Category: hachof

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?…

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)!…

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…

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…

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..…

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…

Is the Mediterranean part of the Land of Israel? This time we will see the surprising implications of this discussion: Is someone who lives in France and Spain also considered to be living in the Land of Israel? We will also learn the halachic ruling regarding going on a trip abroad. And we will begin…

Is the sea itself part of the Land of Israel? And if so, to what extent? Has someone who bathes in the sea gone abroad? We will look at the different opinions that already appear in the Mishnah – from the opinion that only the sea adjacent to the coast is considered part of the…

What are the halachic implications of the surprising discovery from the previous lecture? We will examine the halachic discussion on the question – what blessing do we say when we see the Mediterranean Sea and what blessing do we say when we see the ocean? What do we mean when we say, in the blessing:…

Why is the Mediterranean called “the last sea”? A surprising explanation that appears in our sources in several places is that the Mediterranean Sea was created last, long after the creation of the world, when the Atlantic Ocean flooded the area between Europe and Africa, which was until then dry! Even more surprising – this…