Thursday, July 8, 2010

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH ECO-JUDAISM : Devarim: Bar Kamtza: TISHA B'AV: OG

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH ECO-JUDAISM : Devarim: Bar Kamtza: TISHA B'AV: OG
 
 Jewish Spiritual Renewal: Shabbat 7/17/10 : A Path of Transformation
 
The JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL class list is hosted by Shamash: The Jewish Network, a service of Hebrew College. 
 
Shalom Dear Talmidim, Chaverim v' Rabbanim:
 
As a note of reminder we are in the midst of ''The Three Weeks.'' It sadly commemorates the Romans breaking thru the walls of Jerusalem, ending with the Temple's burning 3 weeks later on the Ninth of Av (Tisha B'av) 70 CE. The spiritual aspect for us is to remember why the Talmud says Ezra's Temple was destroyed...sinat chinam...baseless hatred among Jews. During these three weeks, we are to go out of our way, to be kind to all Jews, and all of our fellow humans. Tisha B'Av begins on the eve of July 19, 2010. When we read Lamentations on Tisha B'Av , let us ask ourselves how we are doing in relating to others with love and kindness , ahavath chesed. 
 
Today we will continue with our path of transformation via Jewish Spiritual Renewal, with the second third of  Chapter 11:  '' Daily Spiritual Growth,'' from (001) The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal - Rabbi Arthur Segal  or http://www.shop.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/product.sc;jsessionid=5C09106E770F711A24A135C59A7E346E.qscstrfrnt03?productId=1&categoryId=1
 
To those new to the class, Baruch ha Ba, welcome! You can access last week's class, and from there work back with links to the first class, at 
 
 REMEMBER PLEASE: This class is to be read over a week's period, not all at once. Enjoy and savour it.
 
 
 
Daily spiritual growth has us continuing  growing with our personal relation with the Divine. We  no longer depend on our finite selves or the finite selves of our friends and family. We cannot be hurt nor let down by others, as we understand the frailty of humans, including ourselves. Our mantra is no longer ''Don't just sit there but do something!'' It is now ''be still and know that I am God.'' [Psalm 46:10].
 
In fact in answering a dear friend  about what do to this Yom Kippur with the Day being  on Shabbat, vis a vis blowing the shofar, (Its a trick question, lol, as we always blow the shofar after the closing service, neila, and hence its always blown after Yom Kippur is over. Our calendar is set up so that we do not have Yom Kippur on a Friday, so we do not have a shofar blowing on Shabbat),  the spiritual answer becomes that on Yom Tovs which fall on Shabbat [ like Rosh ha Shana or Sukkoth ], and we can't blow the shofar, or wave the luluv and etrog, we learn that spiritually God Himself is blowing the shofar and waving the 4 species for us! In other words, God does for us, what we cannot do for ourselves.
 
The Midrash Rabbah Genesis gives us again Judaism's view of love over all. '' Why was the generation of the Flood utterly destroyed, but not the generation of the Tower of Babel? Because the former were consumed by robbery and violence and hatred and jealousy, while amongst the latter, love and cooperation prevailed. ''
 
Many years ago, while being with another dear friend he used the phrase "God can't'' many times over. When we humans truncate God, we deny Him. I have seen over and over, locally, nationally and internationally, how anyone who completely follows this path of transformation, with dependence on God's power, never fails in transforming, in renewing, and living life 180 degrees from where they started, being happy, joyous and free.
 
The sages teach:'' God can do anything. He could even, as the Talmud Bavli Tractate Beracoth 55a  reads:, "fit an elephant through the eye of a needle." So, how would He do it? Would He make the elephant smaller? Or would He expand the eye of the needle? Neither. The elephant would remain big, the eye of the needle small. And He would fit the elephant through the eye of the needle.  Illogical? True. But logic is just another of His creations. He who created logic is permitted to disregard it.''
 
But becoming spiritually awakened does cost. We will many times have to give up friends who, let us use for an example, are horrid gossips. One of our fellow talmidim  from Mexico emailed me of how her life is totally different and wonderful in less than a year, but her friend, a ba'al lashon ha ra, is now out of her life. This can happen. But I also can assure you, that if you give them space, and they see you as a billboard for living a happy, spiritual  life, they eventually come to you and ask you to help them change as well. This what the Kotzker Rebbe  meant when he observed that for one living spiritually: "There is no place lonelier than a room full of people."
 
We never proselytize or even point out others defects. We never listened when years ago, others pointed out our defects. We never take another's chesbon ha nefesh for them. They must want to change and learn. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov once said, ''Moshiac will "conquer" the world without a single bullet or gunpowder.'' Or even an unkind word. Moshiac will do it by example.
 
Our sages teach:   ''Those who are insulted and do not insult, who hear their disgrace and do not respond, who act out of love and are happy in their affliction, regarding them does Scripture state (Judges 5:31): "But they who love Him shall be like the sun going forth in its might" (Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 88b)''. As I have written in one of my books, just because one is a vegetarian doesn't mean the bull won't charge at you. We have gotten our yetzer ha ra under control, by the grace of God, but that doesn't preclude others, full of their yetzer ha ra, as perceiving us a threat to them. This no different than active drunks, no longer wanting to hang with those that have become sober. A sober person is a stark reminder to a drunk that a) he can change it he wishes, and b) he doesn't wish to change.
 
Our renewal is not just for ourselves. It truly is for others. ''A renewed person must remember at all times and at every moment that he always stands on the threshold between being one of those who bring merit to the public and, God forbid, one of those who cause the public to sin - the threshold between the loftiest of heights and the most abysmal depth.'' [ Rabbi Sholom Dov Ber] . We many times must follow the adage of "Be of the persecuted rather than the persecutor" (Talmud Bavli Tractate Bava Kama 93a).
 
Remember the rabbis of the Talmudic error were just as nonplussed about Jews, and in a sense humans in general, as we are today. Said Rabbi Aba bar Achah: '' There's no understanding the character of this people! They're solicited for the Calf, and they give; they're solicited for the Mishkan - they give!'' [  Talmud Yerushalmi Tractate Shekalim 1:1] 
 
Remember as we grow spiritually we will never be perfect, and neither will be our friends and family. As we learned in the chapter on Prayer in (001) The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal - Rabbi Arthur Segal   : The day begins with Modeh Ani ("I acknowledge before You, living and eternal King, that You restored my soul to me; great is Your faithfulness"). This is said before the morning washing of the hands, even while the hands are ritually impure (and all other prayers cannot be said). The deeper reason for this is that all the impurities in the world do not defile  our "I acknowledge" before God; we all  lack one thing or another, but our Modeh Ani remains intact. 
 
Let me leave us with a spiritual lesson in thinking of everyone favorably and not taking things personally. The Torah states: "With righteousness shall you judge your fellow" (Lev.19:15), which our Sages interpret as a commandment to give one's fellow the benefit of the doubt (Talmud Bavli Tractate Shavuot 30a).  To judge others favorably is also to bear in mind the teaching: "Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place" (Talmud Bavli Tractate Pirkei Avot 2:5). And as I have said before, we can never be in another's place, so we don't judge.
 
The following incident, recorded in the Talmud ( Bavli Tractate Shabbat 127b ), illustrates the extent to which we must judge his fellow favorably: ''A man from Israel's Upper Galilee hired himself out for three years to someone living in the southern portion of the Land. At the end of the three years, on the eve of Yom Kippur, the worker requested his wages so that he could return home and feed his family. His employer responded,"I have no money.''"Then pay me with fruit,'' said the worker."I have none,'' came the reply."Pay me with land.''"I have none.''"Pay me with livestock.''"I have none.''"Pay me with pillows and blankets.''"I have none.''
 
The worker slung his pack over his shoulder and headed home, bitterly disappointed. At the conclusion of Succoth, the employer appeared at his worker's door, with money in hand, along with three donkeys, bearing food, drink and delicacies. The food was brought inside and the two enjoyed a hearty meal together.
 
Afterwards, the employer paid the worker in full. The employer then asked, "When you asked for your earnings and I replied that I had no money, what did you think?  ''The worker replied,"I thought that perhaps a deal that you could not pass up had come along and you had used all your cash for that.''

"And when I said that I had no land?''"I thought that perhaps all your land had been leased to others.''

"And when I said that I had no fruit?''"I thought that perhaps your fruits had not yet been tithed.''

 ''And when I said that I had no pillows or blankets?''''I thought that perhaps you had dedicated all your possessions to the Temple.''

The employer exclaimed, ''I make an oath that this is exactly what happened! ...Just as you judged me favorably, so too should the Omnipresent judge you favorably.''And indeed, the Sages teach, ''One who judges his fellow favorably is judged favorably by Heaven'' ( Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 127b ). ''

With the conclusion of these ''three weeks'' with Tisha B'Av on July 20th, let us work extra hard at being kind and loving to all, and to those who do not respond, not think harshly of them, but pray  for them that they will some day seek to become spiritual awakened.

Let us continue exploring our text by moving further into an important chapter, "Daily Spiritual Growth,'' which is chapter 11   from  (001) The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal - Rabbi Arthur Segal  or http://www.shop.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/product.sc;jsessionid=5C09106E770F711A24A135C59A7E346E.qscstrfrnt03?productId=1&categoryId=1 . We will study the second third of this chapter this week.

Daily Chesbon Ha Nefesh

Asking God How to Improve

You need to set aside time daily for Torah study. Torah, as defined previously, means any and all of our spiritual texts. It is best to set aside a specific time each day so that you are more likely to get it done. Rabbi Hillel said in Mishna Pirkei Avot 1:5: "Say not 'When I have time I will study,' because you may never have the time."

 

Rabbi Bloom ran a Talmud class at the Yeshiva. He was always so involved in the text that he never looked up from his books. Often, when he called up a student for translation and explanation, without realizing it, he chose the same student day after day. But out of respect, the students wouldn't point this out to him.

Hymie had already been called up on three consecutive days when the Rabbi once again said, "Hymie Himmelfarb, come up here and translate and explain."

Hymie replied, "Himmelfarb is absent today, Rabbi."

"Okay," said the Rabbi, "why don't you come up here and translate and explain instead."

 

The Internet provides a wealth of opportunities for study. For example, there are over 1,000 Web sites with which you can study the weekly Torah portion (Parasha) from the Five Books of Moses. I've also found more than 500 sites where you can study the rest of the TaNaK as well as the weekly Haftarah. There are at least 50 sites that you can use to study a page of Talmud a day. You can read and study nearly every Jewish spiritual text ever written, online, and you can take classes online (many of them are free of charge). There are even organizations that will assign you a study partner or teacher. Some of them will go so far as to provide a phone card if you have to communicate with your study partner on a long-distance telephone call. If you decide to try studying online, make sure you are studying true Torah works and not some New Age "psychobabble."

"All that is thought should not be said, all that is said should not be written, all that is written should not be published, and all that is published should not be read." (Rabbi M. Morgensztern).

Doing the mitzvoth of good deeds, while helping others, is actually beneficial for the one doing it. When I visit Jewish elderly in assisted living facilities around town, it keeps me from being concerned about my problems. I can see the power of God and prayer at work for those with whom I pray. They begin to speak of God's love for them when before they had no hope.  I see fears lifted, especially the fear of death, and I see feelings of Shalom appear on their faces. I get reports from nurses and family that after one visit, appetites return and talk of wanting to die stops. This, to me, reinforces God's omnipotence. While personal gain is not my reason for doing the mitzvoth, I gain nevertheless.

            We can do mitzvoth "of the limbs," such as writing a check to a Jewish Elder Care facility. However, doing mitzvoth "of the heart," taking the time to visit those in need, is of a higher spiritual order. "Checkbook Judaism" is not what God wants from you, nor does He want your synagogue to teach you to have one "Mitzvah Day" a year. The prophets, even of pre-Talmudic Judaism, railed against this.

The Lord asks, "What do your many animal sacrifices mean to Me? I've had enough of your burnt offerings of rams and enough fat from your fattened calves. I'm not pleased with the blood of bulls, lambs, or male goats. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good; seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow." (Is 1:11-16). "Yet they act so pious!  They love to make a show of coming to Me and asking Me to take action on their behalf. I want you to share your food with the hungry and to welcome poor wanderers into your homes. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help." (Is. 58:2-7).

    Do you get the idea of what God wants from you? He would rather have you feed the poor on Yom Kippur than have you show up at synagogue in your expensive car, adorned with diamonds and furs, to ask God to forgive your sins without Renewal and Teshuvah.

You might write the largest check to Jewish charities and be called Man or Woman of the Year, but in God's eyes you will still be no more than a "putrid drop from our fathers." What makes you good in God's eyes and allows you to sleep at night is doing the mitzvoth about which nobody knows, rather than the ones that get your name on the covers of magazines.

 

Rabbi Landau was, as usual, standing near the synagogue exit shaking hands as his congregation departed. But as Max was leaving, Rabbi Landau grabbed his hand, pulled him aside and said, "Max, I think you need to join the Army of God!"

"But I'm already in God's Army, Rabbi," said Max.

"So how come I don't see you in shul except on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?" said Rabbi Landau.

Max whispered, "I'm in the secret service."

 

This is not to say that you should not pray in a spiritually God-oriented synagogue daily, on Shabbat, and on the Holidays. I am saying that the Spiritual Path demands that you do what is truly required of you and that you not delude yourself that a weak substitution is of any effect.

In a week, Baruch ha Shem, we will study the last third of the 11th Chapter, ''Daily Spiritual Growth'' of  (001) The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal - Rabbi Arthur Segal. 
As usual, a D'var Torah for the Shabbat of July 17, 2010 follows.it is the first parasha of the last of the 5 books of Moses, our Chumash. As this announces for us on our calendar, the month of Elul is not far away, and neither are the holy days of Selicoth, Rosh Ha Shana, Yom Kippur, Sukkoth and Simcha Torah as well as some others. This is the true time of year to see if your Jewish Spiritual Renewal, your transformation, your teshuvah is truly taken affect in you.
   Thanks.
Shalom uvracha:
Rabbi Arthur Segal
 www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
 www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA
 

Deuteronomy

Parasha Devarim: Deuteronomy 1:01-3:22

Rabbi Arthur Segal
 www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
 www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

"Jive Talkin'"

Who wrote the Book of Deuteronomy? What can we learn from its inconsistencies with the first four of the Five Books of Moses (the Chumash)? Was King Og really a giant who survived the great Flood? Did the Second Temple really get destroyed over a party invitation? Were Moses and the Israelite soldiers really allowed to eat pork? Are we causing blindness if we do not share Jerusalem?

The Hebrew title "Devarim" means, "words." An older Hebrew name for this book was "Mishna Torah," which means, "the repetition of the Torah." The English language title of this book is Deuteronomy and means "second law" derived from Greek and Latin.

As the Jews are camped on the east bank of the Jordan River ready to cross over into the Promised Land under Joshua's command, Moses begins his final discourses. In this parasha, Moses reviews the journey from Sinai to Kadesh and gives a veiled rebuke with an "exhortation to obedience" to God's laws, as Rabbi J. Hertz writes. The laws of the court system of judges are reviewed. Moses retells of the spies' mission but blames Israel for sending them. In the original story Moses makes the decision to send the spies. The encounters with the tribes of Esau, Seir, Moab and Og are reviewed. The inheritance of the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Manesseh, who will live in what is now known as Jordan, are recounted.

Any honest reading of Deuteronomy will lead to difficulties, as there are so many inconsistencies with wordings and historic details as told in the first four books of Moses. Not only are laws reviewed with new wordings but more than 70 new laws are introduced. Modern critical biblical theorists conclude that this text was written at a different time, perhaps even in Ezra's era, after the return from exile in Babylon. Traditionally these problems are handled differently.

Traditionally these inconsistencies are answered by saying that Moses held back laws dealing with farming until we were ready to conquer the land of Israel. Even the Talmudic sage, Abaye, when trying to explain God's different rebukes in Leviticus Chapter 26 and Deuteronomy Chapter 28, says that Leviticus's rebuke is God's words and that Deuteronomy's rebuke is Moses' words (Talmud Bavli Tractate Megillah 31B). The Vilna Gaon (genius Rabbi Eliyahu Zalman of the eighteenth century) says that Moses heard the first four books directly from God at Sinai, and that Moses quoted God's words to Israel.

Moses heard this fifth book on Sinai, and it was taught to Israel 40 years later in Moses' own words. This is why, according to the Vilna Gaon, there is inconsistency. Onkelos, in his 90 C.E. Aramaic translation of the Torah (the Targum), calls this book a copy of the Torah, but not an exact copy. He explains that while in the first four books we read the phrase, "God spoke to Moses saying…" repeated so many times, in Deuteronomy we read, "God spoke to me saying…" instead. The Talmudic rabbis go further, saying that the 70 new laws in Deuteronomy were really part of the Oral Law, and that Moses decided it was as good a time as any to write them down. This is how the rabbis allowed themselves permission, 1,700 years later, to redact and write the rest of the Oral Law in what is called the Mishna and its Gemorra (discussions). When combined, the Mishna and Gemorra formed the Talmud.

The sages teach that Moses taught the Book of Deuteronomy during the last five weeks of his life. They say he died on Adar 7 (Talmud Bavli Tractate Kiddushin 38A). Moses started teaching this book, the rabbis say, on the first of Shevat. This leads to a voracious debate about who wrote the last eight verses of Deuteronomy. They agree that Joshua wrote it, but that Moses, who could foresee the future, told him what to write.

In Verses 1-5, Moses mentions places but not the events that took place there. The sages teach that Moses, not wanting to embarrass the Israelites, did not mention their sins directly but only the locations where the sins occurred. This is why these first five verses are labeled the "veiled rebuke." The Talmudic rabbi Yochanan says he "has reviewed all of the scriptures but has not found any place named Tophel or Laban" (Deut 1:01). His colleagues answer that Tophel can be rendered "tephel" (complaint) and that Laban means, "white." Therefore, Moses was secretly rebuking the Israelites for complaining about the manna. Another rabbi submits that Tofel refers to the sin of the Golden Calf (ha Egel). The rabbis cannot decide where Arabah is, but believe it refers to the plain where the Midianite women seduced the Israelite men. And the unknown place called Di-zahab refers to the gold (zehav) that God allowed the Jews take with them from Egypt. The rabbis agree that Paran is mentioned to remind us of the sin of the spies, as they began their journey from Paran.

The rabbis learn from this rebuke that "Any leader who does not chastise his community is held responsible for their sins." (Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 54B). They go on to say that properly criticizing a person is a lost art and that, "In the days preceding the arrival of Moshiach...there will not be any criticism."(Tractate Sotah 49B). Rashi says that this means no one may now criticize another. We all sin to one degree or another, so no one has the right to point fingers. We all live in glass houses…so don't throw any stones!  On the other hand, we are to "Love criticism, for as long as there is criticism in the world, pleasantness comes to the world, good and blessing come to the world, and evil is removed from the world." (Tractate Tamid 28A).

In Deut. 01:6-8 we are told about Israel's boundaries, which are in conflict with the boundaries given the Book of Numbers (see Parashot Matot And Masei: Numbers 30:02-36:13). Our land now extends to the Euphrates River in modern Turkey or Iraq. Rashi tries to explain that this means Israel will have this land when the Messiah comes. No one dared to ask Rashi why we would need any land borders during the messianic age if we were all to be at peace. Perhaps some lions will miss the message and want to eat lambs instead of sleeping with them.

In Deut. 01:9-18 the laws of judges are reviewed. Compare this to Exodus 18:13-26. When the Torah repeats these laws it adds and subtracts certain details. Jethro, who was a Midianite, is not mentioned. Forty years before, the Midianites were our allies. Even Moses' wife was a Midianite. Now they are painted as idol worshippers and seductresses. In Exodus Jethro gives Moses the idea for the use of judges. The parasha in Exodus is named for him. In Deuteronomy it is God who gives this law. Did Moses forget about his father-in-law Jethro? Or was Deuteronomy composed 800 years later?

When you study Devarim, keep a lookout for inconsistencies. Note how the story of the spies in Deut. 01:19-46 is retold with subtle twists. Moses blamed the Israelites for sending the spies when it is clear in Numbers that God left the choice to Moses. And what is even more amazing is that Moses in 01:37 blames Israel for his own punishment of not being allowed to go in to the Promised Land. But we were just told that Mt. Nebo is within the borders of the Promised Land and that Gad and Reuben are living there.

Note also that in verse 01:44, the story of the battle with the Amorites is retold. This battle took place after the Jews' moxie returned after they first lost faith while listening to the spies. The text says that the Amorites pursued the Israelites "as the bees would do." What is the Hebrew word for these flying, stinging insects? Devarim! Is the author trying to say (as we learned about the grasshopper eyes in Num. 13:33) that our own words defeated us?

The defeated King Og, given only a few words in Numbers, is now described at a giant with an iron bed, nine cubits in length and four cubits in width measured by "the cubit of that man" (Deut. 3:11). Targum Yonatan (an Aramaic translation) says that Og was one of the race of giants who survived the Great Flood. The Rashbam (Rabbi Shlomo ben Meir, Rashi's grandson, of twelfth-century France) says that when Og was a baby he was so big he broke his wooden cradle. Does Deuteronomy differ with the Noah story as well?

The rabbis had a tough time with reconciling the different wording of the histories in Deuteronomy and the rest of the Chumash. The battles and the spoils of war are described differently. In Talmud Bavli Tractate Chulin 17A, when comparing Numbers 31:3-14 and 31:31-41 to Deuteronomy 3:01-11, the rabbis go so far as to say that God gave permission during the war with King Sichon and his Amorites for the Jews to eat katlei de chaziri - dried pork rinds.

They are forced to this conclusion because in Deut. 6:10-11 God says that the Jews can use the houses that they did not build, and the food and supplies found within them when they conquer the land. Since land belonging to Kings Og and Sichon is identified as part of the Jewish people's inheritance, it was permitted to eat or use "as is" everything taken from them. It was only after these wars that Elazar gave the rules about koshering pots and pans.

For millennia no rabbi was able to state publicly a critical theory of this Deuteronomy's authorship. Talmud Bavli Tractate Sanhedrin 90A warns: "One who says Torah is not from heaven is a heretic and will have no share in the world to come." The fact that this was written shows that some rabbis must have thought about what we have the luxury today to call "the critical theory of biblical authorship." The Ramban (thirteen-century Spanish Nachmanides) was forced to conclude that consuming non-kosher food captured while conquering Israel was permissible based on his reading of Deuteronomy. The Rambam (twelfth-century Spanish and Egyptian Maimonides) says that non-kosher food is only allowed when the Israelites are hungry. Conquering a land can certainly build up one's appetite – even for pork rinds.

The authors of Deuteronomy - and perhaps the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings as well - emphasized centralization of worship and governance. In 622 B.C.E. the High Priest Hilkian found the Book of Deuteronomy while the Temple was undergoing restoration. This prompted King Josiah to undertake a major religious reformation. He purged Israel of paganism and centralized all sacrifices in Jerusalem. He also re-instituted Passover, which had been neglected since the days of the Judges (2 Kings 22:23).

Rabbi Jeffrey Tigay writes that some scholars thought that Deuteronomy was written during King Josiah's reign. He suggests that it was written in King Hezekiah's term a century or two before. Hezekiah also was anti-pagan. There is a vigorous monotheistic anti-pagan theme in Deuteronomy. However, much of this book dates back to the ancient times of farmers and herders. There are no city-type laws for merchants, artisans, commerce or even real estate. Tigay believes that some sections of this book go back to the united monarchy in David's time of 1000 B.C.E.

Because Deuteronomy places emphasis on rituals taking place on Mt. Gezirim and Ebal, near Shechem, Rabbi Tigay believes that it was written in the north, and not written in Jerusalem. He believes that refugees from the northern kingdom of Israel fleeing to the south during the Assyrian invasion brought this book with them. The fall of the northern kingdom lead to some serious soul searching in Jerusalem, and Tigay believes that King Hezekiah used the text with its rebukes of paganism in order to reform and centralize worship in his southern kingdom of Judah.

Regardless of its authorship, we can agree that this book of Deuteronomy was inspired divinely and we can learn much from it. This parasha is always read in coordination with the fast day of Tisha B'Av. On the ninth day of Av, we fast in commemoration of the destruction of both Temples. It is recorded that other sad events also took place on this same date later in history, including the Jews' expulsion from Spain during the 1492 Inquisition. Interestingly, Christopher Columbus complains of the unusually high volume of harbor traffic on this date in his diary.

The Talmud teaches that the Second Temple was destroyed because Jews hated each other over petty things. The rabbis tie this teaching into this Torah portion with the veiled, non-embarrassing way that Moses rebuked B'nai Israel. They tell the story in Tractate Gittin 57A of Bar Kamtza.

Just before the Temple was destroyed in Jerusalem, a certain man made a large wedding feast. He hated Bar Kamtza because of some petty matter. Somehow the Bar Kamtza got an invitation anyway. Believing that it was a peace offering of friendship, he went to the party. The host, however, had no wishes to restore their friendship and tried to have Bar Kamtza removed. To avoid embarrassment over being cast out, Bar Kamtza offered to pay for his meal, but the host refused.

Bar Kamtza then offered to pay for half of the cost of the party, but was again rebuffed. When Bar Kamtza offered to pay for the entire feast, the host stood firm. The answer was still "No!"

Publicly humiliated, Bar Kamtza went to the Roman authorities and claimed that the Jews were rebelling. The Romans investigated and found that, indeed, Jews had not subordinated themselves to Rome. The Talmud says this marked the beginning of the end of Jerusalem, the Temple and the Second Jewish Commonwealth. It goes on to say that not one person, not even a rabbi, jumped to Bar Kamtza's aid to shield him from embarrassment. The Talmud demands that "One ought to jump into a fire rather than cause someone else embarrassment."

The name Kamtza means "small thing." Bar Kamtza means "son of a small thing," which is even smaller than a small thing. We can learn that the smallest devar (word) can sting like a davar (bee) and cause someone emotional embarrassment and harm. I think we also were supposed to learn this lesson as children when we were read the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty.

The Midrash teaches, "Great is peace, such that even if Israel is worshipping foreign gods, but all are at peace with each other, God declares, 'I will not defeat them.' As it says in Hosea 4:17, 'Ephriam is joined to idols - let him alone!' However if Israel's hearts are divided against each other, 'they shall bear their guilt.'" The Talmud records in Tractate Peah 1A that Rabbi Aba says, "The generations of King David were all righteous, but since they were guilty of infighting, they would go out to war and be defeated. However the generations of King Ahab were idolaters, but since they were not guilty of infighting, they would go out to war and prevail."

We are all Jews regardless of whether we think that the Torah was given on Mt. Sinai or it was written in bits and pieces over the centuries. We are all Jews regardless of whether we are shomar Shabbat (observant of the Sabbath) or not. We are all Jews regardless of whether we follow kashrut (the dietary laws) or eat pork rinds. As long as we have our petty quarrels over what even traditionalists say that God calls Bar Kamtza, it does not matter what part of Jerusalem is given or not given to the Palestinians. God would rather us be idol worshippers and forgot about Him if it meant that man lived in peace.

God wants us "live by the law, not die from it." Let me relate the true story of  the composer Charles Valentin Morhange Alkan. Alkan was a nineteenth-century contemporary and friend of Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt, Ms. George Sand and Victor Hugo. They entertained each other in and around Paris. Alkan was the Monty Python of his time. His Marcia Funebre sulla Morte d'un Pappagallo for four singers and chamber ensemble is hilarious. The translation of course is "Funeral March on the Death of a Parrot." Alkan parodies the religious and operatic music of his time. The singers enter with, "As-tu dejeune, Jacot?" the French equivalent to "Polly want a cracker?"

Anyway, the Jewish Alkan disappeared from sight for years when he went into reclusion to study Torah and Talmud. According to David Dubal's The Art of the Piano, Alkan died in 1888 when he "reached for his beloved Talmud, which was resting on top of a massive bookcase, and the structure toppled over, crushing the emaciated musician to death at the age of 75." The laws and Halacha in the Talmud and Torah are fine for some. But let's not die fighting over them.

It would be nice if we could remember that our Temple and the city of Jerusalem were not dedicated only to the Jewish people. I know this runs contrary to popular perception. In I Kings 8:41-43, King Solomon specifically asked God to heed the prayers of non-Jews who came to the Temple. Non-Jews were permitted to bring animal offerings and pray in the Temple. During Sukkot, 70 bulls were offered as sacrifices. The Talmud explains that this corresponds to the 70 nations of the world at that time. Isaiah called the Temple a house of all nations. The Talmud further states that the Romans never would have destroyed the Temple if they knew the benefit they received from it. In Derech Eretz Zuta it is written that "the world is like a human eyeball...and the pupil is Jerusalem." We are taught that the world is for all people. Without the pupil, the eye is blind. We are taught, "not to put a stumbling block before the blind." We are also taught not to blind anyone, and what the penalties for poking out another's eye. Therefore, can we deny the pupil of this world's eye to any people?

If we cannot make peace among ourselves, how can we ever agree to live in peace with our Arab cousins? Let us keep the thought of shalom in our hearts and minds when we remember the destruction and suffering of our people - and all people.

 
Shabbat Shalom for July 17, and an easy fast on Tisha B'av, July 20, 2010.
Rabbi Arthur Segal
www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org  
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
 www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

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Rabbi Arthur Segal www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA
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Posted by Rabbi Arthur Segal at 11:17 AM