Tag Archives: Hebrew Bible

LIMMUD FEST 2023 – Interfaith Text Study – Selected Bibliography

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I loved loved loved being at LimmudSE 2023. I loved teaching and learning with everyone! Here is my selected bibliography!

Bialik, Hayim Nahman, and Yehoshua Hana Ravnitzky, eds. The Book of Legends: Sefer Ha’Aggadah – Legends from the Talmud and Midrash. Translated by William G. Braude. New York, NY: Schocken Books, 1992.

Charlesworth, James H., ed. The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. Fourth Edition. Vol. Volume 1: Apocalyptic Literature and Testaments. 2 vols. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1983. [Melchizedek!]

Collins, John J. Daniel: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel. Hermeneia – A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1993. [Gabriel!]

Eskenazi, Tamara Cohn, and Andrea L. Weiss, eds. The Torah: A Woman’s Commentary. New York, NY: Women of Reform Judaism, 2008.

Firestone, Reuven. An Introduction to Islam for Jews. Philadelphia, PA: Jewish Publication Society, 2008.

The Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy – A New Translation with Introductions, Commentary, and Notes by Everett Fox. Vol. 1. The Schocken Bible. New York, NY: Schocken Books, 1995.

The Early Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings – A New Translation with Introductions, Commentary, and Notes by Everett Fox. Vol. 2. The Schocken Bible. NY: Schocken Books, 2014.

Kaltner, John. Inquiring of Joseph: Getting to Know a Biblical Character through the Quran. Interfaces. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 2003.

*Levine, Amy-Jill, and Marc Zvi Brettler, eds. The Jewish Annotated New Testament with the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible Translation. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 2011.

*Nasr, Seyyed Hossein, ed. The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary. First Edition. New York: HarperOne: An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2015.

Reeves, John C. “Some Explorations of the Intertwining of Bible and Qur’an.” In Bible and Qur’an: Essays in Scriptural Intertextuality, 43–60. SBL Symposium Series 24. Atlanta, Georgia: Society of Biblical Literature, 2003.

Sarna, Nahum, ed. Genesis: The JPS Torah Commentary. Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 1989.

Sarna, Nahum, ed. Exodus: The JPS Torah Commentary. New York, NY: The Jewish Publication Society, 1991.

Trible, Phyllis, and Letty M. Russell, eds. Hagar, Sarah, and Their Children: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006.

*Other books you can borrow from the library or from teachers and friends. However, these two books – in my humble opinion – are essential for anyone interested in interfaith text study.

NOTE: I also mentioned the film The Muslims are Coming! in a few discussions and sessions. What a great film! And what a rich “text” for interfaith discussion!

The Book of Ruth – Respectfully Rewritten for Today

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In this translation, I focused mainly on Ruth’s relationships. Of course, there are a million deep, brilliant lessons in the Book of Ruth. This particular translation/re-written text is for the study of relationships in the Book of Ruth. However, the only creative license I really took was the coffee and cheesecake. (They probably ate onions with pita and olive oil and drank tea.)

Shavuot 5783 – 2023

The Story of Ruth

[Respectfully re-written for today.]

Rabbi Susan E. Lippe

In the days of the Judges, there were times of chaos and times of peace. During a time of chaos and hunger, Naomi and her husband took their two sons to live in the Land of Moav. (Ruth 1:1, 2) Naomi’s husband died in Moav. Her sons grew up and married Moabite women. Years passed. When Naomi’s sons died, she was left with two daughters-in-law and no grandchildren. Naomi decided to leave her daughters-in-law in Moav with their families of origin. Naomi planned to move home to Bethlehem in the Land of Israel alone. (Ruth 1:3-5)

Naomi told her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah: “Turn back. Go home to your parents.” Both daughters-in-law answered: “No, no. We are staying with you.” Naomi said: “You have to go home to your families. You belong here in Moav. I will go home to my own people as well.” Naomi tried three times to convince them to leave her alone. (Ruth 1:8-13) Orpah kissed and hugged Naomi goodbye and went home. (Ruth 1:14) 

Ruth refused to leave Naomi. She said: “Do not ask me to leave you. You are my family now. I won’t let you go to the Land of Israel alone. Wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you call home, I will call home. Your God will be my God. Wherever you will die, I will be buried there too.” (Ruth 1:16, 17)

Naomi did not argue with Ruth. She didn’t say anything. They walked all the way to the Land of Israel together in silence. (Ruth 1:18, 19) After their long walk in the desert, they arrived in the town of Bethlehem, in Judah,  in the Land of Israel. The people of Bethlehem met them at the gate of the city. Visitors were rare. First one old friend and then another recognized Naomi. They rushed to embrace her. They exclaimed: “Is that you, Naomi? Welcome home, Naomi!” (Ruth 1:19b)

Naomi responded: “Please do not call me Naomi. That name means pleasantness. I do not see anything pleasant in my life. I feel sad and lonely.” Ruth and the women of Bethlehem told her: “We are with you. You are not alone.” Naomi answered: “I feel lonely. I feel sad. I feel angry and bitter. I’m so bitter that you should call me Mara, the Hebrew word for bitterness.”  (Ruth 1:20-21) Naomi’s old friends could not make her feel better, but they could not make themselves call her Mara either. 

Ruth followed Naomi to her old home. It was empty. They only owned what they had brought with them across the desert. They had no food left. In the morning sun, Ruth and Naomi realized that they had reached Bethlehem during barley harvest time. (Ruth 2:1) Silently, Naomi thought to herself: “One of these days we should probably look for the fields of my third cousin Boaz. Today I’m too tired, hungry, and sad to go look.” (Ruth 2:1)

Ruth went to look for a job on her own. When Naomi went back to bed, Ruth walked towards the fields. She tried to get a job harvesting barley, but the workers laughed at her. (Ruth 2:2, 3)

Boaz stopped by during a coffee break. Boaz saw a young woman sitting alone nearby, while all the workers were drinking coffee or tea and sitting in the shade together. Boaz asked the foreman: “Who is that sad woman?” Laughing, the foreman answered: “That is the woman who came with Naomi from the Land of Moav. She wanted to work here. Can you believe it?!” (Ruth 2:4-7)

Boaz did not laugh with the foreman. Instead he walked over to Ruth and introduced himself. He told her: “I heard that you travelled with my cousin across the desert. You came with her to Bethlehem, far away from your land, your language, your people, your family. You are welcome here.” (Ruth 2:8, 9)

He cleared his throat and said very clearly, loud enough so all his staff could hear: “Ruth, you are a good daughter-in-law and a good friend. God must have guided you to my field. You will be safe here!” Ruth was confused. She asked: “Why are you being so kind and generous? You don’t even know me!” (Ruth 2:10) Boaz looked around to make sure everyone was listening. Then, he responded: “You belong here. When the staff eats, you are welcome to eat. When the staff gathers grain, you are welcome to gather grain.” (Ruth 2:8-11)

Ruth praised him and expressed her gratitude. (Ruth 2:13) While Ruth helped herself to coffee and some cheesecake, Boaz told all of the men who worked with him: “God commands the People of Israel to leave the corners of their fields for anyone who is poor and hungry. God forbids us to take any grain we drop to our own barn. Remember to leave the corners of my fields unharvested. Also, if you drop some extra grain for Ruth and other hungry folk to take home, you will be rewarded.” (Ruth 2:13-16)

At the end of that first day, Ruth went home to Naomi with a full belly and as much grain as she could carry. When Ruth came into the house, Naomi looked up and asked: “Where have you been? What’s all that?” Ruth answered: “I went to look for a job, and I stumbled upon the fields of your generous, gracious cousin Boaz! He offered me food and a safe place to gather grain.” For the first time in a long time, Naomi felt grateful. She praised both Boaz and God. (Ruth 2:17-21)

Every day until the harvest ended, Ruth gathered grain in the fields of Boaz. She felt safe now that she was friendly with Boaz, and she no longer felt hungry. Ruth worked hard. When they saw how hard she worked, the workers who had laughed at her changed their minds. Every evening, she took care of Naomi – bringing her food and keeping her company, even though Naomi did not acknowledge her.

On the last day of the harvest, at the end of the workday, Naomi welcomed Ruth at the door to her house. Naomi displayed the presents she had prepared for Ruth – new clothes, new sandals, a comb, and some soothing lotion for her hands, which had suffered from daily gleaning, gathering, and carrying. Naomi sent Ruth to seduce Boaz into rescuing them from poverty. (Ruth 3:1-4)

Ruth felt nervous. Yes, she had clean new things to wear, her hair was tidy, and her hands smelled pretty.  However, her job was over. She did not know what would happen next. How would she even find food for Naomi? She went to Boaz’s giant barn. She could hear Boaz’ familiar laughter through the open door. Ruth timidly peeked into the barn. She didn’t want to be a seductress. Nervously, she tried to follow her mother-in-law’s instructions. (Ruth 3:5-7)

When he saw her, Boaz welcomed her. “Don’t be afraid!” he told her. He listened to her talk about taking care of Naomi and how nervous she was about where she would work next. Again, he told her: “Don’t be afraid! I will help you! You are my friend, and Naomi is my family.” Boaz sent her home with six measures of barley. (Ruth 3:8-15)

Boaz talked to everyone in town. He had a lot of questions. “Who is working in fields that Naomi used to own before she left? Who is making sure that Naomi and Ruth are safe in Bethlehem? Is Ruth dating anyone?” He checked around – from the little kids playing in their yards all the way up to the mayor and the elders at the gate. No one wanted to buy Naomi’s fields. No one wanted to be responsible for welcoming a poor, bitter old friend into their families. No one had asked Ruth on a date. Boaz was glad. (Ruth 3:16-4:12)

So Boaz and Ruth became more than friends. They dated, and then they married. Boaz and Naomi became more than cousins. Since Naomi was Ruth’s mother-in-law, she became Boaz’s mother-in-law too. With God’s help, Boaz and Ruth became parents to a little boy. (Ruth 4:13) All of her old friends celebrated with Naomi when she held the baby. She did not ask them to call her Mara anymore. Naomi’s grandson eventually became the biological ancestor of King David, achieving the ultimate Israelite family status. (Ruth 4:14-21)

The End.

You can get the Hebrew text of the Book of Ruth online on Sefaria.org (They also include an English translation and many commentaries and teachings – old and new!)

From Sefaria: The Book of Ruth is one of the five megillot (scrolls), part of the section of the Hebrew Bible called Writings, and is traditionally read on the holiday of Shavuot. It tells the story of Ruth, a widow of Moabite origin who insists on staying with her widowed, Israelite mother-in-law, declaring “wherever you go, I will go… your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (1:16). Ruth’s loyalty leads her to the field of her kinsman, Boaz, whom she ultimately marries. Together they have a child, who later becomes the grandfather of King David.

Note: Most people would never teach Ruth without addressing two important factors – the pledge Ruth makes to Naomi (Ruth 1:16, 17) and the meaning of chesed – chet-samech-dalet – often translated as lovingkindness. While these are invaluable to the Hebrew Bible and to the Jewish People, I have chosen to focus on what Ruth can teach us about relationships this year. I don’t want Ruth’s many amazing lessons to be overshadowed by her most best-known contributions.

WHY people are STILL sexist – October 10, 2018

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[A letter I wrote to a friend.]

So, I’ve been thinking about your kid since you told me that she asked WHY people are STILL sexist. I really want to write her a letter but I’m afraid that I’m too ANGRY to write a polite, clean, appropriate letter. So, instead I’m going to write you my thinking now and then you can decide which parts the kids might want to read/know.

First, I want to acknowledge the fact that the STILL in the question is important. It’s hard for me to separate out the “original, ancient” causes of sexism from the present issues. Second, I think that people are STILL sexist for a lot of reasons and here are some of them. This is by no means an exhaustive list but I have a few reasons in my head since I got your text.

  1. People who have power are afraid of losing power.
  2. People are afraid of change. Even people who want change find change difficult. Take for example, a person who wants to move cities or change jobs. Even though they WANT that change and know in their head that it’s right or good, they still have a hard time with change because change is rough no matter what.
  3. Some people have been told their whole lives by society that they DESERVE the top spot. So our society has told white, straight, rich, men that they are the TOP of humanity in the United States of America. It’s hard for them to change their thinking. (My example of this is – I met with a bunch of liberal Jews to talk about Sarah and Hagar in the Hebrew Bible and the Quran. I told them that I thought Jews are trained to see Sarah in the best light – even though she was pretty mean to Hagar – and that as a result we are protective of her. They argued with me: “Oh no, we aren’t protective of Sarah.” But then as we got further and further into the conversation I realized that they were so protective of Sarah that they didn’t even know they were. They were trying but they needed even more help than I thought to open their minds.)
  4. Some people don’t realize how lucky they have it and how hard other people have it. So, that’s why people accuse people who are suffering of “acting” or of being “paid protestors.” If their whole lives, people are respectful of them, certain people don’t realize that that only is true for people who look like them or have money like them, etc.

Third, In terms of how sexism Got Started, there are a few theories:

  1. It is true that more women can get pregnant than men. So, in some times of their lives – pregnancy, nursing, etc. –  it is true that women need protection from society. Also, most men’s bodies are different from most women’s bodies so that – while women are built to withstand pain – many men seem built to hunt and travel and fight. I think that there is a short leap from “women need protection sometimes” to “women are weak and need men to tell them what to do and how to do it.” So, some of this original sexism might have to do with biology.
  2. Power scares people. The fact that women can get pregnant and give birth and nurse babies is all about their amazing power. And I think that some men may have been scared by this. Pain is scary.
  3. Change is scary. After puberty, men’s bodies don’t change so much but women’s bodies change every week of every month in cycles.
  4. Blood is scary. Women deal with blood a lot. They take care of babies and kids. They bleed every month. When they give birth, they bleed again. I think that maybe men thought that women’s connection to blood was scary.
  5. There are more theories, but we can’t do anything about them so we might as well move forward.

Fourth, here is the vocabulary word for the decade: KYRIARCHY.

Kyriarchy is a new word created by Dr. Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza. She has a PhD in bible and she knows a lot about ancient societies in Greece. Instead of trying to examine sexism and racism and classism and other kinds of prejudice separately, she recognized that all kinds of prejudices work together to create a kind of pyramid. So, white, rich, men, for example, are at the top of a lot of prejudices that put down people who aren’t white, aren’t rich, and aren’t men. So, when some people talk about “patriarchy,” they are only talking about sexism, but there is so much more that goes into it. And this is also part of why people are “still” sexist – because they might be more afraid of having their white kids in schools with kids of color than they are of having a sexist president.

Fifth, at this point I also think it’s important to talk about the word MISOGYNY.

  1. Some people don’t realize they are sexist. (For example, I hate when people talk about a book being seminal! Because the “germ,” the “embryo” comes way before the semen. So if you want to say something is first and best, then you really have to say it is GERMINAL not seminal. I also hate the word disseminate – why does everyone want to spread sperm around? Why can’t they just “distribute” information or “share” the resources?)
  2. Some people are sexist and they don’t care that it’s mean. Some people really believe that men are better/stronger/smarter. Some of those people are actually women. Boo.
  3. Some people are so scared or so self-centered that they actually HATE women. That is misogyny, hatred of women. And those people don’t usually change. It’s usually not worth interacting with the misogynists. However, it’s definitely worth it to warn people about misogyny.
  4. People who “think” that women are less or deserve less or need less aren’t evil. I think they are thinking inaccurately and could benefit from learning more – maybe even just from polite interactions with smart, cool women, BUT – if you think/see someone is misogynist, stay away, don’t try to fix it.

Here is a blog article that talks about it – but it’s by “new” feminists aren’t really scholars of Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza or Kyriarchy. https://everydayfeminism.com/2014/04/kyriarchy-101/

Also, when you feel sad about politics or current events, it’s worth it to re-read this letter from Leslie Knope:

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/parks-and-recreation-leslie-knope-writes-letter-to-america-following-donald-trumps-victory-142904267.html

Here is something else that is very important to remember – Even before you can vote, you are important. If you go to a protest, for example, it doesn’t matter if you are 18 yet. All that matters is that you are a human being standing in protest. (Or sitting and eating snacks while holding a sign or something.) The point is when you put your body or your voice in the political arena, that makes a difference, even before you are of voting age.

Same goes for phone calls. When you call the office of an elected representative, the point is that you are taking your time to use up the time of a staff member to communicate what matters to you. I know that people ask that you write letters/postcards, but it barely takes any time for a staff member of an elected official to read and count your letter/postcard. It takes way more time for them to talk to you and get your zip code and hear your concerns. When the staff members have to spend time out of their busy day listening to you, then they 1. Remember and 2. Tell their boss. And you don’t have to be 18 years old to communicate your concerns.

On that note, it’s valuable for you – even before you are 18 – to call/text adults you know who CAN vote and remind them that it’s important to you.

I also have to say this – we live in a two party system. I think that every young person experiments with being Independent or Green Party or something that isn’t Democrat or Republican. However, unless you are willing to work your tiny tush off to change the two-party-system into a three-party-system, I think it’s more efficient and effective to work within the system we’ve got.

There are a lot of people who would benefit from hearing smart, thoughtful, compassionate kids’ questions and concerns.

Please continue asking questions and sharing your concerns. Just even by thinking critically about the world, you are making it better.

ALSO, I love you and your family. ALSO, I’m sorry that the world can be so frustrating and scary.

More later, LOVE, Rabbi Susan Elizabeth Lippe, the First

A Litany for Black Lives Matter – written by the Church of God in Christ – adapted for the American synagogue.

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Leader: Today, we stand together in solidarity with our African American brothers and sisters. We unite with all of those who have lost their lives to the unjust forces of police brutality, racial profiling, and systematic oppression.

Congregation: Together, we will stand. As co-created ones, we affirm that all Black bodies mirror the image of God. (Gen 1:27)

Leader: Together, we will march. In efforts to embody the prophetic command, “Let justice roll on like a river and righteousness like a never-failing stream.” (Amos 5:24) We will dismantle racial and social barriers in order to stand as one and march to the beat of peaceful protests, until God’s work is done.

Congregation: Together, we will march. Adonai, you have taught us to march for freedom and justice. We will march together like the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. We will learn from the marches of generations past, and we will prepare the next generations to march with us.

Leader: Together, we will remember Tamir Rice, Akai Gurley, Rumain Brisbon, Cameron Tillman, Reneshia McBride, Trayvon Martin, and so many others who have lost their lives at the hands of police brutality. We hear the ringing of the twelve shots that were fired at Michael Brown’s body. We see the horror in Eric Garner’s face as he uttered his last words – “I can’t breathe.” We grieve the unfulfilled dreams of Aiyana Jones, who was only seven years old.

Congregation: We know that we should not stand idly by the blood of our neighbors, (Lev 19:16) and yet we have ignored the graphic images of tragic deaths. We have ignored the cries of victims, their children, their spouses, their parents. With new awareness and humility, our souls lament.

Leader: Together we will boldly name the unjust acts throughout our nation, the unwarranted deaths and shamelessly prejudiced acts. Yet, we are honest enough to also name the reality that resides within these four walls. We too have been unjust. In our ignorance, we too have persecuted. In our privilege, we too have closed doors and silenced voices.

Congregation: Together, Adonai, we seek your forgiveness and the forgiveness of our neighbors.  We have ignored the cries of those whose stories did not beckon the media’s response, whose graves went unmarked, whose bodies remain missing, whose memorials are forgotten.

Leader: Together, Adonai, we refresh our commitment to justice. The Prophet Micah taught us to walk humbly with God and to love mercy. We are also called to act justly. (Micah 6:8)

Congregation: We will walk with humility, and we will love mercy. Our humility and love would be empty without our just action. Together, Adonai, we strengthen our commitment to act justly.

Leader: Together, we proclaim the value of Black bodies. We will deconstruct discriminating stereotypes that have legitimized the death of African Americans, criminalized Black boys and girls, and dehumanized Black women and men.

Congregation: Together, we will proclaim: Black Lives Matter.

Leader: For the parent who grieves a child she will never hold again, we will proclaim –

Congregation: Black Lives Matter.

Leader: For the child who lives in fear because his neighborhood is barricaded by police, we will proclaim –

Congregation: Black Lives Matter.

Leader: For the father who feels compelled to teach his son how to keep his head down rather than hold his head up, we will proclaim –

Congregation: Black Lives Matter.

Leader: For the sister who is doubly-subjugated because her skin is labeled ugly and her gender is less-valued, we will proclaim –

Congregation: Black Lives Matter.

Leader: Throughout our congregations, our cities, our classrooms, our work-places, and our homes, we will continue to declare: All of us are created in the Divine Image. This is a truth older than the United States, a truth that America cannot erase. Therefore, we proclaim –

Congregation: Black Lives Matter. African American Justice Matters. Black Freedom Matters. African American Dignity Matters. Black Lives Matter.

 

Thank you to the Church of God in Christ for the Black Lives Matter Litany and other powerful, meaningful prayers which respond to current events.

A Nechemta – just a bit of comfort

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Today is Shavuot, not usually a day I’d spend on the computer. BUT the news today has been terrible: Last night someone shot a number of people in a LGBTQ nightclub in Orlando, Florida. So, I wanted to share my comforting news. This blog post won’t heal injuries. It can’t undo any murders. BUT I need something positive/productive to focus on, and I thought I might not be the only one.

Last night, I was honored to teach at Congregation Agudas Achim, the congregation who generously hosts a Community-Wide Shavuot Celebration every year. (Thanks for the cheesecake and the warm welcome, as always, y’all.)

I study Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School, at Texas Christian University. I’ve been working on my ThM Thesis since November 2015. I’m struggling with staying “focused & disciplined” as wisely instructed by my advisor. I’m working on my “scholarly voice.” I’m slow, BUT I’m grateful that this lengthy process has given me the opportunity to learn so much. Of course, I want to share what I’ve been learning. So, when my friend Dr. Harvey Raben asked me my topic, I quickly answered: “The Mother of Moses in the Quran and the Hebrew Bible.”

Last night at 10:30pm (!) I welcomed about 25 lovely people who came to learn more about Yocheved/Um Musa. During the course of our discussion, I had occasion to ask some questions.

Q: How many of you have read a little of the Quran before?

A: Many raised hands.

Q: How many of you want to study more Quran?

A: More raised hands.

Q: How many of you want to learn more about the Quran because you think it will make the world a little better?

A: Almost all the hands raised.

I want to say thank you to these folks. Thank you for studying with me. Thank you for choosing a class without a very sexy title or blurb. Thank you for staying up until 11:30pm discussing some challenging texts. Thank you for pushing yourself to try something new.

Today, I take comfort in having met a nice group of people who want to make the world better by breaking down walls and opening doors. Many of our neighbors don’t want to move out of their comfort zones to learn new things and meet new people. You and I both know people who paint Islam, the Quran, and Muslim people with one broad brush. Those folks are not going to be the ones who repair what is broken in our world.

So, here are a few closing words:

  1. If you want to learn more Quran, you should check these out –The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary AND/OR The Message of the Qur’an.
  2. If you want to meet some cool Muslims, look on line for Open Houses and various learning opportunities at Muslim Community Centers in your neighborhood. This year I attended the Pre-Ramadan Open House at the North Austin Muslim Community Center and it was uplifting, welcoming, interesting, and delicious.
  3. Dr. Raben and I talked briefly about experimenting with an interfaith text-study class next semester at Agudas Achim. If you are interested, please reach out to us. Even if we only study briefly, casually, I believe that we can learn more together and maybe even attract some Muslim friends to study with us.
  4. Check out the Interfaith Ramadan Blog curated by Sarah Ager. Reading this blog is a super easy way to enter into interfaith relationship. You can read it in the comfort of your own home, in your own time. Reading these authors/teachers is a fun way to learn more about being Muslim from the Muslim writers and about interfaith opportunities from the non-Muslim writers. (I’m not just saying this because Sarah invited me to write this year. I promise.)
  5. Please share your interfaith success stories. People around us need to hear about the positive, productive results of connecting with people who aren’t exactly like us. Thank you.

 

Community Conversation at Brite Divinity School

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Hi. I’m Susan. I’m bringing you three problems and a list.

FIRST Problem: Today a disgusting bill is going to the Texas State House of Representatives. I am unable to stand here today and not take the opportunity to tell you about it. So, please find out who your representative and your senator are. This is really easy on the web. Call them and tell them that you are against “HB 562 by Leach,” also known as “American Law for American Courts.”  If you believe in religious freedom at all, you are against this bill. It claims to prohibit the application of “foreign” laws in Texas. Nationally, advocates for this type of legislation characterize it as “anti-Sharia” or “anti-Islamic.” The legislation would restrict access to many kinds of religious mediation arrangements such as rabbinical courts, Roman Catholic diocesan tribunals, and Muslim mediation providers.

Here is the easiest way to find your representatives: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx

SECOND Problem: I’ve been invited to talk with you about Passover and Exodus, but Passover is very personal to me. That’s why I’ve been invited to speak to you today. I don’t WANT to teach you about Passover from an academic point of view. Exodus is real to me, and as a teacher, as a rabbi, as a cousin, I have done everything I can to make it real to my nieces, nephews, and students. I’m 44 years old. I’ve attended at least two seders every year for 44 years. I don’t remember all of them, of course, but I have years of Passover seders echoing in my head. I’ve been to chocolate seders, women’s seders, teen seders, anarchy seders. I’ve been to a few seders with incredible singing (not with MY family). My uncles, my cousins, and I – we’ve all taken our turns leading the seder. The seders I’ve been to have challenged my feminism and my theology. The night before the Exodus feels real to me. To me, the story Exodus is real, more real than any cartoon recreation or Universal Studios tour. The seders have shaped the way I hear and feel the story of Exodus.

HERE IS THE LIST. The Haggadah, this book we use to guide us through the seder, is the best lesson plan. Passover is an excellent teacher, and I’m going to list the reasons why.

ONE: EMPATHY – Exodus 13:8 – “And you shall explain to your child on that day: ‘It is because of what Adonai did for me when I went free from Egypt.’” It tells us to empathize. I don’t think I empathize because it tells me to, but how can we tell? I can feel the story in my gut and my heart. I’ve been told that I should empathize with them, and I do. I don’t know why. Could it be because every year, twice a year, every seder, Judaism tells me to feel/be/act/speak as if I were there – waiting to be freed from bondage?

TWO: FOOD, SYMBOLS, & GAMES – Passover makes the story of the Exodus tangible. The seder plate and the symbols on it are perfect visual aids. The special foods we eat – matza, haroset, etc. – are crunchy, delicious props. Some of us invest in masks that make each of us a plague or two for Passover selfies. Some students make plague bags, but you can purchase them, too. Before computers could even do such a thing, I’ve remade the haggadah by literally cutting and pasting all of the steps and prayers and rituals, by hand. I once found a page full of Homer Simpson’s face to use for the counting of the Omer. Homer, you get it? I’ve made bingo versions of the order of the seder to keep the kids (and most adults) from rebelling. The games, the symbols, the food make Exodus real to seder participants.

THREE: REPETITION & ECHOES – It’s not just the symbols. I believe it’s also the repetition that makes Exodus tangible. If education is repetition, then Passover has it right. These famous phrases resonate with me:

With an Outstretched Arm (Exodus 6:6)

Then came a Pharoah who knew not Moses (Exodus 1:8)

My father was a wandering Aramean. (Deuteronomy 26:5)

When I hear them in Exodus or the Haggadah, I feel the story of Exodus on a level deeper than I read.

FOUR: READ THIS STORY WITH PEOPLE WHO MATTER TO YOU. My grandfather, my grandmother, my great aunt and uncle, my bubbe, I’ve heard their voices reciting the words of the seder. I’ve listened to all the nieces and nephews take their turns at the four questions.This cacophony of memory is my soundtrack for the Book of Exodus. I hear the voices of leaders who went on too long or who skipped the pages I thought were important. I can’t read Exodus or the Haggadah without hearing the voices of my parents’ parents and the voices of of my favorite rabbis and cantors.

I’M NOT HERE TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU TRY OUT PASSOVER OR BEING JEWISH.

Keeping Passover is hard.

Carrying the weight of centuries of anti-semitism is hard.

Non-Jews don’t need to try this in order to connect with Exodus.

AND NOW WE COME TO THE THIRD PROBLEM. Apparently, there is some concern over non-Jewish groups celebrating Passover with a seder. I’m not sure how someone else celebrating Passover without us would affect how Jews observe Passover, but enough rabbis, pastors, and professors are concerned that I have been thinking about this challenge as well. BUT, Friends and Pastors, I believe you can make Exodus real for your congregants and students. Here’s how:

  1. I think one solution is: You can ask us for help. Even in Texas, wherever you go, there is always someone Jewish. We can come to your congregation or your school to help you.
  2. Create an interfaith opportunity. Invite yourselves, your congregation, your students to a Jewish Passover celebration. The Jews I know would be thrilled to create some common ground.
  3. Use a haggadah. I put a bibliography at the end of this post. Use what the Haggadah brings to Exodus. Use its lesson plans. Use the games. Use the artwork.
  4. Use the guilt trip. Exodus tells us to read these words as if we ourselves got out of Egypt (Exodus 13:8). Tell your students to put themselves in the Israelites’ sandals.

Here is a Selected Bibliography of Awesome Haggadot:

A DIFFERENT NIGHT: The Family Participation Haggadah, by Noam Zion and David Dishon, Published by the Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem, Israel, 1997. (This is the one I use now.) Leader’s Version, Participant’s Version, Compact Version

The Women’s Haggadah – “With women, holiday begins before ceremony, with cleaning, preparation, presentation. If seder is order, that Spring of ‘75 in Haifa we changed the order. We three women – a Member of Parliament, a social worker, and I – announced somewhat hubristically that we were holding a ‘Seder of the North.’ But this would be different. The invited men would prepare the meal, serve, and clean. The women would contemplate the traditional Haggadah and write new and relevant prayers….Marcia Freedman, American-born member of the Israeli Knesset, or parliament, came with women’s prayers. Nomi Nimrod, social worker, composed a prayer of Miriam driven mad by losing her role as prophet. I wrote the questions of the four daughters instead of the traditional questions of the four sons.” E. M. Broner with Naomi Nimrod, Hebrew translations by Efrat Freiman. HarperSanFrancisco, 1994

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES: The Ma’yan Passover Haggadah, 1994-2000 – “Ma’yan: The Jewish Women’s Project, a program of the Jewish Community Center on the Upper West Side. Ma’yan is a Hebrew noun meaning fountain, spring, source, or well. Ma’yan acts as a catalyst for change in the Jewish community in order to create an environment more inclusive of and responsive to women, their needs and their experiences. Ma’ayn facilitates this transformation by training and supporting advocates for change and developing and [distributing] innovative educational programs.” A companion cassette/CD recorded by Debbie Friedman (z”l) and a songbook are available through Ma’yan and Sounds Write Productions, Inc. ISBN 0-9667107-1-1 – www.mayan.org

Let Us Begin: The Sha’ar Zahav Haggadah – “Welcome to the first published edition of the Sha’ar Zahav Haggadah. This book has, in a sense, been in the process of coming to you since Congregation Sha’ar Zahav began. That beginning was a commitment to live as Jews in the world today, and to welcome all who wanted to join, whatever their sexual orientation.” Congregation Sha’ar Zahav, 220 Danvers, San Francisco, CA 94114, 1996 – ISBN 0-9619242-1-7

THE SANTA CRUZ HAGGADAH: a Passover Haggadah, Coloring Book, and Journal for the Evolving Consciousness, by Karen G. R. Roekard, Nina Paley, and Paula Bottone Spencer. Published by The Hineni Consciousness Press, Berkeley, 1991. “In my Orthodox Jewish childhood, the Haggadahs that we used at our Passover Seders followed the prescribed text: my father led the Seder and did most of the reading thus following traditional practice. Once I had grasped the basic story line, it became boring. Through the years, the addition of Midrashim, of interpretations and legends, gave Passover Seders additional meaning. And yet I noticed that my connection to the Seder and to the concept of slavery was mainly through my mind and through my mouth. Over the past 20 years, with the addition of the liberation and feminist Haggadahs, a new and very exciting dimension was added. I could relate to the feminist struggle; I could relate to the anguish of Jews unable to practice their religion and to other countries wherein there was no political freedom. I noticed that in addition to my intellectual connection to the concept of Passover and the Passover Seder, I was also connected through my guts — the space of my power, or powerlessness, whichever the case was at that point in time.” – Karen G. R. Roekard (1992) – Leader’s Edition – ISBN 0-9628913-4-7 – Participant’s Edition – ISBN 0-9628913-8-X – Children’s Version – ISBN 0-9628913-0-4

A Passover Haggadah, As Commented Upon by Elie Wiesel and Illustrated by Mark Podwal. A Touchstone Book, Published by Simon & Schuster Inc., New York, 1993. “On this evening, all questions are not only permitted, but invited….What can we do so as not to forget the question? What can we do to defeat oblivion? What significance does Passover have, if not to keep our memories alive? To be Jewish is to assume the burden of the past, to include it in our concerns for the present and the future….Have we learned nothing?….Why is there so much hatred in the world? Why is there so much indifference to hatred, to suffering, to the anguish of others? I love Passover because for me it is a cry against indifference, a cry for compassion.” (Weisel, pages 6-7) – ISBN 0-671-73541-1