Parshat Shoftim

This Parsha always falls at the end of the summer and it's a real shame.  There is so much loaded into it - much of the discussion of Jewish leadership models (judges, kings, prophets & military leaders) originate here.  There are also other fascinating topics like:

• זקן ממרא - a rebellious sage who challenges a rule of the Sanhedrin.  This is a death penalty crime and raises important issues about authority, autonomy, machloket and psak.
• Magic - a favorite subject of students everywhere!  If you're interested in an extended treatment of these issues, have a listen to Rabbi Daniel Feldman (our Mrs. Feldman's brother in law - he spoke to our students at the seforim sale once) on Witchcraft and Wizardry in Halacha and Machshava.
• Some questions for thought and discussion:

1. The Torah commands us to appoint a king.  Is a monarchy the Torah's ideal government? Is it better than democracy? What are the advantages of each? How would the Torah address some of the historical difficulties with monarchy which led to the revolutions that brought about our world where every country at least claims to be a democracy?
2. While the Torah tells us that a king must write a Torah and carry it with him wherever he goes, The rambam explains that he actually needs two Torahs.  One to keep with him and one to leave at home.  What does this all represent? What are we to learn from it?

• A dikduk (Hebrew grammar) question I've wondered about (please ask your Ivrit teachers for help): the Pasuk (דברים יז) says
  ה  וְהוֹצֵאתָ אֶת-הָאִישׁ הַהוּא אוֹ אֶת-הָאִשָּׁה הַהִוא אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֶת-הַדָּבָר הָרָע הַזֶּה, אֶל-שְׁעָרֶיךָ--אֶת-הָאִישׁ, אוֹ אֶת-הָאִשָּׁה; וּסְקַלְתָּם בָּאֲבָנִים, וָמֵתוּ.
  In English, the phrase "a pen or pencil" is singular.  I thought that was the case in Hebrew as well, but here the passuk starts with  “אֶת-הָאִישׁ הַהוּא אוֹ אֶת-הָאִשָּׁה הַהִוא” and then uses plural verbs like עשו,וסקלתם & ומת.  Any theories?
• There's a Rashi I always found interesting.  The passuk says that it's prohibited to make a מצבה - a private altar - that Hashem hates.  Rashi notes that even though it once was beloved to Hashem (all the אבות built them) since the idolaters adopted the practice, it became hateful.  (See Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh in a 2 minute shiur - literally - with a different answer from the שם משמואל.)  I wonder what practices or ideologies today that may once have been acceptable or even good might be considered warped by the way they have been adopted.

Please comment or e-mail your thoughts.  Have a great Shabbos.

Welcome (Back) to Why-aanot

Hi All - 

For the uninitiated, Why-aanot is Ma'ayanot's Jewish Studies faculty blog, and it serves a number of related purposes.  First, as the name implies, it is a place for dialogue between teachers and students.  A student sends her question(s) to me (we're working to re-connect questions@maayanot.org, for now just use my e-mail) and I'll circulate it to the other teachers and hopefully, one of us responds to you on the blog for everyone to see.  If you're uncomfortable using your name, send the question anonymously.  Also, the comments are available to continue the conversation.

I also is a place where teachers post ideas, thoughts or links that we think you might find interesting; often about the parsha or chagim or current events. It has been somewhat dormant the last few years - the last couple of dozen posts have been Mrs. Cohen's weekly Parsha א-ב challenge.  

As yesterday was Rosh Chodesh Elul, we started blowing shofar daily at the end of davening.  The Rambam teaches "עורו ישנים משנתכם ונרדמים הקיצו מתרדמתכם" -“Awake, o sleepy ones, and slumberers, shake off your torpor." I couldn't think of a more appropriate time to poke this sleeping giant out of it's extended hibernation.  

So as we start getting some more material up here, feel free to look around, look through the archives from the good old days (particularly 2009-2011), get your questions in and put us to work.  Also, why not "like" us on Facebook?