Yeshaya Perek 10

Yeshaya Perek 10-
Sefer Yeshaya is taught by Rabbi Albert Setton, Rabbi at Congregation Magen David of West Deal; Rabbi in Hillel Yeshiva.

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Yeshaya Perek 9

Yeshaya Perek 9-
Sefer Yeshaya is taught by Rabbi Albert Setton, Rabbi at Congregation Magen David of West Deal; Rabbi in Hillel Yeshiva.

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R' Harold Sutton - Introduction to Sefer Yeshaya

Lecture by Rabbi Harold Sutton

When does Yeshaya Prophesy? To Who? What are the major themes that he discusses? Yeshaya speaks of Koresh in the later perakim, something that has lead scholars to create a Yeshaya 1 and Yeshaya 2. The fact that Koresh only appears after Yeshaya's time should not be a deciding factor and reflection of later authorship, as that is the definition of a navi. But why/what purpose ‎does Yeshaya speak of Koresh? Recorded on Monday Apr. 27th, 2015 at 8:45 PM in Congregation Hochma U'Mussar, Brooklyn, NY, 11223.   

Yeshaya Perek 8

Yeshaya Perek 8-
Sefer Yeshaya is taught by Rabbi Albert Setton, Rabbi at Congregation Magen David of West Deal; Rabbi in Hillel Yeshiva.

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Yeshaya Perek 7

Yeshaya Perek 7-
Sefer Yeshaya is taught by Rabbi Albert Setton, Rabbi at Congregation Magen David of West Deal; Rabbi in Hillel Yeshiva.

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Yeshaya Perek 6

Yeshaya Perek 6-
Sefer Yeshaya is taught by Rabbi Albert Setton, Rabbi at Congregation Magen David of West Deal; Rabbi in Hillel Yeshiva.

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Yeshaya Perek 5

Yeshaya Perek 5-
Sefer Yeshaya is taught by Rabbi Albert Setton, Rabbi at Congregation Magen David of West Deal; Rabbi in Hillel Yeshiva.

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Yeshaya Perek 4

Yeshaya Perek 4-
Sefer Yeshaya is taught by Rabbi Albert Setton, Rabbi at Congregation Magen David of West Deal; Rabbi in Hillel Yeshiva.

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Yeshaya Perek 3

Yeshaya Perek 3-
Sefer Yeshaya is taught by Rabbi Albert Setton, Rabbi at Congregation Magen David of West Deal; Rabbi in Hillel Yeshiva.

A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

In this chapter, Yesha’ya speaks not of the Messianic era, but to people of his own generation. G-d is removing the supports from Judah and Jerusalem - soldiers and warriors, judges, prophets and elders. Instead, young and inexperienced people will lead, as will those who mock. People will be oppressed; young people will be disrespectful to the elders and lowly people will be disrespectful to honorable people. Things will reach this state because of the people’s sins, which they brazenly committed in public.

So, the leaders have led the people astray and G-d is ready to judge. The leaders crushed and oppressed the poor in their legal proceedings. The women were as prideful as the men, walking with their necks stretched out and winking at the men. G-d will strike such women with Saraat (“leprosy”), removing their fancy accessories. In place of perfume, there will be decay. Men will fall in war and there will be mourning.

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Yeshaya Perek 2

Yeshaya Perek 2-
Sefer Yeshaya is taught by Rabbi Albert Setton, Rabbi at Congregation Magen David of West Deal; Rabbi in Hillel Yeshiva.

A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

After his “hazon” - the harsh prophecy of chapter 1 - Yesha’ya now has a “d’var” - a “word” of consolation. At the “end of days,” after the wicked are destroyed, G- d’s House will be firmly established. All the nations will flock to Him, turning their instruments of war into farming implements.

Yesha’ya speaks to G-d and says that He had turned His back on the Jews because of their sins. The land became full of gold and silver, horse and chariots, and idols. G-d will not overlook the infidelity of those who turned to idols. There is a day when G-d will repay everyone according to their deeds. All the mighty and powerful warriors and governors, who liken themselves to cedars and oaks, will be brought down to their place. A person who takes pride in his material possessions will likewise be humbled. On the day of judgment, G-d alone will be exalted.

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Yeshaya Perek 1

Yeshaya Perek 1-
Sefer Yeshaya is taught by Rabbi Albert Setton, Rabbi at Congregation Magen David of West Deal; Rabbi in Hillel Yeshiva.

A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

A Brief Introduction to the Book of Yesha’ya:

Yesha’ya (Isaiah) is the first book of the Neviim Aharonim, the Later Prophets. While the books of the Neviim Rishonim, the Early Prophets, focus heavily on the history of the Jewish people from the time of Yehoshua (Joshua) until the Babylonian exile, the Later Prophets focus on the actual prophecies of Yesha’ya, Yirmiyah (Jeremiah), Yehezkel (Ezekiel) and the Trei Assar (Twelve “minor” prophets). Accordingly, the Later Prophets are much more esoteric, full of symbolism and allegory.

The books of the Later Prophets occur concurrently with those of the Early Prophets. Occasionally, we will see familiar stories from a new perspective. (Compare Yesha’ya’s visit to the ill King Hezkiyah in II Kings chapter 20 with Yesha’ya 38 for one such example.) Yesha’ya prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah (Azariah), Yotam, Ahaz and Hezkiyah though the prophecies in the book are not in chronological order. Some of his contemporary prophets were Nahum, Yoel and Habakkuk, who prophesied to Hezkiyah’s son, Menashe. 

Yesha’ya is different from most other books of the Prophets in a significant way. Most of the prophets wrote down their own prophecies when they had finished the active part of their careers. Yesha’ya, however, was assassinated. Since he died abruptly, he was unable to write down his own prophecies. Since they were recorded by different students, there are some stylistic differences in the book. Bible critics attribute this to “two Yesha’yas,” but this is unnecessary, since our tradition already addresses the authorship of the book and resolves this perceived difficulty before it even arises.

Much of what we know about the Mashiah and the Messianic era comes from the Book of Yesha’ya. (Chapter 11 is a major source of such information.) However, there has also been much misrepresentation of the book by other religions’ missionaries. For example, the alleged prediction of a virgin birth in chapter 7 and the famous “suffering servant” of chapter 53. We will address these mis- interpretations as they arise in the text.

Finally, when Yesha’ya chastises the nation for their sins, don’t get the misimpression that every single person must have necessarily been guilty of these

shortcomings. We can all name the sins of our era, but we are also aware that not everybody is guilty of them. Similarly, in Yesha’ya’s time, there were certain misbehaviors that were rampant, but they were by no means universal.

The Neviim Aharonim are a completely different experience from Humash and the Neviim Rishonim. If you haven’t been exposed to them before, you’re about to embark on a unique journey of Torah learning. - 

Chapter 1:

Yesha’ya was the son of Amos (with a sadi), who was the brother of Amasi’ya, then king of Judah. He prophesied to the nation of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem. In this chapter, Yesha’ya calls upon the heavens and earth to bear witness to what G-d has said: the Jewish people have rebelled against Him. An ox recognizes its owner and a donkey knows its home, but the Jews failed to recognize G-d. They’ve suffered punishments, from head to foot, but they continue to sin against G-d.

Yesha’ya continues: G-d doesn’t want or need sacrifices. G-d no longer wanted them gathering before Him for Shabbat and Rosh Hodesh. When they spread out their hands to pray, it’s as if they were covered in blood. What the people need to do is to cleanse themselves of the taint of their deeds. Give up their evil ways. Do good, seek justice, look out for widows and orphans. If they repent, their sins, which are red like crimson, will become white like snow.

Judah was formerly a righteous place, a residence of justice, now everybody cheats everybody else. Therefore, G-d will purge and purify the nation, restoring it to its former glory so that once again it will be known as a place of righteousness.

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Melachim II Perek 25

Melachim II Perek 25-
Sefer Melachim II is taught by Adele Chabot, Judaic Studies teacher at Barkai Yeshiva; Author of “The Best Secret Revealed”.

A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

In the ninth year of Sidkiyah’s reign, on the 10th day of the 10th month (Teves), Nebuchadnezzar started his siege against Jerusalem. In the eleventh and last year of Sidkiyah’s reign, on the 9th day of the 4th month (Tammuz), the city wall was breached. The army of Judah fled. Sidkiyah was captured by the army of Kasdim and brought him to Babylonia.They killed his sons in front of him, then blinded him and kept him in chains. On the 7th day of the 5th month (Av), Nebuzaradan came and looted Jerusalem. He burned the Temple (on the 9th of Av), as well as all the synagogues and yeshivos. Nebuzaradan exiled the remainder of the people, leaving behind only enough to work the fields. The Babylonians demolished all the copper objects in the Temple and took the metal back to Babylonia. The fine craftsmanship of the pillars, utensils and the “sea” didn’t matter to them against the value of the copper itself. Nebuzaradan took prominent Kohanim (priests) and royal advisors and had them executed, just so people would get the message. The kingdom of Judah was officially in exile.

Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah, son of Achikam, as governor over the small number of Jews remaining in the land. The soldiers who had run away returned and Gedaliah encouraged them to be faithful servants to Babylonia. In the seventh month (Tishrei), Gedaliah was assassinated by a party led by Yishmael ben Nesanya. This extinguished the last remnant of hope for the Jews in Judah, as they had to flee to Egypt to avoid repercussions for killing the king of Babylonia’s appointed representative.

Remember that Sidkiyah’s predecessor, his brother Yehoyachin, reigned three months and was captured. In the 27th year of Yehoyachin’s captivity, Nebuchadnezzar’s successor, Eivil Merodach, released him from prison. Eivil Merodach honored Yehoyachin over the other conquered kings. Yehoyachin changed out of his prison garb and ate at the king’s table for the rest of his life.

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Melachim II Perek 24

Melachim II Perek 24-
Sefer Melachim II is taught by Adele Chabot, Judaic Studies teacher at Barkai Yeshiva; Author of “The Best Secret Revealed”.

A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

During the reign of Yehoyakim, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylonia, invaded Judah. Yehoyakim served him for three years, then rebelled. The armies of Kasdim, Aram, Moab, and Ammon all mobilized against Judah. This was orchestrated by G-d, as He had said through the prophets. Yehoyakim reigned for 11 years. When he died, he was succeeded by his son Yehoyachin. Egypt was no longer the military threat, since the Babylonians had moved in. Like Yehoahaz, Yehoyachin reigned for a mere three months. Another evil king, he was captured in battle by the forces of Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar also carried off some of Yehoyachin’s family, his officers, and all the treasures of the Temple and his palace, as had been foretold by Isaiah to Hizkiyah. 10,000 people were exiled from Jerusalem, leaving only the weakest and poorest, who would pose no threat. Nebuchadnezzar crowned Yehoyachin’s uncle Matanya king of Judah and changed his name to Sidkiyah. Sidkiyah would be the last king of Judah. Sidkiyah was one of the bad kings and he reigned for 11 years. Perhaps unwisely, he rebelled against the powerful Nebudchadnezzar, who had appointed him.

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Melachim II Perek 23 Part 2

Melachim II Perek 23 Part 2-
Sefer Melachim II is taught by Adele Chabot, Judaic Studies teacher at Barkai Yeshiva; Author of “The Best Secret Revealed”.

A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

King Yoshiyah gathered the elders of the nation and headed for the Temple. He read the rebuke from the Torah to the assembled people of his nation. He and the people committed to uphold the words of the Torah. The king had the Kohanim remove all vestiges of idolatry from the Temple. He had them (the idols) burned and the ashes carried away. He fired the priests who served those idols and burned the Ashera tree that was planted on Temple grounds. He trashed the rooms used for immorality for these idols and desecrated the altars of the idols. Yoshiyah wrecked the place where children would be passed through fire for Molech and abolished the practice of dawn chariot racing for sun worshippers. Yoshiyah destroyed a lot more places of idolatry, including the altar of Yaravam, first king of the Ten Tribes. He exhumed the bones of the idolaters buried nearby and burned them on the altar, as was prophesized back in I Kings chapter 13, more than three hundred years earlier!

Spying a nearby tomb, Yoshiyah asked who was buried there. When he was informed that it was the prophet of G-d who had foretold these things, he left that grave undisturbed.

Not only did Yoshiyah purge Judah of idols, he also removed them from territories that had previously been part of the now-exiled Northern Kingdom.

Yoshiyah’s campaign against idolatry culminated in the spring, in time for Pesach (Passover). A Passover such as this had not been celebrated since the time of the Judges, since Yoshiyah removed all taints of idolatry and sorcery.

The Navi tells us that no king returned to G-d with the zeal and enthusiasm that Yoshiyah did. (This suggests that he wasn’t always righteous, but repented because of what was read to him from the Torah.) However, G-d’s decree was not swayed, as Menashe’s evil influence was too deeply ingrained in the people.

Yoshiyah died in battle against the army of Egypt. He had reigned for 31 years and was succeeded by his son Yehoahaz.

Yehoahaz was an evil king and he reigned for only three months. He was imprisoned by the Pharaoh, who imposed a fine on the people of Judah and installed Yehoahaz’ brother Elyakim as kingPharaoh changed Elyakim’s name to Yehoyakim, then took Yehoahaz back to Egypt with him. (Yehoahaz died there.)

Yehoyakim taxed the people to pay the fine imposed by Pharaoh, but he did so fairly; every person was charged according to his means. Despite this, Yehoyakim was another evil king, taking after Menashe and Amon rather than Yoshiyah.

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Melachim II Perek 23 Part 1

Melachim II Perek 23 Part 1-
Sefer Melachim II is taught by Adele Chabot, Judaic Studies teacher at Barkai Yeshiva; Author of “The Best Secret Revealed”.

A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

King Yoshiyah gathered the elders of the nation and headed for the Temple. He read the rebuke from the Torah to the assembled people of his nation. He and the people committed to uphold the words of the Torah. The king had the Kohanim remove all vestiges of idolatry from the Temple. He had them (the idols) burned and the ashes carried away. He fired the priests who served those idols and burned the Ashera tree that was planted on Temple grounds. He trashed the rooms used for immorality for these idols and desecrated the altars of the idols. Yoshiyah wrecked the place where children would be passed through fire for Molech and abolished the practice of dawn chariot racing for sun worshippers. Yoshiyah destroyed a lot more places of idolatry, including the altar of Yaravam, first king of the Ten Tribes. He exhumed the bones of the idolaters buried nearby and burned them on the altar, as was prophesized back in I Kings chapter 13, more than three hundred years earlier!

Spying a nearby tomb, Yoshiyah asked who was buried there. When he was informed that it was the prophet of G-d who had foretold these things, he left that grave undisturbed.

Not only did Yoshiyah purge Judah of idols, he also removed them from territories that had previously been part of the now-exiled Northern Kingdom.

Yoshiyah’s campaign against idolatry culminated in the spring, in time for Pesach (Passover). A Passover such as this had not been celebrated since the time of the Judges, since Yoshiyah removed all taints of idolatry and sorcery.

The Navi tells us that no king returned to G-d with the zeal and enthusiasm that Yoshiyah did. (This suggests that he wasn’t always righteous, but repented because of what was read to him from the Torah.) However, G-d’s decree was not swayed, as Menashe’s evil influence was too deeply ingrained in the people.

Yoshiyah died in battle against the army of Egypt. He had reigned for 31 years and was succeeded by his son Yehoahaz.

Yehoahaz was an evil king and he reigned for only three months. He was imprisoned by the Pharaoh, who imposed a fine on the people of Judah and installed Yehoahaz’ brother Elyakim as kingPharaoh changed Elyakim’s name to Yehoyakim, then took Yehoahaz back to Egypt with him. (Yehoahaz died there.)

Yehoyakim taxed the people to pay the fine imposed by Pharaoh, but he did so fairly; every person was charged according to his means. Despite this, Yehoyakim was another evil king, taking after Menashe and Amon rather than Yoshiyah.

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Melachim II Perek 22

Melachim II Perek 22-
Sefer Melachim II is taught by Adele Chabot, Judaic Studies teacher at Barkai Yeshiva; Author of “The Best Secret Revealed”.

A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
Yoshiyah was only eight years old when he became king. When he was 18, he decided that it was time again to have repairs made in the Temple. He told the Kohanim (priests) to collect money and give it to the workmen, as had been done in the time of King Yoash. Hilkiyah, the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) told Shafan the Sofer (scribe) that he found a Torah scroll in the Temple. Shafan brought it to the king and read from it, which terrified Yoshiyah, who tore his clothes. The king instructed his servants to ask a prophet about what they just read. He was concerned that G-d must be angry with the nation for not following what he had heard read from the Torah. 

The king’s men went to Hulad the prophetess.Hulad said that G-d was going to bring evil upon Judah for being unfaithful to Him. Regarding what the king read, because he softened his heart and tore his clothes, G-d will listen to him, so that he would not witness the destruction in his lifetime. The messengers returned this information to the king.

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Melachim II Perek 21

Melachim II Perek 21-
Sefer Melachim II is taught by Adele Chabot, Judaic Studies teacher at Barkai Yeshiva; Author of “The Best Secret Revealed”.

A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
If Hizkiyah was one of the greatest kings of Judah, his son Menashe was one of the worst. Menashe surpassed the worst kings of Israel when it came to idolatry. He restored Baal worship, Ashera worship, and Molech worship. He introduced the worship of heavenly spheres and put altars to them in the Temple. He practiced astrology, necromancy and divination. And he did much of it just to antogonize G-d. Menashe seriously led his people astray. 

G-d sent the prophets Nachum, Yoel and Habakkuk to Menashe with a dire message: Because Menashe exceeded all his idoltrous predecessors, G-d would punish Judah and Jerusalem so severely that just hearing about it would be enough to make one’s ears ring! G-d would judge Menashe and Judah the way He did Ahab and Israel. He will wipe out Jerusalem like one wipes a dish then turns it upside down. The Jews will be at the mercy of their enemies. 

Almost as an afterthought to Menashe’s evil, the Navi mentions that he also spilled innocent blood. Menashe reigned 55 years – longer than any other king of Israel or Judah! When he died, he was succeeded by his son Amon. 

Amon was an idolator like his father. He reigned for a mere two years, when he was assassinated by his servants. The people of the nation executed the assassins and installed Amon’s young son Yoshiyah as king.

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Melachim II Perek 20

Melachim II Perek 20-
Sefer Melachim II is taught by Adele Chabot, Judaic Studies teacher at Barkai Yeshiva; Author of “The Best Secret Revealed”.

A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

Hizkiyah became deathly ill. Isaiah came to visit him. “Get your affairs in order,” Isaiah said, “because you’re going to die.” Hizkiyah turned to face the wall and he prayed to G-d, crying sincerely. Isaiah was on the way out when G-d spoke to him, so he went back to Hizkiyah. “G-d has listened to your prayer,” he said. “I am healing you. In three days, you’ll go to the Temple. You will live another 15 years and I will protect Jerusalem from Assyria.” Isaiah then placed a cake of figs on Hizkiyah’s boil and it was healed. The favor of curing the symptom was not a sign to prove Isaiah’s prophecy, so Hizkiyah asked for one. “No problem,” said Isaiah, “pick one: Shall the sundial move ahead ten hours or back ten hours?” Hizkiyah picked moving back ten hours. (Not only is making time move backwards more impressive than speeding it up, Hizkiyah’s whole point was to add time to his life, not remove it!) It went from late afternoon back to early morning (Sanhedrin 96a).

Berodach Baladan, king of Babylonia, inquired as to what the heck was going on with the sun. When he found out a miracle of such magnitude was worked for Hizkiyah, he was duly impressed and he sent gifts. Hizkiyah took the opportunity to show off for his visitors. After they left, Isaiah returned.

“What was that?” Isaiah asked.

“I had guests from Babylonia,” replied Hizkiyah. “I showed them everything.”

Isaiah chastised Hizkiyah for the missed opportunity. It was G-d who worked the miracle – he should have been “showing off” G-d, not bragging. “All that stuff you showed them?” Isaiah said, “Someday it will be carried off to Babylonia. Some of your descendants will be officers in the courts of Babylonia, as well.”

Hizkiyah did not protest. He accepted G-d’s judgment as good. (Not even “for the good.” He said “this IS good.” That’s a very high spiritual level!) Hizkiyah was relieved, at least, that the exile would not happen in his lifetime. (Please note that Hizkiyah’s actions did not cause the exile, he merely failed to prevent it.)

The reign of Hizkiyah was 29 years. When Hizkiyah died, he was succeeded by his son Menashe.

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R' Harold Sutton - Elisha: Where'd He Go?

Lecture by R' Harold Sutton

We open up Melachim Bet with a laundry list of Elisha's miracles‎, something we don't see by any other navi in Nevi'im. And then, surprisingly, we don't hear from him for 27 years until his death, a few perakim later. Where Did Elisha Go? 

This has led some modern scholars to ‎place the early prophecies and miracles of Elisha not in chronological order of the text during King Yehoram's time, rather during the reign of King Yehu.

Rabbi Sutton points out the difficulties with this approach and then goes on to support a novel approach through textual and thematic proofs. 

Elisha filled a role of the navi in Yisrael after Eliyahu failed to obliterate Izebel and the Ba'al worship from amongst Yisrael. He served with a softer toned, something that was needed for the time. But once Yehu came to rule with his zealousness (even referred to as a meshuga) to obliterate all Ba'al worship (very similar to Eliyahu on Har HaKarmel), finishing off Eliyahu's job in Eliyahu's manner, Elisha was given a back seat in the text. The navi's focus was to finish off eliyahu's mission of removing Avodah Zara from amongst Yisrael, something that Eliyahu starts and King Yehu finishes off in his early reign. 

‎Recorded on Monday April 6th, 2015 at 8:45 PM in Congregation Hohma U'Mussar, Brooklyn, NY, 11223. 

  

Melachim II Perek 18

Melachim II Perek 18-
Sefer Melachim II is taught by Adele Chabot, Judaic Studies teacher at Barkai Yeshiva; Author of “The Best Secret Revealed”.

A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

Hizkiyah succeeded Ahaz as king of Judah. He was the greatest of all Jewish kings, excluding David and Solomon. (There are opinions that he was the greatest of all kings including David and Solomon!) Even the righteous kings of Judah did not abolish the private altars that the people used; Hizkiyah did. And that’s not all. Back in Numbers chapter 21, G-d commanded Moses to make a copper snake. When a person was bit by a snake, they would stare at this effigy, pray and be healed. But 800 years had passed and in the interim, people started worshipping the snake as an idol. Hizkiyah destroyed it, even though it was made by Moses at G-d’s command. The rabbis applaud this action as appropriate. Hizkiyah successfully rebelled against Assyrian rule, at least initially. The siege of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (the “Ten Tribes”) began in the fourth year of Hizkiyah’s reign in Judah. By the sixth year of his reign, the Ten Tribes had been exiled. In the fourteenth year of Hizkiyah’s reign, Assyria turned their attention to Judah and captured many cities. Hizkiyah sent word to Sanherib , king of Assyria, offering to pay whatever he asked if they would just leave. Sanherib imposed a heavy tribute; Hizkiyah was forced to strip the gold from the Temple doors to meet the payment. The Assyrians took the money, but waited for a pretext to resume their conquest. Sanherib sent messengers to King Hizkiyah. They impudently stood outside and called for him. Several of the king’s senior officers went out to meet with the Assyrian delegation. The Assyrians said:

“Give Hizkiyah this message. What are you going to do, rely on Egypt like the Kingdom of Israel did? They’ll do you more harm than good! You trust in your G-d? The One Whose altars Hizkiyah removed? Tell you what, you give us a security deposit to ensure your faithfulness and we’ll give you 2,000 horses – as if you have 2,000 horsemen left to use them! Is it against your G-d that we’re acting? We’re fulfilling the orders of your G-d!”

Since all this was going on outside, in public, the Jewish delegation asked the Assyrians to speak in Aramaic so the average person walking by wouldn’t over hear, but the Assyrians refused. “Did my king send this message only to your king? It’s for all these people! When we conquer you, they’ll eat their own waste along with you! Don’t let Hizkiyah fool you! He can’t save you. If you give in, the king of Assyria will relocate you all to other lands just as nice as this one, where you can live in peace. Your G-d won’t save you – none of the gods of the other nations we conquered saved them!”

Hizkiyah had instructed his men not to reply to the Assyrians, so they just took the message and left. They tore their clothes in mourning. (The Talmud in Sanhedrin, page 60a, says that Ravshakeh, the Assyrian officer who did most of the talking, was actually an apostate Jew and they tore their garments because he blasphemed against G-d.)

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R' Menachem Leibtag - Izebel, Israel, and Jezre'el: What's Going On??

Lecture by R' Menachem Leibtag

Rabbi Leibtag examines the state of the nation of Israel under several kings, taking into account superpowers and prophets at each stage. He explores the causes for success of such kings as Ahab, who doesn't follow the word of God and yet is immensely successful economically and militarily. Furthermore, the rabbi examines the three missions Eliyahu is charged with before his retirement, and shows that only after the fulfillment of these three missions would the nation rid themselves of Izebel. Recorded on Saturday Mar. 28th, 2015 at 8:45 PM in Congregation Hohma U'Mussar, Brooklyn, NY, 11223.   

Melachim II Perek 17

Melachim II Perek 17-
Sefer Melachim II is taught by Adele Chabot, Judaic Studies teacher at Barkai Yeshiva; Author of “The Best Secret Revealed”.

A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

Hoshea, the last king of Israel (the Northern Kingdom of the Ten Tribes) reigned for nine years. He was conquered by Assyria and became a vassal state. Israel paid Assyria a yearly tribute. One year, Hoshea did not pay his tribute. He also tried to get Egypt to help him fight off the Assyrians. Shalmaneser, then king of Assyria, found out and he didn’t care much for Hoshea’s insubordination. Assyria started a three-year siege of Israel. Assyria finally captured Samaria, the capital of Israel. The people were exiled and resettled in other lands. That was it for the Ten Tribes. They would not be swayed from their idolatrous ways, even though G-d had corrected them many times. He sent many prophets, but the people persisted. So, G-d permitted them to be exiled and only the kingdom of Judah (including Benjamin and Levi) remained. Judah wasn’t perfect, but the kingdom of Israel had pushed away from G-d with both hands. So, the Jews of Israel were exiled and the conquered people of other nations were moved into Samaria. G-d sent lions to attack the people in Samaria. When the king of Assyria found out, he had a Kohen (priest) brought to Samaria to convert the people there to Judaism. They started to worship G-d, but they also continued to worship their old idols. They continued to serve G-d, but not sincerely. One of the major populations in Samaria was originally from a place called Kuta. These people are the Kutim (Cutheans) whose status as Jews is frequently discussed in the Talmud.

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Melachim II Perek 16

Melachim II Perek 16-
Sefer Melachim II is taught by Adele Chabot, Judaic Studies teacher at Barkai Yeshiva; Author of “The Best Secret Revealed”.

A summary by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
Evil kings were the norm for Israel, but the exception for Judah. Sadly, Ahaz was one of those exceptions. He was extremely idolatrous, going so far as to pass his son through fire as a form of worship to the idol Molech. Aram and Israel teamed up to make war on Judah, but they did not defeat Ahaz in battle. Aram did recapture one city and they evicted the Jews who were living there. 

Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglas Pileser, the king of Assyria. He sent as much gold and silver as was in the Temple and the palace for Assyria to drive away the invading forces of Aram and Israel. Tiglas Pileser drove away the invading armies and killed the king of Aram, but he did not return the captured territory to Judah. 

When the idolatrous Ahaz went to visit Tiglas Pileser, he saw the altar of the Assyrian idol and had a replica built in the Temple courtyard. He instructed that this was to be the main altar from now on, and Uriah the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) complied. Not only did this altar not belong in the Temple, Ahaz insisted on bringing sacrifices on it, even though he was not a Kohen (priest). The true altar became secondary. 

Ahaz went further to undermine the Temple service. He had the stands under the wash lavers and the “sea” removed and he disposed of the awning that the Kohanim would use for shelter on Shabbos when they changed shifts. He also made a personal shortcut to the palace. 

The reign of Ahaz was sixteen years. When he died, he was replaced by his son Hizkiyah , one of the greatest of all Jewish kings.

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