Thursday, February 07, 2013

Parshat Mishpatim, 5773/2013 thoughts

Basics here.

Sh'mot/Exodus, chapter 24:

ו וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה חֲצִי הַדָּם, וַיָּשֶׂם בָּאַגָּנֹת; וַחֲצִי הַדָּם, זָרַק עַל-הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. 6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he dashed against the altar."

Remind me:  Is this the only place in the Torah/Bible in which Moshe himself officiates as a priest?

9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel;

י וַיִּרְאוּ, אֵת -לֹ-י יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו, כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר, וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם, לָטֹהַר. 10 and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet the like of a paved work of sapphire stone, and the like of the very heaven for clearness.

יא וְאֶל-אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ; וַיֶּחֱזוּ, אֶת-הָ-לֹ-ים, וַיֹּאכְלוּ, וַיִּשְׁתּוּ. {ס} 11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel He laid not His hand; and they beheld God, and did eat and drink."

Along comes the Rambam/Maimonides (if I remember correctly) and insists that G-d has no form.  So nu, what did they see?  It's interesting, how much our beliefs have changed over time in a religion that, allegedly, doesn't encourange change.
 
יח וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן, וַיַּעַל אֶל-הָהָר; וַיְהִי מֹשֶׁה, בָּהָר, אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה. {פ} 18 And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud, and went up into the mount; and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights."

When I exaggerate, my husband finds it amusing.  When the Torah exaggerates, a good chunk of the Jewish people takes it literally.  Some folks have no sense of humor, others have no sense of proportion.

Oldies:

Here's a word from Conservadox re charging interest.

Semi-related:

While doing a search of my blog for "Mishpatim," I found my ancient post series “Na-aseh v’nishma”?: Why this Conservative Jew trying to become more observant could probably never become Orthodox (Sunday, February 26, 2006).   What I find most interesting about that series is the tone of the comments.  I was politely taken to task--and quite rightly so--for tarring the entire Orthodox community with a Chareidi/"Fervently" (very-right-wing) Orthodox brush, and I apologized.  But none of my commenters told me to mind my own Conservative-Jewish business, and none threatened to stop reading my blog, as has happened on more than one occasion in the past three and a half years.  Has the Orthodox community made such a sharp turn to the right since 2006, or are some of my current commenters less tolerant of differences of hashkafah/religious perspective?  Given the fact that I'm not that fond of having my head handed to me on a silver platter, it's become more challenging for me, as a member of the loyal opposition, to express a frank but respectful opinion that differs from that held by those with a more traditional point of view.

20 Comments:

Anonymous jdub said...

I think you misunderstand me. You are not the "loyal opposition." You are not Orthodox. Ergo, you have no say as to what Orthodoxy does. You are a Jew, yes, but stick to your movement. You can't expect us to listen to critiques from conservative Jews who don't buy into the same system we do.

I am the furthest thing from a right wing ortho jew. I below to a left of center Mod Orth shul. I don't necessarily disagree with you on the kol isha issue. But it's not your issue. As with many things, the conservative movement gave up the ghost on that halachic issue years ago. You're an outsider on this issue, not the "loyal opposition." Avi Weiss is the "loyal opposition." Kol isha isn't an issue for you, so cheering it on from the left is simply irritating.

Further affiant sayeth naught.

Fri Feb 08, 01:31:00 AM 2013  
Blogger Shira Salamone said...

Avi Weiss is the loyal opposition?! Nah. As a left-wing Modern Orthodox or "Open Orthodox" Jew, he's still a member of the Orthodox "party," and is just the functional equivalent of a liberal Republican. :)

"You can't expect us to listen to critiques from conservative Jews who don't buy into the same system we do."

Why not? There are 26 comments to the final post in that Naaseh V'Nishmah series, many from Orthodox readers, and not one of the Orthodox commenters said that I had no business discussing halachic issues regarding women because I'm not Orthodox.

Further affiant sayeth naught.

(You like to make me work for a (non)-living, eh? :))

"Further Affiant Sayeth Naught is a centuries-old statement that is still used on some legal documents such as pleadings as the final declaration prior to the affiant's signature. It means that the person testifying or having given a written statement has no more to say about the matter before the court. Since much of theUS legal system comes from that of England's US still have archaic language that's used sometimes."

Okay, peace pipe cheerfully accepted.

Fri Feb 08, 10:40:00 AM 2013  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Remind me: Is this the only place in the Torah/Bible in which Moshe himself officiates as a priest?

He officiates at the dedication of the Tabernacle in parshat Shemini.

BTW

Orthodox Jews can refrain from telling us we have no business in matters like Kol Isha when they stop imposing it on Non-Orthodox Jews. When Conservative women can daven a full Conservative service at the Kotel unmolested, then conservative Jews will no longer be stakeholders, but as long as Orthodoxy seeks to impose its norms on public spaces, it can expect our interference, middah k'neged middah.

RBT

Sun Feb 10, 03:38:00 PM 2013  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Kol Isha and prayer services aren't related. There is nothing in Kol Isha that prevents a woman from going up and singing prayers in front of men, prayer is excluded from Kol Isha. That's why men and women can sing Z'mirot and not present a Kol Isha violation.

That doesn't mean that there aren't Jews that would avoid that. It just wouldn't be an issue of Kol Isha. And if the Frummer than thou person claimed it was a violation of Kol Isha, it still wouldn't be a violation of Kol Isha. It might violate his community's norms of tzniua, it might violate his community's practices, he might even think that it's a violation of Kol Isha, but it's not true.

Avi Weiss is indeed the loyal opposition. He's in the tent, i.e. loyal, and opposing. You're not the loyal opposition, you're on the outside.

jdubs point is also that Kol Isha isn't an issue for you. You can be in the room of women singing. Unless you are in an environment where there is reasonable reason to expect that their are people that would be offended by your singing, it doesn't apply to you.

The prohibition on Kol Isha applies to men, not women, it's an issue of listening, not singing. Therefore, it's not an issue for you. Now, contemporary practice to rudely scream and yell doesn't change the Halacha, the behavior is what it is.

Mon Feb 11, 02:49:00 PM 2013  
Blogger Shira Salamone said...

"He [Moshe/Moses] officiates at the dedication of the Tabernacle in parshat Shemini."

Ah, of course. Thanks for the reminder, Anon.

" . . . as long as Orthodoxy seeks to impose its norms on public spaces, . . . "

This is a challenging issue, and not just for non-Orthodox Jews--sometimes the Chareidi Orthodox community tries to impose its norms on the non-Chareidi Orthodox community. I would like to see such differences of opinion worked out in a non-hostile fashion.

"There is nothing in Kol Isha that prevents a woman from going up and singing prayers in front of men, prayer is excluded from Kol Isha. That's why men and women can sing Z'mirot and not present a Kol Isha violation."

Thanks for the clarification, Miami Al.

"Avi Weiss is indeed the loyal opposition. He's in the tent, i.e. loyal, and opposing. You're not the loyal opposition, you're on the outside."

Okay, okay, so I'm not a member of parliament, so to speak, and he is. :)

"Unless you are in an environment where there is reasonable reason to expect that their are people that would be offended by your singing, it doesn't apply to you."

Thus far, I've been fortunate not to have spent much time in such an environment. Since I refuse to davven in a synagogue with a "Berlin Wall" mechitzah, preferring, when a guest of Orthodox hosts, to attend Modern Orthodox synagogues where I can see the Torah scrolls over or through the mechitzah, I rarely find myself among such right-wingers, except on the rare occasion when I'm invited to a Chassidic co-worker's wedding.

Mon Feb 11, 04:15:00 PM 2013  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Al,

First, I want to thank you for pointing out what the Halachah is. But Halachah is about as relevant at the Kotel as it is at Temple Emanuel.

The behaviors are what matters. What also matters is that this generation's chiddush, is their children's "minhag avoteinu" and their grandchildrens "l'Moshe m'Sinai." I can tell that you're a good MO Jew, you care about what actually is in the halachic literature and what is not.

You point out that Kol Isha is not forbidden at prayer - what about kriat haTorah? It is forbidden for women to read Torah on the basis that if brings the shame of the implication that the man cannot upon the community. What happens when a community concludes, as Masorti has formally, that there is no shame to the community in it?

We are stakeholders because our women get arrested when they bring our community's custom to the public space that is the Kotel (yup, happened again, must be Rosh Chodesh). We are stakeholders because because I have every reason to believe that if I were to chant a chazeret hashatz on the Men's side that included the matriarchs, as is my minhag, I too might face arrest. We are stakeholders because when the bleach throwing and the stone throwing show up in the New York Times: it's a chillul haShem and shanda fur de Goyim.

Whether these behaviors have Halachic basis or not is irrelevant. What matters is that some Jews are getting to practice their minhag, while denying other Jews the opportunity to practice theirs.

RBT

Mon Feb 11, 06:29:00 PM 2013  
Blogger Shira Salamone said...

Oy, Anon. (RBT? Would that be Reform Baal Teshuvah? Long time, no see. Where are you blogging these days?) There's a Harachaman (Merciful One prayer) in one of our non-Orthodox bentchers/birkonim/Grace after Meals books that says something like "May the Merciful One give a spirit of brotherhood within the House of Israel." (Harachaman, hu yeten ruach achvah b'toch Am Yisrael", if memory serves me correctly.) Good prayer, and sadly necessary. Getting any segment of the Jewish community to show respect for the minhagim/customs of any other segment is a major issue. Upholding our own practices while respecting those of others has proven to be a major challenge.

From my perspective, the sad thing about N'shei HaKotel/The Women of the Wall is that they've caught so much flack despite the fact that they've respected Orthodox tradition by refraining from reciting those parts of the service for which Orthodox tradition requires a (male) minyan. I wish there were some less politically-charged way to deal with the status of the Kotel/Western Wall.

And I, too, can't comprehend why the extremists don't understand that throwing bleach at anyone for any reason other than to save your life is a disgrace against G-d's honor/Chillul HaShem.

I second your thanks to Miami Al. Voices of reason are very much appreciated on this blog.

Tue Feb 12, 11:08:00 AM 2013  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My objection is to the tone of this. The Kotel is a Jewish holy site, true. However, as an American Jew I also respect that it's in a foreign country with its own norms and rules. I may think the rules are silly and stupid, but that doesn't make me a part of the Israeli Chareidi society that has been granted Jursidiction by the government of Israel over that site.

I also think that Germany's laws against Holocaust Denial and Nazi merchandise are silly and non-democratic, but as someone who isn't a German Citizen, I don't consider myself an insider on those matters.

For the record, there are laws all over the planet that I find abhorrent, but any criticism I levy is as an outsider.

Your criticisms of Orthodoxy are as an outsider, and result in the same defensive mechanism as any attack from an outsider will bring. You're not an insider.

I consider myself a traditional Jew. The synagogues I attend are Orthodox affiliated. The responsibility for my families halachic observance, and lack there of, is entirely on my shoulders.

RBT wrote, "The behaviors are what matters. What also matters is that this generation's chiddush, is their children's "minhag avoteinu" and their grandchildrens "l'Moshe m'Sinai." I can tell that you're a good MO Jew, you care about what actually is in the halachic literature and what is not."

True, but you are criticizing the behaviors from the outside.

I am responsible for my behavior, the behavior of my children, and to a MUCH LESSER extent, the behavior of my wife. I am not responsible for the behavior of people 8000 miles away based on the factor that we share many dietary practices. You are NOT responsible for their behavior despite the fact that sometime 4-50 generations ago, you share a common ancestor.

Worry about yourself, your family, and your community, in that order. Do not worry what your so-called "co-religionists" do, they are not connected to you.

I have about as much in common with the Jerusalem Chareidi Community as I do with the local LDS (Mormon) ward... actually, a family friend of an extended relative is active in one of the LDS wards, so I have a closer connection to them than to the Jerusalem Chareidi.

I may shake my head at how strange they behave. But I also shake my head at how the Somali Pirates behave. But I'm not an insider there either.

If you have an issue with the behavior at the Kotel, register it with the Israeli consulate as a tourist/potential tourist to Israel, but you're not an insider.

If 1 million Reform/Conservative Jews picked up and made Aliyah, Israel would change overnight (like it did with the Russian immigration wave), but complaining about it from the outer boroughs of NYC doesn't make you an insider there.

I'm not disagreeing with any of your positions, just your stake in the matter.

Tue Feb 12, 12:39:00 PM 2013  
Blogger Shira Salamone said...

"I may shake my head at how strange they behave. But I also shake my head at how the Somali Pirates behave. But I'm not an insider there either."

Well, that's certainly one way to look at the Chareidim.

"If 1 million Reform/Conservative Jews picked up and made Aliyah, Israel would change overnight (like it did with the Russian immigration wave), but complaining about it from the outer boroughs of NYC doesn't make you an insider there."

The Russian-Israelis whose conversions have been called into question haven't necessarily gotten a fair deal, either, despite their IDF military service, not to mention their membership in the Knesset. But I'll concede that complaining from overseas doesn't make me an Israeli voter.

Tue Feb 12, 12:57:00 PM 2013  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Shira,

I've had little to say on blogs lately, so I have not been blogging much.

Al,

You are NOT responsible for their behavior despite the fact that sometime 4-50 generations ago, you share a common ancestor.

Wow. So much for "All Israel are responsible for each other." So much for clal yisrael.

Worry about yourself, your family, and your community, in that order. Do not worry what your so-called "co-religionists" do, they are not connected to you.

I'll look after mine, you'll look after yours, they'll look after theirs. Sounds a bit like Middat S'dom to me.

. . . you are criticizing the behaviors from the outside.

So I should try to be less of - again as the Sodomites described Lot - A foreigner who presumes to judge?

Look, these things have real world consequences. The problem of Kol Isha is, for me, a touchstone for a certain kind of Orthodoxy extending it's reach into my day-to-day life and observance. Yes, even here where I live, in that galut galuyot, Minnesota. Like when the only Kosher restaurant (dairy) in the Twin Cities stopped serving butter with its pancakes. You can get it for an upcharge, because the mashgiach insists that the owner serve only Cholov Yisrael. So too with many of the foods that used to be available at Pesach, the Breakstone's sour cream, etc. Now stuff isn't Kosher for Pesach if it isn't Cholov Yisrael. This was not so even a few years ago.

Also, if, IY"H my wife and I make Aliyah, we will need graves back here in the US if we want to be buried together in A Jewish Cemetery.

If the Israeli Rabbinate, some 10000 miles from here refuses to recognize a Conversion or a Get issued by some American Rabbi or other, that is going to have an effect on the utility of that conversion or get. The last time I was in Jerusalem, last august, we ran into 6 people we know from Minnesota. I may not be a citizen their at this time, but, as a Jew, I have an interest in the Jewish homeland that I do not in, say Germany. I want it to be a safe place for me when I am there, not someplace where I have to worry because I've driven by mistake into Meah Shearim while my wife and I were dressed for Masada.

RBT

Tue Feb 12, 06:36:00 PM 2013  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

RBT,

"Also, if, IY"H my wife and I make Aliyah, we will need graves back here in the US if we want to be buried together in A Jewish Cemetery."

True, and that objection should be lobbed at the Jewish agency. Israel would would like more non-Orthodox Jews coming to the State.

"If the Israeli Rabbinate, some 10000 miles from here refuses to recognize a Conversion or a Get issued by some American Rabbi or other, that is going to have an effect on the utility of that conversion or get. The last time I was in Jerusalem, last august, we ran into 6 people we know from Minnesota. I may not be a citizen their at this time, but, as a Jew, I have an interest in the Jewish homeland that I do not in, say Germany. I want it to be a safe place for me when I am there, not someplace where I have to worry because I've driven by mistake into Meah Shearim while my wife and I were dressed for Masada. "

True, but you're an outsider. Israel is a representative democracy. They elect their leaders. Imposing the rule of law on Meah Shearim is the responsibility of the Israeli government. Israel has many western European economic parts, but also has middle eastern theocratic parts. It is up to the Citizens of the State of Israel how they will direct their country. The unstable situation where they find themselves in requires them to pick solutions.

I also think that the direction of American Judaism will have some impact. The way demographic trends are set, American Judaism and Israeli Judaism will basically splinter into two non-compatible religions, with American Orthodox Judaism splitting between the modern part that will join American Judaism (and become unacceptable to Israel, and perhaps will drop its observance when under constant attack), and the Yeshivish/Chasidic wings that will become diaspora branches of Israeli Chareidism.

Israel is struggling with their need to integrate their society. Nobody that is actually liberal (as opposed to a Political Liberal), should care that Orthodox Jews are stringent in their Shabbat and dietary observances, it's nobody on the outsides business). They care when they don't work, live on the dole for generations, and avoid national conscription.

"Now stuff isn't Kosher for Pesach if it isn't Cholov Yisrael."

That's simply not true. The national Kashrut organization choose what to lend their hashgacha to. The mashgiach of the restaurant chooses what he'll sign off on. We have a few conservative supervised restaurants that are open on Shabbat. That doesn't require the Orthodox Rabbis to go along with it. It's a free market.

Talk to your Rabbi about Breakstone's. There are other Kashrut lists than the big national lists. If you want a food for Pesach that the OU/OK aren't supplying supervision for, find an alternative, and do what you want. I never took an oath of fealty to the OU, I doubt you did.

Wed Feb 13, 10:30:00 AM 2013  
Blogger Shira Salamone said...

"The way demographic trends are set, American Judaism and Israeli Judaism will basically splinter into two non-compatible religions, with American Orthodox Judaism splitting between the modern part that will join American Judaism (and become unacceptable to Israel, and perhaps will drop its observance when under constant attack), and the Yeshivish/Chasidic wings that will become diaspora branches of Israeli Chareidism."

Speaking as a fan of the more moderate part of the Orthodox spectrum of observance and belief, I find that a rather discouraging thought. As a Conservative Jew, I'd like to have someone Orthodox whom I can talk to, rather than fight with. :) A more important consideration, though, is where that rightward trend, if true, would leave the Religous Zionist rabbinical organization Tzohar, Israeli rabbis such as Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, or Religious Zionists/Dati Mamlachti in general, for that matter. Isn't this what we've been talking about in the comments to my A difficult balancing act post?

Wed Feb 13, 11:42:00 AM 2013  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Talk to your Rabbi about Breakstone's. There are other Kashrut lists than the big national lists. If you want a food for Pesach that the OU/OK aren't supplying supervision for, find an alternative, and do what you want. I never took an oath of fealty to the OU, I doubt you did.

My rabbi was one of the first to complain!

You can't sit there in the outer boroughs, and imagine the paucity of stuff available in this Galut Galuyot. The stores order for the frummest comon denominator, because they don't carry much inventory anyway. It will be really interesting to see what happens this year now that our one kosher food distributor has folded.

RBT

Wed Feb 13, 01:42:00 PM 2013  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

No, I meant ask your Rabbi to inquire what is going on at Breakstones, call the OU, and find out if they are an actual problem for Pesach or if the OU is only lending hashgacha to Cholov Yisroel, but Breakstones is fine for Cholov Stam.

Not call your Rabbi to bitch and moan, call your Rabbi to be a Rabbi.

Wed Feb 13, 02:43:00 PM 2013  
Blogger Shira Salamone said...

"You can't sit there in the outer boroughs, and imagine the paucity of stuff available in this Galut Galuyot."

In defense of Miami Al, *I'm* the one in the outer boroughs, not he. And even though none of the kosher stores are in our neighborhood, I've very grateful that they're close enough that we can afford to take a taxi home from the kosher supermarket after stocking up on Pesach food.

Wed Feb 13, 03:33:00 PM 2013  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

When did Miami stop be a Borough of New York?

Wed Feb 13, 06:07:00 PM 2013  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Al,

I never said anything about the OU. As far as I know they still lend their Hashgachah to Breakstone's. But the Breakstone's with the KfP hechsher somehow never arrives in the twin cities come Pesach, and that has everything to do with who the Mashgichim are around here. Again, with our in town Kosher distributor gone, we may actually see a bit more variety this year, as one of the major bottlenecks is gone.

As for my Rabbi, well he is a Conservative rabbi, and his "being a rabbi" credentials are, I think, above reproach. He did a lot of excellent work with Agriprocessors and the frum community hates him for it. He is still working on Magen Tzedek.

RBT

Wed Feb 13, 06:26:00 PM 2013  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You may see conspiracy theories where none exist. If nobody orders the KP Breakstones, it will just float through the channel.

There are two local Supermarket Chains in South Florida, Publix and Winn Dixie. A friend was telling me that she lives right near Winn Dixie, but was frustrated that for canned goods, Publix carried the OU versions and Winn Dixie didn't (often the same brand like Goya). Several people were bitching about it, she actually went and spoke to the manager. He said that they get whatever the distributer brings them, he had no idea that some were kosher and some weren't (Florida gets the distribution of both East Cost stuff, and more Kosher friendly, and Southern, less so).

A few months later, Winn Dixie had all kosher cans of Goya stocked on the shelf.

Where you see conspiracies of Kashrut, have you spoken to your Super Market Manager? He may have no idea that this exists. Five guys in beards show up, tell him to stock X/Y/Z for Jews, he stocks it, Jews buy X/Y/Z, that's the end of the thought process.

Unless your supermarket store manager is a modern Orthodox Jew, he likely has no idea that there is a special KP line of Breakstones, and he probably has to call his distributer. I've seen them weeks later in supermarkets with no Jews, I don't think that there is a premium charged for it, I think that they turn the line over, wrap it in plastic for a few weeks, and send it to market.

The RW Orthodox community in America, rounded to the nearest quarter percent of the population, is approximately 0% of the population. They really aren't this all powerful cabal dominating food and beverages sales.

Wed Feb 13, 10:02:00 PM 2013  
Blogger Shira Salamone said...

"When did Miami stop be a Borough of New York?"

Another wiseguy heard from. :)

"Where you see conspiracies of Kashrut, have you spoken to your Super Market Manager? He may have no idea that this exists."

It's possible that a sparsity of kosher and/or kosher for Passover food is the result of innocent ignorance on the part of the manager. Explain what the problem is, and you may get lucky. No guarantees, but it's worth a try. I wish you the best of luck getting kasher l'Pesach Breakstones dairy products this year.

Thu Feb 14, 11:32:00 AM 2013  
Blogger Shira Salamone said...

See also the comments to Sh'ma b'kolah(listen to her voice):Ophir BenSheetreet (Tuesday, February 05, 2013).

Fri Feb 22, 01:42:00 PM 2013  

Post a Comment

<< Home

<< List
Jewish Bloggers
Join >>