According to this reading (that is not attested to by any textual evidence), Barak, the Israelite general who led the troops to triumph, was also Devorah's husband. Of course, according to other fanciful traditions (quoted by Rabbi David Kimchi, 13 th century, Proven ח e) that identify Lapidot with Barak based on their related meanings (Barak means 'brightness' or 'lightening'), Devorah's central role in securing victory is highlighted even more. What else to expect from a prophetess than for her to be busy fashioning wicks in her spare time, in order to spread the ethereal light emanating from the House of God! Rather, what is unusual about Rashi's formulation is that it has the pronounced effect of downplaying any independent role that Devorah's husband may have had, for his personal name and identity is entirely overridden by the nature of his enabling but subservient role. What is striking about such a statement is not that it tends to stress Devorah's spiritual disposition. This is because Devorah would fashion wicks to kindle the lights of the Menora, and these in turn would be dutifully delivered by her husband to the Mishkan at Shilo.

They tell us for instance, in comments echoed by Rashi (11 th century, France), that 'Lapidot' refers to 'torches' ('lapid' in Hebrew). Not surprisingly, the Rabbis (their opinions preserved in the Midrashic collection Yalkut Shim'oni) felt obliged to fill in some of the otherwise missing details. We know naught about her home or village, her children (?) or her friends, only that she was 'a prophetess who judged Israel at that time.' Under a sturdy date palm that had (uncharacteristically) taken root in the hill country of Mount Efraim, she dispensed her instruction and inspiration, 'between the Rama and Beit El.' We are told nothing about her birth, upbringing or family, only that she was the wife of the otherwise unknown 'Lapidot' (4:4). But of all of the judges whose lives and exploits are recorded in this short but remarkable book, only one has bequeathed to posterity a triumphal song of praise: Devorah.ĭevorah is introduced to us rather abruptly. Concerning some of these leaders, the text tells us almost nothing concerning others, we can trace almost the entire trajectory of their lives. Nevertheless, some judges were more successful than others, and some of the narratives describing their exploits are correspondingly longer. As we have already seen, the challenges of the age were great while the spiritual stamina of the people was often lacking, so that no judge ever succeeded in restoring peace or securing serenity for very long. Sefer Shoftim preserves the names of a total of thirteen figures who acted as 'Judges,' during the anxious and unstable period associated with Israel's conquest and settlement of the land of Canaan. Revava - The Riva Koschitzky z'l Torah Enrichment Program.Publications: Philosophy and Current Affairs.

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