Author: Ben Zion
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Israeli Sea Coast – lecture 11
Following the previous lecture, we will analyze the connection between two stories: The Ark: from capitivity in Philistine to freedom, and the Israelites: from slavery in Egypt to freedom. There are many linguistic and conceptual parallels and even the cows that held the Ark are described as singing the Song of the Sea (Shirat Hayam)!…
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Israeli Sea Coast – lecture 10
We will prove the claim that Ashdod is the central city of the Philistines and not Azza. We will explain why, geographically – situated on the International Highway and close to water sources. We will study in depth the story of the bringing of the Holy Ark to Ashdod, and we will offer an interesting…
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Israeli Sea Coast – lecture 9
The significance of Ashdod. Almost all references to Ashdod in the Tanach are negative. Unlike Yafo, which symbolizes a transition point between the holy and the unholy, Ashdod is almost always associated with foreigners and idolatry. We will see on the map the biblical Ashdod compared to the modern Ashdod, and we will explain why…
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Bet Lechem – lecture 9
In light of everything we have said – Rachel’s tomb is not in Bet Lechem, but only nearby. So what is special about Bet Lechem itself? A new hypothesis: “Ephrath” is not a city, but a large area, and Jacob buried Rachel in that area, in a place that would later be called Bet Lechem,…
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Bet Lechem – lecture 8
Bet Lechem and Tu B`Shvat “A land of wheat and barley and vines…a land of olives and honey (dates)”. In the Laws of Blessings there is a rule about this verse: whatever is closer to the word “land” comes first in the order of blessings. Therefore, olives (closer to the word land) are more important…
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Bet Lechem – lecture 7
After we have proven at length the two possibilities for Rachel’s burial, we must ask: According to both possibilities, even according to the southern possibility, Rachel was not buried in Bet Lechem! But only on the way.. So apparently Bet Lechem is not important at all? But we will claim that the way Rachel’s burial…
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Israeli Sea Coast – lecture 8
The history and significance of the city: Yafo. There is a tradition that Yafo was named after Japheth, the son of Noah. And that Noah himself is buried under the Andromeda Rock, a well-known rock near the shores of Yafo. Is there a source for this? We`ll see what AI has to say about that..…
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Israeli Sea Coast – lecture 7
First, we will see another angle on the subject of the Mediterranean Sea in the days of Genesis. Does this contradict what we learned in Lecture 3? And getting back to Jaffa: There are only 4 mentions of Jaffa in the Bible, but we can learn from them the recurring theme associated with Jaffa: a…
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Bet Lechem – lecture 6
We will continue to examine the two suggestions for the location of Rachel’s burial and how each one explains the different verses: If she was buried in Bet Lechem of Judah – will we need to interpret differently: “A voice was heard in Ramah”? We will need to explain that Rachel’s sons who left Jerusalem…