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A different “Ritzpah” story
By Simone Cohen Scott
Back in September, during the High Holy Days, the JP&N ran a short story by David R. Topper, senior scholar at the University of Winnipeg. It was entitled Rizpah’s Vigil, and I perked up immediately because the name Ritzpah means something special to me. Topper’s story was developed from a line or two of scripture in the Tanach, specifically from Nevi’im.
In one sentence Samuel II: chapter 21, verse 10, relates that Ritzpah, King Saul’s concubine, is guarding her two sons and five others of his offspring, all having been impaled, from birds and beasts of prey who would otherwise devour their decomposing bodies. She does this from the beginning of harvest until the rains come, camping day and night on a bed of sackcloth over rock, wielding a torch, according to the author, to ward off predators.
With the scene thus set , the author imagines the woman’s musings during those hazardous months. She alternately converses with herself, argues with G-d, discusses her perspectives and situation with a visitor she calls “the scholar,” even considers the meaning of her name. Apparently she cannot read or write, but she is sensitive and articulate. She expresses bitterness, humiliation, anger, mingled with her grief, and her love. During a storm – which she may only have dreamed, she experiences a direct encounter with G-d. Does this bring deliverance? The story ends inconclusively.
Sixty years ago I borrowed a brand new novel from the Toronto Public Library by one Charles E. Israel. In that day romantic fiction was right up my alley. A later verse in Samuel II, this time chapter 36, verse 7, mentions this woman again by name, providing a second point of reference, which, together with the other, enables Charles Israel to build an historical novel.
The voice he uses in the telling of her story is that of an old woman, Rizpah’s companion through the years – from her initial capture by Philistines, through her developing devotion to the new King Saul until his death, then subsequent fondness for his general Abner, until he is killed. She flees with her sons to escape King David’s murderous intent, but does not succeed, hence the scene depicted by Potter. What was I thinking? Not a romantic novel at all. The title of the novel was Rizpah, and I fell in love with the name.
At about this point in my life I saw, for the very first time, an Afghan hound. Oh, how gorgeous it was! I had my husband let me out of the car so I could go over and pet it. We already had a dog, but I decided then and there that one day I would have an Afghan hound, and when I did, I would name her Ritzpah.
It was a long time coming. Life happens, and whenever I would come close, I would get cold feet. I was warned about the grooming, the shedding, the temperament, not to mention the expense, the exercising. Finally, with the turn of the millennium, I gave myself permission. I flew to Toronto, rented a car, drove to Woodstock, found the kennel…… There were two members of the purebred litter remaining, a male and a female, the size of cats, though still puppies. “Why not two?” I thought, but dismissed the idea. Ritzpah was duly registered with the Canadian Kennel Club, and I brought her home.
I was in the Shaarey Zedek Choir at the time and I had missed some practices in order to carry out my errand. The other members all knew why I’d been away, so when I returned with the dog, everyone was excited for me. I was so happy…….until I overheard someone ask: “Why would anyone name their dog ‘Floor’?” I couldn’t believe my ears. I was told the word “ritzpah,” in Hebrew, meant “floor.” Nobody had heard of the concubine.
Next morning I phoned Henny Paritzky, whose Hebrew class at the Jewish Library I’d been attending. Sure enough, she told me that in Hebrew, in Israel, the word for “floor” is “ritzpah.” She had never heard of Rizpah the concubine, either. At that point I shied away from telling Jewish people my dog’s name. If I did and they snickered or smirked I would trip over myself explaining she was named after one of Saul’s concubines. No one was interested.
I became really angry at Eliezer Ben Yehuda, whose decision and effort it was that revived the holy biblical tongue. I looked into how he had arrived at new/old words for the new/old country. What I learned was that his group of teachers, fluent in ancient Hebrew, found words for new concepts in their own brains. Daily they analyzed the various words they had extrapolated from their personal vocabularies, organizing them for the dictionaries they subsequently wrote.
At that point I stopped trying to learn conversational Hebrew, and focused instead on Torah and Haftarah tropes. Then, one Shabbat, as I was following along in the Hebrew while someone chanted Haftarah Yitro, where the angels are singing “Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh” back and forth to each other, and Isaiah realizes he is being urged to go and tell everyone about this, I noticed something. “Woe is me,” Isaiah says, “for I am a man of unclean lips…,” and immediately one of the seraphs flies over to the altar, picks up a live coal with a pair of tongs, and purifies Isaiah’s lips. And guess what? Reading the Hebrew I see the word “ritzpah;” I check the English translation and it says “live coal.” Wow! “Ritzpah” was a special word after all! This wonderful gem of information, this vindication that I had just received, didn’t impress anyone.
All this happened before the web was part of my life. What a difference the internet makes! Not expecting anything, just before I concluded this article, I typed “Ritzpah” into Google. To my surprise, a cornucopia of material appeared. Biblical scholars, rabbis, educators in Christian and Jewish colleges, authors and editors of anthologies, all had something to say. It seemed the entire intellectual world was discussing who Ritzpah was, taking lessons from her life, mentioning the meaning of her name as “hot coal.” There were several beautiful paintings and at least one sculpture of the lovely concubine. Several analyses of the woman’s probable life seem to be providing material or various Women’s Studies programs around the continent. The 60 years of emotion I spent, holding a woman’s name in my heart, giving it to my elegant dog, struggling for its appropriateness, suddenly seems so mundane.
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The Popularity of Simpler Slot Games in 2026: Review From Casino Online CrazyTower Experts
Online casinos now fill their libraries with numerous video slots that have dozens of functions, long bonus rounds, complex mechanics, and so on. Interestingly, despite this huge range of modern options, many Canadian visitors at sites like Casino Online CrazyTower here https://crazytower.com/ca/ no longer want complicated gameplay that requires constant attention and long explanations.
Simpler slots now attract a wider audience because they save time and create faster sessions. So, let’s figure out why this change happened and reasons for the popularity of simpler machines.
Why Many Players Are Returning to Basic Gameplay
Modern websites like Casino Online CrazyTower pushed complex video slots for years, but many people now prefer classic formats again. Simple gameplay has fewer interruptions and is simpler in terms of budgeting, which is important when you gamble for fun.
These are a few potential reasons explain why simpler slots became popular again in 2026:
- Faster rounds. Symbols appear quickly, and rounds continue without long animations or extended bonus sequences.
- Easier controls. Most classic slots have simple menus and familiar layouts that don’t confuse new visitors.
- Smaller feature lists. Simple slots usually have standard wilds, scatters, and multipliers instead of dozens of random mechanics.
- Better session flow. People spend more time on gameplay instead of reading explanations about symbols and special functions.
- Lower visual pressure. Simpler slots use calmer designs and shorter effects that don’t overload attention.
Classic gameplay also suits mobile devices better because shorter rounds work well on smaller screens. Plus, many visitors now prefer games that start instantly and explain their mechanics within seconds.
Features That Make Simpler Slots Appealing
Simple machines at Casino Online CrazyTower and similar websites continue to attract attention because they have a high gameplay speed. Many classic titles also replicate older casino machines that people already know from physical casinos.
However, these aren’t the only factors that attract gamblers. So, check out this list:
- Short bonus rounds. Free spins and multipliers finish quickly instead of interrupting gameplay for several minutes.
- Common and standard paylines. Traditional layouts help people understand payouts without long explanations.
- Faster loading times. Simpler graphics reduce waiting time on phones, tablets, and older computers.
- Stable gameplay pace. Long cutscenes and constant pop-up notifications don’t interrupt the session.
- Traditional themes. Fruit symbols, bars, sevens, and classic casino designs still attract large audiences.
- Smaller menus. Important information appears immediately without complicated tabs or hidden sections.
Modern video slots often contain too many mechanics in a single game. Developers now combine expanding reels, random modifiers, mission systems, tournaments, and multiple bonus levels in one title. Many visitors lose interest because gameplay turns repetitive and overloaded with constant interruptions.
Compare this to a session when you get results immediately and aren’t interrupted. These still have free spins and even mini risk games, but not as loaded as innovative titles.
Conclusion
Simple slots usually create better replay value because people understand the mechanics immediately. Common and standard gameplay doesn’t cause frustration and allows faster decisions during casino sessions.
Many classic slots also function better during short breaks because rounds finish quickly without long bonus interruptions. That’s why simpler slots became popular again at many casinos, including Casino Online CrazyTower and such.
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Football: Which team from Israel could we see in the European Cup next year?
With Europe’s club competitions heading into another summer of drama, Israeli football is on the table. The domestic season is done, trophies picked up and now a new batch of clubs can now try their luck against continental competition.
What are the prospects of these teams in Europe next year and who are they? It all starts with Hapoel Be’er Sheva’s title, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s cup win and the competition of the best Israel football teams against each other, as fans look to Champions League on Wincomparator to see what teams are in contention.
How Israel’s clubs qualify for Europe: The 2026-2027 spots
Qualification to join the European elite hinges on the 2025-26 Israeli Premier League table and the Israel State Cup. Israel will have one Champions League spot, one Europa League spot, and two Europa Conference League spots in 2026-27.
That means the league winner gets into the Champions League, the State Cup winner goes on to Europa League qualifying. The next eligible league’s finishers take the Conference League slots. It’s a good model as it provides a tangible reward for consistency at home, while at the same time demonstrating the importance of each playoff game. A top three finish can help a club’s summer, bring in better players and provide fans with a European tour before the next season’s start.
The Champion’s quest: Israel’s hope for the Champions League
Meet the 2025-26 Premier League winner: Hapoel Be’er Sheva
Hapoel Be’er Sheva have qualified for Israel’s Champions League after their Israeli Premier League title win with 79 points scored in 36 games. Ran Kozuch’s side closed the gap on the three-point lead but also showed significant strength in the attacking phase to secure a win in a crucial championship round with Beitar Jerusalem.
Their challenge also comes as their reward. Hapoel Be’er Sheva are only expected to begin in the second round of the Champions League, not the league round. To get to the main competition they need to pass through the first round of the other national champions in two-legged ties, and their seeding, fitness and sharpness in early-season competition could be a game breaker.
While the club has experience in Europe and a rabid Turner Stadium following, the path is tough. It takes one bad outing to wipe out a year’s worth of work. However, as long as the bedrock remains the same and they are able to put some depth into the team, the champions have the balance to fight.
Battling in the Conference League: Israel’s other European contenders
The State Cup winner and league runners-up
Maccabi Tel Aviv go to Europe after the Israel State Cup final 2-1 win against Hapoel Be’er Sheva at Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem. That win denied Be’er Sheva a home double, and also meant that Maccabi got into the Europa League qualifying, where they were put in the second qualifying round thanks to access-list rebalancing.
The Conference League qualifiers are Beitar Jerusalem who finished second in the league with 76 points, and Hapoel Tel Aviv who finished fourth with 60 points. The importance of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s cup victory lies in the fact that it unlocked the rest of the way in the league. Beitar’s season was particularly impressive as they scored 78 goals and lost just four matches. On the other hand, Hapoel Tel Aviv managed to remain above Maccabi Haifa in the final table standing, earning them a well-deserved European berth.
The Europa Conference League is no consolation prize for these clubs. It’s a realistic platform. Although there are still a few hurdles to navigate, Israeli sides consider this competition to be the most realistic one for European football in the autumn.
A look at past successes and future hopes
This group has reason for belief, based on recent history. Israeli teams can make significant nights in Europe, and Maccabi Haifa did just that, when they made it into the Champions League group stage in 2022-23, and then impressively took out Juventus 2-0 in Haifa.
There is significant monetary and sporting worth in qualification. A UEFA cup can make a difference to a club, as can better attendance, TV coverage and recruitment opportunities. The early storylines will be the draw for Hapoel Be’er Sheva in the Champions League, as well as Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa league and the two Conference League routes — Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Tel Aviv. They all have tricky paths to follow, but all four provide Israeli football with a realistic European presence next summer.
