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Shabbat Table Talk

Parashat Shofetim – Erev Shabbat 25 August 2017

Week of 20-26 August 2017

 

Torah portion: Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9      Haftarah: Isa.51:12-52:12

 

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Two images from this parashat really came to life for me.  One is of the king “seated on his royal throne…with a copy of this Teaching…. let him read in it all his life. (Dt 17:18-19) This is a powerful reminder that nobody is above the law; rather, the law is above all of us. (And would that all the world’s leaders would show such reverence for their nation’s laws!)  

 

The other image is of “the body lying in the field.” (Dt 21:1) A man has been murdered and his identity, and that of his murderer, are unknown.  Now, the plight of an unknown murder victim could have been dealt with by saying a few pitying words and then providing a decent burial for the corpse.  Torah commands far more than this. (Dt 21:2-9) First, the distance to the town “nearest to the corpse” is measured.  It is not explained how the measurement is to be carried out but the fact that it is necessary suggests the remoteness of the murder scene.  The body is far from any town; yet there must be one town which is the ‘nearest’ and it is the elders of this town who must do what Torah commands.  In a ceremony which requires the slaughter of an innocent victim, an unbroken heifer, the elders are to wash their hands over the heifer’s body and declare: “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done.  Absolve, O lord, your people Israel…”  

 

Why do the elders have to absolve themselves of blood guilt in such a dramatic fashion?  One suggestion, favoured by Nehama Leibowitz (p.204), is that it was “to shock,” for “we know too well the indifference that prevails among people regarding the miseries of others.”  A fellow human being has been killed: we must pay attention. And why do the elders have to declare that they have neither committed the murder nor seen it done?  Surely nobody has accused them? One explanation is that it is possible to be indirectly responsible for a murder.  There is a social responsibility for murder: “The public as a whole and the city nearest to the slain and its elders are all responsible for the terrible deed committed in the field.  Their whole way of life, their social order, economic, educational and security institutions are answerable for the murder.  The guilt is not confined merely to the individual perpetrator.  The whole of society is directly involved.”  (Leibowitz, p. 207)

 

A few days before studying these verses I had seen a trailer for the movie Wind River, which included a shot of the body of a woman, in a blue winter jacket, lying face down in the snow.  The story of the movie centres on the murder of the woman, a Native American belonging to the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.   Such a story strikes home in Canada, where we are struggling to deal with our responsibility for the disproportionate number of missing and murdered Indigenous women in our country.  It is probable that Native American women are also more likely to be murder victims than other groups of women. Taylor Sheridan, who wrote and directed Wind River, has been quoted as saying: “…there wasn’t one Native American actor who read for me that didn’t begin their audition by saying: ‘My cousin…’ ‘My sister…’ ‘My best friend…’ ‘My somebody.’  They had all been touched by it.”  (Randall King, “Story Without Borders,” Winnipeg Free Press, August 11, 2017.)  Yet the wider American public seems little aware of the issue.

 

Perhaps the movie Wind River will serve the same purpose as measuring the distance to ‘the nearest town’.  May it make viewers aware of their collective responsibility for ‘the body lying in the field.’

 

Reflection:  There are many wrongs that need to be righted in this world but who can tackle them all?  What issues make you feel that you live in ‘the nearest town’ and are obligated to do something?

 

Bibliography: Leibowitz, Nehama.  Studies in Devarim (Jerusalem, n.d.)

 

This week’s teaching commentary is by

Anne Morton, Winnipeg, Canada

Bat Kol alum 2010

Email: anmorton@mymts.net

[Copyright © 2017]

 

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PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Parashah commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.   The commentaries, along with all materials published on the Bat Kol website, are copyrighted by the writers, and are made available for personal and group study, and local church purposes. Permission needed for other purposes.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

…………………………………………………………

 

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

~~1983-2017~~

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

Website: www.batkol.info;   Parashat Admin: gill@batkol.info

Shabbat Table Talk

Parashat  Re’eh  Shabbat, August 18th, 2017

Week of August 13th – 19th

Torah portion:   Dt.11:26 -16:17      Haftarah: Is. 54:11-55:5

 

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In our parashah this week we hear Moses speaking to the Israelites just prior to entering  the land, “Re’eh, see, I place before you this day a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that you listen to the commandments of the Lord.” (11:26) This is the person who follows none but the Lord and observes God’s commandments, while those who turn aside from God and do not obey God’s commandments will bring upon themselves a curse. In other words, Torah is observance and a curse is the abandonment of Torah values.

 

 The rabbis teach that when one hears, possibly the person does not believe but if the person sees something, they are willing to accept it as fact. The choice is for each individual to consider and to choose that which will give purpose and meaning to one’s life. Even the challenges of life can be seen as gifts since they can become opportunities to elevate oneself and to grow. Becoming overwhelmed by all the obstacles that a person faces in life is a danger.  One needs to remember that God has asked that we choose life for today, just one day at a time.

 

In the haftarah the people are invited to the waters, “Everyone who thirsts, Come!” (Is. 55:1)  Water is  the primary life sustaining substance and our most basic requirement. The Israelites on their sojourn in the desert knew all too well the necessity and value of water. It is life itself! In the Jewish tradition water is understood as a metaphor for the Torah. Just as water is essential to life, so too the Torah and  God gives this freely to all who want.

 

 Moses’ final instructions included specific actions. The Israelites were to wipe out the memory of the worship of former peoples so as not to be distracted and take on their practices. Instead they were to focus on building a sanctuary for God. The Israelites were to bring offerings and to rejoice at the place of sacrifice. Families were to offer one tenth of all they grew as well as the firstborn of their flocks and to celebrate as a community the feasts of Pesach, Shavu’ot and Sukkot.

 

 “Worship none but Him and hold fast to Him,” (13:15)   It is in this passage that the sages, “envisioned God as a raging fire…..how can one hold fast to fire? We cling to God by doing what God does, so to speak, this includes visiting the sick, sustaining the poor, freeing the enslaved and comforting the grieving.” (Hayim 1069)

 

There was to be a strict social order among the people to ensure that no one would be in need. In the assistance given, the recipient must never be humiliated or robbed of his/her dignity. Are we not all dependent on one another?  Every seventh year, debts were to be remitted and slaves set free. “Do not be hardhearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need.” (15:7-8)   Such a social concern and commitment to the other would serve us well in our society today. The well-being of the soul is possible only when that of the body is secure.  

 

 The basic concept on which all this rests is that each human being is of infinite value and created in the image of God, therefore we respect, cherish and care for the other. In all our reflection I think a fitting summation is the following: “Re’eh reflects the conceptual ideal of the entire Torah: humanity achieves holiness through the active process of balancing human needs, human desires and lofty values.” (Goldstein 356)

 

For Reflection and Discussion:[1.] In a time of transition, who/what has helped you most?

[2.] Might the sage’s message, “clinging to God is doing what God does,” make a difference in our lives?

Bibliography: Etz Hayim, Torah and Commentary (New York, 2001); Rabbi Uziel Milevsky, Perspectives on the Parashah (Southfield, MI.,2002), Rabbi Elyse Goldstein, The Women’s Torah Commentary, (Woodstock,VT., 2000)

 

This week’s teaching commentary was prepared by

Rita Kammermayer, B.A., B.Ed., Masters of Pastoral Studies, Jerusalem

Bat Kol Alumni – 2001; Email: ritakammermayer@netscape.net

[Copyright © 2017]

…………………………………………..………………………

PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Parashat commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.   The commentaries, along with all materials published on the Bat Kol website, are copyrighted by the writers, and are made available for personal and group study, and local church purposes. Permission needed for other purposes.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

.………………………………………………………

1983-2017

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

Website: www.batkol.info; Commentary Admin: gill@batkol.info

Shabbat Table Talk

Parashat  Re’eh  Shabbat, August 18th, 2017

Week of August 13th – 19th

Torah portion:   Dt.11:26 -16:17      Haftarah: Is. 54:11-55:5

 

Download

 

In our parashah this week we hear Moses speaking to the Israelites just prior to entering  the land, “Re’eh, see, I place before you this day a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that you listen to the commandments of the Lord.” (11:26) This is the person who follows none but the Lord and observes God’s commandments, while those who turn aside from God and do not obey God’s commandments will bring upon themselves a curse. In other words, Torah is observance and a curse is the abandonment of Torah values.

 

 The rabbis teach that when one hears, possibly the person does not believe but if the person sees something, they are willing to accept it as fact. The choice is for each individual to consider and to choose that which will give purpose and meaning to one’s life. Even the challenges of life can be seen as gifts since they can become opportunities to elevate oneself and to grow. Becoming overwhelmed by all the obstacles that a person faces in life is a danger.  One needs to remember that God has asked that we choose life for today, just one day at a time.

 

In the haftarah the people are invited to the waters, “Everyone who thirsts, Come!” (Is. 55:1)  Water is  the primary life sustaining substance and our most basic requirement. The Israelites on their sojourn in the desert knew all too well the necessity and value of water. It is life itself! In the Jewish tradition water is understood as a metaphor for the Torah. Just as water is essential to life, so too the Torah and  God gives this freely to all who want.

 

 Moses’ final instructions included specific actions. The Israelites were to wipe out the memory of the worship of former peoples so as not to be distracted and take on their practices. Instead they were to focus on building a sanctuary for God. The Israelites were to bring offerings and to rejoice at the place of sacrifice. Families were to offer one tenth of all they grew as well as the firstborn of their flocks and to celebrate as a community the feasts of Pesach, Shavu’ot and Sukkot.

 

 “Worship none but Him and hold fast to Him,” (13:15)   It is in this passage that the sages, “envisioned God as a raging fire…..how can one hold fast to fire? We cling to God by doing what God does, so to speak, this includes visiting the sick, sustaining the poor, freeing the enslaved and comforting the grieving.” (Hayim 1069)

 

There was to be a strict social order among the people to ensure that no one would be in need. In the assistance given, the recipient must never be humiliated or robbed of his/her dignity. Are we not all dependent on one another?  Every seventh year, debts were to be remitted and slaves set free. “Do not be hardhearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need.” (15:7-8)   Such a social concern and commitment to the other would serve us well in our society today. The well-being of the soul is possible only when that of the body is secure.  

 

 The basic concept on which all this rests is that each human being is of infinite value and created in the image of God, therefore we respect, cherish and care for the other. In all our reflection I think a fitting summation is the following: “Re’eh reflects the conceptual ideal of the entire Torah: humanity achieves holiness through the active process of balancing human needs, human desires and lofty values.” (Goldstein 356)

 

For Reflection and Discussion:[1.] In a time of transition, who/what has helped you most?

[2.] Might the sage’s message, “clinging to God is doing what God does,” make a difference in our lives?

Bibliography: Etz Hayim, Torah and Commentary (New York, 2001); Rabbi Uziel Milevsky, Perspectives on the Parashah (Southfield, MI.,2002), Rabbi Elyse Goldstein, The Women’s Torah Commentary, (Woodstock,VT., 2000)

 

This week’s teaching commentary was prepared by

Rita Kammermayer, B.A., B.Ed., Masters of Pastoral Studies, Jerusalem

Bat Kol Alumni – 2001; Email: ritakammermayer@netscape.net

[Copyright © 2017]

…………………………………………..………………………

PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Parashat commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.   The commentaries, along with all materials published on the Bat Kol website, are copyrighted by the writers, and are made available for personal and group study, and local church purposes. Permission needed for other purposes.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

.………………………………………………………

1983-2017

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

Website: www.batkol.info; Commentary Admin: gill@batkol.info

               Shabbat Table Talk

Parashat Eikev,  Erev Shabbat 11 August, 2017

    Week of 6-12 August, 2017

     Torah portion:   Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25     Haftarah: Isaiah 49:14-51:3

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Moses’ Second discourse contains the reminder that God has chosen this nation for a special purpose… to live as a holy people according to God’s commandments. (Frankel, p. 258). Re-reading Eikev several phrases caught my attention, phrases that encourage us today to live as a holy people whether we are Jewish or live according to another tradition. Today the description of “chosen people” might also be read as “who brings us near to God’s service” (Frankel, p.260)

 

-7:13 “favor you and bless you”, literally “love you and bless you”. A.J. Heshel says, only a blessing that flows from love deserves to be called a blessing. (Lieber, p. 1037)

 

-8:7 “A Good Land..”  The phrase is a repetition, like a refrain, and its descriptions of fruits and blessings easily jump into our memory and never cease to create a feeling of wonder and promise. The people, the land and God are all related to each other. (Klein, p.49)

-8:10 “When you have eaten your fill”, Shlomo of Karlin says, when one eats in a spirit of gratitude, whether there is much food or little, the meal is satisfying! (Lieber,  p.1041)

 

-9:7 “remember, never forget”…we are not so virtuous, we are prone to defiance of God! We note again, when there is a repetition, it is important to pay attention. Humility is a necessary quality, (Plaut, p.1226).

 

-9:12 “the people you (Moshe) brought out of Egypt”, God shows irritation to our defiance.

 

-9:26 “Your very own (G-d’s) people”, Moshe, as mediator… appeals to G-d (Lieber, p. 1046)

 

-10:8 “to bless in His name”, i.e. that is to pronounce the priestly benediction

 

-10:19 “you too must befriend the stranger”, the ‘stranger’ is a word describing the resident alien in the land.  “Befriend” or the literal translation “love” sets a high standard.  In today’s world with many refugees and individuals searching for a better life away from their native country, this call to me seems the challenge of the times. The fact that “love the stranger” is used 36 times in the Scripture probably reflects that this is a difficult thing to do and that therefore we need reminding! (Plaut, p. 1244). The essay on the “The Good Land” concludes with this “Thus, the esteem for and love of the stranger is a reflection of God. In the alien, we are first and foremost bidden to discover the presence of the redeeming G-d and thereby to reinforce our bonds with all humankind.” (Plaut p.1245)

 

-11:13 “Loving the Lord your G-d and serving Him with all your heart and soul”. This passage is part of the prayers recited after the Sh’ma Ysrael in prayer services. The connection of loving the Lord and obeying all the commandments leading to the rains that will water the land and its crops is stated here in the plural (unlike Deut.6:5-9 where the same phrase is stated in singular). Lieber in footnotes (p.1052) writes “that righteous communities will tend to thrive and bestow blessings on all their members, the good and the less good alike.”

 

For Reflection and Discussion:  Love or befriend; righteousness and blessing; gratitude and humility; your people or My people; Consider how a set of such phrases interact and affect your own lives.

 

Bibliography:  Frankel, Ellen, The Five Books of Miriam, San Francisco 1996; Klein, Joyce, The Sahbbat Book, Israel, 1997; Lieber, Etz Hayim, Torah and Commentary, New York, 2001; Plaut, The Torah, A Modern Commentary (New York, 2006)  

 

This week’s teaching commentary was prepared by

MariAnn (Marjan) Saenen, B.A. M.A. Michigan State University,

Lay Minister, Diocese of Saginaw, MI

Bat Kol alum 1999-2000; 2002, 2010, 2015, 2016

marjansaenen@hotmail.com

[Copyright © 2017]

…………………………………………………………………

PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Parashah commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol. The commentaries, along with all materials published on the Bat Kol website, are copyrighted by the writers, and are made available for personal and group study, and local church purposes. Permission needed for other purposes. Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

…………………………………………………………………

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

1983-2017

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

Website: www.batkol.info      Parashat Admin: gill@batkol.info