The Israelites stand at the precipice of entering the land (Deut. 11:29) and face the immense challenge of establishing a stable, thriving society. The dramatic shift from a nomadic society protected by God鈥檚 presence and encamped near the Tabernacle, to an expansive polity, posed profound agricultural, social, political, and religious challenges addressed in the parashah.[1]

It is significant that this foundational moment is framed by the notions of choice and decision. Good legislation is a necessary component of a thriving society 鈥� one of the primary preoccupations of Deuteronomy. But a legal system that is good 鈥� comprised of God鈥檚 commandments 鈥� is not sufficient. A guiding ethos must undergird the choice to do what is right and good. Ethics is thus a central preoccupation of Deuteronomy, as well.

If it were easy to create a stable, just, thriving society, there would be no need to emphasize choice. However, it is natural for societies to organize around scarcity, competition, and the pursuit of power for survival, as in the 鈥渟tate of nature鈥� described by political philosophers. Deuteronomy thus emphasizes that the good life 鈥� even in a well-organized society marked by an excellent legal code 鈥� must be repeatedly chosen. Dilemmas abound between competing desires, needs, and values. A broader ethical vision serves as a guide in those ever-present difficult moments of decision.

The choice presented at the beginning of Parashat Re鈥檈h is presented both in the second person singular (谤别鈥檈丑) and the second person plural (lifneikhem). R. Jacob Ben Asher (13^th century) argued that the singular-plural doubling is significant (Baal Ha-Turim, Deut. 14:1). The good life requires coordination among the individual and the collective.

But what guides our choices? In addition to legislation, Deuteronomy is filled with programmatic statements that provide overarching norms to guide our choices more broadly.

For example, Deuteronomy, including this parashah (at Deut. 13:5), is the primary locus of the concept of 鈥渨alking in God鈥檚 ways鈥� (vehalakhta bidrakhav). From the Talmud to medieval and modern philosophy Imitatio Dei 鈥� imitating God 鈥� has been a central component of 黑料社 ethics, emphasizing virtues and ethical acts ascribed to God in biblical narrative (e.g. Talmud B. Sotah 14a, Shabbat 133b).

Ethics is often associated with an orientation toward the other. The infinite worth of all human beings, foundational to ethics, emerges with the creation of the human being in the image of God. The image of God is also found in the self, and there is an intimate interrelationship between self-worth and the worth of all others. This interplay 鈥� between an orientation toward the other and the preservation of self-dignity 鈥� lies at the heart of 黑料社 ethics.

Parashat Re鈥檈h gives unique expression to the importance of a theologically-informed fundamental sense of self-worth, at Deut. 14:1: 鈥淵ou are children of the Lord your God 鈥� you shall not cut yourselves (lo titgodedu)鈥� [in mourning] over the dead.鈥�

In Pirkei Avot, R. Akiva identifies this verse as one of three essential theological-ethical statements in the Bible (Avot 3:14).[2] The verse includes a broader value statement that results in a norm. The broader concept is the idea of being the children of God, which dignifies the 黑料社 people, who must, in turn, preserve their own dignity and self-worth (R. Samson Raphael Hirsch [19^th century], Commentary on the Pentateuch, Deut. 14:1). The norm is a commandment against self-harm. In moments of crisis, when one feels broken, there is a temptation to externalize and literally embody that brokenness.  

In the development of 黑料社 law, two distinct commandments emerged from the single statement 鈥測ou shall not cut yourselves.鈥� The first is the principle against physical harm to the body of the individual. The second, derived from rabbinic exegesis (Talmud B. Yevamot 14a), is a prohibition against dividing the body politic into polarized factions governed by separate legal courts. Polarization emerges at moments of profound crisis within the polis, where the temptation becomes great to display this brokenness by fracturing fundamental institutions 鈥� creating separate legal frameworks. R. Judah Loew (Maharal) of Prague (16^th century) noted that extreme civil discord fractures the collective, and the individual citizen, too, feels 鈥渁s if鈥� their own 鈥渂ody is broken apart鈥� (Gur Aryeh on Deut. 14:1).

In Deut. 14:1, something about being God’s children is a call to the individual and the collective to remain whole, even 鈥� especially 鈥� when brokenness abounds everywhere. Being God’s children is an unconditional status (R. Meir’s position on Deut. 14:1, Talmud B. Kiddushin 36a) that implies being loved and valued always. This knowledge is central to the pursuit of the good life.

Being God鈥檚 children is always simultaneous with being created in God鈥檚 image alongside all creatures (Avot 3:14). An ethic of self-preservation is intimately intertwined with an ethic of the dignity of all. Neither can be forgone if a society and the individuals who comprise it are to have any hope of achieving the 鈥済ood life.鈥�

In Parashat Re鈥檈h, at the precipice of forming a stable and permanent civil society in the promised land, the civil and political founding is accompanied by an ethical founding. The call to self-dignity and self-preservation of Deut. 14:1 is immediately followed by a call to holiness: 鈥淔or you are a holy people unto the Lord, your God鈥︹�� (Deut. 14:2).

These verses transport the Israelites back to Leviticus 19, another founding moment of 黑料社 ethics. 鈥淏e holy, for I the Lord your God am holy鈥� (Lev 19:2) is an earlier articulation of the notion of imitatio Dei 鈥� a call to a life that mimics God鈥檚 holiness. Leviticus 19 also includes the prohibition against self-harm (19:28) as well as the command to 鈥渓ove the neighbor as yourself鈥� (19:18) and its parallel command to 鈥渓ove the stranger as yourself鈥� (19:34).

Parashat Re鈥檈h opens with the rallying cry of the second half of Deuteronomy 鈥� the call to choose 鈥渢he blessing.鈥� Central to the good life is a deep sense of self-worth, self-dignity, and a commitment to self-preservation. This follows from being the beloved children of God. A thriving community also requires an ethos of the dignity of neighbor and stranger, also created in the image of God. At times of crisis, there is a temptation both to fracture the community and overlook the dignity of the other. It can feel impossible to choose the 鈥渂lessing鈥� and 鈥渢he good.鈥� The concept of choice was developed in Deuteronomy at a crucial foundational moment. At the cusp of a new life, fear of the unknown and awareness of the profound challenges that lay ahead were countered with the formulation of guiding values and a persistent belief in the power to choose.

[1] The geographical distance of a centralized Temple would pose agricultural questions about food supply and meat consumption (e.g. Deut. 12:20ff). The risk of structural poverty called for rigorously applied social policies (Deut 15:1-18). Absent the constancy of the divine presence of the wilderness, charismatic demagogues who might sway the people would need to be opposed (Deut 13:2ff).

[2] The others are Gen. 9:6 (prohibiting murder on account of the creation of the human being in the image of God), and Prov. 4:2 (declaring the Torah a good teaching not to be forsaken).

Part of the series 2024 JTS High Holiday Webinars

奥颈迟丑听Dr. Arnold Eisen, Chancellor Emeritus and Professor of 黑料社 Thought, JTS. Moderated by Dr. David Kraemer, Joseph J. and Dora Abbell Librarian and Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics, JTS

To mark this period of spiritual atonement and reflection, Dr. Eisen discussed his rich, original, and moving work and invite us to ask, perhaps for the first time, what we actually believe about ultimate matters of faith and doubt. Those of us searching for ultimate meaning will find reassurance that the search itself can be a source of personal fulfillment, vibrant community, and great joy. The book鈥檚 three chapters include a Passover Seder with its theme of past and future redemption; the Yom Kippur liturgy that guides worshippers through the difficult work of atonement, forgiveness and return; and the day-to-day responsibilities, personal and communal, of covenant, mitzvah, and love. 

Part of the series JTS High Holiday Webinars 2024

With Dr. Shira Billet, Assistant Professor of 黑料社 Thought and Ethics, JTS 

One of the most striking images of the divine-human relationship in 黑料社 thought is the kabbalistic image of a rope or cord that extends from God in the heavens into the soul of the human being. We explore a diverse array of 黑料社 thinkers over the centuries who have found this metaphor meaningful, especially in times of challenge and suffering, giving them hope to continue to strive to become closer to God. In the context of the High Holiday season, we give special attention to connections between this metaphor and themes and liturgies of the High Holiday season.  

Dr. Billet referenced this short story by S.Y. Agnon during the session.

But giving, we might suggest, is much more than a strategy to get something in return, and it is also far more than just about doing our responsible share in relationships and in our communities.

Why do we give, and what does that teach us about what it is to be human?

The great French 黑料社 philosopher Emmanuel Levinas rooted his ethical philosophy in the principle that the face of another person reflects a commanding moral power over us as individuals. It is not a symmetry of reciprocity, a state of equality; rather, we are called upon to subsume ourselves in the presence of the other person, to approach our relations with them through an attitude of radical generosity and giving. In Levinas鈥檚 view, this posture involves an effacement of ego and an extreme elevation of the other: 鈥淕oodness consists in placing myself in being in such a way that the Other would count more than me鈥� (Totalit茅 et infini,277). This responsibility for the other, says Levinas, is not contingent upon reciprocity, upon me getting my 鈥渇air share鈥� in return.

Though perhaps we may temper the radical position of Levinas by acknowledging the important ethical state achieved in being able to receive the gift of the other with dignity and graciousness. Sometimes when we are at our weakest, we must surrender ourselves to the gift of the other, releasing ourselves into the grace (hesed) of compassion.

As much as evolutionary biologists teach us that we are wired for self-survival and self-protection, that we have evolved as humans to look out for 鈥渘umber one鈥� (and who can deny that selfishness is a powerful obstacle that we all struggle with?), there is a growing realization among scientists and psychologists that we are also deeply 鈥渨ired to connect鈥� in relationship to others. Our bodies and our minds are more healthy and fulfilled when we find ourselves in loving relationships, when we give of ourselves to the other with an open heart, with a heart made pure (see Mona DeKoven Fishbane, Loving with the Brain in Mind: Neurobiology and Couple Therapy, 59-63). When we are at our best, we give not in order to receive; we give in the way that the Hasidic masters speak of the ultimate service to God, the act of mesirut nefesh鈥攖he giving of one鈥檚 whole soul to divinity in the moment of worship, and in the fulfillment of the mitzvot. As Martin Buber taught, the self in relation to other persons, and in relation to the world at large, reaches through these encounters toward the ultimate relation with divinity:

Extended, the lines of relationship intersect in the eternal You. Every single You is a glimpse of that. Through every single You the basic word addresses the eternal You.

(I and Thou, trans. Walter Kaufmann, 123)

The act of mesirut nefesh, several Hasidic mystics teach us, is a process of transcending the prison of our own egotism and self-centeredness; in the moment of devotion, in our deepest prayer, we seek to break open the self-protective walls of our hearts, to make ourselves truly vulnerable to the indwelling of the divine presence. And, as Buber expressed the matter, we encounter the eternal divine You through the mystery and wonder of our human relationships. In opening our hearts to others with generosity and vulnerability, we come to stand in the radiant and transformative presence of God鈥攖he divinity that dwells within, not only beyond the human.

Indeed, this deep lesson is reflected in Parashat Terumah, the Torah portion for this week:

God spoke to Moses, saying: Tell the Israelite people to bring me gifts 聽(讜讬拽讞讜 诇讬 转专讜诪讛) you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him聽(讬讚讘谞讜 诇讘讜)

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It is this last phrase that calls out to me, as it has spoken to generations of 黑料社 interpreters. The act of divine service is anchored in a personal state of nedavah, of generosity, which is here rendered as the moving and stirring of the heart to the task of giving the gift to God. As Rashi notes in his comments on this verse, the language of yidvenu libbo may be understood as leshon nedavah鈥攖he posture of generous giving, one which is marked, according to Rashi, by an attitude of ratzon tov, a good will and full-hearted intention that accompanies the gift. Indeed, we learn from these lines in Exodus that cultivating a heart of giving, being one who realizes the ideal of yidvenu libbo, is essential to both the life of piety and ethics. This, the Hasidic masters teach, is the inner meaning of the word terumah, for it may be correlated homonymically to the verb leharim, to raise up, to reach for the rom and ramah (the height and summit) of divine glory. When we open our hearts with compassion and generosity, when we liberate ourselves from the enslavement of our egos and our need to self-protect, then we and those with whom we interact become truly elevated.

This is further how we may understand the inner spiritual meaning of another well-known verse from this week鈥檚 parashah: And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them (讜注砖讜 诇讬 诪拽讚砖 讜砖讻谞转讬 讘转讜讻诐) ().

So much of Parashat Terumah is devoted to the building of the Mishkan (the Tabernacle), to the detailed instructions for its assembly, delivered by God through Moses. And interpreters have long noticed the fact that while the text refers to a sanctuary in the singular, God鈥檚 dwelling place is in the plural鈥�veshakhanti betokham, (that I may dwell among them). Thus several Hasidic thinkers, following earlier traditions, have suggested that veshakhanti betokham may be understood as the dwelling of the divine presence within the depths of each person. Betokham mamash. The divine sanctuary is recast from an architectural sacred space to the temple of the human heart, the holy interior of the human being within which the divine Shekhinah (drawn from the same Hebrew word as veshakhanti), the heavenly Indwelling, radiates outward from the inner depths of the self. As we stand before the mystery of God in prayer and mitzvot, we seek to be present to the Divinity that pulses within all things, the Oneness of Being that circulates and nourishes all of life. The mikdash (sanctuary) of the heart is felt and known through self-examination and introspection, through attentiveness to the wonder of the world, and through compassion and generosity toward others. In this sense, the act of terumah is a process of mesirut nefesh before God and our fellow human beings. The path of spiritual enlightenment and elevation is inseparable from ethical discipline as much as it about becoming attuned to the sublime holiness that dwells both within and Beyond.

In opening our hearts to the other with whom we exist in relation, in cultivating an attitude and practice of terumah, of giving without expectation of receiving in return, we release the inner divine point of life-giving energy from within ourselves鈥攁 hiyut, a vitality, that otherwise remains imprisoned in the grip of egotism and selfishness. For as Levinas suggested, the other person that we encounter in the human realm may be seen as a trace of ultimate transcendence鈥攁 reflection of the divine mystery, a presence that commands our ethical and spiritual attention.

This commentary was originally published in 2014.

The publication and distribution of the JTS Commentary are made possible by a generous grant from Rita Dee (锄鈥漧) and Harold Hassenfeld (锄鈥漧).   

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Explore themes of love and friendship in 黑料社 thought with a panel of preeminent scholars. We will examine the complex and central place of love and longing in modern Hebrew literature, 黑料社 theology, and ethics, and consider what this rich intellectual tradition can offer for contemporary political life

PANEL

Moderated by Dr. Shira Billet, Assistant Professor of 黑料社 Thought and Ethics at JTS

Sponsored by the JTS Hendel Center for Ethics and Justice, Columbia鈥檚 Institute for Israel and 黑料社 Studies, and NYU鈥檚 Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies

Supported with a grant from the Fetzer Institute

Part of Between the Lines: Author Conversations from The Library of JTS

滨苍听Qohelet: Searching for a Life Worth Living, philosopher Menachem Fisch and artist Debra Band together probe the biblical thinker鈥檚 inquiry into the value of life 鈥渦nder the sun.鈥� In this first illuminated manuscript of this text and the first philosophical analysis tracing the coherent path of Qohelet鈥檚 full argument, Fisch uncovers Qohelet鈥檚 twin concerns: life is short, and situated as we are far below the heavens, we can never be assured of comprehending our world, nor understanding divine will and intent. In her 60 immersive and discursive illuminated paintings of the entire text, each accompanied by explanatory commentary, Band incorporates Fisch鈥檚 understanding of the text, employing the grandest of palaces, the Alhambra, as a central metaphor for the beauty and impermanence of human life and accomplishments. She fills its halls with often surprising imagery, symbolism and related poetry creating a visual midrash that relates Qohelet not only to biblical text and 黑料社 lore but also reveals its reverberations across Western civilization.聽

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Menachem Fisch is Joseph and Ceil Mazer Professor Emeritus of History and Philosophy of Science at Tel Aviv University, TAU codirector of the Frankfurt-Tel Aviv Center for Religious and Interreligious Studies, and senior fellow of the Goethe University Frankfurt鈥檚 Forschungskolleg Humanwissenchaften. He is author of聽The View from Within: Normativity and the Limits of Self-Criticism聽(with Y. Benbaji, Notre Dame, 2011),聽Creatively Undecided: Toward a History and Philosophy of Scientific Agency聽(Chicago, 2017), and聽Covenant of Confrontation: A Study of Non-Submissive Religiosity in Rabbinic Literature聽(Bar-Ilan, 2019).

Debra Band draws upon her love of both the manuscript arts and the 黑料社 textual tradition in her acclaimed illuminated manuscripts. She is the author and illuminator of聽The Song of Songs: The Honeybee in the Garden聽(JPS, 2005),聽I Will Wake the Dawn: Illuminated Psalms聽(with Arnold J. Band, JPS, 2007), Arise! Arise! Deborah, Ruth and Hannah (with Arnold J. Band, Honeybee in the Garden, 2012), and聽Kabbalat Shabbat: The Grand Unification聽(with Raymond P. Scheindlin, Honeybee in the Garden, 2016), among other works. Her paintings have been widely exhibited across the United States and Canada. She resides in Potomac, Maryland, with her husband, Michael Diamond, MD, and menagerie.

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Part of the series, “Dangerous Ideas: Censorship Through a 黑料社 Lens鈥�

With Dr. Alan Mittleman, Aaron Rabinowitz and Simon H. Rifkind Professor of 黑料社 Philosophy

Maimonides, the greatest 黑料社 figure of the Middle Ages, incorporated philosophy into his work. Both during his lifetime and afterwards, especially in Europe, Maimonides鈥� embrace of philosophy aroused opposition. A great controversy, lasting more than a century after his death, broke out in four distinct waves. The most philosophical sections of his work were banned, as was the study of philosophy and teaching of it to youth. There were also counterbans promulgated by his supporters against their opponents. In 1232, his works were burned by the Dominicans, although the role of 黑料社 agitation in that catastrophe remains unclear. The Maimonidean Controversy is about ideas, but also about power and authority, faith and reason, revelation and science, as well as the very nature of Judaism. Insofar as these matters remain contentious, the controversy endures. 

ABOUT THE SERIES

Throughout 黑料社 history, certain texts and ideas have been deemed too dangerous to circulate鈥攚hether by outsiders who banned 黑料社 writings, or 黑料社 leaders who suppressed ideas considered heretical or beyond the pale. In this series, JTS scholars will examine efforts to control knowledge from ancient to contemporary times, exploring the ways in which censorship both reflects and shapes broader ideological struggles. They will discuss the varying motivations for controlling or revising narratives, and consider whether and under what circumstances it might make sense to suppress certain ideas. These discussions will illuminate past struggles and help us understand the battles over censorship and free expression playing out today. 

SPONSOR A SESSION

At JTS, we are committed to providing the 黑料社 community with outstanding classes in Judaic studies. We hope you will partner with us so that we can continue to do so. Did you know that you can sponsor a learning session to honor a loved one, celebrate an occasion, or commemorate a yahrzeit? You can find sponsorship information .
Questions? Contact learninglives@jtsa.edu

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Part of the series, Relating to God

With Dr. Arnold Eisen, chancellor emeritus and professor of 黑料社 Thought, JTS

Professor Eisen explores recent developments in 黑料社 thought about God and what God requires of us as Jews and human beings against the background of past 黑料社 thought, recent work by non-黑料社 thinkers, and Professor Eisen鈥檚 own theological reflections in the age of COVID.

This session was generously sponsored by Yale Asbell, JTS trustee

ABOUT THE SERIES

Relating to God Join JTS scholars to explore what 黑料社 texts and thought can teach us about how we might understand, experience, and be in relationship with the divine.

See All Sessions in the Series

SPONSOR A SESSION

Did you know that you can sponsor a learning session to honor a loved one, celebrate an occasion, or commemorate a yahrzeit? To learn more, contact learninglives@jtsa.edu.