October 5, 2011 Study Session
Study with Penina Announcement 1 Samuel Chapters 3-5 Wednesday, October 5, 7:30pm to 9pm. Eitz Chayim library. Bring your tanach, snacks, wine. No prior study or knowledge of text study or Hebrew is required! Books provided if you don’t have your own. Throughout the year we will meet each 1st and 3rd Wednesday evening to study the book of Samuel. YHWH said to Shemu’el:Here, I am about to do a thing in Israelsuch that all who hear of it – their two ears will…
Notes from Class 9/7/11 – Deeper look at Nefesh and “After she/they ate”
Nefesh – Beth related Hannah’s bitter nefesh to Creation – The actual language in Gen 1:7 is that God breathes into the nostrils of the adam the breath of life: nishmat chayyim. This life force that comes from God is not so different from nefesh perhaps, so the idea that Beth expressed, that Hannah’s bitter nefesh comes from feeling she is without God’s lifegiving force is still an informative connection. 1 Samuel 1:9: וַתָּקָם חַנָּה, אַחֲרֵי אָכְלָה בְשִׁלֹה וְאַחֲרֵי שָׁתֹה This verse is translated in several ways: Robert Alter The David Story And Hannah arose after the eating in Shiloh…
The Rabbis on Hannah as an example of prayer
Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Berakoth (31a) R. Hamnuna said: How many most important laws can be learnt from these verses relating to Hannah! [I Sam. I, 10ff] Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart🙁עַל-לִבָּהּ) from this we learn that one who prays must direct his heart. Only her lips moved: from this we learn that he who prays must frame the words distinctly with his lips. But her voice could not be heard: from this, it is forbidden to raise one’s voice in the Tefillah. Therefore Eli thought she had been drunken: from this, that a drunken person is forbidden to…
Hannah – Marat Nefesh (bitter soul) and Ani (affliction)
I Samuel 1:10-11 says of Hannah (my translation and emphasis) 10 With a bitter soul she prayed to [against, upon] the Lord and wept copiously. 11She vowed a vow, saying: Lord of Hosts, if seeing, You will see the affliction of Your handmaid, and remember my request and not forget Your handmaid, and You will grant to your handmaid male seed, I will give him to YHVH all the days of this life, and a razor will not go on his head. Bitter soul in the Hebrew is marat nafesh. Marat is a form of the word mar, meaning bitter,…
Ruth Chapters 2.16 to 3.18
Supplement to discussion in class July 6, 2011 Chapter 2 As a reminder, in verse one of chapter 2, we are introduced to Boaz, who is identified in as kin to Naomi and as ish gibor chayil, a mighty man of valor. When he finds that Ruth is gleaning in his field, he offers her extra gleanings and food, and protection from the young men who might otherwise humiliate her. He offers this paltry help, even though he states that he has heard about how she has followed Naomi to this land and taken care of her. We should ponder…
Ruth Chapters 1.1 to 2.16
Supplement to discussion in class June 13, 2011 Overview of Chapters 1.1 to 2.16 For those who want to go in depth, following the overview is a detailed verse by verse exegesis, with many helpful quotes from other sources. Chapter 1 Naomi is bereft of husband and children and feels the hand of God has been lifted against her. Much like Job, she does not understand why her misfortunes have befallen her, but she is clear that God has emptied her out and made her lot a bitter one. When she returns to her village of origin, her (presumably decrepit)…
Uncovering Biblical Myths
Join us during the summer at Congregation Eitz Chayim, 136 Magazine Street in Cambridge, for evening Torah classes, every 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 7:30pm to 9:00pm. Penina Weinberg, biblical scholor with a Master of Jewish Liberal Studies from Hebrew College and 6 years teaching Torah to adult Jewish learners, will lead us on an exploration of the truth behind many commonly held biblical notions. Through a close reading of selected biblical texts, we will study, discuss, argue – in short, learn to interpret for ourselves. The first class on June 15, will study the Book of Ruth. A common…
Judges Chapter 11, Jephthah’s daughter, April 4, 2011
There are many interesting modern commentaries on Jephthah and his daughter. I am including the notes from my research here. Chapter 11 · 11:1-3 – Jephthah the Gileadite – son of zonah – run out by his half-brothers o How did Jephthah end up in his father’s house? o What Jephthah lacks to be a good judge is a father, a heritage. (AFC1-J Klein p. 25-5) o Jephthah has no patronymic – not a son of Gilead the man, but of the tribe (BOL) o In the Jewish-Aramaic of the Targum of the Prophets, the two women who come to…
Judges Chapters 9-10, Gideon and Abimelech, March 21, 2011
Here is a chart comparing Gideon to his son Abimelech Gideon Abimelech Called by YHVH to liberate Israel Designates self as king Sacrifices bull on alter to YH Slays 69 brothers on one stone to honor self Spirit of YHVH energizes him YH sends discord around him YH/Gideon + 300 men – no more needed for battle YH fought against Abimelech Refuses kingship Seizes kingship and worships Baal 40 yrs peace, dies ripe old age After 3 yrs, killed ignominiously by woman CHAPTER 9 · 9:1-5 Abimelech is from Shechem, from the land of his father’s pilgesh (second wife or…