A Promise - Takes a Long Time to Fulfill

Gen 12:7-9 Torah Study 11/28
with Rabbi Marder

God will give this land to Abraham's offspring. - "to your ‘seed’ I will give this land."
A line that is the foundation of the idea that the land is divinely promised.
This seems an absolute promise from God – but caused a lot of problems.

Cannot have a rational dialogue on this today.

In original context:
relates to Beginning Chapter 12 ‘make you a great nation’
Here the promise is for a specific 'territory'.

Long time between the promise to Avram and the fulfillment that doesn't happen until the end of Torah. Avram continues to wander and doesn't settle there.

The theme of Jewish history is to live in the interval between - maintain hope, not to give in, and to believe the promise will be fulfilled.

What happens to Avram / Happens to the Jewish people throughout history.

Commentator 12th Century - from France - () - Avram was never commanded to *live* in the land - God said he "may" dwell there.

Orthodox response is that this is a commandment to be in Israel.
Ohr Somayach - Ask The Rabbi - notes that you have to be a sufficient and productive person in Israel to live there.

Avram built an altar - in gratitude to God near the tree.
When patriarchs worship it is private and build their own altar. Never see that any altars or worship is noted outside of Israel. No group worship. Private model of religion of the patriarchs.

What is an 'altar'? Means by which you make an offering.
An altar is a symbolic way to 'lift up' things to God.

Book by Mark Brett - Melborne - Decolonizing God: The Bible in the Tides of Empire
no hint in Genesis of the ideology of dispossession as in other Books
Avram builds altar near a tree. This flaunts the concepts presented in Deuteronomy. Avram is NOT worshiping the tree, but the tree becomes a landmark.

Why build an altar?
There is an intrinsic impulse of the human spirit to give thanks to God.

Eli Munk - Says that Avram was able to worship with his whole spirit.
Another concept is that the altar built is a symbolic way for Avram to claim the land. It is his 'mark' on the land.

Avram goes to the mountains:
Hebrew Ha Harah - hey - at end of word- going to the mountains.
Why go to mountains two thoughts:
1. Getting away from the fighting. There were problems within the Canaanites who were battling for the land.
2. fanciful reading: read the 'hey' as a symbol of God. Says that he went to the mountain of God - Mt. Moriah - where he builds the second altar - (some say this is where the temple is built in Jerusalem and also where the binding of Isaac happens)

Zohar - commentary on the altars built by Avram.
1. dedicated to God - the one that appeared
2. dedicated to the God 'the invisible' - Kaballah - the God that we cannot know.

Mountain East of Bet El - Geography noted is problematic. Not everyone says it is where the Temple will be built - the Zohar does.

Where he goes: Bethel - House of El - Cannanite Diety - near a pagan center Avram builds his own altar. Later this is where Jacob has his dream.
Ha Ai -a Ruin - Identified as a 'tel' - associated later with Joshua and the military conquer of the place.

Rashi - says Avram knew that this place would be the site of misfortune in the future. Avram comes back to this place again.

Richard Freedman - says this is another indication that the books were edited later - which explains the connections between the places and the significance into the future. Shows that the influence is there from our ancestors even though we don't directly know it.

v8 - Move to the south and 'pitched his tent' - in Hebrew the word for tent ends in 'hey' which can be interpreted as the feminine. Rashi says that this means that Avram always pitched his wife's tent first.

end of v8 - "He called to God by name"
*Nachmanades - interprets that Avram started preaching about God.
13th Century Spain - later Nachmanades was forced to defend his faith and then he was exiled from Spain.

*Eli Munk - Where Jerusalem will stand - Avram begins a missionary effort. The patriarchs 'spread the word of God'.

"There was a famine in the land"
As soon as he gets to the land - things turn bleak.

What is famine? - Death - serious matter-
Famines do not happen often in Israel - 5 famines mentioned in Bible.
Why is there famine? - Lack of rain in a place dependent on rain for water.
Why did they go to Egypt? Egypt is not dependent on rain.

Nahum M. Sarna commentary:
Land not have milk & honey in Genesis -
Israel dependent on rainfall... Egypt not - has the Nile.
The few times there famine are mentioned:
Here, the time of Joseph, in the time of David, the time of Joshua, in the story of Ruth.
The people were aware of their need for divine protection.

Famine in the land is one of the 'trials of Abraham'.
Book by Rabbi Michael Ozair: The Ten Trials of Abraham

The Rambam, (Maimonides) in his explanation of the above Mishna enumerates the ten trials:

1) the “Calling" of Lech Lecha, leaving behind a situation that is no longer working in order to surrender to the unknown.

2) the famine in Canaan, especially after G-d has promised blessing and prosperity – economic security of the entire region is threatened. Feelings of abandonment and perhaps betrayal from Life itself.

3) the injustice he faced in Egypt concerning Sarah – government sponsored injustice.

4) the war between the four kings and the five kings – being at the mercy of the turbulent political climate of the times.

5) the marriage to Hagar that came as a result of having no children with Sarah – family drama and relationship challenges

6) the command to circumcise himself at his advanced age – carrying out G-d’s Will can be painful.

7) the injustice and deception suffered at the hands of Avimelech of Grar when he also took Sarah – people could be cunning, manipulative and self seeking at the expense of others

8) the sending away of Hagar after having impregnated her - family drama, heartbreak, and pain.

9) The sending away of his son Ishmael – family drama, heartbreak and pain.

10) And finally, the binding and attempted sacrifice of Yitzchak, his beloved son, Isaac – testing the limits of sanity itself

Rashi - Famine 'in the land' - means ONLY in that land - to test Abraham. God told him to go there and now He has to leave there.
Will Abraham hold his faith in trying times?

The Controversial "THEN"

Torah Study with Rabbi Sarah Wolf 11/7

Genesis 12: 6 –

The Canaanites were THEN in the land -

This one word, "THEN" in this verse caused much anguish and controversy for Ibn Ezra relating to the possibility of “post-Mosaic” editorial of the Bible...
It was a huge controversy in the Middle Ages (1089-1164) to even imply that the Bible was not the “words of God”.

The "then" implies that they weren't there any more when the narrator was telling the story. So if the narrator were Moses, this would not make any sense because the Canaanites were still there in Moses' time.

His commentary notes:

It could be that the land of Canaan was seized by Canaan from someone else. If not, there is a secret “And the enlightened one will be silent.”
OR
he suggests that the more likely correct interpretation is that the verse teaches us that the Canaanites had taken the land by force from someone else. In other words, he thinks the better translation of the verse is “The Canaanites were then in the land”, meaning “then as opposed to previously”. That translation allows the verse to be written at the time of Moses.

The subject goes back to the verses on the son’s of Noah and their places “in the land” when Ham was the one who was associated with Canaan.

Many opinions and options are possible...
Abraham had become a Canaanite?
Abraham and the Canaanites arrived at the same time?
It was a mistake to use the word “then” - a word lost in the recording?

This leads to a big discussion on “who wrote the Bible” and the many verses and words that are inconsistent and imply that Moses could not have written the Bible. AND if Moses DID write the Bible – where and when did he write it? There is the possibility that he wrote it at the end of his life rather than at Mt. Sinai...

There is also the midrash that he made 13 copies of the Bible – one extra copy for each tribe.

Spinoza alludes to Ibn Ezra in his analysis of the question. He suggests that Ezra wrote the Bible after the Deuteronomy scroll was found.

Books on this topic:
Who Wrote the Bible? by Richard Elliott Friedman
Who Wrote the Bible?: A Book for the People by Washington Gladden
The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts by Neil Asher Silberman and Israel Finkelstein
A Layman's Guide to Who Wrote the Books of the Bible?: When? Why? by C. Jack Trickler

JDEP theory:

The theory is based on the fact that different names for God are used in different portions of the Torah, and there are detectable differences in linguistic style. The letters of the JEDP theory stand for the four supposed authors: the author who uses Jehovah for God’s name, the author who uses Elohim for God’s name, the author of Deuteronomy, and the priestly author of Leviticus. The JEDP theory goes on to state that the different portions were likely compiled in the 4th Century BCE, possibly by Ezra.

Talmudic story of when Moses visits the class of Rabbi Akiva

Rav Judah said in the name of Rav, When Moses ascended on high he found the Holy One of Blessing, engaged in affixing coronets to the letters. [6] Said Moses, "Lord of the Universe, Who stays your hand?" He answered, "There will arise a man, at the end of many generations, Akiba b. Joseph by name, who will expound upon each tittle heaps and heaps of laws." "Lord of the Universe," said Moses; "permit me to see him." He replied, "Turn around." Moses went and sat down behind eight rows [and listened to the discourses upon the law]. Not being able to follow their arguments he was ill at ease, but when they came to a certain subject and the disciples said to the master "Whence do you know it?" and the latter replied "It is a law given to Moses at Sinai" he was comforted. Thereupon he returned to the Holy One of Blessing, and said, "Lord of the Universe, you have such a man and you give the Torah by me!" He replied, "Be silent, for such is my decree." Then said Moses, "Lord of the Universe, you have shown me his To rah, show me his reward." "Turn around," said He; and Moses turned around and saw them weighing out his flesh at the market-stalls. "Lord of the Universe," cried Moses, "such Torah, and such a reward!" He replied, "Be silent, for such is my decree." [7]

Abraham - Old Scientist and Seeker

Abraham like a scientist -

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, by Thomas Kuhn, is an analysis of the history of science.

The Beginning of Desire by Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg
pictures Abraham as a scientific thinker
she points out Rambam's analysis of how Avram realized that there was one God.

- a thinker teacher and writer
- a wanderer in his mind as well as location
- freedom from the cognitive norms of his time

Abraham was an 'inner vagabond' and a discoverer. He used the process of scientific discovery and gradual development of understanding.

---

The significance of Lot on the journey:
- Avram had no son of his own.
- Lot had no father.
- Lot's nature is a contrast to Abraham - he takes the rich land, he seeks out a sinful life
while Abraham's focus is on compassion and welcoming others.

There are rabbinic opinions of misplaced compassion of Abraham:
“He Who is Compassionate to the Cruel
Will Ultimately Become Cruel to the Compassionate”.

tells the lesson on leniency vs discipline
Evil should have consequences rather than indulgences.

Rabbi Moshe of Kobrin - Lot give excuses as to why not to do mitzvot. Abraham had Lot "tagging along" to offer the excuses!

The Rabbi of Kobrin said,

“The soul says to the evil inclination what Abraham our Father told Lot: 'You go to the left and I'll go to the right. If you go to the right, I'll go to the left. If you want to lead me to the left,' the soul says to the evil inclination. 'I will not listen to you and I will go to the right path. Even if you advise me to go with you to the right, it is better that I go to the left.'”

---
Abraham is 75 years old:
Pirkei Avot :

At five years of age, the study of Bible; at 10, the study of Mishna; 13, responsibility for the mitzvot; 15, the study of Talmud; 18, marriage; 20, pursuit of a livelihood; 30, the peak of one's powers; 40, the age of understanding; 50, the age of counsel; 60, old age; 70, the hoary head; 80, the age of strength; 90, the bent back; and 100, one dead and out of this world.

Our patriarchs were old men!

80 age of strength refers to inner strength.
- compassion and acceptance of others
- humility
- strength and self respect

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The souls / person made in Haran

Rashi accepts the simple reading that they were the servants.

Midrash says it refers to converts "brought under the wings of the divine presence"

Proselytization and attitude toward conversion changed over time.
In the New Testament - Matthew - tells that Jesus was critical of the Pharisees as being too zealous in their proselytization of pagans to the laws of Moses.

There is question on whether it was the servants or converts - the commentators ask why we do not hear of these 'converts' again. Was it that they were not treated well and then they abandoned their faith? Used as a teaching point on why it is important to treat the convert well.

Conversion is not in Torah.

After the exile came the realization that God is portable and can be 'shared'. However at the time of the destruction of the temple through the acceptance of Christianity by Constantine it became 'illegal' to do the mitzvot of Judaism such as circumcision and then conversion was discouraged.

Sanhedrin 19b, quoted by Rashi- "Anyone who teaches someone else's child Torah is regarded as if he had begotten them."
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Abraham brought all his wealth...

assures that wealth is a good thing ...


Eretz Yisrael in the Parshah: The Centrality of the Land of Israel ... by Moshe Lichtman
connects this thought to the mitzvah to make aliyah 'fully' - not on the '10 year plan'
Avram left first - he immediately left and didn't wait to settle his affairs ( as in verse 4 it states that he left) Then he was joined by Sari and Lot and the others - they may have stayed behind to 'settle the affairs' and gather the wealth. (verse 5)
---

NEXT TIME:
Abraham arrives in Canaan - Abraham passes through Canaan
there is redundancy that spurs controversial interpretatrion!

Motivation to Go...

Torah Study 10/24

Genesis 12: 4-6 - review with Rabbi Marder

Continuing the story of Abraham as he set forth to Caanan

Leon Kass – exploring Avram’s motivation for going on this journey.
Noting the immediate obedience and questioning if the motivation is based on the promises or his faith alone.

This is one of the elements in the evolving understanding of Abraham’s character.

Eli Munk – There is a struggle of good vs evil from this question.

A Hassidic approach (v4) Avram goes because he is ‘just commanded’ to do so.

He does not need the recognition or glorification.

BOOK REFERENCE: Forgetting Yourself On Purpose
Forgetting Ourselves on Purpose: Vocation and the Ethics of Ambition
~ by Brian J. Mahan & Robert Coles

Peter Pitzele – compare Abraham to Odysseus ...
Both on a Quest! Both ‘men of the world’.
Contrasting the motivation and questions if they go on their mission for fame and privileges or not?

Abraham – a hero of silence. “listens to win”
“ordeals of imagination!”

Questions the meaning of life!

"Humbition"- want everyone to know you are humble!

Richard Freidman — emphasis on obedience rather than faith

Peter Pitzele - “history gave obedience a bad name!”
Ambivalence and fear may have also been evident in Avram’s motivation.

The Word Obedience – means more ‘pay attention’ or listen to the call.

BOOK REFERENCE: Spiritual Life of Children by Robert Coles
Never forget the compassion of children.

A Great Nation Blessed

Genesis 12: 2-5 - Torah study 10-17 Rabbi Marder

Continuing the story of Abraham
Great Nation – what is that?

Rashi – a different view - Daily prayers say “God of Abraham” - at end of Avot prayer - “magen Avraham” - single out Abraham for special blessing.

Bal Shem Tov – repeat “God of___” - each forefather came to an awareness of God in his own way.

Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg – contemporary scholar – Genesis – Beginning of Desire. - Abraham will be redefined / reborn / transformed to another – “Shredding of destiny” – to change and to move to a new place – an act of kriah. Needs to go through a destabilizing process to change from Avram to Abraham.

Midrash: “a two sided coin was made with Abraham’s image on it” one side Avram & Sari other side young boy and girl who might be the ‘rejuvenated Abraham & Sarah’ - Hassidic interpretation that the drive for money remains throughout life young to old.
OR the coin of Abraham message that he was generous when he was young and when he was older.
OR could represent the transfer of things from one generation to the next.

“And you will be a blessing”
Can read 2 ways – future tense or command form to BE a blessing
Rashi – “Blessing are placed in your hand” - Abraham now has power to bless others.
Commentators read it differently – Riches kept for their owners only will hurt themselves – must share wealth and goodness.
I will bless you and you will be a blessing – I will bless you and you will bless others.

Other interpretations:

• People will ‘flock’ around you to be blessed.
• You will succeed whatever you do
• You will be the standard of blessing – become like Abraham
• Where you go – be an inspiration for others
• Sharing of wealth and ideas that are ‘blessings’
  

“Those who bless you ... Those who curse you”
Iben Ezra – you will have many friends and those who curse you will be few.
Hassidic – “try to have many who like him and few who dislike him...” “try to have few enemies”

2 verbs for cursing -
Kalal – action of the offender
Aror – God’s response to the offender
SR Hirsch – God will accompany Abraham to the new nations and will judge them by how they treat Abraham.

“all the families of the earth – shall bless themselves by you” or “ bless through you”
(7 promises Abraham received)
Mystical interpretation – Eli Munk – As he leaves home he is blessed with 7 benedictions – like the newlyweds beginning a new life.
Zohar – Souls of righteous – exists with God when sent to the body it is given 7 blessings. Soul function in body is the same as Avram is in the land where he is going. Speaking to the soul of Avram.
Peter Pitzele – compare Abraham to Odysseus ... (next time)

The Jewish Story is Launched

Summary of topics/highlights – will fill in details later...
Torah Study 10/10 Genesis 12:1-3

About Avram - Abraham

• • The special relationship between God and Avram/Abraham - Avram picked - not because he was perfect - probably because he was faithful and willing to stand his ground.
• • Why did he have to go from one pagan land to another? - Your message is better heard away from home - people listen to 'outside consultants'
• • The beginning of the patriarchs of the Jews - Why wasn't Terrah the beginning instead? (other than he made idols)
• • Problems with traveling and why it is significant according to Rashi
• • about children, wealth and fame - Avram had to be in a new place for this (his fate) to happen...
• • "Bless you ... Great Nation" - what does that mean?
• • "to a land I will show you" - why not tell him where he was going? Why is God so vague about the instructions?
• • Connection to Eretz Israel. - a review of views.

Sukkot and Joy!

Notes from Howard Selznick

Sukkot, on the heels of that most somber and reflective of Jewish days, Yom Kippur, is supposed to be joyous (Leviticus 23:40, Deuteronomy 16:14). In Rabbi Janet Marder’s study session at Shabbat-Sukkot services, congregants reflected on the meaning of “joy.”

What kind of joy is in the sukkah? Is it physical pleasure of backyard or fire escape camping?
“Look at us! We’re outdoors eating in our sukkah – woo hoo! “
“Yeah, but it’s freezing out here and it looks like rain. Vay iz mir! You call this joy?”

Indeed, how is it possible to be happy by eating outdoors in a flimsy “booth” when it’s turning cold and rainy?
Sukkot joy is not about “woo hoo, we’re camping in the city; isn’t this fun?” If you think about the immediate environment and personal comfort, then the point is missed.

The Sukkot festival is celebrated for the booths in which the Israelites lived after the Exodus in Egypt (Leviticus 23:43). Living in booths is a link to Jewish historical myth. For those living in Eastern European ghettos, it was a link across time and space from their tenuous existence in less-than- enlightened regimes to a time when Jews were free from slavery.

According to poet Charles Reznikoff [ below], being in Sukkah is a journey from barrenness to garden. To those ghetto dwellers, it was 51 weeks in a crowded, chilly, dank environment and one week of joy somewhere else where life was better, where lush plants and fruits grow –- palm, citron, willows.

The wilderness experience during the Exodus simulated in the sukkah lets imagination run wild. This was especially relevant in those Eastern European ghettos, where living was stateless and rootless – always strangers in someone else’s country. Living in the sukkah recalls the journey to a place of stability; it was your own land where crops grow plentifully and you’re in control.

We go outside physically to the sukkah, but once inside the sukkah, we get spiritual. We may prefer to stay indoors in stable, warm, dry structures; but inside in the sukkah, a fragile structure where it may be cold and windy, we connect to our ancestors who wandered in temporary, flimsy structures, all for the goal of getting to a better place, the land of Israel.

As Samson Raphael Hirsch puts it, our homes may be sturdy and seem permanent, but it’s an illusion, a temporary structure, especially in earthquake country; if this were written in the Midwest, it would be tornadoes; in the southeast, hurricanes. This is Rabbi Janet’s extrapolation of Hirsch’s idea; Hirsch probably didn’t know about earthquakes or North American weather extremes. We need to be in a Sukkah to remind us of the temporary nature of human existence. It may seem “joyous” to be under a roof with lots of furniture, appliances, and books. You may be calm but it’s a house of cards. Instead, the Sukkah brings out an inner joy based not on “stuff” but on a connection to Jewish history. It’s an inner calm being connected to God.


“Feast of Booths,” poem by Charles Reznikoff
From the Kol Haneshama: The Reconstructionist Siddur, Shabbat Vehagim, page 809.

This was the season of our ancestors’ joy:
not only when they gathered the grapes and the
fruit of the trees
in Israel, but when, locked in the dark and
stony streets
they held—symbols of a life from which they
were banished
but to which they would surely return—
the branches of palm trees and of willows, the
twigs of the myrtle,
and the bring odorous citrons.

This was the grove of palms with its deep well
in the stony ghetto in the blaze of noon;
this is the living stream lined with willows;
and this the thick-leaved myrtles and trees
heavy with fruit
in the barren ghetto—a garden
where the unjustly hated were justly safe at last.

In booths this week of holiday
as those who gathered grapes in Israel lived
and also to remember we were cared for
in the wilderness—
I remember how frail my present dwelling is
even if of stones and steel.

I know this is the season of our joy:
we have completed the readings of the Torah
and we begin again;
but I remember how slowly I have learnt,
how little,
how fast the year went by, the years—
how few.

Lech Lecha - 2 words to many words!

Torah Study 10/3 Genesis 12
Rabbi Marder

The Call To Abraham/Avram - Lech Lecha

Two words and so much commentary!

Go Forth - the two words that launch the 'Jewish enterprise'.

Torah themes: Home and Homelessness - a pervasive theme throughout
characters in Bible always seeking a home but then they must leave their homes.
Always looking for our identity and yet always a 'stranger in a strange land'.

Lech Lecha - continues the theme of being driven away. Being told to 'get out'.

These are the words that break God's silence for 10 generations.

The word "lecha" 'demands interpretation' as well as the repetition.

Rashi: "go for your own benefit" Lecha implys 'for you'
he focused on the 'IF you go God will make him a great nation"
IF you leave 'you can have children'

Contradictory to the image of Avram with his strong faith that implies he would go only for his love of God.

There is a link also to the later event with the binding of Isaac - starts with the same two words: Lech Lecha

Hassidic interpretations comparing to Noah - the Noah part begins with praise for Noah. Abraham is not praised, he is just told to go. Abraham is not chosen because he is righteous because of what follows. God's reasons are unknown. The Israelites are CHOSEN - not necessarily because they are righteous.

"God is just nuts about Abraham and who knows why!" (R. Marder)

Rashi: another interpretation - "so I will make known your character in the world"

Midrash compares Abraham to a bottle of perfume:

"The Lord said to Abram: 'Go forth from your native land and from your father's house to the land that I will show you. (Genesis 12:1) What did Abraham resemble? A bottle of perfume closed with a tight fitting lid and lying in a corner so that its fragrant smell was not spread. When it was moved, however, its fragrance was spread. Similarly, god said to Abraham: "Travel from place to place and your name will become great in the world." (Bereshit Rabba 39:2)

God needed a broader arena to show the talents of Abraham, so he was sent out into the world.

Sampson Raphael Hirsh: 19th cen Germany - "Go by yourself" " Go your own way" "be by yourself" - Lech Lecha is a command to be different. It is fundamental to being a Jew - to be different and to walk apart from centralization of thought.

To 'go away from the spirit of the times' was essential in SRH time. Abraham becomes a metaphor for protest against what is currently accepted. He was willing to walk away in order to be faithful to God.

Philo: (from the Plaut Gleanings) - reads Lech Lecha in a more 'Helenistic' way - to separate himself from the material world. To 'escape the body' and focus on the spiritual.

Hassidic reading: "Go for yourself" Go for the benefit of Eretz Israel.
It is all about the motivation:
You should be willing to go to the land - even if it means economic sacrifice.
Lech Lecha - is seen at the first commandment to go to Israel.

Jonathan Magonet (20th cen): Links the first 'lech lecha' here with the 'lech lecha' of the binding of Isaac. It is a similar starting point. Which is harder to leave home and family or to sacrifice your child? (Compares Abraham's leaving home to Don Quixote) We do not see Abraham's thoughts on leaving. He does not argue with God on the command "lech lecha".

However, Abraham is know for 'arguing' with God when it is for the benefit of someone else - as in the Sodom case.

What is a 'great nation'? We are so few by comparison.
Greatness is based on the relationship with God, based on quality not quantity.
The greatness of the Jewish nation is measured more by our contributions to the world.

This is why the shofar is blown from the small end to make a great sound.

Lech Lecha - from a psychological view -

Aharon of Karlin: "go to yourself" - seek your own roots.

R. Zusya: "go for your essence" accomplish what you can - follow your own skills a you are responsible to give this to the world.

When Rabbi Zusya was about to die, his students gathered around him. They saw Rabbi Zusya's eyes break out into tears. "Our master," they said with deep concern, "Why are you crying? You have lived a good, pious life, and left many students and disciples. Soon you are going on to the next world. Why cry?"
Rabbi Zusya responded, "I see what will happen when I enter the next world. Nobody will ask me, why was I not Moses? I am not expected to be Moses. Nobody will ask me, why was I not Rabbi Akiba? I am not expected to be Rabbi Akiba. They will ask me, Why was I not Zusya? That is why I am crying. I am asking, why was I not Zusya?"
The greatest tragedy of life is not death. The greatest tragedy is dying without having completed our mission, dying before we know why we lived. Each of us has a responsibility to search our own soul and ask the ultimate question - "why did God place me on this earth?"

R. Nachum: "go for yourself" for benefit and pleasure.
Abraham needed to wander to better understand other people and lifestyles. It made him a better 'host'.

Rashi: A person is appreciated more outside his own home.
(thus the need for an outside consultant)

Noah to Terrah to Avram

9/26 Torah Study with Rabbi Marder

Genesis 11: 26-32 - from Terrah to Avram

There are many ideas about Abraham as a child and his family history.

As we enter "historical" time with Abraham the names and the places are documented. There is no physical evidence of Abraham himself.

The introduction of 'characters' that show up again. Lot

3 women:
Sari = princess = queen (Acadian)
Milka (Malka) = queen = daughter of moon god (Acadian)
Ischa ( Milka's sister) - mentioned but no definite information on who she is.

Rashi: Iscah is the same as Sari - this is another name for Sari because she can see into the future.

Who is Sari's father? The problematic question. It is not clear here but later when Abraham takes her to Egypt and says that she is his sister may just be partially true? Many midrashim on this one...

Sari is "barren" she has no children. The term is not that she in infertile necessarily. Some commentators say that she was infertile and that is why the miracle of Isaac is even more important.

Leon Kass: The childless relationship of Sari and Avram is an indication of the importance of the marriage relationship where 'love' exceeds the desire for children. This is also an indicator of Avram's special qualities. He is not ordinary in this way, it shows his potential for compassion and ability to learn and lead people.

THE JOURNEY

Remember there has been no communication from God for 10 generations.

Terrah's family was already on the move - some indication that they were traveling toward Canaan. When Avram leaves it is not clear if he is making a complete break from his father OR if he is continuing the journey.

The numbers show that his father lived a long time after Avram leaves.
- 60 years more approximately
Rashi interprets this as Avram not honoring his father properly as he left him and did not stay to take care of him.

Haran - the place where they were - a center for moon worship

Eli Munk interprets the Zohar commentary on the travels:
The journey of Avram reflect the inner turmoil, he is moving around to seek the truth over the period of 75 years before God speaks to him.

It was Avram's efforts to search for the truth that made him the one chosen by God. He was a spiritual pioneer before he was chosen.

Regarding Sari being barren, Munk points out that this induces prayer by the women. Because God yearns for prayer, the matriarchs were not blessed with children until they prayed.

Another thought was that they had to go to the new land first. They had to break from the past to get a 'fresh start'.

Avram & Sari are held as a model of a good marriage.
Children are just a transitory part of life.

"the tree is judged by it's fruit" You can tell things about the parent from the children.

Gibberish and Gates / On to Avram

Torah Study Notes Sept 12

R. Marder Genesis 11:8-9

The name Babel
derivative from Babylonia

They thought: Bab El (Babylon) - Gate to/of God
God named: Babel - Gibberish

interesting etymology here.
Language accentuates the differences between people.
It is a double edged sword.

Samson Raphael Hirsch on the nature of Hebrew.

In his translation and commentary on Genesis, the great nineteenth century German Neo-Orthodox rabbi and scholar, Samson Raphael Hirsch, provides what is perhaps a more accurate translation of this very difficult passage. Working from an elaborate system of Hebrew philology that attempts to establish the true meaning of the Biblical text from within itself based on the etymological and phonetic relationships among the words of the Biblical lexicon, Hirsch makes a compelling case that the Hebrew text in Genesis 10:5 is saying that the proliferation of dialects (literally "tongues") was a consequence of the dispersion of peoples, not its cause. He further points out that the Hebrew word for "language" used in Genesis 11 is not the same as the word for "tongue" used in Genesis 10:5, but describes something much more general. He argues that what is being described in Genesis 11:7 is not a confusing of language in the sense of dialectification so much as a "withering away...the thought that is conveyed by this passage is that when God comes down, language is detached from its formative source." (The Hirsch Chumash: Sefer Bereshis, Feldheim, New York and Jerusalem, 2002; English translation of the 1867 German edition by Daniel Haberman, pp. 252-280).http://www.jinfo.org/Linguists.html

the English word for "have" is not in Hebrew
What belongs to a person in English is 'alloted' to a person in Hebrew. Private property or the notion of ownership is not a concept in Hebrew - it was introduced in other languages.

The concept of multi-lingual people having a deeper understanding of things was discussed.

Yiddish Folktale - the feminist version:

(need details)

End of the story has a repetition or redundant line: Scattered is noted twice and that must have hidden meanings.

Rashi says they were scattered once in this world and again in the world to come.

There is confusion in figuring out the punishment for human behavior when comparing the flood punishment to the Babel punishment:

Flood - people were bad to each other and the punishment was death.
Babel - people actually worked together well but the rebelled against God - punishment was to be scattered and diversified.

Thus peace among people is given greater importance and less drastic of a punishment.

Verses 10-32 give another lineage from Shem to Avram
10 generations -
similarly there are 10 generations from Adam to Noah

Comparing the structure of this line to Chapter 5 - after Adam -
The life spans get shorter.
Younger when they have children
And in Chapter 11 it doesn't say "and they died"

Eli Munk points out the the importance of this lineage shows that the patriarchs are human and not divine. Which is important when considering the ancestry of the messiah.

Midrash on the younger life of Avram from this: how Terrah saw his youngest son die based on Nimrod throwing Avram into the furnace.

And another story on how Avram smashed his father’s idols and tried to blame it on the ‘bigger’ idol to show him that idols have no power.

(more updates soon)

Shana Tova!

Human Needs: Outside Guidelines and Humility

Finish Chapter Genesis 11:4 - 9 Torah Study with Rabbi Marder

end v5 God "comes down" to investigate - last word = children of Adam

Introduces the concept that the building project is human - and they have limits and humility of Children of Adam

Rashi - Torah didn’t need this phrase (sees humor) Who else built it? (the animals?)
why give this - vene adam - descendants of the first Adam who was ungrateful to God - per garden of Eden - when Adam blamed Eve... and blamed God for giving Eve to him. These descendants of Adam are also ungrateful and are rebelling against God for saving them from the flood. A characteristic of humans

Midrash modern Hasidic interpretation - quotes Rashi - then the characteristics in a person carry over for several generations. Family patterns. This characteristic of Adam followed through the generations to these people. From this if people improve attributes then that will be continued for generations. - a message of “hope’.


v 6 - if one people with one language then this is what they will do... their power will be infinite.

Rashi reads as an interrogative - And now should not all they propose to do be withheld from them? as a question. God not threatened. They are using their benefits, unity, for destructive purposes. God Questions if he should intervene so they don’t get into so much trouble...

v7 let us go down ... (reminder - Rashi ran a yeshiva) God consulted with his ‘bet din’ because of humility.

Confound language - what happens when they no longer understand each other.
One person asks for a brick and another person brings limes instead. Makes the person angry and the situation becomes chaotic. Communication problems cause failure of the tower building project.

Humility - comes up in different ways on this text.

Hasidic commentary:

Creation not finished - God wants humans to use our intelligence to continue creation. Part of plan. BUT generation of Babel - denied God and said they had created it all on their own.

What was the sin of the generation? Traditional thought: They denied God.
Other interpretations were more politically driven.

3 books by Kushner referenced:

• Who Needs God -
• How Good Do We Have to Be -
• Overcoming Life’s Disappointments

Question: What is the Necessity of God?

Leon Kass - prof Univ of Chicago - Trace what had happened to this point. Early chapters outline 4 conditions :
1. Simple Innocence - (Eden)
2. Anarchy - life without law - should know right and wrong - (Cane Abel)
3. Life in Primordial Law - State of Nature - (Noah) - law passed by generations
4. Dispersion of People - each under it’s own law.

God keeps trying new plans.
People realize that the previous methods don’t work. So cannot rule from within. Need help from outside to have laws to live by. Instinct not strong enough. Therefore we need God.

First failing of people of Babel - lack of piety - they begin to believe in their own superiority.
They see no eternal horizon. This is the theme of the story and the danger.

relationship to the High Holy Days:

Gates of Repentance: addresses the same question as Babel

comment before Avenu Malkenu in the Yom Kippur service
- “hundreds of people have done this before” - - - “we are of the generation who had fought to dethrone You” “men and women grow smaller without You” / God...

Refer to the love of God as the love of a parent - regardless of what we do.

Avenu Malkanu -words
Have mercy on us
We are of little merit -


Avenu Malkanu -
the prayer lists all the sins we have done collectively.
Shared act of humility - so if you as an individual didn’t do this sin, someone in the greater congregation probably did - it is acknowledging our flaws as a group.


Humanism is not enough:

People cant make it on own instincts alone, humans keep getting us in trouble - this is why we need Torah, the book of wisdom, to guide us so we have a decent world to live in.

We need a source of wisdom from outside ourselves.

Compare the Christian view presented by Paul - Conscious of sin and the overwhelming feeling of guilt. Jesus lifts the burden of this guilt and the need to always follow the ‘laws’.

Jewish answer - you are capable of making a real mess or of doing good. You can do better with work and following the guideline and ability to ‘do better’. We are capable of good but also we can make big mistakes.

Tshuvah - not repentance - it is going back to true authentic self, the goodness inside us.

Issue of humility: Always two sided in Judaism - the two notes - one “for my sake the world was created” other “we are but dust” - balance these two consciousnesses at all times.

Kushner about humility - acknowledging something larger than self.
Humility - Not self effacement nor false modesty. Not everything in life is about you. Recognizing that you are not responsible to run the world.

Why so hard to accept this? When a child we are the center of the world. As we grow the child learns to leave this concept behind for the satisfaction of sharing with others. Teens who learn to manipulate others around them. And bosses who abuse employees. Terrible spouses who need to win every argument. Humility is the cure for these faults. The essence message: “leave a little to God”

This interpretation is less about needing wisdom and more about recognizing that the world doesn’t exist for you alone.

Commentators reacting to “let us make a name for ourselves” - About the belief that we don’t need anything beyond ourselves.

There is a standard for ‘right and wrong’ that started within religion, but it can be separated from religion.

Connection between humility and the ground. We are the earth - source of humility.

Check R. Marder’s sermon from 9/4/2009 for use of language.

Tower Interpreted Across Ages

Genesis: 11 1-9 Torah Study Class 8/29 with Rabbi Janet Marder

Many interpretations of the story

Gadal (Hebrew root) = big tall – what is the significance?
Questions

What is wrong with this?
How can we understand the consequences?

most interpretations: “Make name for selves” indicates a rebellion against God – idolatry.

Story has been construed as a satire and a mocking of Babylonian culture. A parody.

More modern interpretations

Abravanel – 15th century -
Urbanization brings corruption and violence
“journey from East” (v2) Kedem means East and before – interpretation based on these words – moved from how the world was to technological production by man.

Rousseau– 18th century – On the Origin of Inequality
man who fenced in an area and said “this is mine” - and others believed him – the beginning of inequality. - No one owns the earth!
Once people congregate there is the strong who abuse of power and dominate the weak. Cynicism of people getting together to build the city.

Erich Auerbach - compares the Bible to Homer – Biblical style leaves out the details

Bricks = technology of its day.

Netziv: Rabbi Naphtali Tzvi Judah Berlin – 19th century of Volozhin (now Belarus Russia)
“top in the heavens” - not plan for one city in the world – but this city would be the dominate city – with a watch tower to see others. To make sure no one would break away.
concern – that the ideas of people should be the same – builders of the tower were to be sure no one would change their way of thought. Sees a denial of independent thought.
“Big Brother” concept.

Midrash quoted: Years building tower – took a year to climb to the top – brick was more precious than the life of a human. If a brick fell they wept but not if a man fell.
About the inhumanity of its time – refers to the time of Roman building projects.

“God came down” “God descended” verse 3
Suggests human-like image of God

Ibn Ezra on anthropomorphisms
But accepts as a description. Human language.

David Kimze – also of the middle ages
Describes the lowly man- scripture calls this descent – language of spatial movement – when God wants to examine human deeds.

Rashi – to teach judges not to condemn an offender until they have reviewed all the details - personal investigation. (a teaching point)

Eli Munk – quote: Nachmanades – Kabalistic reading - descend when applied to God – says that it refers to the scale of divine attributes. Still God that comes down – metaphorical way God moves from love and compassion down to strict justice.

Satire – God had to “come down” but they were building a tower – not tall enough!

Samson R Hirsch – describes as a society that is determined that they don’t need God. Problem was in the attitude that motivated the builders. Structure to remind

Community must act in service to God. Problematic that the act of building the monument is the ‘end’ rather than a ‘means to an end.’

Seen as an act to ‘dethrone’ God – an act of arrogance.

- - -
Another theme of Torah: ending of divine intervention

Tower of Babel is the ‘last direct intervention’ by God. Concept that end of Bible the earth is given to humans.

Men don’t learn their lessons.

Another interesting parallel to Jacob's ladder - link

- - -
“Let us go down” Who is “us”?


1. Majestic / Royal “WE”
2. God consults with the angels.

Significance – God is humble – takes cognizance of other opinions. (team of Rivals)

Value of humility – act of humility.

V7 – Let us… Hebrew ‘Hava’ – first word
V3 – same word/phrase used when humans are talking. Symmetry

Word for Confound- Wordplay on the word for brick also – the consonants are reversed.

V8 – scatters – stopped building – story based on the ruins 100 bce of a ziggurat

Question is it a punishment or not?

Benno Jacob - 20th century reform Jewish commentator
Misunderstood story – Name Tower of Babel misleading it is about the city.

Not like the story of the Titans… not an attack on heaven.

About the building of the city as an act of unification due to anxiety and fear. Want to gather together not to get lost. The scattering of the nations is a consequence of population growth and a fulfillment of the mitzvah.
"The tower was to bring them fame and glory. their mistake was to use their technology for pride and vanity instead of using it to improve quality of life in their society."

Earth given so we will spread out and become diverse!

Story is a protest against uniformity.


Poem by our classmate Nora Buys:

The tower has gone
Its rubble smoothed away
By winds and rains and wars
Even so, the whisper
“You can be like God”
Still lures, still tempts,
Still seduces

Responding arrogance builds new towers
Seizes new powers
Grabs new riches
Creates new empires
Always to crumble into oblivion
The sighing, murmuring, siren voice lies
For we cannot be like God

© Nora Buys

A Building Drive - A City / A Tower

Genesis 11: 3-9 – Building the City and the Tower
key words: bricks, tar (mortar), city, tower, one language, confuse speech, scattered, babel (confused)
“to make a name for ourselves”

Key topics from Torah Study with Rabbi Marder 8/22

• The first ‘building drive’
• sound patterns in the verse
• contrast between location where you build bricks vs use stone
• bricks were an important aspect of Mesopotamian culture
• What is the motivation for building the city? Was it a rebellion against the command to populate the world?
• Ziggurat – the spiral tower in the ancient near east – to emulate a mountain.
• Why is there a problem with this?
• Arrogance of humans to try to ‘reach the heavens’
• interpretations from: Arthur Green, Talmud Sanhedrin, Rashi, Eli Munk, Samson Raphael Hirsh
• And more contemporary interpretations – political points
• Why is God above?

Art:
Pieter Bruegel.









Gustave Doré,











Poetry:

Ozymandias

by Percy Bysshe Shelley

I met a traveler from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal these words appear:
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Language:
BabEl = confusion – joke on the Glory of Babylon

Different Languages at Babel

Tower of Babel

Continuation of exploration of Nimrod from Ch 10, he was associated with Babylon and the building of the city and the tower and the turning away from God.

"Now the whole earth had one language and few words. And as men migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, 'Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.' And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.' And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the sons of men had built. And the LORD said, 'Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; and nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.' So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.' Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth." (Genesis 11:1-9)

We focused on the “languages” aspect this week.

“everyone had the same language”

Abravnel - the goal is a single community. There was no ‘private property’ until Nimrod built the city and the tower. (sin was the capitalization of moving away from a communistic view)

Contradiction
How important is unity through language?
How important is diversity?
or is it more 'understanding' that changed?

Different words for language:
Safa VS Lashon
Lips VS Tongue
Language of the tongue is from the depth of life / holy tongue.
Language of the lips is on the surface.

What is the language of God?
A language that everyone understands.

ABRACADABRA - relates to language origins – Hebrew

The sins of those who built the Tower resulted in the language differences and thus cultural differences and mis-communications. The contrast between the richness that the differences give us and the problems of those same differences.

Why is this story in this place of Torah?
Parallels between Adam and Eve in the garden and the building of the city and the tower,

The contrasts between urban and rural living begin at this point.

The question if Language is a unifying factor or not was discussed as well.

11:2 – “from the East” could also refer to “from the old ways”
marks a moving away from God. . .

East is significant – Babel is in Southern Iraq today.

11:3 “come let us make bricks”
no mention yet of what building but emphasis on ‘bricks’ rather than ‘stones’.
Bricks made by man rather than natural like stones.

Etymology – 1st person imperative - signifies the desire to do this.

Historical moment – a new way of building with brick and mortar.


No other Mesopotamian story parallels the Babel story.

Names - Places - Table of Nations

Genesis Chapter 10 – The Table of Nations

Torah Study with Rabbi Janet Marder

8/1/09 and 8/8/09

This rather lengthy list of names and places, many unpronounceable, that delineates the descendants of Noah and shows where they ended up.

Two key messages coincide – “we are all the same and yet we are all different.”

This family ‘tree’ with geographic indicators divide the descendants of Noah’s sons. And yet while it sounds like a list of individual names, it is more likely that it is speaking of the ‘nations’ that come after the sons of Noah.

When this is first read it seems like it has little meaning (like so many of the chapters) a bit of digging into the many commentaries gives it so much meaning.

Ethnology is not the point. These ‘nations’ appear in other near-east literature and it gives a panoramic image of the people of the world ‘post flood’.

The geography is described so we can actually define the map (above)

The later Jews are from SHEM and are within the ‘fertile crescent’

There are 70 ‘nations’ mentioned – many are linked to geographic areas but some are not.

(74 names = 70 nations + 3 sons + Nemrod who is the only ‘individual’ named.)

70 is one of those key numbers that comes up again in Torah. Jacob’s descendants that go to Egypt, 70 elders in the wilderness, 70 members in the Sanhedrin.

There are other later traditions that key on the number 70 as well –

• 70 mythological gods of the time
• 70 languages of Torah
• 70 nations represented at Sukkot

Nahum Sarna - modern Biblical Scholar:

Emphasis on our common origin. Human divisiveness is less important than our common origin. Universalistic view – Humanity is all connected correlates to One God.

Emotions are universal.

Photo exhibit: The Family of Man

The Family of Man (MoMA Exh. #569, January 24-May 8, 1955) was composed of 503 photographs grouped thematically around subjects pertinent to all cultures, such as love, children, and death.

The names are divided within the 3 basic areas –

• Japheth – relates to the Greek influence
• Ham – relates to the Egyptian influence
• Shem – relates to the followers of Abraham – Jews

Names mentioned appear again in Torah and help to better define the who’s who listed here. While it is not an ‘actual anthropology’ there are hints to known places and people in history.

A Few Specifics Noted:

Ashkenaz - from Japheth via Gomer – and this relates to ‘nomadic people’ around the Caspian Sea. This later referred to Germany and is said to be the genealogy that leads to Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe!

Alashia – Mentioned in many texts – ancient name for Cyprus. Ionian - an ethnic division of ancient Greeks.

Tarshish – the place on the Mediterranean where we later see Jonah.

Ref: Cyrus Gordon -

# The Wine-Dark Sea – Homer –

Cyrus Gordon related the name "Tarshish" to a Semitic root also found in the Greek "Thalasos" meaning sea. This explanation is close to that of the Talmud which however seems to connect Tarshish to the Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean in particular.

"C. Gordon attempts to interpret the name Tarshish with the wine-dark sea of Homer" Journal of Near-Eastern Studies 37 (1978), pp. 51-52. "

"Attic thalatta, meaning sea, becomes thalassa in Doric".

Cyris Gordon has also been quoted as identifying Tarshish with America.

Nimrod – an individual – “mighty one”. It seems that Nimrod must have been a known character of his time but the specific details of the ‘epoch of Nimrod’ were lost to time, so it gives much room for midrash and interpretation.

“Mighty Hunter before God”

Some say he rebelled against God. Others say he was ‘godly’.

The Hebrew root – relates to rebellion, warrior…

Rashi – Nimrod hunted men’s souls to entrap them

Samson Raphael Hirsh – progenitor of religious tyrants.

He is said to have misused the name of God.

Abravanel, 15^th Century Spanish scholar of Torah, who was a great advocate of republicanism, believed that Nimrod had forced himself upon the people, established the principle that monarchy goes with tyranny, and built great edifices to big-note himself. – Avravanel was very negative based on his personal experiences in Spain in the 15^th Century.

Eli Munk, connects Nimrod to the Tower of Babel which is the beginning of a series of his failures as a monarch. Abraham (Avram) was cast into the fiery furnace but was saved by God, then Nimrod is killed by Esau, the other hunter.

Another interpretation is that Nimrod was seeking to slay him on account of the cloak which had belonged to Adam [and which Esau now possessed], for whenever he put it on and went out into the field, all the beasts and birds in the world would come and flock around him. (Midrash Rabbah - Bereishit 65:16)

The first monarch. Strong rule. Corrupt power.

Nimrod = the spirit of raw power that is always present.

Places mentioned in Genesis 10 link to other places in Tanak – many are known but some not. Most based on the political and economic ties :

Bavel = Babylon = confused – (babbled)

Another interpretation: Bavel = gate = gate of God or gateway to heaven.

Eber = source for Evrit (Hebrew) - the name of the language

Eber and Shem started a yeshiva. (This started a discussion of how they could study Torah before the events of Torah happened!)

Hirsch:

Japheth = Hellenistic Culture / Arts & Science

vs

Shem = Moral Ethics / Truth / Ideal

‘One can get the aesthetics BEFORE they can get the ethics!’

Themes of Torah: Include the younger son prevailing over the older son – true here also as Shem is the younger son.

Overall: Polarized struggle between the universalistic view and the dominance of one people over another. This is a tension in Torah.

Generation of Division

Literary pattern here shifts from unity to division to unity.

Judah Ha-Levi, was a Jewish physician, poet and philosopher. He was born in Toledo in Spain, about 1085 and died in about 1141 soon after he moved to the Holy Land.

My heart is in the East

My heart is in the East, and I am at the ends of the West;

How can I taste what I eat and how could it be pleasing to me?

How shall I render my vows and my bonds, while yet

Zion lies beneath the fetter of Edom, and I am in the chains of Arabia?

It would be easy for me to leave all the bounty of Spain --

As it is precious for me to behold the dust of the desolate sanctuary.

NEXT – Languages and the human hubris!

Understanding a Curse - or not...

Torah Study 7/18 - R. Janet Marder

Genesis 9:24-27

Noah wakes up! And ‘understands’.

And

The Curse of Canaan

This portion has been used and misused a lot.

Noah “wakes up to smell the coffee” he becomes very aware of what has happened.

There is much speculation as to how exactly he knows – whether he really is lucid or if he was told. However, Noah’s reaction is swift and harsh.

The curse is not to Ham, his son, but to his grandson, Canaan. This leaves many questions: Why pick on the grandson – was he involved? What exactly is the curse – a one time thing or one that goes forward in history? How is this understood?

It is possible that there is missing information that would clarify these details more. And as in much midrash, the scholars try to fill in the blanks. Could it be a type of retaliation? What could Ham have done to deserve this? There is even some theories that Ham castrated Noah so he could not have more children.

The curse: Cursed be Canaan, let him be a slave of slaves to his brethren

Cursed be Canaan-ןענכ רורא. A slave of Slaves-םידבע דבע
Grammatical construction emphasize the “extremes”

Like “God of gods” = Supreme God
So “Slave of slaves” = Lowest slave.

Nothing is actually said about the descendants of Canaan – this is all interpretation and midrash. It is used to justify the Israelites taking over the land of the Canaanites and the submission of Canaanites to the Israelites.

Rambam speaks of Rashi commentary – he questions why the Torah even starts with Genesis – what is the purpose of this? God created the whole world – not just the world of the Israelites. To answer the question “who is the owner of the world?” Rambam continues to interpret that this is all about Divine justice. The Israelites are warned and that “possession of the land is dependent upon their moral behavior”.



Misinterpretations have been dangerous

Louis Farrakhan “On the Jewish myth:

Until Jews apologize for their hand in that ugly slave trade; and until the Jewish rabbis and the Talmudic scholars that made up the Hamitic myth -- that we were the children of Ham, doomed and cursed to be hewers of wood and drawers of water -- apologize, then I have nothing to apologize for.”

-Interview in Swing magazine, October 1996

NO COLOR IS MENTIONED IN TORAH
The Egyptian word for ‘black’ sounds a little like Ham – more like ‘hem’

In Egyptian verb-stem of this word is Bohem/Bahm, which means to be/make obscure or dark/black/mysterious/mystical

The use of this connection to interpret the ‘curse’ as on black people came from the church. It was also used in the 19th century politically to ‘sanction slavery’.

The curse on slaves in the American history was blamed on Jews.

Book: Jews and the American Slave Trade by Saul Friedman

The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews
by Historical Research Department of the Nation of Islam. Charges that Jews controlled the slave trade.

Rabbi Morris Raphall – During Lincoln’s term the first rabbi to open a session of the United States – said the Civil War split Jews also because there were Jews on both sides.
The Torah specifically says that owning slaves is not a sin – 4th commandment.

Why Jews were not typically among the Abolitionists? They wanted to blend in to their communities, they followed their neighbors. Many of the Abolitionists were evangelical Christians who blamed the Jews for many things and that was unpopular among Jews.

There is a lot of ‘legislation’ regarding slavery in the Torah. Exodus 22 – punishment for the thief. Rules of slavery during war. A crime to kidnap someone to enslave them. A master who kills their slave is responsible for the death and can be punished same as for anyone else. Lev 25 – labor laws that relate to slavery. Deuteronomy – terms for freeing slaves.

Book: All Other Nights by Dara Horn
Speaks of class differences during the Civil War period


Book: Republic by Plato
Class differences even in the ‘Utopian’ state.

There is also the question of “Moses marries a Cushite woman”

Cush – African land – later Nubia
Association of ‘dark skin’ and beauty.

Outrageous interpretations and miss-interpretations have led to political troubles.
How to combat this? The best strategy is to publicize the facts and keep it in the open.

Reform Jews: Progressive Revelation – As time goes forward we learn what God really wants of us.
An “Ethical Evolution” reflects the cultural changes in our world.

Eben Ezra, a Spanish commentator in the twelfth century
“be a slave to our brothers…” reminds us that it was not an ancestral curse: that the first King of Edom was "Nibroth [Nimrod] son of Chus [Cush], who was son of Chem [Ham]”
Thus, he rejects the reading that it reflects a justification for perpetual slavery.

Naked in his Tent

Genesis 9:20-27

Noah – naked in his tent. Ham – sees and tells. Brothers – cover and don’t look.

What does this mean?

Eli Munk: he goes into his tent to get out of the public eye – so his children would not see him in a drunken state.

Impact on the psychological effects of alcoholism.

What does it mean in Biblical times vs the political significance
Lev 18:3 – Sexual Depravity – do not copy the abhorrent practices of cultures in Egypt and Canaan (ref to Ham) – list of these practices in Lev 18 - 20
Political Message: If go to pagan nations you will encounter these practices – a recurring theme in Torah.
“Jews are EXPECTED to behave better” (not always happen ie. King David)

Rashi: Nakedness – reflexive view –
Possibly someone else took off Noah’s clothes

Possibly Ham took off Noah’s clothes

Peter Pitzele Bibleodrama
Book : "Our Father's Wells" by Peter Pitzele excerpt of a reflection of a son on his father’s alcoholism.

My Papa's Waltz by Theodore Roethke


The whiskey on your breath
Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.

We romped until the pans
Slid from the kitchen shelf;
My mother's countenance
Could not unfrown itself.

The hand that held my wrist
Was battered on one knuckle;
At every step you missed
My right ear scraped a buckle.

You beat time on my head
With a palm caked hard by dirt,
Then waltzed me off to bed
Still clinging to your shirt.

The image of a drunk father is a powerful one.

Ham – sees his father’s nakedness and tells his brothers.

Two issues with different interpretations.

Most see this as a literal interpretation but some interpret it as a sexual “nakedness” and it is not clear with whom – the details of this story are lost in time.

The word for Nakedness – Arvat – something shameful or dirty

Because Shem & Japheth ‘cover’ him up – most scholars do interpret it as literally without clothes. But there are some other midrash that go to all types of extremes – such as Ham castrated his father – Noah didn’t have other children after this.

Samson Raphael Hirsch reflects on the sin of children against their fathers also applies to generations: “cover the weakness of the former generation..”
The future has a bond to the past.
- sons who mock the traditions of the past will be mocked themselves.
- take what is good from the past rather than what is distasteful

Rashi – the Sin of Ham – his son Canaan was punished for the sin of his father
Possibly it was Canaan who ‘saw’ Noah
Explores options of other abhorrent sexual practices. Look for the sin because of the curse that follows

Leon Kass – Returns to the literal interpretation of nakedness.
The curse of the son leads to consequences to the son and future generations of alcoholism.

It effects the attitude toward parental authority.
Shame (derived from two terms in Greek)
Ham seeing his father is ‘metaphorical castration’
Dethrones the father – Ham lacks the awe and reverence for his father
Ham - the father of Canaan – later the source of abhorrent behavior.

Action of the two brothers to cover their father without looking.

Kass – deliberate cover up / Loyalty / correct the problem and protect the dignity of their father.There are some things the child should not know about their father.

After this incident Ham is not mentioned again.

Two views of the other brothers ‘cover up’

• See a problem and do something about it
• Cover up the problem to avoid dealing with it

Thoughts from this – thinking of the motivation for doing things.

More next week…

Sons and Wine

Torah Study 7/4 with Rabbi Marder

- Rainbow Additions –
Native American tradition regarding the rainbow – The rainbow is a reminder to keep the earth safe.

Jewish Contemporary perspective - Jeremy Benstein – The Way into Judaism and the Environment - the interpretation of Heschel – the view from the perspective of a child of the promise – the other view it is the symbol to remind one of the carnage of destruction and the rebuilding.

Ecocide – Interdependence of humans and the earth.

- - - - Genesis 9:18-27

• Noah’s sons
• Vineyard
• Drink
• Nakedness
• Covered
• Slaves to each other…

A fragmented story of powerful events. Much debated.

Etymology of the Names:

Shem – means “name”– Semites descend from Shem
Renown, respect, high stature, a link to God

Ham – means “to be hot” to enflame.
Connected to Egypt. Ham’s descendents connected to Egypt and Canaan
Links throughout the Tanach – Psalms 78:51, 105 and 106
Biblical Parallelism – connect to Mitzrayim and Tents of Ham “Land of Ham”

Japheth – open and expansive, beautiful – associated with Greeks.

Alcohol and Sex
Political reading vs Psychological reading of the text

Leon Kass –
Paternal authority and filial piety
Relations between sons and parents
Father and sons ambitions
Tensions between glory in the world vs attention to family
Education of fathers as moral educators for their children.
Troublesome aspect of relation between fathers and sons.
A paternal figure of authority was essential. A balance between fear, awe, shame.
Relations between sons and fathers have always been difficult.
A father has a power over their sons.

Parallel to Death of A Salesman – exposure to the shame of the father transmits a devastating effect.

Freud – father is a figure of dignity and how this effects the son.

Comparisons
Noah - Ish Ha Adama - Man of God to Man of the earth
Contrast to
Moses Ish Elokim – Man of Egypt to Man of God


Review of the sequence of events.

There is a large time lapse within the fragments of the story. As if it was a well known story and this is just a ‘summary’ version.

Ham is mentioned twice.
V19 – all people branch from the sons
V20 – a vineyard is planted
Debate over “he began” could be read differently.
Possible – forbidden fruit in Eden was the grape.
Should this have been Noah’s first act or not?
Was his first thought to taste the earth’s pleasure.

Eli Munk & Rashi – criticize Noah for planting the vineyard

Most commentators are relatively neutral about the vineyard. There is the debate between the ‘evils of drunkenness’ vs ‘wine is essential to traditions of our faith’

V21 Drunkenness and ‘Uncovered’ – they are linked to each other – Alcohol & Sex

Habakkuk

“Woe unto him that maketh his companion drink, and also maketh him drunken, in order to look upon their nakednesses” (Habakkuk 2:15).

On shame…

Samson Raphael Hirsch – Noah didn’t intend to get drunk. When he discovered he was drunk he withdrew to the ‘inner’ tent in an effort to maintain dignity.

Eli Munk – quotes Talmud story that Satan came and offered to help Noah

Satan was a bit more successful with Noah. According to the Midrash (Midrash Tanchuma Genesis: Noah 13), Satan was a partner of Noah in the planting of the first post-Flood vineyard. Satan’s contribution was the addition of the blood of a sheep, a lion, a pig, and a monkey. This is the Talmudic way of explaining the effect alcohol has on people. The drinker, initially as innocent as a sheep, after a few drinks becomes as bold as a lion. Eventually, as the drinks flow, the person becomes as filthy as a pig and acts like a monkey. Indeed, the Bible relates how Noah debased himself when he became intoxicated (Genesis 9:20-28).

Etimology
Vav – repeated 13 times in this portion. – the 13 steps downward.
Stumbling on a downhill path.

Savri Maranan said in kiddush before the blessing on the wine:
Before the Kiddish is said – ‘ attention, with your permission…’
We say LeChiam – as an answer to the unspoken question:
“is this the wine of life or the wine of death?”

The Bow in the Cloud

Congregation Beth Am Torah Study 6/27/2009 –R.Janet Marder

Genesis 9:16 – 21

The traditional and contemporary views about the 'Rainbow as a Sign'.

God sees the ‘bow in the cloud’ whether man sees it or not.
Rabbi Abraham Iben (Ibn) Ezra – “God makes the rainbow appear in the sky even though it is not really there....” It is created by man’s eye – how we perceive the light through moisture. But Ben Ezra says the rainbow is always there. Always visible to God.

In Warsaw Ghetto on the walls – “ I believe in the sun even when it is not shining…”

Contemporary
Leon Kass – Rainbow is a symbol of reassurance to humans. Asks why is this reassurance needed while they are rebuilding a life? People require hope and posterity to be a reason to rebuild. There would be no reason to follow the laws if there was no hope for a better future. Needs hope for a motivation to build the world and have an obligation for justice. A purpose to life. The sign is required forever when despair threatens us.

Prometheus – gave ‘blind hope’ in Greek mythology.

Ephemeral Nature of the Rainbow – Hope is also ephemeral. Natural hope fades. Cosmic order is finally not inhospitable of human dreams & aspirations (the foundation of Mordichai Kaplan’s theology.)

Remember the covenant for the future is the motivation for rebuilding. The cosmos is benevolent to humans.

Reminded of the work of Ann Frank –

"I can’t build hope on foundation of confusion misery and death. . . . Look to heavens and think it will all come right this cruelty too will end. Peace and tranquility will return.” (1944)

Derive a sense of order from looking at the cosmos.

Not apply to other forms of natural destruction.

Rabbi Marder quote: “It is a human story. You need to look for the ethical and spiritual teaching of what the word is trying to convey. They are teaching that our efforts have meaning now. It is less about the future”

Words are about nature. God will not destroy the world again. Not about humans. We need reminders that things will get better when there is despair.

Like a parent who has the potential for anger but learns to control the anger. Sometimes they need a reminder of that.

Contemporary interpretation of the rainbow:

1. Gilgamesh epoch flood Narative different: Ishtar necklace in the sky becomes the rainbow as a reminder. In this story it is not related in any way to a covenant or any moral dimension.


2. Kabalistic interpretation – Eli Munk – continuous spectrum of colors reflect devine attributes. Ezikiel vision of God – like the bow of God. 7 fold goodness radiating from God’s presence.

Sim Shalom prayer in morning liturgy. Light of Peace – 7 gifts to come to us through the light of God’s face:

Life
Kindness
Righteousness
Blessing
Mercy
Peace
Love

7 colors represent the projection of attributes of God’s – symbols in 7 colors of rainbow.


Today symbol of diversity and inclusiveness – R. Brad Artson – Am Jewish Univ. LA
Multicolored symbol of peace. Reminder of our need to build coalitions with others. Our of flood is a new commitment to life and to peace. Now a symbol to us multicolored spectrum of human understanding. Symbol of all people unifying.


Rainbow Flag – designed in San Francisco – Freedom Flag – red always on top :

Red – Life
Orange – Healing
Yellow – Sunlight
Green – Nature
Blue – Harmony
Violet - Spirit

Link about rainbow from Science to Literature to art

Poetry & Song:
Rainbow Connection – Muppet Movie - by Kenny Loggins

Someday we will find it
the Rainbow connection
the Lovers Dreamers and me.

Wordsworth Poem – 1802 – My Heart Leaps Up

My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.

Intimations of Immortality - Children closer to nature and to God than adults.

“the child is father of the man…”
“Splendor in the grass”
– the whole poem.

Whitman poem:

I heard the learn'd astronomer;
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me;
When I was shown the charts and the diagrams, to add, divide, and
measure them;
When I, sitting, heard the astronomer, where he lectured with much
applause in the lecture-room,
How soon, unaccountable, I became tired and sick;
Till rising and gliding out, I wander'd off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look'd up in perfect silence at the stars.

v. 18 New Narrative – a time lapse - list of the sons of Noah
Plant a vineyard – make wine – grandchildren… at least 2 years after the flood.

The order that the sons are listed not by age but possibly by level of wisdom!
Shem, the youngest, - ancestor of Shemites / Semites – Know the order from Genesis 11:10 Shem was 100 years old – in Ch 7 Noah was 500 when he had children and 600 when flood came.
Political significance.

Samson R Hirsch – what do we learn: all 3 sons of Noah are survivors – represent different types of people but worthy of saving have equal responsibility to become good humans.

Mention of sons by name after the flood – now revert to pre-flood behavior. Eldest learned nothing although older.

Ham – only one to cohabit on the Ark & fathered a son. (men and women separate on ark) Effected the listing of the names in the story.

Ham will have a more prominent place in the story later.

(some commentaries change it to Ham being the youngest son)

V.19 “Branch out over the world”

Hirsch – from this they spread out –
3 sons of righteous man, Noah – 3 different in character sons can come from the same father
Word ‘branch out’ from same word ‘hammer’ that shatter things. This is the origin for all human cultures and behaviors.

“It is an obscure story”
This is the “cliff notes” version of the story – not the WHOLE story!

Rainbows - Signs and Promises

Genesis 9:8 – 17 R. Jennifer Clayman

Never Again..
Covenants…
Rainbows…
Signs…

Hebrew words
Keshet – Bow – Rainbow – קֶשֶת
Ot – Sign -

Other Signs of the Covenant
Exodus 12:13 – blood on houses a sign – relating to the plagues –
Gen 7:11 – circumcision as a sign of covenant of the people –
Deut 6:8 – bind the words as a sign on hand and a symbol before eyes

Rainbow
Nacham Sarna - JPS Commentary on Rashi pg 62 – “My Bow” existing natural phenomenon and now becomes a symbol. No other celestial body is similarly endowed as a symbol in the Bible ….
It is the only time that anything in nature becomes a sign of a Biblical event or a covenant.

Ezekiel – mentioned. – radiance about God like the rainbow equivalent to God’s presence.

But is in mythological reference to a bow and Babylonian Astronomy bow plays a role.

Significance of the rainbow is significant as a symbol of reconciliation. A bow / symbol of war transformed to a symbol of piece.

Blessing on Rainbow emphasizes the point of remembering the covenant and God keeping promises.

Cant touch rainbow because it is a one sided covenant – in this case it is God’s promise – God is the only one who has to do anything in this particular covenant. It is an unconditional promise.

Can never approach a rainbow. As a covenant you can’t fully approach it as well. It is part of the difficulty of approaching God as well.

Kabalah – reference to the colors of the rainbow – 7 colors – 7 attributes and 7 spherot.

J version and P version of the stories may have different facts – contrasting versions within the text – J version perspective from the ‘other kingdom of Judah’ - this text
P version more interested in using God as transcendent and less involved with people’s lives. (not sure about this particular text)

Link to Global Warming as the other side of this covenant when floods may return.
- another view that this is not linked – it is assurance that you can have children and not fear that they will be lost to another flood.

Not a promise of no punishment – just not to destroy the world again.

v17 Hebrew See Keshet and Remember – remember responsibility as well as the promise.

Artist perspective: What does the shape and colors of the rainbow mean? A symbol/sign of life.
Psychologist interpretation: colors vs darkness of depression. Uplifting after darkness.
Political use: Rainbow flag sign of the Gay Pride movement – 1978 – Baker – inspired by song Over the Rainbow (written by Jews) – became popular after Harvey Milk Assassination – represents the diversity. Rainbow Coalition – is a symbol of diversity.

Value of Life

Torah Study 6/13 led by Rabbi Janet Marder

Source text dealing with the topic of suicide. Genesis 9:5
“ And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.”
9:6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

Focus on Humans made in the ‘image of God’

God recognized human propensity for aggression and forbid the taking of human life.

It is a Talmudic interpretation that forbids ‘harming oneself’ and a prohibition of suicide.

Tractate Semahot is the source for practices on death and mourning. Gives specific instructions on what cannot be done in the case of suicide.
Not to tear the clothing or the crea ribbon. No eulogy. But you do recite the blessing for those who mourn because that is about the family and not the person who died. They wanted to avoid giving honor to one who committed suicide as to suggest that this was honorable or hold this as an example to the community.

Later suicide was justified based on extreme distress.

Masada – a question of the justification in this case. And was it suicide or martyrdom?

CCR – the reform response is to focus on the objective give comfort to the family and those who mourn and follow their wishes.

Focus on the value of life.
“Put life ahead of faith.”
“Heroic death is now less glamorized.”
“Your life is not your own”


Verse 5 – on suicide Verse 6 – on capital punishment

A look at the literary structure of the verses.

‘dam’ and ‘ha adam’ - adama – connection blood – human - earth
Similar sounds.

Kiasmos (Kosmos) - a symmetrical literary style (from Greek letter shape like X)
Literal: “Sheds blood of man by man his blood shall be shed” - bookended
Structure reflects meaning – talionic punishment “in kind”

The verse gives a clear prescription for capital punishment. However interpretations in Talmud make it very difficult to implement.
Makes it very difficult - Akiva and Tarfon – strongly opposed to capital punishment.
Rabbi Shimon ben Gamaliel responds, “[to Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiva] would have been increasing the murderers in Israel.” – held a different view that capital punishment should be an option.

There is clear text and interpretations to deal with issues like accidental killing, killing in war, killing to protect others and other situations. The need for witnesses are mandatory to result in capital punishment.

Source for the laws for humans to establish a judicial system to deal with issues of human aggression.

Eli Munk: Attributes the absolute value of all people. This extends to those who are punished for crimes.

The question is: What gives the ‘state’ the right to execute a person? ‘if all people

Excellent web references on this:

Rabbeinu Gershom (French rabbi 14th century) When one murders the image of God is expunged from a person by his act of murder.
R. Kunei (?) ( late 13th century) The judge is made in the image of God – vested by God with the task of seeking out the blood of the murder. Judge is the agent of God and takes the responsibility.

Wrestling with the contradiction in this issue.

Verse 7 – Be fertile and increase...

Rashi – a disturbing Talmudic interpretation –
Previously this text was given it was a blessing. Now it is a mitzvah.

Compares those who do not have children is equivalent to ‘shedding blood’
Having children is a mitzvah – a law.

Hekdesh – Talmudic interpretation based on the juxtaposition of verses in the text.

A definite challenge to modern thinking and choices to have children or not.

Jana points out that it is positioned next to ‘humans in God’s image’ and therfore allows for a more positive interpretation using this same method.

On Suicide - Source Text Genesis 9:5

Torah Study 6/6 led by Rabbi Sarah Wolf

Source text dealing with the topic of suicide.
Genesis 9:5

"And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.”
9:6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

Rashi – clarifies this to include all forms of suicide including those that do not shed blood.
There is no prohibition of suicide in Talmud.

Exceptions in the Bible: Saul ‘falls on his sword’ before he could be killed by others. In Daniel - Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego throw themselves into the fire to avoid profanation of God’s name.

This is the start of setting up the Noahkite laws of basic human behavior.
It is a human job to set up a system of justice to control their behavior.

Talmudic commentary there is a conflict of opinions – but clearly there is a worry about people harming themselves.

Three ‘sins’ where you can break halacha ‘law’ to save a life: Idolatry, Rape, Murder

Questions: IF one takes their own life – How does God get satisfaction?

What does it mean? What is the punishment? The harm is to the family and community not to the person who commits suicide.

Definition of suicide: Rambam and Schulchan Aruch - make it difficult to rule almost anything a suicide – this is for the sake of the living to allow the Jewish rituals of mourning.

Difference between Suicide and Martyrdom.

Traifa - Person who has an organ failing - “on death’s door” - in Sanhedrin has discussion on when a person is dying – you are not allowed to help this person die. However, a person who is ‘traifa’ is not liable for crimes no longer fully living – not fully there.

Talmudic story: Rabbi who was on his death bed but cannot die because his students were praying for him to live. The Rabbi’s Servant broke a pot to distract them from their prayer. In that moment the Rabbi dies.

Assisted Suicide – modern interpretation – after end of verse – R. Yakov Metlinburg: 2 words for person ‘Adam’ Kills with knowledge vs ‘Ish’ with mercy - 2 different terms – for vengeance to the victim vs for good of victim. There is a difference based on the motivation.

Story: If a King says kill that person or you will be killed. - Can’t decide whose life is more important.
Another story: 2 people in desert with only enough water for one – the decision is to save one life.
Should take care of self and not let both die.

Prolonging Life – there are also arguments against undue prolonging of life.

Case of when Animals kill people – the animal is to be put to death and no one is to eat the meat.

Rambam – beast that kills a man – flesh cannot be used as a punishment to the owner. It is not punishment to the animal.
He interprets verse – from the hand of animal require reckoning – when a person uses an animal to kill a person.

Summary: - about the preservation of life and reminding us of how precious life is. A reminder that our life is not entirely ours.

D. Saperstein on Jewish Social Justice and Political Decisions

David Saperstein speaks to Beth Am on 5/30/2009
on
The Jewish Social Justice Agenda

How the Jewish tradition should be use in contemporary political debates?

What is proper or improper within political debate?

What does our tradition tell us?

Jacob Neusner (the Isaac Asimov of Jewish scholars) books on Jewish scholarship. Prolific writer - bibliography.

Neusner is critical of reform movement’s claim regarding the position on Rowe v Wade ( and other positions on Jewish tradition ) Do not claim that the Jewish tradition justifies the position on abortion. It is okay for it to be your position but don’t claim that the “Jewish tradition” is the basis of that position. Similar relating to the position on gay marriage.

Must study what the texts say about an issue and see if there are any specific commentaries on the issue.
If you can’t find anything relating to the issue then don’t claim it is the “Jewish” position. Don’t claim that it is within the interpretation of Jewish law.

Problematic with what he says because it doesn’t recognize any official evolution of the Jewish position or further interpretation. There are limits to how you interpret the official position of Judaism from the texts.

Jewish tradition can support different views. Minority opinions are recorded and CAN become an official position. Problem in interpretation and varying opinions in religion and in law as well.

Neusner is critical that the reform and conservative movement are making statements that are not based on text.

When leaders claim this do they say it is “the Jewish position” or “a Jewish position”. Using “a” makes it a weaker argument but more accurate. Different positions can be represented by the actual Jewish position so there are really multiple positions on any issue.

When making our mind on an issue want to be able to say that they go to the text to make decisions. Do they really do this? Try to be intellectually open and honest, but it is influenced by experiences. We can’t base opinions strictly on one source. It is based on all range of experiences including our Jewish study and experience. (Can find justification for a wide range of positions within Jewish traditions in different sides of issues.)

“never lie or distort a position in testimony before a congressional office… if you do they will never trust you again…”

Another approach that is sometimes used is to decide what you want and then find the text to back it up. Not suggested as a proper method - totally biased.

Proper method is to go with an open mind (blank slate) and then go to the text and look at the responsa literature and all the interpretations and then make decisions. But it really doesn’t happen this way. “Blank Slate” methodology is very difficult.

Hard not to influence your decisions from all factors of your background and identity, both Jewish and not Jewish.

Important to go to the texts, but you CAN find justification of almost anything in the text.
So it is difficult to use this as a method.

Abortion issues: both sides use the same text to justify their position: “Choose life…”

Right methodology:
Jewish law comes from Torah, from God, a covenant, a contract. A contract binding only when people agree and when it is enforceable. Those Jews at Sinai agreed. Jews are born into the covenant and must reaffirm when they reach majority. (Bnai Mitzvah – they officially accept the commandments) Who wasn’t at Sinai? Everyone else.

What does it mean to become Bar or Bat Mitzvah? That they agree to accept the laws.

Big problem with limiting it to Jewish law:

• No concept that the covenant is binding on non-Jews.
• No universal norms in Torah.
• Noahkite covenant – 7 moral laws binding on all people. What applies to everyone.
• Rule for the sake of “peace in the community” is another law that applies to all people. Community relations – started over 2000 years ago.
• Universal law comes from interpretation –

1. dignity of humans
2. equality of all people
3. belief in perfectibility – we can make it better (not perfect but working toward that)
Normative Christianity vs Normative Judaism - different views - we believe in our obligation as humans to work toward a better world.
4. Trust relation with God. Share God’s love with others. Tzedakkah to all people.
5. Rule of Law – all people are accountable. – Universal Law.
6. Pursuit of Peace
7. Pursuit of Justice
8. Belief in freedom of choice. Freedom of thought. Ability to understand the difference in good and evil in the choices we make.

God is not ordained for the human invention.
Need to evaluate issues by these universal laws that help direct our actions to do the best we can.

Look at Jewish tradition and lift those values up to offer to all people. Not that it is binding on non- Jews, rather that it offers guidelines based on universal laws as well. The Jewish arguments should be heard as an inspiration or as a ‘prophetic voice’ and a ‘moral voice’ to add to and influence the opinions and decisions that are made.

R. Thal on Canonization of Hebrew Bible

R. Lenny Thal - 5/30 Torah Study – Beth Am

“Whenever you study Torah you have to have a good time!”

Canonization of the Hebrew Bible

Documentary hypothesis - the Bible was codified either in 450 or 444 BCE
Ezra and his disciples collated the narratives from approximately 4 to 500 years.
There were four major documents: JEP&D

web reference:

* J: a writer who used JHWH as the "unpronounceable name of God." It is often translated as Jehovah.
* E: a writer who used Elohim as the divine name
* D: the author of the book of Deuteronomy
* P: a writer who added material of major interest to the priesthood
* R: a redactor who shaped the contributions of J, E, P and D together in the present Torah.

Canon – Why Canon? What does it mean? literal meaning – Measure Rod / Reed

Exodus 24:3-7: Follow Moses’ return from Mt Sinai – people hear and agree to the terms. Reflection on what Moses learned.

620 BCE. – Deuteronomy Dated
2nd Kings 23:1-3 ‘what needed to be accepted’ The scroll found by Jeremiah in the Temple and read at just the time when reform needed! Began a major period of reform. However it was just 30 years later that the Temple was destroyed.

Ezra decided that the people needed “a constitution” which was created at the Watergate ( this one created one the modern one destroyed one)

Nehemiah 8:1-8 – Another documentation of when the people gathered and heard Torah and accepted it. It was read and translated and explained (“by people with teeth breaking names!”) by Ezra and his scribes.

Apocrypha (difference between Hebrew Apocrypha and Catholics’ Apocrypha – Hebrew it is separate from Bible / Catholic is it part of the Bible)

(word apocrypha means hidden or secret)

It includes such books as Judith, Macabees, Susannah …
If it is ‘apocryphal’ then it may not have happened but it does tell a truth!

Pseudepigraphia – a collection of writings by unknowns – but had some influence.
Includes the Life of Adam & Eve, Apocalypse of Moses - other documents
Prophetic section: No real historical record of when it was canonized.
Clues: 300-275 BCE OR 175 BCE – based on the end of the ‘minor prophets’ (minor because short not unimportant) Known from Talmud reference that there are no more prophets after Zechariah.

Malachi reports that Elijah will come at end of days.
Ecclesiastes – documented by the grandson of Ben Sirach

The Writings section: Again not certain of timing when the writings were collected and codified.
Prologue – 125BCE – 1st century BCE Philo – study of laws and the psalms
Ref: “Knowledge and piety increased”
Other clues from the New Testament – Matthew and Luke reference to the psalms.
Josephus 90-95 BCE wrote 22 books in the Bible – now there are 24 (or 39 depending on how you count) a clue that this was canonized later.

Song of Songs was included after the destruction of the 2nd Temple.

Historically the end of the 1st century was not a good time for the Jews. Mishnah and Midrashim were being written. Time of the Macabee and Barkova revolts had a huge impact on the way Judaism would evolve. Pharacies – the antecedents of modern Judaism attempted to democratize Judaism.

Interpretations were documented and ‘legal fictions’ created to help with this interpretation.

Book of Susannah: story of 2 elders who are infatuated with Susannah and are voyeurs watching her bathe in the garden. They are caught and put on trial and the both tell different version. They are put to death for perjury as their stories didn’t match.

Book of Tobit: Story of a pious Jew and marriage (Shtar). The Saducies reject it and the Katubbah is created as a marriage contract.

Ecclesiastes: Greek in tone. Included by the Saducies as they highlight the last passage that emphasizes that ‘this is the whole matter’ and seize the importance of this verse and attribute it to Solomon.

Esther: Problematic – no mention of God, Esther does many things not in line with the law… but included based on public pressure – the feast already celebrated at that time.

Contrast book of Esther to book of Judith – Judith was the opposite of Esther – completely loyal and brave – Why Judith not included may be based on a small detail which was not in line with the Saducies doctrine!

Not sure when completed – probably after 200 CE and before 300 CE.

We are what we eat?

Torah Study 5/23
Rabbi Marder

Genesis 9:1

Renewal of Life after the flood.

On the ark the animals living together and being cared for made them tame. Man did not fear animals and animals did not fear man.

There was a rupture in the relation between man and animals.

Rashi points out the natural fear that animals have of man. ( mice will not attack a live person / baby only one who is dead )

There is the notion the man came from animals but there was a separation and change.

Now animals can be food for humans. A major change from vegetarians they were.

Reasons for the change –

Animals survived because of humans.
Human care of animals as payment
All plants were destroyed also and there was fewer other food sources
Terms with the nature of humans were compromised.

The case of the Vegetarian vs the Omnivore

Kashrut is a reminder that we started as vegetarians and were allowed to eat meat. Kashrut gives limits to what and how to eat as a reminder.

Rav Kook believes that the permission to eat meat was only a temporary concession; he feels that a God who is merciful to his creatures would not institute an everlasting law permitting the killing of animals for food.

Eating meat was related to man’s aggressive impulses. Allowing to eat meat was a transitional dispensation.

Samson Raphael Hirsch: Different opinion on eating meat.
the attachment between people and animals was broken which initiated a change in the relationship of people to the world. [14]

The permission given to Noah to eat meat was not unconditional. There was
an immediate prohibition against eating blood.

There was fierce debate among rabbis on this issue.
Note: Life span of humans was much longer before the flood.

Eli Munk: Mystical interpretation.
Diet did not effect man’s nature or aggression. It was simply a new era marking the end of strict vegetarianism.

Cordavera – Hierarchy of nature. Goal to come closer to the divine. “you are what you eat” type concept and as you get higher on the food chain what you eat gets closer to the divine.

This new approach is God’s attempt to set a new system of discipline relating to eating habits (pre Kasrut laws)

Hassidic interpretations continue to analyze why we eat. We eat to stay alive. Don’t eat with gluttony, eat with appreciation and respect for it’s purpose.

Excess is not good.

Wine as example: It not only includes quantity but also HOW you consume it that makes a difference. Wine in a beautiful Kiddish cup drank with ceremony and celebration is much more beautiful and proper. Same with sexuality that is more meaningful when ‘put in a container of love and caring’.

NO BLOOD – next verse:
In no other religion is there a prohibition of consuming blood. Blood is thought of as the life source.

Do not eat the limb torn from a living animal. This law is given 10 times in Tanach.
Flesh with life still in it is like eating part of the soul. Meat to be consumed must be slaughtered properly. This teaches compassion rather than cruelty.

(Eli Munk) A method of teaching self discipline - Points

Sanctity of Human Life
Moral Freedom
Decision Making
Control of Instincts
Maintain Dignity

7 Noahite Laws for all humans :
The Talmud and Midrash canonized this notion in lists of commandments believed to have been given to Adam and supplemented in a new revelation to Noah. The generally accepted list consists of seven items, with respect to: 1) idolatry; 2) blasphemy; 3) homicide; 4) incest and adultery; 5) robbery; 6) eating the flesh of a live creature; 7) establishing a system of justice.

God Cares. Nature and Nurture.

Genesis 8: 21 – 22 (notes from the podcast)

Yetzer – Good and Bad Instincts and direction needed for self improvement

Jewish tradition is to learn to direct our instincts – not to beat it out – but to identify and nourish the goodness in children. - emphasize the good.
Man’s potential to do good and evil.

Entire story that God cares about us.

God recognizes that there is a ‘job’ to educate and discipline people!

Need to bring God’s presence to earth!

Noah’s Sacrifice – God’s reaction.
Leon Kass: the sacrifice says more about Noah than about God and his desire for meat / animal sacrifice.

Humans have animal nature, also have spark of divine and also they are free...

Devine Realism. - God’s growing awareness of the nature of man.

Hasidic reading:
“In uncertain times the order of nature changes. Summer in winter, winter in summer...”

Shin Bet Tav ( root for stopping ) - nature changes its ways.

Global Warming – if you meddle with order of nature – nature will ‘fight back’. (lesson from 18th century)

Paradise (not perfect leisure) - study of Torah.

New Order – Life is harder – Life span is shorter

Eli Munk: Evil influence has a barrier from the shorter life span – humans can open the road to hope for young people – children the continual infusion of potential for good in the world.

Decisions After The Flood

Genesis 8: 21-22

“God said to himself...”

A contrasting view of scholars.

Eli Munk: Danger in thinking of the corporality of God... But not as dangerous as not comprehending God at all... - stresses a more personal God.

As compared to Maimonodes view that stresses a completely abstract God.

Literal Hebrew: “He said TO his heart”

The discussion continued with questions: “Is God perfect?” “What is perfect?” and do we have a “learning God”? Has God’s opinion of mankind changed?

God promises never to destroy the earth again as done with the flood.

And gives the reason because ‘yetzer’ of man’s heart is evil from his youth.

It is a vow that there will not be ‘collective punishment’ ever again.

Is man inclined to bad behavior?

Is God giving up any dreams of perfection? Deciding to go forward differently?

The discussion of “yetzer” with two yuds: a Kabalistic story

The Hebrew word for fashioned is vayeetzer (וייצר).] The word is written with two yuds ,3 which [our Sages say] indicates that man was born with two yitzrin, inclinations, one for good (the yetzer tov), and the other for evil (the yetzer hora).4

But at the age of Bar Mitzvah one should be able to control this.

Samson Raphael Hirsch – on Youth and Evil

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explains the verse, "for the impulse of man's heart is evil from his youth":

Now, as far as we can see, the following, "for the impulse of man's heart is evil from his youth," has been completely erroneously taken to be the cause of this new determination of destiny… The words, "for the impulse, etc.," are in parenthesis: If the impulse of the heart of man should be evil again, and even in his youth, so that the only way of saving it would be the destruction of the generation, nevertheless I will not again, as I did… Youths are neither righteous nor evil. Woe unto them that take the average of child and adolescent nature to be evil! Who has really observed children say, No, it is not true that youth is bad, the impulse of man's heart is not evil from his youth, it is not in his youth that man names evil his ideal. In normal times one finds a much greater number of adults than of adolescents whose hearts and minds are directed to evil. (Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, commentary to Bereishit 8:21)

Rabbi Hirsch understands that the verse is not making an assertion, but rather setting a condition: even if the heart of man will be evil from his youth, even then I shall not destroy mankind. Under normal circumstances, argues Rabbi Hirsch, the heart of youth is not evil. And indeed, the question of man's basic nature has been the subject of dispute among Jewish Sages as well as gentile thinkers. This is one of the most important and decisive issues in our spiritual world.

God decides to ‘work with what He has’...

The Raven and The Dove

Genesis 8: 6-12

Summary of Topics:

It is all about The Raven.... And the Dove

The raven returns and redeems his reputation later when he feeds Elijah

Noah holds the dove in his hand – a bond of closeness

Book ref: A Pigeon an A Boy

Olive branch a cultural symbol linked to peace

Trees as a symbol of vitality, fertility and resilience

Rabbi Marder Quote: To best understand the conflicts in this story (and others) you need to “accept the reality of views of plurality”

Why the Dove brings back a bitter leaf from the Olive tree

Sermons on Ravens and Doves

(details to fill in later)

Hametz is Matzo 'Puffed up'

Exodus 33 - 34 - A Parasha about Pesach
34:18 - "You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread for 7 days..."

A commandment.

What does it mean to eat unleavened bread?

What is Hametz? Yeast. The thing that makes the bubbles and adds air to the bread. A fermenting process.

Meaning of Matzoh? Bread of affliction, bread of suffering, poverty and also the bread of freedom.

Ancient world Hametz not allowed in sacrifices - a symbol of decay or impurity, symbol of the evil inclination. "Stirs you up to do wrong"

Process to search for Hametz - and then to burn it. Then you say a prayer that you have gotten it out of your home and if there is any more it is like dust and not really there. It is a symbolic purification.

Hametz also has an image of puffed up by ego, pride. Why eat it at all? Not that we want to get rid of ego but we want to control them. So doing without for a week symbolizes our being able to discipline our behavior over our impulses.

Also custom of 'selling' the Hametz. They sell it to someone who is not Jewish. This is partly for economic reasons. For the merchant who deals in products with Hametz and also to donate to charity.

Relation of the word Hametz and Matzo - in Hebrew uses the same letters except for one:
Matzo - Mem Tzadi Hey and Hametz - Het Mem Tzadi. Only a tiny mark can change the hey to het .
Scientific difference: Matzo is made in 18 minutes - even one second more changes it to Hametz.

Teaching that Hametz is puffed up Matzo - Hametz is made from the same thing that Matzo. Hametz represents the ego that is puffed up. Not necessarily a bad thing but it is maybe "too much of a good thing". It is a balance between the soul and the ego.

The goal is to be able to control our ego and desires to make it serve for good.

The Blessing of the Sun April 8th 2009

Birkat HaChammah or Birkat haHammah

“Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate day from night; they shall serve as signs for the set times—the days and the years; and they shall serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.”

This is a very unusual observance that only happens once every 28 years.... so at first it seemed a bit 'pagan' in nature as you say blessings for the Sun... but it took a bunch of Jewish scholars countless hours to figure it out - so I guess it warrants an entry in this blog and a few links with information:

Every 10,227 days the sun returns to its position at Creation

Bless the Sun

A good time though to think of ways to use the attributes of the sun to help heal the earth!

It is a coincidence that the very evening of this special occasion begins the Passover week... they will find many midrashim to make this significant!

Remembering Noah

Torah Study with Rabbi Sarah Wolf
3.28.09

Noah is in the ark with all those animals and it says in Chapter 8:1 that God remembered them.

This sparked a rather lengthy discussion on what this could mean.

Remember as in ‘take notice’ or ‘pay attention’.
Does this imply that God might have forgotten about them during those months they were afloat in the ark?

There are other times in Torah when “God remembers…” like Rachel when she wanted a child, Abraham when his nephew would have been caught in the destruction of Sodom, or in Exodus when “God remembered the Hebrews and His covenant with Abraham…”

Some say that God ‘closed His eyes’ or ‘hid His face’ during the Holocaust.

Then the discussion turned to the fact that God is referred to as Elohim in this part.
Elohim is often used to reference the God of Justice in contrast to Adonai – the God of Mercy. In the case of remembering Noah – it relates to the actions of the righteous.

But memory is an act of both justice and mercy. It is noted that they must balance each other in application.

Memory of a Righteous Person = Blessing
Memory of Justice = Accountability or Revenge

The influence of Justice or Mercy does influence how you view an event in memory.

We are commanded to remember.

We make remembering a ritual . NOTED Passover especially.

Joseph Yerushalmi, who wrote a book called Zakhor: Jewish History and Jewish Memory

NEXT: God caused a wind to blow so the waters would receed

Ruach of Elohim – Spirit of God

There are several connections between ‘breath’ or ‘ruach’ to ‘life’ and now it is a connection to the ‘rebirth’ of life again as the ark holds the animals and people who will start the next ‘beginning’.

What to think of Lot & Family!

Dr. Dvora Weisberg from Hebrew Union College -
Los Angeles
A visiting scholar to Congregation Beth Am



An exploration of the story of Lot and his daughters and the rollercoaster of opinions about him and the situation. Was Lot saved because he really was righteous or was it because he is related to Abraham?

To decide if Lot is “righteous” or “wicked” takes exploring what we know about him from his traveling with Abraham and their split to different directions. The choice he makes of where to settle and also the choice he makes when guests arrive in Soddom.

As we reviewed the scenes we are not sure whether to be outraged or to think of Lot as a truly honorable person who protects his guests at a terrible cost.

And as the story progresses to the scene of Lot’s incest with his daughters, it becomes even more of a dichotomy. There is a blur between right and wrong here. Did the daughters truly think that they were alone in the world and the only option to have children was to lie with their father? And in that situation and in their time, was that an ethical choice?

And then what to make of their descendents, the Ammonites and the Moabites, who were later the enemies of the Israelites. However it again becomes blurry when you continue to focus on the genealogy to discover that Ruth and thus David fall in this lineage. And according to the teachings this is the same genealogy that will lead to the Messiah.

What does this tell us about ourselves and what happens in in genealogy. Do the children truly reflect the parents?

An excellent session with a wonderful scholar!

Was Esther Really a Blonde?

Francesco Caucig (Austro-Hungarian, 1755–1828)
Queen Esther Before King Ahasuerus, ca. 1815

Article by Howard Selznick ( thanks for the notes )
Based on Study Session with Rabbi Janet Marder 3.9.09

“Therrrrre she is, Miss Shoooo-shan!”

Contrary to the sanitized Sunday School Purim stories, the choice of Esther as Ah-hash-vey-rosh’s queen was not the result of a beauty contest. Esther’s ascension to the Persian throne is not exactly the Cinderella tale that we once learned.

In fact (actually in Midrash and commentary), Esther’s story in the Megillah is much more complex. The Purim tale for adults is more sinister and full of court intrigue, according to Rabbi Janet Marder’s study session on March 9, 2009.

After Queen Vashti was exiled for the unforgivable crime of disobeying Ah-hash-vay-rosh’s drunken order to appear before him (he was one party animal!), the king was angry for nearly four years; compare Esther 1:3 and 2:16 and do the math. When he began to question his banishment decision, his servants quickly suggested a nationwide search for a new queen.

Here’s where you send the kids to another room. The search was really about finding virgin concubines for the king. These would be women who were less reluctant than Vashti about presenting or submitting (you should excuse the expression) to the king on his command.

At the palace harem, these women underwent twelve months of “treatment” with fragrant oils and perfumes. Once prepared, each was taken to the king in the evening along with anything she wished from the harem; use your imagination of what these women took. The next morning, she would be relegated to a second harem. Implication: the king raped her and sent her to the “discard” harem.

Esther apparently received the same treatment, but a different verb is used to describe how she came to the harem: “taken” instead of “assembled.” “Taken” implies that women selected had little choice. Yet, Esther quickly won the admiration of the Heggei, the king’s guardian of the harem, who gave her special cosmetics and treated her kindly.

When it was Esther’s turn to appear, on the advice of Heggai, she took nothing from the Harem. She got the king’s favor not only by her beauty, but also by being plain, wholesome, honest, modest, and naturally beautiful. She follows a line of other biblical characters whose success is (at least) partially determined by good looks, such as Rachael, Joseph, and Abigail.

However, Esther was no dumb blonde. Her preparations to appear before the king showed her wile and shrewd character. She clearly took Heggai’s advice on how to please the king. And it worked. She became queen to replace Vashti.

The rest of the story is not really history but a continuation of this marvelous fictional tale of Persian court intrigue. Esther rose from obscurity to fame while Haman did just the opposite. The Jews survived and today, we party on.

Seven and Forty and Floods

Torah Study 3/7/09– with Rabbi Janet Marder

Genesis 7 – The Whole Thing! (almost)

So much to cover in one hour... Wow.

The focus on SEVEN is interesting because it is the 7th chapter and there is a lot to say about 7

This led to a full discussion about the number 7 and it’s significance... (not a product or factor of other numbers)

They enter the ark – the family and all the animals
Reference to Noah as Tzedek (leaving out the Tamim from previous) we learn that you don’t ‘over-praise’ a person when speaking directly to them.

v2: Review of pure animals (7) vs not pure (2) – the animals that might be used for sacrifice. Not referring to kosher / ‘ritually pure’

Numbers – 7 and 40 are numbers repeated in the story. Shevah - (masculine and feminine versions) - a special number in many traditions
symbolism – in Jewish tradition – 49 important 7’s - listed -

shabbat, 7 wks betw Passover and Shavuot, 7 year fallow, Shivah year, shivah of mourning period, Moses born died on 7 of Adar, Menorah, 7 major holidays, 7 blessings at a wedding, 7 alliyot to Torah each week, 7 words in the first verse of Torah, Rosh Hashanah in 7th month, seven species in Israel, ... And more... 392 (sum of square and cube of 7) times in Tanach and in 343 (7x7x7) verses verses in Torah use the word ‘seven’ - sevenfold occurs 7 times – 595 times in any form in Torah (in new Testament it is 105 times that adds to 700) - the numerology significance continued to be discussed.

Seven is symbol for completeness and wholeness.

In this chapter of Genesis the word ‘seven’ occurs seven times
- - -
v4: There is a 7 day warning before the rain starts to fall... Shivah period for Methuselah - one last chance after this great man dies.
also anticipatory mourning for those who will die in the flood.

40 days / 40 nights

like Moses on Saini, in desert, 40 days in supplication, Elijah 40 days in wilderness, Ezekiel 40 days on his side.
“Number 40 is Associated with Sin Atonement and Purification.”
Rashi says it is the # days to form a fetus in the womb – flood is like a rebirth.

40 years – a person reached the age of understanding.

v9: Animals come to the Ark voluntarily

v11: Time: There are 2 systems for time

1. Interval between events
2. This day of this month (but not tell which month)
Two possible conclusions – could be Spring or Fall – Spring is the time of new agriculture and Fall is the time of rain.

Cosmology of this – Water surge from below AND the Floodgates of the sky surge down from above.

Book : Richard Friedman Commentary on the Torah

World returns to primal chaos.

v12: Much Repetition in this verse

v13: Noah mentioned 3 times. - seems excessive! Sign of God’s affection.

v15: Animals come to the Ark – Samuel Raphael Hirsch – “Humanity in its most noble aspect” he saves and protects the animals - Miraculous part of the story! (the value of animals – midrash – even included the insects – all species have value)

v16: “God closed the door to the Ark” Friedman’s book points out that this is a point of intimacy with the people but all after that God recedes from connection with people.

Picture what it is like when they are closed in and other people realized what is happening!
The crowds might have begged to be saved at that time. But it was too late.

A dramatic scene...

Time on the Ark...

Genesis 6:19-21 – with Rabbi Sarah Wolf

Summary of topics covered Torah Study 2.28.09

• “Ark” also means “Word”
• The moral question of the story of the flood
• Questions and possibilities regarding the animals
• A little on the sex angle and who was saved
• When and why humans were allowed to eat meat
• Teva – the etymology of the word ‘ark’
• ‘Noah studied Torah’ - how they know that.
• Repetition in verse 21
• Food on the Ark
• The “Lion and the Lamb” moment on the ark
• The ‘miraculous’ aspects of the story
• Humans must start the effort but God can add the ‘miracle’ that leads to success!

The Agreement

Genesis 6:18-22

There is an agreement between God and Noah!

A detailed discussion on a “covenant” as it is used here and elsewhere in the TANAK

Avram – Genesis 14:13 – when he was a military hero – reference to a military partnership

David - 2nd Samuel 5:3 – between the ruler and his people – constitutional monarchy

Jeramiah – Between the King and the people

David and Jonathan – 1st Samuel 18 – private pact of loyalty

Marriage – Proverbs 2: the covenant between partners in a marriage.

We were introduced to the concept of Covenant Marriage: http://www.covenantmarriage.com/
Which takes the legal contract of marriage to a new level of commitment
Marriage is a “gift from God”

R. Marder said “I am not an Evangelical Christian by a long shot... Nevertheless, their position on covenant marriage is worth looking at to add another level to the commitment.”

The term ‘brit’ takes on a different dynamic through the TANAK

AND

Sex was forbidden on the ark – how do they know that?

Rashi provides the answer – as usual
When they enter the ark they are listed separately (men first then women) – when they leave the art they are listed together.
It is all in the details of the words.

Eli Munk adds that this is also as respect for those who die in the flood.

(Talmud notes that there are three exceptions to this ‘no sex’ on the ark concept – Ham and the Ravin and the Dog could not control themselves)

And it also relates to times of famine when it is a time to refrain from sex while so many are starving.

This is not so in the time of the Holocaust when the thought was more toward continuation of the people.

Verse 19 – Two of each
The Ark is a matrix of regeneration of life.
This too is problematic in some ways – there are 2 versions of the story in Chapter 7 it is a bit different – in these two versions God is referenced as Adonai in one and Elohim in the other which may indicate a merging of two different versions.
Adonai = God of Compassion
Elohim = God of Devine Justice

The ‘priestly’ source was concerned that if there were only 2 of each animal then there would not be enough for sacrifices – thus it is interpreted as two or more of each.

Another question is whether Noah had to go get the animals or if they came on their own. (thus the Disney reference) but is a good question as in one verse it refers to ‘collecting’ the animals and in v20 it indicates that the animals ‘ will come to you’.

- Fantasia 2000 - Noah
There's another, stranger one, from the 50s that seems very un-Disney
(Part 1)
(Part 2)

(Thanks Robert Swirsky for this link)

What IS an Ark

Genesis 6: 14-22

Details Details Details – building the Ark, Getting the people and animals and even a bit of discussion on the smells!

There was comparisons between the ark of Noah and the ark of Moses (when he was a baby)

How is an ark different from a boat? - no propulsion...

This is a miraculous tale. A story of mercy and compassion.

There was much discussion about the ‘windows’ and the ‘light’ in the ark.
And the requirement of light in the synagogue as well was noted.

Water is a significant topic as well and it parallels the earlier creation story.

Then a reflection on death and the term ‘perish’ and how it is interpreted here.

Motivation makes a difference...

Genesis 6: 15-18

First we review the debate about how Noah was like a “tzedek en peltz” - a righteous person in a fur coat.

Rabbi Brad Artson: on God’s intolerance of evil
Rashi: about indiscriminate punishment

Violence – escalates out of control
a lesson on the need for peaceful resolution of conflict.

Then the ARK!
What is a cubit? And other Biblical measurements based on the human body!
And questions that people ask about the Ark.....
Yes it is an ‘astonishing tale’

But one of our resident engineers gave us a vivid description of how he would have had to build the ark!

A possible link of the art to Haman and the gallows.

Eli Munk on the miracle of the ark!

S. R. Hirsch – on looking at the detail instructions to Noah.

Then the big discussion: The value of a ‘good deed’ based on the motivation.

Is it better to do a mitzvah based on God’s command than spontaneously without thought or reference to this?

A look at the motivations of FREE WILL vs OBLIGATION

Howard's Notes Detail - What Evil?

24 January 2009 – Genesis 6:11:13
• 6:11, ארץ(ה) typically means the land or the earth. In this context, the word applies to the land, not the sea. Consequently, the upcoming flood will destroy the only land animals and sea animals will not be affected.
• In 6:11-13, ת-ח-שׁ (sin, corruption, evil) repeats in various forms in these verses. The root also connotes decadence, perversion, destruction, and damage. What exactly was the “sin?”
- According to Rashi, וַתִּשָׁחֵת is an expression of [sexual] immorality and idolatry (other editions add immorality, “for all flesh had corrupted (הִשְׁחִית) its way,” and idolatry), as in (Deut. 4:16):“Lest you deal corruptly (תַּשְׁחִיתוּן).” - [Sanhedrin 56b, 57a] [underlining is mine based on what Rabbi Marder said]
- The extent of evil was so widespread that God’s actions were justified. Further use of inclusive terms such as שרבּ כל, all flesh, illustrates the worldwide totality of the sin. Fox, using the translation “ruin,” writes that repetition of the word suggests not only the “sorry state of society,” but the justification for appropriate and just punishment, i.e., “bring ruin” on the earth (6:13).
- Sin progressed from private acts to accepted public practices, beginning with covert immorality and idolatry and progressing to accepted norms. While in the private, covert phase, people still had a sense of right and wrong. Once people became accustomed and habituated to this behavior, it eventually became publicly accepted.
- There are many answers to the question of what was the sin. Some say the sin was miscegenation between sons of God and Daughters of humans (6:1-4). For others, it was the refusal to have children until late in life (see Sefer Ha-Yachar below); Noah was 500 before his first son was born. Regardless of what the actual sins were, the flood’s purpose was to “cleanse Creation of the flaw that led to its corruption.”
- The “sin” of not bearing children is derived from Sefer Ha-Yachar, an 11th or 12th century work of mythic history. Sefer Ha-Yachar suggests that the flood occurred because people did not “value children” and in effect contradicted the first mitzvoth of procreation. Furthermore, the Torah’s bias in favor of bearing and raising children actually defines happiness. Drawing parallels with today’s society, not everyone wants to bear and raise children, but that is no excuse for not supporting institutions that nurture children such as schools and synagogues. Noah supposedly refrained from having children so as not to bring them into a cruel, sinful world that might be destroyed. Noah’s world was violent, depraved, without role models, and likely without such nurturing institutions.
- See further discussion of חמס below.
• In 6:11, האלהים לפני, before God, refers to the fact that the sin of people mistreating people (as opposed to sinning against God) was an affront to God. God was offended by human immorality. In other ancient epics, no reason for the flood was given. God took responsibility for His creations and punishes them for their sins.
- God was the “ultimate arbiter of human conduct.” Before, “willful self-interest” determined human conduct. Presumably, such “willful self-interest” brought about the sinful behavior and the flood.
- The behavior could also have been in open flagrant defiance of God.
- God’s is typically seen as “slow to anger and abounding in kindness.” In this case, “humanity exhausted God’s limitless patience.” The corruption was so great that God became thoroughly disgusted.
• “חמס“


- Sarna’s definition: a flagrant subversion of law; an arrogant disregard and indifference to human life; a breakdown of society. Sarna’s actual words are “this term … is a synonym of ‘falsehood,’ ‘deceit,’ or ‘bloodshed.’ In means in general, the flagrant subversion of the ordered process of law [and] refers to the arrogant disregard for the sanctity and inviolability of human life.
- To Rashi, it’s robbery, based on Jonah 3:8 [above] and “dishonest gain … which is in their hands.”) - [Sanhedrin. 108a]. See Zornberg below.
- According to S R Hirsch, corruption was flaunted so much that no human institution was able to deal with it. Only the human consciousness could control the crimes that were committed. Such conditions led to disrespect of the law and norms and eventual breakdown of society. A modern-day analogy is that the IRS or California Franchise Tax Board cannot audit every tax return. Governments rely on honesty and voluntary enforcement in tax paying. If not, governments’ revenue would be severely affected and they would be unable to fund services.
• Hirsch also points out that חמס is related to חמץ, vinegar, in that crimes and sins not caught by the human justice system will continue and lead to the ruin of mankind over time, just as turning of wine into vinegar occurs step by step.
• Hirsch’s steps to death of the human conscience and the burial of human society.
o Corruption of morals through sins that no one believes would affect society as a whole and could not prevent continued commerce and business dealings.
o Human institutions’ could deal with robbery through penal codes and prisons. However, once cunning is added to the picture, i.e., sins that can be controlled only by human conscience and moral scruples (not by human institutions), the foundation for destruction of society is laid.

Rabbi Marder carefully pointed out carefully that חמס, pronounced “Khamas,” has no relation to the similarly pronounced Arabic acronym for Islamic Resistance Movement.

• Rav Abraham Isaac Kook [1865–1935], the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Palestine [under the British Mandate], attempted to bridge the gap between secular and religious Zionists, arguing that he could discern the religious yearnings and sparks of holiness in the work of the young socialist Zionist pioneers. His underlying philosophy was one of "fusion," attempting to heal the rift between heaven and earth, between the sacred and the profane.
Kook applied his view of the secular-religious split in the British Mandate in Palestine to comment on the Noach story. Kook perceived a split between heaven and earth, sacred and secular/profane. He saw it in his own time, he saw it in the behavior of the flood generation, and he believed that the supreme religious effort was to work to mend that split.
In his discussion of the Noah story, Rav Kook argued that this rift originated when Cain slew Abel, and became worse in the generations preceding the flood. The men and women of this era were sexually promiscuous and obliterated all standards and boundaries. In support of this idea, he quoted the midrash in Genesis Rabbah stating that men were married to men and even to animals, and that beasts of different species mated with one another. Rav Kook also citeed another midrash in Genesis Rabbah (and quoted by Rashi) that says: When sexual immorality runs rampant, the innocent were punished along with the guilty. He argued that sexuality is a divine gift, with the potential to bring us closer to other people and also to God. The generation of the flood misused this precious gift, exploiting and harming one another, which led also to their estrangement from God.

• Aviva Zornberg speaks of the “pathology of the flood generation.” This generation’s communication among each other “degenerated into a babble of indiscriminate voices.” If sexuality is a means of communication, then a “sexual pandemonium” reigned in which humans lost the ability to openly communicate their sexual differences. Hence, there were perverse relations between man and beast and between men (Sanhedrin 108b). Humans lost the ability to distinguish among themselves, animals, nature, and God. Passing swept away all boundaries.The sin that resulted in the flood, according to Rashi, was sexual sin and idolatry, but what set the process in motion was robbery. This sounds similar to a court conviction for sexual behavior and idolatry followed by a judge’s discretionary sentence based on the seriousness of the crime -- robbing a rape victim of her identity. In other words, the verdict was sealed with a flood.
Robbery is related to these sexual sins through the theft of a victim’s identity. Zornberg called this sexuality “rapacious egotism” based on divine beings taking daughters that pleased them and on Rashi’s observation of the Lord of the Manor taking brides just before their wedding day. This was robbery of the bride’s sense of self that could not be reconstituted. The divine being or noble waited at the bride’s threshold and snatched her away in a fit of arrogant passion and need to master his world. Instead of erotic love, the incident became robbery, barbarism, and sexual cruelty, characterized by “lack of curiosity.” The perpetrator denied the existence of anything beyond his obsession.

• Other observations:
- Lawlessness was no pervasive and taken for granted that God washed away the deadwood after humans destroyed themselves. In other words, mankind effectively destroyed itself with rampant sexual perversion; all God did was wash away the detritus.
- “Curiosity” as defined above seems to be how you treat others, i.e., one way to learn about the world is to ask questions; if not you are lowered to animalistic behavior: eat, drink, sex and little else.

References
Artson, Bradley Shavit. The Bedside Torah. Weekly Reflections and Inspirations. McGraw-Hill, 2001.
Artson, Bradley Shavit. The Everyday Torah. Wisdom, Visions, and Dreams. McGraw-Hill, 2008.
Berlin, Adele and Mark Zvi Brettler, eds. The Jewish Study Bible. Oxford University Press, 2004.
Eskenazi, Dr Tamara Cohn, ed. The Torah. A Women’s Commentary. URJ Press and Women of Reform Judasim. 2008
Fox, Everett. The Five Books of Moses. Shocken Books, New York. 1995.
Friedman, Richard Elliot. Commentary on the Torah. Harper San Francisco. 2001.
Hertz, J. H., ed. The Pentateuch and Haftorahs. Second Edition. London: Soncino Press, 1965.
Hirsch, Samson Raphael. The Pentateuch, ed by Ephraim Oratz. Judaica Press, Inc., New York, 1997.
Holladay, William L. A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. E. J. Brill [Leiden, Netherlands]. 1988.
Kaplan, Rabbi Aryeh. The Living Torah. Manzanim Publishing Corporation. Brooklyn 1981.
Sarna, Nahum M. The JPS Commentary. Genesis. Jewish Publication Society. 1989.
Scherman, Nosson. The Chumash. Artscroll. 2003
Zornberg, Aviva Gottlieb. Genesis. The Beginning of Desire. Jewish Publication Society. 5755/1995.

Howard's Notes 1/24/09

Here is a summary of topics covered in Genesis 6:11-13 – notes by Howard!

The word for sin, corruption, evil (root shin, khet, taf) appears many times
these verses. What was the sin that prompted the flood? According to Rashi,
it was sexual immorality and idolatry.

In 6:11, the phrase "before God" refers to the sin of people mistreating
people (as opposed to sinning against God). This was an affront to God; God
was offended by human immorality.

The word "chamas" in 6:11 and 6:13 is typically translated as injustice, lying
in court, evil ways, corruption, violence or lawlessness. According to S R
Hirsch, such corruption was flaunted so much that no human institution was
able to deal with it. Only the human consciousness could control the crimes
that were committed. Such conditions led to disrespect of the law and norms
and eventual breakdown of society.

Rashi further states that it was the sin of robbery, stealing a woman's
identity and sense of self through sexual abuse, that actually got the flood
started. This theme is further elaborated by Rav Abraham Isaac Kook
[1865–1935, the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Palestine under the British
Mandate), and Aviva Gottlieb Zornberg in her Genesis. Beginning of Desire
(available in Bet Am library as soon as Howard returns it).

detailed notes posted soon...

Did Noah "Walk" with anyone else?

Summary of Topics: Genesis 6: 9 - 13
(will fill in details soon)

Focus on Noah:

3 Sons: Shem, Ham, Japheth ( youngest listed first )

He walked with God. But did he walk with anyone else?

What did it mean to focus on Noah’s righteousness?

Was it Noah’s ability to maintain his moral standing while surrounded by corruption?

Or was he missing the compassion for others shown by the fact that he didn’t intercede on their behalf?

Contrasting Noah to Abraham and Moses. There is a moral evolution shown in the Bible between these leaders.

“God is learning on the job!”

Next time: what were they were doing that was so bad? Is there absolute evil?

Rabbi Marder Quote of the day: “A flood sweeps away both good and bad indiscriminately. A disturbing story.”

They were erased!

Summary of Topics: Genesis 6: 5 - 13
(will fill in details soon)

V 5-7 – there are bleak prospects for humans

Book ref: Genesis, the Beginning of Desire, Aviva Zornberg
“Failure of the Divine Project”

Etymology: ‘erase’ ‘blot out’

The word for Noah and for ‘grace’ is a palindrome

“Genesis begins with the light of creation and ends with the light of Hope in Noah” (R. Marder)

Comparison between Noah and Abraham

Floods in different cultures

Description of how Noah was ‘the one’:
Tzedek and Tamim – Tzedek= from the holy realm and Tamim= from the ritual realm
Combines justice and integrity

But we also looked at the flaw in this – Noah didn’t seem to teach others around him to follow the right direction.

Rashi – explains why “generations” used here is plural.

What does “walked with God” mean

Next time: What is missing in Noah’s character!

God "Saw"...

Torah Study 1/3 - Dedicated to the Memory of : David Malnick

R. Janet Marder

Genesis 6:5-8

Vayar Adonai - "God saw" - (similar to the 7 times in Genesis 1 - BUT)
This time it wasn't so "good"
What God "saw" this time was corruption.

"saw" is more of a judicial reference rather than a physical one - as 'insight' and 'investigation'

Some see this as problematic:
God should just 'know' God doesn't need to investigate
God doesn't have eyes

Talmudic answers include the concept that the Torah is written in human terms to speak the language that will be understood.
Rambam - Torah is written in metaphor to grasp the intellect. (Guide for the Perplexed - the first part is all about language)
Yochanan Muffs - The Personhood of God - Celebrates the personality of God. God learns and is a 'model for man'. The human qualities attributed to God helps to teach us how to be better.


Word: Rabah - to increase - same word used in the begining of the chapter - population increased and wickedness increased.

Key phrase (6:5): "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time."

Yitzer - the two inclinations to goood or evil:

The Evil Inclination

Evil Tendencies

Evil Impulse

All phrases linked to this verse.

The use of the word "heart" here is a reference to 'intelligence' - the heart is seen as the 'cognitive organ' in this reference.

SR Hirsch - on 'yetzer' - derived from the word for 'create'. It is not 'evil' as a force or overwhelming power that makes one do wrong. The term is connected to 'creativity' and implies 'forming' an impulse. His argument is that all energy and drive has potential for either good or evil. (this is an argument against the Christian teachings)

This is not a reference to a judgment of all humans always, only of those at the time before the flood and the time of Noah.

Rabbinic theory: When man was made God gave them two servants - one for good and one for evil. The goal is to strengthen the good and control the evil.

It is all about 'justice' - God has a 'case' against humanity and is implementing the tools of justice.

Life is about learning and channeling our energies in the right direction.

Q: Asked about the timing - people had not been given the commandments and may not have known better...
A: Torah teaches that there are elemental laws of society even before the commandments were given at Sinai.

There is accountability for our actions. Therefore it is important to channel and control what we do.

When people behave badly there is always collateral damage - this is why some innocents may have died in the flood as well.

God admits mistakes?
This is problematic as well.

Rashi ( nun het mem) means 'comfort' but also means 'reversed' - from mercy to justice
6 places where the term is used - "God changes his mind" (Rashi could do this without a computer!)

Can God have regrets?

midrash:

A gentile asked Rabbi Joshua - Holy one sees the future? Why create man in the first place? How can God have regrets?
Rabbi Joshua answers: "did you ever have children? You know that your child will die and yet you give him life. At the time of joy, experience joy. At the time of mourning, mourn."

God experiments with different strategies.

Transcendent vs Eminent God

God is Sad not Angry.

There is a danger in making God too abstract - it deprives God of a personality!

Our Gift

"The Torah is a present from God."

"A present is best when unwrapped"

~ Rabbi Janet Marder ~

The Giants Did It! (Nephilim)

Torah Study with Rabbi Janet Marder 12/27
Genesis 6: 3-4

We covered a lot of territory in these two verses:

• Life Span shortened to 120 years – 120 years till the flood. How and why explored!
• Communication theories of how this concept was conveyed to Noah and others at that time.
• “Spirit” / Breath / Nefesh– what is it and the connections between life, spirit, soul and consciousness.
• Why 120? We explore the different theories of the number 120 years.
• Nephilim – Giants – Their appearance in Genesis and other places in the Bible and the significance.

First we looked at Leon Kass' concept that incorporates 'momento mori' with the idea that a shortened life will make one 'more mindful of how they live'. (explored also last time a bit)

Moving on to the phrase "God said" - it is usually interpreted that God was talking to Noah but since it isn't really explicit it may be that God was reflecting within rather than actually conversing with Noah.

Spanish Commentator from pre-inquisition time: Levi ben Gershom (Hebrew: לוי בן גרשום‎), better known as Gersonides
during the time when Jews were forced to attend Church
He argued that Noah warned the people and they were given ample time to change their ways before the flood. (120 years)

Commentators tend to agree that Noah was given the warning and was instructed to 'spread the word' to people that they need to change their ways. And it is commonly understood that it was 120 years from the time of the warning to the time of the flood.

Va Yitzer - Spirit - Hebrew word analysis
Review where term is used in Genesis 2 - formation of humans

Adonai fashioned a human — Va-yyitzer Adonai Elohim et-ha-adam, dust from the ground, and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the human became a living being.

Va-yyitzer Adonai Elohim et-ha-adam… In this one case, va-yitzer is spelled by doubling the letter yod, or “y”, not with the single yod the word is normally spelled with. A misspelling? A typo? Of course not. Rav Nachman ben Rav Hisda explains: The word va-yitzer is written with two yods to show that God created two inclinations, one tov and the other ra. After all, the word yetzer, or impulse, starts with the same letter — yod — as yitzer.

Reference to Eclesiastes 12:7 "dust returns to the ground. Spirit returns to God"
verse is used in burial services at graveside and give a sense of immortality of the soul.

Then again in Chapter 3 the famous verse implies the same idea in 'dust to dust'

The teaching from this is to live and enjoy the life that you have.

The concept of the 'soul' is one that has evolved and become more complex.
Rabbi Marder said: "The element of eternal is essential to humanity"
it is a value statement now a psychological one.

Nefish / Ruach / Neshema - all words that represent spirit or soul - all words that have a connection to breath and breathing.


Verb: Yadon -

⁵ tn The verb form יָדוֹן (yadon) only occurs here. Some derive it from the verbal root דִּין (din, “to judge”) and translate “strive” or “contend with” (so NIV), but in this case one expects the form to be יָדִין (yadin). The Old Greek has “remain with,” a rendering which may find support from an Arabic cognate (see C. Westermann, Genesis, 1:375). If one interprets the verb in this way, then it is possible to understand רוּחַ (ruakh) as a reference to the divine life-giving spirit or breath, rather than the Lord’s personal Spirit. E. A. Speiser argues that the term is cognate with an Akkadian word meaning “protect” or “shield.” In this case, the Lord’s Spirit will not always protect humankind, for the race will suddenly be destroyed (E. A. Speiser, “YDWN, Gen. 6:3,” JBL 75 [1956]: 126-29). source

Different interpretations
1. Hirsch - spirit is intended to be the judge inside you - the inner voice.
2. Rashi - spirit is disputing within - there is a conflict. (Samuel 19 uses the same word regarding conflict) thus God is conflicted about the flood and destruction of people.
3. Or Ha-Hyim - Ḥayyim ben Moses ibn Attar - Moroccan scholar - God is no longer in dialogue with humans = 'my spirit will no longer have personal contact'
however, as stated in Isiah (2nd) 65 - the long life spans will return in Messianic times.

About 120 years:
Gematria -illusions to Moses.

Moshe lived 120 years. The Gematria of the Mem is 40. The Mem of Moshe represents forty years in Mitzriam, plus forty years in Midian plus forty years in Midbar {wilderness} for a total of 120 years.

On to the Giants: Nephilim

These giants are linked to the verb to 'fall' and thus are sometimes referred to as 'fallen angels'.
They are referred to again in Torah: Numbers 13:33
and in Joshua 11:21-22 and in 1st Samuel 17:4 where Goliath is a Nephilim.

Richard Friedman connects all these issues together to look at the Bible as a continuous work from Creation through David. Excellent Link

How did the Nephilim survive the flood?
1. one of Noah's sons married a Nephilim
2. Og and Amarite King who lived 3,000 years clung onto the Ark during the flood.

Book Reference: Giants in the Earth was 0. E. Rölvaag's most influential novel. It chronicles the story of a group of Norwegian pioneers who make the long trek from a fishing village in Norway through Canada to Spring Creek, in Dakota Territory.

Consequences of Mortality

Torah Study 12/20 Genesis 6:1-3

People … Daughters … back to 120 years

“Most enigmatic verses”

In the beginning people tried to “be divine” and they lived such long lives it is easy to imagine that they didn’t even consider their immortality.

It is all about seeing the boundary between human and Devine.

This does seem to be a fragment with reference to a possible larger documentation about this.

Three Readings of this:

1. Benei Elohim” seen as the daughters and sons of God
Link to interesting article on this topic
Seraphim,Cherubim & Ezekiel's Wheels Aliens,Nephilim & the Days of Noah

“Divine beings” mythological concept that is referenced in many other places in the Bible such as:

• Isiah 14 –“fallen from heaven”, “son of dawn” (reference to Lucifer and Paradise Lost by Milton)
• Psalm 29 – “Ascribe to the Lord … divine beings…” (sometimes Kings sometimes not)
• Psalm 89:7 – “A God … in the council of the holy ones…” image of a King surrounded by a court.
• 1st Kings 22:19 “Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.”

However throughout the Bible it emphasizes that there is only ONE God and yet we have this image of God surrounded by other divine beings that can be confusing….

2. Sons of Rulers and Magistrates (Rashi)
The term “Elohim” doesn’t always refer to Diety. Sometimes, as in Exodus, it can refer to judges or magistrates.
There is a yearning for humans to unite with the divine or with a higher class which can be related to the desire to move toward the divine.
What is wrong with what is happening? An improper co-mingling of humans?
(God viewed people as abusing their power and thus lowered the life span)

3. (Leon Kass) The Beginning of Wisdom: Reading Genesis (BOOK)

Points out that Adam was alive the whole time that these generations were growing. Noah was the first birth after Adam dies – the first natural death.
This shattered expectations and changes attitudes of man.
There are different reactions.

They go “wild”
They are offended and angry
They achieve ‘glory through warring’

Ref: Homer Epoch – a quest for immortality.

1. They go out to ‘meet death’ as a challenge
2. Death is the ‘mother of beauty’ and they create beautiful objects to transcend their mortality.
3. Heroic ambition to seek beautiful – as in women – (Helen of Troy)

Looking for what leads up to the flood:

Male attitudes toward the ‘daughters’

The line of Seth and the line of Cain get mixed and leads to corruption.

What role does ‘beauty’ play in this? Appearances are deceiving.
Beauty does not satisfy the desires and it doesn’t ward off death.
Sometimes what looks good turns out to be bad.
Human love of beauty often has unfortunate consequences.

Paul Simon poem: Leaves Green turn Brown…

Book of Job gives a wider perspective of this.

Why is the life span shortened to 120 years?

One thought is that it was to ‘curb power’ – the longer one lives the ‘more trouble they can cause’ and arrogance will be tempered with a shorter life.

This is a sign of our “learning” God testing to see if a shorter life span will curb corruption.

“Memento mori is a Latin phrase that may be translated as "Remember that you are mortal," "Remember you will die," "Remember that you must die," or "Remember your death". It names a genre of artistic creations that vary widely from one another, but which all share the same purpose, which is to remind people of their own mortality.”
In ancient Rome, the phrase is said to have been used on the occasions when a Roman general was parading through the streets of Rome during the victory celebration known as a triumph. Standing behind the victorious general was a slave, and he had the task of reminding the general that, though he was up on the peak today, tomorrow was another day. The servant did this by telling the general that he should remember that he was mortal: "Memento mori." It is also possible that the servant said, rather, "Respice post te! Hominem te esse memento!": "Look behind you! Remember that you are but a man!", as noted in Tertullian in his Apologeticus.[1]
(wikipedia)

These influences are reflected in art as well – symbols of death in many paintings to remind man to lead a virtuous life.

This is also evident in our Yom Kippur liturgy – to focus on our end of days to help us remember to live a better life.

Live Long and...

Torah Study 12/13 Rabbi Marder

The list of genealogy for 10 generations from Adam to Noah is written in a very significant and purposeful way.

There are many theories about the years being so long.

People tend to gloss over this list and not give it much merit other than a basic listing of names and a sense of time. However it is interesting to note that Adam was still alive through most of the 10 generations.

Richard Friedman ( of Who Wrote the Bible fame)
Book of Genologies

Reminds us that it is important to look at the Bible as a total book with a continuity and therefore this listing is important to document the total story.

The long lives are not typically as long as in other ancient cultures.

Maimonades: Only the individuals listed lived that long, everyone else lived more normal life spans.

Nachmonades: A Kabalistic view – Adam was born at a time of perfection. As time goes forward that perfection diminishes thus causing shorter lives.

Kempe: French scholar: Their lives needed to be longer because the cultural development took a long time.

Nets…. – 19th Century : looked at the juxtaposition of the numbers of life before and after children to indicate the the productive life vs the life in decline.

Enoch – 7th Generation was different. (v 21 – 24)
Enoch walked with God and it says it two times which is significant.
Enoch didn’t die, he was taken by God (parallel to Elijah)
Enoch’s lifespan was relatively short.

Different interpretations of “walked with God” and the short life of Enoch

Hassidic took a critical view that he only thought of God and not of others.
Hoshor(?) – said he died young because he was wicked.
Rashi – he died before his time. Not because of what he did. Good people die young and it isn’t connected to what he did.
It is also seen as a fragment of a longer story…


Talmud says to “cleave to God” one must:
Follow the ways of God:
1. clothe the naked
2. visit the sick
3. comfort the mourners
4. bury the dead

There are many legends about Enoch making him a mythological character.

Book: Tree of Souls
By Howard Schwartz, Caren Loebel-Fried, Elliot K. Ginsburg

He invented the solar calendar. Connected to mathematics and more…

But the key issue is that it doesn’t say that he ‘died’ it says that ‘God took him’ and thus it is said that he went directly ‘to paradise’ similar to Elijah.

There are 9 people who are attributed to have entered paradise alive…

Enoch, Eliezer, Abraham's servant, Serah, the daughter of Asher (Soṭah 13a), Bithiah, the daughter of Pharaoh (I Chron. iv. 18), Hiram, King of Tyre, Elijah, Messiah, Ebed-melech the Ethiopian (Jer. xxxviii. 12), and Jabez b. Judah ha-Nasi (probably an error; should be Jabez the Judahite, mentioned ib. iv. 10). Others substitute Joshua b. Levi for Hiram, King of Tyre (Derek Ereẓ Zuṭa i., end; Yalḳ., Gen. 42). Joshua thus became the hero of nearly all the paradise legends. He often met Elijah before the gates of paradise (Sanh. 98a; see "'En Ya'aḳob" ad loc.); and he obtained permission from the angel of death to visit paradise before his death and to inspect his assigned place. He reported the result of his investigation to Rabban Gamaliel ("Seder ha-Dorot," ed. Warsaw, 1893, ii. 191). Probably the original accounts are in the Zohar, which contains all the elements in fragmentary documents (Zohar, Bereshit, 38a-39b, 41a, and Leka 81a, b). One of these accounts is credited to Enoch. Midrash Konen is probably the first compilation and elaboration of these fragments; it reads as follows:

"The Gan 'Eden at the east measures 800,000 years (at ten miles per day or 3,650 miles per year). There are five chambers for various classes of the righteous. The first is built of cedar, with a ceiling of transparent crystal. This is the habitation of non-Jews who become true and devoted converts to Judaism. They are headed by Obadiah the prophet and Onḳelos the proselyte, who teach them the Law. The second is built of cedar, with a ceiling of fine silver. This is the habitation of the penitents, headed by Manasseh, King of Israel, who teaches them the Law.

In another reference I found these names: Enoch, Elijah, Jonah, Ben Azzai, Ben Zoma, Acher [that is, Elisha], and Akiba

It is noted that Methuslah was one of the longest lives and he is the son of Enoch, the shortest.

Then in Torah Study Tradition – reference to the Gershwin song:

It ain't necessarily so
It ain't necessarily so
The t'ings dat yo' li'ble
To read in de Bible,
It ain't necessarily so.

Li'l David was small, but oh my !
Li'l David was small, but oh my !
He fought Big Goliath
Who lay down an' dieth !
Li'l David was small, but oh my !

Wadoo, zim bam boddle-oo,
Hoodle ah da wa da,
Scatty wah !
Oh yeah !...

Oh Jonah, he lived in de whale,
Oh Jonah, he lived in de whale,
Fo' he made his home in
Dat fish's abdomen.
Oh Jonah, he lived in de whale.

Li'l Moses was found in a stream.
Li'l Moses was found in a stream.
He floated on water
Till Ol' Pharaoh's daughter,
She fished him, she said, from dat stream.

Wadoo ...

Well, it ain't necessarily so
Well, it ain't necessarily so
Dey tells all you chillun
De debble's a villun,
But it ain't necessarily so !

To get into Hebben
Don' snap for a sebben !
Live clean ! Don' have no fault !
Oh, I takes dat gospel
Whenever it's pos'ble,
But wid a grain of salt.

Methus'lah lived nine hundred years,
Methus'lah lived nine hundred years,
But who calls dat livin'
When no gal will give in
To no man what's nine hundred years ?

I'm preachin' dis sermon to show,
It ain't nece-ain't nece
Ain't nece-ain't nece
Ain't necessarily ... so !

On to Verse 28 that is much different in describing Lamech and his son Noah.

There are stylistic differences and linguistic structure differences we explored.
Bet / Nun / Tav becomes Bet / Nun / Vav / Tav
Son is constructive continuation of the parent’s work.
Reflection of the legacy from parent to son.


Verse 29 Noah – problematic in Hebrew.
‘this one will comfort us from the toil of his hands’
But the name means ‘REST’ rather than comfort in Hebrew.

Rashi interprets it as ‘rest FROM the toil of his hands’

The curse of Cain is lifted and implements of agriculture are invented.

Noah does not have children for 500 years. Much longer than others.
Theory that it is because of the impending flood and God didn’t want to destroy the direct children and the line of Noah’s children.

There is a special cantillation mark on ‘zeh’ that refers to Noah and God and adds emphasis.




Genesis 6:1 – Mysterious verses

Tells of humans multiplying, strife increases, trouble coming.

Bnei Elohim:
1. Sons of God – devine mythology – mingling of mortals and immortals – reflected in the beginning of the Book of Job.
2. Elohim not always mean God – it can mean ‘judges’.
3. Sons of the rulers – aristrocrats – married daughters of the lower class.

More to follow…

Generations, Marriage and Children

Torah Study 12/6/2008 Genesis 5 Rabbi Marder led

10 generations and very long life is detailed in a schematic style in Genesis Chapter 5. It is a distinct literary pattern.

Richard Friedman Commentary:

A perspective from 13th Century Spain: (____)
God is longsuffering – after 10 long generations came the flood. This is parallel to the exile and how difficult life is in Diaspora.

This perspective looks at the flood and finds comfort rather than destruction.

The genealogy from Seth To Noah
- the blessing of the gift of procreation
- commentaries of Eliazar : not having children is like shedding blood – man is in the image of God and not having children is like not propagating that image.

- Reform Jews changed this attitude and made procreation a more personal decision.
- Orthodox Jews consider it a mitzvah / obligation.
In fact it is the first mitzvah in Torah.

There was a lot of discussion about the different views on having children to continue the Jewish faith and community.

The Torah commands this of men and not of women. (women are in control of birth control)

The Torah commands us to do things that we would not do under ordinary circumstances.

The word “Zelem” in Hebrew for “formed” as in God’s image. The term is more relating to intellectual rather than physical image. However there are differing opinions on whether “image” is applied in physical form or not.

Interesting historical look at this concept:

Then the discussion turned to marriage and the fact that the purpose of marriage is not to have children. Eve was created as a “helper” and companion. In the 7 blessings in a wedding ceremony the emphasis is on ‘joy, gladness… good things’ but no mention of children.

The look at a complete Jewish family has changed over the years and even among the early rabbi’s:

We are told that an important dispute took place between the two leading and contesting schools of thought, the House of Hillel and the House of Shammai, over the question of how many children a man must have in order to fulfill the commandment to be fruitful. Shammai opts for two sons as fulfilling the obligation while Hillel talks of the need for one son and one daughter. There are those who will point to the fact that the “winning” opinion here is that of Hillel (as nearly always in such disputes!), in order to counter the charge of bias in favour of males. But in fact, the truth is very different. A society in which one of the two leading schools of opinion could side with such a strong preference for boys as the key to fulfilling the Halachic (legal) obligation, is a society where the issue is very much alive and kicking!

Book Reference:
The Jewish Way in Love and Marriage by Maurice Lamm
Reference to the Holocaust and our obligation to have children for survival and to replace those lost. Continuity of the community depends on having more children.

Responsa question :

QUESTION: Is it possible to have a valid Jewish marriage without children? Should a rabbi perform such a marriage when a couple specifically states that they plan to have no children? (Michael A. Robinson, Croton-on-Hudson, New York)

Official answer:

“In Jewish law, the marriage is valid, yet given the Reform emphasis on the underlying spirit of the law as a guide to modern practice, marriage without children is very distant from the Jewish ideal of marriage. The letter may permit it, but we must encourage every couple to have at least two children.”

Ten Generations

11/29 notes from Howard Selznick - THANKS
Genesis 5
• This entire chapter seems to be a repetitious genealogy of the ten generations from Adam to Noach.

• It follows a pattern of ancient Near East texts, specifically a list of ten Sumerian kings, the last of whom was a hero of a flood story. A similar literary structure appears in Ruth 4:18-22 and I Chronicles 2:5, 9-15 where the line of David is traced back to Ruth. It will appear again beginning in Genesis 11:10, ten generations from Noach to Abram.

• Each of these ten-generation listings has a theme of destruction and rebirth where the turning point is in the tenth generation. The pattern is used for demonstrating theological meaning in history, i.e., how God shapes history.

• In contrast:

• According to Thomas Carlyle (Scottish essayist, 1795-1881), “history is a great dust heap” with no value whatsoever.
• Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (German philosopher, 1770-1831) believed that “we learn from history that we never learn anything from history.”

• Lord Chesterfield declared that history was “a useless heap of facts.”

• Arnold J. Toynbee (British historian, 1889-1975) stated that that history was “one damn thing after another.” However, Toynbee tried to find meaning in history, i.e., why some civilizations thrived and others didn’t. Toynbee wrote a twelve-volume analysis of the rise and fall of civilizations, A Study of History, 1934-1961, a synthesis of world history based on universal rhythms of rise, flowering and decline that examined history from a global perspective.

• There are numerous books documenting the rise and fall of empires and societies. What can we learn from this?

• Jews were the first people to bring meaning to history, perceiving God to have a place in history as well as the natural order.

• In “Yosef Hayyim Yerushalmi’s little book called Zachor, Jewish History and Jewish Memory, you will understand that the distinction between memory and history is crucial to Judaism. Three-quarters of the Hebrew bible is historical. Jews were, in Baruch Halpern’s phrase, “the first historians”. They were as J.H. Plum says in The Death of the Past the first people to see meaning in history, history as a narrative. Yet it’s very inter-esting to ask what the biblical word for history is and there isn’t one. When Hebrew was revived for the modern state of Israel and they wanted a word for history, they came up with ‘historic, they chose the Greek word. Instead the bible uses a quite different word [that] appears 169 times, zachor [זצור], remember. There is a difference between history and memory; to be very crude, history is his story – it happened some time else to someone else. Memory is my story.”

• The books of Kings are an essay in which history is used to make theological points. In this case, the points were that the Kings didn’t rule wisely in accordance with God’s plans, the result of which was the decline of Israel and Judah. However, the history was not complete. The authors use selected events to illustrate their position. For example, the narratives in 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33 are concerned only with the rise of idolatry, not other aspects of King Amon’s life. In other words, the bible is an ideologically infused narrative.

• There is value in learning history. The entire book of Deuteronomy is essentially a look-ing back to Exodus and Numbers. We attach meaning to the past to provide guidance for the future.

• Throughout Chapter 5, there is no mention of women.


• The purpose of this chapter is to trace the patrilineal generations; it was not until the Mishnaic era that matrilineal descent became official in Judaism. Also, Cain’s line is not relevant here.

• However, in 5:2 there is clear mention of creating both male and female (ונקבה זכר) equally in God’s image, indicating that women play a “crucial but secondary role” in childbearing of the subsequent generation. If women are so “crucial”, why is their role considered “secondary”?

• Many names are repeated from the line of Cain in Chapter 4, such as Chanoch (Enoch), Lamech, Kenan (Cain), Jared (Irad). The may be the result (1) reworking of one list from the other or (2) both lists derived from a common source.

• The meaning of history is linked to whoever [whomever?] tells the story. Consider the events in Israel-Palestine in 1948; was this a “war of independence” (Israeli view) or a “disaster" (Arab view)? Similarly, was the capture and reunification of Jerusalem 1967 a case of God acting in history? Do Jews chant Hallel (songs of praise) for such situations?

• Why are the life spans in Chapter 5 so long?

• Those life spans are considerably shorter than those of the Sumerian kings on which they were (presumably) based: 241,200 vs 1,656.

• According to Rambam these were extraordinary people liv-ing extraordinary lives; other people lived normal life spans

("Maimonides"; Egypt; 1135-1204) "Only the people mentioned by name in the Torah lived such long lives. Other people lived normal, natural lives. Those who lived exceptionally long lives did so either through exceptional attention to their diets and their health or through miracles. It cannot be any other way." (Moreh Nevochim II 47)
“The idea that men in primeval times lived extraordinarily long lives is common to the traditions of most ancient peoples.”

• According to Radak such long lives were essential to sustain the culture.

R' David Kimchi z"l ("Radak"; Provence; 1160-1215) explains: It may be that all people lived that long, or it may be that only the named people did, while their contemporaries chased worldly pleasures which shorten a person's life. It also may be that G-d wanted these people to live exceptionally long lives so that they would have time to discover the various branches of human knowledge and record them for posterity. After all, there is no way that a person can learn enough in a normal life time if he does not have exist-ing works on which to build. (Radak: Commentary on the Torah)

• According to Ramban, the atmosphere was different then; since then, it has deteriorated

Ramban (Spain and Eretz Yisrael; 1194-1270) disagrees vehemently. He writes in part: Why should the people mentioned in our parashah have experienced such miracles? There is no evidence that most of them were prophets or even particularly righteous! And if you will attribute their longevity to their diets, how can even the best diet cause a person to live more than ten times the normal life span? Furthermore, if those generations knew the secret of such longevity, would they not have shared it with their contemporaries so that they too would have lived such long lives? And, how was the secret lost after the Flood, when life expectancy declined markedly?
Rather, Ramban explains, Adam lived as long as he did because he was made by the Hand of G-d. Even after he sinned and death was decreed on him, his nature (as the prod-uct of G-d's direct handiwork) allowed him and his earliest descendants to live superlatively long lives. All people before the Flood had similar life spans.

In other words, since Adam was created by G-d, he was physically perfect as were his descendants.

Following the Flood, however, the world experienced atmospheric changes [that] caused man's life expectancy to decline. Shem, the son of Noach, was the last to live nearly as long as the early generations (i.e., 600 years) because he was born before the Flood, al-though he lived most of his life after the Flood. After the generation of the Tower of Bavel, the atmosphere changed for the worse again [apparently as a punishment for their sins] and life expectancy became shorter still. In the time of the Patriarchs, Ramban writes, the ordinary life span was similar to our own. That is why Pharaoh was so amazed (47:8) when he met Yaakov, who was then 130 years old. (Ramban: Commentary on the Torah)

• According to Sarna , the meaning of the precise age figures is not known. They may be symbolic representations or “constituents of some comprehensive schematization.”

• The life of Enoch (Chanoch, חנוך, Genesis 5:21-24) appears to be anomaly. The previous generations sank into depravity, idolatry, and witchcraft.

• He lived for 365 years, the current (approximate) number of says in a solar year; perhaps this foreshadowed the current calendar.

• The text does not state that he died like the others. Instead, he “walked with God, then he was no more, for God took him.” [JPS translation]. Folklore is that he never died, like Elijah [2 Kings 2].

• 
  

• • This may refer to a sudden, unexplained disappearance or euphemism for premature death or apotheosis.
  
• • Richard Elliot Friedman is blunt, honest, and succinct in writing, “I do not know what this means.” He points out that the word for “he was no more [JPS transla-tion]”, איננו [ay-nay-noo, whose base word is, אין, nothing, not there] also appears in Genesis 42:13 in the context of Joseph’s brothers expressing their lack of knowl-edge of his whereabouts, dead or alive. In this context, it may mean that Hanoch’s fate was unknown. At a minimum, use of איננו suggests that Hanoch’s life was unique and different in terms of his relationship to God and his “death” was not in the same manner as his ancestors.
• • According to Rashi, [Enoch] was a righteous man, but he could easily be swayed to re-turn to do evil. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, hastened and took him away and caused him to die before his time. For this reason, Scripture changed [the wording] in [the account of] his demise and wrote, “and he was no longer” in the world to complete his years. — [from Gen. Rabbah 25:1].
• for God had taken him Before his time, like (Ezek. 24:16):“behold I am taking from you the desire of your eyes.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 25:1]
• • Hertz agrees in concept with Rashi. Because of his piety, Hanoch did not “die” in the same way as his ancestors.

• Chanoch was one of nine right-eous people who entered Gan Eden alive. He was a shoemaker by trade and isolated himself to focus on tefilla and self-improvement and influencing his contemporaries. When God saw that he would be unable to keep his piety in an environment of wickedness, He was taken to Gan Eden alive

The others were
• Eliezer, servant of Avraham
• Serach, daughter of Asher
• Basya, daughter of Pharaoh
• Eliyahu
• Miahiach
• Eved Melech Hakushi, who saved Jeremiah from the pit
• Chiram, king of Tzur, who assisted Solomon in building the Temple

• 5:2 recalls 1:27 – these are Godly blessings for the divine gift of procreation, the rejuvenation of the human race.

• Without marriage and children, a man some-thing less than a man. Not utilizing your seed is compared to death by warfare. Hav-ing no children diminishes God’s presence.
• However, what if a man chooses not to marry and procreate? There are some exceptions when a man loves the Torah.
• Unlike some branches of Christianity, Juda-ism does not consider celibacy to be a higher plane of morality.

• Procreation is an expression of faith in the future of mankind. Children were conceived even in the Nazi camps. Perhaps, but procreation may also be an unintended side effect of the short-term pleasure of unprotected sex. In such cases, there is no expressed or even im-plied “faith” in the future.

• According to Talmud Yevamot 63a , R’ Elazar said:
• A man who does not have a wife and own land is not a whole man. In Genesis 5:2 it is said that God created both male and female (ונקבה זכר) and called them “man”. Thus, man and woman are collectively called “man”; they are enjoined to build a home to-gether. If a man lives alone by and for himself, he cannot be a “man.”
• From Ps 115:16, as the heavens were God’s, He gave the earth to man. Thus, if a man does not own land, he is not a “man” in the fullest sense.
• The remainder of this section is devoted to other statements of R’ Elazar on marriage, engaging in crafts, and working the land; and other teachers on agricultural and per-sonal economics.

Footnotes:

• 
  
Much of Rabbi Marder’s lecture is summarized in Sarna, JPS Commentary, pages 40-41.
Also attributed to Augustine Birrell, British essayist (1850-1933) in his Obiter Dicta. However, in http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/History the quote is attributed to Winston Churchill.
Also attributed to Edna St. Vincent Millay.
. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_J._Toynbee
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, “Power and Responsibility: Science, Humanity and Religion in the 21st Century”. An edited transcript of a discussion after a lecture delivered at the Cockcroft Lecture Theatre, University of Cambridge. 25th November 2003. Subsequent to the lecture, a dinner/discussion with the speaker was held at St Edmunds College, Cambridge. http://www.st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk/faraday/CIS/sacks/discussion.html .
Etz Hayim, page 30
Sarna, JPS Commentary, page 41
(Guide for the Perplexed) http://www.torah.org/learning/hamaayan/5764/bereishit.html. Accessed 30 November 2008.
Hertz, J. H., ed. The Pentateuch and Haftorahs. Second Edition. London: Soncino Press, 1965. Page 17
http://www.torah.org/learning/hamaayan/5764/bereishit.html. Accessed 30 November 2008 Sherman, Nosson. The Chumash. The Stone Edition. Mesorah Publications, Ltd., 2003. Page 25
http://www.torah.org/learning/hamaayan/5764/bereishit.html. Accessed 30 November 2008.
JPS Commentary, page 41
Weismann, Moshe. The Book of Beraishis. New York: Bnay Yakov Publications 1999. Pages 71 ff.
Apotheosis: a transformation to a deity. Sarna, JPS Commentary, page 43
Commentary on the Torah. HarperSanFrancisco, 2001. Pages 32, 140; see also Holladay, William L. A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. E. J. Brill [Leiden, Netherlands]. 1988, page 13
Hertz, J. H., ed. The Pentateuch and Haftorahs. Second Edition. London: Soncino Press, 1965. Page 18
Weismann, page 73, who continues to explain the reason why each was granted such a special privilege. Other commentaries have seven or thirteen.
Soncino edition in Bet Am library.
• 
  

Prayer OR Idolitry Begins?

Torah Study 11/22 R. Marder

Genesis 4:26 & 5:1

“Call on the name of God”

Different interpretations (of course) but these are almost opposite!

Origins of Prayer vs Origins of Idolitry: the two opposite interpretations from this verse that ends Chapter 4 of Genesis.

On the surface it seems that this was when men started praying to God by the name as covered last time:
This is where it says that from this point people prayed to God using the Tetragrammation – yud hey vav hey


However there is a contrast because other sources point to a much later time when this was the case. That this was the name used after Moses saw the burning bush.

And on the topic of Names for God – I came across this midrash:
According to Rabbi Abba bar Mamal, the Holy Blessed One said to Moses: You want to know My Name. I am called by My deeds, El Shaddai, Tsevaot, Elohim, Adonai. When I judge creatures, I am called Elohim (God). When I wage war against the wicked, I am called Tsevaot (Hosts). When I suspend judgment of a person’s sins, I am called El Shaddai (Almighty). And when I have mercy on My world, I am called Adonai.
Exodus Rabbah 3:6
HOWEVER (they had to set the stage for the Flood that follows and . . .)
Rashi :
“then man began” referring to the Hebrew “Hol” or ordinary as opposed to sacred. Rashi says that this marked the beginning of idolatry because they started to call idols by the name of God.

Maimonades – wrote the Laws of Idol Worship and referred to the ‘foolish council of Enosh’. The explanation follows:
- the stars above are like the royal court of God
- thus the stars deserve honor
- they erected temples to the stars to obtain God’s favor
- this evolved into the root of idolatry because men forgot that the stars and other interpretations were actually representative of the one God.
- false prophets encouraged this practice and furthered the trend into polytheism.

REF: Early history of the Jewish people: a translation of Rambam’s “laws of idolatry”, chapter 1

At this point only a few remembered the one God and not until Abraham were the people again united as true Monotheists.

Monolatry, which is also the worship of one god among many. The primary difference between the two is that Henotheism is the worship of one god, not precluding the existence of others who may also be worthy of praise, while Monolatry is the worship of one god who alone is worthy of worship, though other gods are known to exist.

Henotheism (Greek εἷς θεός heis theos "one god") is a term coined by Max Müller, to mean devotion to a single god while accepting the existence or possible existence of other deities.

For Jews it is said that TRUE Monotheism began after the Babylonian Exile. At that time the prophets were instrumental in guiding them back to the belief in a single God.

Rambam – says we began as monotheistic and then became polytheistic and then return to monotheism.

He rationalizes that Abraham concluded that there was only ONE GOD using a logical analysis. Most people had difficulty with this concept – “when God is not front and center they look around for something else” thus the golden calf as an example.

There were many customs and superstitions in the Middle Ages that employed symbolic amulets to either bring good things or to ward off bad things. The images of the 3 angels to help with childbirth or to protect the children with red ribbons. The red strings that are from Rachel’s tomb.






So does the worship of God evolve from polytheism?

In our service we begin with the Shema to declare that God is One…
We end with the declaration of hope that someday God will be one to everyone in the Aleinu …
“The LORD will rule over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.” Zachariah 14:9

Book:
"On Faith" by Diana L. Eck is Professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies at Harvard University and Director of The Pluralism Project
interesting article
She describes the opposing views using the image of a mountain where we have an exclusive God as a monotheistic faith. As opposed to a more inclusive view where other deities are accepted.




TO: Chapter 5 And the BOOK OF LIFE

This is a written record of Adam’s line…. Could be just a fragment of an ancient genealogical work showing a sequence of events.

“Life as a book” 18th century interpretation: Book of the Generations of Adam

This could be the errata or corrections to what comes before it. This is the way to make it perfect or to do tshuvah for the mistakes.


When you view life as a book it seems to have a plot and a climax. It may answer the question of life’s meaning and purpose.

There is a midrash about what is most important in Torah. Akiva says “love your neighbor…”

Rabbi ben El'azar said that “the record of Adam’s line” was most important because it shows that we are all related. There is no superiority when all come from the same source.

Rabbi Elie Munk notes that the word for prayer, Toldot, was missing a vav. It is a “defect” That this shows that even though there are defects we are still in the image of God.

To be continued…

Line from Seth and Prayer Begins

Torah Study 11/15 R. Marder
Genesis 4: 25-26

Adam knew his wife again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth - 'Because God has granted (shath) me other offspring in place of Abel, whom Cain had killed.'
A son was also born to Seth, and [Seth] named him Enosh. It was then initiated to pray with God's name.

Rashi’s thoughts include the possibility that there may have been a separation or dispute between Adam and Eve after the death of their son. Rashi proposes the idea that Adam’s affection grew even stronger after this and it marks a new start after a terrible disappointment. The couple are reunited and Seth is the symbol of a fresh start.
This is a theme that recurs often in Torah – new beginnings after Eden, after the death of Abel, after the birth of Seth, after the flood etc.

Side: just a few of the recurring themes in Torah / Genesis
New beginnings, family/community survival, sibling differences, caring for others, fertility and barrenness, jealousy, threats from famine and war, exile

Seth – meaning – To put / to place / appointed / foundation
Eve’s reaction to the birth of Seth as it contrasts her reaction to Cain’s birth
Cain: “acquired a man” Seth: “replacement for Abel”
Cain: Pride Seth: Gratitude

Zohar: Shet made from Shin and Tav the last two letters of the Aleph Bet. Seth represents the last two letters after all the transgressions of the previous letters. Adam repents and makes the way back to the beginning. Add to Seth’s name the Bet from the first word in Torah to make Shabbat (shin bet tav) the ultimate sign of our covenant which is the foundation of the world for Jews.
- from the book

The Zohar by Daniel Chanan Matt

Leon Kass:

‘Eve is now subdued. She has lost both of her sons. She feels only gratitude in the birth of Seth. Seth is less likely to suffer from excessive parental expectations.’

From the book: The Beginning of Wisdom by Leon Kass


We don’t know much about Seth himself but his son ,Enosh, marks the beginning of prayer to God.

ON TO ENOSH Enos or Enosh (Hebrew: (aleph nun vav shin)אֱנוֹשׁ, means "mortal man"; synonymous with Adam…
Reminders of this in the Psalms:
Psalm 103

15 As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;

16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.

17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children-

Psalm 8

O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise [b]
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings [c]
and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Contrast of the short life of man and the eternity of God.

Leon Kass contrasts Enosh to Lamech. Lamech is boastful and aspires to greatness (like a Greek god) while Enosh represents humility and marks the beginning of human’s need to call upon God for help.

Thus the beginning of prayer to God.

But there is a contrast as well that is demonstrated by a “yes I can “ attitude within the poem:

Invictus By William Ernest Henley (1849-1903)

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

At the age of 12 Henley became a victim of tuberculosis of the bone. In spite of this, in 1867 he successfully passed the Oxford local examination as a senior student. His diseased foot had to be amputated directly below the knee; physicians announced the only way to save his life was to amputate the other. Henley persevered and survived with one foot intact. He was discharged in 1875, and was able to lead an active life for nearly 30 years despite his disability. With an artificial foot, he lived until the age of 54. "Invictus" was written from a hospital bed. The title is Latin for "Unconquered".

We noticed a difference in our interpretation of this poem after knowing what the background of the poet was.
This same polarity and paradoxical question of our being in control or not is represented by the tradition to have a note in each pocket. One that says “I am but dust” and in the other “for me the world was created”.

Book: Tom Wolfe Master of His Universe


Prayer helps us to align our own feelings and to give discipline to our feelings.

Book: David Grossman Writing in the Dark

His use of writing as a way to bring him back after the loss of his son.

- - - - -


The name of God – V. 26

This is where it says that from this point people prayed to God using the Tetragrammation – yud hey vav hey

However there is a contrast because other sources point to a much later time when this was the case. That this was the name used after Moses saw the burning bush.

More to follow…

From Plowshare to Sword

Genesis 4: 19-26 Torah Study with Rabbi Marder 11.08.08

Book
Our Fathers' Wells: A Personal Encounter With the Myths of Genesis (Paperback)
by Peter Pitzele

Link to article about this

Bibliodrama as a way to experience the feelings of Cain. An innovative way to study Torah with acting it out and having an audience to respond.

Peter Pitzele explains his view of the art of Bibliodrama: “Situated somewhere between school and theater, between the pulpit and the stage, Bibliodrama is a form of role-playing that invites participants to find their voices in the text and the text's voice in themselves”.

We discussed how this form of learning inspires more creativity and insight.

Is it true: Disobedience leads to creativity and invention

With the rise of wealth also comes aspiration for supremacy – they seek to outdo each other.

The criminal or murderer can often be found in the world of philanthropy.

Like the character of Magwitch in Great Expectations. The benefactor hides his crimes.

Behind great cities of culture is Cain, the one who murdered his brother.

Books mentioned:
Richistan: A Journey Through the American Wealth Boom and the Lives of the New Rich by Robert Frank (Author)

A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World by William J. Bernstein

Jane Austin's Mansfield Park – the great nobleman has a dark side which is the slaves and unethical treatment of people are behind the beautiful city that is portrayed.

Names – Descendents of Cain – Meanings
From Plowshare to Sword




Lamech – Arabic for Strong & Young
The Song of Lamech is a poem with rhythm and structure and is often referred to as the Song of the Sword as it refers back to Cain. And gives a direct link from the ‘plowshre to the sword’ from peace to war.

Said to his wives

“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech!
For I have killed a man for wounding me,
Even a young man for hurting me.
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

—Genesis 4:19-24

from Wikipedia

When fully translated, the text has a strong resemblance simply to a basic mythology concerning the origin of the various forms of civilisation, the shepherds and musicians being products of the day, and pleasure being a product of the night. Blacksmiths, in carrying out their trade, are also associated with the darkness. Thus, in a sense, Lamech could be interpreted as a culture hero. Some of the names also appear to demonstrate punning - Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal rhyme, and appear to be derived from the same root - JBL (YVL in modern Hebrew): to bring forth, (also) to carry. A similar description existed amongst Phoenicians.
The names are instead interpreted in the Midrash as an attack on polygamy

3 names that sound similar all represent different facets of the Arts:
Jabal – Shephard/Pastoral
Juval/Jubal = Music – rams horn
Tubal-Cain – Blacksmith


Marking the advancement of civilization.

These factors are connected in Torah and also in Greek Mythology.

Leon Kass – connects the rise of culture with the rise of aggression.
With the rise in wealth comes aspiration of supremacy. People seek to outdo each other.

Rabbi Ellie Monk - Cain’s descendents were evil with the exception of Naamah who was ‘sweet’ and became the wife of Noah.

Leads to the concept that it is possible to be good even when descendent from a line that is designated as evil.

Lamech’s song – ties back to Cain and murder and also reflects on the boasting warrior.
(like in David and Goliath) Rabbi Monk also reflected on Lamech’s song as referring to the dark and foreboding world.