David Solomon’s Jewish History lecture examines the Second Temple Period (Bayit Sheini), which spans from approximately the year -500 (or 500 BCE) to the theoretical year 0 (3260 to 3760 in the traditional Hebraic calendar).
#99 The Power of Change, the Challenge of Teshuva (2)
Part two of David Solomon’s Zoom series, The Power of Change, the Challenge of Teshuva, looks at the idea of individual and collective teshuvah in Tanach.
The lecture examines the story of the prophet Jonah and the teshuvah of the city of Nineveh. David explores different views around the city’s repentance and its connection to the divine message entrusted to Jonah for the population. He also discusses Jonah’s struggle with the responsibilities placed upon him and his path towards his own teshuvah.
The other story examined in this episode is that of Menasseh, King of Judah. David discusses prophetic passages that deal with Menasseh’s repentance and its reflection in the general prophetic narrative on teshuvah.
As always, David provides overall context to these biblical texts and their associated messages. He also reminds us of the opportunities they offer in our own explorations in teshuvah.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:06 — 18.3MB)
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#93 The Twelve Minor Prophets (4)
David Solomon examines the prophets who lived during the period after Israel’s return to Zion, following the Babylonian exile, namely:
- Hagai
- Zechariah
- Malachi.
With their unique post-exilic messages, these three prophets addressed the concerns of a population grappling with rebuilding Jerusalem after generations away. Some of the ideas expressed in their powerful prophetic books include:
- the need to rebuild the leadership of Israel
- the importance of building a new temple in Jerusalem
- a call to do teshuva
- rebuilding oneself through dialogue with God
- the failure of previous generations
- creating righteous leadership
- ecstatic visions
- the implications of changing geopolitical realities
- false prophecy
- the end of the prophetic epoch.
David closely examines key passages of these biblical texts, explaining their meaning and the implications of their messages.
As always, he places the prophets, their lives, and their words in historical context. He also emphasises the lasting importance of their ideas for the Jewish people as a nation and for us all as individuals.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:28:10 — 85.0MB)
#55 The Prophets: The Twelve ‘Minor’ Prophets
A Podcast on the Prophets of Israel in Tanach (Hebrew Bible)
The Trei Asar, known in English as the twelve ‘minor’ prophets, have been fundamental to the transmission of ideas and moral perspectives through the past two and a half millennia. In this podcast episode, the final instalment of this four-part series on the prophets of Israel for Elul, David explores the fascinating lives, historical context, and profound messages of these spiritual giants. In dynamic succinctness, David marches through the short but canonical texts of Hosea, Yoel, and Amos; Ovadiah, Yonah, and Micah; Nachum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah; Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. David explains the importance of each book and their contributions to Jewish and world spirituality.
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