Shabbat 35 - Twilight

Continuing the attempt to define "twilight." R. Nehemiah defines it as the time it takes to walk half a mil from sunset.

An illustration which brings me to memories of the natural beauty n Israel:

"One who wishes to know R. Nehemiah's period should leave the sun on the top of the Carmel, descend, dip in the sea, and reascend, and this is R. Nehemiah's period."

Or a simpler definition:

"Rab Judah said in Samuel's name: When [only] one star [is visible], it is day; when two [appear], it is twilight; three, it is night."

(Medium-sized stars are meant. Well, all actual stars are the same apparent size [pinpoints], so this must mean medium brightness - and not a planet!)

Also on the page - a description of the 6 shofar blasts which were blown to indicate the commencing of Shabbat. This has found a modern revival in Jerusalem when the city's sirens are blown every Friday to indicate Shabbat.

All this brings me to fond memories for life in Israel. Hearing the sirens always gave me a sense of peace.

Anyone else have that memory?

Shabbat 34 - Shalom Bayit: A Houshold at Peace

A long discussion about the exact time and length of twilight. Important as the designation, intermediary time which begins Shabbat.

The Mishnah has the man of the household ask questions at this moment to insure that Shabbat preparations are completed and then orders the Shabbat candles to be lit.

Sexist, yes. No surprise there.

But this is: Rabbah son of R. Huna said: "they must be said with sweet reasonableness, so that they may be accepted from him."

Shabbat should enter with joy. Much preparation to insure that there is a freedom to celebrate. But not just physical preparation but emotional as well. there should be an ease, sweetness, between a couple. How do we know?

"And thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace" (Job 5:24)

Shabbat 33 – Super Powers!

Rabbi Simeon bar Yochai  famous for having insulted the Romans in private conversation, hiding in a cave for 13 years and emerging with supernatural powers of deduction and destruction. The story is told on this page.

R. Simeon bar Yochai was sitting with his colleagues R. Judah and R. Jose in Yabne one day. R. Judah notes that the Romans have done many good things during their occupation – building streets, bridges and bath. R. Jose sat silently. But R. Simeon responded in anger that all the Romans built, they built only for themselves or as ways of assigning new taxes on the Judeans. Someone overhears their conversation and it is reported to the Roman authorities who decree that R. Simeon would be put to death for his words. (R. Jose was exiled for being silent and R. Judah who praised the Romans was made the “first speaker” of the yeshiva.)

R. Simeon bar Yochai ran away and, along with his son hid a cave for 12 years. There they were fed miraculously by a carob-tree and a spring of water.

After those 12 years, Elijah came to tell them that the emperor was dead and they were free to leave. But when they emerged R. Simeon grew enraged at the people who were living ordinary lives. Anything they glared at spontaneously burnt to a crisp (I told you, super powers!).

A heavenly voice commanded that they return to the cave for an additional year in punishment.

When they emerged the second time, they were able to return to the world. During all that time, though, father and son did nothing but study – and R. Simeon bar Yochai came out far more knowledgeable. Using his powers for good (except for when he burns up the guy who ratted him out to the Romans! Ouch.)

Jewish tradition (but not scholarship) attributes the writing of the Kabbalistic book “The Zohar” to Simeon bar Yochai – that during his time hidden in the cave, the mysteries were revealed to him.

Another Talmudic story has him exorcising the demon of the emperor’s daughter. But that’s a story for another page!

Shabbat 32 - Risk and Punishment

MISHNAH. FOR THREE SINS WOMEN DIE IN CHILDBIRTH: BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT OBSERVANT OF [THE LAWS OF] NIDDAH, HALLAH, AND THE KINDLING OF THE [SABBATH] LIGHTS.

Such a painful Mishnah to read, and the commentary that follows is no better. Traditionally women were only responsible for three commandments: separation during menstration, separation of a small amount of challah dough before baking, and separation of the week into Shabbat. The idea that the lack of observance leads to death in childbirth of course gets turned backwards into blame - a tragedy means the person must have sinned. That kind of automatic reward and punishment model cannot stand.

The model is not limited to women, as the commentary continues. It just is less guaranteed. The idea is that dangerous times/places, like childbirth, is where punishment is meted. For men, according to the commentary, it can be going over bridges! (A dangerous prospect in the ancient world, perhaps because of poor maintainence and brigands).

One should also be careful not to take undue risks - even if one feels under Divine protection:

"A man should never stand in a place of danger and say that a miracle will be wrought for him, lest it is not."

So far, good practical advice. But, it continues:

"And if a miracle is wrought for him, it is deducted from his merits."

It seems like a bank account of good deeds which get translated into miracles. Don't spend it all in one place!

Shabbat 31 – Lessons

This page is so filled with great stories! It’s a shame the whole thing gets ruined by one of the most unfortunate Mishnaot at the end – “reasons” women die in childbirth. But maybe we’ll look at that one – and it’s aftermath – tomorrow.

But staying with the early parts of the page: the famous story of Hillel – “standing on one foot.” You remember – the person who comes to both Shammai and Hillel with the proposition that he will convert to Judaism if the rabbi will teach him all of Torah while he performs the short-lived childish feat. Shammai beats him with a stick, Hillel teaches him the “Golden Rule” and tells him that the rest of commentary – “go and learn it.”

But, this is just one of – count ‘em – four “mocking proselytes vs. Hillel and Shammai.” In the first a heathens make a bet that they can make Hillel angry. He asks a series of absurd and even offensive (what we would call racist) questions. Hillel maintains his cool and the questioner loses the bet. But we gain a picture of equanimity.

In the second story the heathen in given a lesson in trust. Refusing to believe in the concept of the “Oral Torah” Hillel teaches him the “aleph-bet” in order. The next day he teaches him the “aleph-bet” in reverse order. “But yesterday you taught it to me the other way!” he complained. “Does this mean you have to rely on me?” Hillel answered “then you have to rely on me about the Oral Torah as well.”

Lessons learned!

Shabbat 30 - For the Sake of Our Ancestors

A legal question is asked of RabbI Tanhum of Neway: Is it allowed What to extinguish a burning lamp for a sick man on the Sabbath?

Instead of giving a simple yes or no answer, a full sermon (technically a "Midrash Halacha") is reproduced on this page! It is actually quite wonderful to see.

I won't try to summarize the whole thing. Like all in this genre he begins with a text which has noting to do with the question, and the fun is to see how he weaves it around and ends up exactly where he wanted to be.

I will quote one part in the middle, though. R. Tanhum wants to show how the dead are venerated before G-d. He notes that when Solomon wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant into his newly constructed Temple in Jerusalem, the gates refused to open of him. He sang 24 songs of praise. . . Nothing happend. He called out "Lift up your heads, oh gates!" (Which we sometimes sing today when our ark is opened).

Still nothing.

But as soon as he said "remember the good deeds of your servant, David" the gates opened. This shows that it is not for our own actions but on praise of those who came before that we receive honor. Which is why we start our Amidah prayer with a mention of our Patriarchs (and more recently our Matriarchs).

Oh, and the 24 songs of Solomon are referred to here as "Rina-note." Happy Birthday today to my sister Rina! Named for the song.

Shabbat 29 - Rags to . . . Wicks

The Mishnah (28b) relates to rages which are repurposed into wicks for Shabbat lights, i.e. in oil lamps. The concern is that garments can be subject to uncleanness (if, for example, the person wearing them had an emission) and would be inappropriate for a Shabbat light. What defines a "garment" vs a "rag"? Value and intention.

"If [material] less than three [handbreadths] square is set aside for stopping a bath, pouring from a pot, or cleaning a mill . . . it is (potentially) unclean: that is R. Eliezer's view"

However:

"All admit that if it was thrown away on the refuse heap . . .it is clean; if one placed it in a chest, all agree that it is unclean."

That is, if it was thrown away and recovered, it is not a "garment." But if it had been put away (as in a chest) it must have had some value to the owner and is therefore not a "rag."

Intention matters, even in the smallest of things.