14B

The prophecy of Abigail

The Talmud has identified her as one of the eight prophetesses. Some of these prophetesses are identified as such in the text ( Miriam, Deborah, Hulda) but not Abigail. However, some of the phrases she uses become eternal ( bayith Neeman, צרורה בצרור החיים ).

The gemarrah identifies her prophecy as indirectly dealing with the incident if Baathsheva.

However, the text itself identifies her prediction of the death of Naval ( her husband). The Talmud indirectly recognizes this in her cautious words with David, leaving the door open to their future relationship, but the Gemarrah attributes these words to the devious behavior of women in general (איתתא בהדי שותא פילכא איכא דאמרי שפיל ואזיל בר אווזא ועינוהי מיטייפי ).

14B Purim, the Holocaust and Zionism

14B

The Zionism of Mordechai, Ezra and Nechemia is more similar to that of Herzl and BenGurion than one might expect. The gemarrah talks about rescue from destruction as a strong force in the repentance of the Jewish people. That repentance may have been Zionism.

When the people see that their destruction is a political possibility, there is a strong motivation to organize their own state. Thus, the (potential ) holocaust of Purim was the motivation for the Zionism that formed the second Commonwealth.