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Showing posts with label derusha update. Show all posts
Showing posts with label derusha update. Show all posts
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The Derusha Update
From around the world of books and blogs -
Thoughts on the weekly Torah portion and more /
Enjoy!
This Week's Portion: "When You Go Out To War..." [ Deut 21:10-25:19 ]read on Sat Aug 21, Shabbath Elul 11
The children of Israel are still camped across the Jordan River, on the plains of Moab just outside the promised land. This week's portion opens with Moses nearing the end of the first section of his farewell address to the assembled people. Moses repeats the laws of Israel which aim at instilling the "good faith" in which the different social relationships (familial, economic, and legal) between members of Israelite society must be maintained.
This week's concluding reading from Isaiah records God's emphatic promises of reunion with the people of Israel, God's beloved "wife," and God's exuberant instructions to prepare for a future restoration and expansion.
Looking for something good to read?
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE by Marino
"Murderers dressed in sunday's best commit thought-crimes inspired by divine bureaucrats while obscure patterns radiate from an overdose on reality. I try to mean it when I smile."
WE ARE ALL GOD'S CHILDREN by Joseph Haddad
"Though we may have different languages, cultures, beliefs, and faiths, human beings remain fundamentally related to each other, members of an extended family."
THE NAKED CROWD by Jose Faur
"Hence, the Tora or Law of Israel involves both spiritual enlightenment and political freedom: one without the other strips Judaism from its significance."
GOY by Ranjit Chatterjee
"I am not a poet, much as I admire poets, like Milton who absolutely baffles me with his prodigious blind creativity and puritan sensuality, or Walt Whitman with his unabashed American confidence and grandeur that in a sane man would be called lunatic. Ah, sanity."
THE MISHNE TORAH ed. Yohai Makbili, et al
"The first of the positive precepts is to know that there exists a God, as it is written 'I am the LORD, your God' (Exodus 20,2; Deuteronomy 5,6)."
Questions and Commentary
"If you no longer desire [the woman you captured], you must release her; you may not sell her for money or treat her harshly, for you have violated her." [ 21:14 ]
Her captor is told by the Torah, "you have violated her." That in itself was no doubt news to men's ears. "What do you mean I violated her? I just did what any red-blooded male would do," one can just hear these men protest. The root of "violated" isanat, which is the name of the vengeful Canaanite goddess raped by her father and her brother. It is the same verb used to describe the rape of Dinah (Gen. 34:2) and the Egyptian oppression of the Jews (Ex. 1:11-12, 3:7). Judith Antonelli
"You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together." [ 22:10 ]
...the Torah forbids us to plow a field with an ox and donkey together. Can you think of any logic behind this law? Menachem Leibtag
"You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in his land." [ 23:8 ]
...Let us try to extract some relevant principles from among the Mosaic imperatives regarding certain peoples who were unfriendly to Israel....The descendants of Esau had inherited the hostility of their ancestor toward Jacob with such intensity that the king of Edom refused the Hebrews simple passage through his country. Nevertheless, Moses instructed his people not to hate the Edomites, for they are our brethren. And in order to make clear that this injunction is not due to the kinship between Esau and Jacob, he amplifies it in the same verse: "You shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in his land" (Dt 23:8). Why is this said? Could it be claimed that Egypt lavished a benevolence upon Israel beyond what she received from other peoples? To the contrary, indeed, the Jews were so ill treated there that they had all the more reason to be grateful to the other nations. If the text, then, invokes the memory of Egyptian hospitality, it must be an acknowledgement that the generous reception which Israel was initially granted in that country ought to be more remembered than the severe suffering which came later. Elijah Benamozegh
"Since God, your Authority, walks in the midst of your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you, let your camp be holy; let [God] not find anything unseemly among you and turn away from you." [ 23:15 ]
These words caution us about the types of destructiveness which are known among soldiers when they are away from their homes a long time. God therefore instructed us about actions which bring upon consideration the resting of the Divine Presence among us, so that we will be saved from those [destructive] actions....In order that it will be rooted within everyone that the camp is like the sanctuary of God, and is not like the camps of the nations - in regards to destructiveness and negligence, interpersonal injury and the taking of wealth, and nothing more - rather our goal is the rectification of human beings towards God's service and the regularity of their circumstance. Moses Maimonides
"God called you, like a brokenhearted and abandoned wife - a young wife that was rejected, declared your Authority; for a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great compassion I gather you back. " [ Isaiah 54:6-7 ]
For us, the scenario of the rejected woman reconciling with her husband may resonate all too well with the familiar domestic reality of battered wives rejoicing in a reunion with their abusers. Such an association strips the prophecy of all redemptive promise. In order for the metaphor to hold its power, its readers must go along with the unspoken assumption of the prophet/poet, which is that, in this scenario, the man is completely righteous in his anger toward his woman; that she has, in fact, betrayed him...This metaphor reflects the way the Israelites viewed themselves in relation to God. It was their sin that caused their exile. Israel, though powerless and exiled, sees itself as the one whose actions drive the situation...Forgiveness and liberation comprise the ultimate theme of this haftarah. God's love endures beyond all physical existence. The expression of such love through a sexist metaphor is simply an affirmation that complete redemption is imaginable, describable, if even from a limited perspective. For us, it is comforting to know that we don't have to be able to perfectly envision the fully redeemed world in order to believe that it is possible.Vivian Mayer
News and Views
[ economics @ YUTOPIA ]
[ eulogy @ A Perpetual Pilgrim ]
[ follow-up @ Lazer Beams ]
[ review @ Hirhurim-Musings ]
[ haftarah @ Velveteen Rabbi ]
[ progress @ The Jew and the Carrot ]
[ opinion @ Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals ]
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Derusha Update: "What Can We Learn From Esau?"
The Derusha Update 2.05
"WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM ESAU?"
21 November 2009
Toldoth
4 Kisleiw 5770
Please consider forwarding this newsletter to friends, family, and others whom you feel will enjoy reading it.
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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!
=== The Miseducation Of Esau (Hirsch)
=== He Sought The Solitude Of The Fields (de Leon)
=== The Man Who Killed The World's First Tyrant (Midrash)
=== "I Am Going To Die" (Leibtag)
=== Helping Esau To Realize Who He Is (Touger)
=== Empathy Without Approval Of Murder (Shamah)
=== Harnessing The Power Of Esau (Morrison)
=== This Week In The Derusha Notebook (Blog)
=== Looking For Something Good To Read? (Derusha)
=== Upcoming Derusha Events (Calendar)
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The Miseducation Of Esau
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We see, then, how our Sages interpret the implications of the Torah's words. They tell us that Jacob and Esau alike could have been preserved for their Divinely-ordained destiny as descendants of Abraham if their parents would have noticed the difference between them at an early age. They could then have reared and educated both lads for the same goal by following a different approach in each case, taking into account the fact that these two brothers were basically different from one another. Because, unfortunately, an identical approach was followed in the rearing and education of these two boys, even though they were two totally different personalities, Jacob and Esau in manhood developed attitudes toward life that were fundamentally opposed to one another. Had a different approach been adopted, with due consideration for the differences between them, the two contrasting personalities could both have been trained to develop the same loyalty to one and the same goal. But this is not what happened. As long as Jacob and Esau were lads, they were treated as twins. It did not occur to anyone that, even though they were twins, Jacbo and Esau might be completely different from one another in their inborn character traits. Both were sent to the same school, both received the same instruction, both were given the same course of studies to pursue. They were educated as if both of them possessed the same abilities and personalities. But, in fact, these two brothers were simply not suited for the same studies.
...Esau, already in early boyhood, was driven by the latent impulses of the one "who knows how to trap," the "man of the field," the future hunter who delighted in challenging the forces of nature, in confronting the perils and hazards of life, and in using his physical and mental skills to overcome anything or anyone that stood in his way. He had neither the taste nor the talent for making conquests in the realm of knowledge or in the quest for moral self-refinement; he had no appreciation for the joys or the problems of domestic life.
Unfortunately, the manner in which he was educated could only fill him with loathing for the Abrahamic tradition.
[From "Thoughts on Education III: Lessons from Jacob and Esau" by Samson Rephael Hirsch]
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He Sought The Solitude Of The Fields
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"And Yitzchak loved Esav, for he relished his venison" [Bereishith 24:28].
This verse has been explained, as it is written [about Esav]: "A man who knows entrapment, a man of the field," while elsewhere it is written [about Nimrod], "he was a mighty trapper, a man of the field" - to rob people and to kill them.
He said that he prayed [alone in the field] and [with this lie] he entrapped [others] - with his mouth.
"A man of the field" - because his lot was not in the settlement but in the ruins, in the wilderness, in the field; and it is for this [that he is called] "a man of the field."
[Adapted from "The Book of the Zohar: Toldot" 9:75 by Moshe de Leon]
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The Man Who Killed The World's First Tyrant
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Esau at that time (after the death of Abraham) frequently went in the field to hunt. Nimrod, king of Babel (the same as Amraphel), also frequently went with his mighty men to hunt in the field and to walk about with his men in the cool of the day.
Nimrod was observing Esau all the days, for a jealousy was formed in the heart of Nimrod against Esau all the days. On a certain day, Esau went in the field to hunt and he found Nimrod walking in the wilderness with his two men. All his mighty men and his people were with him in the wilderness, but they removed at a distance from him, and they went from him in different directions to hunt; Esau concealed himself from Nimrod and lurked for him in the wilderness.
Nimrod, and his men that were with him, did not know he was there; Nimrod and his men frequently walked about in the field at the cool of the day to know where his men were hunting in the field. Nimrod, and two of his men that were with him, came to the place where they were when Esau jumped suddenly from his lurking place and drew his sword; he hastened and ran to Nimrod and cut off his head. Esau fought a desperate fight with the two men that were with Nimrod, and when they called out to him, Esau turned to them and struck them to death with his sword.
All the mighty men of Nimrod, who had left him to go to the wilderness, heard the cry at a distance; they knew the voices of those two men, and they ran to know the cause of it - when they found their king, and the two men that were with him, lying dead in the wilderness. When Esau saw the mighty men of Nimrod coming at a distance he fled, and thereby escaped; Esau took the valuable garments of Nimrod (which Nimrod's father had bequeathed to Nimrod, and with which Nimrod prevailed over the whole land) and he ran and concealed them in his house.
Esau took those garments and ran into the city, on account of Nimrod's men, and he came to his father's house weary and exhausted from fighting; he was ready to die of grief when he approached his brother Jacob and sat before him. He said to his brother, Jacob, "Behold! I will die this very day - and why, then, do I want the birthright?" Jacob acted with wisdom with Esau in this matter and Esau sold his birthright to Jacob (for it was so brought about by the Lord); and Esau's portion in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham had bought from the children of Heth for the possession of a burial ground, Esau also sold to Jacob - and Jacob bought all this from his brother, Esau, for a given value. Jacob wrote the whole of this in a book and he testified the same with witnesses, and he sealed it; and the book remained in the hands of Jacob.
When Nimrod the son of Cush died, his men lifted him up and brought him in consternation and buried him in his city, and all the days that Nimrod lived were two hundred and fifteen years, and he died. The days that Nimrod reigned upon the people of the land were one hundred and eighty-five years; and Nimrod died by the sword of Esau in shame and contempt, and the seed of Abraham caused his death, as he had seen in his dream. At the death of Nimrod, his kingdom became divided into many divisions, and all those parts over which Nimrod had reigned were restored to the respective kings of the land, who recovered them after the death of Nimrod; and all the people of the house of Nimrod were for a long time enslaved to all the other kings of the land.
[From "The Book of the Yashar" 27:1-17]
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"I Am Going To Die"
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In your opinion, is Esav's health situation so deteriorated when he asks Yaakov for a bowl of soup - that he would have died had Yaakov refused to give him soup? In other words, is he simply tired & hungry (but not in any danger of dying), or is starving to death?
Based on either understanding, how can you explain Esav's statement of "hine anokhi holekh la-muth" ("behold I am going to die") in 25:32?
[From "PARSHAT TOLDOT: QUESTIONS FOR THE 'SHABBOS TABLE'" by Menachem Leibtag]
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Helping Esau To Realize Who He Is
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Isaac knew who Esau was; he wasn't fooled that easily, but Isaac was "digging wells."
As a father, he was involved in an ongoing endeavor to enable Esau to fulfill his spiritual potential. He knew that to get results in education, you have to invest and he thought that granting these blessings to Esau would help Esau realize who he really was.
Isaac, however, erred. He didn't appreciate that the blessings were destined for Jacob. Ultimately the descendants of Esau, the brother who is deeply involved in the material dimensions of worldly existence, will manifest their spiritual potential. But Esau will not do it on his own. Esau's refinement will come because of the arduous labor of Jacob's descendants who dedicate themselves to teaching spiritual truth and therefore, it is Jacob who deserved Isaac's blessings.
[From "Keeping In Touch: Torah Thoughts Inspired By The Works Of The Lubavitcher Rebbe" by Eliyahu Touger]
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Empathy, Without Approval Of Murder
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Esav's reaction upon discovering that Yaaqob had "stolen" his blessing was a sincere cry, which exhibits a degree of caring to stay connected. It stirs our sympathies on his behalf. However, his response to his victimization is not a sign of self-control or true respect for his father. He resolved: "Let the mourning days for my father draw near and I will kill Yaaqob my brother" (27:41). Although we appreciate the depth of anger and bitter feelings that one who was deceived by his brother may have and empathize with him, homicide is never an appropriate response.
[From "On Esav's Character" by Moshe Shamah]
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Harnessing The Power Of Esau
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Esau represents the raw, base forces in the world. His reddish complexion indicated the violent and brutal nature of his personality. Jacob did not prevent Esau from coming into the world; after all, the world needs Esau and his raw power. Rather, Jacob held on to Esau's heel, holding him back. The name Jacob refers to this aspect of restraint, reining in the fierce forces.
Ultimately, however, our goal is not to simply hold back these negative forces. We aspire to gain control over them and utilize them, like a hydroelectric dam that harnesses the vast energy of a raging waterfall for the production of electricity.
[From "Toldot: Harnessing the Power of Esau" Chanan Morrison]
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This Week In The Derusha Notebook
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[Read the latest posts @ "The Derusha Notebook" today!]
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Looking For Something Good To Read?
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by José Faur [ISBN 978-1-935104-02-5]
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.
[Derusha's books and authors are changing our world]
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Upcoming Derusha Events
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Sunday, November 29 - Teaneck Holiday Boutique
(4:00 pm to 8:00 pm)
@ The Richard Rodda Community Center
(250 Colonial Court / Teaneck, NJ 07666)
[Entrance to parking lot is from Palisade Avenue, adjacent to Votee Park]
Come join our first annual inter-cultural Teaneck Holiday Boutique for a unique collection of beautiful (and affordable!) gifts for loved ones. Featuring artwork by Tintawi Charaka, Natalia Kadish, David Masters, and Ettie Sadek. Books published by Derusha Publishing will be available for purchase.
Sunday, December 13 - "Goy" Launch Party
(7:00 pm to 9:00 pm)
@ The 92 Street Y
(1395 Lexington Avenue / New York, NY 10128)
[Directions available at http://www.92y.org/content/directions.asp]
Celebrate the publishing of Ranjit Chatterjee's spellbinding spiritual autobiography "Goy" with us on Sunday, December 13, at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Author to speak, followed by a "question and answer" session and book signings. Refreshments will be served throughout.
Hope to see you there!
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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!
Derusha Update: "Who Was Sara?"
The Derusha Update 2.04
"WHO WAS SARA?"
14 November 2009
Hayyei Sara
27 Heshwan 5770
Please consider forwarding this newsletter to friends, family, and others whom you feel will enjoy reading it.
===============================================
"Every book shares with its readers a glimpse at what once was, what now is, and what - eventually - could be."
===============================================
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!
=== A Woman Of Valor (Midrash)
=== She Had Her own Unique Relationship With God (Goldman)
=== A Radical Socio-Religious Visionary (Antonelli)
=== She Stood By Her Husband (Ibn Kathir)
=== She Passed On In Ecstasy (Midrash)
=== This Week In The Derusha Notebook (Blog)
=== Looking For Something Good To Read? (Derusha)
=== Upcoming Derusha Events (Calendar)
===============================================
A Woman Of Valor
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Twenty-two biblical women are worthy of the term "woman of valor" [Mishlei 31:10]. Among them, Sara was the greatest, and therefore she is the only woman whose age is given in Scripture.
[From "Midrash Mishlei" 31]
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She Had Her Own Unique Relationship With God
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The Maharal of Prague (16th century Jewish philosopher) formulates an astounding question on the use of Sarah’s name in these two passages. He asks if it would not have made more sense for the name Yiscah, which implies prophecy, to have been used in the above passage rather than in the list of genealogies. Wouldn’t this have made more sense both in terms of giving a clearer understanding to the first sentence and also strengthening the prophetic stance of this sentence?
The Maharal resolves this issue with an amazing insight into the character of Sarah and the significance of her names. The Torah is actually giving us a very important message about our spiritual ancestors in choosing these names. By using the name Yiscah so early on in the genealogies while referring to her as the daughter of Haran - unrelated to her role as wife to Abraham - the Torah is telling us that Sarah had her own unique relationship with G-d independent of Abraham’s connection to the Almighty. She was a prophetess in her own right while still known simply as the daughter of Haran, before she was the wife of Abraham! Abraham (which means "father of a great nation") and Yiscah/Sarah ("Prophetic Princess") were two individual seekers of G-d in a world of idolaters. They met as equal spiritual powers who united in such a way as to cause a spiritual monotheistic revolution felt throughout the entire world and reaching countless generations of humankind.
[From "A Rose By Any Other Name" by Stacey Goldman on Chabad.org]
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A Radical Socio-Religious Visionary
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A symbolic reenactment of the incest between Baal and Asherah formed an essential part of Canaanite fertility rites. This is why the Hebrew Bible has such repugnance for it and commands the Jews to eliminate "the Baal and the Asherah" from their midst. Instead of applauding this, feminists have criticized it as "patriarchal."
In Egyptian mythology, creation of the universe was accomplished through an act of masturbation by the sun god Atum. When Isis' brother and husband Osiris was killed and dismembered, she recovered all his body parts except his penis; she therefore made an artificial one for him, which became a focus of Egyptian worship. At Osiris' bull festival, women carried a genitally explicit replica of him that they set in motion by means of strings.
In Babylonian mythology (the Enuma Elish), creation is described as occurring through the murder and dismemberment of the goddess Tiamat by the god Marduk...
In spite of "linguistic maleness," the God of the Hebrew Bible does not have a phallus, commit rape and incest, or create the universe through masturbation or the murder and mutilation of a female! Abraham and Sarah's radical vision of one genderless God must have been a welcome relief from these pagan gods made in the image of abusive men.
[From "Beyond Nostalgia: Rethinking the Goddess" by Judith S. Antonelli, in "On The Issues Magazine"]
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She Stood By Her Husband
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Sarah was the only woman of Ibrahim's people to believe in Allah. She afterwards became his wife. She stood by her husband all the time when calling his people to Allah. When Ibrahim realized that no other than his wife and his nephew, Lut, was going to believe in his call, he decided to immigrate to a city caller Ur and another called Haran and then departed for [Kana'an] with them. After [Kana'an], Ibrahim (peace be upon him) arrived in Egypt.
Abu Hurairah narrated that Ibrahim did not tell a lie except on three occasions: twice for the sake of Allah (Exalted and Almighty)...The third was while Ibrahim and Sarah were on a journey. They passed through the territory of a tyrant. Someone said to the tyrant: "This man Ibrahim is
accompanied by a very charming lady." So, he sent for Ibrahim and asked him about Sarah saying "Who is this lady?" Ibrahim said: "She is my sister." Ibrahim went to Sarah and said "Oh Sarah! There are no believers on the surface of the earth except you and me. This man asked me about you and I have told him that you are my sister. Do not contradict my statement. The tyrant then called Sarah, and when she went to him, he tried to take a hold of her with his hand, with evil intentions, but his hand got stiff and he was confounded. He asked Sarah: "Pray to Allah for me and I shall not harm you." So Sarah asked Allah to cure him and he was cured. He tried to take hold of her for the second time, but his hand got as stiff as or stiffer than before and he was more confounded. He again requested Sarah: "Pray to Allah for me, and I will not harm you." Sarah asked Allah to again, and he became all right. He then called one of his guards who had brought her and said: "You have not brought me a human being but have brought me a devil."
The tyrant then gave Hajar as a maid servant to Sarah. Ibrahim, gesturing with his hand, asked: "What has happened?" Sarah replied: "Allah spoiled the evil plot of the ingrate and gave me Hajar for service."
[Adapted from "Stories of the Prophets" by Al-Imam Ibn Kathir]
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She Passed On In Ecstasy
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Satan went to Sara and appeared to her in the figure of an old man, very humble and meek, while Avraham was still engaged in the burnt offering before his Lord. He said to her, "Don't you know all that Abraham has done with your only son this very day? For he took Yitshaq, built an altar, and killed him, and brought him up as a sacrifice upon the altar; and Yitshaq cried and wept before his father but he did not look at him and nor did he have compassion on him."
Satan repeated these words and went away from her, and Sara heard all the words of Satan; she imagined him to be an old man, from amongst the sons of men, who had been with her son and had come and told her these things. Sara lifted up her voice and wept and cried out bitterly, on account of her son; she threw herself upon the ground and cast dust upon her head. She said, "Oh my son, Yitshaq my son, oh that I had died this very day instead of you." She continued to weep and said, "It grieves me for you; oh my son, my son Yitshaq, oh that I had died this day in your stead." She still continued to weep, and said, "It grieves me for you, after I have reared you and have brought you up; now my joy is turned into mourning over you, I who had a longing for you, and cried and prayed to God until I bore you at ninety years old - and now you have served this very day with the knife and the fire, to be made an offering. But I console myself with you, my son, in its being the word of my Lord, for you fulfilled the instruction of your God; for who can transgress the word of our God, in whose hands is the soul of every living creature? You are just, my Lord, our God, for all your acts are good and righteous; for I am also made joyful with your word, which you instructed, and while my eye weeps bitterly my heart rejoices." Sara laid her head upon the chest of one of her handmaids and she became as still as stone.
She afterward arose and went about making inquiries, until she came to Hevron; and she inquired of all whom she met while walking on the road - and no one could tell her what had happened to her son. She came with her maid servants and men servants to Qiryath-Arba', which is Hevron, and she asked about her son; and she remained there while she sent some of her servants to seek where Avraham had gone with Yitshaq. They went to seek him in the house of Shem and 'Ever, and they could not find him; they sought throughout the land and he was not there.
And behold! Satan came to Sara [again] in the shape of an old man, and came and stood before her and he said to her, "I spoke falsely to you, for Avraham did not kill his son, and he is not dead." When she heard the thing, her joy was so exceedingly ecstatic on account of her son that her soul left through joy; she died and was gathered to her people.
When Avraham had finished his service, he returned with his son, Yitshaq, to his young men and they rose up and went together to Be'er-shev'a, and they came home. Avraham sought for Sara and could not find her; he made inquiries about her and they said to him, "She went as far as Hevron to seek you both, where you had gone, for such-and-such was she told."
Avraham and Yitshaq went to her, to Hevron, and when they discovered that she was dead, they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly over her. Yitshaq fell upon his mother's face and wept over her, and he said, "Oh, my mother, my mother, how have you left me, and where have you gone? Oh how, how you have left me!"
Avraham and Yitshaq wept greatly, and all their servants wept with them on account of Sara, and they mourned over her a great and heavy mourning.
[From "The Book of Yashar" 23:76-90]
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This Week In The Derusha Notebook
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[Read the latest posts @ "The Derusha Notebook" today!]
===============================================
Looking For Something Good To Read?
===============================================
"What Is the Meaning of Life" by Marino [ISBN 978-1-935104-00-1]
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?"
[Derusha's books and authors are changing our world]
===============================================
Upcoming Derusha Events
===============================================
Sunday, November 29 - Teaneck Holiday Boutique
(4:00 pm to 8:00 pm)
@ The Richard Rodda Community Center
(250 Colonial Court / Teaneck, NJ 07666)
[Entrance to parking lot is from Palisade Avenue, adjacent to Votee Park]
Come join our first annual inter-cultural Teaneck Holiday Boutique for a unique collection of beautiful (and affordable!) gifts for loved ones. Featuring artwork by Tintawi Charaka, Natalia Kadish, David Masters, and Ettie Sadek. Books published by Derusha Publishing will be available for purchase.
Sunday, December 13 - "Goy" Launch Party
(7:00 pm to 9:00 pm)
@ The 92 Street Y
(1395 Lexington Avenue / New York, NY 10128)
[Directions available at http://www.92y.org/content/directions.asp]
Celebrate the publishing of Ranjit Chatterjee's spellbinding spiritual autobiography "Goy" with us on Sunday, December 13, at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Author to speak, followed by a "question and answer" session and book signings. Refreshments will be served throughout.
Hope to see you there!
===============================================
Have a question? Contact us!
===============================================
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
===============================================
About Derusha Publishing LLC
===============================================
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.
Derusha Publishing LLC
407 Jane St
2nd Floor
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
contact@derushapublishing.com
Please feel free to forward this newsletter in its entirety to friends, family, and others whom you feel it will benefit.
To sign up for this newsletter, please visit http://www.derushapublishing.com/signup1.shtml
Thank you and Shabbath Shalom!
Derusha Update: "Violence, Power, and Freedom"
The Derusha Update 2.02
"VIOLENCE, POWER, AND FREEDOM"
24 October 2009
Noah
29 Tishri 5770
Please consider forwarding this newsletter to friends, family, and others whom you feel will enjoy reading it.
=============================================
"Every book shares with its readers a glimpse at what once was, what now is, and what - eventually - could be."
=============================================
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!
=== Divine Dual Intent (Leibtag)
=== The Effect Of Violence (Talmud)
=== Violence With Words (Kagan)
=== Trapping The Masses With Charisma (Faur)
=== Illiberal Democracies And War (Zakaria)
=== Responsibility Vs Tyranny (Sacks)
=== The Violation Of The Individual (Haddad)
=== The Hebrew Bill Of Rights (Faur)
=== Accountability And Safeguarding Our Freedom (Shasha)
=============================================
Looking for Something Good to Read?
=============================================
* "The Naked Crowd: The Jewish Alternative To Cunning Humanity" by José Faur [ISBN 978-1-935104-02-5]
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" by Marino [ISBN 978-1-935104-00-1]
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" by Joseph Haddad [ISBN 978-1-935104-01-8]
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" by Ranjit Chatterjee [forthcoming].
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]
=============================================
Divine Dual Intent
=============================================
In Bereishith 6:5-8, God declares His intention to destroy all of mankind, and provides a reason for this decision (note also how these psukim form an independent 'parshia'). Then, in 6:11-13 we find yet another declaration of God's intent to destroy the world, but phrased somewhat differently.
Compare the reasons given for the planned destruction in these two parallel 'parshiot'. Are they the same or different? If they are the same, explain the reason for the repetition. If they are different, explain the primary differences between them.
Is there any apparent thematic need for these two parallel passages?
[From "Questions for Preparation and Self Study: Parshat Noach" by Menachem Leibtag]
=============================================
The Effect of Violence
=============================================
"God said to Noah, 'The end of all flesh has come before Me.' [Bereishith 6:13]
R. Yohanan said: Come and see how tremendous is the effect of violence; for the people of the generation of the flood trespassed upon everything, and yet the decree of their judgment was only sealed because they went out of the way to commit acts of violent robbery, as was said, "The world is filled with violence through them. I will therefore destroy them with the earth." And it is written, "Violence has stood as the staff [of authority] of a wicked person - not of themselves, nor of their masses, nor of all they have amassed, there is not one among them who yearns [for Me]" [Yehezqel 7:11].
[From Talmud Bavli, tracate "Sanhedrin"]
=============================================
Violence with Words
=============================================
The Tora condemns shedding "the blood of human in human" (see Bereishith 9:6). God will require the penalty also of one who publicly humiliates another person, whose blood is "shed" when made to blush in shame.
[Adapted from comments of Yisrael Kagan (the "Haphets Hayyim") in "Itturei Tora"]
=============================================
Trapping the Masses with Charisma
=============================================
The Rabbis also believed that Nimrod was the first man to establish a government whose main agenda "was to incite the entire world to rebel against God." At a certain stage of human development, many people believe that following God's Law equals bondage. In order to escape the rule of God, people chose to live under the tyranny of Nimrod. The building of the Tower of Babel, so tells us Josephus, was part of a plan to take "revenge on God if He wished to inundate the earth again." It is important to note that the Hebrew Scriptures describe Nimrod as "a mighty hunter before the Lord" (Gen 10:9) - because, the Rabbis explained, "he hunted people with his words." In this context, 'hunting' refers to the skills required to trap a victim and give it the fatal blow. The one who is most-skilled in the craft of hunting is the tyrant. Unlike a dictator, a tyrant does not impose his authority on the people by force - the people choose him, adore him, and are willing to die for him. The tyrant's main weapon is charismatic speech, the ability to manipulate and charm the public and (as if by magic) render it vulnerable to his schemes. The Biblical Esau, representing the ancestor of Rome in rabbinic tradition, was not only a master hunter (see Gen 25:27) but a master of oratory and theatrics as well (see Gen 26:38).
[From "The Naked Crowd: The Jewish Alternative to Cunning Humanity" by José Faur]
=============================================
Illiberal Democracies and War
=============================================
The distinction between liberal and illiberal democracies sheds light on another striking statistical correlation. Political scientists Jack Snyder and Edward Mansfield contend, using an impressive data set, that over the past 200 years democratizing states went to war significantly more often than either stable autocracies or liberal democracies. In countries not grounded in constitutional liberalism, the rise of democracy often brings with it hypernationalism and war-mongering. When the political system is opened up, diverse groups with incompatible interests gain access to power and press their demands. Political and military leaders, who are often embattled remnants of the old authoritarian order, realize that to succeed they must rally the masses behind a national cause. The result is invariably aggressive rhetoric and policies, which often drag countries into confrontation and war. Noteworthy examples range from Napoleon III's France, Wilhelmine Germany, and Taisho Japan to the more recent Armenia and Azerbaijan and the former Yugoslavia. The democratic peace is real, but it turns out to have little to do with democracy.
[From "The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad" by Fareed Zakaria]
=============================================
Responsibility vs. Tyranny
=============================================
Babel represents the failure of ontological responsibility, the idea that we are accountable to something or someone beyond ourselves. Fired by their technological breakthrough, the discovery of man-made building materials that made tall, multi-storeyed buildings possible, the men on the plain of Shinar attempted to construct a self-sufficient universe (an artificial holy mountain) in which man is accountable to himself. There is no Other beyond nature to whom we are answerable and by whom we are judged. Writing of a later city-state, the Athens of Socrates and Plato, Lord Acton described the inevitable self-destruction that follows in the wake of such an undertaking:
"[T]hey became the only people of antiquity that grew great by democratic institutions. But the possession of unlimited power, which corrodes the conscience, hardens the heart, and confounds the understanding of monarchs, exercised its demoralising influence on the illustrious democracy of Athens. It is bad to be oppressed by a minority, but it is worse to be oppressed by a majority...The philosophy that was then in the ascendant taught them that there is no law superior to that of the State - the lawgiver is above the law. It followed that the sovereign people had a right to do whatever was within its power, and was bound by no rule of right or wrong but its own judgment of expediency."
The result was that 'the emancipated people of Athens became a tyrant.' Responsibility is response-ability: accountability to an authority beyond us, in the here-and-now. The alternative, from Babel to Nazi Germany and Soviet communism, is a story of human blood shed on the altar dedicated to the greater glory of humankind.
[From "To Heal a Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility" by Jonathan Sacks]
=============================================
The Violation of the Individual
=============================================
In this...narrative...mankind is united in a perverse unity. Man bands together in challenging God, intending to build a tower "whose tops shall reach the sky" (Genesis 11:5). In a massive biblical understatement, the text does not explain the exact nature of the sin of this generation. It does not have to. This perverse project of Man's self aggrandizement needs no further elaboration. The society that arose in Shinar resembled Communism, though predating it by thousands of years. "Man" collectively became the object of self-worship. Each individual had no value; only the "project" mattered. Traditional biblical commentators, in describing the building of the tower, relate that if a single brick fell, the workers would lament the loss of time and productivity. However, if a worker fell to his death, no one would care. The individual man was irrelevant and worthless compared to the deified collective Man.
Though unity is important and can be positive, it is only so if the individuals who comprise that unity are respected. Without respect for the individual, unity for its own sake becomes a form of idolatry, turning Man into a god. Single-minded opinion, expressed through a single solitary language, forces conformity, perverting the original meaning of what it is that makes us created in God's image. That Godly image implies the diversity and unique makeup of each and every individual. In seeking to supplant God, Man forfeits the essence of his own humanity - that unique part of each and every individual that defines us as being created in God's image. As a result, mankind is dispersed to the four corners of the earth. God confounds Man's ability to communicate by forcing upon him multiple languages. He will have to very slowly learn how to reunite with his fellow.
[From "We Are All God's Children" by Joseph Haddad]
=============================================
The Hebrew Bill of Rights
=============================================
In the Hebrew economy of ideas the individual creates the family that eventually would create the state. Prior to the foundation of state, man was not a forsaken creature left alone in a hostile environment, as per pagan wisdom. Rather, he was placed in an environment that "was very good" (Bereishith 1:31), and was endowed with the faculty to "rule" over other animals (Bereishith 1:28-30; 9:1-7). Before there was a national government in Israel, a young shepherd who would become king proclaimed that God had put all of His creations "under his [man's] feet" (Tehillim 8:7). As can be gathered from Genesis and Exodus, basic human rights, such as property, life, freedom from bondage, as well as the institute of marriage, were a given, anteceding the state. In actuality, properly read, the first two Books of the Tora constitute the Hebrew 'bill of rights' establishing the rights and institutions fundamental to humankind, prior to government, and therefore immune from government. Thus, according to the rabbis, every human (and not only a Jew) is a "complete and total universe" (Mishna Sanhedrin 4:5).
[From "The Horizontal Society: Understanding the Covenant and Alphabetic Judaism" by José Faur]
=============================================
Accountability and Safeguarding Our Freedom
=============================================
The Covenant of Noah to this very day signifies the Jewish concept of the interrelatedness of all humanity under the Law of God. It is for this reason that rabbis insist that God made His own promise to Noah not to destroy the world ever again. Even taking into account the fact that the Law may theoretically and practically be violated by man, we must keep in mind that its very foundationalism serves to safeguard the God/Man dialectic; both Man and God are accountable to the terms of the same Covenant and may thus freely encounter one another.
[From "Representing the Human Family: Essays on the Book of Genesis" by David Shasha]
=============================================
Have a question? Contact us!
=============================================
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
=============================================
About Derusha Publishing LLC
=============================================
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.
Derusha Publishing LLC
407 Jane St
2nd Floor
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
contact@derushapublishing.com
Please feel free to forward this newsletter in its entirety to friends, family, and others whom you feel it will benefit.
To sign up for this newsletter, please visit http://www.derushapublishing.com/signup1.shtml
Thank you and Shabbath Shalom!
Derusha Update: "Words, Dreams and Gifts"
The Derusha Update 2.01
"WORDS, DREAMS, AND GIFTS"
17 October 2009
Bereishith
29 Tishri 5770
Please consider forwarding this newsletter to friends, family, and others whom you feel will enjoy reading it.
=============================================
"Every book shares with its readers a glimpse at what once was, what now is, and what - eventually - could be."
=============================================
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!
=== God, Creator? (Drazin)
=== Creation Through Dialogue (Shasha)
=== Memory And Language (Sa'adia)
=== A Dream Of Paradise (Faur)
=== A Daughter Of Israel Defends God's Gift (Talmud)
=== Estrangement And Resolution (Haddad)
=============================================
Looking for Something Good to Read?
=============================================
* "The Naked Crowd: The Jewish Alternative To Cunning Humanity" by José Faur [ISBN 978-1-935104-02-5]
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" by Marino [ISBN 978-1-935104-00-1]
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" by Joseph Haddad [ISBN 978-1-935104-01-8]
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" by Ranjit Chatterjee [forthcoming].
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]
=============================================
God, Creator?
=============================================
What insights and responsibilities flow from our acknowledgement of God as the Creator? Discuss the following suggestions: (1) We are custodians of a world which humankind was given to manage in a proper manner, and violation of this trust may cause civilization to revert to chaos. (2) Existence has meaning and purpose, and life has to be approached optimistically. (3) The Creator is concerned with His creation and is intimately and dynamicaly involved in the universal drama.
[From "Onkelos on the Torah: Understanding the Bible Text" by Israel Drazin (possibly the best Humash in print)]
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Creation Through Dialogue
=============================================
In the Ugaritic materials we witness a seamless transition from the natural world into the divine world, a sort-of reverse-engineering. Creation is exemplified in materialist terms....In the Genesis text we have the absolute sundering of that experience by portraying Elohim as wholly Other....Elohim in the Hebrew text uses His speech, speech here being the point of contact between man and God. Rather than establishing an intrinsic relation with mankind through the material modality, Elohim of Genesis 1 creates a new and profound: This relation is now based on the mutual dialogue that is enacted through words and signs.
[From "Representing the Human Family: Essays on the Book of Genesis" by David Shasha]
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Memory and Language
=============================================
With "To see what he will call them," it intends that the human being itself should commit their names to memory. The meaning is: "for the human being, to see what he will call it," and that he will be deligent over them so that today he will not call a load-carrier a "horse" and tomorrow an "ox" and that today he should not call a pomegranate a "pomegranate" and tomorrow a "fig."
[Adapted from commentary of Sa'adia Gaon on Bereishith 2:19]
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A Dream of Paradise
=============================================
"If a man could pass through Paradise in a dream," wrote Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), "and have a flower presented to him as a pledge that his soul had really been there, and if he found that flower in his hand when he awoke - Ay! - and what then?" The first man to have dreamt, so the Hebrew Scriptures tell us, was Adam. Sometime after discovering that he was unlike any other animal, God put him in "a deep sleep" (tirdema) and Adam dreamt that Eve was made "bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh." He also dreamt that he had welcomed her and loved her and God blessed them both, and they were "one flesh," and for her sake he sinned and lost Paradise. Later, when he awoke, he opened his hand and - lo and behold! - there it was: the flower that God presented to him in Paradise! And Adam "knew" (wa-yada') - in the sense of 'recognizing' - "his wife, Eve" for what she really was: the pledge of having been in the presence of God and visited Paradise! [See Bereishith 2:19-4:1]. To commemorate this primordial dream the rabbis instituted seven blessings at the wedding ceremony, evoking the joy shared by the first parents of humanity. Praying that God should "bring forth happiness to this loving pair, as Thou have brought happiness formerly to Thy creatures in Paradise." That primordial joy is in fact the matrix, not only to human faith in "God, ruler of the Universe and Creator of humans in His image," but also of "bliss and happiness, bridegroom and bridge, love, brotherhood, elation and jubilation, peace and fellowship." In a word, of all those basic feelings that make an individual a part of humanity.
[From "The Horizontal Society: Understanding the Covenant and Alphabetic Judaism" by José Faur]
=============================================
A Daughter of Israel Defends God's Gift
=============================================
The Roman emperor once said to Rabban Gamliel, "Your God is a thief. For it says, 'God cast a deep sleep upon the man...and He took one of his ribs' [Bereishith 2:21]." Rabban Gamliel's daughter said to her father, 'Let me answer him." Turning to the emperor, she said, 'Give me a judge!" "What do you need a judge for?" asked the emperor. "Thieves broke into our house last night and stole a silver pitcher; however, they left a golden one in its place." The emperor shot back, "I wish that such thieves would come to us every day!" Rabban Gamliel's daughter said to the emperor, "Was it not better for Adam that God took one rib and gave him a wife who helps him?"
[From Talmud Bavli, tracate "Sanhedrin"]
=============================================
Estrangement and Resolution
=============================================
Man, curious create that he is, is tempted by his desires. He rationalizes his actions and seeks to justify himself at the expense of others. Placing himself as the center of authority, he sins. Through sinning against GOd, Man also distances himself from his fellow. The act of sin creates a chasm between Man and those closest to him, Eve, whom Adam knew to be the "bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh" (Bereishith 2:23). The resolution of estrangement, between man and his fellow, and man and God, is the Bible's objective, its hope for humanity.
[From "We Are All God's Children" by Joseph Haddad]
=============================================
Have a question? Contact us!
=============================================
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
=============================================
About Derusha Publishing LLC
=============================================
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.
Derusha Publishing LLC
407 Jane St
2nd Floor
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
contact@derushapublishing.com
Please feel free to forward this newsletter in its entirety to friends, family, and others whom you feel it will benefit.
To sign up for this newsletter, please visit http://www.derushapublishing.com/signup1.shtml
Thank you and Shabbath Shalom!
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