From tsc at bezeqint.net  Fri Mar  4 09:45:32 2005
From: tsc at bezeqint.net (Menachem Leibtag)
Date: Fri Mar  4 09:46:20 2005
Subject: [Par-navi] Yehoshua - chapters 13 thru 19
Message-ID: <009901c520c8$d1534310$660fa8c0@TSCXO6E2MDGIHU>

The TSC series on Sefer Yehoshua is dedicated in
 memory of Max and Eli Podolski z"l.

*************************************************************
     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
*************************************************************

            Yehoshua - chapters  13->19

    The 'nachala'  section - From Gilgal to Shiloh

     Chapters 13-19 in Sefer Yehoshua are rarely studied, and
for a very good reason - their minute detail of geographic
borders and lists of cities from thousands of years ago,
doesn't appear to carry much relevance.  In the following
shiur, we won't make those details any more exciting -
however, we will find significance in the manner of their
presentation; that may also help us appreciate events taking
place in Israel today!

INTRODUCTION
     Once Yehoshua's united army had defeated the major armies
of Eretz Canaan, as described in chapters six thru twelve; it
was now time for each tribe to 'finish the job' and settle
their assigned territories.  As we will see, some of the
tribes immediately rose to this challenge, and did an
excellent job of settling their "nachala", while the other
tribes were far less successful.
     Before we begin our discussion of 'what went wrong', we
begin our shiur with an overview of what transpires in these
seven chapters.

KIBUSH vs. NACHALA
     As we explained in our previous shiurim, Sefer Yehoshua
neatly divides into two distinct sections:
     1) Chapters 1-12: KIBUSH - Military conquest of the Land
     2) Chapters 13-22: NACHALA - The inheritance of each tribe.

     Therefore, chapter 13 begins the "nachala" section, which
will focus on how each tribe settled (or didn't settle) its
assigned portion.
  The internal order of this section is very logical.  Chapter
13 begins with the conquests by GAD, REUVEN, and HALF OF
MENASHE, for the simple reason that they were first to inherit
their land, even before Bnei Yisrael had crossed the Jordan
(see Bamidbar Chapter 32).
     Chapters 14 and 15 describe how the tribe of YEHUDAH,
encouraged by their leader Kalev, took the initiative and
quickly completed their conquest of the entire area that
became known as the Judean Hills.  Two entire chapters in
Sefer Yehoshua are dedicated to the details of that conquest
and the names of the settlements that they established.
     Similarly, Chapters 16 and 17 describe how the tribes of
EFRAIM & MENASHE undertook a serious effort to conquer their
inheritance in the hills of Samaria, even though they were not
as successful as Yehudah.
     In contrast to these five tribes who actively took the
initiative,  Sefer Yehoshua dedicates much less detail to the
remaining seven tribes who were far less successful.  Chapter
18 describes how Yehoshua gathers these seven tribes in Shiloh
to encourage them to make a greater effort (see 18:1-5), and
the remainder of that chapter and chapter 19 describe the
borders that these remaining seven tribes were expected to
inherit
  One could suggest that via this manner of presentation,
Sefer Yehoshua is teaching us an important lesson, congruent
with the overall theme of the book - that God helped those
(tribes) who helped themselves!  Said differently, even though
God had promised to assist Bnei Yisrael in their conquest of
the land, His intention was for each tribe to take an
initiative to be worthy of divine assistance (see 1:3).
Therefore, those tribes that remained passive remained with
minimal portions.

WHAT WENT WRONG
     At first glance, it is rather hard to fathom why the
tribes would be so reluctant to settle the land that
Yehoshua's joint army had just conquered.  However, when one
considers the realities of their situation - their behavior is
quite easy to understand.
     Let's consider how Bnei Yisrael have been living for the
past forty years in the desert.   For most of the adult
population, the only existence they have known has been a
rather passive 'camp-style' environment, with the Mishkan at
the center of their camp.
     During those forty years, God had provided for their food
and water (and clothing / see Devarim 8:1-8).  Most of the
time, they remained in the same campsite for many years (e.g.
see Devarim 1:46).
  Recently, the entire nation had crossed the Jordan River and
set up camp in the Jordan Valley in a site called Gilgal.
Even though there was no more 'manna', water was now provided
by the Jordan River, and grain grew in the bountiful fields of
Jordan valley.  [See Yehoshua 5:10-12.]  Every once in a
while, the men went out to battle - to conquer the hills and
valleys of the land of Canaan; but for the families living in
Gilgal, daily life was really not that much different than it
had been in the desert for the last forty years.

WHY LEAVE GILGAL?
     Now that the conquest was complete, Yehoshua encouraged
all the tribes to leave Gilgal, i.e. to take their women and
children on a trek into the mountain land - to establish new
settlements. However, to do so was 'easier said than done'.
     Anyone who has visited the Jordan Valley readily
understands why.  Picture yourself living in this relatively
secure environment, with no immediate danger to your
livelihood. To the west, you see a massive mountain range,
beyond which your elders inform you is a 'land flowing with
milk & honey'.  But you also know that there are many other
nations who once lived in that land (and apparently many still
remained, or quickly returned).  So, are you going to leave
the neighbors and friends you've grown up and lived with for
the last forty years, and travel out into the unknown - or you
going to 'pass up the opportunity' and stay put in Gilgal?
The same choice that most people would make today, was the
same choice that most of the people made back then.  The
majority of the nation stayed in Gilgal.
     This also explains why the first wave of successful
military campaigns did not necessarily lead to a complete
conquest.  If settlement did not commence as soon as those
battles were won, the opportunity of total conquest was lost.
Those battles (described in chapters ten and eleven) explain
why Bnei Yisrael were no longer under the threat of immediate
destruction from the joint armies of the nations of Canaan;
but they do not describe the complete settlement of the land
that was captured.  That remained a very difficult challenge.
     The tribe of Judah was different, but of course their
"nachala" was not very far away from Gilgal, and Yehoshua's
military campaign in the Judean hills was quite complete.
However, it is quite easy to understand why the inheritance of
the rest of the country was off to such a poor start.  The
people were 'only human'.

THE 'SHILO PLAN'
     This background can help us appreciate the transition
that takes place in Yehoshua chapter 18.
  Note how chapter 18 opens by relating almost
'parenthetically' how Yehoshua transferred the Mishkan from
Gilgal to the city of Shilo, before it begins its primary
topic of describing the "nachalot" of the remaining seven
tribes.
  However, that small detail, as we shall now explain, relates
directly to the primary theme of the entire chapter.
  To ascertain why Yehoshua had gathered the entire nation at
Shilo is obvious from the opening statement of his speech:
  "And Yehoshua said to Bnei Yisrael - 'ad matai atem MITRAPIM
  (for how long will you remain LAZY), and not conquer the
  land that God has given you...'" (18:3)

  Note how harshly Yehoshua rebukes these seven tribes who had
yet to take their nachala (see 18:3-7).  Clearly, Yehoshua
distinguishes between the five tribes (Reuven, Gad, Yehuda,
Efraim, and Menashe) who had taken initiative and conquered
their territories and the seven remaining tribes who had
failed to do so (Binyamin, Yisachar, Zevulun, Dan, Naftali,
Asher, and Shimon).  He gathers them to encourage these
remaining tribes to take a more active role towards securing
their nachalot.  Immediately after this rebuke, Yehoshua
divides the remaining land among these seven tribes, assigning
each a specific portion that they needed to survey and conquer
(see 18:4-10).
     However, this does not explain why Yehoshua moved the
Mishkan to SHILO specifically at this time.  We will now
attempt to explain how these two events - moving the Mishkan
and rebuking the tribes - are thematically connected.

A NEW INCENTIVE
     As we explained above, from the time that Bnei Yisrael
had crossed the Jordan, Gilgal had served as the national
center.  Not only was the Mishkan immediately set up in
Gilgal, but that site also continued to serve as the 'national
center' during the seven years of Yehoshua's conquest (see
4:19; 5:9-10; 9:6; and 10:9,43).  However, according to Sefer
Devarim, it is very clear that Gilgal was never meant to
remain the permanent resting place of the Mishkan.  Upon the
completion of their conquest of the land, Bnei Yisrael were
supposed to establish a more permanent site for the BET
HA'MIKDASH - referred to in Chumash as "ha'makom asher yivchar
Hashem l'shaken shmo sham" (see Devarim 12:4-12).   It appears
that Yehoshua's conquest was not yet considered complete
enough to warrant the building of this permanent MIKDASH.
     So why did Yehoshua move the Mishkan to Shilo?
  If the time was not yet ripe to move it to its permanent
destination, why didn't he simply leave it in Gilgal?
     Based on our above discussion, we can suggest the
following explanation: Yehoshua faced a dilemma.  On the one
hand, the time had certainly not come for building the
permanent Mikdash - for the "nachala" was far from complete.
Paradoxically, though, it may very well be that one of the
primary reasons WHY the nachala was not complete was BECAUSE
the Mishkan remained in Gilgal! Let's explain:
     Recall that for the past forty some years Bnei Yisrael
had dwelled in the desert in tents, in a camp formation
surrounding the Mishkan.  After the primary conquest (KIBUSH)
was complete and there was no longer an immediate danger of
war from the nations of Canaan, the tribes were left with two
options:

(1)  to LEAVE Gilgal, and establish new settlements in their
various assigned nachalot, or,

(2)  to STAY in Gilgal and continue the life style that they
had grown accustomed to during the past forty years in the
desert.

     As we have explained, five tribes took the initiative and
established their nachalot (option #1), however the remaining
seven tribes opted to stay in Gilgal (option #2).  This, as we
have explained, was not what they were supposed to do.
Therefore, to encourage these remaining tribes to settle their
nachalot, Yehoshua devised the 'Shilo Plan'.  By moving the
Mishkan to Shilo, Yehoshua hoped to accomplish three things:
  
  (a)  to disperse the temporary campsite in Gilgal by taking
  away its primary attraction - the Mishkan.

  (b)  to establish Shilo, a town located at the center of the
  densely forested mountain range of Har Ephraim, as the new
  national center.  This would encourage the settlement of
  this difficult area by the tribe of Ephraim (see 17:14-18)
  and strengthen Bnei Yisrael's overall position in the
  mountain range of Eretz Canaan.

  (c)  to encourage the other tribes to leave Gilgal and
  establish their own nachalot.

     This explains why Yehoshua not only moved the Mishkan to
Shilo specifically at this time, but also why he gathered
together all the tribes and demanded that they write down
their respective borders and commence with the conquest of
those areas (see once again 18:1-10).  These were not two
unrelated events, but rather two components of one operation.
     To a certain extent, the 'Shilo Plan' was quite
successful.  Shilo established itself as the new national
center, replacing Gilgal; and the remaining tribes began to
inherit their own nachalot.  However, as we will later learn
in the beginning of Sefer Shoftim, this second phase of the
conquest remained rather incomplete.  Furthermore, from the
minimal mention of Shilo in Sefer Shoftim, it appears that
Shilo never really developed as the powerful religious center
that Yehoshua had hoped it would become.
  [Note its lone mention and context in 19:18 and 21:19-23, as
  well as how corrupt the site had become by I Shmuel Chapters
  1-4.]

     Moving the center to Shilo was a bold move, reflecting
wise leadership; nonetheless - it remains unclear if the
damage created by placing the Mishkan in a new center so far
away from daily access, was worth the price that Bnei Yisrael
paid in their attraction to other gods, which immediately
became a problem as soon as each tribe moved to their new
areas, and encountered new cultures.  (See Sefer Shoftim
chapters one and two.)

  In our next shiur, we will continue our study with a
discussion of the special significance of the nachala of the
tribe of Binyamin, as described in chapter 18.



From tsc at bezeqint.net  Thu Mar 10 16:17:56 2005
From: tsc at bezeqint.net (Menachem Leibtag)
Date: Thu Mar 10 16:19:01 2005
Subject: [Par-navi] Yehoshua - chapter 18
Message-ID: <0df101c525b6$a18a2cf0$640fa8c0@TSCXO6E2MDGIHU>

*************************************************************
     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
*************************************************************

             Yehoshua - chapter 18
                               
               "Nachalat Binyamin"

     In our previous shiur, we discussed the first half of
chapter 18, where Yehoshua transfers the Mishkan from the
Gilgal to Shilo - in the hope that this move would encourage
the seven remaining tribes to make a serious effort to
complete the inheritance of their respective portions (see
18:1-9).
  In the following shiur, we return to the second half of
chapter 18 - in an attempt to understand why Sefer Yehoshua
provides such minute detail in its description of the borders
destined for the tribe of Binyamin.

INTRODUCTION
     The "nachala" section of Sefer Yehoshua - i.e. chapters
13 thru 21 - neatly divides into three sections:
  
  A) Chapters 13-17 - The five tribes with initiative:
    A detailed discussion  of how the tribes of Reuven, Gad,
    Yehuda, Ephraim and Menashe made a rather serious effort
    to settle their assigned inheritance.
    
  B) Chapters 18-19: The remaining seven tribes
    How Yehousha gathers the nation in Shilo - to encourage
    the tribes of Binyamin,Yisachar, Zevulun, Naftali, Asher,
    Dan and Shimon to take a more serious effort in settling
    their assigned portions.

  C) Chapters 20-21 - The cities of the Levites

     In our study of chapters 18-19, we noted how Sefer
Yehoshua pays much less attention to the 'seven tribes' in
Section B, as they took very little initiative - in contrast
to the lengthy detail in Section A of the conquests and
settlement of the five tribes (who took an initiative).
However, the tribe of Binyamin appears to be an exception, as
its borders are described in extraordinary detail in the
second half of chapter 18.  In the following shiur, we attempt
to understand why.

A GEOGRAPHIC 'SHOULDER'
     When we read the detailed border of Binyamin in chapter
18, it is hard not to notice a several very conspicuous
phrases, each beginning with word "katef" [lit. a 'shoulder'
in Hebrew].  Take for example:
     KETEF YERICHO (in 18:12)
     KETEF LUZAH (in 18:13)
     KETEF HA'YVUSI (in 18:16)
     KETEF MUL HA'ARAVA (in 18:18), and
     KETEF BEIT CHOGLA (in 18:19)

     Technically speaking, the word "katef" in this context
refers to a steep cliff at the beginning of a mountain range
(like a 'shoulder' of that mountain range).  For example,
"ketef Yericho" refers to the steep drop from the mountain
range in the Judean desert just to the west of Yericho.  For
those of you familiar with the drive through the Jordan
Vallley near Jericho, you most probably have seen this.  You
have also seen it if you have visited the yishuv of Mitzpeh
Yericho, situated above that cliff.
  Similarly, the phrase "ketef Yevusi" refers to the southern
ridge of today's Mount Zion, just outside the walls of
Jerusalem's Old City.  This "katef" is easily discernable when
viewed from the neighborhood of Abu-Tor, or from near the
Ariel Hotel - where Derech Hevron meets the train station.
     However, this sort of phrase is unique to the tribe of
Binyamin, as no other tribe's borders are described in this
manner, with the single exception of the border of Yehuda
(15:8-10).  But there also, it is only used in relation to the
border between Yehuda and BINYAMIM!
  
"YEDID HASHEM"
  The reason for Sefer Yehoshua's special use of this word
"katef" in this border most probably relates directly back to
the blessing that the tribe of Binyamin received from Moshe
Rabeinu in Parshat v'Zot ha'bracha.
  Let's review that blessing, noting how (and why) it includes
the word "katef":
  "And to Binyamin [Moshe] said:
          Y'did Hashem
       - Beloved of the Lord
          yishkon lavetach alav
        - The SHECHINA shall dwell above him
          chofef alav kol ha'yom
       -  Ever does He protect him
          u'vein kteifav shacheyn
       - and he will rest between His shoulders."
                                       (see Devarim 33:12)
  
  Clearly, this blessing indicated that God's Presence was
destined to dwell somewhere within the borders of Binyamin,
and hence the Rabbi's conclude that the Bet Ha'Mikdash was
destined to be built in Binyamin's portion.
  However, at point in Jewish history, i.e. when the conquest
was only partially complete and it was not yet time to build
the permanent Temple, Sefer Yehoshua would like to allude to
the hope that the prophecy of Moshe will soon be fulfilled,
and the Bet-ha'Mikdash will soon be built somewhere within the
portion of Binyamin.  To express this hope, it uses the word
"katef" in its description of the border of Binyamin.
  This takes on additional significance, considering the fact
that Yehoshua had just moved the Mishkan to Shilo, located in
the portion of Efraim.  As we explained in our previous shiur,
the time was not yet ripe for the establishment of a permanent
Mikdash, as the process of "kibush and nachala" was still far
from complete (see Yehoshua 13:1-3, Devarim 12:5-12 and the
TSC shiur on Parshat Re'eh).
  Furthermore, it was not practical to move the Mishkan to the
portion of Binyamin at this time, as the conquest of their
"nachala" was far from complete.  Recall that many areas
within the proposed borders of Binyamin itself were still
under Canaanite (and Jebusite) rule.
  [See Shoftim 1:21, regarding the fact that Yerushalayim had
  not yet been captured, and that Yerushalayim itself was only
  captured several hundred years later during the time of King
  David, as detailed in Shmuel II 5:1-12.]
  
     Even though Yehoshua was not able to build the permanent
Mikdash in the portion of Binyamin, opting instead to
establish a temporary Mishkan in Shiloh; Sefer Yehoshua
alludes to this ultimate aspiration by describing the borders
of Binyamin (see 18:10-28), immediately after it describes how
the Mishkan was established 'temporarily' in Shiloh (see
18:1).
  [Note also the mention of Yerushalayim itself in last line
  of that border's description in 18:28!]

JUST LIKE THE DESERT
     We will now show how the special status of this tribe is
also reflected in the geographic location of Binyamin's
"nachala" among the other tribes.
     Recall from the opening section of Sefer Bamidbar
(Chapter 2) how God commanded Bnei Yisrael to organize their
camp in such a manner that the Mishkan would be located at its
center.  This served as a constant sign to the people that God
dwells within their midst.  Now, in Sefer Yehoshua, when the
shvatim received their "nachalot" (Chapters 13-19), we
amazingly find a very similar configuration!

    The following table illustrates this comparison:

     IN THE DESERT            IN ERETZ YISRAEL
     =============            ================
  
           Dan                    Efraim
            |                       |
Efraim-[Mishkan]-Yehuda    Dan-[Binyamin]-Reuven
            | 			      |
         Reuven                   Yehuda
         

     In both cases, the site representing the SHECHINA (which
in the desert was the "Camp of the Mishkan", and in Eretz
Yisrael was to be Nachalat Binyamin) is surrounded by the same
four "leadership" shvatim!  (The directions have simply
rotated 90 degrees, and inverted.  See TSC Shiur on Parshat
V'zot HaBracha.)
     This explains why Chazal refer to the nachala of Binyamin
as "nachalat shechina".

A PEACEFUL LOCATION
     In conclusion, it is also worth noting the special phrase
that Sefer Yehoshua employs to introduce the general location
of shevet Binyamin:
  "And the lot of Binyamin...the borders of their inheritance
  are located BETWEEN the tribe of YEHUDA and the tribes of
  YOSEF." (Yehoshua 18:11)

  Note the emphasis on Binyamin's location between YEHUDA and
YOSEF (not just Efraim).  Recall as well from Sefer Bereishit
that YEHUDA and YOSEF emerged as leaders among the brothers,
and how in Parshat Va'yigash YOSEF finally reunited with his
brothers when YEHUDA approached him regarding BINYAMIN!!
      Unfortunately, too often in Jewish history, the
'personalities' of YOSEF and YEHUDA remain in conflict.
(Take, for example, the "pilug ha'mamalacha" - the split among
the tribes during the time of Yerovam ben Nevat - between
Yehuda and theTen tribes - led by B'nei Yosef.)
     However, when Yosef and Yehuda do finally unite, it
becomes thematically significant that the Bet Ha'Mikdash can
then be established within the borders of "nachalat Binyamin",
bridging the way between the tribe of Yehuda and the tribe of
Yosef.
     As the navi Yechezkel later invisions in regard to the
final redemption:
  "Behold, I will take the stick of Yoseph, which is in the
  hand of Efraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and
  I will put them unto him together with the stick of Yehudah,
  and make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand...
    thus I will take the children of Israel from among the
  nations ... and will gather them on every side, and bring
  them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in
  the land... and one king shall be king to them all; and they
  shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided
  into two kingdoms any more at all"
                              (see Yechezkel 37:15-22)

     In our next shiur, we'll complete our study of the
"nachala" section with a discussion of the importance of the
'scattering' of the tribe of Levi among the other tribes.


From tsc at bezeqint.net  Fri Mar 18 10:35:36 2005
From: tsc at bezeqint.net (Menachem Leibtag)
Date: Fri Mar 18 10:35:35 2005
Subject: [Par-navi] Yehoshua chapter 20-21
Message-ID: <000801c52bd0$34a4ba90$6fdea8c0@TSCXO6E2MDGIHU>

*************************************************************
     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
*************************************************************

             Yehoshua - chapters 20-21
                            
            The importance of shevet Levi
            
     When studying Sefer Yehoshua, it is usually very tempting to
simply skip over chapters 20 and 21, as they discuss the
designation of "arei miklat" [cities of refuge] and "arei
Leviim" (cities for the tribe of Levi).  Other than locating
these various cities on a map, there doesn't appear to be too
much to study.  Nonetheless, we'll give it a try.

INTRODUCTION
     Chapter 20 is not the first time that God speaks to
Yehoshua, however, it is the first (and only) time where the
Tanach introduces these instructions with the header:
  "va'ydaber Hashem el Yehoshua laymor."-
     [God spoke to Yehoshua, saying:]
  "daber el Bnei Yisrael ..." - [speak to the children of
  Israel...]
               (see 20:1-2)

     Even though we found this 'header' numerous times in
Chumash (just about whenever God spoke to Moshe concerning
commandments), this is the only place in Tanach where we find
the classic introduction.  This special introduction already
suggests that there most be something of 'Biblical importance'
in the details of chapter 20.
     In the following shiur, we'll try to explain why.

FROM MOSHE TO YEHOSHUA
     The reason for this anomaly most probably relates to the
fact that Yehoshua was now fulfilling a specific mitzvah from
the Torah that Moshe himself had begun, but had not been able
to finish.
  Recall from Parshat Masei (see Bamidbar 35:9-15) that God
had commanded Moshe to instruct Bnei Yisrael to set aside six
cities of refuge, three in Ever Hayarden (Transjordan) and
three in Eretz Canaan.
     In regard to the three cities in Ever Hayarden, we
learned in Devarim 4:41-43 that Moshe had already designated
those cities when he gathered Bnei Yisrael together for the
last time (see Ramban 4:41 & TSC shiur on Parshat Devarim).
However, since Moshe did not enter Eretz Canaan, he was unable
to designate the three cities on the west bank of the Jordan
River.  Now that the conquest of Eretz Canaan was complete,
Yehoshua was able to complete the mitzvah that Moshe Rabeinu
had begun.
     In this sense, chapter 20 could be considered a chapter
that 'belongs' in Chumash, and hence we find a 'Chumash style
header' that introduces the fulfillment of this mitzvah.
     Before we continue, let's discuss the reason why
specifically these three cities were chosen.

IMPORTANT CROSSROADS
     If you have a map of Israel handy, note where these three
cities of refuge in Eretz Canaan are located:
  Kedesh Naftali - in the Galil
    (today near highway 90, south of Kiryat Shmoneh)
  Shchem - in the Shomron
    (today on highway 60, south of Afula, & Jenin)
  Kiryat Arba - next to Hebron in the Judean mountains
    (today on highway 60, south of Jerusalem)

  Note how each of these cities is located at an important
crossroad along the major North-South highway located on the
central mountain range of Eretz Canaan.  That mountain range
begins in the south at Beer Sheva and climbs up to Hebron
(Kiryat Arba) where it meet the East-West Highway that travels
to the coastal plain at Lachish via Moresha (today Bet
Guvrin), and eastbound to the Judean Desert, the Dead Sea and
the crossing point to Moab.
       That main highway continues north through Yerushalayim,
Bet-el, and Shilo until it reaches Shchem, where once again it
meets an important East-West highway, which travels westbound
to the coast near today's Netanya and eastbound through Nachal
Tirzah to the Jordan Valley and the crossing point to Nachal
Yabok (a main crossing point into Jordan, today Adam Bridge).
     The highway continues northward through the Jezreel
Valley past Har Tabor and the Kinneret to Kedesh, where it
again meets a major crossroad, eastbound to the Golan Heights
and Syria, and westbound through the Galil until Acco.
     Therefore, Kedesh, Shchem and Kiryat Arba were logical
choices because of their central location along the main
highway, quite appropriate for cities of refuge.
     Finally, note in chapter 21 that these cities of refuge
(including those in Ever Hayarden) are specifically designated
as cities that belong to the Leviim (see 21:13,21,27,32 and
36).  Instead of sending these people to a "jail-type"
environment (where one criminal learns from another), they are
sent to a city of Leviim, in the hope that they will be
provided with proper guidance.
     This may explain why Chapter 21, describing the cities of
the Leviim, follows Chapter 20, even though in Parshat Masei,
the mitzvah to set aside the cities for Leviim (see 35:1-8)
precedes the mitzvah to set aside Arei Miklat (see 35:9-15).

THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
     In regard to Chapter 21, there really isn't much to
explain, other than to take out a map and identify where each
city is located.  However, it is important to point out that
the cities of the Leviim are scattered throughout the entire
country, divided up among the "nachalot" of all the twelve
tribes.
     The reason why is very simple, but quite important.  In
order for Am Yisrael to truly become a "mamlechet kohanim
v'goy kadosh", i.e. a nation that can properly represent God
before other nations, spiritual guidance is essential.
Therefore, the Torah sets aside an entire tribe - whose sole
purpose is to provide spiritual leadership for the rest of the
nation.
     The job of Shevet Levi is not merely to officiate in the
Temple.  After all, according to the work schedule that David
ha'melech later set up (see I Divrei Ha'yamim Chapters 23-26),
the Kohanim and Leviim were to work in the Mikdash only week
out of every twenty-four!  What did they do with remainder of
their time?
     Clearly, it was their job to serve as teachers, judges,
and educators for the entire population.  As Moshe blessed
Levi in Devarim 33:10 :
  "You shall teach [God's] Laws to Yaakov and His Torah to
  Israel...".

  Furthermore, earlier in Sefer Devarim (see 17:9) we find
that the Kohanim and Leviim are identified as the most likely
candidates to be the "shoftim" [judges /see also the psukim
there in Divrei Hayamim].
     As we know from our own education system, if we were to
depend only on volunteers, it would be quite difficult to
assure that there would always be an adequate amount of
qualified teachers.  By designating an entire tribe for this
purpose, God's hope was that this tribe would become experts
in providing spiritual guidance for Am Yisrael, teaching them
the laws of the Torah, and serving as judges and officiants in
the Bet Ha'Mikdash.
  Note as well how this point is emphasized in Bamidbar 18:21-
24.  In order to support the tribe of Levi, the rest of Am
Yisrael must contribute a ten percent tax ("ma'aser").  This
tax is given directly by the people to the Leviim, without the
king (or government) serving a middleman.  This assures that
the education system is not 'influenced' (or controlled) by
the government - or whoever else would be paying these
educators' salaries.
  [Iy"h, we will deal with this topic in greater length when
  we study Sefer Shoftim.]


THE FINALE
     Chapter 21 concludes with a short summary pasuk, which is
often overlooked.  This pasuk summarizes not only the
"nachalot" of the Leviim, but the entire "kibush and nachala"
narrative that has encompassed the bulk of the Sefer:
  "And God gave to Yisrael the entire land that He swore to
  their forefathers, and they conquered it and settled it. And
  God gave them rest from [their enemies] surrounding them,
  just as He promised their forefathers.  No one stood in
  front of them from all their enemies, ALL of their enemies
  God delivered to them. Nothing fell short of all the good
  that God promised the House of Israel, everything came
  [true]."
                    [See 21:41-43.]

     At first glance, this pasuk seems to contradict the
summary of the 'partial conquest' as described in 13:1-5 and
18:1-9. There we find that the conquest was only partial, and
many areas were still left that needed to be conquered, while
our pasuk leaves us with the impression that the conquest was
complete.
     Furthermore, in Yehoshua's own final speech (see 23:4-
10), he clearly stated that much land remained to be
conquered. So how can chapter 21 make such a bold statement
that all their enemies were defeated and the conquest was
completed?
     To answer this question, we must take a closer look at
this pasuk, and its 'source' in Sefer Devarim.
     The phrase in 21:42 : "va'yanach Hashem lahem m'SAVIV"
clearly alludes to Devarim chapter 12, where Moshe commands
Bnei Yisrael to establish a permanent Mikdash [ha'makom asher
yivchar Hashem] once the conquest is complete:
  "And you shall cross the Jordan River, and you shall settle
  the land that the Lord your God is allotting you,
  *V'HINIYACH LACHEM M'KOL OYVEICHEM M'SAVIV* - and [He] gives
  you rest for all your enemies that surround you - and you
  will sit securely in safety. Then you must bring [your
  offerings] to the MAKOM ASHER YIVCHAR HASHEM..." (12:10-11)

     This parallel between chapter 21 in Yehoshua and Devarim
chapter 12 may allude to a certain criticism of Yehoshua's
generation.  If indeed the conquest was complete, as 21:41-43
implies (plus the textual parallel to Devarim 12:10), then
there should have been a greater effort to establish a
permanent Mikdash.  Considering that it was shevet Levi's
responsibility to officiate in that Mikdash, this may explain
why these psukim are recorded specifically at the end of this
perek, which dealt with the cities of the Leviim.
     On the other hand, they did establish the semi-permanent
Mikdash/Mishkan in Shiloh, and Jerusalem had not yet been
captured, so one could also suggest that Yehoshua had truly
done all that he could have in this regard. Nonetheless, the
use of this phrase in 21:42 may still allude to the fact that
at least something was missing.
  [Note as well the textual parallel to both Yehoshua 23:1 (in
  its context) and II Shmuel 7:1-4 ["v'Hashem hey'niach lo
  m'saviv m'kol oyvav"] when David ha'Melech wanted to build
  the permanent Mikdash. These two sources support our
  assumption that this phrase relates to Devarim 12:10.]

     One could also suggest, as we explained in our
introductory shiur, that these psukim in Yehoshua do not come
to inform us that the entire conquest of Eretz Canaan was
complete, but rather that Bnei Yisrael were successful in
whatever they attempted to conquer.  Here again, we can
suggest that this alludes to a certain criticism of this
generation. Just as God had promised them: "any where were you
foot shall walk will belong to you..." (see Devarim 11:24)
indeed came true.  However there were many places that Bnei
Yisrael did not attempt to conquer, those areas remained
outside their borders of conquest.
     In other words, Sefer Yehoshua may be teaching us that
God assisted Bnei Yisrael according on their effort. Wherever
they attempted to conquer, God helped them; but where no
effort was made, no conquest took place.
  [Sort of like God helps those who help themselves.]
  
  Even though God kept His side of the bargain, Bnei Yisrael
kept their side only partially. [See Ralbag and pirush Daat
Mikra.]
     Even though a certain level of conquest had been
achieved, and possibly there was a potential at that time to
complete the conquest, they had not reached the level of total
conquest and settlement necessary for the permanent Mikdash to
be established. This was only achieved several hundred years
later during the time of David & Shlomo.
     Iy"h, we'll continue this topic in our discussion of
Yehoshua's farewell speech in chapter 23.
                               


From tsc at bezeqint.net  Fri Apr  1 08:28:14 2005
From: tsc at bezeqint.net (Menachem Leibtag)
Date: Fri Apr  1 08:28:23 2005
Subject: [Par-navi] Yehoshua chapter 22
Message-ID: <018501c536be$ad364bb0$650fa8c0@TSCXO6E2MDGIHU>

The TSC series on Sefer Yehoshua is dedicated in memory of Max and Eli
Podolski z"l.

*************************************************************
     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
*************************************************************

             Yehoshua - chapter 22
                               
        The mizbeiach of the tribes of Reuven & Gad
                               
  The delicate question of 'Who?s a Jew?' not only reached the
Supreme Court of Israel this week, it has been the source of a
vicious debate in Israel for decades.  Interestingly enough,
this very same issue was already a 'hot topic' over three
thousand years ago which almost led to a civil war - only a
few years after Yehoshua first captured the land.
     In this week?s shiur, as we study the story of the
"Mizbeach" that Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven built, we?ll take a
closer look at this problem (and we may find a message for
today as well).


INTRODUCTION
     Yehoshua chapter 22 describes how the fighting men of the
tribes of Reuven, Gad, and Menashe ('the 2-1/2 tribes')
returned to their original "nachala" [inheritance] on the
eastern bank of the Jordan River.  In this manner, the
discussion of these 2-1/2 tribes forms both the opening and
closing sections of the "nachala" section of Sefer Yehoshua
(i.e. chapters 13 thru 22).
  Recall from Sefer Bamidbar chapter 32 how these 2 1/2 tribes
(in the aftermath of the war against Sichon) preferred to take
their inheritance on the East bank of the Jordan River, on the
condition that they would lead the army in the nation's
conquest of the West bank.  [See also Yehoshua 1:12-18.]  Now
that the major military effort of the conquest was complete,
Yehoshua allowed them to return to their land and to 'settle
down'.
     In our shiur, we will first quickly review what happened;
afterward we will attempt to explain why.

A TRAGIC MISUNDERSTANDING
     Upon returning to their nachala, Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven
decided to erect a monumental "mizbeiach" [altar] near the
banks of the Jordan River (see 22:9-11).  However, when the
other tribes saw this mizbeiach, they became enraged - for
they understood this monument as nothing less than idol
worship.
  [Recall that the Torah forbids sacrifices outside the
  confines of the Mishkan - see Devarim 12:5-12, and Masechet
  Zevachim Chapter 14.]
  
     In fear that this terrible sin of these 2-1/2 tribes
would evoke God?s rage against the entire nation, the ten
tribes gathered in Shiloh to declare war on their brethren
(see 29:12).  Luckily, before actually going to war, the ten
tribes first sent a commission of inquiry, led by Pinchas (the
son of the High Priest).  After a short dialogue (see 22:13-
31), it immediately became clear that the entire incident was
a misunderstanding; the 2-1/2 tribes never intended to offer
sacrifices on this mizbeiach. Rather, their intention was
solely to build a SYMBOL to show that even though they were
living outside of Biblical borders of Eretz Canaan, that they
still belonged to the same nation.
     Satisfied by the findings of the commission, Bnei Yisrael
immediately called off their battle plans, and a civil war was
averted (see 22:32-34).

A PERPLEXING STORY
     In our study of chapter 22, several questions arise that
require explanation:
      1.  What are the borders of Eretz Yisrael [the land of
Israel]?
     Is Transjordan (the East bank) included or not?
       [In other words, is the "nachala" of the 2-1/2 tribes
       part of the Holy Land, or not?]
       
  2.  Why were the 2-1/2 tribes so fearful that the future
  generations would not consider them part of the nation?
  
  3.  Why did they choose specifically a mizbeiach for their
  symbol?  (Why not a "menorah", or a "magen david"?)
  
  4.  Why were the ten tribes originally so quick to jump to
  military action as a solution?

  5.  Why was specifically Pinchas chosen to lead the inquiry
  mission, rather than his father?

     To answer all of these questions, we must return to our
study of Chumash.
  For example, to answer question #1, we must return to the
basic points of our shiur on Parshat Masei, which dealt with
the Biblical borders of the land of Israel.

EXPANDING BORDERS
     Two clich?s, both based on psukim in Tanach, are commonly
used to describe the expanse of the borders of the Land of
Israel:
          (A)  "from Dan to Beer Sheva" (see I Melachim 5:4-5)
          (B)  "from the Nile to the Euphrates" (see Br.
15:18)

     The discrepancy between these two borders is immense!
According to (B), Eretz Yisrael encompasses almost the entire
Middle East, while according to (A); it is a tiny country not
much bigger than the state of Rhode Island (and smaller than
today?s State of Israel!).
     To understand why, it is necessary to differentiate
between:
     (A)  "ERETZ CANAAN", as promised to Avraham Avinu at BRIT
MILAH (Bereishit 17:3-14), whose borders are defined in a
rather precise manner in Parshat Masei (Bamidbar 34:1-13), and
     (B)  "HA?ARETZ", as promised to Avraham Avinu at BRIT
BEIN HA?BTARIM (Bereishit Chapter 15), whose borders are
defined by a very general phrase "from the River of Egypt [the
Nile] to the Great River ? the River of Prat [the Euphrates]".
(15:18)

     The basic borders of Eretz Yisrael are those of "eretz
Canaan" (A), i.e. 'from Dan to Beer Sheva', as promised to
Avraham Avinu in Brit Milah. These borders constitute a
natural geographic area; for Eretz Canaan is bordered by the
Mediterranean Sea on the West, the Negev desert on the South,
the Syrio-African Rift (Jordan River) to the East, and the
Lebanon Mountain Range to the North (see also Bereishit
10:19).
     Should Bnei Yisrael first conquer this 'kernel' area,
then potentially the borders can be (but do not have to be)
extended up to, but no farther than the two great rivers
mentioned in the borders of Brit Bein HaBtarim - i.e. from the
Nile to the Euphrates.  In the shiur, we suggested that these
two Rivers can be understood as geographic LIMITS rather than
specific borders, as they set the potential limits of this
expansion.
  As each river formed the lifeline of Egypt and Mesopotamia -
the two great centers of ancient civilization, the Torah
leaves an option for Am Yisrael to expand its borders by
continuous settlement outward (from Eretz Canaan), up until
(but not including) Egypt and Mesopotamia.

EXPANDING KEDUSHA
     This interpretation explains why Transjordan did not
acquire "kedushat ha?aretz" until "eretz Canaan" was first
conquered.  When Transjordan was first conquered by Moshe
Rabeinu in Sefer Bamidbar (21:21-35), Eretz Canaan had not yet
been captured, and therefore this area had no "kedusha".
However, once Yehoshua had captured all of Eretz Canaan, the
"kedusha" of Eretz Yisrael could now extend to Transjordan as
well.
     By Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven following the terms of their
agreement with Moshe, not only did they help Bnei Yisrael
conquer Eretz Canaan, they also facilitated their homelands in
Transjordan into becoming an integral part of Eretz Yisrael.
  [For the "halachic" definition of these points, see Rambam
  Sefer Zeraiim, Hilchot Terumot, Chapter One, Halachot 2-3.]


SOMETHING TO WORRY ABOUT
     This background can help us explain why the 2-1/2 tribes
were so worried.  As is apparent from the above discussion,
the status of Transjordan is quite complicated, and hence a
serious fear existed that the rest of the nation would
consider only "eretz Canaan" to be "Eretz Yisrael".  If so,
then anyone living on the eastern bank of the Jordan would not
be considered part of Am Yisrael.  (After all, Moshe Rabeinu
himself had been in Transjordan, even though he was not
allowed in Eretz Yisrael!)
     This danger was reinforced by the fact that there were
several other nations also living in Transjordan who were also
once part of the family of Avraham, but afterward rejected -
such as Amon, Moav and Edom.  Recall from Sefer Breishit, that
once they were 'rejected' from the God's covenant with the
family of Avraham, the progenitors of these nations took up
residence on the eastern side of the Jordan!  Therefore, a
serious fear existed that within a few generations the 9-1/2
tribes would consider the 2-1/2 tribes no different than Amon,
Moav, and Edom.
     It was for this reason, we posit, that they decided to
erect a monument that would serve as an everlasting reminder
that the 2-1/2 tribes living in Transjordan were an integral
part of Am Yisrael.

WHY A MIZBEACH?
     Now we must explain why they chose specifically a
MIZBEIACH to symbolize their connection to Am Yisrael.
     One could suggest a reason based on their opening
statement (i.e. after they were first questioned by the other
tribes concerning their actions).  Note the strange manner in
which they began their response:
  "KEL ELOKIM HASHEM [shem havaya], KEL ELOKIM HASHEM, He
  knows an Yisrael should [also] know if this mizbayach was
  built as a rebellion against God..." (see 22:21-23)

     This repetition of God?s 'full' Name twice, emphasizing
that "Elokim" and "Havaya" are one, may relate to the
expanding nature of Eretz Yisrael?s borders.  Recall from our
shiur on Parshat Lech L?cha that God?s promise of Eretz Canaan
to Avraham at Brit Milah was given exclusively "b?shem
ELOKIM", while His promise of the land to Avraham at Brit Bein
ha?Btarim was given exclusively "b?shem HAVAYA".  Hence, this
opening statement may allude to their claim that Transjordan,
as part of the land promised to Avraham at Brit Bein
ha?Btarim, b?shem Havayah, should now be considered part of
Eretz Yisrael.


THE MIZBEACH OF THE AVOT
     What symbol should one choose to represent this aspect of
our relationship with God from the perspective of "shem
Havaya"?  Again, we must return to Sefer Bereishit and Parshat
Lech L?cha.
  Recall that when God first instructed Avraham to travel to
Eretz Yisrael (see Bereishit 12:1-3), that commandment was
given b?shem Havayah.  Then when Avraham first arrived, to
thank Hashem for His promise of the land, he built a mizbeiach
in Shchem (see 12:7).  Then he traveled on to Bet-el where he
not only built a mizbeiach, but also called out b?shem Havaya!
(See 12:8 and Ramban).
  Later we find several other instances where Avraham and
Yitzchak each built a mizbeiach and called out b?shem Havaya
(e.g. see Bereishit 13:4 and 26:25).
     These sources indicate a very strong connection between a
mizbeiach and shem Havaya, and the underlying concept that the
very purpose of Am Yisrael to become a nation that will 'call
out b?shem Havaya'.  (There is also a connection between Brit
Bein ha?Btarim and korbanot - see Rashi on 15:9-13).
  Hence, a model of the mizbeiach may have been an appropriate
monument and symbol to show that the tribes living on both
sides of the Jordan River shared a common goal and common
religion.

THE RESOLUTION
     This theory may explain the actions of Bnei Gad and Bnei
Reuven, but how about the seemingly rash reaction of Bnei
Yisrael?   Why were they so quick to react?
  One could suggest that the primary reason was their fear of
God?s punishment, which could affect the entire nation for the
sin of a minority, as was the case with the sin of shevet
Shimon at Baal Peor (see 22:16-18 and Bamidbar Chapter 25).
This indeed explains the nation?s fear and anger, but why were
they so quick to take up arms (see 22:12)?  [See also Devarim
4:1-4!]
     One could suggest that this may also have been the effect
of spending the last seven years fighting battles to conquer
the land. Unfortunately, after so many years of battle, going
to war almost became a way of life.  Even when battles were
fought for 'just' reasons, they can often leave lasting
effects on attitude and approach to solving problems.
     This may also explain why Pinchas was chosen to lead the
inquiry commission.  Recall that it was Pinchas himself who
had been zealous for God and immediately killed Zimri, and
later led Bnei Yisrael to war against the Midyanim (see
Bamidbar 31:1-7).  But Pinchas was also the grandson of
Aharon, who was known for his ability to be a "rodef shalom" -
to search for peaceful solutions.
     Luckily for Am Yisrael, Pinchas chose the path of his
grandfather Aharon, and first searched for a peaceful solution
before resorting to a military one.  No matter how serious an
offense appears to be, it is always best to attempt dialogue
before resorting to force.




From tsc at bezeqint.net  Fri Apr 15 11:12:54 2005
From: tsc at bezeqint.net (Menachem Leibtag)
Date: Fri Apr 15 11:13:36 2005
Subject: [Par-navi] Yehoshua 22 thru 24 - Questions for self study
Message-ID: <00aa01c541cd$9da58a20$640fa8c0@TSCXO6E2MDGIHU>

*************************************************************
     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
*************************************************************

   SEFER YEHOSHUA - QUESTIONS FOR SELF STUDY

          Set # 5 - for chapters 22 thru 24

CHAPTERS 22
1.  What is the definition of "eretz Canaan" (and its baseic
geographic borders) based on Breishit 17:8, Shmot 6:4, and
Bamidbar 34:1-10?
  Compare this to the definition of the Land promised to
Avraham Avinu at the covenant of "brit bein ha'btarim" - i.e.
according to Breishit 15:18.
  Do these seem to be the same borders, or are they different?
  If they are different, can you explain why?

2.  From what you recall, was "ever Hayarden" - Transjordan
- [lit. the other side of the Jordan River] supposed to be
part of the Land of Israel?  If not, when and how did it
receive its "kedusha" (holiness)?  [Is its "kedusha" any
different than that of "eretz Canaan"?
     Considering that Moshe was in Transjordan when he died,
why was he allowed to be there, if God had told him that he
was not permitted to enter the land of Israel?

3.  What other descendants of Avraham received their
inheritance in Transjordan?
  With this in mind,  explain what may have been the fear of
the 2-1/2 tribes that future generations will think that they
are not an integral part of Bnei Yisrael.
  
4.  In your opinion, why do you think that Bnei Reuven & Gad
chose specifically a "mizbayach" as a sign of their unity with
the rest of the tribes?
  Similarly, why do your think that they chose to erect this
'monument' specifically on the banks of the Jordan River?
  According to which borders of Israel, is the Jordan River
considered part of the land of Israel?

5. Why did the other tribes misunderstand their intentions?
  Based on Devarim chapter 12, why was it forbidden to build a
mizbayach in addition to the one that was in the Mishkan in
Shiloh?  (See Rambam Hilchot Beit Habechira chapter 1 halachot
1-5).
  
6.  Trace the use of Hashem's two names ('Elokim' and 'shem
Havaya') throughout chapter 22.  Relate this usage to the
above questions and to the final name of the monument in pasuk
34.
     Relate this as well to the 'Names' that the Torah uses to
describe God in the two covenants that God convenes with
Avraham Avinu, i.e. in both "brit bein ha'btarim" (see 15:1-
18) and "brit milah" (see 17:2-11).

CHAPTER 23
1. As you study Yehoshua's farewell words to the nation in
chapter 23, note the similarities between its content and some
of the basic themes of Sefer Devarim.
  For example, compare 23:1 to Devarim 12:10.  In your
opinion, did Yehoshua fulfill the commandments of chapter 12
in Sefer Devarim?  If not, can you explain why he didn't?
  
2.  Why is Yehoshua now in a position similar to that of Moshe
Rabeinu in Sefer Devarim?
  If the conquest of the Land was not yet complete (see 23:5),
why does Yehoshua say that Hashem has kept everything that He
had promised (see 23:14)?
     Relate once again to God's opening promise to Yehoshua in
1:2-4, as well as to Devarim 11:22-24!

3.  As you study chapter 23, you should be able to find a
textual parallel to Sefer Devarim in just about every pasuk.
     After finding them, try to understand the deeper meaning
of these parallels.

CHAPTER 24
1. Compare Yehoshua's speech in this chapter to his speech in
chapter 23.  Are there any similarities between the two
speeches?
     If so, can you explain why the need for two identical
speeches in two different places?
  If not, attempt to explain what is unique about each speech,
and how they are different!
  
2.  In your opinion, which speech do you think was given
first?  Where was each speech given, and what was the purpose
of each assembly?

3.  Can you explain why the people gathered specifically in
the city of Shechem (as opposed to Shiloh)?
  From what you recall from chapters 6 thru 12, was the king
of Shechem ever defeated by Yehoshua?  Did they ever fight
Shechem?

4.  Who gathers in Shechem, i.e. is it all of Bnei Yisrael, or
just the leaders?  Can you explain why?

5. Notice how Yehoshua gives the people a choice to worship
idols if they want to?  Is there any precedent to such an
offer anywhere else in the Bible?
  Based on that observation, would it be possible to explain
this entire chapter as an attempt to convert the inhabitants
of Shechem to Judaism?
     What points in this chapter supports this suggestion, and
what seems to negate this possibility?

6.  If Yehoshua is indeed speaking to the entire nation, can
you explain why he is offering the option not to serve God?
  Note how in his historical summary in 23:2-13, he mentions
the Exodus and conquering Canaan, yet there is no mention of
Ma'amad Har Sinai.  Based on what happens later on in this
chapter, can you explain why?

7.  Considering that this ceremony takes place in Shechem, can
you suggest an earlier time period when this gathering may
have taken place.  [Relate to the end of Yehoshua chapter 8.]
     Based on the content of this chapter, can you explain why
it may have been chosen to conclude the book, even though
these events may have happened many years earlier?

8.  Note that in the Haggada, we quote from Yehoshua 23:2-4,
to prove the statement of: "m'tichila ovedie avoda zara hayu
avoteinu...".
     Read that entire statement in the Haggada, and make sure
that you understand how this entire chapter proves as well the
second half of that opening statement - "v'achshav kirvanu
ha'Makom  l'avadato".
     What makes this entire chapter especially meaningful for
the Seder night?

                              b'hatzlacha
                              menachem


