you I destroy kingdoms;21 with you I break in pieces the horse and his rider; with you I break in pieces the chariot and the charioteer;22 with you I break in pieces man and woman; with you I break in pieces the old man and the youth; with you I break in pieces the young man and the young woman;23 with you I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; with you I break in pieces the farmer and his team; with you I break in pieces governors and commanders. 24 “I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea before your very eyes for all the evil that they have done in Zion, declares the LORD. 25 “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares the LORD, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burnt mountain.26 No stone shall be taken from you for a corner and no stone for a foundation, but you shall be a perpetual waste, declares the LORD. 27 “Set up a standard on the earth; blow the trumpet among the nations; prepare the nations for war against her; summon against her the kingdoms, Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz; appoint a marshal against her; bring up horses like bristling locusts.28 Prepare the nations for war against her, the kings of the Medes, with their governors and deputies, and every land under their dominion.29 The land trembles and writhes in pain, for the LORD's purposes against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.30 The warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting; they remain in their strongholds; their strength has failed; they have become women; her dwellings are on fire; her bars are broken.31 One runner runs to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to tell the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every side;32 the fords have been seized, the marshes are burned with fire, and the soldiers are in panic.33 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while and the time of her harvest will come.” 34 “Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me; he has made me an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he has filled his stomach with my delicacies; he has rinsed me out.435 The violence done to me and to my kinsmen be upon Babylon,” let the inhabitant of Zion say. “My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,” let Jerusalem say.36 Therefore thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry,37 and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, the haunt of jackals, a horror and a hissing, without inhabitant. 38 “They shall roar together like lions; they shall growl like lions' cubs.39 While they are inflamed I will prepare them a feast and make them drunk, that they may become merry, then sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the LORD.40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams and male goats. 41 “How Babylon5 is taken, the praise of the whole earth seized! How Babylon has become a horror among the nations!42 The sea has come up on Babylon; she is covered with its tumultuous waves.43 Her cities have become a horror, a land of drought and a desert, a land in which no one dwells, and through which no son of man passes.44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and take out of his mouth what he has swallowed. The nations shall no longer flow to him; the wall of Babylon has fallen. 45 “Go out of the midst of her, my people! Let every one save his life from the fierce anger of the LORD!46 Let not your heart faint, and be not fearful at the report heard in the land, when a report comes in one year and afterward a report in another year, and violence is in the land, and ruler is against ruler. 47 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the images of Babylon; her whole land shall be put to shame, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.48 Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, shall sing for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers shall come against them out of the north, declares the LORD.49 Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth. 50 “You who have escaped from the sword, go, do not stand still! Remember the LORD from far away,
In this episode J.J. and Dr. Tamara Morsel-Eisenberg try to figure out what exactly we mean when we say "the Early Modern Period", also legal codes, and the scientific revolution.Tamara Morsel-Eisenberg is Assistant Professor of Jewish History. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy and the Humanities from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a PhD in History from the University of Pennsylvania.Tamara is a historian of the intellectual and cultural history of early modern Jewry. Her research deals with the transmission of Jewish religious knowledge in early modern Europe, especially Jewish law,or "halakha" in early modern Ashkenaz (the German lands, Northern Italy, Central and Eastern Europe). For her doctoral thesis, Tamara studied how these communities passed on their halakhic knowledge in the sixteenth century at a time of profound change at a communal, technological, and intellectual level. Communities were dismantled and rebuilt in new locations, the printing press was transforming the realities of text, and systematized organizational schemes became the standard order for Jewish legal writings. These three shifts completely changed how this culture passed on its traditions. Tamara analyzed these changes, employing rabbinic responsa (answers about concrete questions of Jewish law) to examine their significance. She is currently working on a monograph that treats this transformation (Remaking Rabbinic Culture) and another dealing with early modern rabbinic responsa as an alternative genre to legal codifications (Law and Disorder).Tamara has written numerous articles on early modern Jewry, including on topics such as rabbinic responsa and epidemics, scholarly archives and practices of organizing knowledge among rabbis, print and its impact on the conception of knowledge and religious law, and Renaissance art in rabbinic responsa. Her articles have appeared in the Journal for the History of Ideas, AJS Review, Critical Inquiry, Tablet, and other publications. Tamara's research interests include questions of religious law, legal authority, codification, knowledge organization, scholarly culture, intellectual practices, the material history of books, print history, and the intersection of technology and information. Prior to joining NYU, Tamara was a Junior Fellow at Harvard's Society of Fellows, a Starr Fellow at Harvard's Center for Judaic Studies, and a Berkowitz Fellow at NYU Law.
Jeremiah 51–52 Jeremiah 51–52 (Listen) The Utter Destruction of Babylon 51 Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai,12 and I will send to Babylon winnowers, and they shall winnow her, and they shall empty her land, when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble.3 Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not stand up in his armor. Spare not her young men; devote to destruction2 all her army.4 They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and wounded in her streets.5 For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the LORD of hosts, but the land of the Chaldeans3 is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel. 6 “Flee from the midst of Babylon; let every one save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance, the repayment he is rendering her.7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.9 We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies.10 The LORD has brought about our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God. 11 “Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for his temple. 12 “Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up watchmen; prepare the ambushes; for the LORD has both planned and done what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.13 O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.14 The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself: Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory over you. 15 “It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.16 When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.17 Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.18 They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.19 Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name. 20 “You are my hammer and weapon of war: with you I break nations in pieces; with you I destroy kingdoms;21 with you I break in pieces the horse and his rider; with you I break in pieces the chariot and the charioteer;22 with you I break in pieces man and woman; with you I break in pieces the old man and the youth; with you I break in pieces the young man and the young woman;23 with you I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; with you I break in pieces the farmer and his team; with you I break in pieces governors and commanders. 24 “I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea before your very eyes for all the evil that they have done in Zion, declares the LORD. 25 “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares the LORD, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burnt mountain.26 No stone shall be taken from you for a corner and no stone for a foundation, but you shall be a perpetual waste, declares the LORD. 27 “Set up a standard on the earth; blow the trumpet among the nations; prepare the nations for war against her; summon against her the kingdoms, Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz; appoint a marshal against her; bring up horses like bristling locusts.28 Prepare the nations for war against her, the kings of the Medes, with their governors and deputies, and every land under their dominion.29 The land trembles and writhes in pain, for the LORD's purposes against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.30 The warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting; they remain in their strongholds; their strength has failed; they have become women; her dwellings are on fire; her bars are broken.31 One runner runs to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to tell the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every side;32 the fords have been seized, the marshes are burned with fire, and the soldiers are in panic.33 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while and the time of her harvest will come.” 34 “Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me; he has made me an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he has filled his stomach with my delicacies; he has rinsed me out.435 The violence done to me and to my kinsmen be upon Babylon,” let the inhabitant of Zion say. “My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,” let Jerusalem say.36 Therefore thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry,37 and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, the haunt of jackals, a horror and a hissing, without inhabitant. 38 “They shall roar together like lions; they shall growl like lions' cubs.39 While they are inflamed I will prepare them a feast and make them drunk, that they may become merry, then sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the LORD.40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams and male goats. 41 “How Babylon5 is taken, the praise of the whole earth seized! How Babylon has become a horror among the nations!42 The sea has come up on Babylon; she is covered with its tumultuous waves.43 Her cities have become a horror, a land of drought and a desert, a land in which no one dwells, and through which no son of man passes.44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and take out of his mouth what he has swallowed. The nations shall no longer flow to him; the wall of Babylon has fallen. 45 “Go out of the midst of her, my people! Let every one save his life from the fierce anger of the LORD!46 Let not your heart faint, and be not fearful at the report heard in the land, when a report comes in one year and afterward a report in another year, and violence is in the land, and ruler is against ruler. 47 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the images of Babylon; her whole land shall be put to shame, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.48 Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, shall sing for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers shall come against them out of the north, declares the LORD.49 Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth. 50 “You who have escaped from the sword, go, do not stand still! Remember the LORD from far away, and let Jerusalem come into your mind:51 ‘We are put to shame, for we have heard reproach; dishonor has covered our face, for foreigners have come into the holy places of the LORD's house.' 52 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will execute judgment upon her images, and through all her land the wounded shall groan.53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify her strong height, yet destroyers would come from me against her, declares the LORD. 54 “A voice! A cry from Babylon! The noise of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!55 For the LORD is laying Babylon waste and stilling her mighty voice. Their waves roar like many waters; the noise of their voice is raised,56 for a destroyer has come upon her, upon Babylon; her warriors are taken; their bows are broken in pieces, for the LORD is a God of recompense; he will surely repay.57 I will make drunk her officials and her wise men, her governors, her commanders, and her warriors; they shall sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 58 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: The broad wall of Babylon shall be leveled to the ground, and her high gates shall be burned with fire. The peoples labor for nothing, and the nations weary themselves only for fire.” 59 The word that Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah king of Judah to Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign. Seraiah was the quartermaster. 60 Jeremiah wrote in a book all the disaster that should come upon Babylon, all these words that are written concerning Babylon. 61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah: “When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, 62 and say, ‘O LORD, you have said concerning this place that you will cut it off, so that nothing shall dwell in it, neither man nor beast, and it shall be desolate forever.' 63 When you finish reading this book, tie a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates, 64 and say, ‘Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disaster that I am bringing upon her, and they shall become exhausted.'” Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. The Fall of Jerusalem Recounted 52 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3 For because of the anger of the LORD it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4 And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and laid siege to it. And they built siegeworks all around it. 5 So the city was besieged till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 6 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 7 Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled and went out from the city by night by the way of a gate between the two walls, by the king's garden, and the Chaldeans were around the city. And they went in the direction of the Arabah. 8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. 9 Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. 10 The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah. 11 He put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in chains, and the king of Babylon took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death. The Temple Burned 12 In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who served the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. 13 And he burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. 15 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive some of the poorest of the people and the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the artisans. 16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen. 17 And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all the bronze to Babylon. 18 And they took away the pots and the shovels and the snuffers and the basins and the dishes for incense and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple service; 19 also the small bowls and the fire pans and the basins and the pots and the lampstands and the dishes for incense and the bowls for drink offerings. What was of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver. 20 As for the two pillars, the one sea, the twelve bronze bulls that were under the sea,6 and the stands, which Solomon the king had made for the house of the LORD, the bronze of all these things was beyond weight. 21 As for the pillars, the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits,7 its circumference was twelve cubits, and its thickness was four fingers, and it was hollow. 22 On it was a capital of bronze. The height of the one capital was five cubits. A network and pomegranates, all of bronze, were around the capital. And the second pillar had the same, with pomegranates. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; all the pomegranates were a hundred upon the network all around. The People Exiled to Babylon 24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the threshold; 25 and from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the men of war, and seven men of the king's council, who were found in the city; and the secretary of the commander of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the midst of the city. 26 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 And the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken into exile out of its land.
Rav Moshe Sofer the Chasam Sofer (1762-1839) was both a leader and halachic decisor throughout his long rabbinical career. As he confronted a changing world where traditional Jewish life faced developing challenges of modernity, his vision, brilliance and sense of responsibility led him to utilize the halachic responsa he authored as a medium through which to express the traditional response through a continually evolving methodology. While still a young rabbi in Mattersdorf, the Chasam Sofer defended the local Frankfurt custom of his youth against the hegemony of a collective Ashkenaz identity. Yet a decade later as rabbi of Pressburg, he utilized the idea of collective Ashkenaz halachic identity following the rulings of the Ramah, as a mechanism for closing ranks around a strong traditional base in the wake of expansive attempts at reforming traditional halacha. During the last decade of the Chasam Sofer's life, he expressed a pessimism regarding the future of rabbinical leadership as he witnessed many rabbis of his day leaning towards the reforming of halacha. His creative solution this time was to raise the banner of the Jewish communal collective, elevating the status of custom and rabbinic ordinance to the level of a Torah ordained obligation. The Chasam Sofer's keen perception of the challenges facing traditional Judaism form the basis of his legacy until this very day. Check out our previous episodes on the life and leadership of the Chasam Sofer: Part 1: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/hungarian-royalty-the-chasam-sofer-his-family/ Part 2: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/chasam-sofer-part-ii-old-traditions-new-message/ Part 3: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/chasam-sofer-part-iii-a-pressburg-situation/ Part 4: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/chasam-sofer-part-iv-from-frankfurt-to-exile/ For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: yehuda@yehudageberer.com Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at yehuda@yehudageberer.com
Big Idea: Your birth sets where you start, not how you finish in life. Genesis 10: 1-32 Your birth sets where you start, not how you finish in life. 1. The clan of Japheth was disbursed. Genesis 10: 1-5 These are the family records of Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. They also had sons after the flood. Japheth's sons: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. Gomer's sons: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. And Javan's sons: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. From these descendants, the peoples of the coasts and islands spread out into their lands according to their clans in their nations, each with its own language. 2. The clan of Ham was cursed. Genesis 10: 6-20 Ham's sons: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. Cush's sons: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. And Raamah's sons: Sheba and Dedan. Cush fathered Nimrod, who began to be powerful in the land. He was a powerful hunter in the sight of the Lord. That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a powerful hunter in the sight of the Lord.” His kingdom started with Babylon, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah, and Resen, between Nineveh and the great city Calah. Mizraim, fathered the people of Lud, Anam, Lehab, Naphtuh, Pathrus, Casluh (the Philistines came from them), and Caphtor. Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth, as well as the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the Canaanite clans scattered. The Canaanite border went from Sidon going toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and going toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim as far as Lasha. These are Ham's sons by their clans, according to their languages, in their lands and their nations. 3. The clan of Shem was first. Genesis 10: 21-32 And Shem, Japheth's older brother, also had sons. Shem was the father of all the sons of Eber. Shem's sons were Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. Aram's sons: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. Arpachshad fathered Shelah, and Shelah fathered Eber. Eber had two sons. One was named Peleg, for during his days the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan. And Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were Joktan's sons. Their settlements extended from Mesha to Sephar, the eastern hill country. These are Shem's sons by their clans, according to their languages, in their lands and their nations. These are the clans of Noah's sons, according to their family records, in their nations. The nations on earth spread out from these after the flood. Next Steps: I will show my family how to walk with Jesus this week. I need to begin my walk with Jesus today. Don't miss our news and announcements! Get our weekly emails by entering your email address HERE Download our app through the Apple or Google Play.
Harav Yussie Zakutinsky Shlita
Lo Sisgodidu and it's implications Tefillin on chol hamoed Kabbalah's Influence on Halacha Minhag Eretz Yisroel
The Mechaber and the production of the Shulchan Aruch The Rama, his heartbreak and great success Halacha kibasrai
Minor or substantial The chief rabbinate and it's dual leadership The chain of masorah Bavel and eretz Yisroel The 4 captives
#184.** To support the podcast: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/ or email seforimchatter@gmail.com**With Prof. Elisheva Baumgarten discussing Jewish daily life in the Middle AgesWe discussed Jewish daily life in the Middle Ages in Ashkenaz, literacy and pictures and how we define "literate," how biblical women are used to illustrate the lives of everyday women & men in the middle ages, how this book differs from Prof. Baumgarten's previous works, and moreTo purchase "Biblical Women and Jewish Daily Life in the Middle Ages": https://amzn.to/3YT6nXQTo purchase "Mothers and Children": https://amzn.to/3Z3OmpGTo purchase "Practicing Piety in Medieval Ashkenaz: Men, Women, and Everyday Religious Observance": https://amzn.to/3lOrOet
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