RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH RENEWAL: DEREK ERETZ: MESSIAH'S NAME IS PEACE

 RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH RENEWAL: DEREK ERETZ: MESSIAH'S NAME IS PEACE

  

 

 Jewish  Spiritual  Renewal:

  

  Derek  Eretz Zuta + Rabbah:

  

 Shabbat  6/9/12 

 

 (aka  Derech  Eretz, Derekh Eretz )

  

 

  

Shalom  my dear Chaverim, Talmidim, v' Rabbanim, friends, students and fellow rabbis: 

  

An oneg, joy-filled, Shabbat this coming weekend to all. 

 

  

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 the last  class at Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: DEREK ERETZ: LYING FOR PEACE IS OK or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2012/05/rabbi-arthur-segal-jewish-spiritual_7512.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, Derekh Eretz)

  

Today we will continue with CHAPTER 10 of Talmud  Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta Verses  10:9-12.

 

CHAPTER  X

10:9: R. Joshua said: Great is peace, in that the covenant of the priests was made with peace, as it is written [Numb. xxv. 12]: "I give unto him my covenant of peace."

10:10: The name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is also "peace" (Shalom), as it is written [Judges, vi. 24]: "And called it Adonay-shalom."

10:11: R. Jose the Galilean said: The name of the Messiah is also "peace" (Shalom), as it is written [Is. ix. 5]: "The prince of peace."

10:12: Said R. Joshua: Israel is also called "peace," as it is written [Zech. viii. 12]: "For the seed shall be undisturbed, the vine shall give its fruit," which is to be interpreted thus: "The vine will give its fruit to the seed of peace" (Israel).

 Let us begin with: ''10:9: R. Joshua said: Great is peace, in that the covenant of the priests was made with peace, as it is written [Numb. xxv. 12]: "I give unto him my covenant of peace."

This verse, as is often done in the Talmud, is a bit out of context. The Hebraic God is granting Pinchas the zealot, who just killed Zimri and Cozbi  in the act of having sex because she was a non-Hebrew, is made the Cohan Gadol. All of his sons, his lineage, will retain this title. As mentioned previously the rabbis had difficulty with Pinchas' actions. So it is interesting that in two verses about making peace, here and in chapter 9, Pinchas is mentioned or alluded.

Regardless, the priesthood from Aaron to his grandson Pinchas is given with God blessing the covenant with shalom. Since we are called a ''kingdom of priests"' (Ex. 19:16), we too must do our best to keep our daily behaviors, including speech and thoughts, peaceful.

 

Let us continue with: ''10:10: The name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is also "peace" (Shalom), as it is written [Judges, vi. 24]: "And called it Adonay-shalom."

 

The Hebrew Judge Gideon, after having an encounter with an angel, preparing an altar for a sacrifice, before going into battle with the Midianites and Amalekites,  calls his altar "God is Peace.'' This is a few verses before he blows his famous trumpet (shofar).

 

If one of God's name is Peace, whenever we do or say something non-peaceful we are blaspheming God's name. It is chillul ha Shem, a desecration , a hollowing out of His name. ''You shall not profane My holy name,(Lev: 22:32).

 

Derek Eretz Zuta gives us yet another reason for the important of peace.

 

Let us continue with:10:11: R. Jose the Galilean said: The name of the Messiah is also "peace" (Shalom), as it is written [Is. ix. 6]: "The prince of peace." Rabbi Jose was a contemporary of Rabbi Akiva, circa 130 CE, and disagreed with him and other rabbis on a few stances of Jewish law.  He taught that poultry may be cooked with milk and eaten, (Talmud Tractate Chullin 113a), as was done in his own native town in the Galilee (ib. 116a).

 

The concept of a Messiah is not Hebraic. Nor is Olam ha Ba, nor bodily resurrection Hebraic. These are Jewish rabbinic concepts. The rabbis discuss these ideas in length in the last chapter of Tractate Sanhedrin.

 

During the Messianic age according to Isaiah 2:4  humans will no longer have a yetzer ha ra. War, hate, persecution, poverty et.al. will no longer exist and everyone, humans and animals, will live in total peace and well-being. 

 

There is  a story in Talmud Tractate 98a. Rabbi Joshua ben Levi   while meditating near the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, in Meron, Galilee, was visited by the Prophet Elijah. "When will the Messiah come?" asked Joshua. "Ask him," replied the Prophet. "The Messiah is at the gates of Rome, sitting among the poor, the sick and wretched. Like them, he changes the bindings of his wounds, but does so one wound at the time, in order to be ready at a moment's notice."

Then Joshua went to Rome and met the Messiah and greeted him, saying "peace upon thee, Master and Teacher" and the Messiah replied "peace upon thee, O son of Levi." Joshua then asked "When will you be coming?" and was told "Today!". Joshua went back to Elijah and was asked what the Messiah said. 'Peace upon thee, O son of Levi', Joshua replied, and Elijah told him that this meant that he and his father would have a place in the world to come. Joshua then said that the Messiah had not told him the truth, because he had promised to come today but had not. Elijah explained "This is what he said to thee, To-day, if ye will hear his voice", a reference to Psalms 95:7, making his coming conditional with the condition not fulfilled.

If we work for, love, and pursue peace as individuals and as societies we can attain it. If we do not we will not have peace. Spiritually, if we are not doing our best, not listening to God's voice of love and peace, we are not deserving of the Messianic age.

The Talmud in Tractate Shabbat 118b gives us a little test. It tells us if all Jews could put aside their differences, and observe just one Shabbat (or two Sabbaths), the Messianic age will come. In reality, if all Jews could agree to do this, without fighting on what time to light candles, or if the gefilte fish should have sugar added to it or not, we will already be in the Messianic age.

If the Messiah's name is Prince of Peace, let us now learn to live and love peace.

Let us end this class with: ''10:12: Said R. Joshua: Israel is also called "peace," as it is written [Zech. viii. 12]: "For the seed shall be undisturbed, the vine shall give its fruit," which is to be interpreted thus: "The vine will give its fruit to the seed of peace" (Israel).''

The Prophet Zechariah is speaking of the prophecy of the return of the people to Judea and Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon. His prophecy began in the second year of Darius, king of Persia  (520 BCE), about sixteen years after the return of the first group of Hebrews company from their Babylonian exile.

Hence on of the names of Israel, the land, and The Children of Israel, the people is ''peace.'' We use shalom for hello and goodbye. How many of us have received a letter , email, or synagogue bulletin signed "B'Shalom"?

Talmud Tractate Moed Katan 29b teaches that Rabbi Levi bar Chaisa  said that when one parts with the deceased, he should not say, "Lech l'Shalom" ("Go towards peace (peacefully)"), but rather, "Lech b'Shalom" ("Go in peace"). In contrast, when one parts with his friend, he should not say to him, "Lech b'Shalom" ("Go in peace"), but rather, "Lech l'Shalom" ("Go towards peace (peacefully)").

To the living we say L'Shalom. Why? Rav Naftali Kohen of Frankfort  explains that ''a living person must always seek to grow spiritually and avoid stagnating on the same spiritual level. A dead person, in contrast, can no longer grow and achieve; he remains at whatever spiritual level he attained in his lifetime. For this reason, the blessing given to a living person is, "Go towards peace" ("L'Shalom") -- towards a greater level of spiritual wholeness ("Shalom" from the word "Shalem," whole). In contrast, the blessing given to the deceased is, "Go in peace" ("B'Shalom"), since his soul leaves this world at the level of spiritual accomplishment that he achieved in his lifetime.''

Peace allows us to grow toward Jewish Spiritual Renewal and become whole and integrated. And when whole, in shlema, we never find need to allow ourselves to loose our serenity and peace.

We discuss these character traits (middot) of chesed, respect, love, tzadakkah,  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 these character traits of pursuing peace and living a peaceful life?  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 Ten. Thank you for joining me.

 

For those who want a d'var Torah on Parasha Beha'alotecha  from '''A  Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and  Talmud'' please click on  Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:CHUMASH CANDESCENCE: PARASHA :BEHA'ALOTCHAH: NUM 8:01-12:16 or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2008/02/rabbi-arthur-segalchumash-candescence_1599.html

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon.com: The Path and Wisdom for Living at Peace with Others, A Modern Commentary on Talmud Tractates Derek Eretz Zuta and R

or http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00757JMIM

Shabbat Shalom:

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 www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org_ (http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org/ ) 

Jewish Renewal_ 

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Hilton Head Island, SC,  Bluffton, SC, Savannah,  GA

 

If visiting SC's Low Country, contact us for a Shabbat meal, in our home by the sea, our beth yam.

 

Maker  of Shalom (Oseh Shalom) help make us deserving of Shalom beyond all human comprehension!!