Benjamin's jump-off page

In memory of Rabin's assassination, Conservative Jews around the world have been learning Mishnah with Rabbi Simchah Roth.

16th January 1996

24th Tevet 5756

Hareini lomed/lomedet Mishnah le'ilu'i nishmato shel Yitzchak ben Rosa u-Nechemya Rabin I am studying Mishnah in the sacred memory of Yitzchak Rabin, son of Rosa and Nechemya

TRACTATE KIDDUSHIN, CHAPTER ONE, MISHNAH TEN

Anyone who performs one mitzvah [commandment] is benefitted, is granted length of days and inherits the earth; anyone who does not perform one mitzvah is not benefitted, is not granted length of days and does not inherit the earth. Anyone who is part of Bible-study, Mishnah-study and earning an honest living will not quickly sin, as it is said: "A three-ply cord is not easily snapped"; anyone who is not part of Bible-study, Mishnah-study and earning an honest living is not part of society.

EXPLANATIONS:

1. Mishnayot 7, 8 and 9 have all been concerned in some way or other with the categorization of mitzvot. This last Mishnah of Chapter One seems to be concerned with the effects of observance of the mitzvot.

2. This Mishnah is very difficult to render into English, and despite my efforts to give a 'neutral' translation, in some places it may be misleading.

3. Some examples of translation problems which may have exegetical repercussions:

a) "Anyone who performs one mitzvah is benefitted": what I have translated as a passive verb, in the original is, in fact, a transitive verb and in the third person plural - "they benefit him". I have translated as I have since this verbal form is accepted procedure in Mishnaic Hebrew for indicating a verb without a subject or an impersonal verb. b) "Earning an honest living" is how I have translated the Hebrew "derekh eretz". We are naturally influenced by the meaning of this phrase in Yiddish parlance, where it indicates 'common politeness'. However, after having checked the phrase in several Mishnaic contexts I am reasonably certain that it means 'earning a living', 'having a trade or profession', 'being of gainful occupation'. The easiest context for checking up on my opinion seems to be Tractate Avot, Chapter Two, Mishnah Two (which can be found in almost every siddur [prayer-book] attached the Shabbat Afternoon Service):- 'Rabban Gamliel the son of Rabbi Yehudah ha-Nasi says, "Torah study is nice together with earning a living, for working hard at both of them will leave no opportunity for sin; and any Torah[-study] that is not accompanied by an occupation will eventually be nullified and encourages sin ..."'

4. The verse that the Mishnah quotes ("A three-ply cord is not easily snapped") is to be found in Chapter Four, verse 12 of Kohelet [Ecclesiastes].

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21st January 1996

29th Tevet 5756

Hareini lomed/lomedet Mishnah le'ilu'i nishmato shel

Yitzchak ben Rosa u-Nechemya Rabin I am studying Mishnah in the sacred memory of Yitzchak Rabin, son of Rosa and Nechemya

TRACTATE KIDDUSHIN, CHAPTER ONE, MISHNAH TEN (recap)

Our explanation of this Mishnah has raised several important questions, which I feel should be resolved before continuing.

On 18th January we noted that the Gemara on our Mishnah notes a contradiction between the implications of its first clause and Tractate Pe'ah, Chapter One, Mishnah One. ALAN GANAPOL writes concerning this contradiction:

Maybe I am missing something... but I don't see the listing of the 10 mitzvot connected to the notion of needing to perform/observe all 10. Any one would be OK, from the structure of the statement.

SIMCHAH ROTH responds: The Mishnah in Pe'ah starts with the phrase "These are matters whose effects etc..." The Gemara assumes that any such phrase used in the Mishnah means (wherever it

occurs) means

"These are ALL the matters etc" - otherwise what is the point of the list? If in Pe'ah we are told "THESE are ALL the matters whose effects one enjoys in this life, but whose reward is reserved for the Afterlife" and in Kiddushin we are told "Anyone who performs BUT ONE mitzvah is benefitted, is granted length of days and inherits the earth" (in whichever world!) - you have a contradiction to be resolved.

ALAN continues:

Also, I just opened up my Artscroll Siddur and turned to the above paragraph from Shabbos 127a... from their translation and what I can gather from the Hebrew the benefit comes to both this world (ohchel payrotayhem) and also in the olam habah (v'hakeren kayemet). Perhaps the intent of the statement was to communicate a difference in the nature of the "payback"?

SIMCHAH responds: Rather surprisingly, the Mishnah in Pe'ah uses a metaphor. The metaphor is drawn from the world of banking and finance and means that "the following are matters in which we use the interest [peyrot] accruing to the account in this life while the original deposit [keren] still remains for the Afterlife. You may construe the metaphor as you understand it - as I did.

ED FRANKEL suggests a different resolution of the contradiction:

The moderator aptly notes the contradiction between the mishnah here studied and the first of Peah. I would be more concerned if the Mishnah was considered fully as a halachic opus, which is generally how it is treated. However, on closer examination - particularly in Avot, Eduyot and Horayot, we find example after example of conflicting views of Jewish concern for practice and thinking. Given this tendency, perhaps if we considered [this] Mishnah as a work of halachic theorizing from which emanated halachic practice, this local difficulty would appear less troubling.

MEREDITH WARSHAW raises a question of translation:

>>... These are matters whose effects one enjoys in this life, but whose reward is reserved for the Afterlife: loving parents...<<

Is it really "loving parents" versus the commandment to "honor your parents"? I'm afraid my Hebrew is too weak for me to check the original myself. The reason I ask is because there is a big difference between the two. I can honor my parents for having given me life, even if they were not good parents after that. However, it is not possible to love on command, and there are unfortunately many of us from dysfunctional families, whose parents have done things to make it almost impossible to love them.

SIMCHAH ROTH responds:

My translation was after careful consideration. A few words of introduction first. I once read a piece where the rabbi-author noted that the mitzvot of the Torah are addressed to various categories of people, including young children, and he duly noted "Honour thy father and thy mother". We must note here a basic common error: NO mitzvot at all are addressed to minors, and the mitzvot concerning child/parent relationships are all addressed to us ADULTS with aging parents.

The discussion in the Gemara notes that there are two basic commands that devolve upon offspring as regards their parents: "kibbud" and "mora". One of these may be translated as "love" and one as "honour". The Gemara [Kiddushin 31b] gives the following behaviour-patterns as evincing "mora": "not standing in [the parent's] special place, not sitting in his special chair, not correcting him, not contradicting him". Later on many others are given but these will suffice for our present purposes. The Gemara then gives the following behaviour- patterns as evincing "kibbud": "providing him with food and drink, with clothing and housing, assisting him to get about".

It seems to me that the former patterns are what we would refer to as "respect" or "honour", while the latter are expressions of "love". It therefore seems to me more appropriate to translate the Torah command in Shemot 20:12 as "Love your father and mother". The command in Vayikra 19:3 should be translated as "Each person must respect [or honour] his mother and father".

None of this solves the dilemma posed by Meredith. There are many such "love"-commands in the Torah - love God, love the stranger, love your neighbour etc. In all cases the rabbis note that the Torah is not commanding emotion but behaviour: behave towards them with those behaviour patterns that are usually perceived as being motivated by feelings of love - seeking their good, helping, cossetting and so forth.

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RABIN MISHNAH STUDY GROUP

Daily Mishnah Study in the climate of

Masorti (Conservative) Judaism

Rabbi Simchah Roth

of the Rabbinical Assembly in Israel.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

22nd January 1996 Rosh Chodesh

1st Shevat 5756

Hareini lomed/lomedet Mishnah le'ilu'i nishmato shel Yitzchak ben Rosa u-Nechemya Rabin I am studying Mishnah in the sacred memory of Yitzchak Rabin, son of Rosa and Nechemya

TRACTATE KIDDUSHIN, CHAPTER ONE, MISHNAH TEN (recap)

EXPLANATIONS (continued):

8. The time has come to study the resolution of the conflict between the reisha [first part] of our Mishnah and the other Mishnah from tractate Pe'ah. Our Mishnah suggests that the performance of but one mitzvah can bring about weal (in either life) whereas the other Mishnah suggested that only those in the list given there were so effective.

The Gemara in fact limits both mishnayot! The Mishnah in Pe'ah is explained as applying to a certain situation: when one's good deeds and one's bad deeds are evenly balanced, then if one of the good deeds is one of those on the list it is given extra weighting. Our Mishnah is then found to be saying something similar about all the other mitzvot: when one's good deeds and one's bad deeds are evenly balanced, then the performance of but one extra mitzvah will tip the balance and have enormous beneficial consequences. This brings the rabbis to the obvious psychological conclusion: "A person should always see himself as half-innocent and half-guilty; the performance of one mitzvah will bring him weal because he has tilted the scales in favour of innocence; the performance of one 'averah' [sin] will bring him woe because he has tilted the scales the other way. This is the meaning of Kohelet [Ecclesiastes 9:18]: 'One sin[ner] can lose much good' - that one sin that he did lost him [the efficacy of] all the good things he did.

To be continued.

MEREDITH WARSHAW is still concerned about my translation of "kibbud" as "loving" parents. She writes:

Rather than "love", the examples given: "providing him with food and drink, with clothing and housing, assisting him to get about", seem to me to be better expressed by the term "care for" or "take care of". I am certainly able to obey a command to take care of my parents, my neighbor, the stranger in my midst - whether or not I feel any love for them.

It seems to me that it would be better to use the less emotionally laden term for these behaviors. This is not meant to be a niggling argument over semantics but a very pragmatic point. The reason is that when I am given a commandment that I have no hope of fulfilling, I tend to give up and not even try. However, when given a commandment that I _can_ attain, I have a goal to strive for. So, I can certainly aspire to take care of my parents, neighbors, the stranger among us. I will do so willingly and wholeheartedly if I'm not feeling guilty about feeling no love for them while performing the acts of caretaking.

SIMCHAH ROTH responds:

Meredith has convinced me, at least. The Torah does use the verb 'love' in many contexts in which love cannot be commanded, and the rabbis interpret the mitzvah as 'doing'. In which case, I shall always try to translate and teach the fifth commandment as "take care of your mother and father".

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RABIN MISHNAH STUDY GROUP

Daily Mishnah Study in the climate of

Masorti (Conservative) Judaism

Rabbi Simchah Roth

of the Rabbinical Assembly in Israel.

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23rd January 1996

2nd Shevat 5756

Hareini lomed/lomedet Mishnah le'ilu'i nishmato shel Yitzchak ben Rosa u-Nechemya Rabin I am studying Mishnah in the sacred memory of Yitzchak Rabin, son of Rosa and Nechemya

TRACTATE KIDDUSHIN, CHAPTER ONE, MISHNAH TEN (recap)

Anyone who performs one mitzvah [commandment] is

benefitted, is granted length of days and inherits the earth; anyone who does not perform one mitzvah is not benefitted, is not granted length of days and does not inherit the earth. Anyone who is part of Bible-study, Mishnah-study and earning an honest living will not quickly sin, as it is said: "A three-ply cord is not easily snapped"; anyone who is not part of Bible-study, Mishnah-study and earning an honest living is not part of society.

EXPLANATIONS (continued):

9. Our Mishnah has two parts. The first part, the Reisha as it is technically termed, has been the subject of our study so far. We now turn our attention to the Seifa [last part]. (Actually, in the Gemara the Seifa is given as a separate Mishnah.) In its positive wording the Seifa presents three requirements for the upright life: study of the Written Torah, study of the Oral Torah and economic self-sufficiency. In its negative wording it even goes so far as to say that one who does not, by choice, fulfill these requirements has opted out of society.

It can be said that to a certain extent the greatest sin a Jew can commit is the sin of ignorance. It may not sound pleasant to modern ears, but we are REQUIRED to obey Torah (just as any system of law requires obedience). One cannot obey a law of which one is ignorant - and "ignorance of the law is no excuse!" Judaism is

often characterized as a religion which puts greater store by "deeds" than by "faith". This is so. But there is another "choice-situation" that is the subject of discussion in the Gemara [Kiddushin 40b] -"deeds" or "study"? "Rabbi Tarfon and the [other] sages were assembled in the top-floor room of Bet Nit'za in Lod, when the following question was presented:

'Which is

greater - study or performance?' Rabbi Tarfon responded that performance was greater. All the rest responded that study was greater - 'for study is the prelude to performance'. In the statement of principles of Conservative Judaism called "Emet ve-Emunah", published in 1988, there is a section on "The Ideal Conservative Jew" (pages 56-57). There it is stated: "The second mark of the ideal Conservative Jew is that he or she is a LEARNING Jew ... One who is ignorant of our classics cannot be affected by their message ... Jewish learning is a lifelong quest through which we integrate Jewish and general knowledge for the sake of personal enrichment, group creativity and world transformation." Talmud gadol she-ha-talmud meyvi liydey ma'aseh [study is greater for study is the prelude to performance].

Principles that are not acted upon tend to be meaningless principles. That is why it has always been the habit of Jews who take this principle seriously to set aside some time - however small - for daily study of our sources. This is called "kevi'at ittim le-Torah" [fixing times for Torah-study]. From my incoming e-mail I know that many use RMSG for their "daily fix". I am grateful and humbled - and that's why I try to keep each day's post as short as is conveniently possible.

One problem could be the opposite - the person who devotes ALL his time to Torah study. That is the concern of the remainder of our Mishnah.

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RABIN MISHNAH STUDY GROUP

Daily Mishnah Study in the climate of

Masorti (Conservative) Judaism

Rabbi Simchah Roth

of the Rabbinical Assembly in Israel.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

24th January 1996

3rd Shevat 5756

Hareini lomed/lomedet Mishnah le'ilu'i nishmato shel Yitzchak ben Rosa u-Nechemya Rabin I am studying Mishnah in the sacred memory of Yitzchak Rabin, son of Rosa and Nechemya

TRACTATE KIDDUSHIN, CHAPTER ONE, MISHNAH TEN (recap)

EXPLANATIONS (continued):

10. We have seen how our Mishnah sees regular study of both parts of the Torah (Written and Oral) as being essential. Rambam [Maimondes, Egypt, 12th century] writes thus: "Every person [ish] in Israel is required to study Torah - poor or rich, healthy or suffering, young or strengthless old sage; even one who goes from door to door and subsists on charity ... is required to fix some time for Torah study by day and night... [Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Talmud Torah, 1:8].

It is not too difficult to see how this requirement could be extended 'ad infinitum': if study of Torah is so important why should someone not devote himself to that task to the exclusion of everything else? Here our Mishnah interjects concerning "earning an honest living". The same Rambam as wrote the halakhah quoted above also wrote the following very clear statement:

"Anyone who

decides to study Torah [only], not to engage in earning a livelihood but to subsist on charity - such a person is desecrating the Divine Name, denigrating Torah, quenching the light of religion, bringing evil upon himself and denying himself eternal life... [Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Talmud Torah, 3:10].

At the start of the 19th century this question was one of the major 'issues' between the emergent Reform Judaism and its emergent antithesis Orthodoxy. Reform raised the western way of life almost to the level of a sacred precept; therefore it was inevitable that Orthodoxy would decry it and all its nefarious ways: western dress and western culture were to be spurned and shunned by any "good" Jew. The "ideal" Jew, according to the new Orthodoxy, would be one who devoted his every waking moment to Torah study, and it was a "mitzvah" to assist him therein; such an "ideal Jew" would have no time for and no interest in secular studies and mundane occupations. For some Jews in Central Europe this was almost like "throwing the baby out with the bath-water"! Thus, under the tutelage of Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, there emerged in mid-19th-century Germany an offshoot of the new orthodoxy. It agreed with the orthodoxy of Chatam Sofer in all matters except the question of western culture: where western culture did not directly contravene established Torah law it was permitted, even encouraged. This form of orthodoxy was called "Torah im Derekh Eretz", and is the progenitor of modern Neo-Orthodoxy.

Most of this was already explained in our posting of 14th January. However, just to clarify matters: Reform is still Reform; the form of orthodoxy introduced by Chatam Sofer is now known as Ultra- orthodoxy; the form of orthodoxy introduced by Shimshon Raphael Hirsch is now known as Orthodoxy; the Judaism introduced by Zachariah Fraenkel is now known as Conservative Judaism (or Masorti Judaism).

11. "Anyone who is not part of Bible-study,

Mishnah-study and earning an honest living is not part of society." Such a person has separated himself so far from what are considered basic norms in the Jewish tradition that he has in fact "opted out" of traditional Jewish society. The Gemara goes so far as to state that it is possible that such a person, who is living in a self-created desert, may not give evidence in a Jewish court of Law.

Several items on this and the previous mishnah have been held over, and hopefully will be posted tomorrow.

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* Please feel free to pass this material on; my

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* The address for discussion, queries, comments and

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* To: Rabbi Simchah Roth *

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RABIN MISHNAH STUDY GROUP

Daily Mishnah Study in the climate of

Masorti (Conservative) Judaism

Rabbi Simchah Roth

of the Rabbinical Assembly in Israel.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

25th January 1996

4th Shevat 5756

Hareini lomed/lomedet Mishnah le'ilu'i nishmato shel Yitzchak ben Rosa u-Nechemya Rabin I am studying Mishnah in the sacred memory of Yitzchak Rabin, son of Rosa and Nechemya

Today's post contains some of the messages received of late.

ART WERSCHULZ relates to a response by (concerning Mishnah Nine):

One could presumably fresh-bake matzot using chadash flour, no?

SIMCHAH ROTH: agreed - in theory. In practice, baking matzot during

Pessach is considered a 'hazardous' practice

kashrut-wise.

MEREDITH WARSHAW is concerned about the incineration of Orlah (fruit from the first three years of growth) - from the discussion on Mishnhah Nine:

Would it be forbidden to donate the fruit to a non-Jewish soup kitchen? In that case, one wouldn't be eating or deriving any benefit from the fruit. Or is Orlah fruit forbidden to gentiles as well? It seems a shame to incinerate food when so many people are hungry.

SIMCHAH ROTH responds:

For me, one of the nicest things about RMSG is that I get to learn too! Meredith, here is my suggested solution [based on Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Ma'akhalot Assurot, 10:14; Tur, Yoreh De'ah, 294; Shulkhan Arukh, ibid]: Before planting the fruit-tree enter into an 'agreement' with a non-Jew: the tree belongs to both of you, and the agreement is that anything that grows during the first three years belongs to the non-Jew and who may do with it as s/he pleases; anything that grows thereafter will belong to you. I'm afraid that won't work for Ya'akov Adler's fig-tree (see below), because he didn't enter into such a partnership before the planting. Most important: for PRACTICAL halakhic purposes (as different from theory) please consult your local Conservative rabbi. That's what s/he's there for!

YA'AKOV ADLER has further queries concerning Orlah (Mishnah Nine):

I am wondering how one determines the age of a tree for Orlah. (1) Do you start counting from the time the tree begins to exist, or from the time it is planted in its permanent location? (2) Do you count by growing seasons (i.e., Tu bi-Shevat) or by elapsed time?. E.g., my fig tree was planted in its present location in the spring of 5754. When can I start eating?

SIMCHAH ROTH responds:

You count from the time of original planting. Each of the three years counts from Rosh Ha-Shanah (1st Tishri); however, thirty days of the year are counted as one year! Since your fig-tree was planted in the spring of 5754 its fruit will become available to you, in theory, on 1st Tishri 5757 - in fact on 3rd Tishri (16th September 1996). Enjoy. If there is one, please consult your local

Conservative Rabbi.

Messages received concerning Mishnah Ten - tomorrow.

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* Please feel free to pass this material on; my

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RABIN MISHNAH STUDY GROUP

Daily Mishnah Study in the climate of

Masorti (Conservative) Judaism

Rabbi Simchah Roth

of the Rabbinical Assembly in Israel.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

26th January 1996

5th Shevat 5756

Hareini lomed/lomedet Mishnah le'ilu'i nishmato shel Yitzchak ben Rosa u-Nechemya Rabin I am studying Mishnah in the sacred memory of Yitzchak Rabin, son of Rosa and Nechemya

TRACTATE KIDDUSHIN, CHAPTER ONE, MISHNAH TEN (recap)

Today's post contains more messages received of late.

REUVEN BOXMAN comments on my response to Ya'akov Adler yesterday concerning Orlah:

With respect to counting of the time [from which the first three years begin], the practical question is whether you count from the 'original' planting date (eg when the seeds were first placed in the ground) or as Ya'akov Adler asks, when the tree is put into is permanent location (i.e. when the seedling or sapling is transplanted). I think your answer may have glossed over the implication of his question, and the difference in time between these two dates may be several years. My understanding is that the clock begins to tick at the latter date, though I would be happy to hear an interpretation favoring the earlier date. I have heard of strategems (mostly impractical) for starting the clock at the earlier date, i.e. keeping the tree in a pot which is not in contact with the earth.

SIMCHAH ROTH responds:

I tried to be brief - and brevity is not always the soul of wit, it seems! I did write clearly - and Reuven 'quotes' my word: "You count from the time of ORIGINAL planting". A matter raised in the Tosefta [a contemporary, parallel and companion work to the Mishnah] is the cause of the 'fuzziness' in this matter, and rests on the question how long it takes for a sapling to take on vitality. The moderns who have related to this matter (particularly Rav Kuk and the Chazon Ish) decided that all saplings that are potted in plastic pots - and that is the overwhelming majority - count from the ORIGINAL planting in the plastic pot, and their later transplanting makes no matter. Only if the sapling was nursed in a large, unholed stone or metal pot would a problem arise.

ALAN GANAPOL comments on the concept of Reward/Punishment discussed in Mishnah Ten:

The implied "quid pro quo" message of the mishnah and also parts of the Torah (note Devarim 11:13-21, the third paragraph after the Shema) has often troubled me. It would appear to me that Abbaye, Rav, Rashi, Rambam, etc. had similar problems and so they looked to the "Olam ha-Ba" as a solution to the dilemma... that bad stuff can happen to tzadikim. I for one find this answer unsatisfactory. I believe deeply that the reward comes from just doing the mitzvah. The sense of connection and fulfillment is the reward. Nothing else. It is possible to construct all sorts of metaphors around the "lengthen your days" notion to make this notion work. Perhaps as successfully as the Rabbanim constructed thoughts around "Olam ha-Ba".

SIMCHAH ROTH responds:

Alan has raised two issues here: the issue of "Tzadik ve-ra lo" or "Why do the righteous suffer and/or the wicked prosper?" (Theodicy); and the issue of "Reward and Punishment" in general. Both of these issues are "wider than the earth, deeper than the sea", and we cannot do them justice in a passing comment on a Mishnah. Those who are interested may wish to read up the very long excursus that Rambam wrote as part of the introduction to his commentary on Tractate Sanhedrin, Mishnah Ten - often familiarly known as "Perek Chelek". If people send me a note that they are interested and cannot locate the material themselves, I will do my best to prepare it and make it available via e-mail to those of the group who want it.

ED FRANKEL relates to a comment made by Meredith

Warshaw concerning the mitzvot of "loving" and "honouring" (Mishnah Ten):

The moderator duly notes the plethora of mitzvot involved in love. By the moderator's standard at least two different verbs are used to represent loving. The more common verb, not cited in our mishna, is a-h-v (ahov), and includes within it the full range of relational emotions from simple liking to deep romantic involvement. However, as was demonstrated to the Jewish Educators Assembly some years ago by Rabbi Marim Charry, the verb is also used to relate the mutual relationship of a king with his subjects, or of a greater power with lesser ones. In these cases, for instance, the repeated description in Kings and Chronicles of Hiram with David and Solomon, one might translate the verb as to demonstrate absolute allegiance. Extending this concept, one can understand how it may be easier at times to require demonstrations of allegiance than alterations to an emotional state. This would particularly affect the way we might understand concepts of loving God as stated in Kriyat Shema.

As to the other verb cited, I have never heard "morah" before translated as love. Generally it is described as a synonym for respect, but to a greater degree. However, most that I know translate it as either fear or awe. Rudolf Otto may be the best descriptor of awe. To be awestruck, if I remember him correctly, is to be struck silent for lack of adequate words. Somehow, that sounds a lot like a definition of absolute love as well.

SIMCHAH ROTH responds:

Ed, as far as "mora" is concerned I think you have misunderstood. It was "kibbud" that I translated as loving/caring. I translated "mora" as honour, respect. Check it out. Otherwise I find that what you wrote makes a lot of sense - particularly, as you say, as regards

Keri'at Shema.

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=========================================================================

Date: Sun, 28 Jan 1996 05:16:43 +0200

Reply-To: DAILY STUDY OF MISHNAH IN THE SPIRITUAL

CLIMATE OF CONSERVATIVE

JUDAISM

Sender: DAILY STUDY OF MISHNAH IN THE SPIRITUAL

CLIMATE OF CONSERVATIVE

JUDAISM

From: Simchah Roth

Subject: RMSG: 28th January

RABIN MISHNAH STUDY GROUP

Daily study of Mishnah in the climate

Masorti (Conservative) Judaism

Rabbi Simchah Roth

for the Rabbinical Assembly in Israel.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

28th January 1996

7th Shevat 5756

Hareini lomed/lomedet Mishnah le'ilu'i nishmato shel

Yitzchak ben Rosa

u-Nechemya Rabin I am studying Mishnah in memory of Yitzchak, son of Rosa and Nechemya Rabin

TRACTATE KIDDUSHIN, CHAPTER ONE, MISHNAH TEN (recap)

GLENN FARBER comments on this Mishnah:

This is such a seminal mishnah that it's hard to over-emphasize it. First, for the simple and effective direction that it gives in everyday life. It helps us avoid the common tendency to become too involved with Torah or work, neglecting the other. Instead, they complement and inform each other (compare this with Mordecai Kaplan's "living in two civilizations"). It also encapsulates essential Jewish philosophy. It teaches us that Torah is not to be an ivory tower abstraction. The sanctification of work is a fairly unique Jewish concept (the "Protestant work ethic" notwithstanding). Roger Kamenetz is in town (Washington) this weekend, lecturing on the commonalities between Judaism and Buddhism. An article in the local Jewish weekly reports on the many Jews who have been attracted to Buddhism, seeking the "spiritual fulfillment" they never found in Judaism. I think this Mishnah would give Kamenetz a good demonstration of some basic incompatibility in basic philosophies.

SIMCHAH ROTH comments:

The balance that the rabbis sought between "earning a living" and "devoting oneself to Torah" is beautifully illustrated in a discussion in the Talmud [Berakhot 35b]. Rabbi Yishma'el says that a verse in Devarim [Deuteronomy 11:14] that we read twice daily in the Shema teaches the importance of earning a living: "You shall [=should] gather in your corn, wine and oil [at the same time as keeping Torah]". Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is appalled at this teaching: "How can it be that a person is expected to plough, sow, reap, and thresh all at the right time, and to winnow when there's a good wind? - what will become of Torah[-study]?!" The Gemara does not attempt to decide between these two giants; but the Amora, Abbaye, makes a practical observation: "Many have acted according to the opinion of Rabbi Yishma'el and have been successful; many have acted according to the opinion of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and have not been successful." His friend and colleague, Rava, went much further. He would instruct his students: "I beg of you, during Nisan and Tishri [harvest time - Rashi] do not appear before me, or you will be jeopardizing your food supply for the whole year."