RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: ECO-JUDAISM: DEREK ERETZ: AVOID CONFEDERACY OF DUNCESJewish Spiritual Renewal:Derek Eretz Zuta + Rabbah:Shabbat 1/21/12(aka Derech Eretz )Shalom my dear Chaverim, Talmidim, v' Rabbanim, friends, students and fellow rabbis:An oneg, joy-filled, Shabbat this coming weekend to all. I hope you had a spiritually renewed Chanukah and a wonderful holiday season and New Year.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 last week's class at Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH RENEWAL: LOVE GOD, LOVE OTHERS. LOVE OTHERS, LOVE GOD or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2011/11/rabbi-arthur-segal-jewish-renewal-love.htmlFrom here you will find links to preceding classes in this series. So, together we continue:TALMUD BAVLITRACTATEDEREk ERETZ ZUTA(aka Derech Eretz)Today we will begin CHAPTER 6 of Talmud Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta Verse 6:1. This also marks the start of the 2nd Fourth of this Commentary on Derek Eretz Zuta. The first of these four volumes is being readied for publication.6:1 : ''Four things are derogatory to scholars: to walk alone in the dark (and arouse suspicion); to be perfumed; to be the last in entering a prayer-house, and to hold much discourse at a confederacy of dunces.''As we have discussed before, as modern educated Jews, what are good character traits for rabbis and scholars are good for all of us.
Four things are listed that one should not do. The list is clear but the 'why' is not given. Other texts of Talmud give the reasons.
Walking alone in the dark on a dark city street in ancient Babylonia or Judea only invites trouble. One of course can be robbed or killed. But the text says ''arouse suspicion.'' What suspicion are we arousing?
Human nature is the same today as it was 2500 years ago. While we are not to gossip, do lashon ha ra, people do. If a rabbi was seen out at night alone, while some might think he was doing bikur cholem (visiting the sick), others may spread rumors that the rabbi was ''up to no good.'' We always need to be aware of the Talmudic concept, as we have discussed, of Ma'arit Ayin, what looks good to the eye.
And what of being perfumed? Again we have Ma'arit Ayin at play here. One could smell of perfume because he was in the company of women wearing perfume, or with men. Judaism doesn't condemn homosexuality but it does augment chasteness. One being with either men or women who are so perfumed that the aroma spreads to one's person can lead another to draw untoward inferences about one's sexual behavior.
We are taught in the Talmud that we should run to go to Synagogue, but to leave it slowly. One who is continually late to Synagogue is giving non-verbal information that there may be something of more value to him than prayer or study. This can harm one's reputation and effectiveness in teaching or serving on a Beth Din.
The rabbis were very concerned about speech and how things could be taken out of context. They taught us to say little but do much. Time and time again they warn us of idle talk, especially with those who would only argue with us. They tell us not to argue with Pharisees, those who do not believe in Talmudic Rabbinic Judaism, and even not to have idle talk with unschooled women. In this case we are being warned not to have ''much'' discourse at a confederacy of dunces.
The rabbis always tell us to great every person with a smile and a sincere shalom. We are told of rabbis who would be in the market place and be the first to greet Roman soldiers. So the rabbis are not telling us to ignore, what in Hebrew they call am ha eretz, people of the land, uneducated people. The sages don't want us beating a dead horse trying to explain things to folks who are too thick to understand, or too set in their ways to allow their minds to be open to new concepts. All that happens is we anger these closed minded people. As George Bernard Shaw wrote :"Most people would rather die than think, and most do.''
The above adage is useful to remember when trying to explain to someone that their particular minhag tradition, may be binding on their community, but it is not real halakah, being bound to all. Few will understand this. And it is also very important during emotional times of elections, be they national, local, or even in a synagogue. A learned rabbi, in Tractate Sanhedrin, '' is first likened by the Jewish dunce to a vase of gold; if he converses with him, he is looked upon as a vase of silver; and if he accepts a service from him, he is regarded as a vase of earth." The adage of not throwing pearls before swine applies here.
We discuss these middot, character traits of mar'rit ayin and avoid arguing with people, 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''What are your ideas about passing the message of and becoming spiritually awakened? 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 SIX. Thank you for joining me.For those who want a d'var Torah on Parasha Va'eira from '''A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud'' please click on
Shabbat Shalom:
Rabbi Arthur Segal_
www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org_ (http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org/ )
Jewish Renewal_
www.jewishrenewal.info(http://www.jewishrenewal.info/ )
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Thursday, January 12, 2012
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: ECO-JUDAISM: DEREK ERETZ: AVOID CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES
