D-D-W
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From Fred E, our congregation's Drash coordinator who has the drash this weekend:
This week's Haftarah of "VaYeira" (and He Appeared)
Although I didn't pick from the haftarah (2 Kings 4) for this coming Shabbat, I like the way it reads in Hebrew.
The Hebrew original can be a bit amusing. The NIV seems too reverent in 2 Kings 4:8, and assumes to translate "Ishah g'dolah" as "a well-to-do woman". Well you may know that it means "a BIG woman". Like some Yiddisha mamas, they are big and are machers (do-ers) too (smile). verses 9-10, She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” This woman is definitely a do-er, as well as BIG!
We hit a funny expression which the English misses: 13 Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us." gone to trouble puts it lightly. It is really "You have gone to all this TREMBLING for us". The same root as "haredi" an orthodox Jewish "Trembler".
Another eye opener is that level of distress, and that this lady sounds more down to earth, and what many times happens today to one that is in distress.
23 “Why go to him today?” (her elderly husband) asked. “It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath.”(He's trying to make conversation, I think, but the wife is in distress and doesn't want to have a conversation. She says "SHALOM" - Bye-bye. I can imagine her rushing outside). Instead of “Bye-bye,” . . . the NIV has “That’s all right,” she said. . . . Sorta watered down, don'tcha think?
26 (Elisha said,) Please, (Gehazi,) run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it shalom (is it peace) with you? Is it shalom with your husband? Is it shalom with the child?’ ”
And she answered “Bye-bye / SHALOM!,” NIV did it again, instead it comes up with: “It is well.” instead of "SHALOM!" The way I see it, she's in distress and doesn't want to waste time conversing with Gehazi, but rather tell him "Bye-bye" (not "it is well.") and keep running directly to the actual man Elisha for help.
This week's Haftarah of "VaYeira" (and He Appeared)
Although I didn't pick from the haftarah (2 Kings 4) for this coming Shabbat, I like the way it reads in Hebrew.
The Hebrew original can be a bit amusing. The NIV seems too reverent in 2 Kings 4:8, and assumes to translate "Ishah g'dolah" as "a well-to-do woman". Well you may know that it means "a BIG woman". Like some Yiddisha mamas, they are big and are machers (do-ers) too (smile). verses 9-10, She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” This woman is definitely a do-er, as well as BIG!
We hit a funny expression which the English misses: 13 Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us." gone to trouble puts it lightly. It is really "You have gone to all this TREMBLING for us". The same root as "haredi" an orthodox Jewish "Trembler".
Another eye opener is that level of distress, and that this lady sounds more down to earth, and what many times happens today to one that is in distress.
23 “Why go to him today?” (her elderly husband) asked. “It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath.”(He's trying to make conversation, I think, but the wife is in distress and doesn't want to have a conversation. She says "SHALOM" - Bye-bye. I can imagine her rushing outside). Instead of “Bye-bye,” . . . the NIV has “That’s all right,” she said. . . . Sorta watered down, don'tcha think?
26 (Elisha said,) Please, (Gehazi,) run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it shalom (is it peace) with you? Is it shalom with your husband? Is it shalom with the child?’ ”
And she answered “Bye-bye / SHALOM!,” NIV did it again, instead it comes up with: “It is well.” instead of "SHALOM!" The way I see it, she's in distress and doesn't want to waste time conversing with Gehazi, but rather tell him "Bye-bye" (not "it is well.") and keep running directly to the actual man Elisha for help.