Torah Tanach Bible Commentary, Tale of Two Robes, Joseph and Samuel

Friends and others who have learned Torah Tanach Bible with me over the years, or has it already been decades, know that I tend to notice what others don't. Rarely a teacher much more scholarly than myself will say that one of the sages chazal wrote something similar, but usually my "inspirations" are met with various forms of incredulity. I guess my mind works very differently from most. And I wasn't raised on the usual "sipurei Torah," Torah stories a mishmash of drash commentaries frequently far removed from the pshat actual text of the Torah Tanach Bible. 

Recent Torah Portions of the Week, Parshat Shavua, have mentioned the special coat that Jacob gave his favorite son Josef, the first born of his favorite wife, Rachel. This coat caused terrible jealousy among Josef's ten older brothers, and Josef had no clue as how to lower the tension. Actually, neither did Jacob. That coat became a symbol of the hatred between the brothers, and it was brought all bloodied to Jacob after the older brothers sold Josef to Egyptian merchants.

Compare that robe, the one Jacob gave Josef and the one (actually many) Hannah gave Samuel. Jacob gave one that didn't "fit" causing problems, while Hannah gave Samuel, whom she had sent to "study" with Eli the High Priest in Shiloh, a new one each year to suit his "size."

I picture Hannah teaching her precious son each year when she visited him in Shiloh. Not only was each new robe the correct size for Samuel, but her instructions suited his age and development. That's how Samuel became the great leader, Samuel the Prophet, who was privileged to anoint the first two kings of the Jewish Nations, Saul and David. 

Food for thought. What do you think?

Taught a Totally Original Torah Class

Last week I blogged on Shiloh Musings asking for some "research help" for a Shabbat Torah Class I had committed to give at our Shiur Nashim, Women's Class.

This class I go to every Shabbat I'm home is the most veteran, longest lasting in Shiloh. It began over thirty-eight 38 years ago. We've had the same regulars now for quite awhile and can't manage to attract more women. Most who teach are men, even two generations of the same families, who are much more scholarly than we are. On occasion some of us even try our hand at it. A few months ago, we decided to give the neighbor who recruits speakers a monthly break. A few of us volunteered to give (or bring someone) the shiur, class so she won't have to make the calls. I had plenty of warning that my turn was coming up.

Due to the fact that I did not grow up in a religious home, going to a Jewish school and hearing all sorts of Torah stories from the youngest age, I generally read and learn with a fresh eye. That means I come up with some unique interpretations. Luckily I've found teachers in Matan and Shiloh who don't mind my rather unconventional ideas.

Sefaria

For this talk I had been inspired by the opening words of Parshat Shavua, Weekly Torah Portion Yitro, which was the week before. Since we're not restricted to the weekly parsha, that wasn't a problem.

I managed to get everyone talking and participating, which was quite an accomplishment. Sorry, but I'm not giving more details than you can get in the Shiloh Musings post. Maybe I should "market" myself?

I have another unique shiur cooking in my head...

First Documented Camouflage. Guess!

Sometimes my mind goes in strange directions. Actually, it's rare when it follows directions or thinks conventionally.  Does that surprise you?

Today at a Parshat Shavua, Torah Portion of the Week class as we talked about the sudden self-consciousness of Adam and Eve after sinning. They quickly fashioned clothing out of leaves, so they wouldn't be noticed in Gan Eden, The Garden of Eden.

Isn't that called CAMOUFLAGE?

Bereishit III Genesis

וַתִּפָּקַ֙חְנָה֙ עֵינֵ֣י שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י עֵֽירֻמִּ֖ם הֵ֑ם וַֽיִּתְפְּרוּ֙ עֲלֵ֣ה תְאֵנָ֔ה וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם חֲגֹרֹֽת׃

Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they perceived that they were naked; and they sewed together fig leaves and made themselves loincloths.

וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ אֶת־ק֨וֹל יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּגָּ֖ן לְר֣וּחַ הַיּ֑וֹם וַיִּתְחַבֵּ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם וְאִשְׁתּ֗וֹ מִפְּנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים בְּת֖וֹךְ עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃

They heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the garden at the breezy time of day; and the man and his wife hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Art of Revelation: A Visual Encounter with the Jewish Bible, Stunning!

I am very privileged to be reviewing Yoram Raanan's Art of Revelation: A Visual Encounter with the Jewish Bible.

For months I had been waiting for the book to arrive, and it was certainly worth the wait. It's the art book worth buying a coffee table for.

Some of you may have read about the burning of Raanan's studio a couple of years ago.

"IN NOVEMBER 2016, A FIRE DESTROYED MY STUDIO, TOGETHER WITH FORTY YEARS OF WORK,
I soon began painting again, and I realized this was only another part of a journey I'd begun long ago..." Yoram Raanan

Miraculously, after the fire that destroyed Raanan's studio and a large percentage of his paintings, he was able to produce this book from photos of them.

I went through Raanan's entire book, studying all the paintings. It is organized by the weekly Torah Portions. For some Torah Portions there is more than one painting, since apparently he uses the art medium of his painting to interpret the Bible, annually. It reminded me of how, each year when we read Parshot Shavua, we see different points/lessons and interpret the same words, verses and stories differently each year. I found some of the paintings absolutely stunning, aesthetically and spiritually.  Many of Raanan's paintings would be exquisite on silk.

Lech Lecha

Noach

Bereishit

Aren't they gorgeous!? Definitely awesome.

Presently, Art of Revelation: A Visual Encounter with the Jewish Bible by Yoram Raanan can only be purchased via his site; click here. It's a visual and spiritual treat, perfect to feast your eyes on Shabbat,  Jewish Holidays and weekdays, too. Perfect as a gift, not only to give to others. You should enjoy it, too.

Every Picture Tells a Story... Book Review

EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY, VOLUME TWO: SHMOS by Chaim Natan Firszt, Menorah Books, is a bilingual, Hebrew (Ashkenaz pronunciation)- English Bible teaching book for children.

As  you can see from the pictures, my grandchildren were fascinated by it. My grandson immediately began telling us the Biblical stories from the pictures. It's a wonderful book for families which use both Hebrew and English. I would recommend it for grandparents or aunts and uncles who speak and read only one of the languages, while the grandchildren or nieces and nephews only speak the other one.

No doubt that everyone will enjoy this great way to learn and teach Parshat Shavua, the Weekly Torah Portion. There is just enough information for children to handle. This is especially helpful for those who don't have the right background and want to teach the children more Torah. It also comes with a companion coloring book to give the children a more kinesthetic learning experience.

Every Picture Tells a Story can be ordered either from Amazon or from Menorah.

Product Code: EPTSV2S

ISBN: 978-1-940516-10-3

Binding: Hardcover / 113 pages

Dimensions: 8.75” H x 11” W

Weight: 0.7 kg / 1.5 lbs

Global Shipping Available

Only in Israel, The Prime Minister Teaches Us The Bible

If there hadn't been so much interesting political news, I may have posted this on Shiloh Musings.

In the United States, if I got it right, there's said to be needed six people to connect to anyone.  In Israel, we're much closer, probably two or a maximum of three.  That's because we're a Jewish country, and between work and neighbors and the army, university, sports etc it doesn't take long to be connected to everyone, including the Prime Minister.

As readers of Shiloh Musings know, I do have my complaints against Bibi Netanyahu, but I also have admitted that I do admire some aspects of his personality, and certainly his knowledge.

Even though today's secular Zionist try to ignore the fact, Zionism is based on the Bible.  You can't be a Zionist without some sort of connection to the Bible.  Where else does Judaism come from and why else would we be here instead of trying to be sovereign in Brooklyn, Alaska or wherever?

Quite a few of our greatest leaders, politicians etc have been Bible lovers.  When Menachem Begin had been Prime Minister he held Bible study sessions, so when Netanyahu decided to memorialize his late father-in-law, Bible scholar Shmuel Ben-Artzi, the Menachem Begin Heritage Center was entrusted with the task of organizing them.

Photo-Jerusalem Post

You'd think that Bibi had nothing else to do the other day, with Iran's nuclear development, Arab terrorists terrorizing the Negev, elections in the very near future etc... but after inspecting the damage in the south, he was quickly flown in to study this week's Parshat Shavua, Torah Portion of the Week, Bereishit, In the Beginning.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spent two-and-a-half hours Thursday afternoon studying the Cain and Abel story, telling some 17 rabbis and academics gathered at his residence that the jealousy in the tale is a “powerful engine” that he has come across once or twice in his own profession.

No doubt Netanyahu was being a bit sarcastic saying that he only came across jealousy "once or twice in his own profession," since we know that political intrigue is fueled by jealousy, or competitiveness, which is a close cousin.

They brought up an interesting point:

One of the questions Netanyahu posed was why the punishment God meted out to Cain for the murder of his brother was lenient, and why he was not punished with death himself.

One of the participants responded that lesson to be learned was that repairing the world – Cain went on to build a city and beget offspring that enriched the world in various ways – was more important than vengeance.

There are times when a certain pragmatism must rule over law. The "big picture" is the most important one.  Here we see, in the very beginning of the world, G-d had to compromise.  If He had executed Cain, giving him the punishment a murderer deserves, the progress of humans on the earth would have had been delayed.  G-d would have had to have started all over again.

Many of us have children who aren't living their lives exactly as we had expected. L'havdil, they aren't murderers, like Cain, but they have chosen different lives and we shouldn't break off contact.  G-d allowed Cain to live, and we are all his descendants.  May G-d give us the strength to deal wisely with all of our challenges.