DOCSLIB.ORG

The Reinvention of the Jewish People

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Reinvention of the Jewish People The Reinvention of the Jewish People ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ London School of Jewish Studies, July 2012 משנה אבות א, א-ב..........................ו Mishna – Pirkei Avot 1, 1-2 משה קבל תורה מסיני, ומסרה ליהושע, Moses received the Torah from Sinai and gave it over to ויהושע לזקנים, וזקנים לנביאים, Joshua. Joshua gave it over to the Elders, the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets gave it over to the Men of the ונביאים מסרוה לאנשי כנסת הגדולה. .ה Great Assembly. הם אמרו שלשה דברים, הוו מתונים The Men of the Great Assembly would always say these בדין, והעמידו תלמידים הרבה, ועשו סיג three things: Be cautious in judgment. Establish many pupils. And make a safety fence around the Torah. לתורה. ….....ה שמעון הצדיק היה משירי כנסת הגדולה. Shimon Hatzaddik was among the last surviving members הוא היה אומר, על שלשה דברים העולם of the Great Assembly. He would say: The world stands עומד, על התורה ועל העבודה ועל on three things: Torah, the service of God, and deeds of גמילות חסדים. ר .kindness . משנה אבות ב, ח........................... ף Mishna – Pirkei Avot 2, 8 חמשה תלמידים היו לו לרבן יוחנן בן Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai had five disciples. These זכאי ואלו הן, רבי אליעזר בן הרקנוס, were Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, Rabbi Joshua ben ורבי יהושע בן חנניה, ורבי יוסי הכהן, Hananiah, Rabbi Yossi Ha-Kohen, Rabbi Shimon ben ורבי שמעון בן נתנאל, ורבי אלעזר בן .Netanel and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach ערך. …......ך הוא היה מונה שבחן. רבי אליעזר כט בן He would recount their qualities: “Rabbi Eliezer ben הרקנוס, בור סוד שאינו מאבד טפה לא. ,Hyrcanus is a plastered cistern which loses not a drop רבי יהושע בן חנניה, אשרי יולדתו. רבי ;Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah - Happy is she who bore him יוסי הכהן, חסיד. רבי שמעון בן נתנאל, Rabbi Yossi Ha-Kohen is a pious man; Rabbi Shimon Ben Netanel is one who fears sin and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach ירא חטא. ורבי אלעזר בן ערך, מעין ”.is like a spring that is ever bubbling המתגבר. ..................…ר הוא היה אומר, אם יהיו כל חכמי ישראל Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai used to say: “If all the sages בכף מאזנים, ואליעזר בן הרקנוס בכף of Israel were in one scale of the balance and Eliezer ben שניה, מכריע את כלם. Hyrcanus were in the other scale, he would outweigh …...............ם ”.them all ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 בבלי בבא מציעא נט.ב . ... .… Talmud – Baba Metzia 59b באותו היום השיב רבי אליעזר כל It happened one day that Rabbi Eliezer brought forward תשובות שבעולם ולא קיבלו הימנו. אמר every imaginable argument, but the rabbis did not accept להם: אם הלכה כמותי ־ חרוב זה יוכיח. any of them. He said to them: “If the halacha is according נעקר חרוב ממקומו מאה אמה, ואמרי to me, let this carob tree prove it!” Thereupon the carob tree was torn up a hundred amot, others say, four לה: ארבע מאות אמה: אמרו לו: אין hundred amot. “Proof cannot be brought from a carob מביאין ראיה מן החרוב. חזר ואמר להם: tree,” they retorted. Again he said to them: “If the halacha אם הלכה כמותי ־ אמת המים יוכיחו. ”!is according to me, let the stream of water prove it חזרו אמת המים לאחוריהם. אמרו לו: .Whereupon the stream of water flowed backwards אין מביאין ראיה מאמת המים. חזר Proof cannot be brought from a stream of water,” they“ ואמר להם: אם הלכה כמותי ־ כותלי ,rejoined. Again he urged: “If the halacha agrees with me בית המדרש יוכיחו. הטו כותלי בית let the walls of the academy prove it,” whereupon the המדרש ליפול. גער בהם רבי יהושע, אמר ,walls inclined to fall. But Rabbi Yehoshua rebuked them להם: אם תלמידי חכמים מנצחים זה ,saying: “When scholars are engaged in a halachic dispute את זה בהלכה ־ אתם מה טיבכם? לא what business is it of yours?” Hence the walls did not fall, in honour of Rabbi Yehoshua, nor did they נפלו מפני כבודו של רבי יהושע, ולא straighten, in honour of Rabbi Eliezer, and they are still זקפו מפני כבודו של רבי אליעזר, ועדין .thus inclined מטין ועומדין. ם ואמר להם: אם הלכה כמותי ־ מן ,Again he said to them: “If the halacha is according to me השמים יוכיחו. יצאתה בת קול ואמרה: :then let the Heavens prove it.” And a bat kol called out מה לכם אצל רבי אליעזר שהלכה כמותו Why do you dispute with Rabbi Eliezer, seeing that in“ בכל מקום. עמד רבי יהושע על רגליו all matters the halacha agrees with him!” Then Rabbi Yehoshuah rose to his feet and exclaimed: Lo ואמר: לא בשמים היא! מאי לא בשמים bashamayim hi - It is not in Heaven! What did he mean היא? אמר רבי ירמיה: שכבר נתנה תורה by this? Said Rabbi Yirmiyah: “The Torah has already מהר סיני, אין אנו משגיחין בבת קול, been given at Mount Sinai; and therefore we pay no שכבר כתבת בהר סיני בתורה, אחרי attention to Heavenly voices, because You have long רבים להטת. since written in the Torah at Mount Sinai, Acharei rabim ג ”.(lehatot - Side with the majority (Shemot 23:2 אשכחיה רבי נתן לאליהו אמר Rabbi Natan met Elijah the Prophet and asked him: “What ליה:ימאי עביד קודשא בריך הוא בההיא did the Holy Blessed One do at that moment?” “God שעתא? ־ אמר ליה: קא חייך ואמר laughed and said, 'My children have defeated Me, My נצחוני בני, נצחוני בני. ”'.children have defeated Me . י ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2 Gershom Scholem (1897-1982), letter to Franz Rosenzweig (1886-1929) The Land is a volcano. It provides lodging for the language... But what will be the result of the rebirth of Hebrew? Will the abyss of the holy tongue, which we have implanted in our children, not be too wide? People here do not realise what they are doing. They think they have made Hebrew into a secular language, that they have removed its apocalyptic sting. But that is not so. Every expression that is not not simply made up but rather taken from the treasurehouse of well-worn words is laden with explosives. God will not remain dumb in the language in which He has been adjured so many thousands of times to come back into our lives. The question is this: Can Jewish history manage to re-enter concrete reality without being destroyed by the messianic claim, which that re-entry is bound to bring up from its depths. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook (1865-1935) The State of Israel will be an ideal state, one that has the highest of all ideals engraved in its being. It shall be the pedestal of God's throne in this world, for its only aim shall be that the Lord be acknowledged as one and His name one. דניאל ז.ב, ט)ז Daniel 7:2, 9 עָנה דניּאל ואָמַר חָזֵה הֲוֵית בְּחֶזְוי עִם Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and לֵילְיא lUאֲרוּ אַרבַּע רוּחֵי שׁמַיּא מְגִיחָן... behold, the four winds of the heavens broke forth upon חָזֵה הֲוית עַד ד יּ כָסָון מִיו. cלְימָּא רבָּא ,the great sea... I beheld till the thrones were set in place ועַת יּק יוֹמִין יתב לְבוּשׁהּ כִ תְּלַג חִוּר וּשׂעַר and the Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment was ראשׁהּ כַּעֲמַר נְא כָּרסְיהּ שׁבִיבִין יּ נוּר :white as snow, and whose hair was like the pure wool God's throne was like the fiery flame, and its wheels as גַ לְּגִּלּוֹהִי נוּר לִּק. …..................ק .burning fire בבלי חגיגה יד.א Talmud – Hagiga 14a כתוב אחד אומר (דניאל ז') כרסיה One part of the passage says: God's throne was like the שביבין דנור וכתוב אחד אומר (דניאל ז') fiery flame (Daniel 7:9). Another part says: I beheld till עד די כרסון רמיו ועתיק יומין יתב! - לא the thrones were set in placeI beheld till the thrones were קשיא: אחד לו ואחד לדוד. כדתניא: אחד set in place, and the Ancient of Days did sit ( Daniel 7:9). — There is no contradiction: one is the Divine לו ואחד לדוד, דברי רבי עקיבא. אמר לו Trone, and one for David; this is the view of Rabbi רבי יוסי הגלילי: עקיבא! עד מתי אתה Akiva. Said Rabbi Yose Haglili to him: Akiva, how long עושה שכינה חול! אלא: אחד לדין ואחד will you degrade the Shekhinah to the level of the לצדקה. קיבלה מיניה או לא קיבלה mundane! Rather, it must mean, one for justice and one מיניה? - תא שמע: אחד לדין ואחד for grace. Did he accept this explanation from him, or לצדקה, דברי רבי עקיבא. אמר לו רבי did he not accept it? — Come and hear: One for justice אלעזר בן עזריה: עקיבא! מה לך אצל and one for grace; this is the view of Rabbi Akiva. Said הגדה? כל ך מדברותיך אצ ל נגעים Rabbi Eleazar ben Azaria to him: Akiva, what business ואהלות. אלא: אח ד לכסא ואחד do you have dabbling in Aggadah? Go back to studying skin-diseases and tent-impurities! Rather it means, one לשרפרף, כסא - לישב עליו, שרפרף - ,for a throne and one for a stool; the throne to sit upon להדום רגליו, שנאמר (ישעיהו ס"ו) the stool for a footrest, as it is written, The heaven is my השמים כסאי והארץ הדם רגלי. ….\.....י .(throne, and the earth is my footstool (Yeshayahu 66:1 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3 Hayim Nachman Bialik (1873-1934) בְּעִיר הַהֲגָה (City of Slaughter (1903 י Arise and go now to the city of slaughter; קוּם לֵ לְ אֶל עִיר הַהֲגָ ;into its courtyard wind your way וּבָאת אֶל-הַחֲצֵרוֹת ,There with your own hand touch וּבְעֵיני תִראֶה וּבְיָדך תמַשֵּׁשׁ ,and with the eyes of your head עַל-הַגְּרוֹת ועַל הָעֵצִים ,Behold on tree, on stone, on fence, on mural clay וְעַל הָאֲבָנים וְעַל-גַּבֵּי טִיחַ הַכְּתלִים .The spattered blood and the dried brains of the dead אֶת-הַדָּם הַקָּרוּשׁ The kohanim sallied forth, ואֶת-הַמֹּחַ הַנִּשֶׁה שֶׁל-הַחֲלָלִים.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Speaker Materials
    Speaker Materials Partnering organizations: The Akdamut – an Aramaic preface to our Torah Reading Rabbi Gesa S. Ederberg ([email protected]) ַאְקָדּמוּת ִמִלּין ְוָשָׁריוּת שׁוָּת א Before reciting the Ten Commandments, ַאְוָלא ָשֵׁקְלָא ַהְרָמןְוּרשׁוָּת א I first ask permission and approval ְבָּבֵבי ְתֵּרי וְּתַלת ְדֶאְפַתְּח בּ ַ ְקשׁוָּת א To start with two or three stanzas in fear ְבָּבֵרְי דָבֵרי ְוָטֵרי ֲעֵדי ְלַקִשּׁישׁוָּת א Of God who creates and ever sustains. ְגּבָוּרן ָעְלִמין ֵלהּ ְוָלא ְסֵפק ְפִּרישׁוָּת א He has endless might, not to be described ְגִּויל ִאְלּוּ רִקיֵעי ְק ֵ ָי כּל חְוּרָשָׁת א Were the skies parchment, were all the reeds quills, ְדּיוֹ ִאלּוּ ַיֵמּי ְוָכל ֵמיְכִישׁוָּת א Were the seas and all waters made of ink, ָדְּיֵרי ַאְרָעא ָסְפֵרי ְוָרְשֵׁמַי רְשָׁוָת א Were all the world’s inhabitants made scribes. Akdamut – R. Gesa Ederberg Tikkun Shavuot Page 1 of 7 From Shabbat Shacharit: ִאלּוּ פִ יוּ מָ לֵא ִשׁיָרה ַכָּיּ ם. וּלְשׁו ֵוּ ִרָנּה כַּהֲמון גַּלָּיו. ְושְפתוֵתיוּ ֶשַׁבח ְכֶּמְרֲחֵבי ָ רִקיַע . וְעֵיֵיוּ ְמִאירות ַכֶּשֶּׁמ שׁ ְוַכָיֵּרַח . וְ יָדֵ יוּ פְ רוּשות כְּ ִ ְשֵׁרי ָשָׁמִי ם. ְוַרְגֵליוּ ַקלּות ָכַּאָיּלות. ֵאין אֲ ַ ְחוּ ַמְסִפּיִקי ם לְהודות לְ ה' אֱ להֵ יוּ וֵאלהֵ י ֲאבוֵתיוּ. וְּלָבֵר ֶאת ְשֶׁמ עַל ַאַחת ֵמֶאֶלף ַאְלֵפי אֲלָ ִפי ם ְוִרֵבּי ְרָבבות ְפָּעִמי ם Were our mouths filled with song as the sea, our tongues to sing endlessly like countless waves, our lips to offer limitless praise like the sky…. We would still be unable to fully express our gratitude to You, ADONAI our God and God of our ancestors... Akdamut – R. Gesa Ederberg Tikkun Shavuot Page 2 of 7 Creation of the World ֲהַדר ָמֵרי ְשַׁמָיּא ְו ַ שׁ ִלְּיט בַּיֶבְּשָׁתּ א The glorious Lord of heaven and earth, ֲהֵקים ָעְלָמא ְיִחָידאי ְוַכְבֵּשְׁהּ בַּכְבּשׁוָּת א Alone, formed the world, veiled in mystery.
    [Show full text]
  • Pirkei Avot: a Social Justice Commentary Discussion Guide
    Pirkei Avot: A Social Justice Commentary Discussion Guide By Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz Discussion Guide by Rabbi Jesse Paikin CCAR PRESS Discussion Guide to Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz’s Pirkei Avot: A Social Justice Commentary by Rabbi Jesse Paikin This discussion guide takes on something of a dual nature: it is useful both as a guide to reading Rabbi Yanklowitz’s commentary, as well as a guide to the primary text of Pirkei Avot itself. Because Rabbi Yanklowitz’s commentary draws heavily on Talmudic primary sources, classical medieval commentaries, and modern thought, this guide also encourages thoughtful consideration of those sources, as well as Rabbi Yanklowitz’s use of them. Note that given the extensive nature of Pirkei Avot, this guide does not include discussion questions for every single mishnah. Given the frequent thematic overlap, related mishnayot are often grouped together to encourage considering their shared philosophical and practical relationship. May this guide inspire you to live by the words of Torah in all places of your daily lives, as Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev teaches in his commentary to Pirkei Avot 2:2. 1 CHAPTER ONE 1:1 In commenting on the chain of tradition at the beginning of Pirkei Avot, and on the Maharal’s argument that “people must strengthen three components of the human intellect: chochmah (wisdom), binah (understanding), and daat (discernment),” Rabbi Yanklowitz suggests that every generation of Jews is “responsible to render safe passage to the tradition” and to “transmit the teachings in such a way that they are stronger than when they were received.” a) What are the connections between strengthening human intellect, and strengthening Torah? b) What does the idea of “safe passage” mean to you? What responsibilities might it entail? Rabbi Yanklowitz identifies two tendencies that endanger the life of Torah: (1) the tendency to distort the tradition so radically that it loses its initial meaning, and (2) the tendency to freeze the tradition, and neuter its relevance to contemporaries.
    [Show full text]
  • Shabbat Shalom My Apologies, This D'rash May Run a Bit Longer Than
    Shabbat Shalom My apologies, this d’rash may run a bit longer than usual, but I felt that I had some important thoughts to share which I just could not get out in less time. Pirkei Avot , “Chapters of the Fathers”, is a compilation of the ethical teachings and maxims of Mishnaic-period Rabbis, in which there is a phrase that reads “Who is the wise one ? The person that learns from all people”. After spending time reading the parsha and many many commentaries I found myself especially drawn to 3 sources that inspired me and from where most of my dr’asha is taken in great part. Those sources are: Rabbi Shraga Simmons. the co-founder of Aish.com, and founder of the Torah study site, JewishPathways.com. Rabbi Ari Kahn , Director of Foreign Student Programs at Bar- Ilan University in Israel, where he also is a senior lecturer in Jewish studies. Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. Rabbi Sacks, as most of us know, is a British rabbi, philosopher and scholar of Judaism. He served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from 1991 to 2013 Julia Louis Dreyfus- an actres who used to be on the show Steinfeld The 2 themes that really spoke to me in this weeks’s Parsha are: The necessity of asking questions Leadership – the Jewish approach, where I will focus most of my d’rash I believe at the end of my d’rash you will see the thread that goes between these 2. The Necessity of Asking Questions It is no accident that parshat Bo, the section that deals with the culminating plagues and the exodus, should turn 3 times to the subject of children and the duty of parents to educate them.
    [Show full text]
  • What Are You Learning This Holiday?
    NCSY’s National Board presents: WHAT ARE YOU LEARNING THIS HOLIDAY? A Guide to an Inspirational Shavuos LETTER FROM RABBI DOVID BASHEVKIN 3 LETTER FROM NCSY’S TEEN PRESIDENT 4 THOUGHTS FROM NCSY’S NATIONAL BOARD 5 THOUGHTS FROM REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES 10 FUN PAGES 16 MAKING TORAH YOURS Google has a fascinating employee policy. While all Google engineers spend the majority of their time dedicated to organizational business, they are also encour- aged to spend 20% of their time working on projects they find interesting. Many of Google’s most famous initiatives have come as the result of the 20% of time em- ployees spend on their own projects. In fact, Gmail, Google’s famed emailed ser- vice, is the product of someone’s 20% of time allotted to their personal initiatives. One Google executive estimated that 50% of new Google products are the result of the 20% of time employees are encouraged to spend on their own products. Torah innovation operates in a similar way. Of course, we spend most of our time immersed in the Torah ideas of the great Jewish leaders that precede us. Whether is it Chumash, Rashi, Talmud, or more recent Torah works, we look to our past to receive guidance for our future. Still, the importance of developing your own voice and ideas in Torah cannot be understated. In fact, the Talmud in Pesachim (68b) cites a disagreement which holidays require a personal compo- nent of celebration. The disagreement surrounds whether Jewish holidays should just be about prayer and learning or do they also demand a personal element, like a festive meal.
    [Show full text]
  • Violent Video Games, but It Does Indicate What Happens When Children Make Media the Center of Their Lives
    1 Violent and Defamatory Video Games Rabbi Elliot Dorff and Rabbi Joshua Hearshen February 4, 2010 EH 21:1.2010 This paper was approved on February 4, 2010, by a vote of twelve in favor (12-0-1). Voting in favor: Rabbis Kassel Abelson, Miriam Berkowitz, Elliot Dorff, Robert Fine, Susan Grossman, Josh Heller, Jane Kanarek, Daniel Nevins, Avram Reisner, Jay Stein, Steven Wernick and David Wise. Abstaining: Rabbi Adam Kligfeld. The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly provides guidance in matters of halakhah for the Conservative movement. The individual rabbi, however, is the authority for the interpretation and application of all matters of halakhah. She’elah: May Jews play violent or defamatory video games? Te’shuvah: The video game industry accounts for an enormous percentage of the entertainment industry today. 1 According to a September 2008 survey by the Pew Research Center, 97% of all teenagers play video games in some format. 2 While First Amendment rights to free speech assure that the content of these games is legal in American law, their ethical status varies widely. The variety of games available today is great, and the good to be gained from many of them may also be great. They stimulate the minds of the elderly, and they raise preparedness scores of those about to enter the Israeli army, and they help youngsters learn everything from music to mathematics. In a portion of the games, however, the material is morally questionable and may even be harmful or immoral on other grounds. These include what we are calling “violent and defamatory games.” By “violent” we mean gratuitous brute force intended 1 http://www.mediafamily.org the Mediawise Video Game Report Card is published periodically by the National Institute on Media and the Family.
    [Show full text]
  • Ben Franklin Meets Pirkei Avot
    Ben Franklin meets Pirkei Avot Ben Franklin, one of the founding fa- The Ben Franklin Circles — a project thers of our nation, was an inventor, launched last year by 92nd Street Y, writer and signer of the Declaration of Stanford University’s Hoover Institution Independence. He also believed in the and Citizen University — encourage peo- possibility of moral perfection, and in ple to form their own mutual improve- pursuit of that goal, he identified 13 ment clubs, revisiting Franklin’s virtues specific virtues, which became the focus in our time and providing an opportu- of a unique mission. Franklin believed nity for meaningful conversation about that by practicing temperance, silence, personal as well as civic values. With order, resolution, frugality, industry, sin- this toolkit – developed with the Union for cerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, Reform Judaism and Central Synagogue tranquility, chastity and humility, he ­­— we invite you to discuss and debate could accomplish a life without “fault.” Franklin’s 13 virtues alongside selected He also understood that attaining a mor- teachings from Pirkei Avot that explore al life involved not only self-growth but similar concepts. Both Franklin and also investment in and improvement of Pirkei Avot offer timeless insight into the the larger community. To pursue this vi- nature of justice, the importance of sin- sion, Franklin created a Junto — a weekly cerity, the impact of humility and more. mutual improvement club — in 1727. Franklin strove for “moral perfection,” but also understood human limitations. A millennia and a half before Franklin’s So did the rabbis. As the 2nd century gathering first met, a group of rabbin- Rabbi Tarfon himself said in Pirkei Avot, ic scholars in Israel fashioned a similar “It is not your responsibility to complete roadmap to living a moral life.
    [Show full text]
  • The Sea of Talmud: a Brief and Personal Introduction
    Touro Scholar Lander College of Arts and Sciences Books Lander College of Arts and Sciences 2012 The Sea of Talmud: A Brief and Personal Introduction Henry M. Abramson Touro College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://touroscholar.touro.edu/lcas_books Part of the Jewish Studies Commons Recommended Citation Abramson, H. M. (2012). The Sea of Talmud: A Brief and Personal Introduction. Retrieved from https://touroscholar.touro.edu/lcas_books/3 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Lander College of Arts and Sciences at Touro Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Lander College of Arts and Sciences Books by an authorized administrator of Touro Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE SEA OF TALMUD A Brief and Personal Introduction Henry Abramson Published by Parnoseh Books at Smashwords Copyright 2012 Henry Abramson Cover photograph by Steven Mills. No Talmud volumes were harmed during the photo shoot for this book. Smashwords Edition, License Notes This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment and information only. This ebook should not be re-sold to others. Educational institutions may reproduce, copy and distribute this ebook for non-commercial purposes without charge, provided the book remains in its complete original form. Version 3.1 June 18, 2012. To my students All who thirst--come to the waters Isaiah 55:1 Table of Contents Introduction Chapter One: Our Talmud Chapter Two: What, Exactly, is the Talmud? Chapter Three: The Content of the Talmud Chapter Four: Toward the Digital Talmud Chapter Five: “Go Study” For Further Reading Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction The Yeshiva administration must have put considerable thought into the wording of the hand- lettered sign posted outside the cafeteria.
    [Show full text]
  • Preparing for Enduring Disagreements an Omer Reflection Guide
    Preparing for Enduring Disagreements An Omer Reflection Guide Curiosity Humility Honor Patience Equanimity Silence Truth The Journey Towards Revelation The period of the Omer marks the time between two peak moments in the history of the Jewish people. Passover celebrates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt. Shavuot marks the moment when the Torah was revealed to us at Mount Sinai. The Omer, then, represents the long period of wandering that was necessary to bring us from freedom to revelation. The Israelites emerged from Egypt as slaves, with constricted spirits. The gift of Torah would have been wasted on them had it been delivered immediately after they crossed the sea to escape Pharaoh’s chariots. Instead, they needed time to wander, to prepare themselves both individually and as a community, to enter into a different relationship with God, and to hear the Truth that was delivered at Sinai. The Omer is traditionally a time for serious reflection and personal preparation. Among other things, during this period we mourn the loss of Rabbi Akiva’s 24,000 students, who were struck by a plague because they did not deal respectfully with one another. For lack of constructive, respectful disagreement, a great deal of Torah was lost. We are told that when Torah was delivered at Sinai, each person present heard God differently, but that nonetheless, the different revelations were all true – and all originated from God. This Spring, we will be working as a community to prepare ourselves for the celebration of this multifaceted revelation by studying the Jewish art of constructive disagreement.
    [Show full text]
  • Pirkei Avot: Introduction Alex Hecht [email protected]
    Pirkei Avot: Introduction Alex Hecht [email protected] The placement 1. Talmud, Bava Kamma 30a אמר רב יהודה: האי מאן דבעי למהוי חסידא, לקיים מילי דנזיקין. רבא אמר: מילי דאבות. Rav Yehudah says: One who wants to be pious should observe the matters of [the order of] Nezikin (damages). Rava said [he should observe] the matters of tractate Avot. 2. Rabbeinu Yonah, Commentary to Pirkei Avot 1:1 ומפני שאדם משיג אל מעלת החסידות בעשותו אחת מאלה הדברים שמוה בסדר נזיקין. And since a person ascends the steps of piousness by doing one of these matters, they placed [Avot] in the order of Nezikin (damages). The name 3. Mishlei 1:8 שְׁמַַ֣ע,ב ְׁנִי, מּוסַַ֣ר אָבִִ֑יָך, וְׁאַ ל־תִִּ֜טּ֗ש תֹורַַ֥תאִמ ֶּֽ ָך. Hearken, my son, to the discipline of your father, and do not forsake the instruction of your mother. 4. Mishnah Shabbat 7:2 אֲבֹות מְׁ לָאכֹות אַרְׁ בָעִ ים חָסֵר אחָת... The “father” labors [prohibited on Shabbat] are forty minus one... 5. Mishnah Tahorot 1:5 הָ אֹכלש נִטְׁמָ אבְׁאַב הַטֻּמְׁאָה וְׁש אנִטְׁמָ בִוְׁלַדהַטֻּמְׁאָ ה, מִצְׁטָרְׁ פִ ין ז העִ םז ה אלְׁטַמֵ כַקַל ש בִשְׁ נֵיה ן. Food that contracted tumah from a "father of tumah" and one that contracted tumah from an “offspring of tumah” may be combined together to convey tumah according to the lighter grade of the two. 6. Mishnah Bava Kamma 1:1 אַ רְׁ בָעָהאֲבֹות נְׁזִיקִ ין... There are four “fathers” of damages… The custom 7. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 292:2 אומרים צדקתך ואם חל בו יום שאלו היה חול לא היו אומרים בו במנחה נפילת אפים אין אומרים צדקתך: הגה ונהגו שלא לקבוע מדרש בין מנחה למעריב )טור זוהר תרומה ע' רע"ט( אבל אומרים פרקי אבות בקיץ ושיר המעלות בחורף וכל מקום לפי מנהגו.
    [Show full text]
  • Beginners Guide for the Major Jewish Texts: Torah, Mishnah, Talmud
    August 2001, Av 5761 The World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS) 9 Alkalai St., POB 4498 Jerusalem, 91045, Israel Tel: +972 2 561 0133 Fax: +972 2 561 0741 E-mail: [email protected] Web-site: www.wujs.org.il Originally produced by AJ6 (UK) ©1998 This edition ©2001 WUJS – All Rights Reserved The Guide To Texts Published and produced by WUJS, the World Union of Jewish Students. From the Chairperson Dear Reader Welcome to the Guide to Texts. This introductory guide to Jewish texts is written for students who want to know the difference between the Midrash and Mishna, Shulchan Aruch and Kitzur Shulchan Aruch. By taking a systematic approach to the obvious questions that students might ask, the Guide to Texts hopes to quickly and clearly give students the information they are after. Unfortunately, many Jewish students feel alienated from traditional texts due to unfamiliarity and a feeling that Jewish sources don’t ‘belong’ to them. We feel that Jewish texts ought to be accessible to all of us. We ought to be able to talk about them, to grapple with them, and to engage with them. Jewish texts are our heritage, and we can’t afford to give it up. Jewish leaders ought to have certain skills, and ethical values, but they also need a certain commitment to obtaining the knowledge necessary to ensure that they aren’t just leaders, but Jewish leaders. This Guide will ensure that this is the case. Learning, and then leading, are the keys to Jewish student leadership. Lead on! Peleg Reshef WUJS Chairperson How to Use The Guide to Jewish Texts Many Jewish students, and even Jewish student leaders, don’t know the basics of Judaism and Jewish texts.
    [Show full text]
  • Carnegie Shul Chatter
    Carnegie Shul Chatter Candle lighting timeApril is 5:07 27, 2017 Shabbos services are at 9:20 The Wisdom of Our Fathers Rabbi Ben Zoma, in the Ethics of the Fathers, said, ”Who is rich? He who is happy with what he has.” In this year’s Passover edition of the Carnegie Shul Shofar, I wrote about "Dayenu," that wonderful song that reminds us of many things that God has given us. For each thing we sing “dayenu,” which means, quite simply, “That would have been enough.” Candle lighting: 8:02pm Sabbath services: 9:20am When I think of Rabbi Ben Zoma’s writing, I also think “Dayenu.” Ethics of the Fathers It is okay to want more than what we already have. Progress comes from a Ethics of the Fathers, or Pirkei Avot, is a portion of the Mishnah that is often studied between Passover and Shavuos, the seven desire to improve our lot in life, and God weeks of counting the Omer. Other Shuls have extended the has commanded us to use our wisdom to reading of Pirkei Avot beyond Shavuot until Rosh Hashanah. In make the world a better place to live. But fact, our Birnbaum siddur says that Ethics of the Fathers is we must also know when enough is “Recited on the Sabbaths between Pesach and Rosh Hashanah.” enough and appreciate all that we Regardless of when they are recited, these readings, found on already have. And we really do have so very much. We have a beautiful world. pages 477-534 of our siddurs, contain some of the greatest philosophical words of wisdom found in Judaism.
    [Show full text]
  • Memorable Sephardi Voices
    MEMORABLE SEPHARDI VOICES Compiled by Lucien Gubbay The Montefiore Endowment Schaller House Campus, 44A Albert Road, London NW4 2SJ www.montefioreendowment.org.uk Kol Israel Haverim - Eretz Hemdah Alliance (KIAH) i Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies Jerusalem Memorable Sephardi Voices. Published by Chroniclers for the Montefiore Endowment, Schaller House Campus, 44A Albert Road, London NW4 2SJ ISBN 978-965-436-038-8 © 2020 Lucien Gubbay Back Cover: ‘Tree of Life’ embroidered pulpit cover by Estelle Levy Memorable Sephardi Voices, published by the trustees of the Montefiore Endowment, is a project developed by the Montefiore Endowment in partnership with KIAH (Alliance - Kol Israel Haverim). Eretz Hemdah (Institute for Advanced Jewish Sudies, Jerusalem), recognising the value of the work, undertook to advise and to check the English language text to ensure the accuracy of both the translations and the interpretations of the Sages’ quotations. It will also publish the original Hebrew texts on its own website. Designed and typeset by Geoff Fisher [email protected] Printed, bound and distributed by CPI (UK) Croydon CR0 4YY Copies of the paperback edition of Memorable Sephardi Voices may be obtained at a cost of GBP £9 each (plus postage) from CPI Your Way© at: https://www.cpiyourway.co.uk/uStore/44/Home (Scroll down to ‘Memorable Sephardi Voices’ on the left hand side of the opening page.) ii FOREWORD by Rabbi Yosef Carmel Rabbinical Dean of Eretz Hemdah, Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem From Girona and Fez in the West, sweeping through Aleppo to Bagh- dad and beyond in the East, the authority and wisdom of the great Sephardi sages spreads.
    [Show full text]