Yosef the Babylonian's Memory (Menachot 18a)

I hate to forget things. Today I had a text that was on the tip of my tongue. Sitting in class, I knew it was important to our discussion, but I just couldn't remember what it was. As an aside it turned out to be a reference to the mythical poop god, Baal Peor.

In the daf a few days ago, a similar thing happened to one of the rabbis. In a discussion about sacrifice, Yosef the Babylonian keeps asking his teacher, Elazar Ben Shamua, to repeat a certain legal decision. He asks him one day, then again the next. Each time his teacher gives him the same decision, the blood of a particular sacrifice is valid. However he keeps asking and finally after a while, Elazar gives a little more information, "Everyone declares the blood valid, except Rabbi Eliezer."

Although this information doesn't change much, Yosef jumps up in joy. It appears that he had known that someone did not agree with the "valid" ruling but couldn't recall who. It was on the tip of his tongue. Therefore he kept asking until he found out who. When he finally did learn the truth, he replied in joy "You have returned to me my lost [teaching]!"

When we can't remember something it can be very troubling. In fact because we treasure our own mental faculties it can be as if something precious has been lost. This week, I'm beginning to read Joshua Foer's book Moonwalking With Einstein: the Art and Science of Remembering Everything. I hope through reading the book, I might better understand how our ancient rabbis remembered things and how I might improve my recall as I study these complex texts.

More on Job Transitions (Menachot 16a)

There's an interesting disagreement cited in today's Talmud page. The original disagreement appears in Yoma 49b and basically boils down to this: if the Kohen Gadol (high priest) dies or is disqualified in the middle of the Yom Kippur sacrifice and you must replace him what do you do with the substance of his sacrifice? Does the next Kohen Gadol pick up right where he left off or does he have to provide his own? This dispute matters in a case where the original Kohen Gadol did most of the work and slaughtered his offering but died before pouring the blood on the altar. Does the new Kohen get to use the blood from the first's sacrifice or does he have to bring a new animal?

A few weeks ago I wrote about mentorship and job transitions. It seems that one can apply this case to job transitions as well. If your predecessor leaves suddenly is it ethical to pick up right where he left off, finishing the work he began and getting the credit for having done it (all of it)? Or do you need to begin anew, knowing that you should only get credit for the work you do. This assumes that only the person who finishes the work gets the credit. However, if your predecessor leaves on bad term this just might be what happens.

It's a tough question and I'm not sure I have the answer. Maybe that's why it's been in the air for at least 2,000 years.

HUC, Intermarriage, and High Standards (Menachot 6a)

People may not know this but one may not be ordained by the Hebrew Union College is they are in an interfaith relationship. Over the past few decades this rule has raised a lot of controversy. Why should Reform rabbis be allowed to do interfaith weddings but not be in one themselves? Or perhaps, rabbis should be held to a higher standard?

The JTA has some interesting things to say about this tension.

I thought about this issue as I read today's daf. In it we find the ruling that a person who is uncircumcised is invalidated from performing the wheat offerings of the Temple service. But is this ruling final? While the Jewish tradition provides some leeway, exempting some from circumcision - if one's brother died because of circumcision one is exempt (Shabbat 134a)- there is disagreement among the commentators about whether people affected by these special circumstances can serve in the Temple. Rashi says no. Rabbeinu Tam says yes.

It seems from Rashi, circumcision is a mark of one's connection to God and the covenant. For most people it is fine if they don't get circumcised (assuming they fall into the category of those who are exempt) but a priest is different. We hold him to a higher standard.

Rabbeinu Tam on the other hand, sees flexibility in the system. A good leader is a good leader. Why force him to undergo something that may be painful when he would be just as good of a leader without the pressure.

This isn't a perfect analogy and I hope no one takes my words as comparing an intermarried man to an uncircumcised one. However, both contain this interesting tension and implicit question: to what extent should we hold our leaders to a different standard? Are we better or worse for it?

An Eerily Accurate (and funny) Video

This is so amazing and true!

Uniting the Place With The Spirit (Zevachim 117a)

First of all congratulations to all who finished Zevachim today. May you return again and again to its teachings.

I just had an interesting conversation about a footnote in the Schottenstein Talmud from a few days ago (117a note 15). In it, the famous scholar from south France, the Meiri wonders why there were points in Israel's history that we were allowed to sacrifice anywhere, even on private alters, while at other times we were forced to all bring our sacrifices to the same place, like the Mishkan or the Temple.

His answer is fascinating. He explains that whenever we were given the right to sacrifice on private altars, it was because the Ark was separated from the central altar. Therefore, when we first entered the Promised Land and we set up the Mishkan in Gilgal, we were allowed to sacrifice anywhere we desired because the ark was out and about accompanying the Jews as they conquered the promised land. The same rationale applied to the time when the Jews were in Nov and Giveon. Because the Philistines had captured the ark, we were not required to bring all our sacrifices to a central place.

What does this have to do with us?

If we consider that the central altar today is the synagogue - the Talmud calls it a mikdah me'at, a little Temple - and the ark today is the people's spirituality and connection to God, one has to wonder whether for many young Jews, their "ark" is in a separate place from their "central altar." And if that's true, can the synagogue really do the work it needs to do?

So what can we do? First of all, we do what our ancestors did and validate that in this time, one's spirituality and connection to God can be found anywhere. If people don’t want to enter the synagogue, should we force them? Why limit prayer, meditation, and other forms of worship to the synagogue.

As I'm writing this, I wrestle with the most important question. In this analogy, and taking into account our history, the ultimate aim is to bring the ark and the central altar together. In other words, we should seek to bring the spiritual and the physical (Jewish institutions) together. I agree with this, however the question remains, should we bring the ark to the central altar (i.e. bring people into the synagogue) or bring the central altar to the ark (and purse a synagogue without wall model). There are lot's of organizations trying both approaches, and some like Brooklyn Jews and Congregation Beth Elohim trying to meld the two.

Saul and Samuel – Transitioning Leadership (Zevachim 118b)

I’ve been in jobs that have really helped me with my transition. I’ve also been at jobs that haven’t been so great at it. Here’s one model that we find in today’s daf for how to negotiate this transition.

While accounting the history of Israel’s early rulers, the Talmud uses an interesting phrase:

ושנה המלך שמואל ושאול

Samuel and Saul reigned for one year [jointly]

In case these two names don’t sound familiar here is a little background. Samuel was one of Israel’s most important prophets, but after ten years of leadership the people began begging for a king. After asking God what he should do Samuel eventually agreed and Saul became king. However, Samuel didn’t relinquish control. Rather, as Rashi tells us, he continued to rule alongside Saul; Saul was the political arm of the government, Samuel was his council.

I like this model for leadership transition. I know that Samuel must have been a big pain for Saul, telling him the “right way” to do things. However, through his guidance, I imagine Saul might have also felt a sense of security, as if he wasn’t at it completely alone.

What ended the year of joint work? Saul spared the Amalekite king Agag during war (1 Sam 15) and Samuel was so angry that he stopped advising him. Tradition looks at this as one of Saul’s greatest mistakes; however, we might look at this episode another way. Perhaps Saul felt that he had worked long enough with Samuel to take a risk. Tradition may view this risk as a mistake but maybe deep down Samuel thought, “Enough holding your hand! You’ve made a mistake, now you’re really ready to lead!”

Rechav - a model of Teshuvah (Zevachim 116b)

One of Judaism's most famous prostitutes if Rechav. Here's her story:

Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.” But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.)  So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.

Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

“Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.” “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land.” So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.” (Joshua 2:1-16)

Notice the bold. Rechav has a special house. She has flax growing on her roof. She also has a window that is part of the city wall and a rope hanging down from it. According to today's daf, these three items traditionally played another role. Rashi tells us that as a prostitute, Rechav used used to use the window and the rope to bring her client's into her house. Furthermore, when she deemed necessary, she would hide them in the flax on her roof.

According to our text, when Rechav met the Israelite scouts she was so taken with Israel's power that she converted to Judaism. However, she was left with her past. How was she to confront all lives she might have ruined with her actions?

It turns out that by using the window, rope, and flax (three symbols of her harlotry) as the means to help the Israelites, she had in essence solved the problem. God forgave her through her work with these three items.

We all have symbols of bad things we have done in the past and they might take many forms. For some it is money. For others it is tangible things that were used to lie, cheat, steal, or embarrass. For some, attaining atonement will necessitate the destruction of these things (see Sanhedrin 25b). However for others, it is the reappropriating of these items that will serve as powerful means to teshuvah.

He's Got Yichus - Bezalel

It's been a long time since I posted but I wanted to share this teaching with everyone.

Our torah portion this week (pikuedi) starts with the mention of Bezalel, the architect of the tabernacle:

These are the records of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Pact, which were drawn up at Moses' bidding — the work of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. Now Bezalel, son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, had made all that the Lord had commanded Moses; at his side was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, carver and designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, and crimson yarns and in fine linen. (Ex. 38:21-23)

When I first read the text, I thought it was interesting that Bezalel is identified by his grandfather. So who is Hur? Turns our he has an interesting history.

Here are two mentions of him from the Bible:

1. Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, "Pick some men for us, and go out and do battle with Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill, with the rod of God in my hand." Joshua did as Moses told him and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Then, whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; but whenever he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands grew heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur, one on each side, supported his hands; thus his hands remained steady until the sun set. And Joshua overwhelmed the people of Amalek with the sword. (Ex. 17:10)
2. The Lord said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and wait there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the teachings and commandments which I have inscribed to instruct them." So Moses and his attendant Joshua arose, and Moses ascended the mountain of God. To the elders he had said, "Wait here for us until we return to you. You have Aaron and Hur with you; let anyone who has a legal matter approach them." (Ex. 24:12-14)

So what do we know about Hur? We know he was pretty important. In the war against Amalek he was literally Moses's "right hand man." We also know that when Moses went up to see God, he left Hur alone to hold down the fort.

But what happened to Hur? Well the rabbis have an interesting story. It appears that when the Israelites wanted to make the golden calf, they went to Hur first and asked him to make it. When he refused they killed him:

And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it (Ex. 32:5) What did he actually see? — R. Benjamin b. Japhet says,reporting R. Eleazar: He saw Hur lying slain before him and said [to himself]: If I do not obey them, they will now do unto me as they did unto Hur…and they will never find forgiveness. Better let them worship the golden calf, for which offence they may yet find forgiveness through repentance. (Talmud, Sanhedrin 7a)

Imagine a little Bezalel--according to the rabbis he was 13 when he make the tabernacle--growing up knowing that his grandfather was not only a powerful man but was an artist himself. Furthermore, it was his unwillingness to use his artistic gift that ultimately lead to his death.

Two generations later (but actually only a short time later) Bezalel, who was also given the gift of art would do what his grandfather was never able to do: he would build for good, and create the masterpiece we know as the tabernacle.

We all live in the shadow of our ancestors. Whether we want to or not we cannot escape their struggles. For some of us we will never live us to them. For other we will forever be in dialogue with them. And for the lucky few (like Bezalel) we will complete the work they should have completed using the gifts they were given.