DOCSLIB.ORG

Selling Land in Israel to Gentiles

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Selling Land in Israel to Gentiles Selling Land in Israel to Gentiles Shlomo Riskin Biography: Shlomo Riskin is Chief Rabbi of Efrat and chancellor of Ohr Torah Stone Institutions in Israel. His previous contributions to Me’orot include Torah Aliyyot for Women? (Tishrei 2008). Abstract: This essay analyzes the letter written by 50 Israeli rabbis in December 2010 that prohibited the sale and rental of land in Israel to gentiles. The analysis demonstrates that their argument is fallacious, because, contrary to normative halakhah, it illegitimately considers all gentiles to be idolators for the purpose of applying a blanket prohibition. This assumption is inconsistent with the Bible, Tractate Gerim, Maimonides and his commentators, as well as the opinions of the majority of halakhic decisors regarding the status of Moslems and A Forum of Modern Orthodox Discourse Orthodox Modern of Forum A Christians today. The author finds elements of xenophobia and racism in M e o r o t the letter. Meorot 9 Tishrei 5772 © 2011 A Publication of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School Selling Land in Israel to Gentiles Shlomo Riskin I. The Letter of Fifty Municipal Rabbis the inhabitants of the land before you, those of them whom you leave shall be On December 7, 2010, the following letter pins in your eyes and thorns in your sides] appeared in all of the leading Israeli and they will harass you [act as enemies newspapers, signed by fifty municipal rabbis against you] upon the Land in which you from cities throughout Israel: dwell.‖ (Numbers 33:55) This is because their In response to the question of a multitude life-style is different from that of the Jews, of people, we are now responding that it is (emphasis mine – SR) and among them biblically forbidden to sell a house or a there are those who will act with enmity field in the land of Israel to a gentile against us and will undermine our existence (“nokhri”). As Rambam writes in his to the extent of endangering our lives, as Mishneh Torah (Laws of Idolatry 10: 4), ―It has been publicized many times. And even is written in the Scriptures, ‗Thou shall not outside of Israel we are forbidden from selling to grant them a resting place.‘ (‗Lo Tehanem’) (gentiles) in the midst of Jewish neighborhoods (Deut. 7:2), do not give to them a resting (emphasis mine – SR) for this reason, and place on the ground, since—if they don‘t certainly it would be forbidden within the have a home on the ground—their Land of Israel, as explained in the Shulhan dwelling [amongst us] will only be Arukh (Yoreh De`ah 151), since this is a temporary. And the Bible has warned us prohibition between individuals as well as time and time again that [granting them a between God and the individual. home on our land] causes evil things and will bring the masses of Jews to engage in “The sin of selling to gentiles will hang on the intermarriage, as it is written in Scriptures, ―He [the one who sells them land] will turn neck of the seller” away your sons from behind Me.‖ (Deut. 7:4) This is desecration of the Holy Name And it is an established and well-known (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Forbidden truth that in the wake of a sale or rental of Relationships 12:6), and will cause the a home to one [gentile], the market-value multitudes to transgress other prohibitions, price of all the dwelling places of the as the Bible warns: ―Do not allow them to Jewish neighbors will go down, even if the dwell in your land lest they [i.e. their gentile (gentile) purchaser or renter is initially a neighbors] cause you to sin against Me.‖ friendly and cooperative neighbor. And (Exodus 23:33) The sin of selling [to since the first one who sells or rents [to a gentiles] and its ramifications will all hang gentile] is responsible for a great financial on the neck of the seller, God forbid. loss to his neighbors, his sin is too great to And a further evil on top of evil, the bear. And who would permit him to do individual who sells or rents to (gentiles) in such a thing? He becomes the cause of an area where Jews are living causes great others to sell their property and flee from damage to his [Jewish] neighbors, and the neighborhood. And those who brings upon himself the application of the [continue to] sell [o gentiles] after the first biblical verse ―[but if you do not drive out sale [was effectuated] are considered to be Meorot 9 Tishrei 5772 Kahn 2 adding to this grave sin which is hanging Noahide laws of morality, were to be from the necks of everyone. completely destroyed: And if the gentile happens to be violent ―When the Lord your God will bring you to and cruel to his neighbors, the Shulhan the Land to which you have come to possess Arukh has already explained that anyone it, He will thrust away many nations from who sold to him must be punished with before you—the Hittite, the Girgashite, the excommunication (herem or vidui), until the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizite, the damage (i.e. the gentile) has been Hitite and the Jebusite—seven nations removed—even if it requires the loss of greater and mightier than you. And the much money (Yoreh De`ah 334:43). Lord your God will deliver them before you, you shall not seal a covenant with them, nor Among the signatories were: shall you grant them a resting place [on your land].‖ (Deut. 7:1-2).1 Rav Avraham Margalit of Carmiel, Rav Yaakov Edelstein of Ramat HaSharon R. Abraham ben David2 so interprets the text Rav Mordechai Nagari of Maale Adumim in his gloss on Mishneh torah, Hilkhot avodah Rav Basis Azariah of Rosh HaAyin zarah 10:6, insisting that: Ravi Shmuel David of Afulah Rav Moshe Bijel of Meitar ―[the application of lo tehanem to gentiles in Rav Tsiyon Tsuvri of Gederah general] has never been City Rav Yeshayahu Maitlis of Nahariyah found and has never been heard; the City Rav Yosef Avreki of Kiryat Yam prohibition applies only to the seven City Rav Shalom Zadok of Herzliyah indigenous [Canaanite] nations, and even Rav Yeshayahu Herzl of Natzeret Ilit, with regards to them, it is only forbidden Rav Yaakov Zinger of Givat Shmuel, that they actually live in the Land, but not to Rabbi Dov Lior of Kiryat Arba, a case where they are merely passing through‖ Rabbi Haim Pinto of Ashdod, (emphasis mine – SR). Rabbi David Abuhazeira of Yavne, Rabbi David Bar-Chen of Sderot The very term ger toshav defines that a gentile II. To Whom Does „Lo Tehanem‟ Apply? who accepts the seven Noahide laws may be a resident in the land of Israel The cited responsum attempts to make a clear case for the prohibition of selling or renting land or a house in Israel to a gentile (nokhri) on Moreover, Maimonides himself, whose Mishneh the basis of the biblical prohibition of ―Thou torah serves as the foundation for the position shall not grant them a resting place‖ (“lo of the rabbis who forbid the sale of land in tehanem”) that appears in Deut. 7:2. When we Israel to ―gentiles‖ (―nokhrim‖) in general, look at the context of this prohibition, clearly limits the prohibition of lo tehanem to however, it is clear that it refers specifically to those gentiles who do not accept the seven the original inhabitants of the Land of Israel at Noahide laws of morality): the time of Moses and Joshua, the ―seven ―Who is under the rubric of a stranger- indigenous nations,‖ who, if they refused to resident (ger toshav)? That is a gentile who make peace with us and (according to accepts upon himself the prohibition of Maimonides) refused to accept the seven idolatry together with the other 1. Maimonides, Mishneh torah, Hilkhot issurei bi’ah 14:7. 2. Ra‘avad, b. in Provence 1125, d. in Posquières 1198. Meorot 9 Tishrei 5772 Riskin 3 commandments commanded to the with a blanket permission to sell to those Noahides but has not been circumcised or gentiles who accept the Noahide laws, that the ritually immersed (for the sake of rabbis of this ruling consider the average conversion to full Judaism). Such an Christian or Moslem today to be a person who individual is to be accepted as one of the has not accepted the seven Noahide laws. pious of the nations of the world. And Halakhically, this is highly dubious. why is he called a ―stranger-resident‖? Because it is permitted for us to allow him to dwell in our midst in the Land of Israel as we have If a gentile accepts the Noahide laws, why explained in the Laws of Idolatry.” (emphasis should he be prevented from dwelling in Israel? mine – SR) According to Rambam, the very term ger toshav, Maimonides rules explicitly that Moslems are stranger-resident, defines the fact that any not idolaters and all Hakhmei Askhenaz have gentile who accepts the seven Noahide laws of ruled that Christians from the time of the morality may be a resident in the land of Israel, Middle Ages on are not considered idolaters. may purchase or rent land or a dwelling place Nevertheless, the explicit view of these five and may live in the midst of a Jewish highly recognized Torah scholars is that when community in Israel! gentiles observe the moral Noahide laws, they It is important to note that a previous letter are permitted to purchase land or a home in entitled, “Da`at torah” (official Torah Israel.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Zionism: Between Secular Ideology and Religious Redemption
    1 University of Toronto Department of Political Science POL 381 H1 (S) Topics in Political Theory: Zionism: Between Secular Ideology and Religious Redemption Merom Kalie Monday 6:00-8:00 Room SS 1085 Office hours: Monday, 2-4pm, room SS 3118 E-mail address: [email protected] Teacher Assistant: Jamie Levin Email address: [email protected] Course description: The course will examine different perspectives on the relationships between Zionism - the Jewish national movement - and the Jewish religion. It will discuss a range of views, from those who perceive Zionism to be a secular movement that defied tradition and religion, to those who perceive Zionism in religious and Messianic terms. During the first half of the course, we will discuss the evolution of the subject from the origins of the Zionist movement to the establishment of the state of Israel and the Six Days War. In the second half of the course, we will discuss current views about the subject and its implications for contemporary Israeli society and the Israeli-Arab conflict. Course requirements: 1. One short paper, in which you will be asked to analyze a primary source, should be submitted online by February 28, 2011 (maximum 1250 words, 20% of the final mark). 2. One research paper, due on March 21, 2011 (maximum 3000 words, 40% of the final mark). A list of suggested topics together with detailed instructions will be posted. You are welcome to write your research paper about a topic that is not on the list, with the Instructor’s advance approval. 3. A final exam, at a date to be determined by the Faculty of Arts and Science (40% of the final mark).
    [Show full text]
  • Israel's National Religious and the Israeli- Palestinian Conflict
    Leap of Faith: Israel’s National Religious and the Israeli- Palestinian Conflict Middle East Report N°147 | 21 November 2013 International Crisis Group Headquarters Avenue Louise 149 1050 Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 2 502 90 38 Fax: +32 2 502 50 38 [email protected] Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... i Recommendations..................................................................................................................... iv I. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 II. Religious Zionism: From Ascendance to Fragmentation ................................................ 5 A. 1973: A Turning Point ................................................................................................ 5 B. 1980s and 1990s: Polarisation ................................................................................... 7 C. The Gaza Disengagement and its Aftermath ............................................................. 11 III. Settling the Land .............................................................................................................. 14 A. Bargaining with the State: The Kookists ................................................................... 15 B. Defying the State: The Hilltop Youth ........................................................................ 17 IV. From the Hills to the State ..............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Rabbi Riskin Confronts Rav Soloveitchik in Makor Rishon: Jewish Israel Responds
    Rabbi Riskin Confronts Rav Soloveitchik in Makor Rishon: Jewish Israel Responds In May 2012 the Israeli newspaper Makor Rishon ran a seven-page feature article, penned by Chief Rabbi of Efrat Shlomo Riskin, in their "Shabbat HaGadol" supplement. The subject matter was whether or not Jewish-Christian theological dialogue is permissible. Rabbi Riskin, a maverick on interfaith issues, has on more than one occasion ventured out onto an extreme theological limb. This time around, Rabbi Riskin appears to have inverted the inherent intent of Rabbi Joseph Dov Ber Soloveitchik’s (J.B. Soloveitchik, "the Rav") major essay on the subject, "Confrontation". The treatise, which was formulated in 1964, is widely interpreted within Orthodox circles to be a halachic psak proscribing interfaith theological encounters. However Rabbi Riskin contends, in the Makor Rishon article, that the intention of the Rav's essay was to permit, rather than prohibit, such theological dialogue. Concurrently, Riskin opens his personal "postscript" to Soloveitchik's "Confrontation" by inferring that the timing and the history of the document limits its application, as it was written one and a half years before the ratification of Nostra Aetate, and in response to the Catholic-Jewish dialogue taking place at the time. Rabbi Riskin's premise is puzzling, because it is well documented in Rav Soloveitchik's personal letters, as well as noted in contemporary academic papers, that the Rav had already formulated his firm position on interfaith concerns as early as 1950 - many years before the Vatican ll initiative. In addition, “Confrontation” continued to guide the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) on interfaith developments well into the 1980's, long after Nostra Aetate.
    [Show full text]
  • THE JEWISH ATTITUDE TOWARD the CONVERT Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Riskin Chancellor and Rosh Hayeshiva, Ohr Torah Stone
    THE JEWISH ATTITUDE TOWARD THE CONVERT Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Riskin Chancellor and Rosh HaYeshiva, Ohr Torah Stone "Wherever you go, I shall go….Your nation will be my nation, your God my God…. "(Ruth 1:16) Despite the conventional wisdom that Judaism attempts to "push away" converts, and in contrast to the many horror stories about aspiring converts who were alienated, discouraged and even "turned off" by the road blocks they experienced at the hands of a bureaucratic and insensitive orthodox rabbinate, Judaism as depicted in the Biblical Book of Ruth which we read on Shavuot is truly welcoming to those desirous of entering the fold. It shows that Jews by choice are worthy of much praise. The heroine of this story of "autumnal" romance – with its sub-plots of the tragedy of living in an assimilating and destructive exile versus a rags-to-riches redemptive life in Israel – is a convert to Judaism. She is not an ordinary convert at that; she is a Moabite convert. The Bible demands that Moabites never be enabled to become "Jewish," but our rabbis teach that it was the Religious Court led by Boaz which ruled that this prohibition applied only to male Moabites, and not to females. Jewish tradition maintains that King David (who was born and died on Shavuot) was the progenitor of and prototype for our anxiously awaited Messiah. Is it not astonishing that his pedigree harkens back to Ruth, a Moabite convert? Moreover, is it not remarkable that we read of the odyssey of a Jew by choice specifically as part of our celebration of the giving of the Torah at Sinai? Clearly, throughout the Book of Ruth, Judaism is urging our user-friendly attitude towards sincere converts.
    [Show full text]
  • Israel's Chief Rabbinate, the Conversion Crisis, and Halakhic Chaos
    Israel's Chief Rabbinate, the Conversion Crisis, and Halakhic Chaos These articles by Isi Leibler originally appeared in the Jerusalem Post and Yisrael Hayom. The tensions created by the ultra-Orthodox Chief Rabbinate within Israeli society have extended to the Diaspora and are now undermining relations with the Jewish state. Ironically, this is taking place at a time when many Israelis are returning to their spiritual roots. Although Tel Aviv remains outwardly a hedonistic secular city, the secular Ashkenazi outlook that dominated Israeli society is in decline, and even setting aside haredim, Israelis today have become increasingly more traditionally inclined and religiously observant. The past decades have witnessed the emergence of observant Jews at all senior levels of society. There has been a dramatic revolution in the Israel Defense Forces with national-religious soldiers now occupying senior positions, assuming roles in combat units parallel to what their kibbutz predecessors did in the early years of statehood. There is even a thirst for spiritual values among secular Israelis, accompanied by a major revival of the study of Jewish texts. Yet simultaneously, there is revulsion and rage at the corruption, extortion and political leverage imposed by powerful haredi political parties and their rabbis. Unfortunately, the ultra-Orthodox rabbis have effectively exploited their political leverage to assume control of the Chief Rabbinate, which, ironically, they themselves have always despised. Current Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau and his Sephardi counterpart, Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, represent the antithesis of the Chief Rabbinate created 90 years ago by Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, who strove to unite the nation.
    [Show full text]
  • Strengthening Those Who Strengthen Others
    OTS Newsbrief • SPRING 2018 • 5778 Strengthening Those Who Strengthen Others For the cream-of-the-crop of Israel’s youth engaging in a pre-military year of service, being enriched by Yachad Program Jewish identity activities makes their commitment to Israel and the Jewish people even stronger. “It was very important to Zahava to find the right facilitators for this project, who would be able to impart strong Jewish elements without making the teens, who are secular, feel uncomfortable,” shared Yigal Klein, Yachad’s Educational Director. “Although we don’t have facilitators in every community center where the shinshinim are, she trusted us to select and train counselors who would really make a difference,” he related. A GUIDEBOOK FOR LIFE Each shinshin group is visited on a weekly basis by their Yachad- trained counselor. “I look forward to the Yachad class with Arik all week long,” says Shirli. “I especially like that everything VALUES OF GIVING AND COMMUNAL RESPONSIBILITY: SHINSHINIM ARE “CREAM OF is rooted in the sources of our heritage because it gives me a feel- THE CROP” ing of connection to my past and my future at the same time.” chose to spend this year working with troubled kids Shimon Cohen, 19, from Tirat Hacarmel adds: “Nechama talks in Kiryat Shmona,” said 18-year-old Shirli Avital, from to us about all the regular things – what to do with students Yerucham. “Because I come from the periphery myself, acting out, where we see ourselves in the future – but from a “I different perspective. I like the idea that Judaism is informing I’m interested in contributing to Israel from my own experiences.” my day to day activities.
    [Show full text]
  • The Flourishing of Higher Jewish Learning for Women
    www.jcpa.org No. 429 26 Nisan 5760 / 1 May 2000 THE FLOURISHING OF HIGHER JEWISH LEARNING FOR WOMEN Rochelle Furstenberg Hundreds of Women Scholars / The Hafetz Haim Supports Women's Study in 1918 / Jewish Education Beyond High School / Nechama Leibowitz / Contemporary Jewish Studies for Women / The Ideology of Women's Study / Rabbinical Court Advocates / Women as Rabbinic Judges? / Halakhic Advisors / Women as Spiritual Leaders / Women's Unique Approach to Study This is written in memory of Daniel Elazar, whose sweet intelligence enriched the lives of all who touched him. His deep connectedness to Am Yisrael, his perception of human nature and the workings of the polity, his warmth, and yearning for justice and truth beyond the commonly accepted academic truths, made him a friend and mentor. Each time I spoke to him I came away with new insights about life and society, particularly Israeli society. * * * Hundreds of Women Scholars A revolution is taking place. Yet most of the orthodox community denies that it is a revolution. They look with wonder and pride at what is being created, and yet downplay the revolutionary aspect of this feminist development. To some extent, this soft-pedaling of the revolutionary aspect of women's study of Judaism is tactical. The leaders of the revolution are fearful of arousing the opposition of the conservative elements of the religious Establishment whom they need for both financial and institutional support. But most of all, revolution runs counter to the self-image of most of the orthodox women involved in women's study. Revolution is identified with the breakdown of tradition, and these women cherish and want to promote the tradition.
    [Show full text]
  • Modern Orthodox Judaism: a Documentary History Zev Eleff Copyrighted Material Foreword by Jacob J
    Modern Orthodox Judaism: A Documentary History Zev Eleff Copyrighted material Foreword by Jacob J. Schacter Contents List of Illustrations xxiv Foreword xxv by Jacob J. Schacter Preface xxix Acknowledgments xli Part 1. Orthodox Judaism and the Modern American Experience 1. Engaging Reform 3 Introduction 3 Section 1 | Charleston Clamorings and Other “Heresies” “Retrograde Instead of Advancing” 5 Mordecai Noah | 1825 New Lights and Old Lights 6 A Member of the Reformed Society of Israelites | 1825 This Happy Land 7 Isaac Harby | 1825 A Jewish Luther 9 Jacob Mordecai | 1826 An Open Letter to Gustavus Poznanski 12 Isaac Leeser | 1843 “Some Wolves Clothed in Sheep’s- Cover” 16 Abraham Rice | 1848 What Prevails among the Jewish People? 18 Mordecai Noah | 1850 Buy the book Modern Orthodox Judaism: A Documentary History Zev Eleff Copyrighted material Foreword by Jacob J. Schacter Section 2 | Living Orthodox Judaism This Is Religious Liberty in America 19 Abraham Kohn | 1843 Our Holy Place 20 Trustees of the Congregation Shearith Israel | 1847 Strange Misbehavior 21 Max Lilienthal | 1854 An Aunt’s Admonishment 24 Anna Marks Allen | 1858 Conclusion 25 2. The Traditional Talmud and Response to Reform Prayer Books 27 Introduction 27 Section 1 | Talking Talmud “The Talmud Is Not Divine” 28 Benjamin Cohen Carillon | 1843 At the Risk of Being Considered Hyper- orthodox 31 Henry Goldsmith | 1843 A Return to the Maimonidean View? 33 Abraham Rice | 1844 The Cleveland Conference 35 Isaac Leeser | 1855 It Is Decidedly Heretical 38 Morris J. Raphall | 1856 Section 2 | The Modified Mahzor An Ornament for Parlor- Tables 39 Bernard Illowy | 1855 A Letter from an “Enlightened Orthodox” Jew 41 Benjamin Franklin Peixotto | 1859 x Contents Buy the book Modern Orthodox Judaism: A Documentary History Zev Eleff Copyrighted material Foreword by Jacob J.
    [Show full text]
  • Sara Yael Hirschhorn – Excerpt from Dissertation Chapter Three: Efrat – Copyright 2011 – Do Not Circulate
    Sara Yael Hirschhorn – Excerpt From Dissertation Chapter Three: Efrat – Copyright 2011 – Do Not Circulate Raishit Geula: Rabbi Shlomo Riskin’s Jewish-American Garin and the Makings of Efrat, 1973-1987 Efrat, named for the biblical locale mentioned in the Book of Chronicles, is located in the Gush Etzion region of the West Bank between Bethlehem and Hebron. With a population of over seven thousand residents, of which approximately half are American-Israelis, the city is the most highly recognizable Jewish-American colony in the occupied territories and has emerged as the cornerstone of the Etzion bloc.1 Yet, how did Efrat rise from the rubble of the post-1973 war to become the incipient American-style ―capital of the Gush‖2 in less than a decade? The story of Efrat is one of a strategic partnership between Israeli settlers and Jewish- American immigrants after the Yom Kippur War. It is framed by the personal friendship and professional partnership between Moshe Moshkowitz, a son of the pre-1948 Gush Etzion settlements and the New York –based modern Orthodox rabbi Steven (Shlomo) Riskin, which combined the insider knowledge and connections of a native activist with the capital and manpower galvanized by a dynamic spiritual leader. Efrat also produced a new model for American-Israeli settlement in the West Bank that combined the efforts an Israeli non- governmental organization, the Judean Hills Development Co., alongside Garin Raishit Geula [lit. The Origins of Redemption] in the United States. This cooperative venture and division of labor allowed Efrat to deftly navigate the politics and pitfalls of local coordination with the Israeli government while still retaining the distinctly American character of its new township.
    [Show full text]
  • Eikev: the Covenants
    Eikev: The Covenants - Shlomo Riskin. The two Covenants, one with Avraham, one with Sinai; the National and Religious emphasis. How Jerusalem differs from all the rest of the land of Israel. Eikev: The Covenants By Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel - This week’s Torah portion centers around the land of Israel: the necessity and guarantee that we conquer it, its natural beauty and resources, replete with rivers, wells, mountains and valleys, its luscious fruits, vegetables and grains, and its impressive stone quarries and copper mines. Indeed, even when the Biblical text directs us to recite the blessing after a meal, our blessing does not relate to the food but rather to the land: “You shall eat, you shall be satisfied and you shall bless the Lord your G-d for the good land which He has given you (Deuteronomy 8:10)” – the land and not the food! Why? Secondly, the Talmud maintains that there are three blessings, Biblically ordained, (from our Torah portion of Eikev) which comprise the Grace over meals: the first for the food as a divine gift, derived from the message of the manna which descended from heaven (Deuteronomy 8:3- 6); the second for the land; and the third for the restoration of Jerusalem. Why is Jerusalem a separate blessing? And wherein does the uniqueness of our capital city differ from the uniqueness of the land in general? Ought Jerusalem not be included in the general blessing for the land? And finally, the Biblical text goes on to describe the Torah covenant which G-d gave to Moses and to Israel, the subsequent sin of the golden calf, the Divine forgiveness and re-confirmation of Israel’s election, but all in the backdrop of the importance of the land, the universal nature of our G-d who is above all powers (Deuteronomy 10:17-21), and the universal nature of our covenant, which, if obeyed, will bring universal fructification of the fields, prosperity and well-being to the world (Deuteronomy 11:12 following).
    [Show full text]
  • Blessed Are You, Lord, for Not Having Made Me a Woman
    Studia Religiologica 50 (3) 2017, s. 267–277 doi:10.4467/20844077SR.17.016.7938 www.ejournals.eu/Studia-Religiologica From Exclusivism to Inclusivism in Jewish Prayers. The Case of the Morning Prayer: Blessed are You, Lord, for Not Having Made Me a Woman Shoshana Ronen Hebrew Studies Department University of Warsaw [email protected] Abstract Jewish prayers and holy texts of religious rituals contain messages which are, from a contemporary point of view, highly exclusive and discriminating. However, Judaism treats its texts as sacred, be- stowed directly from God, and therefore, unchangeable. Jewish Orthodoxy refuses to alter even one letter in the traditional texts. Nevertheless, since the reformation of Judaism in the mid-nineteenth century in Germany, and particularly since the mid-twentieth century in the USA, liberal and pro- gressive Jewish communities have come to the conclusion that human dignity is more important than faithfulness to old texts, and therefore some changes have to be made. These have usually been slight alterations which eliminated exclusive and belittling meanings from the original text. Today, even Orthodox Jews feel unease with this situation, and are considering different solutions. The article deals with the case of the morning prayer “Blessed are You, Lord, for Not Having Made Me a Woman” and its interpretations and modifications from the Middle Ages to modern times. Keywords: Judaism, Orthodoxy, liberal Judaism, prayers, morning blessings, women Słowa kluczowe: judaizm, ortodoksja, liberalny judaizm, modlitwa, poranne błogosławieństwo, kobiety Jewish prayers and holy texts of religious rituals, texts and fragments which are re- peated constantly on the Sabbath, on holidays, and even every morning, contain mes- sages which are, from a contemporary point of view, highly exclusive, discriminating and affronting.
    [Show full text]
  • Modern Orthodox Judaism: a Documentary History Zev Eleff
    Study Guide for: Modern Orthodox Judaism: A Documentary History Zev Eleff Session 1: Engaging Reform Learning Goals: By its very nature, an “orthodox” faith represents a response to some form of heterodox. Before the emergence of a “reform” element, Jews in this modern period by and large did not divide into neat “denominations” or “movements.” In the early 1820s, then, Orthodox Jews defended their traditional against Reform and did their best to articulate a vision for their community. Students and learners should explore the various and fluid meanings of “Orthodox Judaism” and how it rose up in reaction to Reform Judaism. Reading: Chapter 1 Questions for Discussion 1. What were some of the different ways in which traditional Jews responded to the early incarnations of Jewish Reform in America? 2. Why might a “traditional” Jew accept the label “Orthodox” and why might they avoid that designation in their religious lives? 3. On what grounds did “Orthodox” Jews defend their inabilities to properly observe Jewish law? Are there echoes of those explanations today? If so, how might they differ? Suggestions for Further Reading Dianne Ashton, Rebecca Gratz: Women and Judaism in Antebellum America. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1997. Emily Bingham, Mordecai: An Early American Family. New York: Hill and Wang, 2003. Hasia R. Diner, A Time for Gathering: The Second Migration, 1820-1880. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992. Karla Goldman, Beyond the Synagogue Gallery: Finding a Place for Women in American Judaism. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2001. Jonathan D. Sarna, Jacksonian Jew: The Two Worlds of Mordecai Noah. New York: Holmes & Meier, 1981.
    [Show full text]