Author: Ben Zion
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Galil – lecture 1
Introducing the site: The Galil. Is the Galil mentioned in the Bible? And in what contexts? When did the Galil become the center of Judaism? When did the distinction between Upper and Lower Galil begin? This lecture will include a kahoot quiz that presents initial questions and answers about the Galil.
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Bet Lechem – lecture 16
So if we summarize the messages of Bet Lechem that we learned: Bet Lechem epresses a message of humility, of focusing on the essence and not on appearances, a place that symbolizes good, from which those who leave arrive at bad places. It is also a place that symbolizes unity, as the people of Bet…
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Bet Lechem – lecture 15
Bet Lechem in the Book of Ruth. It is constantly mentioned that they left Bet Lechem and returned to Bet Lechem? Boaz too, is described as “coming from Bet Lechem.” Why? We learn several things from the Book of Ruth: Bet Lechem represents not only a geographical place but also what is good from a…
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Israeli Sea Coast – lecture 13
Why is Isaiah walking around naked and barefoot? What is he trying to say to the righteous King Hezekiah by this? And why does he call the land of Judah by the name: “Island”? Isaiah is trying to prevent Hezekiah from making an alliance with Assyria. Why is this different from many alliances that our…
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Israeli Sea Coast – lecture 12
To conclude our study of Ashdod, we will examine chapter 20 of Isaiah, which deals with a prophecy about Egypt, but opens with a puzzling mention of a military commander who was sent by Sargon, king of Assyria, to conquer Ashdod. Who was Sargon? Why is it important to mention the conquest of Ashdod here?…
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Bet Lechem – lecture 14
We learned three similar stories. Two lead to the situation: “Every man did what is right in his own eyes.” And the third leads to the kingdom of David, about whom God says: “He who has done what is right in my eyes.” What is the message of this contrast and how does it relate…
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Bet Lechem – lecture 13
The recurring motif in the story of Micah’s statue and the story of the concubine of Givah is the Levite who comes from Bet Lechem. What does this mean? and why is it emphasized? It seems that both stories that end the Book of Judges and the opening story of the Book of Samuel contain…
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Bet Lechem – lecture 12
How does the message of Bet Lechem appear in the song “Lecha Dodi” sung on Shabbat night? And how is the same message also expressed in the two difficult stories that end the Book of Judges? The story of Micah’s statue and the story of the concubine in Givah. We will study the story, try…
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Bet Lechem – lecture 11
According to the words of the prophet Micah about Bet Lechem, we can define the message of Bet Lechem as: leadership through humility. A message that is expressed in the famous Midrash about Mount Sinai, which was the lowest and most humble of all mountains. We will now examine this message in all the other…
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Bet Lechem – lecture 10
We managed to define the central theme of Bet Lechem: humility, and a focus on the essence rather than on external appearances. The characters identified with Bet Lechem express this theme: Ruth, who is a convert and a Moabite. David, who presents himself to Saul humbly and says: “Who am I that I should be…