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| Eim haBanin Semeicha by R. Yisachar Shlomo Teichtel |
Introduction
This article – based extensively but not exclusively on the
research by Professor Reuven Firestone[1]
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examines the Talmudic concept of שלוש השבועות or Three Oaths. It focuses on the
theological tension between the Three Oaths, which prohibit a return to
the Land of Israel until the Messiah arrives, and the desire to settle in the
Land. The Three Oaths were designed to engender a non-militaristic and
exilic ethos within the Jewish people after the defeats of the Bar Kochba
revolts against the Romans. It also touches upon the biblical notion of מלחמת מצווה, Mitzvah or Holy War.
NOTE: This is not intended to be a political discussion or commentary on the present situation in the Middle East. Rather, it is an inquiry into a Talmudic theology that has evolved dramatically and in different directions over time. Firestone’s original article was written in 2006 and I have additionally consulted various other sources entirely unrelated to present-day events. In any case, ideas discussed here can be simultaneously selected and used by protagonists and detractors from all quarters. The main concern here is the vast array of often tendentious exegesis and evolution of a Talmudic theology, paradoxically resulting in both its cancellation and resurrection.
