Hi,
Shir haShirim 7:6 describes Gd as מלך אסור ברהטים, which translates literally as “the King, bound in [your] tresses.” However, the word רהטים may also refer to “running.”
“Gd said to Israel: It is as though I was bound by an oath to you. In what merit? In the merit of the two times Avraham ran before Me: ‘And to the cattle Avraham raced’ and ‘He saw and he raced to greet them’ [to take care of his guests].
"Thus, the king is bound by running.”
(Midrash Tanchuma Tetzaveh 6)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Punishing one who sins
Hi,
"They asked Wisdom: What should be the punishment of a sinner? She replied: ‘Wicked people should be pursued by their sins [Mishlei 13:21].’
"They asked Prophecy: What should be the punishment of a sinner? She replied [Yechezkel 18:4]: ‘The sinning soul should die.’
"They asked Gd: What should be the punishment of a sinner? He replied: Let him repent, and it will be forgiven for him.""
(Talmud Yerushalmi, Makkot 2:6)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"They asked Wisdom: What should be the punishment of a sinner? She replied: ‘Wicked people should be pursued by their sins [Mishlei 13:21].’
"They asked Prophecy: What should be the punishment of a sinner? She replied [Yechezkel 18:4]: ‘The sinning soul should die.’
"They asked Gd: What should be the punishment of a sinner? He replied: Let him repent, and it will be forgiven for him.""
(Talmud Yerushalmi, Makkot 2:6)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Why did Yonah flee?
Hi,
"He decided not to go to Nineveh, so that the people of Assyria would not be saved from destruction by his hand. How could his going cause the Assyrians to be saved, and then to ultimately destroy the children of Israel?... If Gd wishes to save them Himself, let Him do as He wishes – but not via Yonah and by his hand."
(Abarbanel to Yonah 1:1)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"He decided not to go to Nineveh, so that the people of Assyria would not be saved from destruction by his hand. How could his going cause the Assyrians to be saved, and then to ultimately destroy the children of Israel?... If Gd wishes to save them Himself, let Him do as He wishes – but not via Yonah and by his hand."
(Abarbanel to Yonah 1:1)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Why was Yonah recorded?
Hi,
"Yonah’s story was recorded among the holy texts not because of Nineveh, but because of Yonah, the strength of his piety and the miracle performed for him, and so that we would know that the word of Gd will stand forever."
(Abarbanel to Yonah 1:1)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"Yonah’s story was recorded among the holy texts not because of Nineveh, but because of Yonah, the strength of his piety and the miracle performed for him, and so that we would know that the word of Gd will stand forever."
(Abarbanel to Yonah 1:1)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Monday, January 3, 2011
The identity of the Yonah
Hi,
"Yonah, who descends into the boat, is the soul of a person which descends to this world to live in the body of a person. Why is it called a “Yonah”? Because once it partners with a body like this, it suffers (yonah) in this world, as it is said, “And you shall not cause one another to suffer (tonu).”"
(Zohar, Shemot 199a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"Yonah, who descends into the boat, is the soul of a person which descends to this world to live in the body of a person. Why is it called a “Yonah”? Because once it partners with a body like this, it suffers (yonah) in this world, as it is said, “And you shall not cause one another to suffer (tonu).”"
(Zohar, Shemot 199a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Repentance saved the world
Hi,
“Before the universe existed, there was only Gd, in His Name alone. He decided to create the universe, but he continually destroyed it; the universe could not endure. The sages have compared this to a king who wished to build a palace; had the king not laid waste to the land, he could not have begun to build its foundations, exits and entrances. So Gd destroyed the universe, and it could not endure, until He created the possibility of repentance."
(Midrash, Pirkei d'R' Eliezer 3)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
“Before the universe existed, there was only Gd, in His Name alone. He decided to create the universe, but he continually destroyed it; the universe could not endure. The sages have compared this to a king who wished to build a palace; had the king not laid waste to the land, he could not have begun to build its foundations, exits and entrances. So Gd destroyed the universe, and it could not endure, until He created the possibility of repentance."
(Midrash, Pirkei d'R' Eliezer 3)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Saturday, January 1, 2011
The value of humility
Hi,
“Humility is the root of service. A small deed, performed out of humility, is one thousand times more acceptable to Gd than a great deed performed out of arrogance. And so the sages said [Berachot 5b], ‘It is the same, whether one does a lot or a little, so long as his heart’s intent is for the sake of heaven.’”
(Orchot Tzaddikim, Shaar ha'Anavah)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
“Humility is the root of service. A small deed, performed out of humility, is one thousand times more acceptable to Gd than a great deed performed out of arrogance. And so the sages said [Berachot 5b], ‘It is the same, whether one does a lot or a little, so long as his heart’s intent is for the sake of heaven.’”
(Orchot Tzaddikim, Shaar ha'Anavah)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
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