Derek Eretz Zuta + Rabbah:Shabbat 2/25/12(aka Derech Eretz )Shalom my dear Chaverim, Talmidim, v' Rabbanim, friends, students and fellow rabbis:An oneg, joy-filled, Shabbat this coming weekend to all. Happy Rosh Chodesh Adar (2/24/12). When Adar arrives, our joy increases!!! [Talmud Bavli Tractate Ta'anit 29a]. "Mishenichnas Adar marbin be-sim'cha.''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 :DEREK ERETZ: PURSUE PEACE NOT WAR or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2012/02/rabbi-arthur-segal-jewish-spiritual_05.htmlFrom here you will find links to preceding classes in this series. So, together we continue:TALMUD BAVLITRACTATEDEREk ERETZ ZUTA(aka Derech Eretz)Today we will continue with and complete CHAPTER 7 of Talmud Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta Verse 7:4.CHAPTER VII.
7:4: Who respects the sages? He who gives food, drink, dress, shoes, goes out to meet and accompanies when leaving, without distinction between rabbi or disciple. And who shows them disrespect? He who occupies the seat of his master even during his absence, or substitutes him (without permission) in lecturing, or contradicts him.
In the verses 1-3 in this chapter, we see how rabbis, and all of us, are to behave. In this closing verse of chapter & we see how we are to behave to rabbis. In this modern commentary, let us extend rabbis to mean everyone.
I certainly would not advise my readers to start dropping off used shoes and clothing to their rabbis. But certainly if we have used usable clothing, take them to Good Will or another organization that distributes them to the needy.
When we look closely, we are asked to be good companions of rabbis and others. It would be nice if we went out to greet all who are coming to visit us, and escorted them out when they were leaving.
Note how this reads both rabbis or students. In the preceding verses we read how students gave way to their rabbis when entering and leaving. Here, lay people are being shown to show honor to any rabbi or any rabbinic student. While we can understand the text to mean today that we should show honor to everyone, when it comes to rabbis, we honor the position and the title, regardless of who the person is, or to which sect of Judaism he or she belongs.
As we have learned in our Talmudic and Judaic studies, many times a rabbinic student, goes on to surpass his rabbinic teacher in study and teaching. We can't assume because one is a student, he should be treated any less than a rabbi. As we learned in Pirkei Avot 6:3, if one teaches us just one verse or even a letter of Torah, he deserves our respect.
Accordingly, we need to treat our gardeners with the same human respect we treat our doctors. ''Who is wise?'', the sages ask, ''One who can learn from anyone." (Pirkei Avot 4:1). Everyone can be our 'rabbi,' teaching us something.
Now we come to the last sentence of Chapter Seven of Talmud Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta :He who occupies the seat of his master even during his absence, or substitutes him (without permission) in lecturing, or contradicts him.
Let us limit our discussion to rabbis for the moment. How many times have we seen in synagogues, boards who decide that they can run a service and/or teach better than a rabbi? How many times do we see people who have learned a bit of Torah and some Hebrew become lay leaders of a synagogue, calling themselves spiritual leaders, and worse, Ravs, Rebs, or Rabbis? We see them doing life cycle events. They can act the role very well. But they are acting.
They can get so delusional they fool themselves after a while and believe their own press. They deceive the public into believing that anyone with knowledge of Hebrew prayers can be a rabbi. While the Torah calls us a ''nation of Priests,'' [Ex.19:6], the Talmud never called us a nation of Rabbis.
And who are we to cruelly dissect a rabbi's sermon and chastise him or her about it at the Oneg Shabbat, or worse yet when we bump into our rabbis as they shop for food?
But let us take this further, how often do we hear about or see, when someone at work is absent for period of time, or even a day, someone else swoops in to take over. Some are doing this as good team members. But how many are doing it to advance their own positions and undermine the absent employee?
When the second title to this series on Derek Eretz Zuta and Rabbah is ''The Path and Wisdom for Living at Peace with Others,'' we can see how the above 'disrespecting' can put us at odds with our fellows, with retaliation coming our way.
We discuss these middot, character traits, of getting along with others, 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''What are your ideas about these adages of respect and disrespect? 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 Seven. Thank you for joining me.For those who want a d'var Torah on Parasha Terumah from '''A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud'' please click on Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUALITY : TERUMAH: GOD LIVES IN US or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2011/02/rabbi-arthur-segal-jewish-spirituality_3514.htmlShabbat Shalom:
Rabbi Arthur Segal_
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Jewish Renewal_
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