Parshat Vayetze

Dear Congregants:

Due to Thanksgiving and a visit to my mother in Asheville, I was not able to send out last week's commentary for Parshat Toldot. I am including it in this week's e mail so consider this a two for the price of one sale.

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Parshat Vayetze
(Hosea 12:13-14:10)
December 2, 2006

An interpreter's task is to attempt to explain both the meaning and the context of what might otherwise be incomprehensible. This week's Haftorah offers just such an opportunity. Hosea's second prophecy in the Haftorah opens with a challenge to the behavior of the northern kingdom: "(1) When Ephraim spoke piety, he was exalted in Israel; but he incurred sin through Baal and so he died. (2) And now they go on sinning; they have made them molten images, idols by their skill (ktivunam atzabim), from their silver, wholly the work of craftsmen, yet for these they appoint men to sacrifice; they are wont to kiss calves!" (Hosea 13:1-2) Hosea's original audience probably understood the specific references mentioned in this message. For later readers, however, the identity of both the heroes and villains is unclear. Even the sin being criticized is obscure.

Rashi identifies "Ephraim" with Jeroboam, the first king of the northern kingdom, Israel. He asserts that Jeroboam initially feared God when he came out against Solomon. He became a powerful leader and was recognized as king of the northern kingdom. After he rose to greatness, he turned to idolatry causing his own downfall and the downfall of his house. Rashi notes that this same description also fits Ahab, another powerful northern king, feared by all, who turned to idolatry and as a result, he and his line perished. Rabbi David Kimche (12th century Provance), following the translation of Targum Jonathan (7th century Eretz Yisrael), accepts Rashi's line of reasoning without identifying "Ephraim" with a particular king, stating only that all of the kingdoms surrounding Israel feared him, until his idolatrous sin caused his downfall against these very nations.

The following passage from the Talmud sought to focus on the nature of the sin rather than the identity of the perpetrator. It removed the significance of Hosea's prophecy from its historical context and sought out its meaning for its own contemporary circumstances. In doing so, we learn something of the rabbinic attitude toward idolatry: "Said Rabbi Yitzhak: What is meant when it is written: 'And now they go on sinning; they have made molten images of their silver, idols by their skill. What is the meaning of 'idols by their skill (ktivunam atzabim)? It means that every person made an image of a deity according to his or her own understanding (ktivunam) and each person kept his deity in his pocket. Whenever he remembered it, he would take it out and embrace it and kiss it." (Sanhedrin 63b)

The next interpretation shows how some used their idolatrous practices to self serving ends: "'What is the meaning of 'those who slaughter people shall kiss calves?' (Notice how they translate the phrase differently from what is found above.) Rabbi Yitzchak of the house of Rabbi Ami said: 'The priests of the idols would cast their eyes on wealthy people [in order to acquire their property]. They would starve their idolatrous calves and place before the feeding troughs of the calves images of the wealthy people [so that the calves would associate their faces with food.] When the calves would see the wealthy people, they would run toward them with great passion. The priests of the idols would say: 'See how the idolatrous calf yearns for you – perhaps you should offer yourself as a sacrifice' (so that they might confiscate their property). Rava disagrees with this interpretation: The verse reads: 'Those who slaughter people kiss calves', [for the above interpretation to make sense], it should say: 'the calves kiss to slaughter a person'. Rather, Rava suggests that the verse should be interpreted this way: 'Whenever someone offered his child as a sacrifice to an idol, he would be told: 'You have offered a great gift to the idol. Now come and kiss the idol.'" (Ibid.)

The sages display in these various portraits of idolatrous behavior various obscene excesses and perversions in the name of religion. The first displays a religious faith which is simply a self portrait where a person worships what is closest to his heart, an excess in self interest. The second pictures those who use religion for their own self aggrandizement to the detriment of others. Rava offers a vision where a person practices an obscene religious excess and is then asked to justify it. If there is a thread which winds it way through these various portraits of idolatrous behavior, it is people's inability to distinguish between their own self concerns and serving God. Crossing this fine line can have terrible consequences.


Parshat Toldot
(Malachi 1:1-2:7)
November 25, 2006

The book of Malachi has a unique style among Biblical books. Its thoughts are shaped in the form of small rhetorical dialectic arguments. In one of these arguments, the prophet chastises the people of Israel for its disloyalty to God, chiding them with a comparison to their neighbors: "For from where the sun rises to where it sets, My name is honored among the nations, and everywhere incense and pure oblation are offered to My name, for My name is honored among the nations – said the Lord of Hosts. But you profane it when you say, 'The table of the Lord is defiled and the meat, the food, can be treated with scorn…" (Malachi 1:11-12)

Rashi records an opinion that "there were sages who held that this verse meant that even though the nations of the world worshipped other gods, still they recognized that God is God over all of the other gods, willingly making offerings in His name." Malachi intended to force the people of Israel to recognize the bitter irony that sometimes the nations of the world have something to teach the people of Israel about religious behavior especially when the nations treat the religion of Israel with honor while Jews sometimes treat God and their own religious tradition with contempt.

This recognition prompted the following 7th century midrash to ask why God continues His special relationship with the people of Israel: Said the Holy One Blessed Be He to Israel: "Not because you are a larger people than other peoples, and not because you do more mitzvoth (here: good deeds) than other people, for [there are times when] they glorify My name more than you, as it says: 'For from where the sun rises to where it sets, My name is honored among the nations… But you profane it when you say; The table of the Lord is defiled.' (1:11-12) Furthermore, you are the smallest (hame'at) of nations. Still, 'the Lord favored you' (Deut. 7:8) [What explains this anomaly?] I [God] love you because you [the people of Israel] belittle (hemeat) yourselves in My presence. This is why I love you, as it says: 'I have shown you love, said the Lord. (Malachi 1:2) (Tanhuma Buber ed. Ekev 4)

According to this midrash, Israel possesses the special ability to be self-critical before God. This midrash asserts that Jews are no better than the other nations of the world. Sometimes, the nations will even outdo us in their religious commitments to God. What distinguishes us is our ability to "belittle" ourselves, recognize mistakes and hopefully correct them. This is the message of the prophets to their people. Without this ability a nation and people will remain static, mired in whatever wrongs they might accumulate, never able to renew their relationships with God. The ability to humble oneself and recognize ones relationship with God and to fix that which is broken is why God loves the Jewish people. This ability is a gift we must share with the world.

This study piece is offered as a service of the United Synagogue Conservative Yeshiva. It is prepared by Rabbi Mordechai (Mitchell) Silverstein, senior lecturer in Talmud and Midrash at the Conservative Yeshiva. He is a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

With the permission of The United Synagogue Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem, Rabbi Edward S. Romm - Director of Education
© 2005

Henry Ray Wengrow
Ritual Chair
Beth Shalom

Parshat Haye Sarah

Dear Friends:
By my count this is the 33rd Haftorah commentary that I have sent out. As you all know, this commentary is provided by the Conservative seminary in Israel. What you may not know is that it is supported by contributions and next week or the week after I will provide you with an opportunity to show your appreciation by telling you how you can contribute.

Parshat Haye Sarah
(1 Kings 1:1-31)
November 18, 2006

The conflict between Adonijah and Solomon over the right to succeed their father had a profound impact not only on the relationships in David's family but on the kingdom as well. It threatened the integrity of David's fragile monarchy which had only been in existence a single generation. How was David to fend off this challenge to his rule and how was he to protect his own ability to name his successor?

David thwarted Adoniyah's palace coup by having his son Solomon anointed as king: "Let the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anoint him there king over Israel, where upon you shall sound the horn and shout, 'Long live King Solomon!' (verse 34) Sages in rabbinic times (2nd century Eretz Yisrael) noticed, however, what they thought to be a halachic anomaly in how David met the threat to his kingdom. David's move contradicted what for the sages was established law and consequently established a new precedent: "[the anointing oil made by Moses] was used to anoint the high priest who was the son of the high priest but a king who was the son of the king need not be anointed. So why then was Solomon anointed? [He was anointed in order] to resolve the dispute with Adonijah. (Sifra Tzav, Mechilta d'Milluim Parsha 1, 9)

David's stop gap measure become established law and was ultimately codified by Maimonides: One does not anoint the king who is the son of a king, except where there is a dispute or a war over the crown. In these instances, one anoints the future king in order to quash the dispute. This is why they anointed Solomon – because of Adoniyah (Mishneh Torah Laws of Kings 1:12)

This ruling played an interesting role in a ruling (teshuva) of the First Sephardic Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel, Rabbi Ben Zion Uziel, who was asked whether the position of rabbi of a synagogue was an inherited position or not. He asserted that a synagogue did not necessarily have to hire the son of its previous rabbi, noting that since Adoniyah had popular support, he would have become the accepted king if David had not had Solomon anointed. Where there is no possibility of anointing a leader, according to Rabbi Uziel, then popular acclamation was the means for determining a leader. Consequently, synagogues should not be bound to accept as rabbi a person who had inherited the position.

Furthermore, Rabbi Uziel asserts, using this argument that it is not acceptable for a kingdom to have a leader thrust upon the people of a kingdom where there is no popular affirmation. His reading of this story and its legal ramifications leads him to conclude that there are two conditions for leadership: 1. the leader must be qualified for the position; 2. the leader must have popular affirmation. (See Mishpatei Uziel 2:42:1)

Ultimately, Rabbi Uziel reads this law in a way which affirms the people's right to choose and the need for a normative means of choosing a leader. The governing stability that David sought to achieve in an authoritative way, Uziel seeks to establish by democratic means.

This study piece is offered as a service of the United Synagogue Conservative Yeshiva. It is prepared by Rabbi Mordechai (Mitchell) Silverstein, senior lecturer in Talmud and Midrash at the Conservative Yeshiva. He is a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

With the permission of The United Synagogue Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem, Rabbi Edward S. Romm - Director of Education
© 2005

Henry Ray Wengrow
Ritual Chair
Beth Shalom
896-7780 or 361-1867

Parshat Vayera

Parshat Vayera
(2 Kings 4:1-37)
November 11, 2006

This week's haftarah contains two miraculous episodes in which Elisha, Elijah's protégé, saved hapless victims from tragic circumstances. In the first story, Elisha saved a poverty stricken woman from having to sell her children into slavery to settle her debts. This woman, who remains anonymous in the biblical story, becomes a heroic figure in a midrash that will be the focus of our studies.

This midrash focuses on the first verse of the haftarah: "A certain woman, the wife of one of the disciples of the prophets, cried out to Elisha: 'Your servant my husband is dead, and you know how your servant revered the Lord.'" (verse 1) However, this midrash takes this verse totally out of its original context and instead reads it as part of the unrelated story which precedes it in the book of Kings. This midrash is based on a method of interpretation known as "simihat parshiyot – the juxtaposition of passages" which allows the interpreter to interpret two unrelated passages in close physical proximity to each other in the biblical text as if they were indeed related, with surprising results.

The previous passage (3:24-27) relates the story of the Moabite king, Mesha, whose unsuccessful battles against the army of Judah, led him to sacrifice his only son to his deity in the hope that it would bring him success in battle. After recording this event, the Bible comments: "A great wrath came upon Israel, so they withdrew from him and went back to their own land." (verse 27) The combination of this verse and the preceding events troubled the sages and required explanation. The following midrash used the opening verse of our haftarah to resolve this problem: Rabbi Nehuniah ben Hakaneh says: 'Righteousness raises a people to honor" refers to Israel, [the second half of the verse:] "lovingkindness is a disgrace to any nation" is interpreted to mean that the acts of lovingkindness done by the other nations of the world disgrace Israel.' (See Proverbs 14:34) From whom do we learn the truth of this interpretation? We learn it from Mesha, king of Moab. What did he do? He gathered all of his astrologers and asked them: When I make war on any other nation, I defeat them. Why is it that when I make war on the Jews, they defeat me? They answered him: [They defeat you because] of the merits of one of their ancestors. Mesha asked: 'Who is this ancestor?' They said: 'His name was Abraham.' Mesha asked once again: 'What did he do?' They responded: 'An only son was given to him when he was a hundred years old and nevertheless he offered him up as a sacrifice.' He asked: 'Did he really sacrifice him?' They answered: 'No.' Mesha said: 'Well if he didn't sacrifice him and still miracles were done for him, if he really would have sacrificed him, how much more so! Now, I have an only son who in the future will become king in my stead. If I offer him as a sacrifice to my deity, perhaps miracles will be performed for me. He offered him up. Afterwards, Scripture says: 'A great wrath came upon Israel.' Why should Israel be punished if a foreign king offers his son as a sacrifice to a foreign deity? The Holy One Blessed be He said to Israel: 'My children, the nations of the world don't recognize My strength and so rebel against Me, but you who recognize My strength, still rebel against Me. [This explains how the nations embarrass Israel.] Said Rabbi Mana: 'Were it not for the merit of the wife of Ovadiah (the woman in our story), Israel would have been destroyed at that very moment. What did she do? She pronounced her recognition of God: 'A certain woman, the wife of one of the disciples of the prophets, cried out to Elisha: 'Your servant my husband is dead, and you know how your servant revered the Lord.' (adapted and abridged from Pesikta d'Rav Kahana 2:5 Mandelbaum ed. pp. 21-3)

Rabbi Mana uses this "smichat parshiyot" to illustrate that every one of us, even the person in the most humble of circumstances, has the potential to rescue not only Israel through their actions and beliefs but possibly even the world.

This study piece is offered as a service of the United Synagogue Conservative Yeshiva. It is prepared by Rabbi Mordechai (Mitchell) Silverstein, senior lecturer in Talmud and Midrash at the Conservative Yeshiva. He is a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

With the permission of The United Synagogue Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem, Rabbi Edward S. Romm - Director of Education
© 2005

Henry Ray Wengrow
Ritual Chair
Beth Shalom

Friday Night Talks

On Friday evenings, starting in November, Rabbi Siff will begin teaching on a rotating schedule of 4 topics. Each of these 4 topics will form a year-long series.

1st Friday of each month: Taking it Home: Jewish Observance Outside the Synagogue–Rabbi Siff will explore the details and purpose of halachic practices. He will start with a discussion of the Sabbath, looking both at the details of observance and at how the Sabbath can transform our lives.

2nd Friday of each month: Jewish Prayer as a Spiritual Practice–Rabbi Siff will discuss the meaning of Jewish Prayer in general, and how the prayers help us relate to God and each other, and to grow as human beings.

3rd Friday of each month: Luzzatto’s “Path of the Upright”–this inspirational book, stemming from the ethical⁄mystical tradition, discusses 12 middot (virtues), which form steps on the path to a life infused with holiness. Each week, Rabbi Siff will discuss one middah.

4th Friday of each month: Judaism in our Everyday Life–Rabbi Siff will explore Judaism’s teachings about how we treat each other in our business, family and social lives.

Hope to see you there!
Rabbi David Siff

Parshat Lekh Lekha

Parshat Lekh Lekha
(Isaiah 40:27-41:16)
November 4, 2006

Isaiah challenged his fellow countrymen for abandoning God and for acting as if God is unaware of their actions. He reminded them that God is not only aware of their actions but is the one who lends "strength to the weary" and "fresh vigor to the spent". (40:29). He is also the One who rewards those who believe in Him: "But they who trust in the Lord shall renew their strength as eagles grow new plumes (yaalu eiver kanesharim): They shall run and not grow weary; they shall march and not grow faint." (40:31)

Targum Yonathan, the 7th century Aramaic translation of the Prophets, asserts that this last description describes God's promise to rescue those loyal to Him from Babylonian exile: "Those who believe in God's power to redeem, He will gather them from throughout the exile, increase their strength, renew their youth like the new growth on the wings of eagles; they will run and not be weary, they will march and not grow faint."

The Targum draws our attention, in particular to Isaiah's remarkable comparison between the renewal of strength and the development of new plumage on the wings of an eagle. Apparently there was a popular belief in Biblical times that eagles regain their youth when they molt. (NJPS p. 937) This same idea is also expressed by the psalmist: "He (God) satisfies you with good things in the prime of life so that your youth is renewed like an eagle." (103:5)

Rabbi David Kimche (12th century Provence) develops this idea in an unusual way. He quotes an otherwise lost explanation of this image from Rabbi Saadiah Gaon, the most prominent sage from the period of the Gaonim (9th century Egypt, Eretz Yisrael, Babylonia): "For the eagle (phoenix?) rises up high in the heavens for ten years, approaching the heat of the sun, and then thrusts itself into the ocean because of the great heat, molts its feathers, is renewed afterwards, sprouts wings and is restored to the days of its youth. This happens every ten years until the age of one hundred years. When it reaches one hundred, it rises up and falls into the ocean and dies."

This interpretation bears an incredible resemblance to the mythological phoenix, a bird known in the ancient world for its ability to regenerate and reincarnate itself. Saadya apparently seized upon this popular legend and associated it with Isaiah's "nesher" to produce a symbol of constant renewal. This symbol represented, for Saadya, the fate of the Jewish people in the world. They will perpetually rise up out of the ashes, invigorated with renewed strength to build a future even greater than the past. May Saadya's vision become our reality.

This study piece is offered as a service of the United Synagogue Conservative Yeshiva. It is prepared by Rabbi Mordechai (Mitchell) Silverstein, senior lecturer in Talmud and Midrash at the Conservative Yeshiva. He is a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

With the permission of The United Synagogue Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem, Rabbi Edward S. Romm - Director of Education
© 2005

Henry Ray Wengrow
Ritual Chair, Beth Shalom

Minyan cancellation

The minyan previously scheduled for this Sunday, November 5th is cancelled.

The Ritual Committee is working on the Sunday minyan schedule and hope to have the new time & schedule announced soon.

Thank you!
Beth Shalom Synagogue