August 22, 2015 Elul 7 5775 Parasha Shoftim Deuteronomy 18:6-19:13
August 22, 2015 Parasha Shoftim
Elul 7 5775 Deuteronomy 18:6-19:13; p.1094
This reading begins with the requirement to provide for the Levites. In an agrarian society, the landless priestly tribe needed to rely on those who owned and profited from the land. The text reminds the Israelites of their obligation to share their bounty with the priestly class. The parasha then moves into a reiteration of forbidden practices. The Israelites are reminded that child sacrifice is taboo. Within the same verse there is now the addition of bans on various forms of magical practices, suggesting that the ban on magic was as important as that on child sacrifice. The rabbis of the Talmudic period believed that magic was real. In the Babylonian Talmud, (Sanhedrin 67a) there is a discussion of gathering cucumbers by magic. Rabbi Akiva said in Rabbi Joshua’s name that of two people, who gathered cucumbers by magic, one was exempt and one was punished. The one who truly used magic to gather the cucumbers was punished, but one who just performed an illusion of magic was exempt. Making a distinction between genuine magic and illusion shows that they believed in magical power, but saw it as off limits. The text then tells how to distinguish genuine prophets from false ones. It moves on to the establishment of Cities of Refuge, places where those who have accidentally killed someone can receive protection from the slain person’s relatives, who would be seeking revenge. The text specifies that the Cities of Refuge cannot be used as sanctuary for murderers, who are to receive the death penalty. Robert Alter and others suggest that biblical references to Cities of Refuge are late additions, after regional sites of worship were abolished and all priestly activities centralized at the Temple in Jerusalem. Prior to that, regional worship sites – like the altar at Shiloh – served as sanctuary for those who committed accidental homicide. Haftarah
Isaiah 51:12-52:12; p. 1108
This week’s haftarah is the fourth of seven Haftarot of Consolation. Again, we turn to Isaiah, who offers words of comfort that were written for exiles in Babylonia. He offers hope that the exile will end and that once again the people will be favored and Jerusalem will be rebuilt. The haftarah begins in God’s voice: Anochi anochi hoo minachemchem – I, I am the One Who comforts you. Note Isaiah’s characteristic doubling of the initial word of a verse, which we also see later when he says Oori oori livshi oozech – Awake awake, put on your strength. The prophet employs poetic and often anthropomorphic imagery to describe Jerusalem and the Israelite people recovering from the punishment of exile and enjoying God’s favor once again. The haftarah will sound familiar to regular Friday night service attendees. The imagery and some of the specific language is included in Lecha Dodi.
Elul 7 5775 Deuteronomy 18:6-19:13; p.1094
This reading begins with the requirement to provide for the Levites. In an agrarian society, the landless priestly tribe needed to rely on those who owned and profited from the land. The text reminds the Israelites of their obligation to share their bounty with the priestly class. The parasha then moves into a reiteration of forbidden practices. The Israelites are reminded that child sacrifice is taboo. Within the same verse there is now the addition of bans on various forms of magical practices, suggesting that the ban on magic was as important as that on child sacrifice. The rabbis of the Talmudic period believed that magic was real. In the Babylonian Talmud, (Sanhedrin 67a) there is a discussion of gathering cucumbers by magic. Rabbi Akiva said in Rabbi Joshua’s name that of two people, who gathered cucumbers by magic, one was exempt and one was punished. The one who truly used magic to gather the cucumbers was punished, but one who just performed an illusion of magic was exempt. Making a distinction between genuine magic and illusion shows that they believed in magical power, but saw it as off limits. The text then tells how to distinguish genuine prophets from false ones. It moves on to the establishment of Cities of Refuge, places where those who have accidentally killed someone can receive protection from the slain person’s relatives, who would be seeking revenge. The text specifies that the Cities of Refuge cannot be used as sanctuary for murderers, who are to receive the death penalty. Robert Alter and others suggest that biblical references to Cities of Refuge are late additions, after regional sites of worship were abolished and all priestly activities centralized at the Temple in Jerusalem. Prior to that, regional worship sites – like the altar at Shiloh – served as sanctuary for those who committed accidental homicide. Haftarah
Isaiah 51:12-52:12; p. 1108
This week’s haftarah is the fourth of seven Haftarot of Consolation. Again, we turn to Isaiah, who offers words of comfort that were written for exiles in Babylonia. He offers hope that the exile will end and that once again the people will be favored and Jerusalem will be rebuilt. The haftarah begins in God’s voice: Anochi anochi hoo minachemchem – I, I am the One Who comforts you. Note Isaiah’s characteristic doubling of the initial word of a verse, which we also see later when he says Oori oori livshi oozech – Awake awake, put on your strength. The prophet employs poetic and often anthropomorphic imagery to describe Jerusalem and the Israelite people recovering from the punishment of exile and enjoying God’s favor once again. The haftarah will sound familiar to regular Friday night service attendees. The imagery and some of the specific language is included in Lecha Dodi.
