Posts
Shalom: Sorry for the lateness of the reply but we were blessed to be in Brazil for Pesach and than in some parts of the globe where this discussion would be moot, vis a vis, rights for women.
I noted that I received no discourse on this topic, so if it is OK, I'd like to answer Rabbi Abram's questions.
There is no doubt that the rabbis of the Talmud were 'ahead of their time' concerning women's rights. The fact that women were no longer considered property of their fathers or husbands, and protected by the ketubah, and even, once 13, could reject a father's choice of a husband, is amazing considering, when and where, Talmud Bavli was composed.
So, in answer to question one, no I am not surprised.
As far as fostering alliyah to Jerusalem, I don't think that this is what the Talmud is doing. I believe that the Talmud many times metaphorically uses Jerusalem, as a spiritual destination, and not an actual one. I reach this conclusion because on many occasions, the Rabbis do not speak kindly of what was occurring in Jerusalem, especially in the second Temple, nor among its people and leaders. The 4 books of Maccabees were left out of the canon when this was decided in Yavneh due to the corrupt leadership of the Hasmoneans, and the rabbis ascribe the Temples fall to senseless hatred among Jews living in Jerusalem, fighting over party invitations. Adding to my conclusion, is that the exilarchy, had their academies established in Babylon-Persia, and were not running to Jerusalem when Ezra reestablished the 2nd Temple, nor in the 1000 years following when the Talmud was finally written, with few exceptions.
This is no different than we in Galut saying 'next year in Jerusalem' at our seders, or praying for the 3rd Temple to be established when we pray the berchot ma mazon, and yet would shudder the thought of animal or grain sacrifices, with priestly intercessors, taking the place of tephila and lihitpalel, as a service of the heart, and still find ourselves year after year, not in Jerusalem at our seders, but still saying the words again and again.
Hence, I think what the Rabbis are truly saying, is that no spouse should keep another from a spiritual quest to be closer to G!D, and that divorce, which the Talmud doesn't take lightly, may be needed if one is being kept from G!D by a spouse. Even more so, a woman has just as much right to seek spirituality, as her husband.
Divorce is the USA is so common place, that one doesn't need grounds. Frankly, it would be refreshing to hear someone say, they left their spouse because he or she was keeping them from a spiritual path. Usually, the refrain is one left their spouse, because one was keeping them from following a non spiritual path.
What would these spiritual folks do when they all met? Well, I'd love to say, they all would work toward tikun olam, and study and pray with each other, climbing the spiritual steps to get closer to the Shechinah. Unfortunately, as a realist, within a year or so, I fear, they would be spending Shabbat on the beaches of Tel Aviv eating Basar Levan. My years of experience working with folks who are spiritually ill, all have excuses, and many point to their spouses as keeping them down. Those on the other hand, those who want spirituality, can find such, regardless where they live or with whom. One of G!D's names in Macom, 'the place,' and we can make any place holy by our actions. Jerusalem has had more unholy acts committed in it than many other places. I also try to teach that the Ark had poles attached to it, so that it was portable. The cult of Hebrewism was place bound. Judaism is not.
Thanks for listening.
Shalom, Arthur
There is 1 message totalling 125 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. New Study Materials: Jerusalem or Divorce
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The MAQOM mailing list is hosted by
Shamash: The Jewish Network, http://shamash.org,
a service of Hebrew College, which offers online courses and
an online MA in Jewish Studies, http://hebrewcollege.edu/online/
To unsubscribe email: MAQOM-unsubscribe-request@SHAMASH.ORG
For other options go to: http://listserv.SHAMASH.ORG/
Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2007 14:30:39 -0500
From: "Judith Z. Abrams" <maqom@COMPASSNET.COM>
Subject: New Study Materials: Jerusalem or Divorce
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="============_-1035802656==_ma============"
--============_-1035802656==_ma============
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
BH
Jerusalem or Divorce copyright Judith Z. Abrams, 2007
The very last mishnah in tractate Ketubot ends on a symbolic note
about the marriage between the Jewish people and the land of Israel.
A man can compel everyone in his household to go up to the land of
Israel but no one can be compelled to leave it.
Everyone in a household can be compelled to go up to Jerusalem but no
one may be compelled to leave it. This applies to both men and
women. (Mishnah on B. Ketubot 110b)
The gemara goes on to outline how reluctant spouses can divorced
without financial detriment if their spouses do not allow them to
make aliyah. A man can divorce his wife without paying her her
ketubah (i.e., her divorce settlement) and a woman can divorce her
husband and receive her ketubah.
Discussion Questions
1. This is just one example of how the sages are
extraordinarily protective of women's rights. A married woman who
wants to go to Israel, or to Jerusalem from someplace else in Israel
cannot be prevented by her spouse from doing so. Are you surprised at
how protective of a woman's rights the sages are?
2. Why do you think the sages wanted to foster aliyah to Israel
and, specifically, Jerusalem? Should such rules apply today?
3. What might happen, do you imagine, when all those newly single
adults met up in Jerusalem?
Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.
