(aka Derech Eretz )
The JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL class list WAS hosted by _Shamash: The Jewish
Network_ (http://shamash.org/ ) a service of Hebrew College/Yeshiva. Shamash after 20 years of wonderful service is closing its Internet portals at the end of 2011. We rabbis who teach via it, need to find a new home for our classes. I have chosen www.GoDaddy.com.
Shalom my dear Chaverim, Talmidim, v' Rabbanim, friends, students and
fellow rabbis:
An oneg, joy-filled, Shabbat, Sabbath, this coming weekend.
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: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: NAKDIMON: CHARITY=SALT FOR WEALTH
or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2011/10/rabbi-arthur-segal-jewish-spiritual_9181.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 continue with CHAPTER 4 of Talmud Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta Verse 4:4. It appears long but we will break it down for you. It reminds me of the silly joke of the man who was showing off his brilliant dog, who upon hearing his owner's command, recited this below verse. The frustrated owner said, "I said 'fetch', not 'kvetch.'
''Do not complain of your being less wise than another, for you have not served (the sages) as much as he did. Neither shall you complain that the other one is rich and you are not, for it is not every man who is favored with two tables (of this and of the world to come). Do not complain that another one is beautiful and you are ugly, for at the time of death a man becomes a carcass; moreover, a carcass of any animal may be sold or presented to somebody, while no one cares even to look at a human carcass. Do not say: "That man is righteous, while I am not"; for both of you will have to account. Do not say: "That man is powerful, while I am weak"; for there is no power aside from the Torah, as it is written [Ps. ciii. 20]: "Bless the Lord, ye his angels, mighty in strength, that execute his word, hearkening unto the voice of his word." Bear always in mind the following: Know whence you come, whither you go, and before whom you will have to render an account, and do not turn your eyes on money which is not yours; for they close the gates of heaven against prayer. Let your ears not listen to vain talk, for they are most likely to get burned. Do not slander, for the mouth will be first on the day of judgment to give account. Be not possessed of slander or other bad things, or of robbery, for all the members of thy body will testify against thee on the day of judgment. Let thy feet not hasten thee to evil-doing, because it is likely that the angel of death will get there sooner, and wait for thee. Be not afraid of the court of justice on earth, where only witnesses may be bought, but fear the Court above, because thou art certain that there will be witnesses who will testify against thee. And not only this, but your own deeds proclaim thy accusation from time to time.''
The verse is taking common 'kvetches', complaints, and answering them so we stop complaining. If someone is smarter than we are, and perhaps has a better paying occupation because of it, chances are he spent more time studying.
Now with wealth, the verse could have given a similar answer. One who works harder makes more money. But it doesn't say this because the Rabbis knew that working hard, and making money, is not guaranteed. So they remind us that someone may be wealthy in this world, and not so in Olam Ha Ba, the World to Come. The Talmud talks of this world being an ''upside down world,'' full of unfairness that gets straightened out in the Jewish version of Heaven. (Talmud Bavli Tractate Bava Batra 10b).
The next part would put the plastic surgeons out of business. It tells us not to be concerned about outward beauty or to be jealous of those who have beauty, because in the end, we all are ugly worthless corpses. While a dead animal has some uses, a dead human does not.
We shouldn't look upon another and think he is righteous and we are not. First, no one is 100% righteous. Proverbs 24:16 tells us a righteous persons, falls, sins, misses the mark, seven times a day. Outward appearances are deceiving. Secondly, no one is stopping us from being as righteous as we wish to be.
Don't be jealous of those who seem to be powerful, because with Torah, i.e. God, we are all powerful.
Be humble. Know that we came from, as Pirkei Avot 3:1 says, a putrid drop from our fathers, and that we will end up as food for worms. And all of us will have to stand before God on the day of our deaths. We might play the big shot, the macher, on this plain, but it means nothing in God's judging eyes.
Don't covet another's wealth. It can lead to so much trouble in our heads and in our actions, that our prayers are blocked as we cannot concentrate.
Don't listen to idle vain gossip. Gossip, we are taught ''kills three,'' one being the listener. [Talmud Bavli Tractate Arachin 15a]. Avoid vain talk. Leave the room if needed.
Don't slander or gossip because our mouths will be judged by the mouth of God. Also, as we discussed in my texts and other classes, when we gossip and slander we are only showing our low self esteem and jealousy.
Running to do sin, pursuing sin, is a sure way for us to die spiritually, if not corporally.
Be more afraid of the heavenly court than of our human ones. Our humans ones need witnesses, and we may have been able to do misdeeds in secret. But the heavenly court has God as a witness and He see everything.
Lastly it tells us to take an accounting of our misdeeds. This accounting is called a Chesbon ha Nefesh, an accounting of our soul, and proclaiming them is called Vidui, confession. We discussed this a few years back and they are chapters 4 and 5 in ''The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew'' '
(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/ )
Confession, Vidui, is a completely Jewish concept, as is deathbed confession.
So this verse is teaching us to be grateful for what we have, to be humble, and to not be jealous, and certainly to not act from jealously and ingratitude, with slander, or robbery. We are to live a life with an attitude of gratitude.
We discuss the middot, character traits, of gratitude and not ingratitude,throughout the
majority of chapters in ''The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path
of Transformation for the Modern Jew'' '
(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/ ) as well as in most chapters of ''A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to
the Torah and Talmud'' _
(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/index.html#Compendium2 ) .
What are your ideas about gratitude, not gossiping, not being jealous, learning humility following the advice set out in Derek Eretz? How has learning Talmud's Derek Eretz helped you in your
interpersonal relationships? 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 Four. Thank you for joining me.
For those who want a d'var Torah on Parashot Vayeira from '''A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud ''
(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/index.html#Compendium2 )
please click on: Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:JEWISH RENEWAL:JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL:Va'yeira:Akeidah:LOT or
http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2008/11/rabbi-arthur-segaljewish-renewaljewish_09.html
Shabbat Shalom:
Rabbi Arthur Segal_ www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org_
(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org/ )
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal_ www.jewishrenewal.info _ (http://www.jewishrenewal.info/ )
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