Rabbi YY Jacobson on Recognition of G-d: Focus on Naaman

In this lecture, Rabbi YY Jacobson delves into four levels of recognizing G-d’s supremacy and unity. Four key people in the Hebrew Bible introduced those concepts:

• Yisro (Jethro): Exodus 18:11
• Rachav (Rahab): Joshua 2:11
• Naaman: II Kings 5:15
• Moshe (Moses): Deuteronomy 4:39

The first 45 minutes of this lecture focus on Naaman, who was a great general of Aram in the time of Elisha. The prophet Elisha provided a miracle that removed the affliction of tzara’as from Naaman. When this happened, Naaman rejected idolatry and also became a righteous Gentile (Noahide).

Note that the blemish of tzara’as on a person affected only the skin (see Leviticus 13). Some older translations translate it as “leprosy,” but that is completely unrelated.

Then, starting at time 45:39, Rabbi Jacobson provides an amazing analysis based on the verse Deuteronomy 3:23. That is the first verse of the Torah portion Va’eschanan, which is read on the Sabbath after the Jewish fast-day of Tishe B’Av (the 9th of Menachem Av).

At time 1:23:00, he goes further to give the kabbalistic interpretation from Rabbi Yitzchak Luria. Rabbi Luria was the “AriZal,” whose yahrzeit is on the 5th of Menachem Av.

The story of Elisha the prophet, Naaman the metzorah, and an abducted Jewish girl.