AZAMRA BS"D KNOW YOUR BIBLE: Job 15-16 Study Notes by Avraham ben Yaakov
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BS"D KNOW YOUR BIBLE: Job 15-16
Study Notes by Avraham ben Yaakov
JOB CHAPTER 15
Job's
lengthy speech in Chapters 12-14 brought to an end the first cycle of
arguments and counter-arguments by Job and his three companions.
Eliphaz' answer to Job in our present chapter begins the second of the
three cycles of speeches, in which each of the companions successively
addresses and is answered by Job.
Metzudas
David in his comment on Job 15:35, explains that in his present speech
Eliphaz is challenging Job for having said he had not sinned when in
fact these very words cause others to sin even more because they plant
in people's hearts the idea that no-one watches over men or judges them
for their actions. As to Job's complaints about his suffering after all
the good he had done, Eliphaz answers that he had already received his
reward for his good deeds whereas he still had sins and transgressions
in hand for which he was now paying the penalty. Eliphaz brings proof of
God's providence over man from the way that the wicked eventually fall
without being able to rise up, and even when times are good for them,
they are filled with anxiety and apprehension about the evil that is
destined to come upon them, which is not so in the case of the
righteous.
Ramban
in his comment on Job 15:2 points out that in his previous speech (in
chapter 4), Eliphaz had not explicitly condemned Job but had simply
urged him to bear God's reproof without chafing. However, now that Job
had sought to justify himself and debate with God, Eliphaz argues that
Job's very words show that he was wicked and lacked the proper fear of
God.
V
1: "Should a wise man utter windy knowledge…." In Job's answer to
Tzophar he had chastised his companions, telling them that they had no
monopoly of wisdom (Job 12:2ff). Now Eliphaz retorts that Job's words do
not befit a wise man.
V
4: "Indeed, you cast off fear and you slight the prayer that is made
before God…" Eliphaz is saying that despite his great wisdom, Job is
undermining people's fear of God (which ought to make them afraid to
sin) in saying that everything that befalls people is determined
mechanistically by the heavenly order of stars and planets, implying
that there is no such thing as any reward for righteousness or
punishment for sin. In addition, Eliphaz accuses Job of discouraging
people from praying to God, because if everything is determined
mechanistically there is no place for prayer since it has no power to
change anything, and doing such a thing is in itself a great sin
(Metzudas David).
V
5: "For your mouth utters your iniquity…" – "The very words of your
mouth teach others to sin, because by saying it is futile to serve God
you encourage other people to hold by the same opinion and to sin just
like you" (Metzudas David).
V
6: "Your own mouth condemns you…" Job's companions do not need to
condemn him because his sin is glaringly obvious from his own words.
Vv
7-10: Job had accused his companions of speaking as if they had a
monopoly of wisdom, but Eliphaz retorts that Job was the one who spoken
as if he had a monopoly of wisdom, and this is manifestly untrue.
V
12: "Are the consolations of God too small for you when a matter is
hidden within you?" Metzudas David explains this verse as follows: "Why
should you complain over your suffering just because you practiced
goodness and righteousness to some extent. Is it a small thing to you
that God has already given you consolation over the pain of your
suffering through the goodness and success that you enjoyed previously,
whereby you received sufficient reward for the good you did. But you
still have sin hidden and concealed within you and now you must receive
the punishment for your evil just as you previously received a reward
for your goodness. Indeed that previous reward should itself be your
consolation for the suffering that has now come upon you."
V
14: "…and how can one born of a woman be righteous?" – "How can any man
claim that he is so righteous that God has perverted justice so as to
punish him for nothing?" (Metzudas David).
V
17: "I will tell you: hear me…" The lesson that Eliphaz wants to teach
Job is contained in v 20ff: "All the days of the wicked man, he is in
travail…" The apparent success of the wicked is illusory, because even
during their time of good fortune they are filled with fear and anxiety,
and eventually calamity is bound to strike.
V
27: "Because he has covered his face with his fat and has put collops
of fat on his flanks." It is noteworthy that obesity is the leading
health problem in all of today's advanced societies.
Vv
29ff: Eliphaz concludes his speech by emphasizing that the wicked
cannot succeed forever and that calamity always comes in the end.
CHAPTER 16
Ramban
on Job 16:2 states that Job's answer to Eliphaz in Chapters 16-17 does
not contain any new ideas. Job only says to his companions that their
words are vain and empty and that in order to offer him comfort they are
resorting to falsehood in arguing that the destruction of the wicked is
intentional in order to carry out justice. Job complains over his pains
and sickness, which he considers to have come upon him for nothing, and
this is his proof that there is no providence. He complains against his
companions for denying his innocence, for in his own eyes he is
righteous.
V 4: If you were in my place, would I speak to you in the same way?
V
6: "Though I speak, my pain is not assuaged, and even if I forebear,
will any of my suffering go away?" Job is saying that it is not true
that his words of complaint are undermining people's fear of God and are
themselves responsible for bringing suffering upon him. For just as if
he speaks, his pain is not assuaged, so if he will refrain from speaking
it will not reduce his suffering. This is because, being innocent, his
suffering has come upon him for no reason and it cannot be expected to
disappear merely through not complaining about it (see Metzudas David).
Vv
7ff: Job complains that not only is he suffering because of the
afflictions that were sent to him, but also because his enemy (=the
Satan, Rashi on v 9) is persecuting him by sending his companions to
abuse and denigrate him.
Vv 12ff: Job further depicts his terrible suffering, all of which in his opinion has come upon him for no reason (v 17).
V 19: Job's companions may think he is a sinner, but Job himself is confident that God in heaven will testify to his innocence.
ABY
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Please Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Ben Gvir, Mr. Smotrich and Mr. Gallant unite and bring Hashem’s Righteousness back to the Har HaBayit?
Under HaShem’s Righteousness the Har HaBayit shall become a Prayer House for all peoples. Jews, Muslims, and Christians when they put away Avoda Zara and their false doctrines……
By annulling that covenant made with the Islamic authorities in ’67 on the Har Habayit and all other covenants, banning all crimes and abominations by PA, Hamas and Islamic Jihad with an Iron fist declaring Jewish Sovereignty in all the Land Hashem gave the Jewish People in ’67. |
בבקשה מר נתניהו, מר בן גביר, מר סמוטריץ' ומר גלנט תתאחדו והחזירו את צדקת ה' להר הבית,?
תחת צדקת השם הר הבית יהפוך לבית תפילה לכל העמים: יהודים, מוסלמים ונוצרים כשהם מסירים עבודה זרה ואת דוקטרינות השקר שלהם... על ידי ביטול הברית שנכרתה עם השלטונות האיסלאמיים בשנת 67' על הר הבית וכל שאר הבריתות, איסור על כל הפשעים והתועבות שנעשות על ידי הרשות הפלסטינית, חמאס והג'יהאד האסלאמי. והכרזת ריבונות יהודית על כל ארץ ישראל. |
Come let us Pray that Hashem's Righteousness shall 'return' to the Har haBayit and the whole of Eretz Israel.
| בוא נתפלל שצדקת ה' 'תשוב' להר הבית ולארץ ישראל כולה. | Free to study all Jewish Scripture: | חופשי ללמוד את כל כתבי הקודש היהודיים: | Sefaria Calendar - לוח שנה ספריה
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Our Prayer and hope: All the gates to the Har haBayit have to be opened for Jews and non-Jews seven days in the week 24 hours a day. The Jews need to have the freedom to go with Tefillin, Tallit and Torah Scroll up on the Mountain to serve Hashem. And do קידה ('Kidah' prostate, laying down, before Hashem) Everyone showing his/her respect for the Jewish and all other religions. But NOT for the words/deeds/sins spoken against any word of the Torah of Moshe Rabbeinu and the 'real' teachings of the Jewish Rabbis. The Jews must be the guardians of the Har haBayit. |
תפילתנו ותקוותנו: כל שערי הר הבית צריכים להיפתח עבור יהודים ולא-יהודים שבעה ימים בשבוע 24 שעות ביממה. ליהודים צריך להיות חופש ללכת עם תפילין, טלית וספר תורה במעלה ההר כדי לשרת את ה' ולקוד קידה .מתוך הפגנת כבוד ליהודים ולכל הדתות האחרות, אבל לא למילים/למעשים/לחטאים הנאמרים נגד תורת משה רבנו. מלמודי רבנים, היהודים חייבים להיות שומרי הר הבית. |
Let's pray for a death sentence for the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Hezbollah and for the continuation of the Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria. The Palestinian Authority, Hamas and Hezbollah must disappear. Enough of the hatred from the world (the USA, the European Union, and the UN!) against the Jewish people. |
בואו נתפלל לגזר דין מוות לרשות הפלסטינית, חמאס, חיזבאללה ולמען התיישבות יהודית ביהודה ושומרון. הרשות הפלסטינית, חמאס וחיזבאללה חייבים להעלם. די לשנאה מהעולם (ארה"ב, האיחוד האירופי והאו"ם!) נגד העם היהודי! |
The Jews have the mission to change the Har HaBayit, from her situation now, into a Prayer House for all peoples based on the Torah Law of Moshe Rabbeinu.
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על היהודים מוטלת המשימה לשנות את הר הבית, ממצבו הקיים, לבית תפילה לכל העמים על פי חוק התורה של משה רבנו. | Ariel, hopefully your Representee | אריאל, מקווה שהנציג שלך | By Har HaBait Jewish Sovereign for all Israel I pray as a Jew when I bring your prayers. |
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