I teach material designed to challenge the students’ assumptions, and I emphasize that there is no consensus about the key questions of Jewish thought and religious truth. Everything that matters is subject to deep dispute, and dispute cannot be “paskened” in the manner we determine the proper berakha on licorice. The range of theological possibilities within Judaism is vast, with numerous schools and sefarim opting for mutually exclusive positions at opposite ends of the theological spectrum.
So he is saying that religious thought is a guessing name and should not be taken seriously?
ReplyDeleteNo, he's rejecting those folks who claims that a given halahkic position is automatically universal without any other possibilities. Like when people say "Well Rav X said the halakha is..." and then are stunned when you list 10 authorities who disagree.
ReplyDelete“Jewish thought as a subversive activity” Example the end of parsha מטות. Numbers ch 31 11. And they took all the booty, and all the plunder, both of men and of beasts. 12. And they brought the captives, and the booty, and the plunder, to Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the people of Israel, to the camp in the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan near Jericho.
ReplyDeleteWow so close to Jericho. I remember Rabin gave Jericho to the PLO 1995.
We must be subservient, submissive to God. Gad and Reuven were subversive, my interpretation, when they said:
Numbers Ch. 32: 2-5 the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying: Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Sebam, and Nebo, and Beon, the land which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle. And they said: If we have found favour in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession; bring us not over the Jordan.
Moses was angry Numbers Ch 32 6-7 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: Shall your brethren go to the war, and shall ye sit here? And wherefore will ye turn away the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them?
Yes my NYS Court of Appeals motion 2023 398 June 5, 2023 still undecided, thanks for asking.
I printed out and read closely Dr. Finkelman’s 2020 article “Jewish thought as a subversive activity” Wow “For the past twenty-five years, I have taught an Introduction to Jewish Thought.” I object to the title. We have to be submissive to God never subversive to God. Subversive = tending or intending to subvert or overthrow, destroy, or undermine an established or existing system, especially a legally constituted government or a set of beliefs. Is Dr. Finkelman teaching his students to stand up to the Charedi?
ReplyDeleteI quote Hosea 8:12-14 “Though I write for him never so many things of My Law, They are accounted as a stranger’s. As for the sacrifices that are made by fire unto Me, Let them sacrifice flesh and eat it, For the LORD accepteth them not. Now will He remember their iniquity, and punish their sins; They shall return to Egypt. For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, And builded palaces, And Judah hath multiplied fortified cities; But I will send a fire upon his cities, And it shall devour the castles thereof.”
Hosea also taught 25+ years Jewish Thought. Hosea warns his students and us today to follow Torah God’s Laws or else God will return us to Egypt and send fires upon our cities, Heaven forbid. Hey yesterday we saw fires in highways. The protestors hate the Charedi. I'm Charedi. My wife and I live in Bnei Brak.
“I teach material designed to challenge the students’ assumptions,” They say most Americans support Israel, especially believers in the Bible.
ReplyDeleteProbably most students studying Jewish thought are appalled by Numbers Ch. 32: 2-5 the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying: Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Sebam, and Nebo, and Beon, the land which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle. And they said: If we have found favour in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession; bring us not over the Jordan.
My theory is that the children of Gad and the children of Reuben believed the 10 wicked spies. The children of Gad and the children of Reuben saw: Numbers ch 31 11. And they took all the booty, and all the plunder, both of men and of beasts. 12. And they brought the captives, and the booty, and the plunder, to Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the people of Israel, to the camp in the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan near Jericho.
Gad and Reuven saw a war with no casualties against Midian’s 5 kings and Balaam. My theory Midian’s army had no heart in the war and just gave up whatever, Balak said the Jews will conquer all as an ox licks up grass of the field. They had a dumb plan to hire a sorcerer, Balaam. God gave the five Midianite kings and Balaam their comeuppance = a deserved rebuke or penalty.
They were on the plains of Moab opposite Jericho. They knew well the testimony of the 10 wicked spies. They might’ve been able to see the people in Jericho building deep ravines and traps and fortifications much like Putin does in territories he captured in the war he started against Zelensky,
Wow Zelensky is willing to fight the evil Putin. Zelensky asks for weapons not soldiers. I hope and pray Zelensky wins victory.
Gad and Reuven agree to send soldiers to conquer the Land of Israel, but want to live on the east bank of the Jordan, America, Brooklyn whatever.
“JEWISH THOUGHT AS A SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITY” No.
ReplyDeleteShabbath 88a
“For Resh Lakish said: Why is it written, And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day [Gen. I, 31]; What is the purpose of the additional the [In the case of the other days it is simply stated, a second day, a third day, etc., a being altogether unexpressed in Hebrew.]? This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, stipulated with the Works of Creation and said thereto. If Israel accepts the Torah, ye shall exist; but if not, I will turn you back into emptiness and formlessness [He thus translates homiletically: and the continuance of morning and evening was depended on the sixth day, sc. of Siwan, when israel was offered the Torah. The general idea is: Without law and order as exemplified by the Torah the world must lapse into chaos and anarchy.].”
In this week’s parsha דברים at the end, the 2.5 Tribes will send soldiers over the Jordan but will not live over the Jordan:
Deuteronomy 3:18-20 “And I commanded you at that time, saying: The LORD your God hath given you this land to possess it; ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all the men of valour. But your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle -I know that ye have much cattle -shall abide in your cities which I have given you; until the LORD give rest unto your brethren, as unto you, and they also possess the land which the LORD your God giveth them beyond the Jordan; then shall ye return every man unto his possession, which I have given you.” The tribes Gad, Reuven, and half Menasshe went first over the Jordan, as Rashi says:
רש"י דברים פרשת דברים פרק ג פסוק יח
ואצו אתכם - לבני ראובן ולבני וגד היה מדבר: לפני אחיכם - הם היו הולכים לפני ישראל למלחמה, לפי שהיו גבורים ואויבים נופלים לפניהם, שנאמר (דברים לג, כ) וטרף זרוע אף קדקד
Joshua and King David and such wars reportedly had 1/3 fighting, 1/3 securing provisions, and 1/3 praying to God.
I fault Dr. Joel Finkelman for teaching 25+ years “Everything that matters is subject to deep dispute.” No dispute “Without law and order as exemplified by the Torah the world must lapse into chaos and anarchy” Agreed Garnel, KA, IR, Rabbi Eidensohn?
“no consensus about the key questions of Jewish thought” Oh no what are we to do? This week’s parsha דברים Rashi on Deuteronomy 1:12 “How can I alone carry your trouble, and your burden, and your quarrels?”
ReplyDeleteרש"י דברים פרשת דברים פרק א פסוק יב
איכה אשא לבדי - אם אומר לקבל שכר לא אוכל, זו היא שאמרתי לכם לא מעצמי אני אומר לכם, אלא מפי הקדוש ברוך הוא:
טרחכם - מלמד שהיו ישראל טרחנין. היה אחד מהם רואה את בעל דינו נוצח בדין, אומר יש לי עדים להביא, יש לי ראיות להביא, מוסיף אני עליכם דיינין:
ומשאכם - מלמד שהיו אפיקורסין. הקדים משה לצאת, אמרו, מה ראה בן עמרם לצאת, שמא אינו שפוי בתוך ביתו. איחר לצאת, אמרו, מה ראה בן עמרם שלא לצאת, מה אתם סבורים, יושב ויועץ עליכם עצות רעות וחושב עליכם מחשבות:
וריבכם - מלמד שהיו רוגנים:
The Sapirstein edition translates this Rashi.......Your trouble. This teaches us that Israel were troublesome. If one of them would see his adversary winning the case, he would say I have witnesses to bring – I have proof to bring – I am adding judges to you. And your burden. This teaches us that they were heretics. If Moses left his home early to judge the people, they said, What did the son of Amram see that led him to leave? Perhaps he Is not calm I his house, i.e., perhaps he is having trouble with his family. If he left later, they said What did the son of Amram see that led him not to leave? What d you think? He is sitting and devising pans against you, and thinking thoughts against you. And your quarrels. This teaches us that they were petulant.
Beautiful. Moses added judges to accommodate whoever wants to re-open his case based on new evidence. They argued right to Moses’ face and behind his back, repeatedly. Petulant = easily annoyed and complaining in a rude way like a child. Petulant = insolent or rude in speech or behavior characterized by temporary or capricious ill humor : peevish.
Beautiful. As a Kohen I try never to be of ill humor. I bless all of Israel all the world. I smile a lot and I’m always optimistic. Yes I argue with people but always as a gentleman.
I’m expecting good news this week on my motion 2023-398 June 5, 2023. The judges wanted to make sport of me when they froze my pension 100% 1994 until the horrible QDRO late 1997 that awarded Susan 55% of my pension (which I paid for from early 1994) with no end in sight.
“ numerous schools and sefarim opting for mutually exclusive positions” True. Allow me to quote from this week’s parsha: Deuteronomy 4:1-2 “And now, O Israel, hearken unto the statutes and unto the ordinances, which I teach you, to do them; that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, giveth you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”
ReplyDeleteWow this week’s parsha has the 10 Commandments and שמע ישראל and והיה עם שמע.
No contradiction between this week’s parsha and “ numerous schools and sefarim opting for mutually exclusive positions.”
Today, God willing, the two little reform rules, on reasonableness and on appointing judges, will pass the Knesset with 64 majority and with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu present.
No, I wasn’t at the giant rally on Kaplan Street last night. Sorry, KA, Garnel, IR, Joe Orlow and Rav Eidensohn. I was busy sending email concerning Motion 2023-398 June 5, 2023.
“The range of theological possibilities within Judaism is vast.” True.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: When Sages add restrictions and rabbinical prohibitions aren’t they violating “You shall not add anything to what I command you or take anything away from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I enjoin upon you.” [Deuteronomy 4:2] ?
No. Yevamoth 61 a:
"Rab Judah said: It [an allusion to the prohibition of relations in the second degree.] may be derived from the following: “A further word: Because Koheleth was a sage, he continued to instruct the people. He listened to ad tested the soundness of many maxims.”[Eccl. XII, 9] in relation to which Ulla said in the name of R. Eleazar, Before Solomon appeared, the Torah was like a basket without handles; when [lit., until] Solomon came he affixed handles [אזנים, sing. אזן, ear or handle. The Heb. אזן (E.V. he pondered) is regarded as denominative of אזן, he made handles, i.e., he added restrictions to the commandments of the Torah, such as the prohibitions of incest of the second degree, which helped to preserve the original precepts of the Torah as handles are an aid to the preservation of the basket.
R. Oshaia said: It [an allusion to the prohibition of relations in the second degree] may be derived from the following: “Do not enter upon the path of the wicked; Do not walk on the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass through it; turn away from it, pass it by” [Prov. IV, 14-15]; an allusion to the Torah. One must add restrictions to its precepts, such as those of incest of the second degree, in order to keep away from any possible infringement of its original precepts.]."
Bravo, whew, the Knesset approved the changes to the reasonableness standard. I, as a charedie living in Bnei Brak, am so happy, thank you God.
“ Everything that matters is subject to deep dispute,” True. This morning 9th of Av we read in the haftorah Jeremiah 9:12 “The Lord replied: Because they forsook the Teaching תורתי I had set before them, They did not obey Me and they did not follow it;”
ReplyDeleteירמיהו פרק ט פסוק יב
וַיֹּאמֶר יְקֹוָק עַל עָזְבָם אֶת תּוֹרָתִי אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לִפְנֵיהֶם וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ בְקוֹלִי וְלֹא הָלְכוּ בָהּ:
מלבי"ם ירמיהו פרק ט פסוק יב
(יב) ויאמר ה'. ובאה התשובה ע"ז מאת ה', שהסבה לזה כי עזבו את תורתי. ר"ל כי בשמירת התורה יש ג' מדרגות זו למטה מזו, א] אשר דבק בתורת ה' באהבה וחשק נפלא, ונגד זה אמר שעזבו תורתי אשר נתתי לפניהם, שתהיה לפניהם לשעשועים ואהבת נפש. ב] למטה מזה אשר ישמור המצות מצד שה' צוה עליהם ויירא מפחד ענשו מצד מורא המְצַוה, ונגד זה אמר לא שמעו בקולי, כשומע לקול פקודת האדון המצוה. ג] למטה מזה, מי שעושה עכ"פ מצד המנהג וההרגל מצות אנשים מלומדה, לנגד זה אמר ולא הלכו בה, מצד ההילוך וההרגל ונגד זה בחרו באלהים אחרים בכל ענינים אלה, נגד האהבה והחשק אל הדבר, אמר:
According to the Malbim, Jeremiah says we suffer due to the fact we abandoned Torah. Beautiful. I’m a Charedi. The Charedi do not abandon Torah.
“no consensus about the key questions of Jewish thought” Can we disregard Mosaic Law and claim no consensus?: No.
ReplyDeleteSanhedrin 58b
“Resh Lakish said also: What is the meaning of the verse, He who tills his land shall have food in plenty, but he who pursues vanities is devoid of sense [Prov. XII, 11]. If one enslaves himself to his land [continually toiling thereon] he shall be satisfied with bread: if not, he shall not be satisfied with bread. Resh Lakish also said: A heathen who keeps a day of rest, deserves death, for it is written, As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease [Gen. VIII, 22. They is here made to apply to men, and shall not is taken to mean may not]. And a master has said: Their prohibition is their death sentence.[Eisenstein, J. E., V. p. 623. suggests that this may have been directed against the Christian Jews, who disregarded the Mosaic law yet observed the Sabbath, and quotes Maimonides who advances the following reason: The principle is, one is not permitted to make innovations in religion or to create new commandments. He has the privilege to become a true proselyte by accepting the whole law. (Yad. Melakim, X, 9.) He also points out that Deserves death expresses strong indignation, and is not to be taken literally; [cf. the recurring phrase. He who transgresses the words of the Sages deserves death. Ber. 6b]. Rabina said: Even if he rested on a Monday. Now why is this not included in the seven Noachian laws? Only negative injunctions are enumerated, not positive ones [The seven Noachian laws deal with things which a heathen must abstain from doing. But when we say that a heathen must not observe a day of rest, we bid him to do a positive action, viz., work.].”
According to Maimonides this week's parsha God forbids us to make innovations in religion or to create new commandments. Sitting in a sauna at Fordham College Bronx NY 50+ years ago I asked a priest there: The manna fell 40 years every day and not on Satureday. Why do Christias rest on Sunday. He replied: What's the difference as long as we love each other.
We must study Torah.