| Andy Sacks writes about the new Israeli siddur (Hebrew, translated) put out by the Masorti movement: But it is one new Siddur that is creating a stir here in Israel. The Masorti Movement has just, together with Yediot Books, published V’Ani Tefilati: Siddur Yisraeli. One thousand radio spots are being broadcast to draw the attention of the Israeli public to the first Siddur intended for all to use – secular, observant, educated, Sefardi, Ashkenazi, or traditional. That Yediot is distributing a prayer book for the first time shows confidence that this can be a very big seller. Years in preparation, this Siddur includes modern Israeli poetry alongside traditional prayer. The language is gender sensitive. One may easily include the Matriarchs along with the Patriarchs when praying. Absent is the blessing thanking God for “not creating me a woman.” It is replaced by a blessing that thanks God for “making me in the divine image.” The apologists can explain this blessing in any way they wish, deluding themselves and others into thinking it is does not offend women. They may even claim that it even shows great respect to the special role women hold in our tradition. But those sensitive to the true meaning of the words they offer will struggle with the old language and may find the new formula (which also has its origins in our liturgy) a better fit. This holds true of those passages where the traditional prayer formula called for the reestablishment of the Temple and of animal sacrifice. This prayer books allows for a spiritual understanding that would not necessarily require the destruction of those buildings that stand on the spot of our Temple, or of the actual killing of animals.
I comment on the comment thread there: FWIW, two teshuvot on including the imahot/matriachs.
http://www.schechter.edu/responsa.aspx?ID=35
http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/teshuvot/docs/19861990/rembaum_matriarchs.pdf
It is a matter of contention in the movement.
A couple of points: 1) this is an Israeli siddur meant for Israelis, hence the Hebrew. 2) while it may not be the same as an Artscroll siddur, or any siddur from 10 or 100 years ago, that doesn’t immediately make it a “bastardization”. The first siddurim Amram, Saadia, Rambam, etc. were all different in significant ways. Some medieval innovations like kabbalat shabbat are now common
Also see this post: The Daily Prayer: “On not making me a woman” Balashon has an interesting post: chanukah And there’s a song in this album: Hanukkah Rocks –The LeeVees, with Adam Gardner of Guster, download for $7 Current Events in Israel, from article, blog 1, 2
 Sussman's destroyed laptop. …. Among other suspicious item; an Arabic phrasebook, a journal entry that mentioned a Palestinian(yes, they even flipped through my journal), stamps from Syria, Qatar and the UAE, Palestinians in Palestine guidebook, and a map a friend had drawn with a main street in Jerusalem, the central bus station and my intended hostel. “Who are you meeting there?” They asked me. … Moments later a man came outside and introduced himself as the manager on duty. And then, “I’m sorry but we had to blow up your laptop. “ What….all my client case notes and testimony, writing, pictures, music and applications. Years of work. NO!!!! What?? Are you insane?? What were you thinking? THAT’S ALL MY WORK!? …It turned out it hadn’t been quite blown up, but rather shot through with three bullets. We were able to extract the hard drive, seemingly unscaved. Thank goodness… ….. I completely agree with Freitas’s comment. “These guys shoot every day at unarmed people, even children. Why so much surprise about a simple laptop?” …
From the Comments: hmm said, on December 15, 2009 at 7:10 pm here’s what probably happened with your laptop. at the border they use a chemical kit to detect explosives or people/things that have been in contact with explosives. your laptop probably reacted positively to the kit (which doesn’t necessarily mean you were anywhere near explosives, it may react positively to other things as well). security procedures at the border require the object be put in a “bomb pit” and then it’s shot in an attempt to trigger the explosives. your statement about “unprovoked, unduly aggressive, a waste of government funds…” just goes you show you have lived a sheltered life, not having to deal with or even know about such things as i mentioned about. i had a good laugh reading the comments to your previous posts by the haters and generally clueless. i hope this helps clear things up, although i doubt that from the general tone of the last couple of posts and the sort of comments you tolerate, not to mention agree with. peace. ………. Mo said, on December 15, 2009 at 7:25 pmHmmm… -hand drawn map of downtown Jerusalem
-Arabic stickers on laptop
-”F**k Star of David” pic on phone
-passport stamps from Arab countries
-various Arab publications
-photos condemning Israeli military action in Gaza Why didn’t she just tape road flares to your chest? Of course the guard got suspicious and called for the bomb squad. Stupid hippie…
I recommend and am right now listening to these two albums: Erran Baron Cohen Presents: Songs In The Key Of Hanukkah – Download the mp3 album now for $2 Hanukkah Rocks –The LeeVees, with Adam Gardner of Guster, download for $7 Also, if you haven’t, listen to Eight Days of Hannukah by Sen. Orrin Hatch
Eight Days of Hannukah Jewish Screenwriter Pens ‘Kosher’ Vampires for ‘Twilight’ Vampires aren’t very Jewish,” Rosenberg says. “The most basic thing about them is that they are born out of Christian mythology.” Nevertheless, she is quick to point out that Meyer, a devout Mormon, has created her own vampire mythology, devoid of religious connotation, absent the Christian symbolism of crosses and holy water. And yet, the protagonist vampires of “Twilight” are different in another way from other vampires. “They’re kosher vampires,” Rosenberg says, laughing.
To call them “kosher” may be a stretch, but the leading figure, Edward Cullen, and his family are all “vegetarians” — which in this context means they don’t drink human blood, though they do eat animals — and therefore they are not killers, but hunters. Their anomalous way of life, in which diet is not simply a carnal drive but a moral choice, makes them outsiders, not only from the world of mortals but also from the larger vampire culture, who see the Cullens as a threat to the vampire establishment. The story’s human protagonist, Bella, idolizes the Cullens, and, you could say, sees them as a light unto the vampire nation.
Feh, kosher vampires would drink fish blood, which is pareve and kosher. Both animal blood and human blood are prohibited by Jewish law. Plus, the fish would presumably have to be dead already (though they don’t require schechita/kosher-slaughter) so as not to transgress “eating a limb from a living animal”. It says Noah was righteous in his generation and commentators question whether this means “even in his generation” or “relative to his generation”. A related question is, both Abraham and Moses argued with God against destroying two cities and his people respectively. Why didn’t Noah argue with God not to destroy the world? (culled from JTS) Genesis 4:26 כו וּלְשֵׁת גַּם-הוּא יֻלַּד-בֵּן, וַיִּקְרָא אֶת-שְׁמוֹ אֱנוֹשׁ; אָז הוּחַל, לִקְרֹא בְּשֵׁם יְ-ה-וָ-ה. {ס} | 26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh; then began men to call upon the name of the LORD. {S} |
Not withstanding Exodus 3:14-15, it says here that people began to use the Tetragrammaton YHWH. This term of God’s name was in daily use through first Temple times. By the Second Temple period, it was only said on ritual occasions, such as Yom haKippurim. Soon, its pronunciation was considered lost. But it can be reconstructed. ‘Yahweh’ seems to be the correct pronunciation. PDF: Tetragrammaton: How to Pronounce (33), (source) See PDF
There has been some archeological finds with YHWH, notably “Yahweh and his Asherah“.
And see here. A source comparison of Noah and the Flood Narrative. The Flood Story in J and P: An Example of the Documentary Hypothesis| The flood story in Genesis 6-9 is a text that can be analyzed along the lines of the Documentary Hypothesis. According to the hypothesis, the flood story is the result of weaving together two previous versions of the story, one from the J source and one from the Priestly source (P). In parts of the story, J and P are difficult or impossible to separate. Other parts (especially when each source is used to retell the same part of the story) are easier to identify as belonging to one strand or the other. The following table attempts to separate the two strands. | | J | P | The LORD plans the flood
The LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, “I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created — people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the sight of the LORD. [Gen 6:5-8 NRSV] | God plans the flood
Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw that the earth was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon the earth. And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth. Make yourself an ark … [Gen 6:11-16 NRSV] | Noah’s special status
Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation. [7:1] | Noah’s special status
“For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.” [6:17-18] | Animals by pairs and seven pairs
“Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and its mate; and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and its mate; and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive on the face of all the earth. For in seven days I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him. [7:2-5] | Animals by pairs
“And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind shall come in to you, to keep them alive. Also take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and store it up; and it shall serve as food for you and for them.” Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him. [6:19-22] | Beginning of flood
And after seven days the waters of the flood came on the earth. [6:10] | Beginning of flood
In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. [Gen 6:11] | Duration of flood
The rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. [6:12] | Duration of flood
And the waters swelled on the earth for one hundred fifty days. [7:24] | End of flood
At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent out the raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. Then he sent out the dove … He waited another seven days, and again he sent out the dove… Then he waited another seven days, and sent out the dove; and it did not return to him any more. [8:6-12] | End of flood
In the six hundred first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the erath; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and saw that the face of the ground was drying. In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. Then God said to Noah, “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you….[8:13-16] | The LORD’s promise never to curse the earth
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the LORD smelled the pleasing odor, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” [8:20-22] | God’s promise: the covenant of the rainbow
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you… I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you, for all future generations; I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth… [9:8-17] |
More resources: (links, Legends of the Jews, Verse by Verse in English, Hebrew (see DH link on right)) Seems to be pretty good evidence of interwoven sources to me. Yair Zakovitch in “Lo Kakh Katuv baTanakh” writes about the Taninim created on the fifth day. These are my notes from a Dvar Torah I gave on the subject. There are also Sumerian parallels (book) and Ugaritic. The basic idea is that the line in Genesis 1:21 about the Taninim/Dragons referred to a well known mythology that persisted even through Talmudic times. I apologize for not translating all the Hebrew. Specifically, the line is included in the fifth day with the verb BR`/created to make the point that God created even these monsters– they are not primordial beings equal to God. Genesis 1:21 | כא וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים, אֶת-הַתַּנִּינִם הַגְּדֹלִים; וְאֵת כָּל-נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת אֲשֶׁר שָׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לְמִינֵהֶם, וְאֵת כָּל-עוֹף כָּנָף לְמִינֵהוּ, וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים, כִּי-טוֹב. | 21 And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that creepeth, wherewith the waters swarmed, after its kind, and every winged fowl after its kind; and God saw that it was good. |
| |
Isaiah 51:9-10 | ט עוּרִי עוּרִי לִבְשִׁי-עֹז, זְרוֹעַ יְהוָה–עוּרִי כִּימֵי קֶדֶם, דֹּרוֹת עוֹלָמִים; הֲלוֹא אַתְּ-הִיא הַמַּחְצֶבֶת רַהַב, מְחוֹלֶלֶת תַּנִּין. | 9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Art thou not it that hewed Rahab in pieces, that pierced the dragon? | | י הֲלוֹא אַתְּ-הִיא הַמַּחֲרֶבֶת יָם, מֵי תְּהוֹם רַבָּה; הַשָּׂמָה, מַעֲמַקֵּי-יָם–דֶּרֶךְ, לַעֲבֹר גְּאוּלִים. | 10 Art thou not it that dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; that made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over? |
Psalm 89:10-12 | י אַתָּה מוֹשֵׁל, בְּגֵאוּת הַיָּם; בְּשׂוֹא גַלָּיו, אַתָּה תְשַׁבְּחֵם. | 10 Thou rulest the proud swelling of the sea; when the waves thereof arise, Thou stillest them. | | יא אַתָּה דִכִּאתָ כֶחָלָל רָהַב; בִּזְרוֹעַ עֻזְּךָ, פִּזַּרְתָּ אוֹיְבֶיךָ. | 11 Thou didst crush Rahab, as one that is slain; Thou didst scatter Thine enemies with the arm of Thy strength. | | יב לְךָ שָׁמַיִם, אַף-לְךָ אָרֶץ; תֵּבֵל וּמְלֹאָהּ, אַתָּה יְסַדְתָּם. | 12 Thine are the heavens, Thine also the earth; the world and the fulness thereof, Thou hast founded them. |
Nahum 1:3-4 | ג יְהוָה, אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וגדול- (וּגְדָל-) כֹּחַ, וְנַקֵּה, לֹא יְנַקֶּה; יְהוָה, בְּסוּפָה וּבִשְׂעָרָה דַּרְכּוֹ, וְעָנָן, אֲבַק רַגְלָיו. | 3 The LORD is long-suffering, and great in power, and will by no means clear the guilty; the LORD, in the whirlwind and in the storm is His way, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. | | ד גּוֹעֵר בַּיָּם וַיַּבְּשֵׁהוּ, וְכָל-הַנְּהָרוֹת הֶחֱרִיב; אֻמְלַל בָּשָׁן וְכַרְמֶל, וּפֶרַח לְבָנוֹן אֻמְלָל. | 4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers; Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth |
Psalm 18:9-17 ט עָלָה עָשָׁן, בְּאַפּוֹ– וְאֵשׁ-מִפִּיו תֹּאכֵל;
גֶּחָלִים, בָּעֲרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ. | 9 Smoke arose up in His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth did devour; {N}
coals flamed forth from Him. | | י וַיֵּט שָׁמַיִם, וַיֵּרַד; וַעֲרָפֶל, תַּחַת רַגְלָיו. | 10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and thick darkness was under His feet. | | יא וַיִּרְכַּב עַל-כְּרוּב, וַיָּעֹף; וַיֵּדֶא, עַל-כַּנְפֵי-רוּחַ. | 11 And He rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea, He did swoop down upon the wings of the wind. | יב יָשֶׁת חֹשֶׁךְ, סִתְרוֹ– סְבִיבוֹתָיו סֻכָּתוֹ;
חֶשְׁכַת-מַיִם, עָבֵי שְׁחָקִים. | 12 He made darkness His hiding-place, His pavilion round about Him; {N}
darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. | | יג מִנֹּגַהּ, נֶגְדּוֹ: עָבָיו עָבְרוּ–בָּרָד, וְגַחֲלֵי-אֵשׁ. | 13 At the brightness before Him, there passed through His thick clouds hailstones and coals of fire. | | יד וַיַּרְעֵם בַּשָּׁמַיִם, יְהוָה–וְעֶלְיוֹן, יִתֵּן קֹלוֹ; בָּרָד, וְגַחֲלֵי-אֵשׁ. | 14 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice; hailstones and coals of fire. | | טו וַיִּשְׁלַח חִצָּיו, וַיְפִיצֵם; וּבְרָקִים רָב, וַיְהֻמֵּם. | 15 And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them. | טז וַיֵּרָאוּ, אֲפִיקֵי מַיִם, וַיִּגָּלוּ, מוֹסְדוֹת תֵּבֵל:
מִגַּעֲרָתְךָ יְהוָה– מִנִּשְׁמַת, רוּחַ אַפֶּךָ. | 16 And the channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid bare, {N}
at Thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils. | | יז יִשְׁלַח מִמָּרוֹם, יִקָּחֵנִי; יַמְשֵׁנִי, מִמַּיִם רַבִּים. | 17 He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. |
Job 7:12 | יב הֲיָם-אָנִי, אִם-תַּנִּין: כִּי-תָשִׂים עָלַי מִשְׁמָר. | 12 Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that Thou settest a watch over me? | | |
Isaiah 27:1 | א בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִפְקֹד יְהוָה בְּחַרְבּוֹ הַקָּשָׁה וְהַגְּדוֹלָה וְהַחֲזָקָה, עַל לִוְיָתָן נָחָשׁ בָּרִחַ, וְעַל לִוְיָתָן, נָחָשׁ עֲקַלָּתוֹן; וְהָרַג אֶת-הַתַּנִּין, אֲשֶׁר בַּיָּם. {ס} | 1 In that day the LORD with His sore and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the slant serpent, and leviathan the tortuous serpent; and He will slay the dragon that is in the sea. {S} | | |
Psalm 74:13-14 | יג אַתָּה פוֹרַרְתָּ בְעָזְּךָ יָם; שִׁבַּרְתָּ רָאשֵׁי תַנִּינִים, עַל-הַמָּיִם. | 13 Thou didst break the sea in pieces by Thy strength; Thou didst shatter the heads of the sea-monsters in the waters. | | יד אַתָּה רִצַּצְתָּ, רָאשֵׁי לִוְיָתָן; תִּתְּנֶנּוּ מַאֲכָל, לְעָם לְצִיִּים. | 14 Thou didst crush the heads of leviathan, Thou gavest him to be food to the folk inhabiting the wilderness. |
Tefillat Menashe 2-3 who hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof; who hast bound the sea by the word of thy commandment; who hast shut up the deep, and sealed it by thy terrible and glorious name;
Hazon Yohanan 20:2-3 (Revelations) [2] And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
[3] And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Job 26:12 in Bavli Baba Batra 74b ואמר רב יהודה אמר רב בשעה שביקש הקב”ה לבראות את העולם אמר לו לשר של ים פתח פיך ובלע כל מימות שבעולם אמר לפניו רבש”ע די שאעמוד בשלי מיד בעט בו והרגו שנאמר (איוב כו) בכחו רגע הים ובתבונתו מחץ רהב
Shemot Raba 15:22 אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא (בראשית שם, שם): ותראה היבשה.
אמרו המים: הרי העולם אנו מלאים, ועד עכשיו צר לנו להיכן אנו הולכין?
יהי שמו מבורך, בעט באוקיינוס והרגו, שנאמר (איוב כו, יב): בכחו רגע הים ובתבונתו מחץ רהב, ואין מחץ, אלא לשון הריגה, שנאמר (שופטים ה, כו): ומחצה וחלפה רקתו, כשהרג אותן, יש אומרים: שהן בוכין עד היום הזה, שנאמר (איוב לח, טז): הבאת עד נבכי ים.
ולמה הרג אותן?
שהבית שהוא מחזיק מאה חיים, מחזיק אלף מתים, לכך נקרא אוקיינוס, “ים המות”, ועתיד אלהים לרפאתו, שנאמר (יחזקאל מז, ח): אל הימה המוצאים ונרפאו המים, כיון שראו שאר המים שבעט באוקיינוס, לקול צעקתו ברחו חביריהן, כמו חמר.
בשר ודם, שהוא הולך והיו לפניו שני עבדים, אותן הראשונים רצין ובורחין, כך היו שאר המים שבעולם, בורחים מקול צעקתו של אוקיינוס, שנאמר ( תהלים קד, ז): מן גערתך ינוסון, והיו בורחין ולא היו יודעין להיכן בורחין, שנאמר (תהלים שם, ח): יעלו הרים ירדו בקעות אל מקום זה יסדת להם.
כגון עבד בשר ודם שאמר לו אדונו: המתן לי בשוק ולא אמר לו היכן ימתין, התחיל העבד אומר: שמא אצל בסילקי אמר לי להמתינו, או שמא אצל בית המרחץ אמר לי, או שמא בצד פיטרון אמר לי!
עלה מצאו סטרו מסטר, אמר לו: על שער פלטרין של אפרכוס שלחתיך!
כך היו המים חוזרים, כששמעו שאמר להם הקדוש ברוך הוא (בראשית א, ט): יקוו המים מתחת השמים אל מקום אחד, לא לדרום ולא לצפון אמר להם, אלא היו פוזרין, יעלו הרים ירדו בקעות, סטרן הקדוש ברוך הוא מסטר, אמר להם: למקומו של לויתן אמרתי לכם לילך!
מנין כן?
שנאמר (שם שם, ח): אל מקום זה יסדת להם וזהו מקומו של לויתן, שנאמר (שם שם, כו): לויתן זה יצרת לשחק בו (שם שם, ט): גבול שמת בל יעבורון.
Bavli Hagiga 12a אמר ר”ל בשעה שברא הקב”ה את הים היה מרחיב והולך עד שגער בו הקב”ה ויבשו שנאמר (נחום א) גוער בים ויבשהו
R’ Yohanan in Bavli Bava Batra (above), א”ר יוחנן עתיד הקב”ה לעשות סעודה לצדיקים מבשרו של לויתן שנאמר (איוב מ) יכרו עליו חברים ואין כרה אלא סעודה שנאמר (מלכים ב ו) ויכרה להם כרה גדולה ויאכלו וישתו ואין חברים אלא תלמידי חכמים שנאמר (שיר השירים ח) היושבת בגנים חברים מקשיבים לקולך השמיעני והשאר מחלקין אותו ועושין בו סחורה בשוקי ירושלים שנאמר (איוב מ) יחצוהו בין כנענים ואין כנענים אלא תגרים שנאמר (הושע יב) כנען בידו מאזני מרמה לעשק אהב
Sanhedrin 97b milhemot taninim. Pslam 104:26, Job 40:29. רב חנן בר תחליפא לרב יוסף מצאתי אדם אחד ובידו מגילה אחת כתובה אשורית ולשון קדש אמרתי לו זו מניין לך אמר לי לחיילות של רומי נשכרתי ובין גינזי רומי מצאתיה וכתוב בה לאחר ד’ אלפים ומאתים ותשעים ואחד שנה לבריאתו של עולם העולם יתום מהן מלחמות תנינים מהן מלחמות גוג ומגוג ושאר ימות המשיח ואין הקב”ה מחדש את עולמו אלא לאחר שבעת אלפים שנה
Talmud Bavli Bava Batra 75a (בראשית א) ויברא אלהים את התנינים הגדולים הכא תרגימו ארזילי דימא ר’ יוחנן אמר זה לויתן נחש בריח ולויתן נחש עקלתון שנאמר (ישעיהו כז) ביום ההוא יפקוד ה’ בחרבו הקשה וגו’: <סימן כל שעה ירדן>: אמר רב יהודה אמר רב כל מה שברא הקב”ה בעולמו זכר ונקבה בראם אף לויתן נחש בריח ולויתן נחש עקלתון זכר ונקבה בראם ואלמלי נזקקין זה לזה מחריבין כל העולם כולו מה עשה הקב”ה סירס את הזכר והרג הנקבה ומלחה לצדיקים לעתיד לבא שנאמר (ישעיהו כז) והרג את התנין אשר בים ואף בהמות בהררי אלף זכר ונקבה בראם ואלמלי נזקקין זה לזה מחריבין כל העולם כולו מה עשה הקב”ה סירס הזכר וצינן הנקבה ושמרה לצדיקים לעתיד לבא שנאמר (איוב מ) הנה נא כחו במתניו זה זכר ואונו בשרירי בטנו זו נקבה התם נמי ליסרסיה לזכר וליצננה לנקבה דגים פריצי וליעביד איפכא איבעית אימא נקבה מליחא מעלי איבעית אימא כיון דכתיב (תהילים קד) לויתן זה יצרת לשחק בו בהדי נקבה לאו אורח ארעא הכא נמי לימלחה לנקבה כוורא מליחא מעלי בשרא מליחא לא מעלי
Targum Arami on Psalm 104:26 (English, Aramaic) 26. There the ships go about, [and] this Leviathan you created for the sport of the righteous at the supper of his dwelling place.
כא וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים, אֶת-הַתַּנִּינִם הַגְּדֹלִים; וְאֵת כָּל-נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת אֲשֶׁר שָׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לְמִינֵהֶם, וְאֵת כָּל-עוֹף כָּנָף לְמִינֵהוּ, וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים, כִּי-טוֹב. 21 And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that creepeth, wherewith the waters swarmed, after its kind, and every winged fowl after its kind; and God saw that it was good. Israel: In the Beginning of a Love Affair Between a Land and a People
R’ Daniel Burg writes: One fact that has been repeatedly denied by Mr. Ahmadinejad, for example, is that the Jewish people have had a relationship with the land of Israel for thousands of years. …Why then, asks Rashi, does the Torah begin with such universal language, with the story of creation? His answer is the following: For if the nations of the world should say to Israel, “You are robbers, for you conquered by force the lands of the seven nations [of Canaan],” they will reply, “The entire earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it (this we learn from the story of the Creation) and gave it to whomever He deemed proper When He wished, He gave it to them, and when He wished, He took it away from them and gave it to us.” There is much to take from Rashi’s ancient words, and again, Jews of good faith may differ as to whether his theology is in line with their own views of how God acts in the world. But one thing cannot be denied: the Jewish people, starting with the first one, have always had a relationship with the land. … But as Rashi demonstrates, there will always be people (like the Iranian president) unwilling to debate policies or decisions on their merits but who would rather undermine a foundation of our faith: our historical claims to the Land.
I respond: But the problem with that Rashi is that it is theological, not historical. In the world of politics, legal rights are more important than biblical decrees. There is some evidence that Palestinians descend from the inhabitants of the Land just as Jews do (and may have even been Jews, once). That’s not to argue a particular point, only that it’s like telling a non-Jew to keep the seven noachide laws. Well, those are Jewish laws for non-Jews, so why should a non-Jew feel obligated? These are not, I don’t think, views that should be legislated by the secular state. |
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