My shiurim on Melachim Aleph
This year I wrote shiurim on Melachim Aleph for Yeshivat Har Etzion's VBM.
You can find all 29 shiurim on Melakhim Aleph here.
Enjoy!
Labels: Melakhim Aleph
We just can't stop learning! ...The Bekiut Nach class of 5766 in a quest to complete Nevi'im Rishonim
This year I wrote shiurim on Melachim Aleph for Yeshivat Har Etzion's VBM.
Labels: Melakhim Aleph
here is an article about new finds in Jerusalem, that may stretch back even to the period following Athalia! The excavations at Ir David are very exciting, and are constantly changing. Make sure you take a visit there next time you are in Jerusalem/Israel!
Daf Yomi a day or two ago, had a facinating line on the next King of Yehuda; Yotam ben Uziah. In this piece of Massechet Sukka, Rabbi Shimon bar Yoachai is talking about the manner in which the greatness of a few lone individuals can hold sway for the entire world:
In 1931 an archeological find, now known as the Uzziah Tablet was discovered by Professor E.I. Sukenik of the Hebrew University. He came across the artifact in a Russian convent collection from the Mount of Olives. The origin of the tablet previous to this remains unknown and was not documented by the convent. The inscription on the tablet are written in ancient Hebrew with an Aramaic style. This style is dated to around AD 30-70, around 700 years after the supposed death of Uzziah of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Nevertheless the inscription is translated, "The bones of Uzziah, king of Judah, rest here...do not open!" It is open to debate whether this really is the tomb of King Uzziah or simply a later creation. Many seem to claim that it was a later reburial of Uzziah after the Second Temple Period.
From the heights of the period of Yerovam, the Northern Kingdom falls rapidly. In approximately 40 years the Kingdom is invaded, destroyed and exiled.
This seal of Yerovam's servant was found 100 years ago in Megiddo!
The reign of Yerovam ben Yoash and Uzziah
" So says the LORD: For three transgressions of Israel, yea,
for four, I will not reverse it (the Destruction): because they sell the
righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; 7 That trample the dust
of the earth upon the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the humble;
and a man and his father go unto the same maid, to profane My holy name; 8 And
they lay themselves down beside every altar upon clothes taken in pledge, and in
the house of their God they drink the wine of them that have been fined."
"They lie on ivory beds;
lolling on their couches,
Feasting on lambs from
the flock
And on calves from the stalls.
They listen to song to the tune
of the lute –
They account themselves musicians like David
They drink
straight from wine bowls
And anoint themselves with the choicest oils
–
But they are not concerned with the ruin of Joseph.
Assuredly, right
soon
They shall head the column of exiles;
They shall indulge no more at
festive meals
My Lord swears by Himself;
I loathe the Pride of
Yaakov,
And I detest his palaces.
I will deliver (to the enemy) the city
and its inhabitants alike." (6:4-8)
"4 Hear this, O ye that would swallow the needy, and destroy the poor of the
land, 5 Saying: 'When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? and the
sabbath, that we may set forth corn? making the ephah small, and the shekel
great, and falsifying the balances of deceit; 6 That we may buy the poor for
silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes, and sell the refuse of the corn?' 7
The LORD hath sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of
their works. 8 Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that
dwelleth therein? Yea, it shall rise up wholly like the River; and it shall be
troubled and sink again, like the River of Egypt. {P}"
אמציה בן יואש מלך יהודה
Here we have a king that is described as following God. His reign is a significant 29 years. In addition, Sefer Melachim relates that he conquers Edom on the Southern border. We can see from this description that this is a period of calm and stability in which YEhuda can flourish. As we have seen with Yisrael, the pressure from Aram has waned. There is no enemy on the horizon, no superpowers. And so we shall see that for a period of 80 years - the reign of Amatzia and Uzziah - we have a period which is good, economically, religiously and in terms of national security.