Asmatchta: From A Pillar of Cloud Will Speak to Them
Biblical Interpretation or Asmatchta?
Our Sages and Rabbis regularly refer to verses in the Jewish Bible as a source of their authority or as a way to remember or understand a point he wishes to make. Asmatchta is a term used by our Sages to refer to the incidental use of a verse that does not reflect its accurate meaning.
In every generation, our Rabbis and Sages apply the verses of the Jewish Bible to the world in which they live. Sometimes they will make an analogy. That analogy can be viewed as more or less accurate. If the analogy excites the imagination, others will make additional connections between the analogues.
For example, the current Israeli operation to protect Israeli residents from missiles fire from Gaza is called “Pillar of Cloud.” I would translate it more as “Protective Cloud.” It is a Biblical reference describing how the LORD protected the Jewish people during our exodus from Egypt.
The Pillar of Cloud is described as:
(a) leading the way
(b) morphing into a pillar of fire at night
(c) standing between Israelites and our enemies so kept apart all night
(d) From where the LORD spoke to Moses
(e) LORD answered them [the children of Israel]
The above is the simple and as Rabbi Samuels calls it, the widespread meaning. If you looked at the verses below you could reasonably derive a similar list.
Now, using the Biblical term to describe a current military operation is a metaphor whose interpretation can be explored. It is an example of an Asmatcha: use of Biblical words or a verse in a way not supported completely by the original meaning of the verse or words in their Biblical context.
So, we could argue that the Pillar of Cloud is protective, reliable, where God’s presence rests, and morphs into fire at night. The analogue could be argued to be Iron Dome that forms a protective cloud above Israeli population centers. Ironically, the cloud protection happens through fire (missiles that destroy missiles). A new reality sheds potential insight on the meaning of the original verse, or not.
Let us all pray for the long-term safety of the children of Israel, whether as civilians or as soldiers fighting a just war. As President of Shimon Peres said, ‘No one can doubt the legitimacy of this mission.’ President Obama said that a nation being hit by missiles from outside its borders may defend itself.
Pushing the analogy further and taking words out of one context and bringing them into another. “He spoke unto them in the pillar of cloud.” (or ‘From a Pillar of Cloud He would speak unto them.’) This plainly refers to the LORD speaking to Moses or the LORD speaking through Moses to the children of Israel. But, it captures the imagination to twist the metaphor and say the speaker is Knesset Yisrael (the people of Israel) and those being spoken to are the Arabs in Gaza. In Israel, often military conflict is described as dialogue. Sometimes said with a tone of irony. Sometimes meant literally. This metaphor projects an arguably arrogant metaphor of superiority and confidence that could be said to border on hubris.
However, you understand ‘Pillar of Cloud’ the use of the Biblical allusion provides strength, comfort and confidence to our brothers who live in Israel. It provides strength by alluding to a divine intervention that happened then and there. Depending on your theology, it is either the missile batteries of Iron Dome, perhaps combined with the air strikes by the Israel Air Force, or it is the LORD acting through the IAF and Iron Dome as his messenger. This is an example of an asmatchta, use of Biblical text in a relevant context but outside it’s literal meaning. I’m confident that many of our brothers in Israel feel the immense divine miracle of the newly deployed, ‘Pillar of Cloud’ that separates us from our enemies.
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Citation: obama-israel-has-right-to-defend-itself
Shimon Peres: No one Doubts the Legitimacy of Pillar of Cloud
Below you find verses that contain the words: “Pillar of Cloud”. Consider this to be the footnote section.
13,21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night:
13,22 the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people.
14,19 And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud removed from before them, and stood behind them;
14,20 and it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the darkness here, yet gave it light by night there; and the one came not near the other all the night.
33,9 And it came to pass, when Moses entered into the Tent, the pillar of cloud descended, and stood at the door of the Tent; and [the LORD] spoke with Moses.
99,1 The LORD reigneth; let the peoples tremble; He is enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake.
99,2 The LORD is great in Zion; and He is high above all the peoples.
99,3 Let them praise Thy name as great and awful; Holy is He.
99,4 The strength also of the king who loveth justice– {N}
Thou hast established equity, Thou hast executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
99,5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and prostrate yourselves at His footstool; Holy is He.
99,6 Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His name, {N}
did call upon the LORD, and He answered them.
99,7 He spoke unto them in the pillar of cloud; they kept His testimonies, and the statute that He gave them.
99,8 O LORD our God, Thou didst answer them; {N}
a forgiving God wast Thou unto them, though Thou tookest vengeance of their misdeeds.
99,9 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at His holy hill; {N}
for the LORD our God is holy. {P}