Yael | David Solomon

David Solomon explores the lives, contributions, and circumstances of 14 women from the biblical period of Jewish History. He examines:

Rachav
Devorah
Yael
Bat Yiphtach
Pilegesh Bagiv’ah
Ruth
Channah
Michal
Abigail
Bat Sheva
Jezebel
Ataliah
Yehosheva
Chuldah

David Solomon podcast on women in the biblical period of Jewish History — Deborah Praises Jael by Gustave Doré

Among their numbers were:

queens
prophets
judges
politicians

as well as women who were distinguished for their faith, integrity, loyalty, courage, and beauty.

In addition to providing insight into the experiences of these fascinating women, David explains their historical legacies, including:

the preservation of the Davidic line
the cementing of Judaism’s attitude towards celibacy
the power of prayer
the importance of education
women’s connection to Jewish religious practice.

He also traces the changing lot of women throughout the biblical period, from empowerment to disempowerment and back again.

This is the first part of a seven-part series on women in Jewish History David delivered at the Jewish Museum of Australia in 2017. Unfortunately, only some of the talks in the series were successfully recorded. You can find existing lectures by David from that series as well as from others talks on women in Jewish History David has given here:

#73 Women in Jewish History: the Second Temple Period

#14 Worlds in transition: Jewish History of the 16th Century part 3

#43 Communities in Search of Meaning: Jewish History of the 17th Century (part 3)

#50 Women in Jewish History: 18th to 20th Centuries

#51 Women in Jewish History: 20th to 21st Centuries

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:44:15 — 100.3MB)

Continue reading “#87 Women in Jewish History: the Biblical Period”

The earliest detailed accounts we have of military contests between the Jewish people and their enemies are found in the Bible. In this podcast episode, the first in a four-part series on great battles of Jewish History, David examines three events from the books of Judges and Samuel in which the Jewish people experience war. Beginning with an in-depth exploration of the fundamental role played by the geography and topography of the land, David explains how an understanding of these details can transform our historical picture of the tactics, leadership, and circumstances of those involved. He also discusses other significant elements that led to the success or failure of each military test and how figures like Devorah and Barak, Gidon, and Saul each fared in these critical moments of individual and national survival.

For listeners to the podcast who can not see the maps David draws in this lecture, we have provided a series of graphics that capture the information provided on the whiteboard. In order to gain the most from this lecture, we recommend referring to these maps as you listen.

Battles of Jewish History: Geography & topography of Land of Israel — Geography & topography of Land of Israel. Image created by M Solomon using creative commons map by Sting (see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Israel_relief_location_map-blank.jpg)

Battles of Jewish History: 12 tribes of Israel — By 12 tribus de Israel.svg: Translated by Kordas12 staemme israels heb.svg: by user:יוסי12 staemme israels.png: by user:Janzderivative work Richardprins (talk) – 12 tribus de Israel.svg12 staemme israels heb.svg12 staemme israels.png, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10865624

Battles of Jewish History: Map of Lower Galil — Map of Lower Galil provided under a Creative Commons licence by Daniel Baránek with additions from M Solomon (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lower_Galilee_map.svg)

Battles of Jewish History: Map of fertile cresen — By Nafsadh – Map of fertile cresent.png, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15272124

Continue reading “#66 Great Battles of Jewish History (Part 1)”