Five Interpretations

Torah Study with R. Marder, 2/16/08
Deuteronomy 33:26-27

We reviewed 5 significantly different views of these verses from different times and different resources:

1. Rashi - The Sky is the dwelling place for God. Men are the 'powerful' people of the earth but God is above.

2. 19th Century Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin - Subject goes back to v 26 - Jeshurun is the subject - therefore the people are in the dwelling place of God. *

3. A modern view - The vowels of the Hebrew are amended to actually change the translation to imply in v 27 that God drove away the enemy. And thet intead of 'dwelling' it 'humbles' afflicted divine of old. This implies that God overtook the gods of old.

4. JPS version - God carries us. That man is cared for by God like a parent for their child but more.

5. Talmudic view - R. Avahu - The world endures through those who are humble. The humble people are the pillars of the world. 'the weakest are the strongest'.

36 Righteous people.
The Talmudic concept is that at all times there are at least 36
righteous people. It's because this minimum always exists that
make  the world's existance worthwhile. The identity of these
36 is not known. The 36 most righteous people in the world include
people who never became famous. In Chassidic thought, the 36
righteous people are hidden tzaddikim.

more on this at Wikipedia
Also referenced: R. Jonathan Sacks, Cheif Rabbi of England On Humility


* A POEM by Jacob Gladstein, YANKEV GLATSHTEYN, "Without Jews", was most moving:

Without Jews

Without Jews, no Jewish God.
If, God forbid, we should quit
This world, Your poor tent’s light
Would out.
Abraham knew You in a cloud:
Since then, You are the flame
Of our face, the rays
Our eyes blaze,
Our likeness
Whom we formed:
In every land and town
A stranger.
Shattered Jewish skulls,
Shards of the divine,
Smashed, shamed pots –
These were Your light-bearing vessels,
Your tangibles,
Your portents of miracle!
Now count these heads
By the millions of the dead.
Around You the stars go dark.
Our memory of You, obscured.
Soon Your reign will close.
Where Jews sowed,
A scorched waste.

Dews weep
On dead grass.
The dream raped,
Reality raped,
Both blotted out.
Whole congregations sleep,
The babies, the women,
The young, the old.
Even Your pillars, Your rocks,
The tribe of Your saints,
Sleep their dead
Eternal sleep.

Who will dream You?
Remember You?
Deny You?
Yearn after You?
Who will flee You,
Only to return
Over a bridge of longing?

No end to night
For an extinguished people.
Heaven and earth wiped out.
Your tent void of light.
Flicker of the Jews’ last hour.
Soon, Jewish God,
Your eclipse.

More

I also find a reference to a children's book he wrote which sounds like a must read:
Emil and Karl

Also mentioned was the novel by George Eliot, MiddleMarch. Here is a link to a summary version if you just want to get a feel for it. The last words from this novel was read..