Melachim II Perek 8

Melachim II Perek 8-
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:

Before the famine of the previous chapter, Elisha told the Shunnamite woman (see chapter 4) that it was coming and that her family should relocate. They went and lived in the land of the Philistines for a few years. When they returned, they found squatters living on their land, who wouldn’t move. The Shunnamite woman went to the king so he would force the squatters to vacate. Gehazi was telling King Yehoram about his adventures with Elisha, including how Elisha revived the dead boy. In walked the Shunnamite woman and Gehazi said, “Speak of the devil! This is the mother of the boy I was just telling you about!” The king questioned the woman, who corroborated Gehazi’s stories, then the king ordered her property returned to her. Meanwhile, Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, had become ill and Elisha went to visit him. The king sent his servant Hazael to Elisha with forty camels, laden with gifts. Hazael was to ask Elisha if Ben-Hadad would recover from this illness. Elisha told Hazael, “Tell him yes, but he will indeed die.” Elisha started crying and Hazael asked why. Elisha replied, “I can see the evil you will wreak on Israel.” “Me?” asked Hazael, “What can I do?” Elisha replied, “G-d has shown me you as king of Aram.”

Hazael returned to Ben-Hadad, who asked what Elisha had said. “He told me you’ll recover,” said Hazael. The next day, Hazael smothered Ben-Hadad in his bed and became king.

In the fifth year of the reign of Ahab’s son Yehoram as king of Israel, Yehoshafat’s son, also named Yehoram, became king of Judah. The kings of Israel were generally a pretty rotten bunch, but the kings of Judah were usually okay. Yehoram of Judah was an exception. He married Ahab’s daughter who was the same kind of influence on him as Izebel had been on Ahab (i.e., not a good one). Yehoram of Judah reigned for eight years. During that time, Edom, which had been a vassal state, rebelled and appointed a king over themselves. Yehoram of Judah went to fight, but they were unable to re-conquer Edom.

Yehoram of Judah died and was succeeded by his son Ahaziyah. (This is our second Ahaziyah; the first was king of Israel before the other Yehoram.) Ahaziyah’s mother was Atalya, granddaughter of Omri (Ahab’s father). We don’t normally tell you about the mothers of the kings, but Atalya will be important to us in chapter 11. Like his father, Ahaziyah was an evil king, comparable to the family of Ahab, to whom they were related by marriage.

Ahaziyah (of Judah) and Yehoram (of Israel) went to war against Hazael, king of Aram. Yehoram was wounded and was sent to recuperate. Ahaziyah went to visit Yehoram. This sets the stage for what happens in the next chapter.

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Melachim II Perek 7

Melachim II Perek 7-
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:

Elisha said “Listen up! At this time tomorrow, a single shekel will buy a seah of flour or two seah of barley!” (A seah is a measure between three and four gallons. Contrast this with the previous chapter in which a half gallon container of pigeon dung for fuel cost five silver pieces and a donkey’s head cost eighty silver pieces!) One of the king’s officers mocked this prophecy, saying, “Even if G-d opened windows in the sky, could such a thing happen?” Elisha replied, “You will see it, but you will not benefit from it.” There were four lepers outside the city gates. They said, “Why sit here until we starve to death? Let’s go to the camp of Aram – they’ll either save us or kill us quickly.” They entered the camp at twilight and found it empty. G-d had caused the army of Aram to hear the sound of a great invading force and they had run away. The lepers ate and drank and helped themselves to valuables, which they hid. Then one of them said, “You know, it’s only a matter of time before people find out about this. We should go and report it so we don’t get in trouble.” They went and reported it to the authorities. Yehoram suspected a trap. “They’re hiding. They’re waiting for us to come for food, then they’ll ambush us.” So, they sent two horsemen to check it out. The soldiers followed the tracks of the army of Aram all the way to the Jordan; they found the way littered with equipment that Aram had discarded in their haste to escape. They reported to the king that things were indeed as they seemed. The people looted the camp of Aram and, sure enough, a seah of flour and two seah of barley went for a shekel each.

The officer who mocked the prophecy was assigned duty at the gate and was trampled by the people in their haste for food. As Elisha said, he saw the prophecy come true, but he did not live long enough to enjoy it himself.

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Melachim II Perek 6

Melachim II Perek 6-
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:

The student prophets said to Elisha that their study hall was too small. They went to go build themselves a new school. When they arrived at the Jordan to cut down trees, one of the prophets suffered a mishap. The head of the axe flew off into the water and sank like a stone. This made the prophet especially distraught, as it was borrowed and he couldn’t afford to replace it. “No worries,” said Elisha. He cut a new axe-handle and threw it into the water. It floated back up with the axe-head attached to it. The King of Aram planned a series of raids on Israel and he set an ambush. Elisha knew about it prophetically and sent word to Yehoram, king of Israel, to avoid certain places. When the king of Aram saw that his traps were being avoided, he asked his advisors which of his subjects was tipping off the Jews. “None of us, your majesty!” they replied. “There is a prophet named Elisha who knows even what you discuss in private!” The king of Aram sent his soldiers to arrest Elisha. Elisha got up in the morning and saw the army of Aram waiting for him. His attendant was worried, but Elisha was unconcerned. He prayed to G-d to “open the eyes” of the attendant. He did, and the servant saw that they were protected by a fiery Heavenly army. Elisha then prayed to G-d to blind the army of Aram, which He did. But, just as “opening the eyes” of the attendant enabled him to perceive certain thing, “blinding” the army kept them from seeing certain things. Elisha said to the army, “You’re going the wrong way! Let me lead you to the one you seek.” He led them to the capital in Samaria, where he prayed that G-d enable them to see. Their vision restored, they found themselves surrounded by the fully-armed Israelite army.

King Yehoram asked Elisha whether they should strike down the army of Aram, but Elisha said no. “You wouldn’t kill prisoners you captured with conventional weapons. Rather, feed them well and send them home.” They served the army of Aram a feast and sent them back in safety. Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, heard about what happened and decided that sending raiding parties into Israel was a strategy that was not going to work, so it was discontinued.

There was a period of peace for a while, but then Ben-Hadad laid siege to Samaria. There was a famine in the land and people were starving. Such normally disgusting things as a donkey’s head (for food) and pigeon dung (for kindling) were going for exorbitant prices. Yehoram was walking on the city wall, when a woman cried out to him. He assumed she was going to ask for food (which he didn’t have); instead, she wanted him to judge a case. “This woman said to me that we should cook and eat my son today and then we’d cook and eat her son tomorrow. Well, we ate my son, now it’s her turn and she’s hidden him!” This so upset the king that he tore his clothes and people could see he was wearing sackcloth under his robes. Yehoram swore that he would execute Elisha. (Why? What did Elisha do? Well, Yehoram reasoned that Elisha had the power to end the famine just as Eliyahu had ended the drought in his day.)

The king sent a messenger to Elisha, who was sitting with the Sanhedrin. Of course, Elisha, being a prophet, already knew what was going on and he said to his companions, “Do you see what that son of a murderer has done? He sent this man to chop off my head! When he gets here, throw him out, because his master is no doubt behind him!” However, when the messenger arrived and heard this, Yehoram realized that the famine was due to his own evil, not due to inaction on Elisha’s part.

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Melachim II Perek 5

Melachim II Perek 5-
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:

Naaman was a general in Aram, but he had Sara’at. Naaman’s wife had a Jewish servant girl, who suggested that Elisha might be able to cure him. Naaman approached the king of Aram, who wrote Naaman a letter of introduction to Yehoram, king of Israel. Naaman brought with him silver, gold and clothes. When Yehoram got the letter asking him to have Naaman cured, he was worried that Aram was merely seeking a pretext to go to war. Elisha heard about Naaman and sent word to the king that he should sent Naaman to him so that he’ll know there’s a prophet in Israel. Elisha instructed Naaman to bathe seven times in the Jordan and he would be healed. Naaman scoffed at this. “We have better rivers in Damascus and they haven’t cured me!” Naaman’s servant said to him, “If the prophet told you to do a difficult thing, wouldn’t you have listened? This is so easy, it’s at least worth a shot!” So Naaman bathed in the Jordan. Not only was he cured of his leprosy, his skin was completely rejuvenated, like a young boy’s.

Naaman returned to Elisha and offered him the riches he had brought, but Elisha declined. Naaman pressed him to take a gift, but Elisha stood firm.

“Well, I’m asking YOU for a gift,” said Naaman. “Please let me load my caravan with the earth of the Holy Land so that I can build an altar. From now on, I will only worship Hashem and no other god.” (Naaman stipulated that, when the king of Aram would take him to worship his gods, he would have to let the king think he was doing so. Elisha told him not to worry about it; a Jew would not be permitted to do so, but it was okay for Naaman.)

Naaman departed. It was at this point that Gehazi revealed his true colors. He thought it was foolish of Elisha to let all that treasure get away and he resolved to get some of it. He ran after Naaman and said, “Elisha sent me. We just got some guests. Could you send a talent of silver and two sets of clothes?” (A talent is about 150 lbs.) “Please, take TWO talents of silver,” Naaman insisted, so Gehazi did. He hid his ill-gotten gain and sent his attendants away.

The problem with working for a prophet is that they know things. If you think you can sneak around behind their backs, forget about it! Elisha asked Gehazi where he had gone and Gehazi said, “Nowhere.” Elisha was livid. He had refused payment in order to sanctify G-d’s Name, which Gehazi had now desecrated. He cursed Gehazi and his descendants with Naaman’s leprosy

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Melachim II Perek 4

Melachim II Perek 4-
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:

A prophet’s widow came to Elisha crying that she couldn’t pay her debts and that the creditor was going to take her children as servants to work it off. Elisha asked her what she had in the house; all she had was oil. “No problem,” he said. “Go to all your neighbors and borrow vessels – as many as you can! Pour oil into all these vessels until they’re all full.” This she did. She poured oil until she ran out of jugs to hold it. She sold the oil, paid off her debt, and was able to live on the balance. Elisha traveled to a place called Shunem. A local woman invited him for a meal. Eventually, he became a regular guest at this woman’s table, as he passed her house on his travels. The woman asked her husband to build an addition to their home so that Elisha could have his own room there. One time, when Elisha was staying there, he told his servant Gehazi to get their hostess. He told Gehazi to ask the woman, “You have done so much for us, what can we do for you?” Gehazi reported back that the woman had no children and would like one. Elisha told the woman that in a year’s time she would have a son. She said, “Don’t tease me,” but he was serious and, sure enough, she had a son.

The boy grew. One day in the field, he called out “My head! My head!” and he collapsed. The boy’s father had him carried to his mother, who held him in her lap until noon, when he died. She put the boy on Elisha’s bed and told her husband to get her a donkey and an attendant so she could go see Elisha.

“Why?” asked the man. “It’s not a special day.” “Just do it.” she said. She traveled to Elisha at Mt. Carmel.

When she saw Elisha, she threw herself at his feet. Gehazi took the role of body guard and pushed her away. Elisha saw that the woman was distressed and told Gehazi to let her be.

The woman said, “I didn’t come to you asking for a son – I asked you not to toy with me!” Elisha had Gehazi get his things and accompany the woman. Gehazi was to lay Elisha’s staff on the boy’s face. The woman insisted on staying with Elisha. Gehazi ran ahead and put the staff on the boy’s face, but nothing happened. He ran back and told Elisha.

Elisha arrived. He entered the room with the boy and shut the door behind him. He prayed and stretched himself over the boy, warming him. He walked around, then stretched himself over the boy again. The boy sneezed seven times, then opened his eyes. Elisha called the woman to come and get her son.

Returning to Gilgal, Elisha passed a band of prophets who had a problem: they made a stew with some poisonous mushrooms and it was making everyone violently ill. There was a famine and they had no other food. Elisha had them pour the stew back into the pot. He added some flour and cooked it together. Then he told them to dish it out because it was now wholesome food.

A man came with bread for the prophets, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Elisha told them not to worry, just start handing out bread and not only would everyone be fed, but there would be leftovers! Sure enough, that’s what happened.

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R' Harold Sutton - Eliyahu Disappears in a Whirlwind

Lecture by R' Harold Sutton

This lecture discusses the transition of leadership from Eliyahu to Elisha, and how Elisha succeeds his predecessor. Lecture was given on Monday night, March 16th, 2015.   

Melachim II Perek 3

Melachim II Perek 3-
Sefer Melachim II is taught by Adele Chabot, Judaic Studies teacher at Barkai Yeshiva; Author of “The Best Secret Revealed”.

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Melachim II Perek 2

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

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Melachim II Perek 1

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

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Melachim I Perek 22 Part 2

Melachim I Perek 22-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi, world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel; Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 22 Part 1

Melachim I Perek 22-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi, world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel; Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 21

Melachim I Perek 21-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi, world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel; Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 20

Melachim I Perek 20-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi, world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel; Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 19

Melachim I Perek 19-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi, world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel; Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 18

Melachim I Perek 18-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi, world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel; Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 17

Melachim I Perek 17-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi, world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel; Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 16

Melachim I Perek 16-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi, world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel; Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 15

Melachim I Perek 15-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi, world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel; Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 14

Melachim I Perek 14-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi, world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel; Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 13

Melachim I Perek 13-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi, world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel; Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 12

Melachim I Perek 12-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi, world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel; Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 11

Melachim I Perek 11-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi, world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel; Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 10

Melachim I Perek 10-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi; world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel, Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim 1 Perek 9

Melachim I Perek 9-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi; world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel, Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 8 - Part 2

Melachim I Perek 8 - Part 2-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi; world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel, Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 8 - Part 1

Melachim I Perek 8 - Part 1-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi; world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel, Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 7

Melachim I Perek 7-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi; world renowned Tanach scholar and teacher in Israel, Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 6

Melachim I Perek 6-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi; world renowned Tanach scholar and teach in Israel, Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 5

Melachim I Perek 5-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi; world renowned Tanach scholar and teach in Israel, Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 4

Melachim I Perek 4-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi; world renowned Tanach scholar and teach in Israel, Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 3

Melachim I Perek 3-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi; world renowned Tanach scholar and teach in Israel, Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 2

Melachim I Perek 2-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi; world renowned Tanach scholar and teach in Israel, Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Melachim I Perek 1

Melachim I Perek 1-
Sefer Melachim I is taught by Rabbi Gad Dishi; world renowned Tanach scholar and teach in Israel, Author of "Jacob's Family Dynamics"

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Shemuel II Perek 24

Shemuel II Perek 24-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 23

Shemuel II Perek 23-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 22

Shemuel II Perek 22-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 21

Shemuel II Perek 21-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 20

Shemuel II Perek 20-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 19

Shemuel II Perek 19-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 18

Shemuel II Perek 18-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 17

Shemuel II Perek 17-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 16

Shemuel II Perek 16-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 15

Shemuel II Perek 15-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 14

Shemuel II Perek 14-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 13

Shemuel II Perek 13-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 12

Shemuel II Perek 12-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 11

Shemuel II Perek 11-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 10

Shemuel II Perek 10-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 9

Shemuel II Perek 9-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 8

Shemuel II Perek 8-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 7

Shemuel II Perek 7-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 6

Shemuel II Perek 6-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 5

Shemuel II Perek 5-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 4

Shemuel II Perek 4-
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Shemuel II Perek 3

Shemuel II Perek 3-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 2

Shemuel II Perek 2-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel II Perek 1

Shemuel II Perek 1-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 31

Shemuel I Perek 31-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 30

Shemuel I Perek 30-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 29

Shemuel I Perek 29-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 28

Shemuel I Perek 28-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 27

Shemuel I Perek 27-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 26

Shemuel I Perek 26-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 25

Shemuel I Perek 25-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 24

Shemuel I Perek 24-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 23

Shemuel I Perek 23-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 22

Shemuel I Perek 22-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 21

Shemuel I Perek 21-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 20

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Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 19

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Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 18

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Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 17

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Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 16

Shemuel I Perek 16-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary

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Shemuel I Perek 15

Shemuel I Perek 15-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

Now that the nation had settled the land and appointed a king, G-d sent word through Shemuel that it was time to fulfill the obligation of eradicating the nation of Amalek, who attacked Israel after they left Egypt. G-d commanded to destroy the entire nation of Amalek, including the livestock. Shaul sent word to the Keni, descendants of Yitro (Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses) who lived in Amaleki territory, that they should evacuate, after which time Shaul attacked. They destroyed the Amaleki city, but they captured Agag, king of Amalek, and kept the best livestock to use for sacrifices to G-d. G-d was displeased and he sent Shemuel to Shaul. Shaul beamed that he had fulfilled G-d’s command. Shemuel then asked, “So then what are all these cattle and sheep doing here?” Shaul replied that they were intended as sacrifices. (Agag would be publicly executed.) “G-d told you to kill all the livestock,” Shaul countered. “Do you think He wants sacrifices or do you think He wants you to listen to what He tells you?” Since Shaul

rejected G-d’s word, Shemuel said, G-d has rejected Shaul as king. (Yes, he already cost himself the kingdom in chapter 13, but there he cost himself a lasting dynasty. Here he cost himself the throne altogether.)

Shaul admitted that he had sinned, but he tried to explain his actions. Shemuel was having none of it. He turned to leave and Shaul grabbed the hem of Shemuel’s garment, which tore. Shemuel told him that this symbolized how Hashem has torn the kingdom from Shaul.

Shemuel personally executed Agag. Unfortunately, in the time between his capture and execution, Agag had a conjugal visit and was able to continue the Amaleki bloodline.

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Shemuel I Perek 14

Shemuel I Perek 14-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

On his own initiative, Shaul’s son Yonatan took his armor-bearer and went to spy out the Pelishti camp. Nobody knew that they had gone. Yonatan knew that, when they saw Pelishtim, if the enemy said “Halt – we’ll come to you” that they were strong and confident, but if they said, “Hey, come here,” then they were afraid of an ambush and that G-d would allow the Jews to defeat them. They approached the Pelishti camp and the guards saw them. They said, “Hey, come here! We want to tell you something!” Yonatan knew from the sign that G-d would deliver the Pelishti army into the Jews’ hands, no matter how unevenly matched they appeared to be. Yonatan and his armor-bearer then ran through the camp, routing the Pelishti army, whom G-d had struck with fear. Shaul’s army saw the Pelishti camp panicking and running amok. Clearly, something was up. They looked to see who was missing and realized that it was Yonatan and his attendant. Meanwhile, the crazed Pelishtim were wiping each other out in their panic and the Jews who had gone into hiding returned to fight.

In order to keep the people focused on the task at hand, Shaul decreed a fast. On pain of death, no man was to eat until nightfall. The battle raged into the forest where honey was dripping, but nobody tasted it because of Shaul’s oath. Yonatan, however, hadn’t been with the rest of the army at the time, so he didn’t know about the oath. He ate some honey, which reinvigorated him. One of the other soldiers told him about his father’s oath, with which Yonatan disagreed.

The Jews defeated the Pelishtim – clearly with G-d’s help. They settled down to eat, but they ate “on the blood.” The exact meaning of “on the blood” is unclear. It does NOT appear that they ate the blood itself (which is a very serious sin). More likely, they ate the meat of the sacrifices before the blood was sprinkled on the altar (commentators differ). Shaul saw this and put a stop to it. He set up an altar for the sprinkling of blood to obviate the problem.

Shaul then had the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) consult G-d via the Urim and Tumim as to whether or not they should pursue the remaining Pelishtim. G-d did not reply, which had never happened before. Shaul knew from this that there was still a sin hanging over the heads of the nation and he was determined to find out what it was. He said, “No matter who it is, even my own son Yonatan, shall die.”

Shaul was able to determine that it was, in fact, Yonatan. He asked his son what he had done and Yonatan told him that he violated his father’s oath of a fast. Shaul was prepared to carry out his word, But the people rallied to Yonatan’s defense, as the victory had been brought about through his actions. Because the people stood up for him, Yonatan was spared.

Shaul broke off pursuit of the Pelishtim, who retreated to their territory. Shaul strengthened his army and consolidated his rule. He fought against the nation’s enemies on all sides.

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Shemuel I Perek 13

Shemuel I Perek 13-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

Shaul selected 3,000 troops for his standing army and sent the rest of the people home. Shaul’s son Yonatan, looking to provoke a battle with the Pelishtim, assassinated a Pelishti commander. Saul gathered his army in Gilgal, while the Pelishtim mounted their forces. The people of Israel were massively intimidated by the size of the Pelishti army, with 30,000 chariots and endless foot soldiers. Many of the Jews hid in caves, pits and towers. Some even ran to Trans-Jordan. Shaul was instructed by Shemuel to wait seven days for him. When Shemuel didn’t arrive, people started to desert. Shaul took matters into his own hands and offered the sacrifice to G-d. As he was finishing, Shemuel arrived. Shemuel became angry because Shaul had “jumped the gun.” Shaul had what he felt was the best of reasons, but he didn’t follow the instructions of G-d’s prophet. This was the first step in Shaul losing the kingship. Shemuel informed Shaul that G-d had chosen another to succeed him as king, then he departed. Shaul counted what remained of his army and it was only 600 men. Furthermore, the Pelishtim had kept the Jews from employing blacksmiths, so the army of Israel had no swords or spears. (They had to go to Pelishti blacksmiths to sharpen their farm tools.) So things looked pretty bleak, but appearances can be deceiving.

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Shemuel I Perek 12

Shemuel I Perek 12-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

Now that Shaul had been crowned king, Shemuel was ready to withdraw from his role as Judge. (He would still serve as prophet, but he was no longer the head of the government or the military.) Shemuel asked if anyone had any complaints against him; nobody did. Shemuel then reminded the people that it was G-d Who sent Moses and Aaron, and Who saved them from Egypt. But when the nation forgets G-d, He allows foreign powers like Sisera and the Pelishtim to oppress them. However, when the people return to G-d, He sends redemption through great leaders. Here Shemuel named the lesser Judges: Gideon, Samson and Yiftah. However, Shemuel still maintained that the people erred in demanding a king to lead them, rather than Hashem Himself. The fact that G-d had granted their request was no proof that it was necessarily a good thing, as Shemuel would proceed to demonstrate. It was summer, when it doesn’t rain in Israel, and the wheat was standing in the fields. Shemuel called out to Hashem and a heavy thunderstorm rained down. The people were afraid that they had sinned by asking for a king and they asked Shemuel to pray for them. He told them not to worry, just to continue by listening to the Word of Hashem. If they follow Hashem, they will be His people. If they stray, both they and the king they requested are done for.

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Shemuel I Perek 11

Shemuel I Perek 11-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem, teacher at Allegra Franco Teachers Seminary
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
Nahash, ruler of Ammon, attacked the city of Yavesh. They asked for a pact, in which case they would agree to serve him. He said, “One one condition – each of you must put out his right eye.” The people of Yavesh asked for a week’s time. They then sent messengers to get help. 

When the people heard of the attack, they wept. Shaul came in from plowing his field and asked what the commotion was. When he heard what occurred, he took charge. He cut two oxen into pieces and had them sent throughout the land, saying that’s what would be done to the oxen of anyone who doesn’t join the fight. 

330,000 troops gathered and they sent word to Yavesh that they would be saved by the next afternoon. The people of Yavesh told Nahash, “We’re coming to you tomorrow.” Nahash took that to mean they would surrender the next day, so he was unprepared for attack. 

Shaul divided his forces into three companies, which entered the Ammonite camp at dawn. They routed the Ammonites and the few survivors scattered. The Jews were so inspired by Shaul’s leadership that they wanted to execute those who had bad-mouthed Shaul for their treasonous slander. Shaul refused to have anybody executed on a day on which Hashem had wrought such a victory. Instead, they retired to Gilgal, where they crowned Shaul again, this time unanimously. They offered sacrifices to Hashem and rejoiced there.

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Shemuel I Perek 10

Shemuel I Perek 10-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
Shemuel anointed Shaul with oil – the commentators differ as to whether this was the shemen hamishha, the special oil prepared by Moses, which was used to anoint the kings of the Davidic dynasty. Then, Shemuel gave Shaul three signs. First, he would meet two men who would tell him that his lost donkeys were found, and that his father was now looking for him. Next, Shaul would meet three men, bringing kids, loaves of bread and a jug of wine for sacrifices. He was to take the bread that would be offered him. Finally, he would meet a band of prophets and would, himself, be overcome by a spirit of prophecy and become “a different person.” After all these signs came to pass, Shaul was to go to Gilgal, where he would be joined by Shemuel, who would offer sacrifices. 

All of these things came to pass. When Shaul was prophesying with the prophets, he was seen. The sight amazed the people who coined an expression, “Saul is one of the prophets now?” 

Shaul returned home and was met by his uncle. He told his uncle that Shemuel told him the donkeys had been found, but he didn’t say anything about being made king. 

Shemuel called a gathering at Mispah, where he announced that he was going to publicly anoint the king they had demanded. He drew lots Tribe by Tribe, family by family, until he came to Shaul, son of Kish. But when they called his name, the modest Shaul was hiding among the luggage. The people were impressed by the tall, handsome Shaul and proclaimed him their king. Shemuel repeated all the laws of the King, then sent them home. Some lowly people denigrated Shaul, saying he was unfit. He heard, but he let his natural humility win out.

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Shemuel I Perek 9

Shemuel I Perek 9-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

A man from the Tribe of Binyamin named Kish had a tall, handsome son named Shaul (Saul). One day, Kish’s donkeys went missing, so he sent Shaul and a servant to go look for them. Shaul traveled far and wide, but he didn’t find the donkeys. After a while, Shaul suggested that they return home, as by this point his father would probably be more worried about the search party than about the animals. The attendant pointed out that they were not far from Shemuel’s residence in Tzuf and suggested they go to him for guidance. They got directions from some locals, They informed Shaul that Shemuel was presiding over a sacrifice and directed him to the location of the altar. (At this point, subsequent to the destruction of the Tabernacle and prior to the construction of the Temple, private altars were permitted.) The day before, G-d had spoken to Shemuel, telling him that Shaul would arrive and that he would be the man Shemuel should annoint king of Israel. Shaul arrived and asked for Shemuel. Shemuel identified himself and told him not to worry about the donkeys, as they had been found. As an aside he added, “Why are you so worried about some donkeys when the entire wealth of the nation lies before you?” This comment was confusing to Shaul, who considered himself a member of a minor family from the smallest Tribe. Shemuel then gave Shaul a seat at the head of his table and had Shaul served a portion of great honor. (The portion had been set aside for Shaul, as G-d had told Shemuel to expect him.) Shaul stayed overnight and the next morning, Shemuel gave him instructions from G-d.

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Shemuel I Perek 8

Shemuel I Perek 8-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
Having grown old, Shemuel appointed his sons to assist him. They turned out to be unfit for the job; they took bribes and judged dishonestly. The Elders approached Shemuel and said that since he was getting too feeble to handle the task, and since his sons were unfit successors, he should appoint a king. G-d told Shemuel not to take it personally; the people were not rejecting Shemuel’s leadership, but G-d’s. 

Shemuel didn’t like the Jews’ request and tried to discourage them by relating all the powers a king would exercise, including taxation and confiscation of property. But the people would not be swayed and G-d told Shemuel to do as they asked.

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Shemuel I Perek 7

Shemuel I Perek 7-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
The people of Kiryat Ye’arim took the Ark and put it in the house of a man named Abinadav, where it would reside for twenty years. Shemuel then presided over a national teshubah movement. The Jews discarded their idols and turned to G-d. 

At a national gathering in Mitzpah, the Pelishtim attacked the nation. The people cried out to Shemuel to pray for them. He did and G-d sent thunderous noises that so discombobulated the Pelishtim that they were easily defeated. Shemuel established a monument to the event and called it “eben-ezer,” meaning “the rock where G-d helped us.” 

After this, the Pelishti threat subsided and they remained in the background for the duration of Shemuel’s tenure as a Judge. Shemuel was an exceptional Judge, traveling the country to go to the people, rather than expecting them to come to him. Unfortunately, the rigors of his self-imposed routine made him old before his time.

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Shemuel I Perek 6

Shemuel I Perek 6-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
The Pelishtim asked their priests what to do about the fiasco with the Ark. They didn’t say to send it back, but they did say, IF they were going to send the Ark back, a gift should be included to appease G-d. The gift was five golden hemorrhoids and five golden mice, to represent the plague and mice which were destroying the Pelishti land. (The mice were not mentioned previously. Some commentators say that the mice would chew on the people’s hemorrhoids or enter the people’s bowels – see Rashi on 5:5 and Radak on 6:4.) The Ark and the golden statuettes were placed on a new wagon that was hitched to two nursing cows. The Pelishtim sent representatives to follow the wagon to Bet Shemesh in Israelite territory. The cows went straight there. 

When the Jews saw the wagon with the Ark approaching, there was great rejoicing. They chopped up the wagon for firewood and offered the cows as a sacrifice to G-d. But some of the people disrespectfully looked into the Ark and were killed by G-d. The people of Bet Shemesh became too scared to host the Ark, so they asked the people of Kiryat Ye’arim if they would come and take it.

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Shemuel I Perek 5

Shemuel I Perek 5-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
Having captured the Ark from the Jews, the Pelishtim took it to the city of Ashdod and put it in the house of their idol, Dagon. The next day, however, the Pelishtim found the idol of Dagon face down on the floor. They righted it, but the next day it was again fallen, only this time its head and hands were severed. The Pelishtim sanctified the place where the idol had fallen. 

Seeing that the Pelishtim were a stubborn lot and just not getting the message, G-d sent the people of Ashdod a message that was harder to miss. He struck the entire city and its suburbs with hemorrhoids, a painful and embarrassing condition. The people of Ashdod responded by forwarding the Ark to the city of Gath. G-d struck Gath with even worse hemorrhoids, so they sent it to Ekron. The people in Ekron stared to die as a result of the affliction, so the Pelishti rulers gathered together to plan a course of action. They decided that it might be a better idea to get rid of the Ark altogether.

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Shemuel I Perek 4

Shemuel I Perek 4-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
Israel went to war against the Pelishtim. The Jews lost the battle, so they brought the Ark out to the battlefield. The Pelishti forces became scared that G-d Himself had joined the fray, but their leaders encouraged them to be brave. 

The Pelishtim won this battle, too. Eli’s sons, Hofni and Pinhas, were both killed (on the same day, as per the prophecy), and the Ark was captured. 

A Benjaminite (possibly Saul) carried word to Eli of the battle’s outcome. He tried to break it to him slowly, but the news of his sons’ death and the Ark’s capture was too much for him; he fell off his chair, broke his neck and died. 

Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Pinchas, was pregnant. When she heard all these things, she went into labor. She had a son and called him “Echebod,” meaning “there is no more honor” because of all the calamities that had occurred. She died as a result of her difficult labor.

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Shemuel I Perek 3

Shemuel I Perek 3-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
One night, G-d called to Shemuel. Shemuel wasn’t training to be a prophet, so he didn’t know what he was hearing. He assumed it was Eli calling him. Eli said, “I didn’t call you” and sent Shemuel back to bed. G-d called a second time; once again, Shemuel ran to Eli, who again dismissed him. The third time this happened, Eli realized what was going on and he instructed Shemuel how to answer. 

G-d told Shemuel that He was going to fulfill the curse against Eli’s family. Shemuel was hesitant to tell this to Eli, but Eli said, “So may G-d do to you if you withhold any detail from me,” so Shemuel felt compelled to tell him all. To his credit, Eli accepted G-d’s judgment as just. Meanwhile, Shemuel acquired his reputation as a prophet.

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Shemuel I Perek 2 Part 2

Shemuel I Perek 2 Part 2-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
When Hannah brought Shemuel to the Tabernacle, she sang a song of praise to Hashem that is full of prophetic meaning. As with Deborah’s song in Judges, there’s no way a synopsis can do it justice, so make sure you read it for yourself. 

Shemuel remained with Eli in the Tabernacle, to be trained in the service of Hashem. Eli was assisted by his two sons, Hofni and Pinhas. Hofni and Pinhas are described by the Navi as “lawless” because they abused their authority. They used force and intimidation to take portions of sacrifices beyond those to which they were entitled. Eli got wind of the people’s complaints against his sons and chastised them, but it was too little, too late. They kept on with their evil behavior, but as they were declining, Shemuel’s star was rising. 

G-d sent a prophet to Eli with a dire message. Because of his sons’ behavior, the hereditary position of High Priest would be removed from Eli (a descendant of Aaron’s son Itamar) and given to another branch of Aaron’s descendants. Furthermore, none of Eli’s descendants would live to see old age. The sign G-d gave was that Hofni and Pinhas would die on the same day.

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Shemuel I Perek 2 Part 1

Shemuel I Perek 2-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
When Hannah brought Shemuel to the Tabernacle, she sang a song of praise to Hashem that is full of prophetic meaning. As with Deborah’s song in Judges, there’s no way a synopsis can do it justice, so make sure you read it for yourself. 

Shemuel remained with Eli in the Tabernacle, to be trained in the service of Hashem. Eli was assisted by his two sons, Hofni and Pinhas. Hofni and Pinhas are described by the Navi as “lawless” because they abused their authority. They used force and intimidation to take portions of sacrifices beyond those to which they were entitled. Eli got wind of the people’s complaints against his sons and chastised them, but it was too little, too late. They kept on with their evil behavior, but as they were declining, Shemuel’s star was rising. 

G-d sent a prophet to Eli with a dire message. Because of his sons’ behavior, the hereditary position of High Priest would be removed from Eli (a descendant of Aaron’s son Itamar) and given to another branch of Aaron’s descendants. Furthermore, none of Eli’s descendants would live to see old age. The sign G-d gave was that Hofni and Pinhas would die on the same day.

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Shemuel I Perek 1

Shemuel I Perek 1-
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
There was a man named Elkanah, who was Levite from Mt. Ephraim. Elkanah had two wives; Hannah had no children, but Penina did. When Elkanah would bring a sacrifice, he would always give Hannah an extra portion, but it was small consolation. Peninah would make snide comments that only made Hannah feel worse. 

Hannah was at the Mishkan (Tabernacle) in Shiloh and she prayed to Hashem from the pain in her soul. She said that if Hashem gave her a son, he would be dedicated to Hashem all his life as a Nazir. Eli, the Kohen Gadol saw Hannah praying. She was crying and moving her lips, but not making any sounds, so he thought she was drunk. Hannah disabused him of this notion, so he blessed her that G-d should grant her prayer. 

Soon after, Hannah conceived and had a son, whom they named Shemuel, meaning “requested from G-d.” When the child was weaned, she brought him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh and reminded Eli of what had transpired, as well as that the child was dedicated to the service of G-d.

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Shemuel I Intro

Shemuel I Introduction -
Sefer Shemuel is taught by Mrs. Marjorie Salem

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Shofetim Perek 21

Shofetim Perek 21-
Sefer Shofetim is taught by Rabbi Joey Mizrachi
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
Because of the atrocity committed in Giv'ah, the other Tribes had sworn at the meeting in Mispah not to give their daughters as wives to the Tribe of Benjamin. Now they had a problem: the entire Tribe had been wiped out except for the 600 refugees! What could be done? They couldn’t violate their oath, but they also could not allow a Tribe to become extinct. What to do?First, they determined that nobody had come to the meeting from the town of Yavesh-Gilad. Therefore, nobody from Yavesh-Gilad was bound by the oath. They struck down the population of Yavesh-Gilad, since attendance at the national assembly was mandatory on pain of death. They kept alive 400 marriageable girls for wives for Benjaminite refugees. But this left 200 Benjaminite refugees without wives. How could they renew the Tribe without the other Tribes violating their oath? It was decided that the 200 remaining Benjaminites would go to the yearly festival in Shiloh. When the local girls went out to dance, each man would catch himself a wife. This would be done with the girl’s consent, but not the parents’, so there would be no violation of their oath not to give their daughters to the Tribe of Benjamin. The Book of Judges ends by restating that there was no King in those days.

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Shofetim Perek 20

Shofetim Perek 20-
Sefer Shofetim is taught by Rabbi Joey Mizrachi
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
Every Tribe sent representatives to the national meeting at Mispah. The Levi man told his story and the nation demanded an explanation from the Tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin refused to yield to national authority, insisting that they would deal with the situation as an internal matter. This was unacceptable to the rest of the Tribes, who declared war on Benjamin. Benjamin’s army was 26,700. The rest of the nation had assembled an army of 400,000. In the first battle, Benjamin killed 22,000 Israelites. In the second battle, Benjamin killed another 18,000. Finally the 11 Tribes asked of G-d whether they should go to battle against Benjamin and G-d said yes, adding that they would then be victorious. In the third battle, Israel ambushed Benjamin by surprise. Israel killed 25,100 Benjaminites. Benjamin retreated and was pursued. 18,000 soldiers were killed in battle and another 7,000 were killed in flight. 600 escaped to the Rock of Rimmon, where they stayed for four months. The cities of Benjamin were eradicated, so that only the 600 refugees at Rimmon survived.

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Shofetim Perek 19

Shofetim Perek 19-
Sefer Shofetim is taught by Rabbi Joey Mizrachi
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
Another story from the early days of the Judges: there was a Levi who lived in Mt. Ephraim whose concubine left him and returned to her father’s home. After four months, the Levi went to retrieve her. Everyone was reconciled and the Levi stayed at his father-in-law’s house for several days. (A concubine is like a wife, but without a marriage contract.) After a few days, the man and his concubine took to the road. At nightfall, they stopped in a Benjaminite city called Giv'ah. There, they stayed with a local man, an Ephraimite, who invited them in. Here’s where things went horribly wrong. A group of people from Giv'ah acted like the inhabitants of Sodom did to Lot when he hosted the angels. They demanded that the man be sent out so that they could engage him in acts of sodomy. In a misguided show of hospitality, the host offered his own daughter and the concubine to the mob. The mob initially declined this offer, but the man pushed his concubine out to them. A bird in the hand, they took the deal and molested her all night long. At daybreak, she was released, made her way back to the host’s house, and collapsed on the doorstep, where she expired. When the man saw what had been done to his concubine, he cut her corpse into 12 pieces and sent one to each Tribe telling the story of what the mob in Giv'ah had done. The purpose was to stir the passions of the nation that such a thing could be done. It worked, because they called a national meeting to address the atrocity.

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Shofetim Perek 18

Shofetim Perek 18-
Sefer Shofetim is taught by Rabbi Joey Mizrachi
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:
Despite being placed after the story of Shimshon, there is a consensus that it actually occurred much earlier, in the time of Otniel, the first Judge. Scouts from the Tribe of Dan were looking for territory when they discovered the altar in Mikha’s house. They asked the Levi if they would be successful in their quest and he said they would. The Danites went about their mission. They reported back about Mikha’s idol, which they decided to seize. The Levi opposed them, so they offered him a better job: being priest for them, rather than for Mikha alone. A job’s a job, so he took the offer. Mikha found out what was going on and he opposed it. The Danite forces, who greatly outnumbered Mikha’s forces, strongly suggested that he just walk away. Dan conquered the city of Laish and renamed it Dan after their ancestor. They established a house of idolatry with the Levi as priest. At this point, the Navi reveals his name: Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Menashe. But wait! The letter “nun” in the name “Menashe” is suspended halfway above the rest of the name! It’s half in and half out. With the “nun” in, the name is Menashe. With the “nun” out, the name is Moshe! The commentators explain that Jonathan was the grandson of Moshe. Moshe was a Levi and he had a son named Gershom, so it all makes sense. So why the “nun,” rendering his name Menashe? Out of respect for Moses, the Navi concealed that fact.

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Shofetim Perek 17

Shofetim Perek 17 -
Sefer Shofetim is taught by Rabbi Joey Mizrachi
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

There was a man from Mt. Ephraim named Mikha, who stole a large sum of silver from his mother, but returned it fearing her curse on the thief. She had already resolved to consecrate the money, so she gave it back to him to have made into a statue.
When he received the statue from the silver smith, Mikha set it up in his house as an idol and he made one of his sons the priest of his new religion. Eventually, a Levi came traveling by. Mikha was thrilled to have a Levi, from whose Tribe come real Kohanim. He offered him a hefty salary to stay and be his priest. The Levi joined Mikha’s household and Mikha took his presence as a sign of G-d’s approval.

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Shofetim Perek 16

Shofetim Perek 16 -
Sefer Shofetim is taught by Rabbi Joey Mizrachi
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A Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union:

Shimshon went to Gaza where he saw a prostitute and desired her. The Philistines were told that Shimshon was in town, so they set an ambush. He simply ripped the city gates off the wall and carried them away with him. But here’s where the trouble began: Shimshon was permitted to do some extraordinary things as part of his mission, but this incident was different. Sometimes one has to do an unpleasant task, such as fight a war or execute a criminal. These things should never be considered fun, but rather solemn duties. While Shimshon may have had lofty goals for his actions, in this case he simultaneously indulged his passions. (Basically, his mission was to attract Philistine attention in Gaza, not to have a good time doing it.)
Then Shimshon fell in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah. The Philistine leaders bribed her to find out the secret of Shimshon’s great strength. He humored her with a series of lies: tie him up with wet twine, with new ropes, weave his braids on a loom – each of these proved false. Finally he told her that he was a Nazir to G-d from birth and that never shaving his hair was the secret. (She knew that this was the truth since he used the expression “a Nazir to G-d” and he wouldn’t use G-d’s name in vain.) Delilah shaved Shimshon’s head while he slept, then called the Philistines to arrest him.
The Philistines put out Shimshon’s eyes and put him to work in the prison mill. During this time, his hair started to grow in. Later, during a Philistine celebration, they brought him up to make fun of him. Leaning on pillars, Shimshon prayed for G-d to return his strength so that he could knock the entire building down, killing everyone in it (himself included). G-d obliged and Shimshon killed more of the enemy with his dying act than in his whole career.

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