RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUALITY: DEREK ERETZ RABBAH:DERECH ERETZ: MUSSAR

 

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUALITY: DEREK ERETZ RABBAH: DERECH ERETZ: MUSSAR

 

 

Jewish  Spiritual  Renewal:

 Derek  Eretz Zuta + Rabbah  :

Shabbat  10/22 + 29/11  

 

(aka  Derech  Eretz )

 

The JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL  class list is hosted by _Shamash:  The Jewish

Network_ (http://shamash.org/ )  a service of Hebrew  College/Yeshiva 

 

Shalom  my dear Chaverim, Talmidim, v' Rabbanim, friends, students and

fellow rabbis: 

 

 An oneg, joy-filled, Shabbat, Sabbath, this coming weekend... 

 

and since we took a hiatus while I was in Israel and Europe lecturing and serving as rabbi, may I wish you all a l'Shana Tova Techatemu  VeTikatevu. May you be inscribed and sealed into the book of life for a good  year! And of course a Chag Someach for Simchat Torah.

 

This class is coming out late this week due to my flight schedule. Rather than me sending another class in the early part of next week, the next class will come during the early part of the week of October 31.

 

 

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. The  development of

character traits and Jewish spiritual renewal  transformation is called 

Mussar.

 

For  those new to the class, Baruch ha Ba! Welcome! You can access the last 

week's class from pre-Rosh HaShana  at 

Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:DEREK ERETZ ZUTA: AVOID POOR JUDGEMENT FROM OUR EGOS  or   http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2011/07/rabbi-arthur-segalderek-eretz-zuta.html

 

 

 

From  here you will find links to preceding classes in this   series. So, 

together we  continue:

 

TALMUD  BAVLI

 

TRACTATE  DEREK

 

ERETZ  ZUTA

 

(aka  Derech  Eretz)

 

Today we will start CHAPTER 4 of  Talmud  Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta Verses 4:1-2. At first blush it seems odd, but I will explain. 

 

''SCHOLARS always are agreeable in society, but not so ordinary people. He who occupies himself only with study of the Scripture pursues the right course, yet the sages do not think so; with Mishnayoth, it is a course to be rewarded; but he who occupies himself with the study of the Talmud pursues a course than which there is no better. Still, it is advisable that one shall occupy himself with the study of Mishnayoth more than with that of the Talmud.

 

 Do not exact pay for thy teaching. Moreover, take no compensation whatever for it, for the Omnipotent has given His teaching to thee gratuitously; for the one who asks for reward destroys the whole world (because there are many who cannot afford to pay and will remain ignorant). And do not say: "I have no money to live on, and therefore I must take reward for my teaching." Remember all money is the Lord's, as it is written [Haggai, ii. 8]: "Mine is the silver, and mine is the gold, saith the Lord of hosts" (and He will supply you with money).''

 

Many times in the Talmud we read of the establishment and re-establishment of Rabbinic Talmudic Judaism over Priest-based Hebraism. We see this, e.g., in the forward to Pirkei Avot and we see it again here. We also see occasional references to rabbis versus ordinary people, i.e., ''am ha eretz.'' So by establishing the study of Mishna and Talmud over just the TaNaK, they are re-establishing rabbinic Talmudic Judaism over Temple-bound, Priest- based, Torah-only, Hebraism.

 

So our verse this week is reminding us that Rabbis need to act agreeably in society, and not be like the hoi polloi. The last verse in Derek Eretz Zuta Chapter 3, which we studied last time, outlines the characteristics of a good rabbi/person.

 

Keeping with the quip of ''2 Jews, 3 opinions,'' we see how this verse seems to contradict itself. We see that studying the TaNaK, only, is a good path. This is the Hebraic thinking. But the rabbis disagree. The TaNaK without the Talmud, rabbinic thought, using an example from today, finds Texas executing many people per year, and yet Israel only one person in 62 years. To understand Judaism, one needs the Talmud. Without Talmud, we would still be painting blood on our door posts on Pesach, and executing folk for carrying on Shabbat.

 

Then we are told studying Mishna is great, but it is better to study the Talmud. As we discussed years back, the Talmud is made up of Mishna and Gemorrah...the oral law and the rabbinic commentary and rulings. Studying Mishna alone will lead to faulty conclusions as the rabbis  change rulings in the Mishna in their Gemorrah.

 

Then we are told its better to study Mishna and not just the Talmud. Since Talmud includes the Mishna, this verse means it is better to study the Mishna and not just the Gemorrah.  The reason is that Mishna is from the earlier Rabbis, and hence closer to the teachings from Sinai, while the Gemorrah is by more recent rabbis. The Talmud tells us: "Rabbi Zeira said in the name of Rava bar Zimna 'If the earlier Sages were the sons of angels, then we are the sons of men; but if the earlier Sages were the sons of men, then we are donkeys.'' {Talmud Bavli Tractate  Shabbat 112b}.

 

So to summarize, the best course of study is to learn the TaNaK, and then continue with the Talmud, which includes the Mishna. As discussed in many of my essays and books, when one learns only a bit of TaNaK, usually for their bar or bat mitzvah, and no Talmud, one has not learned Judaism, and tends to not learn the Talmudic concepts of living in Shalom, forgiveness, and character development.

 

Verse 4:2 is very clear. Rabbis as well as Jewish school teachers should not charge to teach the TaNaK or Talmud, nor take any compensation, such as a free meal. And there are no excuses if one is in need of money. We rabbis in Talmudic times and after had occupations. We were doctors, wine merchants, olive growers, sandal makers, carpenters, et. al. Many of our rabbis were very wealthy, like Judah ha Nasi. Others were very impecunious like Hanina ben Dosa who had only carob beans to eat for Shabbat.[Talmud Bavli Tractate Ta'anit 24b].

 

But over time in the Diaspora, the concept of the Professional Rabbi developed, one with a full time job as a congregational pulpit rabbi. Itinerant rabbis, melameds* ,  roamed the towns of Europe looking for students to teach. Personally, I am able, Baruch Ha Shem, to teach this class with over 1900 members in all continents, except Antarctica, for gratis.

 

Most rabbis cannot work for free, and hence do charge for their teaching services, ignoring this verse of Derek Eretz Zuta. *(Melamedim were mentioned in the TaNaK in Ps. 109:99 and Prov. 5:13, and were regulated in the Talmudic period as teachers of children[Talmud Bavli Bava Batra 21a]).

 

The authors were concerned about two things. One, that since the Torah is an "Inheritance to the Children of Jacob," that one who charges to teach it, would be stealing this inheritance and hence be a thief. [In fact, the Talmud, quoting the Torah, calls the Torah an inheritance of the children of Jacob, [ Morashah k'hillat Ya'akov], and one who refuses to teach it, or charges to teach it, is someone who is stealing another's inheritance [ Talmud Bavli Tractate Sanhedrin 91b].

 

Secondly, and most importantly, they were concerned that a rabbi who was paid by a lay board of am ha eretz,[see above], would sermonize about what the congregants wanted to hear, and not what they should hear. And the day he finally teaches what he should teach, the lay board will dismiss him. Unfortunately, we see this scenario happen again and again.

 

  

We discuss the middot, character traits, of this verse ,  throughout the 

majority of chapters in  ''The  Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path

of Transformation for the Modern  Jew'' '

(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/ )  as well as in most chapters of ''A  Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to

the Torah and Talmud''   _

(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/index.html#Compendium2 ) .

 

What are your ideas about studying following the advice set out in

Derek  Eretz?  How has learning Talmud's Derek Eretz helped you in your 

interpersonal  relationships? How  has understanding the spiritual and ethical

teachings of  Judaism helped you live a more  joyous life?

 

Next  class, Baruch ha Shem, we will continue with Derek Eretz Zuta,

Chapter Four. Thank you for joining  me.

 

For  those who want a d'var Torah on Parashot Beresheit and Noach (Noah) from '''A  Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and  Talmud ''

(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/index.html#Compendium2 ) 

 

please  click  on:  

      

 

Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:JEWISH RENEWAL:JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL:LILITH:BERESHEIT: or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2008/10/rabbi-arthur-segaljewish-renewaljewish_7619.html and

Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:JEWISH SPIRITUALITY:NOAH:WOODSTOCK:BACK TO THE GARDEN or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2009/08/rabbi-arthur-segaljewish_674.html and

Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:NOACH:NOAH:JEWISH RENEWAL:JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL:NOACHIDE  or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2008/10/rabbi-arthur-segalnoachnoahjewish.html

 

Shabbat Shalom:

 

Rabbi Arthur Segal_  www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org_

(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org/ ) 

Via Shamash Org  on-line class service

Jewish Renewal_  www.jewishrenewal.info _ (http://www.jewishrenewal.info/ ) 

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If  visiting SC's Low Country, contact us for a Shabbat meal, in our home

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Maker  of Shalom (Oseh Shalom) help make us deserving of Shalom beyond all

human  comprehension! 

 

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