Posts
Jewish Spiritual Renewal: Derek Eretz Zuta + Rabbah:Shabbat 02/26/11(aka Derech Eretz )The JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL class list is hosted by Shamash: The Jewish Network a service of Hebrew College/YeshivaShalom my dear Chaverim, Talmidim, v' Rabbanim, friends, students and fellow rabbis:An oneg, joy-filled, Shabbat, Sabbath, this weekend.We continue with our exploration into the Talmudic Tractates of Derek Eretz Zuta and Rabbah. (aka Derech Eretz Zuta, aka Derech Eretz Rabbah. As was mentioned, zuta is Aramaic for 'small', and rabbah is 'large'). Remember that Derek Eretz is not about Jewish ritual. It is about how we are to treat one another and what traits of character, middot, we are to try to develop. The lessons are universal and ecumenical.For those new to the class, Baruch ha Ba! Welcome! You can access last week's class at
From there you will find links to preceding classes in this new series (new as of Simcha Torah, the holiday of rejoicing over the giving and receiving of the Torah, circa 3300 years ago at Sinai, October 2, 2010).
So, together we continue:TALMUD BAVLITRACTATE DEREKERETZ ZUTA(aka Derech Eretz)CHAPTER I.Talmud Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta Verse 1:6OK. As I wrote in our last classes, before I show you the next verse from Talmud Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta Chapter One, which is verse 6 and the last verse of this chapter, let me advise you that it is a long one, and on first read can be a confusing one for those not intimately familiar with Jewish History, or the entire TaNaK, as well as Midrash.I will guide you through it and it will open up some exciting doors for you, hopefully not an "Exit Door.'' ;-) . As we have done in other long verses in this class, we will parse it sentence by sentence, or in some cases, by phrases or even words. This is the last verse in Chapter One.''Love the Law, and respect it; love all creatures, and respect them.'' Subject your will to the will of others, as was done by Leah for Rachel and by David for Saul. But ignore your will, and even the will of others, for the will of Heaven, as we find by Jacob that he did not kiss Joseph (because he was engaged in prayer). Love doubtfulness (i.e., everything shall be doubtful to you until you convince yourself of it), and hate the expression: "And what of it?" (i.e., even of the most unimportant things you should not express yourself thus). Keep aloof from everything that may bring you to sin, and from the abominable, and from what is equal to it, that you should not be suspected by others of transgression. Do not slander your neighbor, because he who does so has no remedy. Keep aloof from grumbling, for by grumbling you may come to growl at others, and it will be added to your transgressions. With seven patriarchs covenants were made, and they are: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Pinchas, and David--Abraham [Gen. xv. 18], Isaac [ibid. xvii. 21], Jacob [Lev. xxvi. 421, Moses [Ex. xxxiv. 271, Aaron [Numb. xviii. 19], Pinchas [ibid. xxv. 12], David [Ps. lxxxix. 41. Seven patriarchs are resting in glory, and worm and maggot do not affect their earthly remains, and they are: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Amram their father, and, according to others, also David, as it is written [ibid. xvi. 9]: "Therefore is rejoiced my heart,and my spirit is glad; also my flesh shall rest in safety." Nine entered the Garden of Eden when they were still alive, and they are: Enoch (Chanoch) the son of Jared, Elijah Messiah, Eliezer the bondsman of Abraham, Hirom the king of Zor, Ebed-melech the Cushi [Jer. xxxviii. 7], and Jabetz the son of R. Jehudah the Prince, Bothiah the daughter of Pharaoh and Serech the daughter of Ascher, and, according to others, also R. Jehoshua b. Levi.''Let us work only with this fourth sentence today. ''Keep aloof from everything that may bring you to sin, and from the abominable, and from what is equal to it, that you should not be suspected by others of transgression .''When we read this sentence in verse 6:1 carefully, we are being told to keep far away , not from sin, but from things that could lead us to sin. And this includes the 'abominable', as well as what is equal to the 'abominable.' But we are not told this so that we will not sin. That is already a Rabbinic and Talmudic given. We are being told this so we should not be suspected of sinning by other people.This leads us to two Talmudic Rabbinic concepts: Marit Ayin and Lifnei Iver.Marit Ayin literally means ''the appearance (sight) of the eye.'' Lifnei Iver comes from the Torah commandment to not put a stumbling block before the blind.Marit Ayin maybe something that is technically kosher, but from a distance looks treif as heck. Allow me to give you a simple example of a Marit Ayin error I made once. I was having some folks over for Shabbat dinner. Some were old pals, and one was a new lady in town. One of my friends loves avocados. So I bought avocados , halved them, took out that giant pit, and stuffed them with kosher white fish, which was molded to appear like crab meat. Now my old friends knew I would not serve treif. But the new gal, well her face turned white. Ellen got the wrapper from the trash bin to show her that it was not crab, but white fishes and was kosher.Years before we were invited to a rabbi's home for a BBQ. He was very proud of himself because he found, which were new at the time, turkey sausages. He could now grill those and have the flavor of pork sausage, with fowl instead of pig. He was a liberal rabbi, and wasn't concerned about hekshers, but just of the species of the animal. His party was doing great until someone read the label and found that the turkey sausages were stuffed into the natural gut lining of pigs. This is an example of lifne iver.Lifne iver assumes we are all blind in some fashion. And that those who are supposedly in the know, must be careful about what we say and do so that we do not lead someone astray, i.e., put a stumbling block before them.''One whose clothes get wet from water on the road may continue walking in them without concern of violating Shabbat. When he arrives at his courtyard he may lay them in the sun to dry but not in front of other people. Rav Yehuda reported, "Rav said, 'Anytime that the Sages made a prohibition because of marit ayin (for the sake of appearance) it applies even in the most private of settings.'" [Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 146b].There is another type of prohibition that applies not only to the rules of Shabbat, but to all other areas of Jewish living as well. Marit ayin—literally in sight of eye—is a principle that demands not only that our actions accord with what is right, but that the appearance of all those actions be above suspicion.
Officials who entered the Beit HaMikdash treasury did so barefoot and wearing garments that contained no hemmed parts or wide sleeves, and certainly no pockets or cuffs, so that it would be impossible for them to hide any coins (Talmud Bavli Tractate Shekalim 3:2). The sages explain, "One must fulfill human expectations, just as one does Divine." Our Sages understood that religious communities are human communities. We believe that living in a human community requires that we take other people's needs and concerns into account.
In the above passage though one need not worry that walking in the rain or fording a body of water is prohibited on Shabbat (a prohibition that could be suggested by the similarity to laundering clothes), nonetheless, on arriving home, one must not hang those clothes up to dry in plain sight. Those who see wet clothes hanging to dry might think that the owner of the clothes laundered them on Shabbat. Rav Yehuda takes this prohibition one step further. Based on earlier authorities he demands that we not perform acts prohibited because of marit ayin even in private. He seems to believe that all of our actions, public and private should be in consonance.
As we have seen in our past classes on Talmud, the rabbis usually try to find a proof text for their rulings from the Torah or the whole TaNaK. The verse that allows the rabbis to make marit ayin a Talmudic commandment is Num: 32:22. "And then you shall be vindicated.'' It is not enough to know that one's actions are proper in God's eyes. One must also act in such a way as to not engender suspicion on the part of humans (Talmud Bavli Tractate Yoma 38a).
The concept mitzvah of marit ayin is a fascinating curiosity because it contradicts an important mitzvah - to judge people favorably. This mitzvah requires us to judge someone favorably when we see him act in a questionable way. If everyone always judged others favorably, there would never be a reason for marit ayin. Yet we see that the rabbis, knowing human nature, are concerned that someone might judge us unfavorably and suspect us for violating a mitzvah.
So, a person's actions must be above suspicion, while people watching him act in a suspicious way are required to judge him favorably.
So let us toss in a modern example from Rav Kaganoff:
THE TREIF RESTAURANT
''May I enter a non-kosher restaurant to use the bathroom, to eat a permitted item, or to attend a professional meeting?''A prominent Rav once gleaned insight on this question from early poskim who discussed the kashrut issues of Jewish travelers. In the sixteenth century, there was a dispute between the Rama and the Maharashal (Yam Shel Shelomoh, Chullin 8: 44) whether a Jewish traveler may eat herring and pickles prepared and served in non-kosher inns (quoted in Taz, Yoreh Deah 91:2).
The Rama ruled that, under the circumstances, a traveler could eat these items on the inn's non-kosher plates, whereas the Maharashal prohibited using the inn's plates. However, neither sage prohibited eating nor entering the inn because of marit ayin; from which this Rav inferred that entering a non-kosher eating establishment does not violate marit ayin.
However, Rav Moshe Feinstein rules that entering a non-kosher eatery is a violation of marit ayin (Shu't Igros Moshe, Orach Chayim 2:40). Why does he not compare this law to the inn of the earlier poskim?The answer is that in the sixteenth century, the inn functioned as a place of shelter and lodging, in addition to providing food. Therefore, someone seeing you enter the inn would assume that you were looking for a place to sleep, and that you have no intention to eat non-kosher food there. Thus, the sixteenth-century inn is more comparable to a twentieth-first century hotel that contains non-kosher restaurants. There is certainly no marit ayin prohibition to visit a hotel since a passerby would assume that you are entering the hotel for reasons other than eating non-kosher. However, the primary reason people enter a non-kosher restaurant is to eat treif food. Therefore, Rav Moshe ruled that it is prohibited to enter a treif restaurant because of marit ayin.
Now, I would invite you to read this next section very carefully: Rav Moshe Feinstein notes that marit ayin does not include doing something permitted that people might mistakenly think is forbidden. Marit ayin means that someone thinks I violated something - He thinks that I inappropriately used someone else's money, washed clothes on Shabbat, ate something non-kosher, etc. However, it does not include doing something permitted that people might mistakenly think is forbidden.
Thus, Rav Moshe discusses whether there is any prohibition in traveling a short distance by car on Friday evening after candle lighting time when you will certainly not come to desecrate Shabbat. He rules that one may do this since there is no prohibition to do work after candle lighting time, even if ignorant people think that there is.
Let us finish today's class with Lifnei Iver. Where as Marit Ayin is having us not sin AND not giving the false impression that we are sinning, Lifnei Iver is actually telling someone it is ok to sin, via our words or via our behaviors. It literally means 'before the blind,' and comes from ''Before the blind , do not put a stumbling block, lifnei iver lo sitten michshol (Lev.19:14).
Lifnei Iver is considered to be a prohibition against helping or causing another to sin. Thus, placing any kind of prohibited temptation in front of someone would not be allowed. For example, providing an individual with a prohibited food, e.g., wine to a Nazirite (who takes a vow which prohibits him from drinking wine, cutting hair, or ritually contaminating himself by coming into contact with the dead), would be a violation of this commandment (Talmud Bavli Tractate Pesachim 22b). Rabbi Ashi, who owned forests, was permitted to sell wood to heathens who were fire-worshippers only because the majority of purchased wood is used for kindling, not for idolatry (Talmud Bavli Tractate Nedarim 62b). However, to sell the wood directly for the purpose of allowing pagans to practice their idolatrous practices would be prohibited. Lending someone money without having any witnesses present is also a violation of lifnei iver since it might ultimately tempt the debtor to deny that he or she borrowed any money (Talmud Bavli Tractate Bava Metzia 75b). If one person lends another money with interest, the borrower and the lender have also violated lifnei iver since each one enables the other to commit the sin of usury ( Talmud Bavli Bava Metzia 75b). The Talmud (Talmud Bavli Moed Katan 17a) also prohibits one from hitting an older son because of lifnei iver. An older son might angrily retaliate and strike his father, which is a very serious sin.
One should not entrust animals to a shepherd, if there is a strong possibility the shepherd will allow them to graze on other people's property ( Talmud Bavli Tractate Bava Metzia 5b). Even purchasing milk, wool, or kids from shepherds was not permitted since they might have stolen these items from the cattle under their care ( Talmud Bavli Tractate Bava Kama 118b).
Selling anything that has the potential of causing harm to others is prohibited. Thus, the Talmud (Bavli Tractate Avodah Zarah 16a) states: "It is forbidden to sell idolaters bears, lions, or anything which may injure the public. One shall not build with them a basilica, a scaffold, a stadium, or a platform" In Talmudic times, wild animals were used in stadiums to kill people for sport; basilicas were used to try people and, if sentenced to death, the defendant was thrown off it. Individuals were also thrown off platforms to kill them. Rebbi owned white mules and was rebuked by Rabbi Pinchas b. Yair for owning such vicious and dangerous animals. He offered to sell them but was told by Rabbi Pinchas that he would then be in violation of lifnei iver ( Talmud Bavli Tractate Chullin 7b).
According to Abaye, the reason for marking graves is to ensure that priests or pilgrims would not inadvertently become ritually unclean (Talmud Bavli Tractate Moed Katan 5a). When the Temple in Jerusalem was standing, priests and pilgrims bringing sacrifices had to maintain ritual purity. Leaving an unmarked grave that can result in the ritual contamination of priests and pilgrims is a violation of placing the stumbling block -the grave- before the blind, i.e., the priests and pilgrims.Nehama Leibowitz (1983, p. 178), the renowned Bible teacher, offers the widest extension of the law:
"But the Torah teaches us that even by sitting at home doing nothing, by complete passivity and divorcement from society, one cannot shake off responsibility for what is transpiring in the world at large, for the iniquity, violence and evil there. By not protesting, "not marking the graves" and danger spots, you have become responsible for any harm arising therefrom, and have violated the prohibition: "Thou shalt not put a stumbling block before the blind…"
As we see again and again, Derek Eretz is concerned about our relations with others. Both Lifnei Iver and Marit Ayin help us live in a society where we love our fellows as ourselves.Next week, Baruch ha Shem, we will continue with more of verse 6:1 of Derek Eretz Zuta.
We discuss the aspects of this verse of Derek Eretz Zuta , the concept of Marit Ayin, throughout the majority of chapters in The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew as well as in most chapters of A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud .
What are your ideas about leading a life when you not only do not follow your defects of character, but when you practice marit ayin as well ? How has learning to live a spiritual life helped you with living life? How has understanding the spiritual and ethical teachings of Judaism helped you live a happier life?
Next class, Baruch ha Shem, we will continue with Derek Eretz Zuta, continuing with more of the 6th verse of Chapter One. Thank you for joining me.
For those who want a d'var Torah on Parasha Vayak'hel from A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud or http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/index.html#Compendium2 please click on:
Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:CHUMASH CANDESCENCE : PARASHA VAYAKHEL: EXODUS 35:01-38:20 or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2008/02/chumash-candescense-parasha-vayakhel.htmlShalom:
Rabbi Arthur Segal www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GAIf visiting SC's Low Country, contact us for a Shabbat meal, in our home by the sea, our beth yam.
Maker of Shalom (Oseh Shalom) help make us deserving of Shalom beyond all human comprehension!
The JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL mailing list is hosted by Shamash: The Jewish Network.
Join Shamash's Groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.To unsubscribe from the SPIRITUALRENEWAL list, email: SPIRITUALRENEWAL-unsubscribe-request@SHAMASH.ORG
For other options go to: http://listserv.SHAMASH.ORG/
