tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6064537678232187859.post9068881649391467372..comments2024-01-26T04:33:03.644-07:00Comments on Connections: TemptationsDonna B. Nielsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601914199734248360noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6064537678232187859.post-70064566730142317422009-02-10T17:59:00.000-07:002009-02-10T17:59:00.000-07:00Very interesting Donna. In regards to resisting te...Very interesting Donna. In regards to resisting temptation and our need to become experienced soldiers, I'm also reminded of a statement one of the Rabbi Commentators, Ibn Ezra, once made when comparing the raising up of Moses' hands during the battle with Amalek. He had two explanations which were (I have freely borrowed from http://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2009/02/responding-to-crises-with-emunah.html: <BR/><BR/>The first is that "emunah" here means strong and steady, as it does in a number of places in the Bible. This is the most widely accepted explanation, adopted by the Ramban and Rashbam in their commentaries, Radak and R. Yonah ibn Janach in their respective Sefer Ha-Shorashim, and most modern commentators and English translations. The lesson I see here is that in response to crisis we should not waver. We cannot afford to give in to depression or otherwise slip in our practices and attitudes. It is easy to have faith when times are good. It's when times are tough that you need your faith most but it is the hardest to find. You can't waver; you can't let it slip.<BR/><BR/>IV. Growth Through Overcoming Difficulty<BR/><BR/>The Ibn Ezra's second explanation is that "emunah" is related to "omen" in Esther 2:7: "ויהי אמן את הדסה - And Mordechai had brought up (omen) Hadassah". Ibn Ezra continues to explain this, and the footnote in the Mossad Ha-Rav Kook edition expands upon it, that in our context the word means that Moshe's arms learned how to hold themselves up. In other words, they became self-sustaining. While Moshe initially needed help from Aharon and Chur, his arms became self-sustaining. The lesson I see here for dealing with a crisis is that it is even possible to grow from challenges and to become stronger.Steven Montgomeryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02291046612560917501noreply@blogger.com