Some Implications of Brit:
Jews and Social Justice: A Covenant of Responsibility
Passover: Can I be Jewish Without Community?
Tzedakah: How Many People Mut I Save?
Talk it out
- How do you code switch in your own life?
- Do you code switch between home and college? Between the rest of college and Jewish life?
- What are some of the words that you use in your college life?
- What are some of the words that you use in your Jewish life?
- If you do code switch, does it bother you?
Rabbi Sid Schwarz, “Can Social Justice Save the American Jewish Soul?”
Based on my reading of Judaism, there are two compelling answers to the question, "What is the purpose of Judaism?"
The first purpose is based on Genesis 18, when God expands on an initial charge to Abraham to go forth from his land to the land that God will show him. In 18:19, God adds a critical prerequisite that will enable Abraham to fulfill his destiny and become the father of a great nation. He is to obey God's commandments and "extend the boundaries of righteousness and justice in the world," la'asot tzedakah umishpat.
The second purpose of Judaism is based on God's revelation to Moses, which is recounted in Exodus 19:6. The Jewish people are told to be "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation," a mamlechet kohanim and goy kadosh. The Hebrew word for holiness-kedusha-comes from a root that means separate and apart.
Judaism is a religion based on a paradox: Jews are expected to maintain a holy apartness as God's chosen people and, at the same time, are expected to be totally engaged with the world around them. The observance of ritual laws must be combined with acting toward others with justice and compassion, to be loyal to God's covenant with the Jewish people.
- Rabbi Schwarz points to two purposes of the Jewish people: to spread righteousness and justice, and to be a holy nation. How have these two purposes of Judaism manifested in your own life?
- Do these purposes seem opposed to each other? Could you think of a way that these two purposes could work together?
רָשָׁע מָה הוּא אוֹמֵר? מָה הָעֲבוֹדָה הַזּאֹת לָכֶם. לָכֶם - וְלֹא לוֹ. וּלְפִי שֶׁהוֹצִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִן הַכְּלָל כָּפַר בְּעִקָּר. וְאַף אַתָּה הַקְהֵה אֶת שִׁנָּיו וֶאֱמוֹר לוֹ: "בַּעֲבוּר זֶה עָשָׂה ה' לִי בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם". לִי וְלֹא-לוֹ. אִלּוּ הָיָה שָׁם, לֹא הָיָה נִגְאָל:
What does the evil [son] say? "'What is this worship to you?' (Exodus 12:26)" 'To you' and not 'to him.' And since he excluded himself from the collective, he denied a principle [of the Jewish faith]. And accordingly, you will blunt his teeth and say to him, "'For the sake of this, did the Lord do [this] for me in my going out of Egypt' (Exodus 13:8)." 'For me' and not 'for him.' If he had been there, he would not have been saved.
Ask: Do you think that this child should be called wicked based on her question? Is her question
really so terrible?
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Bo (5768): The Covenant of Fate 5 :
Judaism is a communal faith. This is the “principle” that the rebellious child denies. Judaism is not addressed to individuals. Nor is it addressed to humanity as a whole. G-d chose a people, a nation, and asked them at Mount Sinai to pledge themselves, not only to Him but also to one another. Emunah, that key word of Judaism, usually translated as “faith,” more properly means loyalty – to G-d, but also to the people He has chosen as the carriers of His mission, the witnesses to His presence. To be sure, Jews are sometimes exasperating. Rashi, commenting on Moses’ charge to his successor Joshua, says that he told him: “Know that they [the people you are about to lead] are troublesome and contentious.” But he also told him: “You are
fortunate for you will have the privilege of leading the children of G-d Himself.”
. . .
[A] Jew who does not say “You” when Jews or Israel are under attack, but “Me,” has made a fundamental affirmation – to be part of a people, sharing in its responsibilities, identifying with its hopes and fears, celebrations and griefs. That is the covenant of fate and it still summons us today.
Ask: How important do you think it is “to be part of a people, sharing in its responsibilities,
identifying with its hopes and fears, celebrations and griefs”?
(ז) כִּֽי־יִהְיֶה֩ בְךָ֨ אֶבְי֜וֹן מֵאַחַ֤ד אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ בְּאַ֨רְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֣ן לָ֑ךְ לֹ֧א תְאַמֵּ֣ץ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֗ וְלֹ֤א תִקְפֹּץ֙ אֶת־יָ֣דְךָ֔ מֵאָחִ֖יךָ הָאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ (ח) כִּֽי־פָתֹ֧חַ תִּפְתַּ֛ח אֶת־יָדְךָ֖ ל֑וֹ וְהַעֲבֵט֙ תַּעֲבִיטֶ֔נּוּ דֵּ֚י מַחְסֹר֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֶחְסַ֖ר לֽוֹ׃ ... (י) נָת֤וֹן תִּתֵּן֙ ל֔וֹ וְלֹא־יֵרַ֥ע לְבָבְךָ֖ בְּתִתְּךָ֣ ל֑וֹ כִּ֞י בִּגְלַ֣ל ׀ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה יְבָרֶכְךָ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָֽל־מַעֲשֶׂ֔ךָ וּבְכֹ֖ל מִשְׁלַ֥ח יָדֶֽךָ׃ (יא) כִּ֛י לֹא־יֶחְדַּ֥ל אֶבְי֖וֹן מִקֶּ֣רֶב הָאָ֑רֶץ עַל־כֵּ֞ן אָנֹכִ֤י מְצַוְּךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר פָּ֠תֹחַ תִּפְתַּ֨ח אֶת־יָדְךָ֜ לְאָחִ֧יךָ לַעֲנִיֶּ֛ךָ וּלְאֶבְיֹנְךָ֖ בְּאַרְצֶֽךָ׃ (ס)
(7) If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman. (8) Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs. ... (10) Give to him readily and have no regrets when you do so, for in return the LORD your God will bless you in all your efforts and in all your undertakings. (11) For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kinsman in your land.
George Robinson, Tzedakah in the Jewish Tradition, MyJewishLearning
Tzedakah is loosely translated as "charity", but that is a misrepresentation of the concept. The Hebrew has its root in another word, tzedek/justice. In the Torah, we are strongly enjoined, "Tzedek, tzedek tirdof/Justice, justice thou shalt pursue." Rabbinical commentators have said that the repetition of the word justice is designed to underline the importance of the command.
Tzedakah is not charity given out of caritas, in the Christian understanding of those words; it is given as an act of redress, as part of the process of seeking a just world.
(א) חַיָּבִין אָנוּ לְהִזָּהֵר בְּמִצְוַת צְדָקָה יוֹתֵר מִכָּל מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה. שֶׁהַצְּדָקָה סִימָן לַצַּדִּיק זֶרַע אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יח-יט) "כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה אֶת בָּנָיו" (בראשית יח-יט) "לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה". וְאֵין כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְכּוֹנֵן וְדַת הָאֱמֶת עוֹמֶדֶת אֶלָּא בִּצְדָקָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נד-יד) "בִּצְדָקָה תִּכּוֹנָנִי". וְאֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל נִגְאָלִין אֶלָּא בִּצְדָקָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה א-כז) "צִיּוֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה וְשָׁבֶיהָ בִּצְדָקָה":
(ב) לְעוֹלָם אֵין אָדָם מַעֲנִי מִן הַצְּדָקָה וְאֵין דָּבָר רַע וְלֹא הֶזֵּק נִגְלָל בִּשְׁבִיל הַצְּדָקָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה לב-יז) "וְהָיָה מַעֲשֵׂה הַצְּדָקָה שָׁלוֹם." כָּל הַמְרַחֵם מְרַחֲמִין עָלָיו שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג-יח) "וְנָתַן לְךָ רַחֲמִים וְרִחַמְךָ וְהִרְבֶּךָ". וְכָל מִי שֶׁהוּא אַכְזָרִי וְאֵינוֹ מְרַחֵם יֵשׁ לָחוּשׁ לְיַחֲסוֹ. שֶׁאֵין הָאַכְזָרִיּוּת מְצוּיָה אֶלָּא בְּעַכּוּ''ם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה נ-מב) "אַכְזָרִי הֵמָּה וְלֹא יְרַחֵמוּ". וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַנִּלְוֶה עֲלֵיהֶם כְּאַחִים הֵם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יד-א) "בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם" וְאִם לֹא יְרַחֵם הָאָח עַל הָאָח מִי יְרַחֵם עָלָיו. וּלְמִי עֲנִיֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל נוֹשְׂאִין עֵינֵיהֶן. הֲלְעַכּוּ''ם שֶׁשּׂוֹנְאִין אוֹתָן וְרוֹדְפִים אַחֲרֵיהֶן. הָא אֵין עֵינֵיהֶן תְּלוּיוֹת אֶלָּא לַאֲחֵיהֶן:
(1) We are obligated to be careful about the commandment [to give] charity, more than any other positive commandment for charity is a sign of the righteous, the seed of Avraham, as it says "For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness... " And the seat of Israel is not established nor is the True Faith preserved except through charity as it says "In righteousness shalt thou be established" nor shall Israel be redeemed except through charity as it says "Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and they that return of her with righteousness."
(2) A person is never impoverished through charity and no bad thing nor any damage is caused by charity as it says "And the work of righteousness shall be peace." Anyone who is merciful, [God is] merciful towards them as it says "and give thee mercy, and have compassion on thee and increase thee." And anyone who is cruel and not merciful, is under suspicion [regarding] his lineage for cruelty is only found among pagans as it says "they are cruel, and have no compassion." All of Israel and all who are attached to them are like brothers as it says "Ye are the children of the LORD your God" and if a brother will not have compassion for his brother, who will have compassion for him? And to whom will the poor of Israel lift their eyes? To the gentiles who hate them and pursue them?! Their eyes look only towards their brothers.
(א) מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לִתֵּן צְדָקָה לָעֲנִיִּים כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁרָאוּי לֶעָנִי. אִם הָיְתָה יַד הַנּוֹתֵן מַשֶּׂגֶת. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים טו-ח) "פָתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת יָדְךָ לוֹ" וְנֶאֱמַר (ויקרא כה-לה) "וְהֶחֱזַקְתָּ בּוֹ גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב וָחַי עִמָּךְ" וְנֶאֱמַר (ויקרא כה-לו) "וְחֵי אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ":
(1) 1. It is a positive commandment to give Tzedaka to poor people according to what is appropriate for the recipient if the donor can afford it as it says "You shall surely open your hand to him" and it says "And you shall strengthen the stranger and he shall live among you." And it says "and your brother shall live among you."
(ה) בָּא הֶעָנִי וְשָׁאַל דֵּי מַחֲסוֹרוֹ וְאֵין יַד הַנּוֹתֵן מַשֶּׂגֶת נוֹתֵן לוֹ כְּפִי הַשָּׂגַת יָדוֹ וְכַמָּה עַד חֲמִישִׁית נְכָסָיו מִצְוָה מִן הַמֻּבְחָר. וְאֶחָד מֵעֲשָׂרָה בִּנְכָסָיו בֵּינוֹנִי. פָּחוֹת מִכָּאן עַיִן רָעָה. וּלְעוֹלָם לֹא יִמְנַע עַצְמוֹ מִשְּׁלִישִׁית הַשֶּׁקֶל בְּשָׁנָה. וְכָל הַנּוֹתֵן פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה לֹא קִיֵּם מִצְוָה. וַאֲפִלּוּ עָנִי הַמִּתְפַּרְנֵס מִן הַצְּדָקָה חַיָּב לִתֵּן צְדָקָה לְאַחֵר:
(5) 5. When a poor person comes and asks for his needs to be met and the giver does not have the financial capacity, he should give him according to his financial capacity. How much? The most desirable way of performing the mitzvah is to give one fifth of one's financial resources. Giving one tenth is an ordinary measure. Giving less [than that] parsimony. A person should refrain from giving less than a third of a shekel a year. A person who gives less than this has not fulfilled the mitzvah. Even a poor person who derives his livelihood from charity is obligated to give charity to another person.
דרך ארץ זוטא א:כ״ט
אם הטיבות הרבה, יהי בעיניך מעט, ואמור לא משלי הטיבותי אלא ממה שהטיבו לי.
Derech Eretz Zuta, 1:29
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If you did someone a great favor, regard it as small, and say, 'I did not do this good act with my own money; rather it was from the good that others have done for me.” |
הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּפְרֹשׁ מִן הַצִּבּוּר, וְאַל תַּאֲמִין בְּעַצְמְךָ עַד יוֹם מוֹתְךָ, וְאַל תָּדִין אֶת חֲבֵרְךָ עַד שֶׁתַּגִּיעַ לִמְקוֹמוֹ..
Hillel says: Do not separate yourself from the community. Do not believe in yourself until the day of your death. Do not judge your fellow human being until you reach their place...
Hillel, a famous early Rabbinic figure, articulates the importance of maintaining a connection with one's community. His other instructions may be understood in this context as well: Do not believe that you can exist without the help and support of others, and without being there for them as well. And being a part of a community often means suspending judgment, and looking for opportunities to identify with those around us.
What does remaining connected to the community look like in your life? What shared values help you suspend judgment of one another and remember the importance of relying on one another for help?
תניא אידך בזמן שהצבור שרוי בצער אל יאמר אדם אלך לביתי ואוכל ואשתה ושלום עליך נפשי... אלא יצער אדם עם הצבור שכן מצינו במשה רבינו שציער עצמו עם הצבור שנאמר (שמות יז, יב) וידי משה כבדים ויקחו אבן וישימו תחתיו וישב עליה וכי לא היה לו למשה כר אחת או כסת אחת לישב עליה אלא כך אמר משה הואיל וישראל שרויין בצער אף אני אהיה עמהם בצער וכל המצער עצמו עם הצבור זוכה ורואה בנחמת צבור.
A different teaching: At the time that the community is encompassed by trouble, a person should not say, "I will go to my own house and eat and drink and peace to you, my soul." ...Rather, a person should suffer with the community, as we find with Moses, our teacher, who caused himself to suffer with his congregation. As it says (Exodus 17:12): "But Moses' hands grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it..." And did Moses not have a single pillow or mattress to sit on?? Rather, this is what Moses said: Since the Israelites are suffering (at war), I will be with them in their suffering. And anyone who suffers with the community will merit to enjoy comforting times with the community in the future.
This section from the Talmud acknowledges that when times are tough for a certain group, there may be a natural inclination for an individual to pull away. I might be able to "pass" as a member of a different group, and thereby avoid the difficulties facing my former community. But, the Talmud warns, this person will miss out on future celebrations with this group.
Have you ever felt that a community with which you identify is being targeted or persecuted? How did you respond?
...מלך במשפט יעמיד ארץ, ואיש תרומות יהרסנה (משלי כט ד)... אם משים אדם עצמו כתרומה הזו שמושלכת בזויות הבית ואומר מה לי בטורח הצבור, מה לי בדיניהם, מה לי לשמוע קולם, שלום עליך נפשי, הרי זה מחריב את העולם... מעשה ברבי אסי, כשהיה מסתלק מן העולם, נכנס בן אחותו אצלו, מצאו בוכה. אמר לו, רבי, מפני מה אתה בוכה. יש תורה שלא למדת ולימדת, הרי תלמידיך יושבים לפניך. יש גמילות חסדים שלא עשית. ועל כל מדות שהיו בך, היית מתרחק מן הדינין, ולא נתת רשות על עצמך להתמנות על צרכי צבור. אמר לו, בני, עליה אני בוכה, שמא אתן דין וחשבון על שהייתי יכול לעשות דיניהם של ישראל. הוי, ואיש תרומות יהרסנה:
“With justice, a king sustains the earth, but a fraudulent (terumot) person destroys it."
...If one makes oneself like terumah (a portion of produce that is set aside as an offering), put away in the corner of the house, and says, ‘Why should I trouble myself on behalf of the community? What good can I get out of being part of their disputes? Why would I listen to their voices? I am at peace on my own,’ this person brings destruction to the world. This is the meaning of the verse‘the fraudulent person destroys [the world].’
There is a story about Rav Assi, when he was dying, and his nephew came to him and found him crying. He said to him, ‘Why are you crying? Is there Torah that you did not both study and teach? Behold, your students are sitting before you. Are there any acts of lovingkindness that you did not do? And of all the many attributes you possessed, you furthermore stayed away from disputes and did not allow yourself to be appointed to a position of power over the affairs of the community.’ Rav Assi answered, ‘My son, that is why I am crying. What if I am asked to provide an accounting for the fact that I could have overseen the disputes among the people of Israel and did not?’ This is what the verse means when it says "the fraudulent person will destroy the world."
Even more so than the previous source, this Midrashic excerpt makes it clear that abandoning the needs of one's community is destructive, perhaps especially for a leader. The elites have the benefit of being able to withdraw into their own space when things get rough; they don't have to involve themselves in the messy everyday disputes and squabbles of the community. But, the Midrash tells us, true leadership is the willingness to get involved and stay involved in all the many little issues that plague our community.
Are there flaws in your community that inspire you to engage in repairing them, or assisting others in doing so? What makes you feel inspired to do so, and what makes you feel overwhelmed or turned off from getting involved?
(יג) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְאַבְרָ֗ם יָדֹ֨עַ תֵּדַ֜ע כִּי־גֵ֣ר ׀ יִהְיֶ֣ה זַרְעֲךָ֗ בְּאֶ֙רֶץ֙ לֹ֣א לָהֶ֔ם וַעֲבָד֖וּם וְעִנּ֣וּ אֹתָ֑ם אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָֽה׃...(יח) בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא כָּרַ֧ת יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־אַבְרָ֖ם בְּרִ֣ית לֵאמֹ֑ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֗ נָתַ֙תִּי֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את מִנְּהַ֣ר מִצְרַ֔יִם עַד־הַנָּהָ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל נְהַר־פְּרָֽת׃
(13) And He said to Abram, “Know well that your offspring shall be strangers in a land not theirs, and they shall be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years...On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I assign this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:
Abraham, our first patriarch, enters into a brit or partnership with God in this quote from the book of Genesis. Eventually, Abraham's descendants will inherit the land of Israel, but first, they will be strangers and victims of oppression in another land. This brit is recalled time and time again in the Torah, both in the context of the connection between God and the Jewish people, and also as a basis for forming bonds with others around us. This verse in Exodus is just one of many times when the Torah reminds us that we were "strangers" in the land of Egypt, and therefore we are called upon to recognize the stranger, the underdog, and the oppressed wherever we go. Unlike the sense of partnership that might emerge from Jewish peoplehood, this brit allows us to feel a sense of connection with people from all different backgrounds.
With whom does your Jewish heritage allow you to connect, and why? Does the idea of having been a stranger or underdog resonate with you? Why or why not?
In this ELI Talk, philanthropist and activist Felicia Herman talks about the power of communal giving. It turns out that being connected to a community doesn't just benefit all the individuals who come together, but can actually lead to a culture of giving that is stronger and more vibrant than if one were to give on one's own.
Does your involvement in community ever lead you and those around you to give to others? What do you think would be some shared values that might bring you together with others and inspire you to give?