Esther, the Spies & Faith

In this episode of the TRADITION Podcast, Mali Brofsky and Mark Smilowitz discuss the central thesis of his recent essay, “Esther and the Spies: A Bible-Based Symbolic Meaning of Walled Cities from the Time of Joshua” which appeared in our Fall 2024 issue and is now open access at TraditonOnline.org. Smilowitz explains how, through an analysis of the textual connection between the walled cities in the time of Joshua and those in the Purim story, he has uncovered a message about how the Jewish nation is enjoined to move from fear to courage through our connection to faith during times of crisis. The two discuss the importance of reading halakhic and traditional texts with an eye toward understanding their deeper philosophical, theological, and ethical messages, and also consider the significance of Smilowitz’s message regarding faith and meaning, how we see this experience reflected in our own time, and how it can serve as a source of support during the great challenges facing us today. Mali Brofsky, MSW, a member of TRADITION’s editorial board, is a senior faculty member at MMY and a social worker in private practice; Rabbi Mark Smilowitz, a veteran educator in Israel and the United States, recently completed a doctorate on the thought of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik at Hebrew University. Read “Esther and the Spies” at TraditionOnline.org. Halakha mandates a separate date for Purim for cities that had walls during the era of Joshua. Commentators have been puzzled by the selection of the era of Joshua in particular, as opposed to other, more obvious choices (such as the period of the Purim story itself). The Talmud points to a source which seems to rely on a mere technicality without providing a satisfying thematic connection between Joshua and Esther. Smilowitz’s essay probes the broader context of source through an exploration of the early chapters of Deuteronomy alongside the story of the sin of the spies in order to demonstrate a thematic parallel between the development of the faith of Esther and the development of the faith of the Jewish people over time, from the sin of the spies through the conquering of walled cities in Canaan under Joshua’s leadership. The article argues that the halakha about walled cities in the time of Joshua is meant to point to this particular message about the dynamism of faith as illustrated by those two stories. Watch a video recording of the conversation.   The post Esther, the Spies & Faith appeared first on Tradition Online.