The End, For Now

Hi,

It is with a great deal of regret that I announce that I do not expect to send out daily Torah Thought and daily Jewish Law emails in the foreseeable future.

I began sending out these emails in 1997, and I am grateful to those who have been with me since those days when this was a local email list confined to the Jewish community of Pawtucket/Providence, Rhode Island, as well as to those who joined more recently. I have enjoyed our on-line and off-line exchanges, and I have benefited from the pressure to come up with a new email each day. Some of these posts have come at sensitive times in my life, and have offered a chance to express what was on my mind. Some have just been whatever I opened up to that day. Some have been from source sheets for my classes. I take some pride in noting that there are more than 2,000 posts in each of my daily blogs, and the great, great majority are not duplicates.

However: at this stage in life I feel a strong need to impose strict priorities on how I use my time, in order to improve my chances of accomplishing some of the goals I have set for myself.

I am not going anywhere; I am still reachable by email, and I hope that the fact that I won't be in your Inbox each morning won't lead you to forget me. And who knows? Perhaps there will come a time when I will come back to this. I intend to leave these sites on-line; at the least, they may be useful for people who are researching a particular idea or law.

Thank you for reading, and please keep in touch,
Mordechai

The Bond Between Gd, Moshe and Yehoshua

Hi,

"'As Gd instructed His servant Moshe, so Moshe instructed Yehoshua and so Yehoshua did; he did not remove anything of what Gd had instructed Moshe. (Yehoshua 11:15)'

"It does not say 'of what Moshe had instructed him,' but 'of what Gd had instructed Moshe.' Even regarding that which he did not hear from Moshe, Yehoshua's mind matched that which had been told to Moshe at Sinai."

(Talmud Yerushalmi, Peah 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Reciprocal kindness

Hi,

"One who eulogizes others – others will eulogize him. One who buries others – others will bury him. One who carries others – others will carry him. One who elevates his voice [in eulogy] – others will elevate their voices for him."

(Talmud, Moed Katan 28b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Goals of Rambam and Rabbi Yehudah haLevi

Hi,

"Maimonides and Halevi both engaged in religious and social criticism. Maimonides lashes out against the idolatrous tendencies of popular religion, whereas Halevi engaged in social criticism that is surprisingly candid in its treatment of instances of Jewish hypocrisy. Both, however, aim to strengthen religious commitment. In contrast, the theological-political project of Spinoza, like that of Hobbes before him, includes a critique of religion that aims to eradicate its institutional structure. Ultimately, Maimonides accepte the responsibility of Jewish communal leadership, while Spinoza left the Jewish community."

(Prof. Menachem Lorberbaum, Medieval Jewish Political Thought, Medieval Jewish Philosophy pg. 194)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Insincere conversion to Judaism?

Hi,

"One who converts in order to partake of a royal table, or to be among Solomon's servants, is not a valid convert, per Rabbi Nechemiah. For Rabbi Nechemiah said: Those who have converted for fear of wild animals or due to dreams, and those who converted in the days of Mordechai and Esther, are not valid converts…

"Rav said: The law follows the view that they are all valid converts [after the fact]."

(Talmud, Yevamot 24b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Joy of Purim

Hi,

On Purim:

"As physical life was threatened here and physical life saved, so, apart from the public recital of the story handed down to us perpetuating the event, Purim stresses the enjoyment of festivities, mutual gifts and consideration for our poorer brethren.

"Together with this we should joyfully remember how our life was given to us again, and in this feeling of joy we should each revive the spirit of our common brotherhood and give it greater scope by bringing cheer to our less fortunate ones."

(Rabbi Samshon Raphael Hirsch, Horeb, paragraph 247)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Queen Esther's Strategy

Hi,

"The sages taught: Why did Esther invite Haman to her meal with Achashverosh?

"R' Eliezer: She planted a trap for him, as it is written (Psalms 69), 'May your table be a trap before them.'

"R' Yehoshua: While in her father's household, she learned that it is written, 'If your enemy hungers, give him bread.'

"R' Meir: So that Haman wouldn't consult his advisors and plot a rebellion against Achashverosh (as he would think everything was fine).

"R' Yehudah: So they shouldn't realize she was Jewish.

"R' Nechemiah: So the Jews wouldn't rely on having a sister of theirs in the palace, and stop praying to Gd for mercy.

"R' Yosi: So that Haman would be before her (in the presence of the king, and she could make him stumble).

"R' Shimon ben Minasya: Perhaps Gd would see the depths to which she had to stoop, and have mercy and perform a miracle.

"R' Yehoshua ben Karcha: I'll be friendly to him before the king, and the king will kill both of us.

"Rabban Gamliel: Achashverosh was whimsical (and might change his mind if it would take time to carry out his decree).

"Rabban Gamliel said: We still require the words of Moda'i, as it is taught: R' Eliezer haModai said: To cause jealousy of Haman from both the King and his other officers.

"Rabbah said: It is written (Proverbs 16), 'Arrogance comes before one is broken.'

"Abayye and Rava said: It is written (Jeremiah 51), 'In anger I will set their feasts (punishment will come at their feasts).'

"Rabbah bar Avuha encountered Eliyahu (the Prophet), and asked: Which explanation is the one which Esther saw, which motivated her to do this?

"He replied: Esther saw all of the rationales of these various sages."

(Talmud, Megilah 15b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Drinking on Purim

Hi,

Time for my annual message:

On Purim we celebrate the ultimate joy of a sudden national rescue, and our sages have taught that we should imbibe alcohol at the Purim Seudah as part of this celebration. Just as we abstain from various foods and from drink at certain times of the year to induce sadness, so we indulge in various foods and in drink at other times of the year, to induce joy. The gemara’s standard for imbibing is to drink until we cannot tell the difference between “Cursed is Haman” and “Blessed is Mordechai” (Megilah 7b).

Authorities differ on how much to drink, but the following is clear: An adult who is medically, psychologically and emotionally able to drink, and who has a designated driver, should drink some amount of alcohol - preferably enough that he will feel lightheaded (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 695:2). One should enjoy his Purim meal relatively early in the afternoon, drink a little, and then sleep off the effects of the alcohol.

Many people, and I include myself in this number, have embraced the practice of drinking minimally at the Purim Seudah and then fulfilling the state of intoxication by taking a nap after the meal. This approach is sanctioned by the Rama (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 695:2), and supported by the Taz, who believes that the gemara's conclusion opposes drinking. One might consider doing the eating/drinking/nap before participating in a communal seudah.

I know the following is obvious, and I apologize for taking your time with it, but if my blog has any reach at all then I feel an obligation to state this obvious point. Please:

1) There is no reason to give alcohol to minors who are pre-bar mitzvah to drink on Purim. It is not necessary for their fulfillment of any mitzvah. The practice might be secularly legal as sacramental wine - consult an attorney - but it is a foolish and dangerous ritual and therefore prohibited as endangering our children as well as violating our obligation of chinuch for our children.

I do believe there is a difference between giving children under the age of obligation in mitzvot a taste of wine from the formal Shabbat Kiddush (not the one in shul; I mean the one at dinner/lunch!) and engaging them in Purim drinking. The former is a formal setting, and no one (I hope) is drinking to get a buzz. On Purim, though, because the general drinking is more loose and more geared toward celebration, I believe that the rule should be that children drink no alcohol at all.

2) If your own child is a minor, but older than bar mitzvah, and able to handle a small amount of wine, then it makes sense to help your child fulfill the mitzvah with a small amount, in a supervised setting, assuming this is legal in your jurisdiction.

3) I beleve adults should not drink on Purim in the presence of young children, beyond what would normally be consumed at a meal on Shabbat. Immature children cannot tell when we are in control and when we are not, cannot comprehend the dangers associated with alcohol, cannot accept the idea that adults can do what children are not permitted to do, and cannot understand the difference between Purim and the rest of the year.

The finest joy is a celebration which centers around a Mitzvah, and this is the essence of Purim – the four mitzvot (Megilah, Sending Gifts of Food, Giving to the Poor and having a Feast) which are about experiencing joy and spreading joy and thanking HaShem for saving us from destruction.

I apologize for wasting anyone’s time by stating the obvious, but as I said above, I feel the responsibility of stating this in any forum I have available.

And not to be a party-pooper at all, but those who want to know more about this theme should see Shaarei Teshuvah of Rav Chaim Margaliyot (printed with a standard Mishneh Berurah), in his final comment on Orach Chaim:

ויותר יש לזרז עצמו בד"ת במקום שיש שם איזה שמחה אף אם היא שמחה של מצוה ועיין בסוף סוכה בענין שמחת בית השואבה וכן מבואר לעיל סימן תקכ"ט אדם אוכל ושותה ושמח ברגל ולא ימשוך בבשר ויין ובשחוק וקלות ראש לפי שאין השחוק וקלות ראש שמחה אלא הוללות וסכלות ולא נצטוינו על הוללות וסכלות אלא על שמחה שיש בה עבודת היוצר עכ"ל והוא לשון רבינו הרמב"ם ז"ל והמפרשים ז"ל פירשו לשחוק אמרתי מהולל ר"ל שיהיה באיזה ענין שיהיה השחוק הוא הוללות עבט"ז לעיל
אך לשמחה מה זו עושה ר"ל שלענין שמחה אין להחליט שאינה יפה שבאמ' יש שמחה של מצוה ולכן יש ליתן לב לדעת מה זו עושה ר"ל מה טובה אם הוא שמחה של מצוה או לא אך הואיל ואפשר כי מתוך אכילה ושתיה והוללת יתמשך לשחוק וקלות ראש לכן יקח תבלין לבסם השמחה בד"ת וחדוות ה' יהיה מעוזו ויטב לבו בד"ת וז"ש וטוב לב משתה תמיד

It is even more necessary to energize one’s self with words of Torah in a place where there is joy, even if it is joy associated with a mitzvah. See the end of Succah regarding simchas beis hashoevah. And so is explained in the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 529, “One should eat, drink and be happy on the holiday, but not draw himself after meat and wine and laughter and lightheadedness, for laughter and lightheadedness are not joy, but empty celebration and foolishness. We are not instructed in empty celebration and foolishness, but in joy which includes service of the Creator.” This is a citation from the Rambam.
The sages explained the verse (Kohelet 2:2), “I have called laughter ‘empty celebration’” to mean that in any form, laughter is empty celebration. See the Taz earlier. [I don’t know which comment from the Taz he means.]
But “What does joy accomplish (Kohelet 2:2)” means that regarding joy, one should not conclude that it is not good. In truth, there is joy associated with mitzvot! Therefore, one should set his heart to know what joy can accomplish, meaning, what is its nature – is it joy associated with a mitzvah, or not. But since it is possible that one will be drawn to laughter and lightheadedness as a result of eating, drinking and empty celebration, therefor, one should take spices to sweeten the joy with words of Torah, and his strength will be in the joy of Gd, and his heart will be good with words of Torah. This is the meaning of ‘One of good heart is always at a feast.’

May we have wonderful and safe Purim - ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה וששון ויקר!

Chag Purim Sameiach,
Mordechai

Experiencing Gd

Hi,

"If we speak of experiencing Gd, and if by this we understand the ecstatic encounter of a man quivering with passion and tenseness, then one cannot consider the ethical or noetical act as capable of engendering such an experience. For the ethical and the cognitive, the rendezvous with the Creator is a quiet sedate one. There is, in fact, no actual meeting. A real encounter is never achieved by the scientist or the ethicist. For them, there is only, if we may use a metaphor of Yehudah Halevi, an exchange of epistles; the contact is established in an impersonal way, through correspondence. The medium through which this type of contact is attained is the natural law and moral norm.

"Only the aesthetic experience, if linked with the idea of the exalted, may bring man directly into contact with Gd, living, personal, and intimate. Only through coming in contact with the beautiful and exalted may one apprehend Gd instead of comprehending Him, feel the embrace of the Creator, and the warm breath of infinity hovering over a finite creation. The reason for immediacy and impact implicit in the aesthetic experience is its sensuous character."

(Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, Exaltation of Gd and Redeeming the Aesthetic, Worship of the Heart pg. 59)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Uniqueness of Moshe's Miracles

Hi,

"[Moshe's signs] were performed before all Israel, who followed him, as Devarim 34:12 says, 'Before the eyes of all Israel.' This did not exist for any prophet before him, and he accurately foretold that it would not happen for anyone else in the future."

(Rambam, Moreh haNevuchim 2:35)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Hiatus

Hello,

Unfortunately, I need to take a hiatus from the Daily Torah Thought for a week or so, due to obligations elsewhere. I hope to return some time next week.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Gd will favour you in Jerusalem

Hi,

"For a nation will be in Zion, will dwell in Jerusalem. She will not cry; G-d will favour you at the sound of your cry; when He hears you, He will respond to you."

(Yeshayah 30:19)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Take me, not them!

Hi,

"Rabbi Yonatan said: Yonah only went to destroy himself in the sea, as it is written, 'Pick me up and throw me into the sea.' You will find the same behavior by our ancestors and prophets, who gave themselves for the Jewish people.

"What does it say regarding Moshe? 'And now, if You will bear their sins, fine. But if You will not bear their sins then erase me from the book You have written. (Exodus 32)'…

"What does it say regarding David? 'I have sinned, and I have been crooked, but what have these sheep done? May Your hand be against me and my family (Samuel II 24).'"

(Midrash, Mechilta Bo)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Wealth without work?

Hi,

"Man is born to strain with his hands, and through his work to bring his bread. One who produces wealth without work is just producing struggle and corruption, and it will not grow and endure in the hands of his children."

(Malbim to Job 5:7)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

Avraham vs. Job

Hi,

What differences do you see between Avraham's declaration below, and Job's?

"Rabbi Levi said: Two men said the same thing, Avraham and Job. 

"Avraham said (Bereishit 18:25, regarding the destruction of Sodom), 'It would be a disgrace for You to do something like this, to kill the righteous with the wicked.'

"Job said (Job 9:22), 'It is all one, thus I have said: Complete and wicked, he destroys.'

"But Avraham was rewarded, and Job was punished! For Avraham said something mature; Job said something underripe."

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 49:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Parents vs. Gd

Hi,

"How do we know that if one's father says to him, 'Become impure [to retrieve a lost object]' or 'Do not return [a lost object]', one should not listen? Leviticus 19:3 says, 'You should revere your mother and father, and you shall guard my Sabbaths; I am G-d.' All of you are obligated in My honour."

(Talmud, Bava Metzia 32a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Don't be cruel

Hi,

"Someone bought land beside his father's land. When it came time to divide up [his father's estate], he requested [of the other heirs], 'Give me my portion along my existing boundary.' 

"Rabbah said: In a case like this [if the heirs refused the request out of spite], we would compel the heirs not to act as Sodom."

(Talmud, Bava Batra 12b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why ask why?

Hi,

"One should be content and not have his thoughts confused, seeking that [ultimate] purpose, or seeking the purpose of that which has no purpose other than its own existence, which is by Divine desire – or Divine wisdom, if you prefer."

(Rambam, Moreh haNevuchim 3:13)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Miracles are not the measure of a prophet

Hi,

"The compilers have agreed that miracles and wonders are an essential trait among the prophetic traits, and the level of the prophet is in accord with the level of his wonders. But I have already written in my מחזה ש-ד-י that it is not so. Performing miracles and wonders is not an essential trait of prophecy. It is not impossible that a person prophesy and not perform any miracles. These are not what indicate the level of the prophet, because they are performed only based on the need and demand of the moment…

"Our master Moshe was distinguished from other prophets by his level of prophecy, not his level of miracles. Thus the  text said (Devarim 34), 'And no other prophet arose in Israel like Moshe, whom Gd knew, face [to face].'"

(Don Isaac Abarbanel to Yehoshua 10)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

"The Book of the Righteous"

Hi,

"Shemuel II 1:18 says, 'And [King David] said to teach the Judeans the bow; this is recorded in Sefer haYashar [The Book of the Righteous].' What is Sefer haYashar?

"Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba cited Rabbi Yochanan: This is the book of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, who are called righteous [yesharim], as in Bamidbar 23:10, [when Bilam said:] "'May my death be that of the righteous [yesharim].'...

"Rabbi Eliezer said: This is Mishneh Torah [Devarim]. Why is it called Sefer haYashar? Devarim 6:18 says, 'You shall perform that which is righteous [yashar] and good.'...

"Rabbi Shemuel bar Nachmeni said: This is the Book of Shoftim [Judges]. Why is it called Sefer haYashar? Shoftim 17:6 says, 'In those days there was no king in Israel; one would do that which was righteous [yashar] in his eyes.'..."

(Talmud, Avodah Zarah 25a)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Jerusalem, City of Justice

Hi,

Introduction: The word tzedek refers to justice.

"Jerusalem makes its residents just – [its biblical leaders were named] Malki Tzedek (Genesis 14), Adoni Tzedek (Joshua 10). Jerusalem itself is called tzedek, as in Isaiah 1:21, 'Righteousness would reside in her.'"

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 43:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Supporting Torah scholars

Hi,

"Rav Dimi of Neherdaa brought dried figs by boat. The Exilarch said to Rava: Go and see; if he is a young scholar, set up the market for him."

(Talmud, Bava Batra 22a; this is quoted by Rabbi Moshe Isserles, Shut Rama 10, as a legal obligation)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

A help, opposite him

Hi,

"And G-d said: It is not good that Man should be alone; I will make for him a help, opposite him."

(Bereishit 2:18)

"If he merits, she will help him. If he does not merit, she will oppose him."

(Talmud, Yevamot 63a)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Frowning on pseudepigraphy

Hi,

[Pseudepigraphy = Attributing a work to someone other than its author]

"Rabbi Avahu cited Rabbi Yochanan: One may teach his daughter Greek; this is ornamental for her. 

"Shimon bar Abba heard this and said: Because Rabbi Avahu wants to teach his daughter Greek, he hung this upon Rabbi Yochanan.

"Rabbi Avahu heard this and said: May terrible things happen to me, if I did not hear this from Rabbi Yochanan!"

(Talmud Yerushalmi Shabbat 6:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Prophet: A Breed Apart

Hi,

"Habr: Logically, the intellect sets the speaking being above all other living things, mandating that he develop an improved character, home and nation, and act rationally… And what level would you expect to be above this?

"King: The level of great sages?

"Habr: I am referring to a level which separates its holder qualitatively, like the difference between plant and mineral… This is the level of the indisputable prophet, via whom the masses can perceive the joining of G-d with humanity…"

(Rabbi Yehudah haLevi, Kuzari 1:35-43)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Miriam, Leader of the Jews

Hi,

"Deuteronomy 24:9 mentions the redemption [from Egypt] specifically regarding Miriam, teaching that whenever the camps travelled, they did so only with Miriam travelling before them."

(Midrash, Sifri Devarim 275)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why was Miriam named "Puah"?

Hi,

The Sages suggest that the Jewish midwife named "Puah" (Exodus 1:15-21) was actually Miriam, and they offer multiple explanations for how she came about that name:

1. "Puah is Miriam. Why is she called Puah? Because she cooed (puah in Hebrew)."
(Talmud, Sotah 11b)

2. "Alternatively, she spoke (puah) with Divine inspiration, saying, 'My mother will give birth to a son who will save the Jews.'"
(Talmud, Sotah 11b)

3. "She was named Puah for she cried (puah) for her brother, as in Exodus 2:3-9."
(Midrash, Sifri, Behaalotcha 78)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Legislating competition

Hi,

"Rav Huna said: If an alley resident establishes a mill, and another alley resident establishes one beside him, the former is legally able to prevent this, saying, 'You are interrupting my livelihood.'"

(Talmud, Bava Batra 21b)

Note: Mordechai Bava Batra 516 explains that this is a closed alley, and the earlier mill is near the closed end, with the new mill moving in near the open end.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Eating before prayer

Hi,

"And Rabbi Yosi, son of Rabbi Chanina cited Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov: What is the meaning of Vayikra 19:26, 'You shall not eat upon the blood'? Do not eat before you pray for your blood.

"[And] Rabbi Yosi, son of Rabbi Chanina cited Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov: One who eats and drinks and then prays – regarding him Melachim I 14:9 says, 'You have thrown Me after your body [geivecha].' Do not read it as geivecha [your body], but gei'echa [your arrogance]. Gd says: After this one demonstrated arrogance, then he accepted the monarchy of Heaven!"

(Talmud, Berachot 10b)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Was the attack on the Rambam connected to the Burning of the Talmud in Paris?

Hi,

"In 1232 or 1233, anti-Maimunists in Montpellier handed the more philosophical books of Maimonides over to local friars present to eradicate heresy; the mendicants then burned these texts. The papal court‘s interest in rabbinic texts boded ill for the Jews, and this precedent made it all the easier for Gregory to take a jaundiced view of the Talmud a few years later. According to [Yitzhak] Baer, the 1240 Debate was, at least in part, an outgrowth of earlier inquisitorial activities.

"However, the connection between the Maimonidean controversy and the 1240 Debate is far from clear. In all the papal literature surrounding the 1240 Debate and the subsequent burning of the talmuds, the earlier burning of Maimonidian books goes unmentioned. Association between the two Jewish book-burnings is largely absent in contemporary Jewish literature as well. Three separate works, all written in response to the Debate and the subsequent burning of rabbinic texts, failed to mention the Maimonidean controversy or to connect it with the burning of the Talmuds…

"In fact, only one source supports the relationship between the Maimonedian controversy in southern France and the Paris debate and ultimate destruction of hundreds of Talmud manuscripts. Writing some fifty years after the burning of the Talmud (or thereabouts), the pro-Maimunist Rabbi Hillel of Verona writes that 'forty days did not pass from the burning of [Maimonides‘s] works until that of the Talmud…and the ashes of the Talmud were mixed with those of [Maimonides‘s overtly philosophical works which were handed over to the ecclesiastical authorities,] the Guide for the Perplexed and the Book of Knowledge, since there is still ash at the site.'

"Given the tendentious nature of this source, Baer‘s claim that the Maimonidian controversy set a precedent for subjecting rabbinic texts to inquisitorial authorities in 1240 is highly tenuous. Hillel‘s immediate pro-Maimonidian bias aside, there are historical issues of concern here as well, matters of time and place. It was not forty days, but approximately ten years, between the confiscation of Maimonides‘s writing and the burning of the Talmud. Furthermore, Hillel‘s vivid and evocative imagery of the mixing of the ashes of Maimonidean and Talmudic books notwithstanding, his words in no way comport with the facts; Maimonides‘ writing was burned in Montpellier, the Talmud in front of the Church of Notre Dame. Doubtless Hillel was aware of these discrepancies, and chose to connect the two burnings for rhetorical purposes. Hillel‘s letter cannot be taken at face value, as Baer would have it."

(Dr. Saadia Eisenberg, Reading Medieval Religious Disputation, pp. 98-102)

Have a good day,

Mordechai

On the burning of the Talmud in Paris in 1240

Hi,

"[T]he 1240 Debate represented a turning point in the history of the relations between Ashkenazi Jewry and Latin Christendom. An impressive event attended by an imposing array of dignitaries, this debate offered an opportunity for broad public display of new argumentation. While Donin‘s specific argumentation does not seem to have served as a model for other formal debates – Pablo Christiani, the Christian protagonist in the disputations in Barcelona in July 1263 and in Paris 1270, did not follow Donin‘s line of argumentation – the very assertion that the Church had the right to confiscate, examine, and destroy Jewish literature – specifically the Talmud – set a new tone for Christian-Jewish relationships in centuries to come…

"The clerical court found the Talmud guilty as charged and condemned it to flames. The Jews managed to forestall implementation of the sentence, but after a number of delaying machinations, twenty or twenty-four wagonloads of talmudic manuscripts – probably ten to twelve thousand volumes – were burned in Paris in the Place de Grève (the execution site which symbolized medieval French justice) over the course of one and a half days in 1242. The loss of books and resulting disruption of study among Jews contributed to the decline of the Jewish schools in northern France. Equally demoralizing for northern French Jewry was the vision of the Talmud, a symbol of Jewish history, accomplishment, tradition, values, and religion, going up in flames. From a long-range point of view Jews in Christian lands were now put in the position of having to respond to challenges to Talmudic law, ideology and literature proffered by antagonistic Christians, challenges which continued into the modern era."

(Dr. Saadia Eisenberg, Reading Medieval Religious Disputation pp. 2, 13-14)

Have a good day,

Mordechai

Why isn't life after death discussed throughly in the Torah? Part 8 of 8

Hi,

"When Gd wished to give the Torah to humanity, to publicize His mitzvot and His religious laws and prohibitions via His prophets throughout the world, as in (Shemot 9:16), 'In order to tell of My Name in all the land.' He created great signs, which are recorded throughout the Torah, until these caused people to believe in the prophecies of the prophets and the creation of the world… 

"And He did not transport them from matters of this world, with reward and punishment. And he continued thus until these cornerstones were strengthened and held as true for the flow of generations, and no doubt remained in the prophecies of the prophets and the creation of signs. And then the prophets told us that which Gd had told them, of resurrection of the dead, for [then] it was easy to accept this."

(Rambam, Maamar Techiyat haMeitim (Statement on the Resurrection of the Dead))

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why isn't life after death discussed throughly in the Torah? Part 7 of 8

Hi,

"The material rewards mentioned in the words of this covenant could not have included any spiritual promises, for these promises included the entire nation. Bountiful rain, the blessing of the crops, victory over foes and other items mentioned here include the entire nation… But spiritual rewards are only for each Israelite individually. Regarding material benefits, the world or the city or the nation is judged with its majority… "

(Commentary of Don Isaac Abarbanel to Vayikra 26:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai