The Tanakh Podcast

Iyov responds to Bildad by saying that he would love justice - he would love to bring God to trial and vindicate himself. But that with the radical power disparity between humans and God, theer will be no opportunity to get a fair hearing. To listen to the chapter, passuk by passuk https://cdn.tanachstudy.com/archives/Ketuvim/Iyov/iyov-9.mp3

Bildad is the second friend of Iyov, He also offers accusation rather than support. In his attempt to justify God, he essentially claims that Iyov's children must have died for their sins; and that Iyov is innocent, he will soon be rewarded. His proofs come from nature. Interestingly, many of these arguments and metaphors are reflected in various Psalms, but Iyov will not accept these arguments. T...

In this chapter Iyov asks God why he is subject to such close scrutiny? How much attention do we want from God? Is God's attention a good thing or a bad thing?

Iyov and his friend Eliphaz are not merely having a philosophical argument, they are speaking at cross-purposes, they are engaged in different languages. In this podcast we speak about how we might approach someone who is experiencing pain and suffering.

Eliphaz appeals to Iyov, that in the broad long run of history, God might sometimes strike a bitter blow, but in the broad calculus of time: "He {God} injures, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands heal." We ask whether this is a convincing argument.

The first of Job's friends challenges Job's status as "wholesome and blameless" and he charges: "What innocent man ever perished?" In other words - If you are suffering, you MUST be guilty.

In this chapter, after 7 days of silence, Job begins to speak. He 1. curses the day he was born, and the night of his conception. 2. Longs for death when his pain will be over.

If ch.1 gave us the awful loss of Job's wealth and the death of his ten children, today we see Satan take a step forward and afflict Job with the agony of boils or sores over his entire body, from head to the soles of his feet. We discuss his conversation with his wife, and witness the visit of his 3 friends who sit with him for seven days in absolute silence.

What happens when the man who has it all loses everything? What happens when a world of order turns to disarray? What happens when Satan makes a wager with God?

We move from Sefer Mishlei, an ordered, ethical world, to Iyov - a cruel world in which the righteous suffer. Today we offer a few words of introduction to the book.

Who is this "woman of valour" who we sing about every Shabbat? How does this alphabetical poem fit into Sefer Mishlei?

We are getting to the end of Mishlei. Here we have a collation of proverbs from 3 sages: Agur, Aluka and Lemuel. In this podcast we study 30:1-14 understanding the sage wisdom of Agur. We also scan the numerical riddles of Aluka.

Today we discuss the importance of integrity, fairness, and empathy of leaders and judges.

How do we balance healthy fear with unhealthy anxiety? How do we balance caution with rigidity?

Our chapter is filled with proverbs about friends (and enemies), about when rebuke is positive guidance from a person who cares, or conversely, when expressions of affection are in fact bogus, and the gestures of friendship are a mere facade.

Our chapter divides into 3 themes. 1. The fool 2. The lazybones 3. Quarrels and Discord We expand a point connected to each segment.

Chapter 25 speaks of Solomon's proverbs republished in the time of King Hizkiyahu. What is the story behind the re-publishing of Shlomo Ha-melekh's literary works? We offer two possibilities.

"The Tzaddik falls seven times, and rises." What happens when disaster strikes? What does a person do when they are experiencing a string of failures? That is our theme today.

Is chapter 22-24 of Proverbs plagiarized from the Egyptian teachings of Amenemope? A striking resemblance is found between the two texts. If this does have its origin in Egyptian wisdom literature, how did it find its way to King Solomon? And does it belong in the Tanakh?

"Educate a child according to his way; Even when he gets old he will not veer from it." The idea of Jewish Education has shifted over time. We will look at some traditional and modern conceptions of education.

"Knowledge, wisdom and counsel are nothing before God!" Yes! God is the ultimate authority. Man plans and God's designs will prevail. But man is also endowed with the same divine features: Knowledge, wisdom and insight - and this creates an intriguing tension.

Today we address v.27 which is as spiritual as it is cryptic: "The soul of man is the candle of God." What does that mean? We offer FOUR interpretations.

Our chapter presents many points of proverbial advice that relate to the financial sphere. Here we present 9 guiding proverbs.

18:22 - "He who finds a wife finds what is good". Today we discuss marriage.

What are the virtues and actions that create and reinforce friendship? And what are the behaviours that have the capacity to drive friends apart? This is the topic that we address today.