24 Lectures
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Levanon – lecture 1
Introducing: Levanon. Is Levanon part of the land of Israel? Did Yehoshua capture Levanon? and which Israeli king married a Lebanese princess? View the Kahoot game, introducing questions and answers referring to Levanon
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Levanon – lecture 2
Is Levanon part of the land of Canaan? Sidon (name of a city in Lebanon) is the first-born of Canaan, yet he is never mentioned among the nations of Canaan in the Torah? Why does Moshe ask to enter Israel to see “the good land” and… Levanon? Why does he single out Levanon? Isn’t Levanon included in the promised land?
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Levanon – lecture 3
Chazal (the Sages) say that Moshe`s request to see “Levanon” is actually, referring to… the “Beit Hamikdash”, the holy temple. We will examine different explanations for this surprising statement. Surprising, because the Temple did not yet exist at the time of Moshe…
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Levanon – lecture 4
The idea that the mentions of Levanon refer to the “Beit Hamikdash” (the Holy Temple) seem to be a midrashic interpretation. Let’s go back to Moses’ words – “This good mountain and Levanon” and try to offer another explanation. What did Moses mean by the word “this”? Was he pointing to a particular mountain? Perhaps he is not trying to single out a certain geographical place, but rather a certain historical period. Perhaps he alludes to the difference between the borders of the land in the present (“this good mountain”) and the borders of the land in the future (Levanon).
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Levanon – lecture 5
Before his death, Moses ascends Mount Nevo and sees the entire Promised Land. But, he doesn’t really see as far as the Euphrates River, and he doesn’t see Levanon… what does that tell us? We will provide evidence for the claim that there really is a difference between the borders of the land in the present and the borders of the land in the future. Moshe, apparently, requested to see both…
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Levanon – lecture 6
The spies sent by Moshe toured the land as far as “Rehov Levo Hamat”. We will examine the map and see different opinions – where is “Rehov” and where is “Levo Hammat”? Did the spies reach Turkey? Syria? One thing is for certain – the spies that Moshe sent to scout out the land of Canaan, included Levanon in their mission.
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Levanon – lecture 7
What is the northern border of the Promised Land? Southern Turkey or Rosh Hanikra? And what will happen according to the Torah and the prophets in the future? How far will the borders reach then? And how does all this connect with the day we start asking for rain – 7th of Heshvan – the day when the last pilgrims arrived at the Euphrates River?
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Levanon – lecture 8
How far North into Levanon did Joshua conquer? We will analyze the maps and get to know “Baal Gad”, which is called today: “Baal Bek”. Once – the northern border of the Land of Israel, and today an important center of Hizbollah. What is special about the “Baal Bechi Garlic” mentioned in the Mishnah? Is it a garlic that makes you cry (“Bechi”) or a garlic that comes from “Baal Bek”? Or perhaps “Baal Bek” is a place that makes you cry?
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Levanon – lecture 9
What is so special about the “Cedars of Levanon” and what do they symbolize? We will look at prayers and verses in the Bible where the Cedars of Levanon are mentioned, and we will examine the interesting relationship between the cedar and the hyssop. Why did Bilaam bless Israel to be like “cedars on water”? And why did they use hyssop to mark the houses in Egypt?
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Levanon – lecture 10
In the Tanach, the cedar is a symbol of strength and power and the reed symbolizes weakness and lowliness. But in the writings of the sages (Chazal) we receive a completely opposite message: “A person should always be soft as a reed and not hard as a cedar”. What is the reason for this change of direction by the sages? Perhaps it is time to consider returning to the messages of the Tanach?
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Levanon – lecture 11
In this lecture we will explore 2 major cities in Levanon – Tyre and Sidon. They are mentioned again and again in the Tanach, and according to the Midrash, even Avraham visited there. Why is Sidon, the eldest son of Canaan, never mentioned among the nations of Canaan along with his younger brothers? And what is the meaning of the comparison between the “virgin of Zion” and the “virgin of Sidon” mentioned by the prophet ?
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Levanon – lecture 12
Both King David and King Solomon had good relations with Hiram, King of Tyre. How did they make a covenant with Hiram, contrary to the strict prohibition of making covenants with the people of Canaan? And why do the prophets describe a future destruction and a special punishment that will befall Tyre? What is the great sin of Tyre and Sidon and does it relate to our days as well?
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Levanon – lecture 13
What is the meaning of the strange comparison that the Midrash makes between Hiram the King of Tyre and Hirah, the friend of Judah (son of Yaakov)? Why does the Tanach emphasize that Hiram was like a brother to Shlomo and Hirah was Yehuda’s best friend? How could Shlomo give Hiram 20 cities in the Galilee? Is it permissible to hand over territories of the Land of Israel in exchange for peace?
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Levanon – lecture 14
The special family ties between Hiram, king of Tyre and the Kings of Israel and the special brotherly relationship with King Solomon. What happened to this brotherhood? How did Tyre become an enemy? We will find the answer – in the deep difference between Hiram, who outwardly behaved like a brother, and Hirah “HaAdulami” – who was a true friend forever (Ad Olam). What can be learned from all this about alliances with other nations that act like brothers but in the end become enemies?
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Levanon – lecture 15
In preparation for Rosh Hashanah, we will learn from Levanon about the repentance needed in this special year (2023). The repentance within the Jewish people, and the repentance of all nations (Rosh Hashanah is a day of judgment for the entire world). And the answer: to renew brotherhood and friendship. We will see the difference between brotherhood and friendship in the Bible and the uniqueness of the Jewish people who need to be both brothers and friends – “למען אחי ורעי”. And finally we will ask – will Lebanon also repent according to the Bible?
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Levanon – lecture 16
Levanon, the Fast of Gedaliah and Yom Kippur What happens when brothers don’t act like brothers? King Hiram “did not remember the brotherly covenant.” We will see similar examples – from Joseph till the murder of Gedaliah. We will understand why the Fast of Gedaliah truly complements Rosh Hashanah and how it connects to the story of the ten Sages who were killed by the Romans (עשרת הרוגי מלכות), which is recited on Yom Kippur. The overall message of these days is that destruction comes from hatred of brothers – both in the past and in the present.
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Levanon – Hoshana Rabah
Levanon and Sukkot! Special lecture given on Hoshana Rabah night, in Hebrew, about the destruction of south Lebanon, in the prophets.
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Levanon – lecture 17
There are two approaches as to what Levanon symbolizes in the Bible: The spiritual approach – Levanon refers to the Temple and spiritual perfection. And the material approach – Levanon represents the physical perfection of the Land of Israel. Perhaps, Levanon represents the perfect combination of spiritual and material, as expressed in the interesting geographical interpretation – Levanon is a series of mountains that reach all the way to Jerusalem. We will conclude with the very relevant prophecy of Zechariah: The fall of Levanon symbolizes the fall of the kings of the nations, which has now come true.
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Levanon – lecture 18
We already know that there is a “brotherly” relationship between Hiram and Solomon and that Hiram is connected to the building of Beit Hamikdash. But it turns out that it is more complicated: the Bible tells us about two other people who were involved in the building of the Temple, and each of them was also named … Hiram! What is the Bible trying to tell us through all this?
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Levanon – lecture 19
There are two approaches as to what Levanon symbolizes in the Bible: The spiritual approach – Levanon refers to the Temple and spiritual perfection. And the material approach – Levanon represents the physical perfection of the Land of Israel. Perhaps, Levanon represents the perfect combination of spiritual and material, as expressed in the interesting geographical interpretation – Levanon is a series of mountains that reach all the way to Jerusalem. We will conclude with the very relevant prophecy of Zechariah: The fall of Levanon symbolizes the fall of the kings of the nations, which has now come true.