Questions about the Jews

[Catholic_Dude]

I saw a passage the other day in Ex15:1 where there was the song of the Lord’s might and glorious victory where the carriots and riders were drowned in the red sea, I know there are short songs like this all through the Bible, is there a special day when the Jews sing them?

 

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi CatholicDude!

You posted previously:

5)Does the Edom tribe still exist? I know there was hatred between the two groups, but what about now. Are they the arabs? Or is the Ishmael tribe the arabs?

Our Sages say that ever since the Assyrian & Babylonian conquests that all the nations referred to in the Bible (Moabites, Ammonites, etc.) are/have been all mixed up & cannot be sorted out or identified with anything even remotely close to certainty.

The Arabs are traditionally related to Ishmael (& Abraham’s children with Ketura, I think). Our very great medieval Sage, Nahmanides (ou.org/about/judaism/rabbis/ramban.htm) says that our troubles with the Arabs (and remember, he was writing in the 13th century) is payback for the way our mother treated their mother (see Genesis 16:6).

6)What is the “Targ. Pseudo-Jonathan”? I see it on Jewish Encyclopedia when talking about Esau. I looked it up but it just brings back quotes from it.

See jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=67&letter=T&search=Targum#301.

I saw a passage the other day in Ex15:1 where there was the song of the Lord’s might and glorious victory where the carriots and riders were drowned in the red sea, I know there are short songs like this all through the Bible, is there a special day when the Jews sing them?

That song is part of our daily liturgy (the morning prayers). It is publicly read from the Torah on the 7th day of Passover & when comes up the weekly Torah reading (jewfaq.org/readings.htm) of Exodus 13:17-17:16 comes up (in the late winter). On the 7th day of Passover, it is accompanied by David’s song in II Sam 22:1-51. When Exodus 13:17-17:16 is read, it is accompanied by Deborah’s song from Judges 4:4-5:31 (some communities read only 5:1-31).

Howzat?

Be well!

ssv

 

[Catholic_Dude]

Hi,

I was thinking about today and how the Catholic Church lost a good man. And in the Easter season to top it off. I feel so far away from Rome I feel disconnected. Im sad, but its hard to mourn when I am over 1000 miles away and communication is limited.

I was thinking about how do the Jews think about those days way back in Egypt? For something so long ago its hard for me to imagine how bad it was even though I wasnt there. And also the Exodus of Egypt, I know those were big events, but how do you put yourselves in those shoes? Such a separation is hard to connect with, people can see where they are now and where they once were so that helps I guess. I mentioned it before how I felt bad that some great Jewish leaders got the short end of the stick, but those arent what people are supposed to remember them for. When I think about Passover, I have a hard time seeing how great that event that really was, and even if it is remembered each year the sense of urgency and significance seem to be diminished with time. I guess also the fact that I havent had to go through a desert or flee into a new land adds to my separation.

 

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi Catholic Dude!

I apologize for taking so long to reply!

You asked:

I was thinking about how do the Jews think about those days way back in Egypt? For something so long ago its hard for me to imagine how bad it was even though I wasnt there. And also the Exodus of Egypt, I know those were big events, but how do you put yourselves in those shoes? Such a separation is hard to connect with, people can see where they are now and where they once were so that helps I guess. I mentioned it before how I felt bad that some great Jewish leaders got the short end of the stick, but those arent what people are supposed to remember them for. When I think about Passover, I have a hard time seeing how great that event that really was, and even if it is remembered each year the sense of urgency and significance seem to be diminished with time. I guess also the fact that I havent had to go through a desert or flee into a new land adds to my separation.

We study the Torah & the teachings of our Sages and retell, relive and recount the events until they becomes ingrained, until they become part of us, until we can honestly & sincerely tell our children, "This is what the Lord did for me, when I came out of Egypt. Prior to the exodus from Egypt, we were in a kind of spiritual gestation as a people. The parting of the Sea and our emergence on the other side was like the breaking of a pregnant woman’s waters & the subsequent birth.

We have the uncanny ability (some deem it a blessing, others a curse) of remembering everything that happened to us in our long history as if it happened yesterday, and we take it personally. These events are seared into our collective memory.

Be well!

ssv

 

[Catholic_Dude]

Hi,
I have been busy, but I did find more things to talk about

1)What is the significance of a Tamarisk Tree? I saw it in Genesis 21:18. Why did Abraham plant that type of tree, also I found out it is mentioned in 1Samuel 21:6, 31:13

2)There are quite a few verses that talk about Lebanon. The cedars, land, mountains, etc. Im from there so I know how nice it is, but why didnt the Jews originally expand into Lebanon if they always talked about it as a great place. Wasnt part of the Temple made from the cedars of Lebanon?

3)In the same passage about Abraham what was the big deal about that treaty with Abimelech? It seemed to be a peace treaty, but I read on Jewishencyclopedia that abimelech’s descendants were many groups which the Jews later crushed.

4)I found this place Beersheba so the original well and tree are gone?

5)I know what the sin was for Sodom, but what was going on in Gomorrah that made it deserve the same punishment? Also where do the kids go when the readings are from “adult” passages? Where I go those places are passed over or the kids are out of the room.

6)Why did Lot stay in such an evil city. On Jewishencyc, it says that he was given into greed, lust and neglected his daughters, so why did God save him? It says that his life was spared because he didnt betray Abraham, but none the less Lot was a bad guy who should have deserved a punishment. I always thought that he was spared because he was God fearing and by showing hospitality to the Angels.