One of the main sugyot in this page, i have not only learnt many times before but also taught. I learnt it from my teacher and Rabbi, Joel Levy, and for him (and me) this is part of a set of texts that bring forth one of the central tenets of rabbinic Judaism overall and the Talmud in particular.
The discussion between Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Elazar is at one and the same time a discussion about how the Shema should be recited, but even more so about the nature of mahloket (disagreement). Rabbi Elazar's position is that since Shammai's opinion includes that of Hillel, then Shammai's position (the more strict) should be the one used when a follower of Hillel and a Shammuti (follower of Shammai) try and pray together. This position I call, "the frummest common denominator". Rabbi Yishmael, could have gone along with Rabbi Elazar's position, but he didn't. He knew that if he did, then over time, Rabbi Elazar's (and Beit Shammai's) position would become THE law. While he may be able to go along with Rabbi Elazar personally, if he didn't stand up for the right to be different now, it would be lost along the way.
Community is important, and it is great when we can pray together, study together, act together, but our unity must never demand uniformity. The freedom to be oneself and to follow one's own truth is a fundamental building block of community and can never be sacrificed for it.
Saturday, 1 February 2020
#dafyomi (10a-b) Thought for the day
(Slightly longer than usual - TL/DR - Maybe we shouldn't aim "to leave our mark, perhaps the ecological crisis is reminding us that to live in harmony with the world instead of imposing ourselves upon it is the divine path):
There is so much in this daf (folio) that I don't know where to begin. In the first amud (page) alone we have three things which grabbed my attention immediately:
1) The "first" appearance of one of my favourite Talmudic characters: Bruria.
2) My mother would certainly approve of the rabbinic endorsement for breastfeeding.
3) One of my favourite rabbinic statements about humanity and divinity:
Humanity is both above the bestial world and yet still far away from divinity. While we have the power to permanently change this world and "leave our mark", we are not wise enough to realise that the "physical" (our actions, our creations) are in fact just fleeting reflections of our self. Our true power would be when we realise that NOT to leave our mark is the ultimate goal. Like the divine, we should aim to outlive our actions/creations - that when we pass from this earth, it will be as if we weren't here. The powerful strive to leave their mark. The humble strive to live without leaving their mark.
Later on in the page, Hazal (our wise ones) teach us that when we pray, we should do so from low down - not on high. Those who place themselves above the world (and other people) will not affect the eternal divinity. Only by accepting our place down low, as part of this world, not a ruler of it, will we affect the eternal divine plain.
There is so much in this daf (folio) that I don't know where to begin. In the first amud (page) alone we have three things which grabbed my attention immediately:
1) The "first" appearance of one of my favourite Talmudic characters: Bruria.
2) My mother would certainly approve of the rabbinic endorsement for breastfeeding.
3) One of my favourite rabbinic statements about humanity and divinity:
"מידת בשר ודם: מעשיו מבלין אותו. והקדוש ברוך הוא - הוא מבלה את מעשיו"
"The defining characteristic of humanity is that our creations outlive us. Whereas, The Holy One that is Blessed outlives their creations".
I will choose to focus on this last teaching, which (for me) has so much to say to our current reality. The nature of humanity is to leave its imprint on this earth. This is both a statement regarding our colossal power (what other animals leave their imprint on this world through their actions/ creations?), but it is also a damning condemnation of our irresponsible behaviour - as we face the consequences of too many generations who have not thought about what they leave behind which will pollute this perfect world, we must face up to the fact that humanity has almost killed this world. Obviously it is trite to quote Uncle Ben (Spiderman, not stir fry), but triteness often accompanies truth: "With great power comes great responsibility".Humanity is both above the bestial world and yet still far away from divinity. While we have the power to permanently change this world and "leave our mark", we are not wise enough to realise that the "physical" (our actions, our creations) are in fact just fleeting reflections of our self. Our true power would be when we realise that NOT to leave our mark is the ultimate goal. Like the divine, we should aim to outlive our actions/creations - that when we pass from this earth, it will be as if we weren't here. The powerful strive to leave their mark. The humble strive to live without leaving their mark.
Later on in the page, Hazal (our wise ones) teach us that when we pray, we should do so from low down - not on high. Those who place themselves above the world (and other people) will not affect the eternal divinity. Only by accepting our place down low, as part of this world, not a ruler of it, will we affect the eternal divine plain.
#dafyomi (9a-b) Thought for the day.
The Jewish tradition is obsessed with the idea of distinction (separation). The rabbis place the ability to distinguish between colours or breeds of dog to be the sign of whether it is or isn't night.
To distinguish, to make distinct, in hebrew is also to make holy. Each new holy day comes upon us when we have the ability to distinguish individuals from the collective. Each new holy night comes when the collective is forged again with no distinction between individuals.
To distinguish, to make distinct, in hebrew is also to make holy. Each new holy day comes upon us when we have the ability to distinguish individuals from the collective. Each new holy night comes when the collective is forged again with no distinction between individuals.
#dafyomi (8a-b) Thought for the day:
Is there a time which is both night and day?
If you live in a cave (like Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai) then the line between night and day is meaningless.
And this line is always dependent on the experience of the person - for those who rise early, the darkness outside is the beginning of their day. For these people, the day starts in darkness, and light comes. For those who rise late, the day starts in light, and darkness comes.
Perhaps "those who rise early" are not actually those enslaved to their alarm clocks, but those whose days may start in darkness, but through their conscientiousness, their "early rising", they get to see things getting lighter.
In a world which seems to be getting darker these days, I would very much like to experience that feeling that things are always getting lighter. How do we do this - commit ourselves anew each day to our own role in the work. Be an early riser - one who is engaged forcefully in the work of repair, and the world will seem to you to be going from dark to light. If you stay (metaphorically) in bed and sleep late, then the world will go from light to dark.
The world has its own cycles - but our perceptions are changed by the work we put in to the world and the way we approach our own mission.
May we all merit to see the world get lighter and lighter.
Shavua tov.
If you live in a cave (like Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai) then the line between night and day is meaningless.
And this line is always dependent on the experience of the person - for those who rise early, the darkness outside is the beginning of their day. For these people, the day starts in darkness, and light comes. For those who rise late, the day starts in light, and darkness comes.
Perhaps "those who rise early" are not actually those enslaved to their alarm clocks, but those whose days may start in darkness, but through their conscientiousness, their "early rising", they get to see things getting lighter.
In a world which seems to be getting darker these days, I would very much like to experience that feeling that things are always getting lighter. How do we do this - commit ourselves anew each day to our own role in the work. Be an early riser - one who is engaged forcefully in the work of repair, and the world will seem to you to be going from dark to light. If you stay (metaphorically) in bed and sleep late, then the world will go from light to dark.
The world has its own cycles - but our perceptions are changed by the work we put in to the world and the way we approach our own mission.
May we all merit to see the world get lighter and lighter.
Shavua tov.
#dafyomi (7a-b) Thought of the day
The rabbis for a moment become obsessed with how long G-d stays angry. Obviously this reflects their concern with how long the exile will last - how long will the punishment they are enduring continue. Could they have imagined that it would last nearly 2000 years? Surely not. They talk of G?d's mercy defeating her anger not truly as a description of G?d's prayer but as a reflection of their own. May we all merit that divine justice be tempered with divine mercy.
#dafyomi (6a-b) Thought for the day.
When is the shechina with us? When we are with the community.
But how can one be "with the community" when studying on one's own? Torah study, in Jewish terms, even when done alone is a communal exercise. Through the text one connects with the Jews who carried these sacred texts with them through 2000 years of exile. To study talmud is not really to engage with a text but to engage with one's people through the text. The text lives only in as much as it represents the living soul of the people who invest in it.
An easily missed part of this daf tells us that the merit one receives from going to a wedding comes from the words one speaks to those celebrating. Through words, that are part of the ongoing conversation of our people, we redeem ourselves and the world.
But how can one be "with the community" when studying on one's own? Torah study, in Jewish terms, even when done alone is a communal exercise. Through the text one connects with the Jews who carried these sacred texts with them through 2000 years of exile. To study talmud is not really to engage with a text but to engage with one's people through the text. The text lives only in as much as it represents the living soul of the people who invest in it.
An easily missed part of this daf tells us that the merit one receives from going to a wedding comes from the words one speaks to those celebrating. Through words, that are part of the ongoing conversation of our people, we redeem ourselves and the world.
Daf Yomi (5a-b) Thought for the day
"אין חבוש מתיר עצמו מבית האסורים"
"The one who is shackled cannot free themselves from their prison".
A long time before twelve step programs, Our sages were aware that the first step towards releasing ourselves from that which shackles us is to admit that we alone cannot conquer our demons that imprison us.
Whether it is the power of Community or Family, Friends or a Higher Power - the nature of humanity is that we are neither dependent nor independent, but interdependent. I need my fellow, and one day they will need me too. Today I am the freed prisoner, tomorrow the redeemer. May I never be the jailer.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)