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August 28, 2017

Is God Riding on Clouds, through the Wilderness, or on Willows?

The ancient mystery of the aravot.

Psalm 68:5 describes God as rokheyv ba’aravot, or “riding upon aravot.” While the second word means “willows” in modern Hebrew and derives from a common Hebrew root with multiple meanings, its interpretation has puzzled exegetes since ancient times. Mitchell First discusses some of the possibilities:

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August 28, 2017

  1. Israel’s New Gaza Strategy: From Deterrence to Victory

    Losing patience with sporadic conflict.

  2. The Perversity of Shaming “Trump’s Jews”

    “Court Jews” and canceled phone calls.

  3. Israel Has Nothing to Learn about Combating Terrorism from the EU

    Unlike the Europeans, Israelis are willing to risk their lives fighting terror.

  4. How Arturo Toscanini Defied Both Mussolini and Hitler

    A moral virtuoso.

  5. Is God Riding on Clouds, through the Wilderness, or on Willows?

    The ancient mystery of the aravot.