Shoftim
The Path of Boundaries
by Chava Lion
In Shoftim we are given rules for magistrates, for Kings, for Levites, for prophets, for cities of refuge, for witnesses, for war and for an unaccounted corpse. What we’re looking at (therefore) are behavioral and societal boundaries. God clearly wants us to know them. And know them well.
In Shoftim we are given rules for magistrates, for Kings, for Levites, for prophets, for cities of refuge, for witnesses, for war and for an unaccounted corpse. What we’re looking at (therefore) are behavioral and societal boundaries. God clearly wants us to know them. And know them well.
I mean, no wonder the Talmudic rabbis are so focused on
hierarchy. Hierarchy is certainly in the Torah. It’s important to understand
though that (according to our teachers) God is not saying that some people are
better, more Jewish or less Jewish. He is saying that we are equal given our
individuality and inherent holiness. Within that holiness though there are
levels of God-intimacy (given a variety of things we need to do like follow the
mitzvot) and they manifest within our very society.
How do we do it though? For example, how do we delineate
behavior codes within each unique individual structure and still be one
structure? We have to be honest with ourselves. These days one synagogue is not
like the other and one denomination is certainly not like the other. And within
each specific schul one teacher is not like the other and one prayer leader is
not like the other. How do we maintain the purity of the personal, professional
and spiritual boundaries and still merge?
These are important questions.
In trying to come close to answering them we first have to face that boundaries are threatened all the time. Let’s look at today’s liberal and conservative rabbi. Simply non-profit status (of a religious institution) places him/her in a highly precarious situation. He must please as well as teach, entertain as well as lead. Often, he isn’t careful enough. Often, a teaching might get watered down to oblivion in order to satisfy a satisfaction-hungry community.
Let’s look at Talmud (Sanhedrin 7b). Here, we read that appointing an incompetent judge is like planting an idolatrous tree. Often the appointing of such a judge is the result of our own fear. Perhaps we feel he will be “strong” enough to handle a certain situation. Perhaps he himself is powerful in financial or legal matters. Perhaps he seems more Jewish than the rest of us. Therefore, what this phrase from the Talmud means (in my opinion) is if we allow our fear to cause our judges (or our choice of them) to wander beyond the God-given boundaries, it is not only idolatry, it’s spiritual suicide. Whatever the situation demands…if we take it upon ourselves to soften God’s word for convenience or make it firmer…if we want to completely cut it or refuse any adaptation….if we are pretending to be greater than God or more Jewish or the top Jew…if (for any reason) we are appointing a judge who is pretending to know who-is-most-intimate-with-God… then this is idolatry.
Here’s more from the Talmud. In Deuteronomy 18:15 Moshe declares that God will bring to the people a prophet like me. In order to do this, the Talmud says he must be strong since (in Exodus 14:19) he spread the tent over the tabernacle. He must be wealthy since (in Midrash) it is said that the chips of the broken tablets belong to him. He must be wise since of the 50 gates to God Moshe enters all but one. And he must be meek since (Numbers 12:3) the man Moshe was very meek. Choosing a rabbi who is not a prophet and forcing physical and spiritual perfection on him can cross the very boundaries we are trying to strengthen. And…finding a rabbi who is pious and placing more “entertaining” qualities on him that are against his/her inner boundaries can destroy the man. Therefore, as congregants, we need to discern between what we want and what God wants as proven by the millennium. We need to see if we are within God’s boundaries. This is the way we all merge.
Judah Halevi, an 11th century poet, also has a few things to say on the subject. The pious man ...calls upon his community as a respected prince calls his disciplined army, to assist him in reaching the higher or divine degree which is to be found above the degree of the intellect.
These are important questions.
In trying to come close to answering them we first have to face that boundaries are threatened all the time. Let’s look at today’s liberal and conservative rabbi. Simply non-profit status (of a religious institution) places him/her in a highly precarious situation. He must please as well as teach, entertain as well as lead. Often, he isn’t careful enough. Often, a teaching might get watered down to oblivion in order to satisfy a satisfaction-hungry community.
Let’s look at Talmud (Sanhedrin 7b). Here, we read that appointing an incompetent judge is like planting an idolatrous tree. Often the appointing of such a judge is the result of our own fear. Perhaps we feel he will be “strong” enough to handle a certain situation. Perhaps he himself is powerful in financial or legal matters. Perhaps he seems more Jewish than the rest of us. Therefore, what this phrase from the Talmud means (in my opinion) is if we allow our fear to cause our judges (or our choice of them) to wander beyond the God-given boundaries, it is not only idolatry, it’s spiritual suicide. Whatever the situation demands…if we take it upon ourselves to soften God’s word for convenience or make it firmer…if we want to completely cut it or refuse any adaptation….if we are pretending to be greater than God or more Jewish or the top Jew…if (for any reason) we are appointing a judge who is pretending to know who-is-most-intimate-with-God… then this is idolatry.
Here’s more from the Talmud. In Deuteronomy 18:15 Moshe declares that God will bring to the people a prophet like me. In order to do this, the Talmud says he must be strong since (in Exodus 14:19) he spread the tent over the tabernacle. He must be wealthy since (in Midrash) it is said that the chips of the broken tablets belong to him. He must be wise since of the 50 gates to God Moshe enters all but one. And he must be meek since (Numbers 12:3) the man Moshe was very meek. Choosing a rabbi who is not a prophet and forcing physical and spiritual perfection on him can cross the very boundaries we are trying to strengthen. And…finding a rabbi who is pious and placing more “entertaining” qualities on him that are against his/her inner boundaries can destroy the man. Therefore, as congregants, we need to discern between what we want and what God wants as proven by the millennium. We need to see if we are within God’s boundaries. This is the way we all merge.
Judah Halevi, an 11th century poet, also has a few things to say on the subject. The pious man ...calls upon his community as a respected prince calls his disciplined army, to assist him in reaching the higher or divine degree which is to be found above the degree of the intellect.
So, may we understand our boundaries. May we choose our
leaders for who they are and not for how well they satiate our fears. May we as
synagogues and denominations know how to be separate but still merged within
the one religion of Judaism. May we continually remind ourselves of the great love,
the compassion, the kindness and the hierarchy of heart within our one God and
ourselves. May we see that boundaries lead to Oneness and Love. May we see
ourselves and our structures as vessels for God.
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