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RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:HURRICANES:NAKDIMON:HONI:CHARITY AS SALT TO PROTECT WEALTH:JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: JEWISH RENEWAL
Shalom:
I am writing at my computer, on my home on a barrier island, on another balmy day in the month of Av, getting ready for Rosh Kodesh Elul this Sunday, August 30th, and thinking while we may have survived Faye, others in states surrounding us, did not.
And while it is always quite tragic about Hurricanes, tornados, floods and forest fires, 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.(Tractate Beracoth 5b). 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 Fay's hit areas) God will be with us, giving us another chance.
I am foolish enough to live on a barrier island, not very many feet above sea level. While I have home and flood insurance, I know I am taking quite a risk of property and limb living here. While there is no specific mitzvoth telling one not to live in a zone known for hurricanes, or earthquakes, or tornados or forest fires, God did give us brains to use, and I am an example of someone choosing to ignore the basic facts of life, for the smell of fresh salt water.
The Talmud touches on weather, but this case not too much rain, but lack of it.
At times of crisis caused by natural disaster, the Rabbis of the Talmud give us an example of what to do. Sometimes prayer is the only option.
''Once all Israel went up on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and they did not have water to drink.'' (Jews living in Israel were required to come to Jerusalem on three Holidays per year, called regelim, literally, 'feet'.
''Nakdimon ben Guryon approached a certain (Roman) governor, and said to him: Lend me twelve wells of water for the pilgrims, 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 [the Roman) set a time for him { the Rabbi}.''
Note that the rabbis name means 'bringer of illumination' and that David Grun adopted his family's name when he moved to Israel, Ben Guryon. (Gurion).
'' When the time arrived and the rain had not fallen, he [the Roman} sent to him [the rabbi] in the
morning: ''Send me either the water or the money you owe me,'' said the Roman.''
morning: ''Send me either the water or the money you owe me,'' said the Roman.''
''He [the rabbi] sent to him [the Roman]: "I still have time, [for] the entire day is mine."''
''At midday he [ the Roman] sent to him {the rabbi}: ''Send me either the water or the money that you owe me.'' ''
''He [the rabbi} 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 Roman governor sneered at him[the rabbi] and said:'' All year long rains have not fallen, and rains will fall now?''''
''He [ the Roman] entered the bathhouse joyfully.(as he thought he would gain 12 talents of silver).''
''As the Roman lord entered the bathhouse joyfully, Rabbi Nakdimon entered the Temple in sadness. He wrapped himself and stood in prayer. ''
''He said before Him: ''Master 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 available for the pilgrims."''
''Immediately the sky became covered with clouds and rain fell until the twelve wells filled and overflowed.''
''As the Roman lord left the bathhouse, Nakdimon ben Guryon left the Temple. When they met each other, he {the rabbi] said to him [ the Roman] : "Give me the money for the extra water which you owe me " .{God filled the 12 wells of the Roman and filled other wells and pools as well).''
'' He { the Roman} said to him [the rabbi]: "I know that the Holy One blessed be He, did not shake His world except on account of you. But I still have a claim against you that I may collect me money from you, for the sun has already
set and the rains fell in my possession." ( The deal was that the wells would be filled before the day was over, and Jewish days, end at dusk, not at midnight.)''
set and the rains fell in my possession." ( The deal was that the wells would be filled before the day was over, and Jewish days, end at dusk, not at midnight.)''
''He [the rabbi] 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 night!).''
''At that time the Roman lord said to him [the rabbi] : If the sun had not broken through, I would have had a claim against you that I could have collected my money from you but now, I cannot collect. (Talmud Bavli Tractate Taanit 19b-20a)''
Nakdimon ben Gurion showed courage and leadership and true Jewish renewal or Jewish spiritual renewal prayer. From here the sages of the Talmud say that Nakdimon was originally called by the name of Buni.'' Why was he called Nakdimon? Because the sun shone (nokda), especially for his sake.''
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."
Nakdimon ben Gurion showed courage and leadership and true Jewish renewal or Jewish spiritual renewal prayer. From here the sages of the Talmud say that Nakdimon was originally called by the name of Buni.'' Why was he called Nakdimon? Because the sun shone (nokda), especially for his sake.''
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."
The question is begged: did Rabbi Nakdimon pray for God to make the Sun come out in the night and stand still, (shades of Moses ,( Deut 2:25), and Joshua (Jos 10:12)) to show the Roman Governor that the rain that came was divinely sent , or did he do so so he would not have to pay 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. She calls her 4th son Yahudah, "I am grateful to God", from where our name Jew, comes.
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.(Talmud Bavli Tractate 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. 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. (Talmud Tractate Bavli Ketubah 66b)
She tells Rabbi Yochanan that charity is the salt, the preserver, of one's wealth.
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 sentenced 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 Bavli (Tractate 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."
Some, no good deed goes unpunished.
Rabbi Arthur Segal
Hilton Head Island, SC
Bluffton, SC
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Renewal
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