Ariel's Hebrew Bible Insights

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.”-Psalm 19:1-2
Shabbat Shalom
-Ariel 🇮🇱

❤️ Standing strong with our friends in Israel! 🙏❤️🙏

"Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given you the autumn rains because He is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before." - Joel 2:23

Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem!
-Ariel

“Motherhood is a hallowed place because children aren’t commonplace. Co-laboring over the sculpting of souls is a sacred vocation, a humbling privilege. Never forget.”-Ann Voskamp

For all who are celebrating, we wish you and your families a very happy Mother’s Day!

-Ariel 🇮🇱
-Gloria 🇺🇸

“The LORD, He Is God!”
THE main issue of this week’s “parasha” (weekly Torah portion) is the story of the Golden Calf. That is why today’s “Haftarah” (weekly Prophet’s portion) is strongly connected to that matter and tells us about the confrontation between the Prophet Elijah and the false prophets of Ba’al on Mount Carmel, as recorded in the Book of 1 Kings, Chapter 18. Every Hebrew speaker knows by heart the words of Elijah at the beginning of this confrontation:

“How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.” (1 Kings 18:21)

The reason is because of Elijah’s words ‘How long will you go limping between two different opinions?’ and in Hebrew: “Ad Matai Atem Posechim Al Shetei Ha-se’eepim?’ “עַד מָתַי אַתֶּם פֹּסְחִים עַל שְׁתֵּי הַסְּעִפִּים”

This has become one of the most well-known Hebrew phrases which is used to describe a situation of ‘trying to do two things that do not fit tougher’.

This week ‘Haftara’ (weekly Prophets’ portion) ends with the following powerful statement that sums it all up and demonstrates a clear lesson regarding both the episode of the Golden Calf and the false prophets of Ba’al: “And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God.” (1 Kings 18:39).

Celebrating Purim: Jerusalem Style!

One of the most interesting things about Purim {פורים} is that there is a difference regarding the time of celebrating the holiday in Jerusalem as opposed to in other places.

In all other locations, Jews celebrate Purim on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar {אדר} (yesterday) and in Jerusalem the holiday is celebrated TODAY on the 15th of the month.

Why is the Purim celebration different for Jerusalem?
In the Book of Esther it is written:

“This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made that a day of feasting and gladness. But the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth, and rested on the fifteenth day, making that a day of feasting and gladness. Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the rural towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting…”(Esther 9:17-20)

In the original Hebrew, the term ‘rural towns’ appears as ‘Arei Perazot’ {ערי פרזות} which means places that were not surrounded by walls (interestingly, in Modern Hebrew this is the term for ‘demilitarized’). For this reason, there is a difference in the celebration time between cities surrounded by walls (like Susa and Jerusalem) and all the other places.

Shushan Purim Sameach! {שושן פורים שמח} (Happy ‘Susa’ Purim Everyone!)
*(‘Shushan Purim’ is what we call it here in Jerusalem)

Today Is Purim!
Today is the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar {אדר} (the twelfth and last month in the Hebrew calendar).

Approximately 2500 years ago, the miraculous story of Esther{אסתר} and Mordechai {מרדכי} took place as recorded in the Bible in the Book of Esther:

“Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them, the Jews firmly obligated themselves and their offspring and all who joined them, that without fail they would keep these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year, that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.” (Esther 9: 26-29)

The term ‘pur’ {פור} means ‘lot’ and ‘Purim’ {פורים} is the Hebrew plural form of ‘pur’ – meaning ‘lots’. This word originated from Akkadian and it describes some kind of ‘dice’ which was used for casting lots during ancient times.

Purim is probably the most joyful holiday among the Jewish holidays. If you ever happen to find yourself in Israel during Purim, you will quickly notice the special atmosphere in the streets and will see both children and grownups wearing costumes (a bit like Halloween).

It is also customary to celebrate by having a big festive meal.
The main event of Purim is the gathering at the synagogue to listen to ‘Kriaht Hamegila’ {קריאת המגילה} which is Hebrew for ‘reading of the scroll.’ The Book of Esther, which according to Jewish tradition is always read from a scroll (similar to the Torah scroll). The entire book of Esther is sung in a special happy melody.

But not everyone celebrates Purim today. In Jerusalem for example, the Festival of Purim will be celebrated only tomorrow – why is that?
The answer will be in tomorrow’s post…

The Tabernacle’s Pattern?
Just before the Bible provides us with a detailed description of the Tabernacle’s vessels, there is an interesting verse that mentioned that God showed Moses the ‘pattern’ of the Tabernacle and its vessels:

“And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.” (Exodus 25:8-9)

In the original Hebrew, the word for ‘pattern’ is “Tavnit” {תבנית} and this word is derived from the Hebrew root “B-N-HA” {ב-נ-ה} which simply means ‘built’. We can find this word in several places in the Hebrew Bible which relates to the concept of a ‘model’ (it is used as a synonym for the word model). In our specific case it is actually means a ‘plan’, as appears in the following biblical example:

“Then David gave Solomon his son the plan of the vestibule of the temple, and of its houses…” (1 Chronicles 28: 11)

In other words, one should read the verse above as ‘God showed Moses the plan of the Tabernacle and its vessels’. Interestingly, in Modern Hebrew the concept of the biblical word ‘Tavnit’ has ‘extended’ and it means also ‘form’ or ‘template.’

The Dwelling Place Of Shekinah
“And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.” (Exodus 25:8)

“And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.” (I Kings 6:13)

In the English translation one cannot see the ‘hidden meaning’ of the biblical text. This can only be seen in the original Hebrew – there the word “dwell” (appears as ‘Shachantee” {שכנתי} in Hebrew) which plays an important role in both segments, shares the same Hebrew root as the word Tabernacle (“Mishkan” {משכן}) which simply means in Hebrew ‘dwelling’ or ‘residence.’ And on top of that, both of these Hebrew words share the same root as the Hebrew word for the “Divine spirit” (“Shekinah” {שכינה}).

*The Hebrew root is: ש.כ.נ