ReclaimingReligion ForthousandsofyearsJewshavebeenstudyingin pairsoringroups,respectfullydebatingeachother, learningthestoriesandlegaltextsofJudaism,and investigatingtheirpastasameansforenrichingtheir present.Tonight,wecontinuetoengageinthe millennia-oldpracticeofexploringthewrittenwordas ameanstoconnectwithourtradition,openourselves uptoourinnerselves,makesenseoftheworld aroundus,andinspireustoaction.Thankyoufor joiningusonthisjourney. Thisevening’seventispartofTheWell'sCSI:Coffee.Study.Interpret. series,inpartnershipwiththeBermanCenterforJewishEducationat CongregationShaarey Zedek,andismadepossibleinpartbyfunds grantedbyTheBermanFoundation.Thestatementsmadeandthe viewsexpressed,however,aresolelytheresponsibilityofTheWell. 1 Wakefulness “Whoevercaninfluencethemembersofhishouseholdtostopintheir waywardbehavior,butdoesnot,ispunishedforthebehaviorofhis household.Ifhecaninfluencethepeopleofhiscitytostoptheirwayward behavior,butdoesnot,heispunishedforthebehaviorofthepeopleofhis city.Ifhecanstopthewholeworldfromtheirwaywardbehavior,anddoes not,heispunishedforthebehaviorofthewholeworld.”– Bab.Tal.Shab 54b “Thereisimmensesilentagonyintheworld,andthetaskofmanisto beavoicefortheplunderedpoor,topreventthedesecrationofthesoul andtheviolationofourdreamofhonesty.ThemoredeeplyimmersedI becameinthethinkingoftheprophets,themorepowerfullyitbecame cleartomewhatthelivesoftheProphetssoughttoconvey:that morallyspeaking,thereisnolimittotheconcernonemustfeelforthe sufferingofhumanbeings,thatindifferencetoevilisworsethanevil itself,thatinafreesociety,someareguilty,butallareresponsible.” - RabbiAbrahamJoshuaHeschel,“TheReasonsforMyInvolvementin thePeaceMovement"(1972) DiscussionQuestions: • • • Whatroledo/arewemeanttoplayinthisworld? Whattodaymightconstitute“waywardbehavior”whereit’sincumbentupon us(and/oryou’dbemotivated)toact? Howdoweavoidbeingoverwhelmedby/turningablindeyetosuffering? 2 Hope "Anessentialingredientoffaithishope.Notthewildoptimismof Pollyanna,butthehopethatcallsupontheuntappedenergiesofbasic trust.Inmypastoralexperience,thepatientdoesnotseekmy permissiontoletgo,butthecouragetoholdon.Webothneedtobe remindedthatneitherphysiciannorprophetisinfallible.Faithfulhopeis relatedtowisdom.Andtruewisdom‘istheabilitytoactwhenitis necessaryonthebasisofincompleteinformation’(RobertFrost).” - RabbiHaroldSchulweis z'l (Shma Journal,Issue34:2004-- pulledfrom theBermanJewishPolicyArchive-http://www.bjpa.org/Publications/details.cfm?PublicationID=6486) MidrashTehillim 4:9 R.EliezerbenJacobsaid:“Godisthehope(mikveh)ofIsrael”(Jer.17:13) meansthatjustastheritualbathofpurification(mikveh)(spiritually) cleansesthosewhoareunclean,sodoesGodcleanseIsrael.Hence,God declaredtoIsrael:Whenyoupray,prayinthesynagogueinyourcity;if youcannotprayinthesynagogueinyourcity,prayinyouropenfield;if youcannotprayinyouropenfield,prayinyourhouse;ifyoucannot prayinyourhouse,prayonyourbed;ifyoucannotprayaloudinyour bed,communewithyourheart.Henceitiswritten,“Communewith yourownheartuponyourbed,andbestill.Selah”(Psalm4:5). DiscussionQuestions: • • • Doyouseetherelationshipbetween“incompleteinformation”and hope/faiththatR’Schulweis istryingtohighlight?Doeshisargument resonatewithyou? Doeshopehaveapurifyingeffectonyou?Whyorwhynot? Whatwouldyourhierarchyofprayerlocationsbeifyouweredrawingitup fromscratch? 3 Mightiness Genesis1:26-30 26 AndGodsaid:'Letusmakemaninourimage, afterourlikeness;andletthemhavedominion נַעֲ שֶׂ ה אָדָ ם ְבּ ַצלְמֵ נוּ כִּדְ מוּתֵ נוּ; ו ְְיִרדּוּ,כו ו ַיּ ֹאמֶ ר אֱ &הִ ים overthefishofthesea,andoverthefowlofthe - וּ ְבכָל,אָרץ ֶ ָה- וּ ַבבְּהֵ מָ ה וּ ְבכָל,בִדְ גַת הַ יָּם וּבְעוֹף הַ שָּ ּמַ יִם air,andoverthecattle,andoveralltheearth,and .אָרץ ֶ ָה- הָ ר ֹמֵ שׂ עַ ל,הָ ֶרמֶ שׂ overeverycreepingthingthatcreepeth uponthe earth.' 27 AndGodcreatedmaninGod’sownimage,in ְבּ ֶצלֶם אֱ &הִ ים בּ ָָרא,הָ אָדָ ם ְבּ ַצלְמוֹ-כז וַיִִב ְָרא אֱ &הִ ים אֶ ת theimageofGodGodcreatedhim;maleand . בּ ָָרא א ֹתָ ם, ָזכָר וּנְקֵ בָה:א ֹתוֹ femaleGodcreated them. 28 AndGodblessedthem;andGodsaidunto them:'Befruitful,andmultiply,andreplenishthe וּרבוּ ְ ו ַיּ ֹאמֶ ר לָהֶ ם אֱ &הִ ים פְּ רוּ, אֱ &הִ ים, א ֹתָ םQכח וַיְב ֶָר earth,andsubdueit;andhavedominionoverthe וּבְעוֹף,וּרדוּ בִּדְ גַת הַ יָּם ְ ;ָ ו ְ ִכבְשֻׁ ה,אָרץ ֶ ָה-וּמִ לְאוּ אֶ ת fishofthesea,andoverthefowloftheair,and .אָרץ ֶ ָה- הָ ר ֹמֶ שֶׂ ת עַ ל,חַ יָּה- וּ ְבכָל,הַ שָּ ּמַ יִם overeverylivingthingthatcreepeth uponthe earth.' 29 AndGodsaid:'Behold,Ihavegivenyouevery עֵ שֶׂ ב ז ֵֹרעַ ז ֶַרע-כָּל- הִ נֵּה נָתַ תִּ י ָלכֶם אֶ ת,כט ו ַיּ ֹאמֶ ר אֱ &הִ ים herbyieldingseed,whichisuponthefaceofallthe עֵ ץ-בּוֹ פְ ִרי-הָ עֵ ץ אֲ שֶׁ ר-כָּל- ו ְאֶ ת,אָרץ ֶ ָה-פְּ נֵי כָל-אֲ שֶׁ ר עַ ל earth,andeverytree,inwhichisthefruitofatree . לְאָ ְכלָה, ָלכֶם יִהְ י ֶה: ז ֵֹרעַ ז ַָרע, yieldingseed--toyouitshallbeforfood; 30 andtoeverybeastoftheearth,andtoevery -עוֹף הַ שָּ ּמַ יִם וּלְכ ֹל רוֹמֵ שׂ עַ ל-אָרץ וּ ְלכָל ֶ ָחַ יַּת ה- ל וּ ְלכָלfowloftheair,andtoeverythingthatcreepeth לְאָ ְכלָה,י ֶֶרק עֵ שֶׂ ב-כָּל- אֶ ת,בּוֹ נֶפֶ שׁ חַ יָּה- אֲ שֶׁ ר,אָרץ ֶ ָ הupontheearth,whereinthereisalivingsoul,[I .כֵן- ; וַי ְהִ יhavegiven]everygreenherbforfood.'Anditwas so. MishnahAvot 2:21 He[RabbiTarfon]usedtosay:Itisnotincumbentuponyoutocompletethetask; butyouarenotfreetodesistfromit…. DiscussionQuestions: • • • • Whatroleishumankindmeanttoplayintheworld? Whendoyoufeelthemostmightyinyourlife? Arethereparticulartechniquesyouusetoremindyourselfofthepoweryou haveasahumanbeingwheneveryou’refeelinglow? Whatinspiresyoutochangetheworldaroundyouforthebetter? 4 Interconnectedness MishnahSanhedrin4:5 "Itwasforthisreasonthathumankindwasfirstcreatedasoneperson [Adam],toteachyouthatanyonewhodestroysalifeisconsideredby Scripturetohavedestroyedanentireworld;andanyonewhosavesalife itisasifhesavedanentireworld."Andalso,topromotepeaceamong thecreations,thatnopersonwouldsaytotheirfriend,‘Myancestors aregreaterthanyours.’Andalso,sothathereticswillnotsay,‘thereare manyrulersupinHeaven.’Andalso,toexpressthegrandeurofGod:For amanstrikesmanycoinsfromthesamedie,andallthecoinsarealike. ButGodstrikeseverymanfromthedieoftheFirstPerson,andyetno personisquiteliketheirfriend.Therefore,everypersonmustsay,‘For mysaketheworldwascreated.’” DiscussionQuestions: • • • Doesthisaspectofournarrative/culturalmythologyresonatewithyou? Whyorwhynot? Doesthisworldviewallowformonarchies?WhatwouldprincessKatesay? Thereseemsanawkwardtensioninthetext(andfrankly,inlife)between interconnectednessandpersonalfulfilment.Howdowestrivetofindthe appropriatebalance?Whatisthatbalance?Needitbethesamefor everyone? 5
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