Amalek from Generation to Generation

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Amalek from Generation Asher Benzion Buchman responds: to Generation I thank Dr. Tanen for acknowledg- I WAS DISAPPOINTED that you in- ing that my article on modern-day cluded gratuitous political posturing Amalek made “many fine points,” in your recent article Amalek From but I am puzzled as to why he then Generation to Generation (Hakiraḥ 28). finds it to include “gratuitous polit- Hakiraḥ is supposed to be “a forum ical posturing” as there is nothing for the discussion of issues of hash- gratuitous about my identification kafah and halakhah relevant to the of the base of the Democratic Party community from a perspective of with Amalek. That is the whole careful analysis of the primary To- point of the article. What could be rah sources.” The article could have more “relevant to the community” made its many fine points without than this? The purpose of Torah is the political posturing, sexism and lilmod al m’nas la’asos. Rambam iden- xenophobia: “And thus the base of tifies the eternal enemy of the Jews the Democratic Party in the United as those who either want to physi- States is made up of the envious cally annihilate the Jewish people or lower classes, the Muslims, and the to kill them spiritually by tearing G-dless ‘intellectuals’ who domi- them away from their religion. He nate and indoctrinate on our college refers to the prophecies of Daniel campuses and in the media. All are to suggest that these two groups will driven by jealousy. Jealousy and its eventually work in tandem. Honest precipitous hatred for the Jews and people should be willing to Judeo-Christian America unite acknowledge the truths about those them.” Castigating Secretary Clin- groups who have the most intense ton as a modern-day Amalekite hatred towards the Jews and Juda- does not meet the standards of a ism. The base of the Democratic text-based Torah journal. One can Party uncritically embraces BLM add Hakiraḥ to the list of Orthodox rallies/riots where the Palestinian institutions that have become polit- flag is routinely displayed and ha- ical spokespersons for the Republi- tred for all Jews is clearly expressed. can Party and where dissenting Let me quote from the New York views are vilified as antithetical to Times (May 15, 2021): Torah values. On Thursday, a group of leading Melech Tanen progressive members of Con- Thornhill, Ontario gress offered a rare break from party unity, giving fiery speeches on the House floor that accused

Mr. Biden of ignoring the plight President Biden praised her. And of Palestinians and “taking the though as of this writing he had not side of the occupation.” Repre- acquiesced to his party’s base in its sentative Alexandria Ocasio- call to stop Israel from defending it- Cortez of New York directly self, nevertheless he doomed the challenged the president, who Abraham Accords and replaced had asserted that Israel had a them with the Iran nuclear deal. right to defend itself. “Do Pales- The intellectual elite on college tinians have a right to survive?” campuses routinely attack Judaism, she asked in an impassioned ad- and of late, the entire Judeo-Chris- dress. “Do we believe that? And tian culture is under assault by this if so, we have a responsibility to group. The Liberal media con- that as well.” Less than 24 hours stantly distorts what is happening later, on Friday, nearly 150 between the Arabs and Jews, espe- prominent liberal advocacy or- cially when Israel is under attack ganizations issued a joint state- and must defend itself. When Hil- ment calling for “solidarity with lary Clinton declares, “deep-seated the Palestinian residents” and cultural codes, religious beliefs and condemning “Israeli state vio- structural biases have to be lence” and “supremacy” in Jeru- changed,” she is leading the left’s salem. The statement was signed charge to eradicate the Seven No- not just by groups focused on achide Laws from American cul- Middle Eastern and Jewish is- ture. The call to “defund the police” sues but by groups dedicated to and to abandon government laws causes like climate change, im- on immigration and protection of migration, feminism and racial private property makes dinim the justice—a sign that for the sixth of the seven laws that are un- party’s liberal faction, the Israeli- der attack. (It would seem that ever Palestinian conflict has moved min hachai will survive for the time far beyond the realm of foreign being—but give them time.) policy. “The base of the party In Orthodox circles, the talk is (my emphasis) is moving in a about whether we will soon be very different direction than forced to leave America. Rabbi where the party establishment Berel Wein, a learned scholar and is,” Mr. Zogby said. “If you sup- accomplished historian, writes: port Black Lives Matter, it was not a difficult leap to saying Pal- A serious question has now estinian lives matter, too.” arisen regarding the future of the United States of America. It is a What kind of electorate puts very polarized society, and over open anti-Semites like Omar and the past decades, it has lost its Tlaib into office, and what kind of moral footing. It has become party allows them to be influential? dissolute, hateful of its own her- As Tlaib spewed her hate for Jews, Letters to the Editor : 13

itage, spoiled by too much mate- all Jews, encouraged by people who rial wealth, and subject to Marx- are icons of the left. ist indoctrination emanating Dr. Tanen refers to “a list of Or- from its educational systems. thodox institutions that have be- Whether or not the United come political spokespersons for States will be able to survive this the Republican Party.” This must be storm is, as of yet, an undecided a very short list as the chilling effect question. However, it is clear to of the cancel culture and the fear of me that no matter what hap- actual physical violence have si- pens, it will become increasingly lenced all the institutions that I difficult for Orthodox Jews to would hope would be speaking up. maintain themselves in Ameri- The rank and file of Orthodoxy nat- can society. The entire culture is urally supports the party that sup- hostile to Torah values and to a ports Israel, religious liberty and the Jewish way of life. seven Noachide Laws. Most Ortho- Jews have waxed prosper- dox Jews also bear the simple mid- ous over the past decades, and dah of hakaras hatov. Hakiraḥ , unlike the continuity of Orthodox edu- the institutions Dr. Tanen supports, cational institutions is contin- allows many voices to be expressed gent upon the continuation of and the mainstream voice of Ortho- that prosperity. However, doxy should be one of them. More- whether America will have a over, where does he see in any of prosperous future over the next Hakirah’ṣ authors the “vilification” few decades is a difficult ques- of dissenting views? It is he who, ra- tion to answer. There will be ther than make a rational argument more governmental regulations as to what facts are wrong, resorts regarding curriculum, and the to the standard name calling of nature of educational classes in “ism’s” and “phobias” to those who schools. Education separated by simply state the facts. If a cogent ar- sex will certainly not be allowed, gument can be made for supporting and the concentration on Torah a political party whose “base” and studies will be severely limited. I driving forces despise Israel and hope that I am wrong regarding whose intent is to abolish the seven my fears, but my heart tells me Noachide Laws and support the in- otherwise. 1 explicable Iran nuclear deal that im- poses an existential threat to Israel, As I write these words (late May) Hakiraḥ will print it. It would bring I read about the physical attacks on comfort to many of us to feel that Jews only blocks from my home in the left is not intent on destroying Flatbush by men chanting “Free us. Palestine.” This is happening The Rav expressed a more throughout the world and online hopeful tone some 50 years ago. the mention of Zionist sympathies “The Gentiles are not anti-Zionist and brings a flood of vilification against 14 : Hakirah,̣ The Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought are not anti-Semites. They just don’t un- words of Ḥazal are the first and pri- derstand us, and they resent us, and resent mary basis for understanding Ta- our resistance to assimilation and apos- nach.” tasy.”2 The Rav is addressing Esav, I here present the view that which was the enemy he saw 50 peshat and midrashei Hazaḷ are two years ago. And Esav must be torn completely different, but equally away from the influence of Amalek important approaches to the words In .(שבעים פנים לתורה) whose jealousy cannot be deflected. of the Torah As I noted in my essay, Esav will fact, not only does the midrash not eventually be won over by Israel, explain the pasuk, but, as Rambam but the Rav explains we need a points out, the literal words of the spokesman “who is as sophisticated and midrash are often problematical, -In) "תראה בו עניינים רחוקים מן השכל" as well-trained as all of the alufim, and perhaps better; who commands the respect troduction to Seder Zeraim, Part Six) "ונתברר שכל מה שחז"ל אמרו of the agnostic and uses the beauty of Yefes and also שבלתי-אפשרי, אין דבריהם אלא על דרך to protect the oholei Shem.” As I ended ,Commentary on the Mishnah) .משל" my essay, “An ideological battle must be waged. Our duty lies before us.” Sanhedrin, Introduction to Chapter

“Heileḳ ”) Peshat and Midrash Viewing the midrash as “the primary basis for understanding In the Letters section of Volume 29, Tanakh,” rather than the Torah there is an interesting exchange be- words themselves, indicates disre- tween Steven Brizel and the au- spect for the words of Torah, and thors, Rabbis Aton Holzer and Arie leads one to miss the important Folger, regarding an article about message of the midrash, as I will il- the new RCA “Siddur Avodat lustrate. HaLev.” However, there is one as- Thus, when reading a pasuk, pect of this exchange with which I there are two separate but equally take issue. These writers both ex- important tasks before us. One task press the view that there is some- is to understand the peshat of the thing wrong in discussing the peshat pasuk and the second task is to un- of a pasuk without also including the derstand what the midrash learns midrashic interpretation. The discus- from this pasuk. As the following sion relates, of course, to the non- example shows, the midrash is not halakhic pesukim. “hinting at ommeko shel peshat,” but Thus, Holzer-Folger write, “of- rather, the midrash presents various ten Hazaḷ , in their flowing midrashic aspects of the pasuk in a unique style, are clearly hinting at ommeko style. shel peshat … the distance between Consider Bereshit (45:26-27), peshat and derash is smaller than we which relates that Jacob did not be- often assume.” Brizel writes, “the lieve his sons when they returned from Egypt with the incredible Letters to the Editor : 15 news that Joseph was alive, was the bring your family to Egypt.” Phar- viceroy of all Egypt, and had given aoh’s wagons were, of course, en- instructions to bring the entire fam- graved with the royal seal of Egypt. ily to Egypt. However, when Jacob Seeing the royal seal of Egypt en- went outside and saw the wagons graved on the wagons convinced Ja- that the brothers had brought with cob that the fantastic report of Jo- them in which the family was to seph being alive and viceroy of travel to Egypt, he then believed the Egypt is actually true. report. Why did the wagons make Having explained the pasuk ac- Jacob change his mind and believe cording to peshat, we now come to this fantastic report? our second task. What important A well-known midrash gives the lesson is the midrash teaching us following explanation (Bereshit Rab- with its explanation of this pasuk? It bah 94:3): The last time that Jacob is written in the Torah that there had been together with Joseph, was a special, close relationship be- twenty-two years ago, they were tween Joseph and his father (37:3). learning the Torah laws of the be- How does a father establish such a headed heifer. Since the Hebrew close relationship with his son? A word for wagon is similar to the He- social worker might suggest playing brew word for heifer, the midrash baseball with his son, or going to states that Jacob immediately inter- the movies with his son, or sharing preted the wagons as a message sent inner feelings with his son. “No!” from Joseph, saying that the fantas- says the midrash. Rather, the best tic report of Joseph being alive is ac- and proper way to establish such a tually true. close, long-lasting relationship is for Here is an excellent example of the father and son to learn Torah Rambam’s statement that the literal together. words of the midrash often make no Thus, studying both the midrash sense. Since wagons were the ex- and the peshat of a pasuk reveals the pected means for bringing Jacob’s multifaceted nature of our Holy To- family to Egypt, why should Jacob rah. associate the wagons with Joseph? This is especially true in view of the Nathan Aviezer fact that the subject of their learning Petach Tikva, Israel had nothing to do with wagons. Moreover, this midrash finds no sup- Steven Brizel Responds: port whatsoever in the words of the pasuk. I reject the truly mistaken and The following peshat explanation forced dichotomy that adolescents suggests itself. The wagons that Ja- and adults either must learn Chu- cob saw had come from Pharaoh, mash on a child’s level via The Mid- who had instructed Joseph as fol- rash Says or solely via “peshat only.” lows (45:19): “Take wagons and The letter demonstrates that the 16 : Hakirah,̣ The Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought proper study of Tanach, and espe- rah that simply cannot be under- cially Chumash, requires a thorough stood on a pure peshat basis. knowledge of what I refer to as the More fundamentally, I remain Gedolei Mefarshim (Rashi, Ramban, convinced that any derech in the Ibn Ezra, Seforno, Rashbam, study of Tanach, and especially Chu- Netziv, and Meshech Chochmah at mash, the roots of which deny the a minimum) before venturing into unity of Torah SheBeAl Peh and Torah so-called “peshat only” which by no SheBeKesav, and which reduces Ta- means requires jettisoning what the nach, r”l, to just another ancient Gedolei Mefarshim say on any verse in Middle Eastern book of certain reli- Chumash in terms of Hashkafah, gious canons, will not interest or in- Aggadah and Halachah. spire the next generation with any The real question remains as fol- bedrock fundamentals of hashkafah lows. D. Adam Ferziger, who is by and emunah which can only be ex- no means chareidi in outlook, plored in any fashion based on an demonstrated and documented in awareness of the classical Mefarshim his article that unacceptable notions and the statements of Chazal that of Biblical criticism that were the were chosen by the Mefarshim for hallmark of Bible study at JTS and that very purpose. elsewhere, immigrated to Israel, became acceptable at Bar Ilan and Aton Holzer and Arie Folger respond: then in other circles associated with the Religious Zionist world. It then It is our view that midrash quite of- became the methods of teaching ten does many things at once. As Tanach in many MO schools in the you have noted, midrashim teach United States. proper behavior and convey im- I remain concerned and con- portant matters of theology, ones vinced that such a peshat only derech which are often quite removed which is heavily rooted in con- from the Biblical text and anachro- structing literary-based models and nistic in the Biblical context. In ad- structures, cannot be reconciled dition, the more fanciful midrashim with the mesorah of parshanut, where excite the imaginations of younger such structures cannot be found in students and are suited for piquing the words of Chazal and the Gedolei the interest of small children, as R. Mefarshim. Moshe Lichtenstein3 has observed. I very seriously question At the same time, these very whether you can say that the Torah, same midrashim, on closer exami- a Navi, Chazal or Rashi, etc., used a nation, quite often reveal the un- literary model, etc., when there is no canny discernment of Ḥazal to se- such proof for the same in the mantic or syntactical variance, pat- words of the Torah, the Navi, terns within the text and intertextu- Chazal or Rashi, etc. This is espe- ality—allusions that the text itself cially so in those portions of the To- subtly makes to other Biblical pas- Letters to the Editor : 17 sages (or vice versa), often high- parallel that might have gone over- lighting shared themes. looked, and thus foreground inter- In the academy, this phenome- textual links already embedded in non has been amply documented by the Biblical text—and understood Daniel Boyarin in his 1990 Intertex- in this way, they very much serve tuality and the Reading of Midrash; in the peshat that we are meant to un- the beit midrash, it is a mainstay of cover. the approach of the “New School The midrash that you cite is no of Orthodox Torah Commentary.” exception. Yes, the Midrash surely The midrash that relates Abraham’s does promote Rabbinic ideals of fa- being cast into Nimrod’s furnace is ther-son bonding over Torah study. not merely a tale to fire up the But on a deeper level, doesn’t the child’s imagination, nor simply a Midrash point us to a tension that moral lesson—though certainly it is already surfaces within the text? Jo- both of these—but it is also a clear seph apparently is killed in the intertextual reference to Hananiah,̣ fields, under mysterious circum- Misha’el and Azaryah. These figures stances. Jacob cannot make peace found themselves exiled to Abra- with his own sense of guilt, nor with ham’s ancestral home, replete with the brothers’ seeming indifference; a towering structure built for (the this ultimately manifests in Jacob’s leader’s) self-aggrandizement, and refusal to send Benjamin to Egypt assumed the forefather’s mission of with Reuben and, at least at first, Ju- resisting theological conformity and dah. rebuilding the Jewish nation anew. The Torah passage which fron- The midrash regarding Abraham’s tally asserts the matter of communal destruction of his father’s idols like- responsibility for a death in the wise intertextually refers to Gideon, fields, and its resolution, is none the leader who began his career by other than that of the decapitated doing just that, and with that confi- heifer. Joseph, said to have “studied dence in his convictions led a small this passage with his father” at the army against mighty kings from the time he was sold, indeed emerges as east—just as did Abraham. 4 The one who takes responsibility for his Aggadah regarding Pesach as the brothers’ lives on the eve of his sale, date of Lot’s salvation from the de- faithfully carrying out his father’s struction of Sodom—ostensibly fo- command to ascertain their wellbe- cused on Lot’s choice to serve his ing at considerable personal risk. guests matzot—actually highlights His brothers do not evince the the thoroughgoing parallels be- same, rather quite the opposite—at tween that story and that of the Ex- least not for the next twenty-two odus, in both of which the door of years. the house, angels, plagues, and re- Only when the leader of the moval from the city occur.5 In all of tribes, Judah, finally demonstrates a these cases and so many more, the sense of responsibility for a midrash serves to extend an existing brother’s life can Joseph send the 18 : Hakirah,̣ The Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought

“heifers.” The arrival of wagons sig- maavirin al hamitzvot, and zrizin nal to Jacob not merely that Joseph makdimim for the former, and delay- is alive, but that he is ready to rec- ing minhagim after chiyuvim for the oncile—because the metaphoric latter. Dr. Oppenheimer also cor- “decapitated heifer” has been of- rectly notes that each view argues fered. After Judah’s remarkable that his practice most closely resem- speech, the callous indifference to bles what actually took place when human life in his proto-Jewish city the temple stood. has been corrected; ve-nikaper lahem There are two small omissions ha-dam. to the essay that are noteworthy. (AF adds:) The careful reader Though Dr. Oppenheimer cites the will have noted that while Dr. view of the Tur, he fails to note that Aviezer interprets our position as Tur appears to have a different being based on a categorical state- practice on Yom Tov when ment, i.e., that all midrashim are al- Hoshanot follow Mussaf (start of ways peshat, we never stated such a 660), and on Chol HaMoed when thing. Instead, we wrote of midra- they follow Hallel (start of 663). shim often pointing at ommeko shel Thus, the view attributed to more peshat. We concede that midrashim contemporary and modern authori- may sometimes or also often be ties to distinguish between Yom about teachings that are superim- Tov and Chol HaMoed goes back posed onto the text, meaning they far earlier than the author intimates! use the text as a starting point to There is an important concep- make an unrelated holy insight. The tual question that should be sur- example Dr. Aviezer gave and his faced as well: Are Hoshanot an exten- interpretation are legitimate, even as sion of the Mitzvah of Lulav (which we suggest that there are also peshat appears to be the view of the Ram- pointers in that very same midrash. bam, Lulav 2:23 and of Or Zarua 315), or are they part of the unique Hoshanot temple service of the holiday of Succot (see Rashi Succah 43b In the last issue of Hakiraḥ , Dr. Ste- (shluchei)? The more the ritual of ven Oppenheimer writes a detailed Hoshanot is part of the Mitzvah of and in-depth halachic analysis of the Lulav, the more we would advise re- various customs for Hoshanot recita- citing them after Hallel (552:1 and tion in an attempt to demonstrate many acharonim). whether synagogues may change These two observations may be their practice as to this part of related. On Chol HaMoed, when davening from one view to another. there is no mitzvah of Lulav outside The essay presents two divergent of the temple, Diaspora Jews recre- views for when they are recited, af- ating the Mitzvah of Lulav as it ex- ter Hallel and after Mussaf, and gives isted in the Mikdash—including all competing arguments for each three components: Lulav, Hallel, view: decreasing tircha de-tzibura, ein and Hoshanot. Thus, Tur argues that Letters to the Editor : 19 on Chol HaMoed, Hoshanot are part this is not the custom (660). The of the core mitzvah of Lulav and the Aruch HaShulchan (659:2) cites Rav better time for Hoshanot is earlier. Saadiah Gaon’s custom to recite But on Yom Tov, a Diaspora Jew Hoshanos after Hallel, but concludes performs the Mitzvah D’orayta of that the Tur rejected this position. Lulav and Etrog “Chutz LaMikdash,” In my article I mention that histori- which does not include Hoshanot, cally (preceding the Tur) there were and so the Hoshanah prayers are de- different customs regarding when layed specifically on those days until to recite Hoshanos. Furthermore, the after Mussaf according to the Tur, contemporary poskim who do distin- much like Birkat Kohanim, a pre- guish between Yom Tov and Chol dominantly temple practice, is re- HaMoed do not bring the suggested served for the Mussaf prayers. discrepancy in the Tur’s language as The article provides an excellent the basis for their custom. Moreo- summary of the topic, but these are ver, none of the poskim I queried important additional perspectives made that observation. This does to add. not mean that Rabbi Jaffe is incor- rect. I think his observation is intri- Rabbi Yaakov Jaffe guing and could be a further reason Brookline, MA to distinguish between Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed when reciting Steven Oppenheimer responds: Hoshanos. That having been said, tircha detzibura was the reason given I want to thank Rabbi Jaffe for tak- by Rav M. Shteinman for the ing the time to carefully read the Steipler Gaon’s and the Chazon Hoshanos article. Rabbi Jaffe wants Ish’s custom of distinguishing be- to make a diyuk in the language of tween Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed. the Tur. It seems from the Tur in On the other hand, many congrega- siman 663, when discussing Chol tions do not make a distinction be- HaMoed, Hoshanos are mentioned tween Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed after Shacharis whereas in siman 660 and always recite Hoshanos after Hal- the Tur places Hoshanos after Mussaf. lel. While this is intriguing, it is curious With regard to Rabbi Jaffe’s sec- that this observation is not made by ond point, which is built on and re- the classic commentaries—the Bet quires reliance upon his first point, Yosef, the Darchei Moshe or the the Tur’s actual comments are very Bach. In fact, the Bach in 660 makes brief and do not include Rabbi no distinction between Yom Tov Jaffe’s suggestions. Rabbi Jaffe’s and Chol HaMoed, and clearly says reference to 552:1 (hilchos Tishah the Tur’s position is that Hoshanos b’Av) may be a typographical error, are always after Mussaf. The Bach perhaps he was referring to 652:1. rejects the position of Rav Saadiah In 652:1, the Shulchan Aruch and the Gaon that Hoshanos are before Mus- commentaries discuss the proper saf, and the Tur explicitly writes that time for netilas lulav and the 20 : Hakirah,̣ The Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought na’anuim, i.e., before davening or in Judaism, the relationship be- during Hallel. Hoshanos are not part tween G-d and man is fundamen- of that discussion. tally covenantal; representing a kind I think Rabbi Jaffe’s central of “contract” between G-d and hu- point is making a diyuk in the appar- mankind. There is nothing resem- ent discrepancy presented by the bling this in Stoic philosophy or Tur regarding the appropriate place theology, in which the Deity is both for the recitation of Hoshanos as pre- remote and impersonal, if constitut- sented in 660 compared to 663. ing a single entity at all. While not mentioned in any of the classic commentaries, both hypoth- 2. Judaism and Stoicism share the eses seem reasonable and are an in- concept of a “common bond of hu- teresting addition to the points manity.” As Mr. Rubin notes, in Ju- made in my article. daism, people are created “in the image of G-d “(b’tzelem Elokim). Stoicism and Judaism Though I am not aware of a com- parable statement in Stoicism, the I very much appreciated Stewart Stoics did enunciate the view that a Rubin’s thorough and scholarly “common bond” unites all human- comparison of Stoicism and Juda- kind. Thus, Marcus Aurelius taught, ism—a topic that has occupied me for several years, in print and in lec- All things are woven together tures.6,7 and the common bond is sa- I am in broad agreement with cred... for there is one Universe both the differences and similarities out of all, one God through all, between Stoicism and Judaism ex- one substance and one law, plicated by Mr. Rubin. I would like [and] one common Reason of all to add two points I believe to be key intelligent creatures...8 in understanding these two great religio-spiritual traditions: Ronald W. Pies, MD New York 1. Re: “the Stoic conception of the Creator,” it is important to note that

Letters to the Editor : 21

NOTES

1 Https://www.rabbiwein.com /blog/post-2309.html. 2 Jacob J. Schacter, “Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik’s Remarks at the Hanukaṭ Ha- Bayit of the Talner Shtibel in Brookline, MA, December 16, 1973,” Hakiraḥ , vol. 30, p. 29. 3 Moshe Lichtenstein, “Fear of God: The Beginning of Wisdom and the End of Tanakh Study,” in Yirat Shamayim: The Awe, Reverence and Fear of God, Marc D. Stern, ed. (Yeshiva University Press, 2008), 135-162. 4 Yaakov Medan, “Then I Shall Bring Upon the Nations a Clear Language,” archived at https://www.hatanakh.com/en/articles/then-shall-i-bring-upon-nations-clear-language, accessed on April 27, 2021. 5 Yoel Bin Nun, “Lot’s ‘Pesach’ and its significance,” archived at https://www.etzion.org.il/en/lots-pesach-and-its-significance 6 Pies R., The Three-Petalled Rose, iUniverse, 2013. 7 R. Pies, On Stoicism, Buddhism and Judaism, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=zhv4AImIAfMies 8 Meditations, 45, translated by A.S.L. Farquharson, New York, Knopf, 1946.