A. From Tanach: nature of Gevurah
(לב) ט֤וֹב אֶ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם מִגִּבּ֑וֹר
וּמֹשֵׁ֥ל בְּ֝רוּח֗וֹ מִלֹּכֵ֥ד עִֽיר׃
(32) Better to be forgiving than mighty,
To have self-control than to conquer a city.
(י) וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ דָּוִיד֙ אֶת־יהוה לְעֵינֵ֖י כׇּל־הַקָּהָ֑ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֗יד בָּר֨וּךְ אַתָּ֤ה יהוה אֱלֹהֵי֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל אָבִ֔ינוּ מֵעוֹלָ֖ם וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ (יא) לְךָ֣ יהוה הַגְּדֻלָּ֨ה וְהַגְּבוּרָ֤ה וְהַתִּפְאֶ֙רֶת֙ וְהַנֵּ֣צַח וְהַה֔וֹד כִּי־כֹ֖ל בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם וּבָאָ֑רֶץ לְךָ֤ יהוה הַמַּמְלָכָ֔ה וְהַמִּתְנַשֵּׂ֖א לְכֹ֥ל ׀ לְרֹֽאשׁ׃ (יב) וְהָעֹ֤שֶׁר וְהַכָּבוֹד֙ מִלְּפָנֶ֔יךָ וְאַתָּה֙ מוֹשֵׁ֣ל בַּכֹּ֔ל וּבְיָדְךָ֖ כֹּ֣חַ וּגְבוּרָ֑ה וּבְיָ֣דְךָ֔ לְגַדֵּ֥ל וּלְחַזֵּ֖ק לַכֹּֽל׃ (יג) וְעַתָּ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ מוֹדִ֥ים אֲנַ֖חְנוּ לָ֑ךְ וּֽמְהַלְלִ֖ים לְשֵׁ֥ם תִּפְאַרְתֶּֽךָ׃ (יד) וְכִ֨י מִ֤י אֲנִי֙ וּמִ֣י עַמִּ֔י כִּי־נַעְצֹ֣ר כֹּ֔חַ לְהִתְנַדֵּ֖ב כָּזֹ֑את כִּי־מִמְּךָ֣ הַכֹּ֔ל וּמִיָּדְךָ֖ נָתַ֥נּוּ לָֽךְ׃
(10) David blessed the LORD in front of all the assemblage; David said, “Blessed are You, LORD, God of Israel our father, from eternity to eternity. (11) Yours, LORD, are greatness, might, splendor, triumph, and majesty—yes, all that is in heaven and on earth; to You, LORD, belong kingship and preeminence above all. (12) Riches and honor are Yours to dispense; You have dominion over all; with You are strength and might, and it is in Your power to make anyone great and strong. (13) Now, God, we praise You and extol Your glorious name. (14) Who am I and who are my people, that we should have the means to make such a freewill offering; but all is from You, and it is Your gift that we have given to You.
(יד) לִֽי־עֵ֭צָה וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑ה
אֲנִ֥י בִ֝ינָ֗ה לִ֣י גְבוּרָֽה׃
(14) Mine are counsel and resourcefulness;
I am understanding; courage is mine.
Chevruta from Section A
1. What is the nature of Gevurah?
2. Gevurah is an essential character trait. What are positive results from a healthy amount of Gevurah?
3. If Gevurah gets out of whack (too powerful), what are potential dangers?
Rabbis further delineate Gevurah
בֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר... אֵיזֶהוּ גִבּוֹר, הַכּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת יִצְרוֹ
Ben Zoma said: ...Who is mighty? the person who subdues his desire.
וְאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הָעוֹלָם, הָיָה מַרְחִיב וְהוֹלֵךְ כִּשְׁתֵּי פַקְעִיּוֹת שֶׁל שְׁתִי, עַד שֶׁגָּעַר בּוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהֶעֱמִידוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַמּוּדֵי שָׁמַיִם יְרוֹפָפוּ וְיִתְמְהוּ מִגַּעֲרָתוֹ״, וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי״ — אֲנִי הוּא שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לָעוֹלָם דַּי. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הַיָּם הָיָה מַרְחִיב וְהוֹלֵךְ, עַד שֶׁגָּעַר בּוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְיִבְּשׁוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״גּוֹעֵר בַּיָּם וַיַּבְּשֵׁהוּ וְכׇל הַנְּהָרוֹת הֶחֱרִיב״.
And Rav Yehuda said that Rav said, with regard to the same matter: When the Holy One, Blessed be He, created the world, it continued to expand like two balls of a warp, whose cord lengthens as they unravel, until the Holy One, Blessed be He, rebuked it and made it stand still, as it is stated: “The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His rebuke” (Job 26:11). And this is the same as that which Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “I am the Almighty God [El Shaddai]” (Genesis 17:1)? It means: I am He Who said to the world “enough [dai],” instructing it to stop expanding. Similarly, Reish Lakish said: When the Holy One, Blessed be He, created the sea, it continued to expand until the Holy One, Blessed be He, rebuked it and made it dry, as it is stated: “He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and desiccates all the rivers” (Nahum 1:4).
Chevruta from Section B
1. Last week, we examined Chesed. The first source in this section describes the impact of a healthy sense of Gevurah in regard to our desires. When in harmony, how might Gevurah balance out Chesed in a healthy way in our lives, relationships, and society?
2. The last source here is matter of playful rabbinic thought, or Midrash. While grounded in the story of Creation, this Midrash demonstrates the Holy One's quality of Gevurah. What action does God take that is rooted in Gevurah? How does that action impact Creation?