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The above ideas can be taught after going through verses 1-3. The students can discuss why this was Yirmiyahu's first prophecy to the people, particularly when the main message of Yirmiyahu is that of churban, destruction.

It is important for the students to be able to express their own ideas, so that they can feel a personal connection with the prophet.

See Appendix for worksheet for verses 2-6.

1. The חסד was that they followed Moshe and Aharon into the desert, and had faith in Hashem. (Rashi)

1. This is referring to the love that Jewish people showed Hashem when they accepted the Torah. (Malbim)

The teacher should elicit from the students the basic difference in approach between the Malbim and the Metzudat David. The students should take notice of who are the giver and the recipient in each case. They should analyze the function of the etnachta according to each commentator.

Hashem recalls the trust that the Jewish people showed by following Hashem into a place that had no food or vegetation. (Metzudat David)

The teacher should ask the students what the difference is between the two approaches. The students should be able to respond (verbally or in writing), with one phrase. In general, they should learn not to repeat what the commentator said, but, rather, to define the difference between the views.

In this case, for instance, the first approach understands קודש and ראשית תבואתה as metaphors, referring to a halachic category (See Rashi on Vayikra 22:1, and Bemidbar 18:12). The second approach sees it as a general metaphor of the special relationship between Hashem and His people. The students should try to connect the end of the verse, "כל אוכליו יאשמו", with its beginning, according to each approach, before learning it with the teacher.

* The mass population. (Malbim)

* The important people. (Malbim)

They followed the worthless avodah zarah (idol-worship), and so they became הבל - worthless - themselves. (Metzudat David)

See Appendix for text of the Abarbanel and guiding questions.

The students should analyze which commentary is closer to פשוטו של מקרא. They should explain the end of the verse according to each commentary.

A desert, a land of pits, a desolate place, and a place that is very dark, resembling the darkness of the grave. (Metzudat Tzion)

No one ever established a permanent home there. (Metzudat David)

The prophet is stressing the kindnesses that Hashem did, bringing them out of the desert into a fertile land. (Metzudat David)

*To enjoy the physical benefits of the land. (Malbim)

*To enjoy the spiritual benefits of the land. (Malbim)

1. Through their idol worship they contaminated the land. (Metzudat David)

1. The priests who served in the Temple did not encourage the people to seek Hashem. (Radak)

1. The Sanhedrin that taught the Torah did not want to come to recognize the greatness of Hashem. (Metzudat David)

The students should explain the difference in the opinion of the two commentators regarding the way to reach knowledge of Hashem - one stresses intellectual introspection into the beauty of the Torah as the way, and the other suggests action.

The students should be assigned as homework the reading of the bracha of קריאת שמע - אהבה רבה(Sephardi students should be provided with the text), and should try to find in it support for the view of the Radak.

The kings rebelled against Hashem. (Metzudat David)

The prophets of the Baal gave their prophecies in the name of the Baal. (Metzudat David)

They followed the idols, which have no purpose. (Metzudat David)

These represent the countries to the west of the land of Israel. (Metzudat David)

These represent the countries to the east.

1. The prophet is telling them to look at the entire world. (Abarbanel)

Has one of these nations exchanged its god for another god?. (Metzudat David)

Even though their gods are not real gods, the nations are loyal to them. (Metzudat David)

The Jewish people, however, exchanged the glory of Hashem for a valueless god. (Metzudat David)

The world deserves to be destroyed and made desolate because of this great abomination. (Metzudat David, Radak)

A מקור מים חיים - a spring - has two advantages: First, the water originates from that point, not from somewhere else. Secondly, the water flows constantly, without stopping. Likewise, Hashem's goodness emanates directly from him, and is endless.

* These wells had to be dug with tremendous effort. The Jews left Hashem, who already exists, for gods who need to be created. (Malbim)

They dug cisterns in order to capture the rainwater, but these had holes in them, and all the water leaked out. The prophet is describing the hope that the Jews put in their false deities as the hope which one might put in broken cisterns. They are not the original source of power (like a spring is), and they can't be relied on. (Radak)

The students can try to determine what are the שתיים רעות עשה עמי in the first part of the verse, and what are the two (different ones) in the second part of the verse. See Malbim for one approach.

* The students should try to write out the parallel phrases in verses 11 and 13.

^They should also try to summarize in one sentence the major theme found in verses 4-13. This theme is summarized in one of the verses, and they should try to find it.

^Another possible assignment is to copy all the descriptions that the prophet uses for the false gods that the Jews chose to worship instead of Hashem. For instance: verse 5 - "וילכו אחרי הבעל", or verse 8 - "ואחרי לא יועילו הלכו" . The teacher should then discuss the attitude of the prophet towards these forms of worship, based on the language used.

Nechama Leibowitz in her גליונות לעיון בספר ירמיהו suggests different exercises that can be used to cause the students to focus on the whole chapter, and not just on individual verses. The above suggestions, marked with ^, are taken from her book. Her exercises make the student reread the chapter and gain familiarity with the text. The work can be assigned as individual class work, chavruta study, or as homework.

The prophet is asking whether the Jewish people is like a slave, or a son of a maidservant, that it should be so completely neglected by its master. The Jews are really the children of Hashem, and He loves them very much. (Radak)

The Jews have special protection; why, then, have they become prey to others (like spoils of war - Metuzdat Tzion). (Metzudat David)

1. The nations will roar against the Jews to frighten them. (Metzudat David)

These countries will not be of help; rather, they will break the skull of the Jewish people.

The reason for all the tragedies is that the Jews left Hashem. The tragedies did not happen by chance. (Metzudat David)

The Jews did not follow Hashem when He tried to lead them on the proper path. (Metzudat David)

Since everything comes from Divine Providence, of what use is it to go to Egypt for help? (Metzudat David)

The students should write the phrases in the chapter that use the imagery of water in reference to Hashem, idols and other nations. They should then analyze why this imagery is used for such different objects.

The teacher can demonstrate the parallel structure of the verse on the blackboard. will help in the translation and in the understanding of the verse.

The students should write an essay connecting the ideas in verses 15-19, according to the Abarbanel.

^ R. Yosef Albo, in his Sefer Ha'Ikarim, 3:6 reads this verse as describing the psychological effect that a sin has on a person. He maintains that after a sin is committed, and the person's yetzer (evil inclination) has subsided, he feels tremendous remorse for the act committed. It is as if the act itself is rebuking the person, making him realize the harmful effect of leaving Hashem. This is not due to fear of punishment, but rather it is a feeling that is inherent in the reaction to the sin.

^ The students should note where, in verses 4-19, the prophet speaks to the people (in second person), and where he talks about them (in third person).

Throughout history, Hashem has removed the yoke of bondage that the nations placed on the Jews. (Metzudat David)

Hashem removed the straps of the yoke that the nations placed on them (Metzudat David).

If read according to the קרי - The Jews promised Hashem that they would no longer violate (לעבור) the will of Hashem. (Metzudat David)

If read according to the כתיב - The Jews promised that they would not worship (לעבוד) other idols. (Radak)

However, the Jews did not keep their word, and went ahead and worshipped idols. (Metzudat David)

The Jews move from place to place to worship idols, like a prostitute who moves from place to place to pursue her work. (Metzudat David)

1. In the beginning, when the Jewish people were planted, the sprigs were taken from the choicest vines. (Metzudat David)

They were planted from the seeds of the Patriarchs, people of stature, and it was assumed that they would be like them. (Metzudat David)

*^ The students should read Yeshayahu 5, verses 1-6, and compare the משל הגפן in Yeshayahu with the one here. The elements of the משל and נמשל should be analyzed, as well as the differences in the style between the two prophets.

The students can make a chart listing the different elements of the משל and the נמשל.

Even if the Jews would do good deeds, chesed and tzedaka publicly, it will not help. (Metzudat David)

* The students should compare the two verses in Yirmiyahu, and discover the contradiction themselves.

See Appendix for worksheet on verse 22.

The prophet is puzzled how the Jews are able to deny that they ever worshipped idols. (Metzudat David, Abarbanel)

The Jews' claim is contradicted by looking at the valley, opposite Beit Pe'or (See Bemidbar 25:3, and Devarim 3:29). The very sin which they began committing then, they have continued since. (Metzudat David)

The students should be able to explain verses 22 and 23 as one unit according to Metzudat David.

*^The students can look through the chapter, and list the phrases which the prophet is relating as direct quotes from the people. (Example: verse 20 - לא אעבור).

The Abarbanel lists other tragedies that occurred to the Jews in this month over the years: The destruction of the Jewish community of Alexandria, and the expelling of the Jews from England, France and Spain.

It is important to have the students read this Abarbanel themselves. They will gain a familiarity with the background of the Abarbanel, as well as a historical perspective of the month of Av. The teacher is further encouraged to bring modern-day examples of this month being a time of troubles (muad lepur'anut).

The students can create a chart listing the commentators on the horizontal line, and the components of the verse in one column, opposite their נמשל according to each commentator. Filling in the chart will help them organize the material.

See Appendix for worksheet on verse 24.

The prophet is telling the people to change their ways, so that they will not have to be forced into exile, and go barefoot and hungry. (Metzudat David)

But the people respond that they have given up on the possibility of their doing teshuvah. They want to practice idolatry. (Metzudat David)

כבושת גנב כי ימצא

* What is the בושה of the robber according to each approach? How does each approach understand the words כי ימצא?

2.* They began to serve the wood itself, instead of seeing it as a means for serving Hashem. (Malbim)

* The students should analyze - in one sentence - the difference between the approaches of Metzudat David and the Malbim to this phrase (for example, the Metzudat David sees it as an act of rejection, whereas the Malbim sees it as an act of defiance).

1. However, when trouble comes, they turn to Hashem to save them. (Metzudat David)

1. Yirmiyahu calls to the people, that the gods they created should come and save them. (Metzudat David)

2.* If the gods had any power, they would surely come and help, in appreciation for those that fashioned them. (Malbim)

* The students should discuss which commentary is closer to פשוטו של מקרא and why. In order to do so they must reread the commentaries, process the information and analyze it.

Why should the people complain about Hashem when He does not come and save them?. (Metzudat David)

All the people have rebelled against Hashem. Nobody has any merit making him worthy of being saved. (Metzudat David)

See Appendix for guiding questions that can be used during the discussion in class.

· "קודש ישראל לה' ראשית תבואתה" [ג]

· "וילכו אחרי ההבל ויהבלו" [ה]

· "הכהנים לא אמרו איה ה', ותופשי התורה לא ידעוני" [ח]

· "ועמי המיר כבודו בלא יועיל" [יא]

· "אותי עזבו מקור מים חיים" [יג]

· "תייסרך רעתך ומשובותייך תוכיחוך" [יט]

· "כי אם תכבסי בנתר ותרבי לך בורית נכתם עוונך" [כב]

Home || Intro || Gen. Intro || 1 || Chapter 2:1-29 || 2:30-3:5 || 7:1-28 || 8:13-9:23 || 16:19-17:14 || 19 || 23:13-40 || 26 || 27 || 28 || 29:1-14 || 31:1-19 || 36 || 39 || 40 || 41 || 42 || App.

Project of 613.org - Largest Archive to Date of Jewish Sound and Video on the Internet!