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8/6/2019 Shimshon, Superheroes, and Leadership
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SHIMSHON, SUPERHEROES, ANDLEADERSHIP
A Jewish Perspective
CHAVRUTA FEST 2!!M"shevet Chev#ei M$shi$ch
%r"&'ht T" ("& %)T*evet %eit Mi+r$sh
Resp"-si.i#it) /"r e're'i"&s err"rs, .$+ i-terpret$ti"-s, $-+ $-)thi-' h"rri.#) "//e-sive0A1iv$ eisi-'er3
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HO OULD JUDAISM LOO4 UPONSUPERHEROES5
Let &s s&''est $ p"ssi.#e $-swer .) $-$#)*i-' $ ch$r$cter i- T$-$ch wh"sest"r) .e$rs $ stri1i-' rese6.#$-ce t" the .$sic "&t#i-e "/ the s&perher"
st"ries we $## h$ve 'r"w- &p with7
SHIMSHONIt 6$) he#p, .&t is-8t $.s"#&te#) -ecess$r), t" 9&ic1#) s1i6 thr"&'h the
st"r) "/ Shi6sh"- i- $ T$-$ch .e/"re this7 It is i- Sh"/ti6 !:;!
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27 SUPERHUMAN A%ILITIESO&r her" h$s $.i#ities th$t $re .e)"-+ -"r6$# h&6$- c$p$.i#it)
:7 EA4NESSA#th"&'h "&r her" see6s i-vi-ci.#e, he h$s "-e cr&ci$# we$1-ess, whichwi## re-+er hi6 +e/e$t$.#e7
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K@0 ? @@? Q ? QK
? ?> ? ? ?> K
5The- we-t S$6s"- +"w-, $-+his /$ther $-+ his 6"ther, t"
Ti6-$h, $-+ c$6e t" the vi-e)$r+s"/ Ti6-$hW $-+, .eh"#+, $ )"&-'#i"- r"$re+ $'$i-st hi67 6A-+ thespirit "/ the LORD c$6e 6i'hti#)&p"- hi6, $-+ he re-t hi6 $s "-ew"+ h$ve re-t $ 1i+, $-+ heh$+-"thi-' i- his h$-+W .&t he t"#+ -"this /$ther "r his 6"therwh$t he h$++"-e7
@B ?B
? K >? ? ?KQ> ? ?G ? ?G ? ?
?K?? ?K?Q ?Q ?G017A-+ he t"#+ her $## his he$rt, $-+ s$i+&-t" her0 YThere h$th -"t c"6e $ r$*"r&p"- 6) he$+W /"r I h$ve .ee- $ N$*irite&-t" ="+ /r"6 6) 6"therYs w"6.W i/ I .esh$ve-, the- 6) stre-'th wi## '" /r"6 6e,$-+ I sh$## .ec"6e we$1, $-+ .e #i1e $-)"ther6$-7Y
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Z7 SECREC(%ec$&se "/ his ["., his we$1-ess, "r [&st p#$i- c"-ve-ie-ce, "&r her" 1eeps6$-) $spects "/ his i+e-tit) /r"6 "ther pe"p#e, "/te- e-+i-' &p #ivi-' $+"&.#e #i/e, $-+ str$i-i-' his re#$ti"-ship with th"se c#"se t" hi67
\Mr. Incredible0 O/ c"&rse I h$ve $ secret i+e-tit)7 I +"-Yt 1-"w $ si-'#e s&perher" wh"+"es-Yt7 h" w$-ts the press&re "/ .ei-' s&per $## the ti6e5Helen0 O/ c"&rse I h$ve $ secret i+e-tit)7 C$- )"& see 6e i- this $t the, $t thes&per6$r1et5 C"6e "-] h"Y+ w$-t t" '" sh"ppi-' $s E#$sti'ir#, 1-"w wh$t I 6e$-5^;The I-cre+i.#es
\Alfred Pennyworth0 I $ss&6e th$t $s )"&Yre t$1i-' "- the &-+erw"r#+, this s)6."# is $pers"-$ t" pr"tect th"se )"& c$re $."&t /r"6 repris$#s7Brce !"yne0 ("& thi-1i-' $."&t R$che#5Alfred Pennyworth0 Act&$##), sir, I w$s thi-1i-' "/ 6)se#/7^
\Brce !"yne0 R$che#, $##; $## this, it; itYs -"t 6e, i-si+e, I $6, I $6 6"re7^;%$t6$- %e'i-s
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?K ? ?K K ? ? K > Q ? K> ? KK ?B
4%&t his /$ther $-+ his 6"ther 1-ew -"t th$t itw$s "/ the LORDW /"r he s"&'ht $- "cc$si"-$'$i-st the Phi#isti-es7 N"w $t th$t ti6e thePhi#isti-es h$+ re "ver Isr$e#7
6A-+ the spirit "/ the LORD c$6e 6i'hti#)&p"- hi6, $-+ he re-t hi6 $s "-e w"+ h$vere-t $ 1i+, $-+ he h$+ -"thi-' i- his h$-+W .&t het"#+ -"t his /$ther "r his 6"ther wh$t he h$++"-e7
15A-+ she s$i+ &-t" hi60 YH"w c$-st th"& s$)0 I#"ve thee, whe- th) he$rt is -"t with 6e5 th"&h$st 6"c1e+ 6e these three ti6es, $-+ h$st -"tt"#+ 6e wherei- th) 're$t stre-'th #ieth7Y
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005266/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000456/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000323/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000288/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000323/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000288/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005266/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000456/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000323/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000288/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000323/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000288/8/6/2019 Shimshon, Superheroes, and Leadership
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_7 VI=ILANTISMO&r her" is -ever the #e$+er "/ $ $- $r6) "r $ /i'hti-' te$6, "r p$rt "/ $
p"#ice /"rce "/ s"6e s"rt, .&t r$ther $#w$)s /i'hts his .$tt#es .) hi6se#/ $-+"&tsi+e "/ re'$r '"ver-6e-t $&th"rit)7
#i$ %ordon0 This '&) +i+ +e#iver &s "-e "/ the cit)Ys .i''est cri6e #"r+s7&oeb0 N" "-e t$1es the #$w i-t" their "w- h$-+s i- 6) cit)7 U-+erst$-+5;%$t6$- %e'i-s
@B ?B
?G ? ?KB B ?K?@G ? >0KG ?G ? Q ?B ? G G B? ?B Q@? ? K ? ?
K0K? @ ?> ? ?KB K@ Q? ??B ? 0
?KB ? GK? K K Q@ ? ?GK KQ ? K ? ?KB ? ? K K B?0Q Q ?K@G ? K K ? 0
? `? ? ? > ? @ K ? Q3A-+ S$6s"- s$i+ &-t" the60 YThis ti6e sh$## I .e 9&its with the Phi#isti-es, whe- I +"the6 $ 6ischie/7Y 4A-+ S$6s"- we-t $-+ c$&'ht three h&-+re+ /"aes, $-+ t""1 t"rches,$-+ t&r-e+ t$i# t" t$i#, $-+ p&t $ t"rch i- the 6i+st .etwee- ever) tw" t$i#s7 5A-+ whe-he h$+ set the t"rches "- /ire, he #et the6 '" i-t" the st$-+i-' c"r- "/ the Phi#isti-es, $-+.&r-t &p ."th the sh"c1s $-+ the st$-+i-' c"r-, $-+ $#s" the "#ive)$r+s7 6The- thePhi#isti-es s$i+0 Yh" h$th +"-e this5Y A-+ the) s$i+0 YS$6s"-, the s"-;i-;#$w "/ theTi6-ite, .ec$&se he h$th t$1e- his wi/e, $-+ 'ive- her t" his c"6p$-i"-7Y A-+ the
Phi#isti-es c$6e &p, $-+ .&r-t her $-+ her /$ther with /ire7 7A-+ S$6s"- s$i+ &-t" the60YI/ )e +" $/ter this 6$--er, s&re#) I wi## .e $ve-'e+ "/ )"&, $-+ $/ter th$t I wi##ce$se7Y 'A-+ he s6"te the6 hip $-+ thi'h with $ 're$t s#$&'hterW $-+ he we-t +"w- $-++we#t i- the c#e/t "/ the r"c1 "/ Et$6
@B ?B
?K ?K G??K @@? Q ? QK K@ ? ?KB ?Q ??? ? ? ?KB0
? ` ? Q@? ? Q? ? Q ?Q ? 0? ` ?K? Q ?Q ?KQ Q Q ?Q ? 0
?Q K @ @? ? ?Q ? K ?? ?0
14he- he c$6e &-t" Lehi, the Phi#isti-es sh"&te+ $s the) 6et hi6W $-+ the spirit "/ theLORD c$6e 6i'hti#) &p"- hi6, $-+ the r"pes th$t were &p"- his $r6s .ec$6e $s /#$ath$t w$s .&r-t with /ire, $-+ his .$-+s +r"ppe+ /r"6 "// his h$-+s7 15A-+ he /"&-+ $-ew [$w."-e "/ $- +"-1e), $-+ p&t /"rth his h$-+, $-+ t""1 it, $-+ s6"te $ th"&s$-+ 6e-therewith7 16A-+ S$6s"- s$i+0 ith the [$w."-e "/ $- +"-1e), he$ps &p"- he$ps, withthe [$w."-e "/ $- +"-1e) h$ve I s6itte- $ th"&s$-+ 6e-7 17A-+ it c$6e t" p$ss, whe-
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he h$+ 6$+e $- e-+ "/ spe$1i-', th$t he c$st $w$) the [$w."-e "&t "/ his h$-+W $-+ th$tp#$ce w$s c$##e+ R$6$th;#ehi
\What should be emphasized in this story was the bravery of the Philistine soldiers, specificallythe ones in the back who kept charging even after seeing 700 or so of their comrades go down
with shattered skulls. We're talking about guys who probably climbed over a pile of bodies !"feet
high to get to him.#f this story seems improbable, you can always claim mistranslation .We like to think they merelymade the mistake of confusing a donkey's $awbone with that of a %yrannosaurus &e. (r, perhaps)donkey's $awbone) was mistranslated from the original *ebrew word for )minigun.)+"racked.com
!7 I- these tw" st"ries, +"es Shi6sh"- ever $ppe$r with $-)"-e e#se527 D" the P#ishti6 perceive Shi6sh"-8s $cti"-s $s $- $ct "/ w$r .) the Jewish pe"p#e, "rthe 'riev$-ces "/ "-e i-+ivi+&$#5
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KQ @G @G ? B G ?G@Q G ?G @@? ?G ? @@? @? Q?KB ?G? ?K
2'A-+ S$6s"- c$##e+ &-t" the LORD, $-+ s$i+0 YO L"r+ =OD, re6e6.er 6e, I pr$)Thee, $-+ stre-'the- 6e, I pr$) Thee, "-#) this "-ce, O ="+, th$t I 6$) .e this "-ce$ve-'e+ "/ the Phi#isti-es /"r 6) tw" e)es7Y0!7 h" is the s&.[ect "/ Shi6sh"-8s pr$)er5 h$t +"es he $s1 /"r527 %$se+ "- the c"-te-t "/ his pr$)er +"es Shi6sh"- view hi6se#/ $s p$rt "/ $ #$r'er/"rce, "r $s $ #"-e /i'hter5
HO IS SHIMSHON VIEED %( JEISH TRADITION5
Qb QG ` @B G K ?? K
>G ?@ QKB? > G? K? ?? ?@ ?@
The p$ss&1 c"6p$res three \#i'htwei'hts^ t" three \he$v)wei'hts^ t" te## )"& th$t the%$tei Di- "/ =i+"-, $-+ "/ (i/t$ch, "nd of (hi$)hon* is e9&$# t" th"se "/ M"she,Ah$r"-, $-+ Sh6&e#7
H"w is Shi6sh"- .ei-' c#$ssi/ie+ here5 h" is c"-si+ere+ .etter th$- hi65 h$t +"esth$t sh"w $."&t h"w J&+$is6 6i'ht view $ S&perher"5
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THE FLA IN SHIMSHON8S LEADERSHIP
@B ?B
?Q G? ? GQ? ?KB ? 0G K G? K ? G? K? ? ? ? ?0
?KB G ? ? K? ? ? `? ? ? ?B K ? ? ?K? ? ? G K? K 0
K ? >BK B ? ? ?KB ? KK G? ? ?0? ?Q ?K ?G ? K?G K ? GKG G ? ? >?
+The- the Phi#isti-es we-t &p, $-+ pitche+ i- J&+$h, $-+ spre$+ the6se#ves $'$i-stLehi7 1,A-+ the 6e- "/ J&+$h s$i+0 Yh) $re )e c"6e &p $'$i-st &s5Y A-+ the) s$i+0 YT".i-+ S$6s"- $re we c"6e &p, t" +" t" hi6 $s he h$th +"-e t" &s7Y 11The- three th"&s$-+
6e- "/ J&+$h we-t +"w- t" the c#e/t "/ the r"c1 "/ Et$6, $-+ s$i+ t" S$6s"-0 Y4-"westth"& -"t th$t the Phi#isti-es $re rers "ver &s5 wh$t the- is this th$t th"& h$st +"-e &-t"&s5Y A-+ he s$i+ &-t" the60 YAs the) +i+ &-t" 6e, s" h$ve I +"-e &-t" the67Y 12A-+ the)s$i+ &-t" hi60 Ye $re c"6e +"w- t" .i-+ thee, th$t we 6$) +e#iver thee i-t" the h$-+ "/the Phi#isti-es7Y A-+ S$6s"- s$i+ &-t" the60 YSwe$r &-t" 6e, th$t )e wi## -"t /$## &p"-6e )"&rse#ves7Y 13A-+ the) sp"1e &-t" hi6, s$)i-'0 YN"W .&t we wi## .i-+ thee /$st, $-++e#iver thee i-t" their h$-+W .&t s&re#) we wi## -"t 1i## thee7Y A-+ the) ."&-+ hi6 withtw" -ew r"pes, $-+ .r"&'ht hi6 &p /r"6 the r"c17
h$t is str$-'e $."&t this st"r)5 Thi-1 $."&t $## the "ther st"ries )"& h$ve re$+ i-T$-$ch7 h$t sh"+ h$ve h$ppe-e+ i- this st"r)5 h$t, i-ste$+, +i+ h$ppe-5 h) +"
)"& thi-1 the st"r) we-t this w$)5
Let8s c"6p$re Shi6sh"-8s #e$+ership t" the w$) The R$6.$6 +escri.es the ti6$teJewish #e$+er, M$shi$ch,7
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`? ,B K K ?B ,? K @ K > K? ? QG Q? ,Q? K@Q ? ,Y KQ Q? ,@ @Q ? ?
? Q? ? ? ?QG d@ @ @ G ?? K7
I/ $ 1i-' wi## $rise /r"6 the H"&se "/ D$vi+ wh" +i#i'e-t#) c"-te6p#$tes the T"r$h $-+".serves its 6it*v"t $s prescri.e+ .) the ritte- L$w $-+ the Or$# L$w $s D$vi+, his
$-cest"r, wi## c"6pe# $## "/ Isr$e# t" w$#1 i- the w$) "/ the T"r$h3 $-+ recti/) the
.re$ches i- its ".serv$-ce, $-+ /i'ht the w$rs "/ ="+, we 6$), with $ss&r$-ce, c"-si+er
hi6 M$shi$ch7
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I/ he s&ccee+s i- the $."ve, .&i#+s the Te6p#e i- its p#$ce, $-+ '$thers the +isperse+ "/
Isr$e#, he is +e/i-ite#) the M$shi$ch7
h$t 9&$#ities +"es M$shi$ch h$ve th$t Shi6sh"- c#e$r#) #$c1s i-5 h$t +"es M$shi$ch
+" th$t Shi6sh"- +"es -"t5
"We have created a society where we freely allow men and women to take the law into their ownhands. Cape or no cape, brightly colored logo or not, A superhero is a vigilante who is taking thelaw into his own hands....We empower other people to fight our battles for us, and then wewonder why it is we feel so powerless in our lives. To allow one man to act as judge, jury, andeecutioner, to allow him to roam the streets to do as he pleases, with no worry from the police,from the !#, the government, anybody, is a ridiculous shame to the concept of justice"$!rom "%owers", y rian &ichael endis
\Mr. Incredible0 N" 6$tter h"w 6$-) ti6es )"& s$ve the w"r#+, it $#w$)s 6$-$'es t"'et .$c1 i- [e"p$r+) $'$i-7 S"6eti6es I [&st w$-t it t" st$) s$ve+] ("& 1-"w, /"r $ #itt#e.it5 I /ee# #i1e the 6$i+W I [&st c#e$-e+ &p this 6ess] C$- we 1eep it c#e$- /"r777 /"r te-
6i-&tes]^;The I-cre+i.#es
Is there r""6 /"r S&perher"es i- J&+$is6 $t $##5
>? @B ?B
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A-+ the chi#+re- "/ Isr$e# $'$i- +i+ th$t which w$s evi# i- the si'ht "/ the LORDW $-+ theLORD +e#ivere+ the6 i-t" the h$-+ "/ the Phi#isti-es /"rt) )e$rs7 {P}
2A-+ there w$s $ cert$i- 6$- "/ X"r$h, "/ the /$6i#) "/ the D$-ites, wh"se -$6e w$sM$-"$h #it7 rest, p$ssivit)3 W $-+ his wi/e w$s .$rre-, $-+ ."re -"t7
h$t 6i'ht %-$i (isr$e#8s $ttit&+e 6i'ht .e $/ter Z )e$rs "/ "ppressi"-5 h$t 6i'ht
the) -ee+5
\Brce !"yne0 Pe"p#e -ee+ +r$6$tic ea$6p#es t" sh$1e the6 "&t "/ $p$th) $-+ I c$-Yt+" th$t $s %r&ce $)-e, $s $ 6$- IY6 /#esh $-+ .#""+7 I c$- .e i'-"re+, I c$- .e+estr")e+, .&t $s $ s)6."#, $s $ s)6."# I c$- .e i-c"rr&pti.#e, I c$- .e ever#$sti-'7^;%$t6$- %e'i-sh$t $re the $+v$-t$+'es t" .ei-' $ S&perher"5
\Brce !"yne0 ("& 1-"w th$t +$) th$t )"& "-ce t"#+ 6e $."&t, whe- ="th$6 w"+ -"#"-'er -ee+ %$t6$-5 It8s c"6i-'7
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-"chel "we)0 %r&ce7 ("& c$-8t $s1 6e t" w$it /"r th$t7Brce !"yne0 It8s h$ppe-i-' -"w7 H$rve) is th$t her"7 He #"c1e+ &p h$#/ "/ the cit)8scri6i-$#s, $-+ he +i+ it with"&t we$ri-' $ 6$s17 ="th$6 -ee+s $ her" with $ /$ce7^;The D$r1 4-i'ht
h) +"es %r&ce $)-e thi-1 th$t \$ her" with $ /$ce^ is pre/er$.#e5 Are S&perher"esL8Ch$tchi#$h "r %8Dieve+, $cc"r+i-' t" %r&ce $)-e5
'The aggressive actions that (himshon takes against the %elishtim are notcarefully planned and calculated military campaigns, but rather a series ofimpulsive actions based on his physical strength. Whether we are dealing withthe smiting of the %elishtim with the jaw of the ass or with the tying together ofthe tails of the foes, or the like, we are dealing with impulsive public displays,rather than a comprehensive strategy. As a first step to raising the spirit of thepeople and encouraging them, his actions are significant, but they cannot serve
as a substitute for a long$term program. %ut simply, a valiant hero does notsubstitute for a political leader, and heroic acts, impressive as they may be, donot come in place of an overall campaign. Therefore, the verse does not speak of(himshon as saving #srael for the long term, but rather that he will begin todeliver #srael out of the hand of the %elishtim )v.*+. is actions can serve as agood start, but they do not constitute a long$term solution. #t seems that this isone of the reasons that Chazal referred to (himshon, -idon and /iftach as'lightweights0 and contrasted them with &oshe, Aharon and (hemuel. The twogroups are set apart not only in their spiritual greatness, but also in their politicalleadership.0;R$v M"she Lichte-stei-, \The N$*iriteship "/ Shi6sh"-^, htt/0www.b$
tor"h.or"rchieh"ft"r"36n")o.ht$
ENJO( (OUR LEARNIN=]
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