Posts
Shalom Rabbi Abrams and fellow Talmudim :
It is quite tragic about the fires in California, but it does bring to mind the Talmudic teaching that when bad things befall us we are to look to see what we have done to cause such. This is not a ''blame the victim'' philosophy. We are to be stewards of the earth, (Gen. 2:15), and "to guard it." We tend to cause our own problems, when we do not. Tractate Megillah 29a gives us eternal hope that whatever befalls us, including the Diasporas (of the residents of California and New Orleans?), God will be with us, giving us another chance.
1. How do we act in a crisis? Action first and prayer later. When Moses was at the banks of the Sea of Reeds with Pharaoh's chariots behind him, (Ex 14:15), he prays to God, who says :"Why do you cry to Me?" A Midrash tells that Moses was considering a day of fasting and prayer. God says, "Now is not the time for prayer! Go into the sea and trust Me."
2. The question is begged: did R. Nakdimon pray for God to make the Sun come out in the night and stand still, (shades of Moses and Joshua) to show the Roman Governor that the rain that came was divinely sent , or did he do so to get back his silver? We really are not to pray to God for material things and should be instead thanking Him for what He has already given us. It is ironic that Leah, the Talmud teaches, is the first person in the Torah, who thanks God. The story of R. Nakdimon is in the Gemorah of the Mishna of Honi the Rain Maker who would make circles in the sand, vowing he would not step outside of the circle, until God brought rain.(Taanit 3:8)
R. Nakdimon was one of the 3 richest men in Jerusalem and help support the Jews their during the Roman occupation of Vespasian . Yet we learn he lost everything, and his daughter was found picking barley seeds from the dung of Arab's donkeys because R. Nakdimon reneged on her dowry of one million gold dinars as he became impecunious. (Tractate Ketubah 66b)
She explained to a shocked R. Yochanan that her father when he walked from the Temple to his house and back, would have his servants, lay silk carpets along the streets for him to walk on. As an act of tsaddakah, R. Nakdimon, would then have his servants give the carpets to the poor. The Gemorah chides R. Nakdimon for doing this act out of glorification and for his own ego, and further, while he was very generous, for a man of his wealth, he could have given much more.
R. Yochanan ben Zakkai then burst into tears, and said, "Happy are you, Israel. As long as you perform the will of God, no nation or people can rule over you. But when you fail to perform the will of God, you are delivered into the hands of a humiliating nation; and not only the hands of a humiliating nation, but also into the hands of the beasts of the humiliating nation."
Honi's life was Nakdimon's upside down. When he was in his circle and it began to drizzle, he told God that this was not enough. When it began to pour, he told God it was too much. Finally it rained normally. Honi was about to be sentence by the Sanhedrin for charem (excommunication) until R. Simone, the brother of Queen Salome, intervened.
The circumstances of Honi's death are described in the Talmud (Taanit 23a) : He fell asleep and awoke after 70 years, and when nobody would believe him that he was indeed Honi the Circle drawer, he prayed to God and God took him from this world.
Now, the Gemorah , relates this story of prayer to juxtapose the prayer of R. Nakdimon . Honi was captured by the followers of Hycranus II Hasmonean, a supporter of the Rabbis, in 63 BCE. He was commanded to pray for the demise of the priests backed by Astrobulus II Hasmonean. (The two were brothers). Honi however prayed: "Lord of the universe, as the besieged and the besiegers both belong to Thy people, I beseech Thee not to answer the evil prayers of either."
Shabbat Shalom.
Dr. Arthur Segal
1. New Study Materials: The California Fires, Katrina and Two Prayers to Say
At such times, sometimes our only
option is prayer. The Talmud, naturally, gives us an example of what
prayers we might offer at such a time:
Our Rabbis taught: Once all Israel went up on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, an=
d
they did not have water to drink. Nakdimon ben Guryon approached a certai=
n
governor, [and] said to him: Lend me twelve wells of water for the pilgri=
ms,
and I will give you twelve wells of water. And if I do not give [them] to
you, I will give you twelve talents of silver. And he set a time for him.
When the time arrived and the rain had not fallen, he sent to him in the
morning: Send me either the water or the money you owe me. He sent to him=
: I
still have time, [for] the entire day is mine.
At midday he sent to him: Send me either the water or the money that you =
owe
me. He sent to him: I still have time left in the day.
In the afternoon he sent to him: Send me the water or the money that you =
owe
me. He sent to him: I still have time left in the day. That governor snee=
red
at him [and] said: All year long rains have not fallen, and rains will fa=
ll
now? He entered the bathhouse joyfully.
As the lord entered the bathhouse joyfully, Nakdimon entered the Temple i=
n
sadness. He wrapped himself and stood in prayer. He said before Him: Mast=
er
of the Universe! It is revealed and known before You that I did not do
[this] for my [own] honor, nor did I do [it] for the honor of my father's
house. Rather, I did [it] for Your honor, so that water would be availabl=
e
for the pilgrims. Immediately the sky became covered with clouds and rain
fell until the twelve wells filled and overflowed.
As the lord left the bathhouse, Nakdimon ben Guryon left the Temple. When
they met each other, he said to him: Give me the money for the extra wate=
r
which you owe me. He said to him: I know that the Holy One blessed be He,
did not shake His world except on account of you. But I still have a clai=
m
against you that I may collect me money from you, for the sun has already
set and the rains fell in my possession.
He went back and entered the Temple, wrapped himself and stood in prayer,
and said before Him: Master of the Universe! Make it known that You have
loved ones in Your world. Immediately the clouds dispersed and the sun
shone. At that time the lord said to him: If the sun had not broken throu=
gh,
I would have had a claim against you that I could have collected my money
from you [but now, I cannot]. (B. Taanit 19b-20a)
=20
I love this story about Nakdimon ben Gurion for so many reasons. In the
present crisis, it=B9s a great example of leadership and proper prayer.
=20
Discussion Questions
1. Nakdimon first supplies what is needed, then he prays. How can we use
this as a model for acting in a crisis?
2. Nakdimon=B9s second prayer is most poignant. He does not ask for anyt=
hing
in specific=8Ahe can=B9t, as he is asking for something for himself and t=
hat
seems to go against his personal principles. Again, how can we use his
prayer as a model for prayer when we want to ask something of God but don=
=B9t
want to seem selfish?
=20
May the winds die down and the rains come soon!
Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.
