Sunday, April 19, 2009

Songs of Moshe, Devorah, and David

We read Shirat Hayam on both the 7th day of Pesach and parshat Beshalach. The Torah readings include a song and, appropriately, each day's haftarah includes a corresponding song - those of Devorah and David respectively.

Why is Devorah's song read for Beshalach and David's on Pesach, and not vice versa? A tempting answer here is there is no reason, that the haftarot are essentially interchangeable. But I think I can come up with a better reason.

The difference between the Torah readings of Pesach and Beshalach is that Pesach's reading ends shortly after Shirat Hayam, while Beshalach's continues for another three aliyot, telling of the complaints about food and water and the battle with Amalek. Then comes Yitro's journey to meet the people, but that is already part of the next parsha, Yitro.

According to Ibn Ezra, the Amalek and Yitro events are related by more than textual and (perhaps) chronological proximity. Both Amalek and Yitro were among the sparse nomadic population of this part of the desert. In effect Yitro was part of the Amalekite people, yet he had chosen to separate from them and take up a less immoral way of life. Ibn Ezra says that the Yitro events happened later, but they were written here out of chronological order - to teach us that Amalek is evil not from birth but as a result of certain choices they made, while others such as Yitro faced similar choices and chose differently.

Beshalach/Yitro is not the only time we see this clarification of the eternal Divine war with Amalek. Indeed, Devorah's song contains a very similar idea. Devorah and the Israelite army defeated the Caananites, but they did not manage to capture the leading Canaanite general Sisera. Sisera successfully fled the battle scene to the tent of a presumably friendly woman named Yael. "Now Hever the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, even from the children of Hovav the in-law of Moses ... And Sisera fled on his feet to the tent of Yael wife of Hever the Kenite; for there was peace between Yavin king of Hatzor and the house of Hever the Kenite." (Shoftim 4:11,17)

Hever was from the same family as Yitro, related to Amalek, and until now he had cooperated with Yavin and Sisera in the cruel oppression of Israel (4:2-3). Thus Sisera expected Hever's house to be a refuge from the Israelites looking to capture him. But Hever's wife Yael sided with Israel and, rather than protecting Sisera, waited until he fell asleep and then killed him. Thus the victory over the Canaanites was completed and the oppression of Israel ended.

Like Yitro, Yael came from a background that strongly pressured her not to recognize and aid the more moral side of the conflict. But both Yitro and Yael had the courage to overcome this hurdle and render aid to Israel. This is the connection between parshat Beshalach and its haftarah, Devorah's song. Once this parsha and haftarah were assigned to each other, the remaining song in Nach - that of David - was left over for the 7th day of Pesach on which the Amalek story is not mentioned.

7 comments:

William Dwek said...

The Swine Flu is common in PIGS.

This is a clear indication that it is the Dayanim – ‘Judges’ - and ‘Rabbis’ of today who are the PIGS and swines.

They twist and use the Torah for their own power and commercial benefit.

They are corrupt. And they are interested in only one thing:

MONEY.

Not the Torah.

William Dwek said...

When ‘dayanim’ and ‘rabbis’ use the Torah for their own power and commercial profit, this is the behaviour of a swine i.e. a Pig.

No other ‘rabbi’ will ever act against another ‘rabbi’ - even when he knows his colleague is clearly desecrating the Torah. Each rabbi is only worried about losing his own position.

Therefore, the ‘rabbi’ and ‘dayan’ will never effect justice. And he will never truly stand for the Torah or the Honour of Hashem. His pocket will always prevail.

The Torah must never be used for commercial gain and profit. Am Yisrael can only be lead by those who have the necessary love and respect of Hashem and the Torah.

William Dwek said...

1. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may use lies. They turn the innocent into the guilty, and the guilty, become the innocent. They will not hesitate to tell lies in the Synagogue.

2. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may steal. They steal and siphon off money for themselves, from the community and individuals.

3. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may commit murder. They may shame a Jew in public, even repeatedly. This is one of the most vile acts of murder in Jewish law – and they know this.

4. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ will not hesitate to use Lashon Hara - the ‘Evil Tongue’ - to suit his own ends. Slander and gossip. This too, is one of the worst acts of murder in Jewish Law. Their slander is never challenged by the community, because they hold positions of power. And the slander may begin with the Rebbetzin herself.

5. The ‘dayanim’ and ‘rabbis’ worship idols and other gods. Their only god is Money. Especially the ‘Dayanim’ – the ‘Judges’ who sit on a Beit Din. They only care about their high incomes and retirement packages. They have little or no love for the Torah or Hashem.

In the case of Lubavitch/Chabad, all their rabbis are carrying out a form of Avodah Zarah – strange worship. They are using mediation and intercession. This is completely forbidden, and against the Torah. We are only allowed to pray to Hashem, directly ourselves.

6. When the NAME of Hashem has been taken in Vain – repeatedly - by reshaim, the ‘rabbi’ will turn a deaf ear and blind eye to the

CHILLUL HASHEM.

This is the abhorrent behaviour of a Pig.

This is an extremely severe and dangerous situation.

There is NO forgiveness for this evil sin and aveirah.

7. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may also offer large bribes, tell lies and bring False Witnesses – when he in fact has committed the crime. These are heinous acts of the most despicable kind. This is especially vile when the ‘dayan’ is sitting on a ‘Beit Din.’

8. The ‘rabbi’ may commit adultery. And when he gets divorced, he may spread slander about his own ex-wife, blackening her name – when in fact he was at fault.

9. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may also desecrate Shabbat – if it suits him. He will use physical violence to assault another Jew or Jewess at any time. This evil and venomous behaviour is 100% against the Torah.

Beisrunner said...

William,

When I cannot correct excesses of the type you describe, I try to respond to respond along the lines of the following quote (from R' Kook in Arpilei Tohar): "The pure righteous do not complain of the dark, but increase the light. They do not complain of evil, but increase justice. They do not complain of heresy, but increase faith. They do not complain of ignorance, but increase wisdom."

-Beisrunner

William Dwek said...

Beisrunner,

I can give you concrete names of 'rabbis' and 'dayanim' who have committed every single category of aveirah I have listed.

You may not like it - but the truth is very ugly.

I have not listed one single excess.

It has all happened in North West London.

Eliyahoo William Dwek said...

A further word of advice regarding those who masquerade as a ‘dayan’ ‘rabbi’ or false ‘mekubal’:

1. These men may knowingly and willingly, deliberately deceive a Jew or Jewess. e.g. in the area of shidduchim, or offering to perform a ‘pidyon nefesh’.

This abhorrent and deceptive behaviour has caused tremendous harm to people who are innocent and trusting.

2. Do not ever ‘kiss the hands’ of these men (which they might offer to you in public).

3. And do not be duped into queuing and waiting, to see them for their ‘brachot’ (‘blessings’). They peddle ‘brachot’ purely for their own selfish gratification and ‘kavod’ (‘honour’).

Their duplicitous behaviour is nothing short of deception and cunning. In short they are abhorant and causing so much harm to amm israel. They prey on the vulnerable, and those who are naïve, unsuspecting and trusting of these pedlars.

Eliyahoo William Dwek said...

Any man who chooses to be a ‘rabbi’ (‘true teacher’ of Torah) or a ‘dayan’ (‘judge’), or a ‘mekubal’ (‘kabbalist’) should be doing so Voluntarily. Out of his pure love for Hashem and the Torah. And his Ahavat Yisrael.

If he refuses to do community work voluntarily, and wants and accepts payment for everything he does, such a man should not be leading a community. He should get a job and earn a living. He can collect milk bottles or clean the windows. That is what is called ‘earning a living’.

Torah is learned, studied and taught: out of Love. Voluntarily. But the ‘rabbis’ have turned the Torah into their ‘Profession’, from which they earn money.

We are commanded in the Shema to:

‘LOVE Hashem, your G-d, WITH ALL YOUR HEART, and with all your soul and with all your might.’

‘VE’AHAVTA et Hashem Elokecha BECHOL LEVAVECHA uvechol nafshecha uvechol meodecha.’ (Devarim, Vaethanan, 6:4-5)

Is the ordinary man or woman PAID to pray to Hashem, or to say some words of Torah? No. Has veshalom! But the rabbis are. These men can give ‘lovely’ shiurim that they have rehearsed. But they would not give a shiur without being paid for it.

The true hachamim and rabbis of old, all actually worked at proper jobs and professions.

Wake up! Even a little child could have worked this out. These salaried men can never truly stand for the Torah, because in a case of conflict between a correct course of action according to the Torah, and the rabbi or rav’s pocket – his pocket and position will always prevail.

Pirkei Avot: (2:2)
“Raban Gamliel beno shel Rabi Yehuda HaNassi omer: yafeh talmud Torah im derech eretz, sheyegiat shenaihem mashkachat avon. Vechol Torah she’ein imah melacha sofa betailah ve’goreret avon. Vechol haoskim im hatzibbur yiheyu imahem leShem Shamayim……”

“Rabban Gamliel, the son of Rabi Yehuda HaNassi, said: It is good to combine Torah study with a worldly occupation, for working at them both drives sin from the mind. All Torah without an occupation will in the end fail and lead to sin. And let all who work for the community do so for the sake of Heaven………”