Torah of Sustenance for 2019 Torah of SustenanceTorah of Sustenance for 2019 for 2019 Where we are today Where we are today כִּי זֶה שְׁ נָתַ י ִם הָרָ עָב ְבּ קֶ רֶ ב ָה אָ רֶ ץ... ARE TODAY land…” the in famine been has there that years two now is WHERE WE“It כִּי זֶה שְׁ נָתַ י ִם הָרָ עָב ְבּ קֶ רֶ ב ָה אָ רֶ ץ... (45:6 esis land…” the in famine been has there that years two now is Gen“It) “It is now two years(Gen thatesis there 45:6) has been famine in the land…” (Genesis 45:6) הִנֵּה י ָמִ ים בָּ אִ ים נְאֻ ם אֲ ד ֹנָ י ה' I ETERNAL—when THE Lord my coming—declares is time A “ הִנֵּה י ָמִ ים בָּ אִ ים נְאֻ ם אֲ ד ֹנָ י ה' I ETERNAL—when THE Lord my coming—declares is time A“ וְ הִ שְׁ לַ חְ תִּ י רָ ָע ב ָבּ אָ רֶ ץ ֹלא רָ ָע ב לַלֶּחֶם my Lord THE ETERNAL—when I a or bread for hunger a not land: the upon famine a send A time is coming—declareswill“ וְ הִ שְׁ לַ חְ תִּ י רָ ָע ב ָבּ אָ רֶ ץ ֹלא רָ ָע ב לַלֶּחֶם a or bread for hunger a not land: the upon famine a send will will send a faminethirst for water, but for hearing the words of the upon the land: not a hunger for bread or a ETERNAL. וְֹלא צָ מָ א לַ מַּ י ִם כִּי אִ ם לִ שְׁ מ ֹעַ אֵ ת .ETERNAL the of words the hearing for but water, for thirst וְֹלא צָ מָ א לַ מַּ י ִם כִּי אִ ם לִ שְׁ מ ֹעַ אֵ ת . for hearing the words of the ETERNAL to east to north from and sea to sea from wander shall thirst for water, butMen דִּ ְ ב רֵ י ה': וְנָעוּ מִ יּ ָם עַד יָם וּמִ צָּ פוֹן to east to north from and sea to sea from wander shall Men דִּ ְ ב רֵ י ה': וְנָעוּ מִ יּ ָם עַד יָם וּמִ צָּ פוֹן ” it. to east to find not shall they but from sea to sea andETERNAL from north, the of word the Men shall wanderseek וְעַד מִ זְ רָ ח יְשׁוֹטְטוּ לְ בַ קֵּ שׁ אֶ ת דְּ בַ ר ה' ”.it find not shall they but ETERNAL, 11-12) the of word the 8:seek Amos) וְעַד מִ זְ רָ ח יְשׁוֹטְטוּ לְ בַ קֵּ שׁ אֶ ת דְּ בַ ר ה' ”. but they shall not find it 8:the ETERNAL,11-12) seek the word of (Amos וְֹלא י ִמְ צָ אוּ: וְֹלא י ִמְ צָ אוּ: (Amos 8:11-12) • In what ways does• In what ways does “famine” feel like an apt metaphor for our present “famine” feel like an apt metaphor for our present national circumstances?national circumstances? In • In what ways does “famine” feel like an apt metaphor for our present national circumstances? In In what ways does what ways does it not work for you?it not work for you? what ways does it not work for you? • What do you think is the “word of the ETERNAL” our society is lacking today? • What do you think• is the “word of the ETERNAL” our society is lacking today? What do you think is the “word of the ETERNAL” our society is lacking today? עשרה שני רעבון באו לעולם...ואחד 25:3 Rabbah Genesis Midrash עשרה שני רעבון באו לעולם...ואחד 25:3 25:3Rabbah RabbahGenesis Midrash listing [after world… the to came famine of years Midrash GenesisTen לעתיד לבא שנאמר (עמוס ח)... listing [after world… the to came famine of years Ten לעתיד לבא שנאמר (עמוס ח)... future to the world… [after listing nine [messianic] the in one and times] biblical in Ten years of faminenine came in biblical times] nineand in onebiblical times] and one in the [messianic] future in the [messianic] future [quoting [quoting Amos 8:11, above]. רבי הונא ורבי ירמיה בשם רבי שמואל .[above 8:11, Amos [quoting Amos 8:11, above]. רבי הונא ורבי ירמיה בשם רבי שמואל בר רב יצחק עיקר אוותנטיא שלו לא היה of name the in said Jeremiah Rabbi and Huna Rabbi בר רב יצחק עיקר אוותנטיא שלו לא היה Jeremiah said in the name of Rabbi t of name the in said Jeremiah Rabbi and Huna noRabbi was famine real The Yitzchak: Rav bar Shmuel Rabbi Huna and RabbiRabbi ראוי להיות בימי דוד אלא בימי שאול, not was famine real The Yitzchak: Rav bar Shmuel Rabbi ראוי להיות בימי דוד אלא בימי שאול, The real famine was not meant to a was Saul but Saul’s, in but day David’s in be to Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak:meant meant to be in David’s day but in Saul’s, but Saul was a 1 אלא על ידי שהיה שאול גרופית של was a “dry sycamore pushed One Blessed Holy the so branch Saul,” sycamore in Saul’s, but be in David’s day“ butdry אלא על ידי שהיה שאול גרופית של pushed One Blessed Holy the so branch,” sycamore1 dry“ שקמה גלגלו הקב"ה והביאו בימי דוד, Blessed One pushed [the famine] off day. David’s In it brought and off famine] branch1,” so the Holy[the שקמה גלגלו הקב"ה והביאו בימי דוד, .day David’s In it brought and off famine] the] and brought it In David’s day. They offered a parable: Should Shilo sin and Yohana מתלא אמרין, שילו חטא ויוחנא Yohana and sin Shilo Should parable: a offered They מתלא אמרין, שילו חטא ויוחנא this said Should Shilo sin and Yohana pay?Great the Hiyya Rabbi be? that could How They offered a parable:pay? משתלמא? אתמהא! אמר רבי חייא רבה this said Great the Hiyya Rabbi be? that could How pay? משתלמא? אתמהא! אמר רבי חייא רבה - display Rabbi Hiyya the Great said this may be a had who glassmaker a to compared be How could that be?may משל לזגג שהיה בידו קופה מליאה כוסות -display a had who glassmaker a to compared be may he up, it hang to wanted he When glasses. of full case משל לזגג שהיה בידו קופה מליאה כוסות who had a display-case full of he up, it hang to wanted he When glasses. of full compared to a glassmakercase ודייטרוטין, בשעה שהיה מבקש לתלות wanted to hang it up, he took a stake and and it, on hung and wall] [a in it stuck and stake a glasses. When hetook then he would hang his case. In the same way, [the took a stake and stuck it in [a wall] and hung on it, and ודייטרוטין, בשעה שהיה מבקש לתלות stuck it in [a wall] and hung on it, and then he would hang his את קופתו היה מביא יתד ותקעה ונתלה of but people weak of days e [the way, same the In case. his hang would he ththen in come didn’t famines] את קופתו היה מביא יתד ותקעה ונתלה case. In the same way, [the famines] didn’t come in the days בה ואחר כך היה תולה קופתו, לפיכך לא of but people weak of days the in come didn’t famines] them. withstand can who heroes בה ואחר כך היה תולה קופתו, לפיכך לא . them of heroes who can withstand them. withstand can who of weak people butheroes באו בימי בני אדם שפופים אלא בימי בני באו בימי בני אדם שפופים אלא בימי בני ,40:29 [Isaiah them upon recite would Berechya Rabbi אדם גבורים שהן יכולין לעמוד בהן, ,Rabbi Berechya would recite upon them [Isaiah 40:29 אדם גבורים שהן יכולין לעמוד בהן, ,40:29 [Isaiah morning daily the hashachar, birkot them upon recite would Berechya intoRabbi incorporated incorporated intoincorporated into birkot hashachar ,birkot hashachar the daily morning, the daily morning blessings], “[Blessed are You]…who gives strength to the רבי ברכיה הוה קרי עליהון נותן ליעף to the the to strength gives You gives strength]…who are “[Blessed ], blessings], “[Blessedweary.”blessings are You]…who רבי ברכיה הוה קרי עליהון נותן ליעף ”.weary כח. ”.weary כח. • How do you feel that we are dealing today with problems that were put off in the past? • What makes 1 you feel like a “hero” capable of withstanding this “famine”? 1 Considered an inferior wood; see Isaiah 9:9, “Sycamores have been felled— We’ll grow cedars instead!” and JT What makesAvodah Zarah Considered an inferior wood; see Isaiah 9:9, you feel like 40:3 a .“dry sycamore branch”?“Sycamores have been felled— We’ll grow cedars instead!” and JT Avodah Zarah 40:3. • How could you use Rabbi Berechya’s blessing as a spiritual tool in this time? • Many people find the theology of “God doesn’t give you anything you can’t handle” quite troubling. Do you see that theology being expressed in this midrash, or do you interpret it differently? 1Considered an inferior wood; see Isaiah 9:9, “Sycamores have been felled— We’ll grow cedars instead!” and JT Avodah Zarah 40:3. 266 W. 37th St. Suite 803, New York, NY 10018 www.truah.org ● www.facebook.com/TruahRabbis 212-845-5201 ● @truahrabbis HOW WE (MIGHT) MOVE FORWARD “Neighbors and Neighborly Relations,” by Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin, in The Observant Life (The Rabbinical Assembly, New York, 2012), pp. 713-715. If you live near me and I live near you, we make claims on each other. This is so, no matter how we feel about each other…You might ask why: why should the fact that I live near you bind us in any particular way?..