Miracles are not the measure of a prophet

Hi,

"The compilers have agreed that miracles and wonders are an essential trait among the prophetic traits, and the level of the prophet is in accord with the level of his wonders. But I have already written in my מחזה ש-ד-י that it is not so. Performing miracles and wonders is not an essential trait of prophecy. It is not impossible that a person prophesy and not perform any miracles. These are not what indicate the level of the prophet, because they are performed only based on the need and demand of the moment…

"Our master Moshe was distinguished from other prophets by his level of prophecy, not his level of miracles. Thus the  text said (Devarim 34), 'And no other prophet arose in Israel like Moshe, whom Gd knew, face [to face].'"

(Don Isaac Abarbanel to Yehoshua 10)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Why isn't life after death discussed throughly in the Torah? Part 7 of 8

Hi,

"The material rewards mentioned in the words of this covenant could not have included any spiritual promises, for these promises included the entire nation. Bountiful rain, the blessing of the crops, victory over foes and other items mentioned here include the entire nation… But spiritual rewards are only for each Israelite individually. Regarding material benefits, the world or the city or the nation is judged with its majority… "

(Commentary of Don Isaac Abarbanel to Vayikra 26:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why isn't life after death discussed throughly in the Torah? Part 6

Hi,

"Early idolaters promised great material success and benefits… And when He wished to make us complete in the truth of His faith, Gd came and gave us His Torah and prohibited us from those types of service, and so He needed to say [that there would be material rewards], lest one think that in halting those types of service, the material benefits would also be lost, as was said by the early ones and as the accursed women said, 'Since we ceased to burn offerings for the queen of the heavens, and to pour libations for her, we have lost all. (Yirmiyah 44:18)' It would not be so. Just the opposite – by distancing ourselves from those types of service, greater and greater benefits and successes, without measure, would flow upon them under the supervision of Gd."

(Commentary of Don Isaac Abarbanel to Vayikra 26:1)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Why isn't life after death discussed throughly in the Torah? Part 5

Hi,

"The early ones, all of the seed of Adam and Noach's descendants, other than special individuals like Shem, Ever and Avraham, served the stars and denied Divine supervision of individual human beings. Those who believed in an eternal world followed them, and thought that Divine influence was entirely automatic, and nothing of its nature would change due to Divine wish... 

"Therefore, when Gd wished to purify Israel He arranged before them the deeds they would perform, to educate them [to know] that this world was created from total nothingness, and all of this came from Gd, in accordance with His Will and not automatically, and that He could alter nature at will, and that there were deeds Gd desired and deeds which angered Him… 

"If Gd had promised spiritual rewards in His covenant of guarding the mitzvot and His Torah, the Children of Israel would not have believed this, for they did not yet believe in Divine supervision! Therefore, He needed to promise them that which they could grasp with their senses, indicating definitively that He was supervising."

(Don Isaac Abarbanel, commentary to Vayikra 26:1)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Why isn't life after death discussed thoroughly in the Torah? Part 4

Hi,

"The third answer [of seven that he presents, from various sources] is that persistence of the spirit, and its reward in accord with its perfection, are inherent in the nature of humanity. Spiritual success [survival?] is not one of the concepts which is received only from Divine religion; the conclusion of sense and logic mandates that Creation and the path of perfection of natural forms should include it, as philosophers have received in their analyses.

"It is known that the promise of the Divine Torah is not that nature should continue in its natural way, for then there would be neither reward nor punishment. All of her promises involve direction by Divine supervision, not the natural order. Therefore this was tied specifically to mitzvah observance and fulfillment, through supernatural miracles."

(Don Isaac Abarbanel to Vayikra 26:1)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Why isn't life after death discussed thoroughly in the Torah? Part 2

Hi,

"The first answer [of seven that he presents, from various sources] is that the good and bad mentioned in the passages of the [biblical] covenant are neither reward nor punishment for mitzvot. True reward or punishment would be spiritual, affecting the soul in the world of souls, and reward for mitzvot is not in this world. The Torah did not want to mention reward for mitzvot and their true punishment, so that one would serve his Creator altruistically, not due to expectation of punishment."

(Don Isaac Abarbanel to Vayikra 26:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The City of Jericho

Hi,

Why did Joshua declare that no one should rebuild the Canaanite city of Jericho (Joshua, Chapter 6)? Here are two rather different ideas:

Rambam, Moreh haNevuchim 3:50 -

"Yehoshua declared cherem upon one who would rebuild Jericho, ever, so that the miracle would endure. One who would see the wall sunken into the ground would perceive that this is not the way of a ruined building, but rather that the wall had sunk miraculously."

Commentary of Don Isaac Abarbanel to Joshua, Chapter 6 -

"I would suggest that Gd instructed him... and it is included in the statement [in Chapter 5, regarding Jericho], 'The place where you stand is holy,' so that the place be should be cherem, with everything in it."

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The meaning of the number 7

Hi,

"Just as the miraculous act performed by Gd in Creation was done in six days, halting on the seventh day, so, too - to demonstrate to the nations and leaders that the conquest of Jericho was a Divine act, meaning marvelous and miraculous, like initial Creation - He commanded that they make seven circuits of Jericho in seven days, with seven kohanim and seven shofarot, to hint that this deed would be of the same type as that first Divine deed.

"This was also the purpose and reason for the mitzvah of Shabbat and of shemitah, regarding which the Torah also says 'a Shabbat for Gd', hinting at Shabbat of Creation."

(Abarbanel to Yehoshua 6)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

It's about the nation, not its leaders

Hi,

"The land was not given to Moshe, specifically, but 'to them, to the Children of Israel'… not to Moshe individually. And the text says 'to them, to the Children of Israel' with two declarations, to say that He would not be obligated to give the land to this generation if they would not be worthy, but to the Children of Israel, whatever generation it would be."

שהארץ לא נתנה אליו בייחוד כי אם "להם לבני ישראל"... ר׳׳ל ולא למשה בפרט. ואמר "להם לבני ישראל" בשתי הודעות לומר שגם לדור הזה לא היה מחוייב לתת אותה אם לא יהיה זכאי, כי אם לבני ישראל, יהיה הדור שיהיה.

(Abarbanel to Yehoshua, pg. 15)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

A proper leader

Hi,

The Jews' charge to Yehoshua in the end of the first chapter:

"With all of the Divine assistance and all of the nation's loyalty and conquest, a third support will be required, and this will be from you: to be strong and courageous like a proper leader. Should someone transgress your word, you must punish him immediately; as Kiddushin 32b says, 'If a king forgives his honour, his honour is not forgiven,' for the honour of the throne and the sake of the nation."

אבל עם כל העזר האלקי ועם כל שמיעת העם וכבישותם יצטרך עוד עזר שלישי והוא ממך, שתהיה חזק ואמיץ כמנהיג הגון, ואם אדם יעבור פיך שתענישנו מיד, כי (כמו שאמרו רז״ל, קדושין פ״א לב:) מלך שמחל על כבודו אין כבודו מחול, לכבוד המלכות וצורך העם.

(Abarbanel to Yehoshua, pg. 19)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Study the stories, too

Hi,

Explaining the twice-stated Divine instruction to Yehoshua to study the Torah:

"First Gd instructed Yehoshua to guard the Torah and practice its mitzvot, explaining truly, 'so that you will have insight wherever you go,' meaning that the mitzvot of the Torah would give him favour and good insight and great knowledge to act appropriately and to avoid sin and transgression, 'so that you will have insight wherever you go.'

"Then He instructed him not only to examine the mitzvot of the Torah, but also to continually study, in depth, the stories recorded in Torah, for in them is splendid wisdom and righteous deeds from which to learn. For this he said, 'This book of the Torah shall never leave you, and you shall read it day and night.'"

צוהו ראשונה על שמירת התורה ועשיית מצותה, ונתן הסבה בזה באמת "למען תשכיל בכל אשר תלך," ר"ל שמצות התורה יתנו לו חן ושכל טוב וידיעה רבה להתנהג בדברים כפי הראוי ולהמנע מהחטא והאסור, וזהו אמרו "למען תשכיל בכל אשר תלך." אחרי זה צוהו שלא לבד ישים עיונו בחלק המצות התוריות, אבל גם בספורים שנכתבו בתורה יתמיד ויפליג העיון בהם, כי בהם מהחכמה המפוארת ומיושר הפעולות להתלמד מהם, ועל זה אמר "לא ימוש ספר התורה הזה מפיך והגית בו יומם ולילה."

(Don Isaac Abarbanel to Yehoshua, pg. 17)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Is mercy a feminine trait?

Hi,

"The mother has great mercy for her children… Therefore, they called mercy rachamim, from rechem [womb], which is uniquely female."

מפני שהאם מרחמת על בניה ברחמים גדולים... לכן קראו לחמלה רחמים מלשון רחם המיוחדת אל האשה 

(Don Isaac Abarbanel to Shemot 34)

גמר חתימה טובה,
Mordechai

Why did Daniel write in Aramaic?

Hi,
"The words of the Chaldeans and their kings, which were stated in Aramaic, and the words Daniel spoke to them in their tongue as well, he saw fit to record as they were stated. This is because errors and many forms of mistakes fall into translation from one tongue to another."

(Don Isaac Abarbanel, Introduction to Maayanei haYeshuah on Daniel)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The responsibility of the educated

Hi,

"Guilt cannot be assigned to the masses, who lack knowledge and learning; this is your mitzvah, kohanim, and you are responsible to guide the nation in a proper path."

(Abarbanel to Malachi 1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Limits of Self-Reliance

Hi,

"When a person depends on his own mind and thoughts, his spirit is darkened, without a straight path, for he is always in doubt."

(R' Isaac Abarbanel, Commentary to Chavakuk 2:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why were the books of the Prophets recorded?

Hi,

"This [canonization of Samuel II] was not for the purpose of telling the story itself, like the books of chronicles composed by the nations, but for the purpose of learning the service of Gd."

(Don Isaac Abarbanel to Neviim Rishonim, pg. 164)

מועדים לשמחה,
Mordechai

A pauper riding on a donkey, Part II of II

Hi,

Part II -

Zecharyah 9:9 predicts, "Your king will come to you, a pauper, riding on a donkey." Who is this predicted king?

"'Behold your king comes to you' – This refers to your true king, the shoot from the trunk of Yishai [i.e. the Davidic line]. He will come to you – not a kohen from the seed of Aaron and not from another family, but the true king.

"Ibn Ezra thought, following his corrupt intent, to explain this section about the Second Temple… I am shocked by his evil intent, which blinded his intellect! Yehudah the Hasmonean was never called a 'king', let alone a King of Zion as was David who conquered Zion! And if Zecharyah prophesied about the Hasmoneans, how did this relate to Ephraim? The kingdom of Ephraim was not present in the Second Temple! Further, Yehudah the Hasmonean did not speak peace to all of the nations, and did not reign from sea to sea. In his day the vision of 'I have filled a bow for Ephraim' was not fulfilled, for the kingdom of the ten tribes, meaning 'the kingdom of Ephraim', did not return until now. The entire rest of the portion denies his view entirely...

"Also, he will explain all of the prophecies regarding the Second Temple, as though he did not believe in the salvation of Gd and His future redemption!...

(Abarbanel to Zecharyah, pg. 226-227)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Seeing redemption in current events

Hi,

"Jeremiah wrote, “In those days the house of Judah will go to the house of Israel,” and none could understand what this meant - but then, lo and behold, through the agency of explorers who traveled from Portugal to India for spices, I received a letter from Jews living in the lands of the west, who claimed to be descendants of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, who had been exiled from the cities of Judah by Sanchereb and had not returned for the Second Temple! Behold, the house of Judah goes to the house of Israel!"

(Don Isaac Abarbanel [15th-16th century], Commentary to Jeremiah 3:18)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Of Truth, Justice and Peace

Hi,

"Sometimes a judge will judge according to that which he knows to be true, even without witnesses or warnings; this type of justice is available to a king or a major court, to judge and punish according to legal procedure or extrajudicially, based on 'emet [truth]'. Sometimes he judges according to the legal structure of the Torah, and this is uniquely termed 'mishpat [justice]'. Sometimes he arranges compromise between litigants, according to the case and the needs of the time; this is termed 'shalom [peace]'."

(Abarbanel to Zecharyah 8 (pg 223))

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Fasting which is not accompanied by good deeds

Hi,

"The completeness I desire is that which is recorded in Yirmiyahu, 'Let the one who is praised be praised for this: Have insight and know Me, for I am Gd who performs generosity and justice and righteousness in the land, this is what I desire.'

"This means: I desired for you to perform generosity and justice and righteousness in the land, to walk in My ways. Fasting and eating are not among My actions, for I neither eat nor drink. Fasting is non-eating, and it is not relevant for Me, for one cannot refrain from anything other than that which one normally practices."

(Abarbanel to Zecharyah 7, pg. 221)

Have a great day,
Mordechai