Difference between revisions of "Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Nitzavim/0/en"
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<p>Do confession and repentance necessarily bring atonement in their wake? In the curses of Devarim 31, the Torah describes how, after an initial punishment, the people will confess their sins. Surprisingly, however, the text tells us that this leads not to forgiveness, but redoubled punishment! How is it that Hashem rejects the nation's repentance?</p> | <p>Do confession and repentance necessarily bring atonement in their wake? In the curses of Devarim 31, the Torah describes how, after an initial punishment, the people will confess their sins. Surprisingly, however, the text tells us that this leads not to forgiveness, but redoubled punishment! How is it that Hashem rejects the nation's repentance?</p> | ||
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| − | <li>While Ramban suggests that the people's repentance was not sincere, R. Avraham Saba asserts that the text does not really mean that Hashem continued to punish them. Do these reinterpretations conform to the simple meaning of the verses? What support can you bring for either position? What marks repentance as sincere or insincere?</li> | + | <li>While <multilink><a href="RambanDevarim31-17" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanDevarim31-17" data-aht="source">Devarim 31:17</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink> suggests that the people's repentance was not sincere, <multilink><a href="TzerorHaMorDevarim31-17" data-aht="source">R. Avraham Saba</a><a href="TzerorHaMorDevarim31-17" data-aht="source">Tzeror HaMor Devarim 31:17</a><a href="R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)</a></multilink><fn>This is one of six approaches brought by R. Avraham Saba.</fn> asserts that the text does not really mean that Hashem continued to punish them. Do these reinterpretations conform to the simple meaning of the verses? What support can you bring for either position? What marks repentance as sincere or insincere?</li> |
| − | <li>Ralbag prefers to maintain the literal reading of the text, and | + | <li><multilink><a href="RalbagDevarim31-17" data-aht="source">Ralbag</a><a href="RalbagDevarim31-17" data-aht="source">Devarim 31:17</a><a href="R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Levi b. Gershom</a></multilink> prefers to maintain the literal reading of the text, and claims that the assumption that repentance must avert punishment is simply wrong. Do you find this claim theologically troubling? Why or why not? For elaboration, see Repentance Rejected.</li> |
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Version as of 09:42, 30 August 2017
Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Nitzavim
What Brings Forgiveness?
Do confession and repentance necessarily bring atonement in their wake? In the curses of Devarim 31, the Torah describes how, after an initial punishment, the people will confess their sins. Surprisingly, however, the text tells us that this leads not to forgiveness, but redoubled punishment! How is it that Hashem rejects the nation's repentance?
- While Ramban suggests that the people's repentance was not sincere, R. Avraham Saba1 asserts that the text does not really mean that Hashem continued to punish them. Do these reinterpretations conform to the simple meaning of the verses? What support can you bring for either position? What marks repentance as sincere or insincere?
- Ralbag prefers to maintain the literal reading of the text, and claims that the assumption that repentance must avert punishment is simply wrong. Do you find this claim theologically troubling? Why or why not? For elaboration, see Repentance Rejected.
