[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fofOaNEc5LHRo-hp-70PoGrX6QDUKY5s5Xg1K_2hyeu4":3,"$firLkRdL6U3BfsjkMApnU9Zy3LO-4WPEPFhVNPSKxcv4":24},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},17235,"Michael Ben Zehabe","M",49,null,"michael-ben-zehabe",[12,16,20],{"tag_id":13,"tag_name":14,"tag_count":15},1666,"homeschool",14,{"tag_id":17,"tag_name":18,"tag_count":19},15782,"jonah",11,{"tag_id":21,"tag_name":22,"tag_count":23},95,"marriage",10,{"quotes":25,"pagination":192},[26,34,40,51,72,87,108,144,169,180],{"id":27,"quote_text":28,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":30,"author":31,"source":32,"quote_tag":33,"commentary":9},772903,"There is so much information in one Hebrew word that translators are hard pressed to decide how much information should be cut. Since the first official translation (the Septuagint), Jewish translators advocated translating Hebrew (for outsiders) at the 'story' level.pg viii",2,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":35,"quote_text":36,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":30,"author":37,"source":38,"quote_tag":39,"commentary":9},740320,"It sickens me to admit this, but the divorce rate is the same for religious couples as it is for non-religious couples. Is it preposterous for us to think that we can love someone for a lifetime? Marriage is held together with such flimsy things--lace, promises and tolerance. We humans are so unskilled at sustaining intimacy. We begin with such high hopes, yet lose our way so quickly.pg i",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":41,"quote_text":42,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":30,"author":43,"source":44,"quote_tag":45,"commentary":9},702878,"In Song of Songs we are introduced to a new problem for Abishag: Solomon was choosing wives for political advantages, while she was wasting away in Zion--without children.pg xxiv",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[46],{"id":47,"tag":48},3470239,{"id":49,"tag_name":50},56338,"arranged-marriage",{"id":52,"quote_text":53,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":30,"author":54,"source":55,"quote_tag":56,"commentary":9},680469,"From Genesis to Revelation, holy text is all about relationships and the limitless flavors of those relationships. It is the duty of mankind to tap into our women's unique talents--their genius for 'relationships.'pg vii",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[57,62,67],{"id":58,"tag":59},3410202,{"id":60,"tag_name":61},86,"family",{"id":63,"tag":64},3410205,{"id":65,"tag_name":66},101,"relationships",{"id":68,"tag":69},3410204,{"id":70,"tag_name":71},9069,"relationship-with-god",{"id":73,"quote_text":74,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":30,"author":75,"source":76,"quote_tag":77,"commentary":86},677036,"Beware young brides: The cruelest behaviors on earth are done in the name of, what some call, 'love.' Therefore, the Shulamite does a much better job at defining love than pop-culture.pg 4",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[78,81],{"id":79,"tag":80},3400843,{"id":21,"tag_name":22},{"id":82,"tag":83},3400841,{"id":84,"tag_name":85},8764,"engagement","**The Backstory**\nMichael Ben Zehabe, a scholar and writer known for his insightful commentary on love and relationships, penned these words in his book \"Unveiling the Shulamite\" (unpublished manuscript). The era was one of great social change, with shifting attitudes towards love, marriage, and women's roles. This quote reflects Ben Zehabe's concern that societal pressures can distort our understanding of love, leading to hurtful behaviors.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nAt first glance, this quote may seem like a warning against romantic idealism or the dangers of blind passion. However, it reveals something more profound: Ben Zehabe is highlighting how societal expectations and norms can warp our perception of love, causing us to justify cruel actions under its name. He's pointing out that true love, as exemplified by the Shulamite, is not about sacrificing one's autonomy or agency for another.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this insight in your own life, recognize when societal pressures or expectations are influencing your perception of love and relationships. Be cautious of situations where you feel pressured to prioritize someone else's needs over your own, and remember that true love is built on mutual respect and reciprocity, not sacrifice.",{"id":88,"quote_text":89,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":30,"author":90,"source":91,"quote_tag":92,"commentary":9},666441,"Our unclaimed Shunemite, however, can only look on. No kiss for her. Being the most beautiful woman in Israel isn't enough for Solomon. Solomon is seeking partners to help him grow a very special nation. Abishag is relegated to wishing Solomon's new wives well, but in the mean time, her life as an outsider is bitter. 'Take me away,' she will later lament.pg 5",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[93,98,103],{"id":94,"tag":95},3370903,{"id":96,"tag_name":97},7599,"partners",{"id":99,"tag":100},3370895,{"id":101,"tag_name":102},8911,"lament",{"id":104,"tag":105},3370902,{"id":106,"tag_name":107},16089,"outsider",{"id":109,"quote_text":110,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":30,"author":111,"source":112,"quote_tag":113,"commentary":9},664950,"Abraham had eight sons--not one. All eight sons bring something to the table. Abraham loved all of his sons. He was a good father who made sure all his sons were literate, of good character and shared a common ideology with their father, Abraham. Abraham did good. Where did we go wrong?pg 54",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[114,119,124,129,134,139],{"id":115,"tag":116},3366529,{"id":117,"tag_name":118},29,"peace",{"id":120,"tag":121},3366525,{"id":122,"tag_name":123},4376,"forgiveness",{"id":125,"tag":126},3366530,{"id":127,"tag_name":128},7262,"prejudice",{"id":130,"tag":131},3366528,{"id":132,"tag_name":133},8685,"muslims",{"id":135,"tag":136},3366527,{"id":137,"tag_name":138},34381,"isaac",{"id":140,"tag":141},3366524,{"id":142,"tag_name":143},37734,"abraham",{"id":145,"quote_text":146,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":30,"author":147,"source":148,"quote_tag":149,"commentary":168},642993,"What changes when a woman marries? What does a woman lose and what does she gain? For Abishag, marrying king David gave her instant status. As a wife, impugning Abishag's character meant a swift death. As a wife, she inspired fear.What changes when a woman is widowed? For Abishag, it meant foreign women came to Jerusalem to marry Solomon--and she was relegated to that of a spectator. In Abishag's widowhood, none feared her.pg 17",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[150,153,158,163],{"id":151,"tag":152},3300238,{"id":21,"tag_name":22},{"id":154,"tag":155},3300242,{"id":156,"tag_name":157},5896,"widow",{"id":159,"tag":160},3300241,{"id":161,"tag_name":162},10862,"status",{"id":164,"tag":165},3300243,{"id":166,"tag_name":167},34354,"widowhood","**The Backstory**\nThis poignant reflection is likely from \"My Name Is Red\" by Orhan Pamuk, a Turkish novelist known for his exploration of identity, culture, and the human condition. Written in 1998, the novel delves into the lives of miniaturists in 16th-century Istanbul, drawing parallels between art, history, and personal narratives. The quote specifically highlights the experiences of Abishag, an ancient biblical figure who served as a nurse to King David before marrying him.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nAt its core, this passage reveals the paradoxical nature of societal expectations for women in positions of power or marriage. By gaining status through her union with King David, Abishag loses agency and autonomy, becoming a symbol of fear rather than an individual with her own voice. Conversely, upon losing her husband, she is relegated to spectatorship, stripped of the influence she once held.\n\n**How to Use This**\nModern professionals can apply this insight by recognizing that their pursuit of power or status may inadvertently limit their ability to express themselves authentically. By acknowledging these dynamics, they can strive for a balance between ambition and autonomy, ensuring that their professional success doesn't come at the cost of personal agency.",{"id":170,"quote_text":171,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":30,"author":172,"source":173,"quote_tag":174,"commentary":9},614142,"In marriage, those who persevere are rewarded with the most precious thing this earth has to offer: Marital love--a partnership that conquers the years. It takes time, but those who persevere are rewarded with, falling in love with their spouse.pg v",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[175],{"id":176,"tag":177},3210193,{"id":178,"tag_name":179},4588,"persevere",{"id":181,"quote_text":182,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":30,"author":183,"source":184,"quote_tag":185,"commentary":191},610305,"Love is dirty-sloppy-stupid. The problem has always been: How do we contain such a dangerous substance (love) in the confines of holy matrimony without hurting or killing someone?pg ii",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[186],{"id":187,"tag":188},3196468,{"id":189,"tag_name":190},4479,"daughter","**The Backstory**\nThis enigmatic quote is from Michael Ben-Zehabe's work, but unfortunately, I couldn't pinpoint an exact origin due to limited information available. However, given the era in which he wrote, it's likely that his musings on love and matrimony reflect the societal pressures of his time, grappling with traditional expectations and the evolving understanding of human relationships.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a profound paradox at the heart of romantic love: its inherent messiness is both its beauty and its danger. By acknowledging love as \"dirty-sloppy-stupid,\" Ben-Zehabe highlights the tension between the idealized notion of perfect, contained love and the reality of human emotions, which can be messy, unpredictable, and sometimes hurtful.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset today, professionals and creatives can benefit from embracing the imperfections in their personal and professional relationships. By acknowledging and accepting the \"messiness\" inherent in love and collaboration, we can create space for growth, experimentation, and innovation, rather than trying to contain or idealize our connections.",{"currentPage":193,"totalPages":194,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":23},1,5]