A NOTE TO READERS: THESE NOTES SHOULD BE READ WITH PLAUT’S TRANSLATION OF THE TORAH AND ITS RICH FOOTNOTES. THESE TORAH CLASSES ARE LED BY RABBI LEAH BERKOWITZ. ALL ERROR ARE MY OWN AND CORRECTIONS ARE WELCOMED.

September 26, 2015

RB: A letter received from Mazon – the Jewish response to hunger – in response to her inquiry. No reason for the suggested three  percent – just used the “Goldilocks” approach.

See Page 1389 From last week’s Torah portion. We will read the entire portion – a poem – and then discuss it in its entirety. “You are soon to lie with your ancestors…” A prediction as to the problems that will afflict the people because of their turning to other gods. Write down this poem and teach it to the people. The natural reaction to bad things happening is to think that God has abandoned them or  that they may reject God altogether. Note that the word “Ashtier” is the basis for Esther – which means hidden.  It also relates to Ishtar – the Babylonian God. This reinforces the Deuteronomy philosophy that God will punish you and hide his face from you. Countenance here does not literally mean God’s face – it refers to His presence or teachings. The entire community will be blessed or punished. This is communal.

1409. 1400 A witness against Israel – a testimony or record of what is going to happen. This is really a retrospection of a later generation trying to explain why they are in exile. See Essays at page 1409. Read continuously through parsha 51. A very sophisticated poem written by someone very well educated. Words are used with multiple meanings – as in Shakespeare. The various meanings of “rock” for example. There is much parental imagery here with warnings. There Is also maternal imagery in line 13 “nursing them with honey…” Also “ …the God who brought you forth…” Note that there are groups today that believe that the Holocaust was divine retribution for assimilation or equate terrorist attacks the same way.  Ancient Israel was likely no more monolithic as a society that is Israel today. Obviously, there were individuals or even groups doing some of the things that are here proscribed or criticized. SF: This poem comes from a place of compassion and offers free will or choice to the reader.  Here are set forth the angels and demons within us.  RB: Rock is used eight times in this portion – as a stone – as the God of Israel – the pagan god – as a nurturer – as a source of stability.

Note that Moses makes this speech and then blesses the tribes. This is the last Torah portion that is read on Shabbat.  Richard Elliot Friedman identifies this poem with one of the  Deuteronomic authors – promoting coming to the Temple and not worshiping other gods. The next poem is from  attributed to another Deuteronomist author by him.  It is likely that each author had his own agenda and the Redactor tried to make these various works into a coherent whole. See: How the Bible Became a Book by William M. Schneidewind. Review: For the past two hundred years Biblical scholars have usually assumed that the Hebrew Bible was essentially written and edited in the Persian and Hellenistic periods (the fifth-through-second centuries BCE) Recent archaeological evidence and insights from linguistic anthropology, however, point to the earlier era of the late-Iron Age (eighth-through-sixth centuries BCE) as the formative period for the writing of biblical literature. How the Bible Became a Book combines recent archaeological discoveries in the Middle East with insights culled from the history of writing to address how the Bible was written and evolved into sacred Scripture. Written for general readers as well as scholars, the book provides rich insight into how these texts came to possess the authority of Scripture and explores why Ancient Israel, an oral culture, began to write literature. It describes an emerging literate society in ancient Israel that challenges the assertion that literacy first arose in Greece during the fifth century BCE. William M. Schneidewind is Chair of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at UCLA. He is the author of The Word of God in Transition (Sheffield Academic Press, 1995) and Society and the Promise to David.

These are documentary hypothesis. The Rabbi’s have done considerable work trying to fill in the gaps.  SF: Is this conflict still going on? RB: Yes as to the origins of the texts. There are also arguments as to what is central to Judaism. The Reform movement believes that social justice is central. Chabad wants to get as many people as possible to perform ritual mitzvoth so as to encourage the coming of the Messiah. Prayer was originally intended to be a conversation with God. It has become for some a conversation with one’s community or even an internalized conversation with one’s self. We do not take away from this text – we comment or even retranslate. It is the translations that cause wide differences and often are actually interpretations.

September 12, 201

Page 1372

This portion is typically read the weekend before Yom Kippur. It is Moses last speech emphasizing the importance of the covenant. The middle of the portion has been omitted by the Reform movement – for reasons which we will explore today.

29:9 You stand this day before the Eternal your God…  Note the stranger who dwells among you… at the time one could not convert to Judaism. This is a merismus ( https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/merismus) a biblical poetry form that describes a range of persons – usually from the highest to the lowest. LL “…from wood chopper to water drawer…” does not seem to be much of a range. RB:  It is not clear if conversions could occur at the time of Babylonian exile or if this prohibition against intermarriage was an interpretation of the rabbi’s after the fact. The Hebrew “Hayom” here has a dual meaning as to “this day” – it can refer to the time of exile as well as the time of those standing on the banks of the Jordon. See handout sheet “Who is God Talking To”  – as to who is in and who is out of the covenant. The rabbi’s felt that there needed to be a verse to support any rule. They looked for a verse that says that a convert must obey the same rules as one who is born a Jew. “..and those who are not here with us today.” Finding no such specific language they came to their own conclusions.

(See Shmot Rabbah 28:2 on the handout.  Thus shall thou say to the House of Jacob. There is a stated difference between what can be apprehended between men and woman. Here we are looking at the second generation myth from Genesis. The Rabbi is hence giving primacy to men on the basis of Adam’s first creation. The woman carry the sin of Eve – according to the Rabbis. Woman broke the world. However, the tools that these early rabbi’s  used to interpret Torah are different than the tools we use in the modern world. )

29:15 The Eternal blots out their name… for those who turn away from the Eternal our God. When the Reform movement omits this it has to do both with length as well as ideology. Here “I never will forgive such individual…” suggests that there cannot ever be effective repentance. This would not be acceptable in the Reform movement. Is this central to Reform theology? We cannot have a theology that just tells each individual to follow their hearts. Note that there is no one who is practicing Judaism as it is written in either the Torah or the Talmud. All Judaism is to some degree adaptive.

29:20 As for such clan or tribe… devastation for those who turn to the service of other gods. The phrase “As is still the case…” is a clue to the fact that this is exilic. A time later than the events described. The Prophets felt that those who had been exiled could come back to Jerusalem – the exile was sufficient punishment.

29:28 Concealed acts concern the Eternal… but the community has responsibility for punishing the wrongdoer.  This works best in the context of criminal activity. See footnote on page 1375 as to the potential later insertion of this parsha.

30:1 is not included in the usual reading on the High Holidays. SamF: It should be included. It shows God’s compassion – not just his wrath. It helps cultivate humility and the notion that actions have consequences. LL: Compare this to the Book of Job – where misfortune is external to the individual whereas here it arises from sin – rejection of God’s law. Our behavior will ultimately reap reward or punishment but is still subject to the vagaries of chance. See: Why Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold Kushner. http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/when-bad-things-happen-to-good-people/

30:11 Keep God’s rules that you may thrive – but if your heart turns away you shall perish. Choose life. Here is a general statement of action and consequences without the specifics.  The message of the High Holy Days is that you are essentially good but you can be better – you can change. “I am dust and ashes” or “the whole world was created for my sake.”

Rabbi Berkowitz’s Overview: The primary difference between Jewish denominations today has to to with their relationship to Halakah – Jewish Law. Ancient Judaism is not practiced today. Halakah has and continues to evolve. There is constant reinterpretation. The more orthodox are closer to 18^th C. but they use modern technology. The Modern Orthodox try to adhere to Halakah; live in the modern world but adapt modernity so as to live a Jewish life. Hasidim follow a Rebbe and his interpretations and the customs that he ordains.  The Conservative movement is more adaptable to modernity – and is beginning to accept the ordination of woman or gay and lesbian rabbi’s with the caveat that they will perform their roles like the men.  The Reconstructionist say that the past has a vote but not a veto in modern Jewish life. Reform is choice with knowledge. We don’t need the approval of the Halakah to change with modernity. This also applies to the treatment and acceptance of the gay and lesbian community. Note that in Reform each rabbi makes their own decisions as to who they will marry. RB  will not co-officiate at a wedding. However, she welcomes interfaith families.

RB will be offering a class on Mishnah every Tuesday night at 7PM.

September 5, 2015

Page 1351

Moses is still in the same pace on the banks of the Jordan. But now we have his recital of blessings and curses – more of the latter. They are characterized by “ If –than” statements leading to punishment. We like to think of God loving us unconditionally but these parshas emphasize that there are rules. Christians sometimes refer to the Old Testament God and the New Testament God as pertaining to the rules that must be obeyed. The prayers of the High Holy days originated in times of drought and the advent of rain – or no rain – as a blessing or punishment. In many parts of the country Israel does not have rain until Succoth.

26:12 When you have set aside the tenth part of your yield… A blessing in return for adherence to the rules governing sharing with the Levites and the burial rituals. Some of the rules were designed to distinguish these people from the societies surrounding them. Unlike the Egyptians nothing is to be buried with the dead. In most western societies, up until about 200 years ago, weddings and other celebrations were open to everyone. That is still true in some easter countries such as India where weddings can be very large. There were no place cards at each table. See Deuteronomy 13:28 which suggests a different tithe earmarked for a different  group. There are other portions that address caring for the poor. Today one response is Mazon – A Jewish response to hunger.

26:16 The Eternal your God commands you this day to observe these laws… MS: Why is it important to observe with one’s heart and soul?  RB: In the ancient times it was thought that the heart was the seat of the intellect – not the brain. Soul is also one’s breath. As to fame etc. note that sin and glory are shared by the community.  Note also that forgiveness must come from the injured party as well.

27:1 Moses charged the people…as soon as you have crossed the Jordan…. Set up large stones on Mt. Ebal and build an altar… inscribe the words of this teaching. SF: It is remarkable how much action is to be taken as a community. That is one of the central lessons for us as Jews today.  What are they inscribing? RB: Probably only the Book of Deuteronomy. Buber talks about the unhewn stones that  are the prayers of our hearts. Temples constructed in modern times frequently have a wall of Jerusalem Stone. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_stone Note that hewn stone may have previously been used for other inappropriate purposes – such as a pagan temple.

27: 11 Thereupon Moses charged the people… Cursed be anyone who makes a molten image accursed by the Eternal. Many curses after which we say “amen.” This is an affirmance of what is said. What is common here is maintaining the sacred nature of the family and maintaining the family unit. This is not an exhaustive list. Much of this list are activities likely done in secret. There is also the element of taking advantage of someone who cannot speak out publically about what has happened to them. The role of woman at the time was such as to make it very difficult to report a rape by a son or a brother. There are other things forbidden elsewhere in the Torah. These are twelve things that are specifically prohibited.  LL: Consider the legal distinction of  malum en se and malum prohibitum in the law. One is essentially wrong and the other is made wrong by the law – such as smoking marijuana.  HF: How is the decision made as to which tribes will be on the mountain to receive the blessing? See footnote 12 on p. 1353. Note as well that much of this retrospective and is being edited from a place of exile. Accordingly, it is a “look back” with knowledge of outcomes as to the success of each tribe.

28: 1-6  The blessings for adherence to the Law. This is a communal.

RB read  a poem by  Aldan Solovy about blessings. See: http://tobendlight.com/author/alden-2/

See also essay on Blessings and Curses on p. 1363 “Blessings and Curses were closely bound to a belief in the power of speech, and both were frequently amplified by precisely circumscribed acts.”