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Teaching Talmudic Passages Concerning Non-Jews Rabbi Yaakov Bieler “Teaching Rabbinic Literature: Bridging Scholarship a

Teaching Talmudic Passages Concerning Non-Jews Rabbi Yaakov Bieler “Teaching Rabbinic Literature: Bridging Scholarship and Pedagogy” Brandeis U. 1/28/08. What a Talmud teacher who is a reflective practitioner must constantly ask him/herself:. Questions independent of my specific subject matter:

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Teaching Talmudic Passages Concerning Non-Jews Rabbi Yaakov Bieler “Teaching Rabbinic Literature: Bridging Scholarship a

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  1. Teaching Talmudic Passages Concerning Non-JewsRabbi Yaakov Bieler“Teaching Rabbinic Literature:Bridging Scholarship and Pedagogy”Brandeis U.1/28/08

  2. What a Talmud teacher who is a reflective practitioner must constantly ask him/herself: • Questions independent of my specific subject matter: • How can I better prepare the subject matter to understand it on a level that will be best suited for my students? • How effective is my pedagogy and what can I do to improve my presentation and the level of student engagement in my classes? • How can I become more conversant with the latest developments in education and technology?

  3. Questions for the Orthodox reflective practitioner specific to teaching Talmud in an Orthodox setting: • How can I influence my students to become life-long Talmud students? • What effect is my teaching having upon them religiously, spiritually, ethically?

  4. Modern Orthodox students’ and their parents’ overt educational and religious expectations from Talmud study: • Master the subject matter, as in the case of any other discipline that is being studied. • Determine how Jewish tradition delineates the manner in which observant individuals are to conduct themselves. • Define general moral standards of behavior. • Compare general society’s approach to various situations with that of Jewish tradition.

  5. MO students’ unarticulated expectations from their Talmud study: • Are these values, behaviors that I see discussed in the Talmud such that I wish to internalize them and make them an intrinsic part of myself? If not… • Are ChaZaL’s views compatible with and appropriate for the world of today? If not…

  6. If these are the actual cornerstones of Jewish tradition, and I am having difficulty accepting/understanding/respecting them, how does this affect how I feel about religious observance in general? Does my learning paradoxically drive me away from a life of commitment? • If my teacher is, in my opinion, rationalizing/insensitively promulgating these views which I find reprehensible, to what extent can I ever take seriously what s/he teaches in other areas?

  7. Rabbinic statements that should give all teachers* of Tora pause and warn us that our teaching can go terribly wrong: יומא דף עב עמוד ב אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי: מאי דכתיב (דברים ד) "וזאת התורה אשר שם משה", זכה - נעשית לו סם חיים, לא זכה - נעשית לו סם מיתה. והיינו דאמר רבא: דאומן לה - סמא דחייא, דלא אומן לה - סמא דמותא. אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני: רבי יונתן רמי, כתיב (תהלים יט) "פקודי ה' ישרים משמחי לב" וכתיב (תהלים יח) "אמרת ה' צרופה", זכה - משמחתו, לא זכה - צורפתו. ריש לקיש אמר: מגופיה דקרא נפקא, זכה - צורפתו לחיים, לא זכה - צורפתולמיתה. *Included in a Tora teacher’s “Hippocratic Oath”.

  8. Rabbinic statements that should give all teachers* of Tora pause: Yoma 72b R. Yehoshau b. Levi said: What is the meaning of the verse, (Devarim 4:44) “And this is the law which Moshe 'שם'before the Children of Israel”? If he is meritorious, it becomes for him a 'סם'(medicine) oflife; if not a deadly poison. That is what Rava meant when he said: If he uses it the right way, it is a medicine of life unto him; he who does not use it the right way, it is a deadly poison.

  9. In what manner can Tora (including Talmud) learning prove “spiritually lethal”? • Students find dealng with the text so difficult and/or unsatisfying that they are discouraged from engaging in such study once they no longer have to do so. • Some topics, comments provide religious justification for what the student considers immoral behavior, which is disillusioning and possibly deeply alienating. • A particular Talmudic discussion might sometimes shine upon at least some members of ChaZaL, as well as teachers attempting to justify such views, an unflattering light re their sophistication, open-mindedness, humanity, sensitivity.

  10. 3 examples of Talmudic passages that challenge contemporary values of fairness and respect and therefore potentially bring students to the brink of crisis: I יבמות דף מז עמוד ב דא"ר חלבו: קשים גרים לישראל כספחת, דכתיב: (ישעיהו יד:א)"כי ירחם יקוק את יעקב ובחר עוד בישראל והניחם על אדמתם ונלוה הגר עליהם ונספחו על בית יעקב:"

  11. I Yevamot 47b Said R. Chelbo: “Geirim” (converts) are as difficult for the Jewish people as “Sapachat” (a form or Tzora’at, skin disease), as it is written, (Yeshayahu 14:1) “For God will have Mercy on Jacob and will yet Choose Israel and place them in their own land, and the ‘Ger’ will be joined to them ‘VeNispechu’ (and they will cleave) to the house of Jacob.”

  12. II משנה מסכת סוטה פרק ג ...רבי אליעזר אומר כל המלמד בתותורה כאילו לומדה תפלות רבי יהושע אומר רוצה אשה בקב ותפלות מתשעה קבין ופרישות...

  13. II Sota 3:4 R. Eliezer says: Whomever teaches his daughter Tora, it is as if he has taught her immoral matters. R. Yehoshua says: A woman would prefer a small amount (of food) accompanied by immorality, over nine times as much food without immorality.

  14. III בבא קמא דף קיג עמוד א דתניא: ישראל וכנעני אנס שבאו לדין, אם אתה יכול לזכהו בדיני ישראל - זכהו ואמור לו: כך דינינו, בדיני כנענים - זכהו ואמור לו: כך דינכם, ואם לאו - באין עליו בעקיפין, דברי ר' ישמעאל; ר"ע אומר: אין באין עליו בעקיפין, מפני קידוש השם. ור"ע, טעמא דאיכא קידוש השם, הא ליכא קידוש השם - באין,

  15. III Baba Kama 113a When a suit arises between a Jew and a strong-armed non-Jew, if you can acquit the former according to Jewish law, you do so and say, “this is our law.” If you can acquit the former by the laws of the non-Jews, you do so and say, “This is your law.” And if these things cannot be done, then we resort to subterfuges to defeat him. This is the view of R. Yishmael. But R. Akiva said we should not attempt subterfuges because of Sanctifying God’s Name. Now according to R. Akiva, the whole reason appears to be the Sanctification of God’s Name; but if there were no infringement of the Sanctification of God’s Name, we could resort to subterfuges…

  16. Why, within the context of studying Talmud, present Rabbinic views concerning non-Jews?A global perspective: • …The assumption that an integrative approach must be pursued with respect to Judaic and general studies, is predicated upon the acceptance by the Modern Orthodox Jew that he is meant to serve a role not only in his immediate Jewish community, or even within the broader Jewish society, but in the world at large as well… • Our spiritual heritage charges us, the biological and/or spiritual descendents of Adam, Noach and Avraham, to not only be concerned with our own personal survival and preservation of our particular religious tradition, but also to be involved in and contribute positively to the welfare of the world at large... • http:my.mli.org.il/visions/articles/Newsletter/open/Bieler. pdf http://www.lookstein.org/articles/bieler_racism.pdf

  17. Why, within the context of studying Talmud, present Rabbinic views concerning non-Jews?Specific educational considerations: • In terms of every-day life, commandments between man-and-man should not be assumed to apply exclusively to Jews, particularly for those living in an open society.  Relevance. • One can evaluate a system not only by what it says about ourselves, but also about the “other”.  Contrast, tension. • Anticipate students encountering the views reflected in these sources in “hostile” contexts, and offer approaches to understanding them constructively.  דע מה להשיב

  18. Unit on Non-Jews in the Talmud • 1) Sanhedrin 57a A terse statement that suggests that it is permitted (!?) for a Jew to steal from a non- Jew. והתניא: על הגזל, גנב וגזל, וכן יפת תואר, וכן כיוצא בהן – נכרי בנכרי ונכרי בישראל - אסור, וישראל בנכרי - מותר.

  19. 2) Sanhedrin 56a-b A listing of the 7 Noachide commandments and a textual source for their derivation.

  20. 3) Bava Kama 4:3; 38a A formulation of why when a non-Jew’s animal harms a Jews’, the owner will pay, but not vice versa. The Talmud provides a rationalization based upon the assumption that this apparent double standard is due to non-Jews’ non-compliance with the 7 Noachide commandments.

  21. 4) Bava Kama 113a-114a A Tannaitic argument regarding the permissibility of stealing from a non-Jew along with the introduction of the concern regarding Kiddush/Chillul HaShem.

  22. 5) Avoda Zora 22a-b; 25a-26a A listing of laws suggesting that non-Jews are both lascivious and dangerous.

  23. 6) Avoda Zora 19b-20b A discussion of the possible interpretations of “Lo Techanem” including that one must neither admire nor act kindly towards non- Jews.

  24. Assumptions of these texts that precipitate strong reactions from students: 1. How can something that is prohibited to Noachides be permitted to Jews (stealing)? 2. Why should there be a double standard in terms of who is responsible for damages caused by his property and who is not?

  25. 3. Kiddush HaShem appears to be invoked not because it is a higher standard by which to live, but rather because it will look badly if someone is caught. 4. How can such extreme things be said about non-Jews? Are these possibly exaggerations to keep the communities separate? And haven’t Jews suffered when such stereotypes were invoked concerning their behavior and customs?

  26. 5. How can we be enjoined from expressing gratitude to and admiration for non-Jews who have done admirable things? (particularly speaks to my “global” concerns). 6. How can a generalization be made that all non-Jews are not complying with the 7 Noachide Commandments? Why are there not similar consequences when Jews do not comply with their body of Commandments? (student: Iraq; colleague/Rosh Yeshiva)

  27. And what happens if such texts elicit no reactions from our students?

  28. Pro-active strategies that can mitigate the negative impact of such material: 1. Careful study of the topics Kiddush/Chillul Hashem. 2. Anticipation of the effects of controversial material and preparation of counter-material, e.g., commentaries, essays, contemporary perspectives. (the issue of “apologetics”) 3. Faculty deliberations prior to the presentation of a unit where approaches to students can be hashed out.

  29. Articles that address the issue of the nature and treatment of non-Jews in the Talmud: • David Berger, “Jews, Gentiles and the Modern Egalitarian Ethos: Some Tentative Thoughts” in Marc Stern, Formulating Responses in the Egalitarian Age, Rowman & Littlefield, 2005. • Moshe Halbertal, “Ones Possessed of Religion”: Religious Tolerance in the Teachings of the Me’iri”, The Edah Journal I:1. • Nachum L. Rabinovich, “A Halachic View of the Non-Jew”, Tradition VIII:3 Fall 1966. • Walter Wurzburger, “Darkei Shalom”, Gesher (Pub. SOY, RIETS—Yeshiva U.) 1978.

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