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Shoftim 11: Vows, Leadership, and Sacrifice

JL;DR SUMMARY Ori Bach offers a nuanced analysis of the eleventh chapter of Sefer Shoftim, where Yiftah's vow and its aftermath overshadow the military victory over Ammon. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

LeadershipSacrificeFaithJudgesBiblical NarrativesAkedahVowsShoftimMoral StandardsYiftah

Places mentioned

Israel
"The eleventh perek of Shoftim features Benei Yisrael facing a new adversary, the nation of Ammon. Lacking any semblance of military organization, the elders of Benei Yisrael approach Yiftah, an experienced warrior who was cruelly expelled by his half-brothers, to serve as their general (Shoftim 11:25)."

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Retrieved 2026-05-08 05:30:25 UTC
Curated 2026-05-08 08:30:35 UTC