RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUALITY: DEREK ERETZ: CONTENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE

 

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUALITY: DEREK ERETZ: CONTENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE    

Jewish Spiritual Renewal:

Derek Eretz Zuta + Rabbah :

 

Shabbat 07/23/11

 

(aka Derech Eretz )

 

The JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL class list is hosted by Shamash: The Jewish Network a service of Hebrew College/Yeshiva

 

Shalom my dear Chaverim, Talmidim, v' Rabbanim, friends, students and fellow rabbis: An oneg, joy-filled, Shabbat, Sabbath, this coming weekend... and Shavuah Tov to you for a good and peaceful week...and an easy fast on 17 Tammuz, (July 19, 2011).  

 

 

We continue with our exploration into the Talmudic Tractates of Derek Eretz Zuta and Rabbah. (aka Derech Eretz Zuta, aka Derech Eretz Rabbah. As was mentioned, zuta is Aramaic for 'small', and rabbah is 'large').

 

Remember that Derek Eretz is not about Jewish ritual. It is about how we are to treat one another and what traits of character, middot, we are to try to develop. The lessons are universal and ecumenical. The development of character traits and Jewish spiritual renewal transformation is called Mussar.

 

For those new to the class, Baruch ha Ba! Welcome! You can access last week's class  at    Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: ANGER IS ONLY ONE LETTER SHORT OF DANGER: MUSSAR:DEREK ERETZ  or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2011/07/rabbi-arthur-segal-anger-is-only-one.html

 

From here you will find links to preceding classes in this  series. So,  together we continue:

 

 

TALMUD BAVLI

 

TRACTATE DEREK

 

ERETZ ZUTA

 

(aka Derech Eretz)

 

Today we will begin CHAPTER 3 of Talmud Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta Verse  3:2

 

''Be content with your possessions , and adorn yourself with the little you do possess. Do not hate the one who reproves you. Your share will be blessed forever if your eye will always be good,  and your soul always satisfied.''

 

''Be content with your possessions , and adorn yourself with the little you do possess. ''     The sages in the Talmud ask us a question. "Who is a rich man?'' They answer :"He who is happy with what he has.'' [Bavli Tractate Pirkei Avot 4:1]. While Judaism is not against, and actually promotes the ethical attainment of wealth, from a spiritual viewpoint, we are not to bemoan what we do not have at the moment, but be grateful for what we do have.

 

 When we are not content, we are dissatisfied. Living with dissatisfaction can lead to bitterness. Bitterness can lead to jealousy. And we have learned in past classes where jealousy can lead to. The Talmud teaches us it can take us from this very world. [Ibid. 4:21].

 

Just how much do we really need? While this may not be a universal truth, we tend to collect and acquire while younger, and down size when older. The 8 day holiday of Sukkoth, when we live in a booth, with a flimsy roof, teaches us that we can live with less.

 

 So what does 'adorn ourselves' mean? Are we to walk around showing off what we have when we do not have much? No. What it means is to take comfort, wrap ourselves, in what we do have. It means to be happy with what we do have. It means not living with a cup half empty, or even with a cup half full, but living with a cup overflowing with God's benevolence. 

 

  ''Do not hate the one who reproves you.'' Reproving means gentle instruction, done privately. We actually have a mitzvah in the Torah to reprove our fellows when they are doing something wrong.[Lev.19:17]. It is one of the ways the Torah teaches us to love our fellow. The Talmud goes into detail about when one should reprove. We have to make sure one's ears and hearts are open to learning.

 

So assuming that one is reproving us for the right reasons, we are to listen, evaluate and learn. We are not to ignore, or worse tell someone to mind their own business. In Judaism, a way of life, others' behaving badly does effect us and the community. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai , the traditional author of the Kabballah's Zohar, tells of the fellow in a small boat who is drilling a hole beneath his seat. The other passengers yell at him to stop as he will sink the whole boat. He responds that he is only drilling under 'his' seat. [Midrash Rabbah Vayikra 4:6]."Kol Yisroel areivim zeh lazeh ." All Israel, all humans, are responsible for one another. [Talmud Bavli Tractate Shevuot 39a ].

 

So when someone takes the time to reprove us, gently, with love, and with our best interests at heart, listen and do not hate the person for doing so.

 

''Your share will be blessed forever if your eye will always be good,  and your soul always satisfied.'' This sentence ends verse 3:2 and today's class. What is a ''good eye''? It is an eye that does not covet. The sages teach that the eye is the gateway to jealousy."The eye and the heart are the two instruments of sin. The eye sees, the heart desires, and the body completes the action." (Rashi on Bamidbar, 25:39) Agent Starling in "The Silence of the Lambs" realizes this and this helps her find the serial murderer.

 

When we do not covet, we are happy with what we have, and more importantly, we are happy for others who may have more than us. We get along better with people. We do not risk what we have on some foolish investment to get more. We aren't greedy. Con men  promising us 25% yields when banks , bonds and stocks are yielding 80% less cannot convince us to ''invest'' with them. Our share will 'be blessed,' meaning protected.

 

Most importantly our ''soul will always be satisfied.'' We sleep easier and our days go smoother, as we are not concerned about what we do not have, or how we can get rich quickly. As with almost all of Derek Eretz' lessons, we live with freedom, contentment, happiness and joyousness.

 

 

Next week, Baruch ha Shem, we will continue with chapter three of  Derek Eretz Zuta .

 

We discuss the aspects of this verse being happy with what we have and not being jealous in  The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew  as well as in most chapters of A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud  .

 

What are your ideas about accept reprovement from others helped you? How as being accepting and being happy with what you have made you more content?  How has understanding the spiritual and ethical teachings of Judaism helped you live a more joyous life?

 

Next class, Baruch ha Shem, we will continue with Derek Eretz Zuta, Chapter Three. Thank you for joining me.

 

For those who want a d'var Torah on Parasha Matot from A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud  or http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/index.html#Compendium2  please click on:    Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:CHUMASH CANDESCENCE:PARASHOT MATOT+MASEI: NUMBERS 30:02-36:13 or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2008/02/rabbi-arthur-segalchumash_15.html

 

Shalom:

 

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