Friday

Derusha Update: "Rejoice, Rejoice"

The Derusha Update 1.08

"REJOICE, REJOICE"

10 October 2009
Shabbath / Shemini 'Asereth
25 Tishri 5770

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"Every book shares with its readers a glimpse at what once was, what now is, and what - eventually - could be."
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Below are selected clippings from various sources that have been hand-picked to add some spice to your Shabbath reading. We hope you find these selections interesting and informative. Remember, there's always more to learn and another page to turn!

=== Nothing But Joy (Vilna)
=== Sharing And Celebrating As A Community (Sacks)
=== Holding On To Our Happiness Together (Faur)
=== The Holistic Nature Of Tora (Faur)
=== The Tora Aims For The Well-Being Of Body And Soul (RaMBaM)
=== Unity Through The Torah (Reisel)


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Looking for Something Good to Read?
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* "The Naked Crowd: The Jewish Alternative To Cunning Humanity" [ISBN 978-1-935104-02-5]
by José Faur
Thousands of years ago, the Jewish nation became what Nobel laureate Elias Canetti called a "naked crowd"; a society built on transparency and inclusiveness, impervious to the attempts of would-be tyrants to control the "crowd" through mind-games, linguistic manipulation, and mass hysteria. While the Jewish people have, over the course of history, occasionally lost touch with this foundation of their society, they have never lost the dream of a truly free society for all. In this book, José Faur articulates the essence of the Jewish alternative to the cunning societies of world history.

* "What Is the Meaning of Life" [ISBN 978-1-935104-00-1]
by Marino
Evocative of the Beat generation's cry for the victims of an empty and self-destructive culture, the pages of this book deliver the next generation's answer to that howl. Combining breathtaking and provocative poetry with a piercing social commentary penned by a prodigal teenage artist, this book is a must-read for all who are troubled by the slow decay of American society. Features the acclaimed "Allen Ginsberg, Are You Lonely? / Where Have You Gone, Friedrich Nietzsche?"

* "We Are All God's Children" [ISBN 978-1-935104-01-8]
by Joseph Haddad
In a world riddled with xenophobia, materialism, and cynicism, many people are searching for the solution to the ills of modernity. This book proposes an "unorthodox" answer - a return to the ancient narratives and core values of the Jewish Bible may be the key to restoring harmony and fellowship to the human race. In this open and insightful introduction to the Hebrew Bible in its most universal aspects, the author uncovers the basic messages and themes that are truly relevant to all of humanity. *Featuring an epilogue on the current financial crisis*

* "Goy" [forthcoming].
by Ranjit Chatterjee
This captivating autobiography explores one man's international search for a religious identity. Every step along this spiritual-cultural journey is redolent with existential metaphor and meaning; as the author is slowly drawn to the hidden Judaism of the post-modern philosophers and linguists, his relationship with God unfolds in an unexpected pattern.

[Derusha's books and authors are changing our world]
http://www.derushapublishing.com/derusha-books.shtml


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Nothing But Joy
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The expression "nothing but" (akh) is a "diminishing" term, and here it means: On the first day we are instructed to take a lolav, build a sukka, and to rejoice; for six days to have a sukka and joy, and on the eighth day "nothing but joy."

[Adapted from commentary of Vilna Gaon on Devarim 16:15]


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Sharing And Celebrating As A Community
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...[The] ethical life is a form of celebration. Doing good is not painful, a matter of dour duty and a chastising conscience. There is a Hebrew word, a key term of the Bible, for which there is no precise English translation: 'simhah,' usually translated as 'joy.' What it really means is 'the happiness we share,' or better still, 'the happiness we make by sharing.' One of the great statements of individual dignity and responsibility, Judaism is also an intensely communal faith, not simply a matter of the lonely soul in search of God, Plotinus' 'the flight of the alone to the Alone.' It is about sharing what we have, seeing possessions less as things we own than things we hold in trust, one of the conditions of which is that we use part of what we have to help others. That is not self-sacrifice. If there is one thing I have heard more often than any other from those who spend part of their time in service to others, it is that they gain more than they give. They do not want to be thanked; they want to thank. Lifting others, they find that they themselves have been lifted.

[From "To Heal a Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility" by Jonathan Sacks]


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Holding On To Our Happiness Together
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For the Hebrews, happiness is experienced collectively, in the density of human fellowship, never in seclusion....The three Holidays celebrate the density generated by the "assembly" of Israel. The last day of Passover, when it is no longer incumbent upon the individual to perform any ritual, is designated ('aseret) "assembly" (Dt 16:8). The same is true of the last day of Sukkoth (Lev 23:36; Nu 29:35; Neh 8:18). Coming at the end of a week-long celebration, 'aseret (root 'ASR, connoting 'restraining,' 'stopping,' and 'holding back'; see Gn 20:18; Dt 11:17, etc.), is a call to the public to 'hold back' from returning home, and 'stop' in order to 'assemble' and enjoy the bliss of their mutual fellowship, before going back to their respective quarters.

[From "The Naked Crowd: The Jewish Alternative to Cunning Humanity" by José Faur]
http://www.TheNakedCrowd.com


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The Holistic Nature Of Tora
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"The words of the Tora are life for this world and for the next" - taught the rabbis. From the perspective of the ketab and mikhtab, 'perfection' means also that the Tora is a holistic, two-dimensional system. One, which for lack of a better term we may call 'spiritual,' embracing the institutions, doctrines, and precepts intended to develop the mind and spirit of the individual. And a second dimension, political,' consisting of the institutions, doctrines, and rules needed for the administration of national and social life. Both dimensions are indispensible. Access to only one of these systems would hinder personal autonomy.

[From "The Horizontal Society: Understanding the Covenant and Alphabetic Judaism" by José Faur]
http://faur.derushapublishing.com/#horizontal


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The Tora Aims For The Well-Being Of Body And Soul
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The general object of the Law is twofold: the well-being of the soul and the well-being of the body. The well-being of the soul is promoted by correct opinions communicated to the people according to their capacity. Some of these opinions are therefore imparted in a conventional expression, others allegorically; because certain opinions are (in their conventional expression) too strong for the capacity of the masses. The well-being of the body is established by a proper management of the relations in which we live one to another. This we can attain in two ways: first, by removing all violence from our midst - that is to say, that each of us does not do as he pleases, desires, and is able to do, but each of us does that which contributes towards the common welfare. Secondly, by teaching every one of us the good values that are necessary to produce a good social state.

[From "More Nevukhim" (III:27) by RaMBaM]


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Unity Through the Torah
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In effect, the acknowledgment of human reason is the foundation of the democratic approach of the Torah, since it allows every Jew to understand the basic principles of Judaism according to their ability. Even a secular world view does not contradict the biblical approach as strongly as both religious and non-religious people consider. Both sides acknowledge the fact that within the natural framework of existence, an individual's life and destiny are contingent upon reason, on one hand, and powers beyond their control, on the other, including education, heredity, social-historical processes and scientific progress. As we have indicated, while they are unable to deny the influence of these factors, each group defines its moral attitude towards them according to its own lights. But all streams of Judaism are united by the belief that they can somehow influence the destiny of humankind.

[From "Modern Jewish Identity: A Rationalistic Motivation For Remaining Jewish" by Ester and Rudi Reisel]



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Have a question? Contact us!
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As always, we are eager to hear from you. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, comments, or suggestions.

Regards and best wishes for a meaningful week,

Gil Amminadav
gil.a@derushapublishing.com

Elana Amminadav
elana.a@derushapublishing.com



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About Derusha Publishing LLC
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Derusha Publishing is a dynamic and versatile company that prints poetry and philosophy, history books and prayerbooks, translations of traditional texts and post-modern commentaries on our common culture.

Derusha Publishing is working with readers everywhere to make the world a better place, one word at a time. Publishing is more than just our business - it's our vision.

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Thank you and Shabbath Shalom!
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