The Judges are the Jewish leaders who arise during this time, unify the people, get them to repent, deal with the spiritual problems of the nation, and also deal with the physical threat. They are sometimes military leaders who know how to mobilize the nation for war against an enemy, but their real power lies in their Torah knowledge and ability to adjudicate Jewish law.
The transmission from Moses until today is an unbroken chain of transmission of 120 generations. The following list of Rabbinic leaders, from Moses until the completion of the Talmud in 500 CE appears in the introduction to Maimonides’ “Mishneh Torah.” Following this list is an explanation from Maimonides on the precise method of transmission, beginning with Moses.
Mount Sinai (1312 BCE) 1. Moses 2. Joshua
The Elders (l260-860 BCE) 3. Pinchas and the 70 Elders 4. Eli the Kohen 5. Samuel the Prophet 6. King David
The Prophets (860-360 BCE) 7. Achiyah 8. Elijah the Prophet 9. Elisha 10. Yehoyada the Priest 11. Zechariah ben Yehoyada 12. Hosea 13. Amos 14. Isaiah 15. Micah 16. Joel 17. Nachum 18. Habakuk 19. Zephaniah 20. Jeremiah 21. Baruch ben Neriah
The Great Assembly (360-260 BCE) 22. The Great Assembly consisted of 120 Elders, including Ezra, Zechariah, Daniel and Mordechai 23. Shimon the Tzaddik
TANA’IM – Mishnaic Era (260 BCE – 200 CE) 24. Antigonos of Socho 25. Yose ben Yoezer, Yose ben Yochanan 26. Yehoshua ben Perachiah, Nittai of Arbel 27. Yehuda ben Tabbai, Shimon ben Shatach 28. Shemayah and Avtalyon 29. Hillel and Shamai 30. R’ Shimon ben Hillel, R’ Yochanan ben Zakkai 31. Rabban Gamliel the Elder, R’ Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, R’ Yehoshua ben Chananiah, R’ Shimon ben Netanel, R’ Elazar ben Arakh 32. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel I, Rebbe Akiva, Rebbe Tarfon, R’ Shimon ben Elazar, R’ Yochanan ben Nuri 33. Rabban Gamliel II, Rebbe Meir, Rebbe Yishmael, Rebbe Yehudah, Rebbe Yose, R’ Shimon bar Yochai 34. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel II 35. Rabbi Yehudah the Prince (codifier of the Mishnah in 190 C.E.)
AMORA’IM – Talmudic Era (200-500 CE) 36. Rav, Shmuel, Rabbi Yochanan (compiler of the Jerusalem Talmud) 37. Rav Huna, Rav Yehudah, Rav Nachman, Rav Kahana, Rabba bar bar Channa, Rav Ami, Rav Asi 38. Rabbah, Rav Yosef, Rav Chisda, Rabba bar Rav Huna. 39. Abaya, Rava 40. Rav Ashi, Ravina (compilers of the Babylonian Talmud in 500 C.E.)
Maimonides, citing sources from the Talmud and Midrash, recounts in graphic detail the transmission process from Moses to the people of Israel. Moses personally wrote 13 copies of the Torah and distributed them – one to every tribe – before his death.
Maimonides’ “Introduction to the Mishnah:”
Know that every mitzvah which G-d gave to Moses was given with its clarification. First He told him the mitzvah and then He expounded on its explanation and content, including all that which is included in the Torah.
The manner of transmittal to Israel occurred as stated in the Talmud (Eruvin 54b): [How was the system of teaching? Moses first learned the law from the mouth of the Almighty.]
Moses then went into the Tent, and Aaron went in with him. Moses then stated to him a single time the mitzvah he had received, and taught him its explanation, (following which) Aaron retreated to the right of Moses.
Then, Elazar and Itamar, Aaron’s sons, entered – and Moses told them what he had told Aaron, and then they stepped back. One sat to the left of Moses, and the other on the right of Aharon.
Then the seventy Elders arrived, and Moses taught Aaron and his sons. Following this came the masses of people and every one seeking God, and he (Moses) placed before them the mitzvah, until all had heard it from his mouth.
The result is that Aaron heard that precept from the mouth of Moses four times, his sons three times, the Elders twice, and the remainder of the people once.
Moses then left, and Aaron repeated the explanation of that mitzvah which he had learned, having heard it from the mouth of Moses four times (as we have mentioned), to all those present.
Aaron then left, after his sons had heard the precept four times (three times from Moses, and once from Aharon). After Aaron had departed, Elazar and Itamar repeated and taught that mitzvah to all the people present, and then ceased their teaching.
Thus we find that the seventy Elders heard the precept four times: twice from Moses, once from Aharon, and once from Elazar and Itamar. The Elders themselves then repeated and expounded the mitzvah to the people one time. As a result, we find that the entire congregation heard the precept in question four times: once from Moses, once from Aharon, a third time from his sons, and the fourth time from the Elders.
After this, all the people went to teach one another what they had heard from Moses and to write that mitzvah on scrolls. The leaders would roam through the Israelites to (insure that the people) learned and applied themselves until they would know the traditional version of that mitzvah and were fluent in reading it. They would then teach the explanations of that G-d-given precept. That explanation would include all aspects, and they would write the precept and learn by heart the Oral Tradition.
Thus, our Sages said in the Midrash: “And G-d spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai” (Leviticus 25:1). Why does the Torah state specifically at Mount Sinai? Was not the entire Torah given at Sinai? This is to tell us that just as the law of the Sabbatical year was stated with its generalities, specifics and fine details at Sinai, so too all the mitzvahs were stated with their generalities, specifics and fine details at Sinai.
What has been the procedure throughout recent generations with regard to ordination? It has been done not by the laying of hands upon the elder, but by designating him by the title “Rabbi,” and saying to him: “You are ordained and authorized to adjudicate (matters of Torah law).”
In the Book of Exodus, the elders of the Israelites eventually became the judges. In the Book of Judges the term judges (shôphitîm) is applied to the leaders of Israel. The position of Shamgar in the list below varies between versions of the ancient text; most modern translations list them in the following order:
Of these, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon/Jerubbaal, Jephtah, and Samson are given extensive narratives. Textual criticism views the other judges as being added to the list simply to make the total number equal 12, a number of religious significance to the Israelites
The judges of the Books of Samuel
The First Book of Samuel describes two further individuals as being judges:
The Judges are the Jewish leaders who arise during this time, unify the people, get them to repent, deal with the spiritual problems of the nation, and also deal with the physical threat.
They are sometimes military leaders who know how to mobilize the nation for war against an enemy, but their real power lies in their Torah knowledge and ability to adjudicate Jewish law.
The narrative for this entire period appears in the Book of Judges, authored by the last great personality in the period of the Judges-Samuel the Prophet. The period of the Judges spans a period of 365 years from the first judge, Otniel ben Kenaz, and with the last judge, the Prophet Samuel.
During this period there were seventeen different judges. Some led the Jewish people for decades while others only for a few years. The Book of Judges goes into great detail for some of the Judges (Ehud, Deborah and Samuel) while others get only the briefest mention (Ibzan, Elon, Avdon). While all were great leaders, some where greater than others. Tradition tells us that the level of the judge depended on the collective level of the Jewish people. Every generation got the leadership it deserved. During this entire We will highlight a few of the 16 Judges described in the Bible:
- One of the first of the Judges is a woman — Deborah. (Judges, Chapters 4-5.) She is famous for sitting under a palm tree where anyone could seek her advice, and from where she issued battle orders.
Barak, Israel’s top warrior during that time, refuses to go into battle without her. Together they lead the troops against the much larger Canaanite force backed up by 900 iron chariots, of which Israel had none.
The Book of Judges describes a key battle with the Canaanites led by Sisera.
On the eve of the battle, Barak is doubtful that Israel’s warriors could ever beat such a strong opponent but Deborah stands firm. An unexpected storm is unleashed in the heavens, and the resulting downpour turns the ground to mud; the iron chariots get stuck and the Canaanites panic.
Deborah’s prophecy that “This is the day on which the Lord will deliver [the Canaanite general] Sisera into your hands…” is thus fulfilled.
Samson is the Judge famous for his superhero strength, and for leading the struggle against Israel’s arch-enemy, the Philistines. (Judges, Chapters 13-16.)
The Philistines were a seafaring people. They probably migrated from the area of the Aegean near Greece about 3,200 years ago. They settled along the eastern Mediterranean Coast from the southern coast of Israel to Lebanon. In the southern coastal area of Israel they established a confederation of five city-states (Gaza, Ahskelon, Ashdod, Gath and Ekron). During the period of the Judges they are constantly at war with the tribes of Israel pushing them away from much of the coast and into the hilly, inland regions of the country.
Excavations show that the Philistines — despite what the word “Philistine” has come down to mean in the English language — were very sophisticated culturally. They had perfected iron tools and iron weapons, gaining an important technological advantage over their neighbors.
Samson, who judged Israel for 20 years, was one of the people who takes on the Philistines. Samson is a Nazir. (Nazir is a form of penitence in which a person temporarily refrains from cutting his hair and abstains from wine) Samson’s Nazir status is unusual in that he is a Nazir from birth and remains one his entire life. In addition, his long hair gives him super-human strength.
To undermine the Philistines he pretends to join them by deliberately taking a Philistine woman as his wife. She is killed by her own people; he then consorts with another Philistine woman — Delilah. This turns out to be a mistake as Sampson becomes very attached to her.
Delilah catches on that Samson is a major threat to her people. After many failed attempts and much pleading she finally succeeds in getting Samson to reveal the secret of his superhuman strength and cuts off his hair while he is asleep. As a result the Philistines are able to capture him. They then blind him and throw him in prison.
But they forget that hair grows. As his hair grew back, his superhuman strength returns.
The Philistines decides to execute Samson in a public display at the Temple of Dagan, one of their gods.
As the masses gather to watch the execution, blind Samson asks a slave boy to position him next to one of the columns supporting the temple.
At the climax of the narrative Samson prays:
“My Lord, God! Remember me and strengthen me just this one time, O God, and I will extract vengeance from the Philistines for one of my two eyes.” Samson grasped the two central pillars upon which the building rested, and he leaned on them; one with his right hand and one with his left hand. Samson said, “Let my soul die with the Philistines!” (Judges 16:28-30)
With his renewed superhuman strength he overturns the column and collapses the building killing all inside.
He dies giving his life for the Jewish people and the Bible says he killed more Philistine enemies in that moment than he vanquished the whole rest of his life.
The last great personality of the period of the Judges is the Prophet Samuel, who is one of the most important prophets in Jewish history, and who is also famous for anointing the first two kings of Israel — Saul and David. (1 Samuel, chapters 1-16.) He authored the Book of Judges and, together with the prophets Gad and Nathan, the book of Samuel.
By the time Samuel appears on the scene, the Jewish people have gone through close to 400 years of no strong central leadership. They had to live up to a very high level of individual responsibility or else God would let them know they were off course via the Canaanites or the Philistines or the Midianites. This was a very difficult way to live. In the final analysis, the nation couldn’t maintain this level of scrutiny without stronger guidance.
When Samuel was younger, he would travel the land adjudicating Jewish law and giving people advice, but now that he has grown old, he can’t do it anymore. Meanwhile, his two sons, who have taken over for him, prove unpopular with the people.
So a delegation is dispatched to ask Samuel to anoint a king instead: And they the people said [to Samuel] “Behold, you have grown old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now set up for us a king to judge us like all the nations. And the thing was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel …” (1 Samuel, 8:5-7)
Samuel doesn’t want to do it, but God tells him to go ahead and find a king for the people.
And this is how the Time of Judges comes to a close. Samuel functions as a leader for 13 years and the last of two years he actually co-leads the Jewish people with the first Jewish king whose name is Saul.
Editor’s Note: Yeshayahu is the Hebrew name other wise known as Isaiah.
Let’s start with a little background on the Jewish custom to read a portion of the Haftorah on the Sabbath day. Actually, less than five percent of the prophets are read during the Sabbath service throughout the year. The custom to read the Haftorah began when Antiochus Epiphanes (ruled from 175-164 B.C.E.), in an effort to stifle the study of Torah among the nation of Israel, decreed that the Jews not read from the Torah.
To deal with this serious problem, the Jewish people began to read from a selected portion of the Prophets on each Sabbath day as a substitute. This custom was retained after the decree was rescinded. The particular Sabbath portion of the Prophets was carefully selected for one of two reasons. Either because the theme of a segment of the Prophets closely correlated to the portion of the Torah read that week, or because that section of the Prophets thematically corresponded to a festival or a historical circumstance during that Sabbath. It is therefore easy to understand why Isaiah 53 is never read in the synagogue.
Isaiah 53 bears no relationship to any of the chapters of the Pentateuch and is unrelated to any holiday or historical circumstance on the Jewish calendar and therefore it was never included in any Haftorah portion.
It probably would come as a surprise to many that not only is Isaiah 53 never read in the synagogue on the Sabbath, but neither are Isaiah chapters 3, 13, 23 or 33 for that matter.
Blessings,
Rabbi Tovia Singer
Editor’s Note: Yeshayahu is the Hebrew name of Isaiah.
The reading of Isaiah 53, specifically verse 10. This verse says that the Servant’s days will be prolonged.
We should begin with a brief overview of the 53rd chapter of Isaiah [Although this text is most commonly referred to as Isaiah 53, in actuality it refers to the 15 verses beginning with Isaiah 52:13 and ending with 53:12.The chapter break at the end of 52:15 is artificial]. The 53rd chapter of Isaiah is the last song of the four celebrated “ServantSongs”at the end of the Book of Isaiah.
These four “Servant Songs,” which are found in Isaiah 41-53, are so called because throughout these soothing chapters, the prophet foretells the glorious redemption of the righteous remnant of Israel who is repeatedly identified as God’s servant.
Isaiah 53 is the culmination of Isaiah’s narrative which describes the Almighty’s servant-nation who, after a brutal and seemingly endless exile, is elevated and redeemed in the eyes of her former oppressors — the gentile nations.
These verses in the Servant Songs include: Isaiah 41:8-9 – But thou, Israel, art My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham My friend. Whom I grasped from the ends of the earth, and from it nobles I called you, and I said to you, “You are My servant”; I chose you and I did not despise you.
Isaiah 44:1-2 – Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant and Israel, whom I have chosen. So said the Lord your Maker, and He who formed you from the womb shall aid you. Fear not, My servant Jacob, and Jeshurun whom I have chosen.
Isaiah 44:21 – Remember these, O Jacob and Israel, for thou art My servant; I have formed thee; thou art My servant, O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of Me.
Isaiah 45:4 – For the sake of My servant Jacob, and Israel My chosen one, and I called to you by your name . . . .
Isaiah 48:20 – Leave Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans; with a voice of singing declare, tell this, publicize it to the end of the earth; say, “The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob.”
Isaiah 49:3 – And said to me, thou art My servant, O Israel in whom I will be glorified!
The 53rd chapter of Isaiah begins with an extraordinary biblical text in which the prophet vividly describes the surprised reaction of the gentile kings of nations at the end of days as they finally behold the righteous remnant of the Jewish people raised up and glorified.
What has caused these leaders of the world’s nations to be so startled? Why are they so amazed? Everything that they have ever heard or considered is in stark contrast to what they are finally witnessing. They will place their hands over their mouths in numbed bewilderment as they behold the glory of the remnant of the Jewish people, finally vindicated and redeemed by the arm of the Lord. Let’s examine Isaiah 52:15-53:1, which are the introductory verses to Isaiah 53.
So shall he startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they shall see, and that which they have not heard they shall understand. Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
In verses two through eight, the kings of nations continue to speak as they sorrowfully express their heartfelt confession. They finally understand that as a result of the sins of their peoples, the nation of Israel had suffered brutally throughout their long and bitter exile. But now, as they bear witness to the glorious redemption, they finally understand that Israel suffered as a result of the destructive arrogance and devastating recklessness of their own peoples.
By Isaiah 53:9, however, the speakers are no longer the gentile kings, but rather the Almighty Himself. In 53:10, the verse about , God is enumerating the blessings that are bestowed on those who have chosen the path of devotion and “have made their souls a restitution.” These manifold blessings mirror the promised blessings to the faithful at the end of the Book of Deuteronomy. In these last chapters of the Pentateuch, the Almighty promises prolonged life and children to those who are devoted to the life-giving teachings of the Torah.
In Isaiah 53:10, the servant is promised long life and seed. Let’s read Isaiah 53:10. And the Lord wished to crush him, He made him ill; if his soul makes itself restitution, he shall see seed, He shall prolong his days, and God’s purpose shall prosper in his hand.
The Hebrew word zerah (seed) used in Isaiah 53:10 can only refer to biological offspring when used in connection with a person’s children, never metaphoric children. The Hebrew word that can refer to metaphoric children is ben.
To begin with, the Hebrew words ya’arich yamim (long life) in this verse do not mean or refer to an eternal life which has no end, but rather a lengthening of days which eventually come to an end.
These Hebrew words are therefore never applied in Tanach to anyone who is to live forever. In fact, the words ya’arich yamim appear in a number of places throughout Jewish scriptures, including Deuteronomy 17:20, Deuteronomy 25:15, Proverbs 28:16, and Ecclesiastes 8:13. In each and every verse where this phrase appears, these words refer to an extended mortal life, not an eternal one. When the Jewish scriptures speak of an eternal resurrected life, as in Daniel 12:2, the Hebrew words used are l’chayai olam.
Finally, it is essential for those interested in possessing a clear understanding of Isaiah 53 to carefully read the surrounding chapters. The context of Isaiah 53 immediately reveals that the prophet is speaking of the nation of Israel in the singular.
The continuous relationship between Isaiah 52 through 54 is evident because the theme, poetic structure, and motif of Isaiah 53 closely mimics the illustrative language of Isaiah 52 and 54. As in Isaiah 53, Isaiah 52 and 54 clearly identify Israel in the singular, suffering innocently as a result of the vile wickedness of the gentile nations. In addition, all three of these exhilarating chapters vividly describe the glorious redemption of Israel in full view of the gentiles, her former persecutors.
For example, in Isaiah 52:4 the prophet recounts that “Assyria oppressed him [Israel] without cause.” This concept, in Isaiah 52, that the nation of Israel innocently suffered as a single individual at the hands of the gentiles, is precisely the same underlying theme of Isaiah 53.
In Isaiah 54, the prophet recounts how Israel, in the singular, is “despised,” “forsaken,” and “afflicted.” These are the identical descriptions of the nation of Israel found in the previous chapter, Isaiah 53. In fact, it is so manifestly evident from these chapters that Isaiah 53 is speaking of the righteous remnant of Israel, that a great many biblical commentators unhesitatingly agree that this chapter speaks of no one else but the Almighty’s Chosen People.
“The answers were always there.” I just teach the hebrewBible.”
Blessings, Rabbi Tovia Singer HaCohen
