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<category>Prayer: Petition, Prophecy or Thanksgiving | <category>Prayer: Petition, Prophecy or Thanksgiving | ||
<p>We tend to think of prayers as comprising both an element of thanksgiving and an element of request.  Is this true of <i>tefillot</i> in Tanakh as well?</p> | <p>We tend to think of prayers as comprising both an element of thanksgiving and an element of request.  Is this true of <i>tefillot</i> in Tanakh as well?</p> | ||
| − | <p>Perhaps surprisingly, throughout Tanakh, virtually every instance of the various forms of the verb להתפלל refers to petitionary prayer.  One possible exception is Channah's prayer in Shemuel II</p> | + | <p>Perhaps surprisingly, throughout Tanakh, virtually every instance of the various forms of the verb להתפלל refers only to petitionary prayer.  One possible exception is Channah's prayer in Shemuel II</p> |
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Version as of 12:20, 26 September 2017
Rosh HaShanah Table Topics
Akeidat Yitzchak: An Immoral Command?
How is one to understand both Hashem' directive to sacrifice Yitzchak and Avraham's willing compliance?
- How can a moral God, who later in the Torah denounces murder and declares the practice of child sacrifice to be abhorrent, demand of Avraham to kill his child? Why did Avraham agree without even questioning the directive, as he had when Hashem revealed his intentions to destroy Sedom?
- To debate: What is the proper course of action when human conceptions of morality, or even the Torah's own ethical system, conflict with a Divine command? If Hashem were to tell you, today, to sacrifice a loved one, what would you do?
- See Purpose of Akeidat Yitzchak for discussion of these and other theological issues raised by the story.
Criticizing our Avot
To what extent should we view our ancestors as perfect role models worthy of emulation, reinterpreting any stories that cast shadows on their reputations, and when is it fair to criticize their actions and recognize that they, too, had human flaws? Use the story of the Banishment of Hagar and Yishmael as a test case to explore the question.
- What crime could possibly justify the banishment of one's son?
- How should Yishmael's "צחוק" be understood? Is it possible that the righteous Sarah would be ready to expel Yishmael for innocuous laughter? On the other hand, is it conceivable that a son raised by Avraham could have committed crimes so dire that such a punishment was warranted?
- Compare the Tannaim in Bereshit Rabbah, who defend Sarah by depicting a particularly wicked Yishmael, with R. Avraham Saba who condemns her (despite Hashem backing her decision!)
Prayer: Petition, Prophecy or Thanksgiving
We tend to think of prayers as comprising both an element of thanksgiving and an element of request. Is this true of tefillot in Tanakh as well?
Perhaps surprisingly, throughout Tanakh, virtually every instance of the various forms of the verb להתפלל refers only to petitionary prayer. One possible exception is Channah's prayer in Shemuel II
