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.
 There is an idea in the Talmud that at all times there are at least 36
 righteous people. It's because this minimum always exists that makes
 the world's existance worthwhile. The identity of these 36 is not
 necessarily known. The 36 most righteous people in the world are bound
 to include some people who never became famous. Perhaps most of them
 are total unknowns. In Chassidic thought, the 36 righteous people are
 in particular such 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, "A world without Jews", was most moving but I could not find that particular poem on line. However I did 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..