Women and Relationships in Jewish Thought

We are on the verge of a long, much needed break, but in order to start thinking about the subject of our final unit, today we are delving into our classroom library and exploring ideas pertaining to women and relationships in Jewish thought.

In the comments section below, please indicate which book you chose to read from, who the author is, and when it was published.  Then, answer the following questions:

1. What would you say was the general theme of the book/section that you read today?
2. Was this a topic that you felt fairly knowledgeable about to begin with, or was it something that was unfamiliar to you? Please explain.
3. Please share with us something that you read that you found particularly interesting, or thought was explained in a clear and helpful manner.
4. Did you come across any ideas in your reading that you found difficult to understand, offensive, or contradictory to what you previously had thought or heard?  Please elaborate.
5. What new questions do you have about this topic, or others?

When you have finished answering these questions (make sure to number them so that I can be sure you have answered them all in a complete fashion), reply to 2 other students' ideas.

http://www.myjewishlearning.com/beliefs/Theology/Suffering_and_Evil/Responses/Modern_Solutions/When_Bad_Things_Happen.shtml


When Bad Things Happen to Good People? Many people ask this but G-d does not want us to have pain in our lives. G-d does not cause our misfortune. Only we, bad people and our human body being mortal, and living in a world with inflexible law. We should not blame G-d for our mistakes that we have done wrong and blame him for punishing us so we would not do it again. Even if you are a great person in this world G-d does not want you to suffer in Olam Haba because he does not want us to suffer for the rest of our eternal lives. G-d does everything for a reason that no one will understand why except for him. We should take what G-d is giving us so we can become better people and we can have happiness in Olam Haba.

The bad things that happen to us is not punishment but its a road for so so we can becoming better people then what we are now. When bad things happen to us it doesn't mean that G-d is mad or doesn't like us, its just him showing us that we have done something bad and we didn't realize it.
We should be glad that G-d is pointing the bad things that we are doing because when we go to Olam Haba we won't have suffering forever and it won't ever change. We will happiness and be happy.

Why do good people suffer and wicked people succeed?

In this unit, we have encountered a variety of possible answers as to the question of צדיק ורע לו, רשע וטוב לו. Briefly, some of those ideas are stated below.  *Please use this as a review for the midterm! Make sure that you are very familiar with all of these different approaches.

• Much like a loving parent occasionally needs to cause their child moments of pain, such as during a vaccination that is intended to prevent serious illness, so too 'ה will at times cause us to experience pain or suffering in order to save us from greater eventual suffering.  (Based on the פסוק in תהלים that states "אשרי הגבר אשר תיסרנו י-ה", or "Fortunate is the man who is afflicted by G-d".)
• The same way that a loving parent will also rebuke or provide negative consequences for their child when that child has behaved improperly, in order to teach them right and wrong, so too 'ה will cause us to feel the negative consequences of our improper actions in order to help us learn from our mistakes.  (Based on the פסוק in משלי that states "כי את אשר יאהב ה' יוכיח וכאב את בן ירצה".)
• We must recognize that a) this is one of the great mysteries of life that proves the truth of the words "הנסתרות לה' אלוקינו, והנגלות לנו ולבנינו עד עולם"-"that which is hidden is only for 'ה to understand; that which is obvious is for us and our children (aka, human beings) forever"; b) the righteous will receive their reward in the Next World, rather than This one, and c) perhaps people suffer so that others will learn from their situations (e.g., from their positive attitudes or continued devotion to 'ה). (Based on the ספר חובות הלבבות.)
• A person cannot experience a perfect (defined as suffering-free) life in This World and in the Next World; at some point in their existence they will have to face the consequences of their negative actions. No one is perfect and entirely free of sin; however, it is far better to experience suffering as a consequence of sinful behavior in This World than in the Next, as This World is limited and finite, whereas the Next World is unlimited and infinite in every way. The reverse is also true--we would much rather experience reward in the Next World than in This. (Based on the מהר"ל.)
• If the world would function in a black-and-white way, in which there were immediate, on the spot consequences for our actions (whether good or bad), there would be no possibility of free will, or of acting purely "לשם שמים"-for the sake of Heaven, for the sake of doing the right thing. We would only be motivated to act out of a) fear of punishment, or b) desire for reward. 'ה wants us to be able to choose freely to act the right way because it is right. Therefore, This World must function in such a way that there appears to be no connection whatsoever between our actions and what happens to us--thus, we often see righteous people live difficult, painful lives and evil people prosper and thrive. (Based on the מלבי"ם.)
• Finally, we spoke about the idea that suffering is always an opportunity to come closer to G-d and to reach our fullest potential to achieve greatness in this life, if only we are able to learn from it and view it as something beneficial. Additionally, if we understand that This World is like a "פרוזדור", a corridor, that leads us to the "טרקלין", or banquet hall that is the Next World, and we are passionately motivated to do our absolute best in this life in order to merit the eternity of the next--then we will determinedly push on through the challenges that face us, the moments of darkness, the obstacles that stand in our way, and the twists and turns that threaten to make us lose our way. (Based on מכתב מאליהו.)

By FRIDAY, Dec. 12, please find an online source (article, blog post, video) that either discusses yet another approach to the question of צדיק ורע לו, OR elaborates on one of these approaches.  In the comments section below, write a 1-2 paragraph summary of what you learned from that source, and be sure to include a link.  Then, reply to a classmate's comment with a question or thought based on what they wrote.

צדיק ורע לו Part I

This is the first blog post of our unit on "Why Do the Righteous Suffer?".  In the comments sections below, I would like you to reflect on possible takeaways from the two articles that I shared with you via email (linked again here and here).

Based on the ideas we have discussed thus far, particularly regarding Elisha ben Avuya and his loss of faith, what might a person who heard about the murders of Eyal, Gilad, and Naftali (ה' יקום דמם-May Hashem avenge their blood) and the Har Nof massacre first conclude about the very existence or nature of G-d?  Before we began to study this subject, what would you yourself have thought? (I realize this is a very personal question, so if you are uncomfortable answering it then you are not required to do so.)  Finally, what is one answer you might begin to give to someone who was struggling with their faith in the wake of a personal or national tragedy?  This is a question that we will revisit as we learn more.

Answer the above questions in a comment below.  Then respond to at least 2 classmates' comments as well.  This is due before class on Wednesday, Dec. 3rd.

Intermarriage

I am studying the law of intermarriage, also known as the law not to marry a Non-Jew. According to the Torah, you are not supposed to marry a Non-Jew because of the assimilating in Egypt when Bnei Yisrael began to marry the Egyptians while they were in slavery. After researching this topic, it changed the way I thought about the mitzvah. At the beginning, I thought you weren't supposed to marry a Non-Jew because we were just taught not to and it just said it in the Torah not to. I never knew the real reason why were not to marry a Non-Jew. After finding out that it was because of the assimilating, I realized that many Jews are only marrying Non-Jews today because they don't have an understanding of why they shouldn't. So instead of finding out why they shouldn't they just assume it's ok and marry them. Now that i know more about the mitzvah, I have a reason to tell myself not to marry a Non-Jew. 

Shomer Negiah in a Whole New Mind

I have done lots of research on shomer negiah and I have learned many new things. It has made me look at life in a whole new way. If you touch someone you could start developing feelings for the person. The friendship you thought was innocent could become sexual and halachically unacceptable. There are many commentaries on this topic because there are many debates. This mitzvah has lots of arguments to do with it. In one of Torah sources it says that when the woman is during the time of "tumah" the man is forbidden to come in physical contact with her. Until she becomes tahor or spiritually pure again, a man cannot come into physical contact with her. Studying shomer negiah taught me to look at different ways of life. I see how different people are in life and I am able to look at it from different perspectives. I can look at it from people that are shomer and from people that aren't. I, myself am not shomer negiah but I know many people that I am close to that are. I have thought about becoming shomer negiah quite often very recently. It is something that comes up in life very frequently. The Rambam's commentary says that the touching that is given has to be affectionate is forbidden. Many people argue about this mitzvah. There are questions like, "What's the big deal that we are all shomer?"  One main question to look at is, "Why is it something many people struggle with?" I think a majority of the people that struggle are teenagers. Another important question that is asked a lot is, "What is important about it? What is the purpose?" The purpose of this mitzvah is modesty and self respect. The last main question people think of when they hear about this mitzvah is, "How is this properly observed?" If people study it and really understand it I think it is properly observed. If the person is modest and abides by all the rules I think the person will be just fine. Some people say that in different communities it can be different because it sometimes depends on the atmosphere. People will sometimes abide by the rules with different degrees and it can sometimes reflect on the community the person lives in. I've learned many new aspects of shomer negiah and I am so happy I chose to study this mitzvah. It has only changed me for the better and I can't wait to try and make this a big impact on my life. 

The Mitzvah of Not Getting Tattoos

The mitzvah of not tattooing is a lot more complex than I thought it would be. There are many explanations and reasons why tattoos are forbidden. Rabbi Jack Abramowitz said that our bodies are not ours to begin with and that they are similar to a car that we have been allowed to borrow for the week. We may use the car, but we also have to take care of it. We cannot get the car spray painted with flames along the side. The same goes for our bodies. Since they do not belong to us, we cannot get tattoos.

The Sforno also gives another good explanation. It says that we have one spiritual sign on our bodies, circumcision. Having another sign like tattoos would take away from circumcision. Another explanation is that our bodies were made by G-d and that they are already complete and perfect. Therefore we should not add anything else to our bodies.

Some people say that we should not get tattoos because idol worshipping religions used tattooing to worship their g-ds. Since tattooing may be considered idol worshipping it is totally forbidden.

Also there is a big misconception amongst Jewish people. Some people believe that a Jew with a tattoo cannot be buried in a Jewish cemetery. The reason why many people think this is because some Jewish cemeteries can be very strict due to people wanting only certain types of people buried next to them. Other than the desire that some people have about being buried next to someone with a tattoo, there is no Jewish law about it.

There is also another misconception for people who already have tattoos. Some people think that if you already have a tattoo, it must be removed. This misconception can be an issue especially when people are thinking about conversion. There isn't an actual Jewish law about having tattoos removed, but many people see it as a midat Chassidut to get them removed if you already have one.

Chava's mitzvah of why do we hang a mezuzah on our door posts?

After I have been researching all about my mitzvot. I have learned a lot about why we hang a mezuzah on our door post. The reason is because it shows us that ה׳ is always watching. ה׳  is also brought down Angels from above and getting rid of out bad things that we have done. In the mezuzah there is parchment that had words written on it and it is perfect and the peters are perfect the spaces are perfect because those words that is in the mezuzah is everything that ה׳ said. If it is not perfect they have to start all over. What I will take into my life is that I will always know that g-d is protecting me and the home I live in. I will also continue to kiss my hand after I touch the mezuzah every time I go in and out of the room.

-chava

Funeral and Burial Laws

Since I have begun studying the death laws and funeral laws I have learned a ton. This topic isn’t so popular in school and we haven’t necessarily learned a lot about it. For this reason I have begun to explore and delve into something I have never learned of before. From the routine to specific laws there is a lot to learn, but this is definitely something I enjoy and am seeking to learn more about as I continue to do this project.

In the beginning I was inexperienced about the topic and only knew vague facts about the death in Judaism. When a person dies they are as quickly as possible buried. However the process is very quick there are lot of details and steps put into the process. The process includes shutting of the eyes, body not lonesome, dressed and cleaned, and prepared for the casket.

This process is done with special care from the group of people who watch over the body and cleanse it. In addition this process is very time consuming and detailed. I have learned a lot and have been able to learn so much about this topic.

Reflection on Mrs. Kutliroff's Talk

After hearing Mrs. Kutliroff's moving talk yesterday about her journey to becoming an observant, committed Jew, I'd like for each of you to respond in the comments section below with your thoughts:  Which specific idea or story that she spoke about made the biggest impression on you, and why? Which aspect of her struggles or challenges in becoming Orthodox do you identify with the most, and why?  Finally, what is one question you would want to ask Mrs. Kutliroff that you might not have thought of yesterday, or didn't have the time to ask?

I will be sharing this blog with Mrs. Kutliroff (!) so that she can see your comments and questions, so please make sure that you complete this assignment tonight, October 28th, so that she'll be able to reply in a timely fashion.

Finally, here is a link to a PBS segment about the practice of Tahara, featuring none other than my own grandmother, Mrs. Nancy Klein :).
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2004/02/06/february-6-2004-jewish-burial-practices/1794/

Interviews

After spending a significant period of time studying the Rambam's 13 Principles of Belief, and delving into the basics of what we need to know about G-d, our next step will be to see how those ideas translate into the personal beliefs and lives of real Jewish people, on an individual level.

Assignment: 

* Choose 3 sincerely religious Jewish people whom you personally know about and respect, and write a one paragraph biography for each.  These could be people you know-friends, relatives, rabbis, teachers, advisors, etc-or even people you merely know of, but have admiration for, due to their qualities of devotion, sincerity, commitment to Torah, or strength of character.

*Then choose 1 of those people to interview, either in person or in print, regarding what they believe about G-d, why they believe in G-d, and how their belief in G-d affects their life.

*You must write between 6-10 questions to ask in your interview.  Questions should be “open-ended” and avoid  yes/no or other one word answers.  The goal is to elicit their ideas about faith in God in a way that may prove to be inspiring and enlightening for us all.  

*Your biographies and questions must be prepared by the end of class today.  They should be shared with me in a Google Doc titled "[your name] Biographies and Questions". Your interview should be completed and posted in a comment below before class on Wednesday, October 22, either in written format or via a working link to an audio or video recording.

*Finally, reply to at least 2 classmates' interviews in the comments section.

סוכות Videos

To prepare for חג הסוכות, which begins Wednesday evening, I'd like each of you to find and share a video that pertains to a major theme or aspect of the holiday.  Watch it, and then copy it into a comment below, along with a short description of the main ideas.  Then watch and enjoy your classmates' videos.

חג שמח!!

Thinking About יום כפור

In my absence today, I'd like for each of you to spend the period doing some reflection about Yom Kippur, which is coming this Shabbos, October 4th.

Assignment:  Please listen to one of the audio shiurim (Torah discussions), OR read the article linked below. When you are done, please write a comment on this blog post with a 1-2 paragraph summary of the main ideas discussed, AND your own personal thoughts on how the shiur or article changed your understanding of Yom Kippur.
When writing your summary and reflection, make sure to use proper spelling and grammar, write in full sentences, and organize your thoughts well.  This assignment is due TONIGHT, Thursday September 30th, by 11 PM.  By TOMORROW at 11 PM, you need to respond to at least one classmate's comment as well.

*Helpful Tip #1: While listening to your chosen audio shiur, periodically pause the recording and take notes on what is being said, so that you can keep track of the important ideas.  This will make writing your summary a lot easier.

*Helpful Tip #2:  Write your comment in a Google doc first, and then copy/paste it to the blog in case something goes wrong when you hit submit.  Make sure to contact me right away if you have any technical difficulties.

Article by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

Audio Shiur by Charlie Harary

Audio Shiur by Rabbi Ari Kahn

Class Library

By now you've all selected some reading material from our class library-hopefully you all chose something that seemed genuinely interesting to you.  In order to complete our next blog assignment, you will need to have read a couple of chapters (2-3 at minimum) from your chosen book.

Assignment:  WHY, WHAT, HOW, CONNECT

In the comment space below, please write a 2 paragraph summary detailing why you thought your particular book looked like something worth reading, what you have learned from the book so far, and how what you've read has changed your thinking about a basic Jewish belief.  Finally, connect something that you have just read to an idea we discussed this past week in our conversations about the Rambam's 13 Principles of Faith.

After you have written your own response, please write another comment with your thoughts on someone else's response.

This assignment is due before class on Wednesday, September 17th.

ברוכות הבאות!

Welcome to the Jewish Life & Faith class blog!  This will be our virtual forum for sharing thoughts and ideas on a wide variety of topics pertaining to Judaism, as well as a place for us to ask deep and difficult questions. I know that we will all gain from hearing each other's perspectives, and I ask that you take the time and effort to produce worthwhile content.

We have so far studied the historical backgrounds and enduring contributions of the Rambam, Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi, the Ba'al Shem Tov, the Ramchal, Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, and to a lesser degree, those of Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, and Rabbi Emanuel Feldman and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (yibadlu l'chaim tovim--they should both live and be well).

Assignment:  Ask one of your other Judaic studies teachers or administrators which one of these great Jewish thinkers has had a significant impact on their life, and why (you can interview them in person, by phone, or by email).  Please record their answer in a comment, and then tell us what intrigues you about their answer.  Does it motivate you to want to learn more about that philosopher?  What else does it make you want to know about the teacher you asked?

I would like each of you to create an account with your name or initials, and respond to this post in the comments section below.  Please contribute a comment of your own; then read your classmates' comments and write an additional response to at least one of them.

This assignment must be completed by the day we return from Labor Day weekend, Tuesday, September 2nd.