The Chief Rabbinate; A Blessing or a Curse? part 1

In order to truly understand the background of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, indeed, of the entire Secular-Religious divide that has plagued the Jews in the Holy Land since the late nineteenth century, we need to examine the foundations of Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel, and the place of religion at every stage.
There was never a time in the last 3,300 years, that Jews did not live in the Holy Land. After the confrontation with Rome in the first and second centuries CE, most of the Jews were either killed, or taken as slaves to Rome, and other parts of the Empire. The situation for Jews in the Holy Land was grim. Especially after Rome turned to Christianity in the fourth century, the persecution became not only ethnic, but religious and ideological. The vast majority emigrated. Others remained, under constant oppression. That oppression continued, becoming much less only after the Muslim conquest of the region. Jewish life under Islam has often been romanticized, but there was, in most times and places, persecution nevertheless. But it was far better than in Christian lands, where the Jews had no rights, but survived at the whim of the nobility. Under Islam, there were clearly defined rights, albeit as second class citizens. When the Crusaders conquered the Holy Land, Jews and Muslims fought side by side, and both were ruthlessly put to the sword in huge numbers in 1099 by the Christian soldiers. A small, devout Jewish community continued to exist, replenished by immigrants fleeing Spain and Portugal at the end of the fifteenth century and afterwards. Jews primarily occupied four cities; Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberias and Safed. They were merchants and craftsmen. Some were farmers, especially in Hebron. Significant numbers of East European Jews came in the late eighteenth, and early nineteenth century. These were pious individuals, who believed that redemption was at hand. They were representing their brethren in Russia and Poland, and almost always lived on charity from the masses whom they had left behind. The Turkish authorities were always suspicious of these Ashkenazim. They suspected these Jews of continued loyalty to the Czar, whereas in Russia, the Czarist government saw a threat in Jewish institutions supporting a community in the Ottoman Empire. Already in the 1880s, groups of young, religious, apolitical Jews came to settle, occupying themselves with agriculture.
A turning point came when, in 1894, an assimilated, German speaking Jewish reporter named Theodore Herzl, covered the infamous Dreyfus case in Paris. Dreyfus had been a captain in the French Army. France had just lost a war with Prussia. Dreyfus had been framed as a collaborator and spy. Mobs ran through the streets of Paris yelling "death to the Jews". Herzl was terrified at the success of antisemitism in France, the land of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. At first, he advocated a mass conversion of Jews to Christianity, as a means of ending antisemitism. When he saw that his proposal won no support, he came up with the idea of a Jewish State. Ideally, it would be in the Land of Israel, but anywhere would do (Argentina and Uganda were at various times possibilities). His motivation was purely survival for the Jewish people, with no thought of religion. Herzl was a doer more than a thinker. He negotiated with leaders both in Western Europe and the Middle East, paving the way for a Jewish State. The real ideologue of Zionism was Max Nordau. The period we are speaking about was the Age of Nationalism. Empires were breaking up into small nation states. Every ethnic group wanted its very own country. The result of this movement was the First World War. Nordau reasoned that the Jews were first and foremost a nation. Moses had given them a religion to bind them together. As they went into exile, the rabbis had made the religion more demanding, so as to keep the nation together, though scattered. At the turn of the twentieth century, however, religion had become a divisive force, and needed, according to Nordau, to be eliminated. A geographic focal point was now necessary. He saw Europe degenerating in every way, and envisioned a completely secular, egalitarian, classless society to be formed by the Jewish people in their own nation state. Many East European Jews were receptive to the messages of Herzl and Nordau, although their views were denounced by nearly all Orthodox and Reform rabbis. After all, the Orthodox saw Judaism as the raison d'etre of the Jewish people. Reform was, at that time, dedicated to the OPPOSITE ideal; we are not a nation but rather a religion. A Jew in France was a Frenchman of Mosaic belief. The so-called "enlightenment" had, in Western Europe, taken the form of a Judaism in the image of Western ideals and culture. In Eastern Europe, it had taken the form of secular Jewish culture. Hebrew and Yiddish novels and theater groups abounded. Although the majority were still Orthodox, there were now many thousands who had abandoned religion.The dream of some to become accepted as equal citizens in Russia were dashed as pogroms, antisemitic attacks, became more and more widespread. Many turned to Socialism. Herzl and Nordau's ideas struck a receptive chord. A secular, anti-religious, dictatorship of the Proletariat, were now the ideal. Until the mid-1950s, the Soviet Union was referred to by many Zionists as "the Second Motherland", and Josef Stalin as "the Sun of the Nations". As thousands flocked to the Holy Land, a confrontation with the Old Yishuv, the Old Settlement of devout East East. European Jews, as well as Sepharadic Jews who had lived there for many centuries, was inevitable,

The Purpose of the Mitzvot part 8

As we have seen, the Kabbalah regards all of the Torah, indeed, all of creation, as combinations of energies, which can be expressed as letters, which ultimately are Names of G-d. Often these combinations are derived from a verse; often prayers are composed with these combinations in mind. An example would be the forty-two letter Name. It consists of seven groups of six letters, each representing an upward movement of energy, particular to a specific day of the week. Already in Talmudic times, a rabbi who was also a Kabbalist composed a poem, which begins with the words "Ana B'Koach", whose initial letters are this sacred name. it is found in every traditional prayer book. It is located at points where an upward-reaching energy is called for. Most worshipers are unaware that this is anything but a supplication. For the mystic, this is a virtual rudder for elevating prayers. Another very central Name is that of 72 combinations. it consists of three verses in the Torah, right before the Splitting of the Sea. These verses are seen as containing the Names of Divine power of salvation from Evil. The letters are combined and put into a sequence by the Zohar. These Names are utilized for many purposes, especially for meditation. There are also Names and combinations of Names associated with the fulfillment of each mitzvah. This holds a very central place in the writings of the ARI. There are Kabbalistic prayer books with a few words of the traditional prayers on each page, the rest being Holy Names to meditate upon while praying. Similarly, these prayer books contain the appropriate meditations and Names not only relating to our observances, but also for everyday activities. Thus, all of our life is an encounter with G-d. Every action a connection, as well as to restore unity and harmony in the Microcosm, as well as the Macrocosm. I will illustrate with a story. A silver kiddush cup was damaged by a toddler who thought it would be fun to throw. I took it to a repair shop in Jerusalem. The craftsman said it would be ready the next day, and would only cost 10 Sheqels. I came back the next day, holding out my ten Sheqels. the man said "not so fast". I thought "Oh, no! He is now going to raise the price!". Instead, he handed me a card. On it was a mystical prayer, containing the meditations for the mitzvah of paying a workman on time. He said that I could only have my cup after I said that prayer! Can you imagine a world in which every act is a mitzvah, every act, a meditation, every act a connection with G-d?

The Purpose of the Mitzvot part 7

In Judaism, and especially in the Kabbalistic interpretation of Judaism, a great deal of emphasis is put on the Names of G-d. In Tanakh and Talmud, there is but one ultimate Name; the four-letter ineffable Name. It is forbidden to be pronounced except by the Kohanim in the Temple. In fact, no one knows how it was pronounced. Twice in the Tanakh is the Name used with the word "L'Olam" (forever), which can also be read as "L'Elom" (to be hidden). This is by no means a merely rabbinic concept. Even heretical groups like the Samaritans and the (authentic) Karaites refuse to pronounce the Name. (The Online version of Karaism encourages the pronunciation of the Name, calling the refusal to do so a "rabbinic conspiracy".). This Name is known in rabbinic literature as Shem Hameforash" (the Explicit Name). There is also the Name Ado-nai (My L-rd) which substitutes for the Explicit Name, and is able to be pronounced with reverence during prayer and study. It is sometimes known as the "Special Name".There are several other names that describe His attributes and actions. Altogether, there are seven Names (ten if we include variations) that are sacred. A scribe, before writing any of them, must make a verbal statement before writing them "I am writing for the sake of the sanctification of the Name". An oath is valid if said in the name of any of these. Besides this, there are many descriptive names (great, mighty, awesome) that are not seen as having any special sanctity.
In Kabbalah, there are many names, and there are no names. The essence of G-d (Ein Sof; the Infinite) has no name. A name imparts an understanding. We understand nothing on the level of Infinity. With creation, we begin to have a perception of G-d. The Explicit Name is actually a diagram of the manifestation of Ein Sof in the created Universe. The letter Yod is the seminal point, Heh is an expansion of that point in the highest levels, Vav is a drawing down of the Light through descending worlds, and the final Heh is the expansion that fills OUR world. Letters represent energies. Letters can combine to make words that have apparent meanings. But they also can combine in apparently meaningless ways, that nevertheless convey great mysteries and power. The Explicit Name can be spelled out in various ways (e.g. a Heh can be spelled out Heh Aleph, Heh Yod, Heh Heh). These "Expansions" of the Name form four forms of the Name, which are manifest in each of the four worlds (Emanation, Creation, Formation, Action) and are described by the total numeric equivalents of their spelling (72, 43, 45, 52). Besides this, there are numerous other "Names" that have no meaning within themselves, but represent various energies, as I noted above. A bold statement of the Zohar is that the entire Torah is essentially an anagram of Divine Names. Some Kabbalistic sources even state that the Torah pre-existed as letters/energies, which took the shape we now have, based on events. In other words, if not for the Sin of the Golden Calf, or the Sin of the Spies, the Torah would be a totally spiritual document, with all the secrets and mysteries available to all. But, because of the people's misdeeds, we have an anagram that must be read as a code. Each of the mitzvot represents combinations of energies, which we must first access, and work to unite different Names. This process is called "Yichudim" (unities) In my next post, I will go into more detail about the hidden Names and their significance.

The Purpose of the Mitzvot part 6

The Kabbalistic interpretation of the mitzvot is far from the Mainmonist interpretation. RAMBAM saw the mitzvot as primarily educational tools, to instill proper thought patterns and actions within us. For the Kabbalist, the mitzvot are powerful energetic tools, bound up with the Tikkun (repair) of both the Universe and the individual; the Macrocosm and the Microcosm. First, the "elevation of the sparks" which I discussed in my last post, occurs when any physical object is used in the service of G-d. This would even mean our food, clothing, dwellings...everything we encounter. This is especially true of the mitzvot. The leather of the tefillin, the wool of the tzitzit, the vegetation used as the cover of the sukkah, are all transformed from the mundane to the holy, by revealing the hidden dimension that lies withinl. This would also be the reason that many such objects cannot simply be discarded after use, but must be handled with reverence. We have revealed that G-d is, in fact, in the physical realm as well. Indeed. He IS existence itself.
The Kabbalistic view of the Universe involves an elaborate concept of "worlds" and Divine Attributes called "Sefirot". The human body is a reflection of all these levels. Organs compliment or constrain certain forces within us. Our emotional bodies are also an almost incomprehensible array of feelings. They clash, they get resolved. We have only recently learned that subtle chemical compounds greatly affect our emotions. The balances and combinations of Seratonin, Melatonin, Norepinephrine, largely control whether we are happy or sad. The proper flow of body fluids and chemicals determines our ability to live, function and thrive. Similarly, in the "Higher Worlds", there is a flow of subtle energies. But sometimes, as within us, there is a blockage or imbalance. These must be repaired. Every limb, organ and blood vessel corresponds to one or more levels "above". There are mitzvot that relate to each part of the body. When a mitzvah is performed properly, the corresponding spiritual feature is "fixed".This process is known as Tikkunim (repairs) or Yichuidim ("unifications"). The disjointed and malfunctioning forces are put back in line, and the "juices" can again flow. Every mitzvah has a part in this process. The traditional prayer service is actually an exercise in ascent, checking every level and making sure it is in order. After the amidah prayer, there is a corresponding descent, bringing the ultimate light into each newly repaired manifestation. At the same time, the Microcosm is also cleansed and "tuned up". Thoughts and emotions are put in balance, and new "juices" flow. Each mitzvah accomplishes this on its own level. The primary difference between classical Kabbalah and Hasidic Kabbalah is in the emphasis of the classical on the Macrocasm, of the Hasidic on the Microcosm. If the Universe is the same after we put on Tefillin as it was before, have we really put on Tefillin? If I am the same before and after, have I done my job? The answer in both cases would be "partially". Driving my car does not necessarily mean I will arrive at my destination. I must carefully follow the map, be aware of my present location, and where I'm going next. Each mitzvah has a body (the object being used) and a soul (the intent). Each has repairs to accomplish, disjointed feelings to be reconciled. The mitzvot, far from mere "reminders", are at the very center of life and our purpose.

The Purpose of the Mitzvot part 5

That group of Spanish Kabbalists that centered on theosophy, the pondering of the meaning of creation, the nature of G-d and His connection with Man, the meaning of Torah and Mitzvot, reached its heights in the late thirteenth century. As Kabbalists are generally reticent about revealing their secrets, it is difficult to know how many of these ideas had been carefully guarded throughout the centuries, only now to be revealed, or how many might be recent innovations and insights. Many people base their concepts of authenticity on how ancient a book or idea is. In my opinion, this matters little. That Einstein challenged Newton, and Newton challenged Plato, is an idea that we find acceptable. So may we see this in the advancement of ideas. In fact, most Kabbalists believe in the idea of continual revelation (one Torah, but with new depths being constantly revealed). The influence of these Kabbalists on subsequent Jewish thought is immeasurable, After the Expulsion from Spain in 1492, many Kabbalists settled in the town of Safed in the Upper Galilee, interpreting and building a comprehensive system for understanding Torah. This system became standard Jewish belief for nearly all Jews for the next century, and for many even today (including yours truly).
The teachings of Spanish Kabbalah, and its later incarnations, included the idea of a great cataclysm at creation. The full understanding of the "whys" is beyond the scope of this series. The basic concept is that at creation, G-d made a Universe that was unstable. The Light was too powerful for the "vessels" to contain. The vessels shattered, with their light returning back to G-d. The now shattered "vessels", however, were still of a spiritual height beyond anything which we can imagine. We can only wonder what the "light" that had been too great for these vessels must have been like! This first Universe is known as "Olam HaTohu" (the world of chaos). "Sparks of the vessels (288 of them to be exact) scattered. The Universe was then recreated in a much more stable form, but with far less observable "light".This is the "Olam HaTikkun" (the world of repair or order). The sparks of Tohu are scattered throughout Tikkun. They await elevation. Once they are all elevated, the world will be redeemed, and once again fully spiritual. Two hundred and two sparks were redeemed through the Egyptian Exile. Eighty six remain (the gematria, numerological equivalent, of both Elohim and Hateva, G-d and Nature). An aspect of Divinity is in the natural world, awaiting elevation and redemption. Although Man was put into the World of Tikkun in order to find these sparks and elevate them, the sins of Man caused a cosmic hemorrhaging of the Divine Light, making holiness to be less present in our world, and strengthening the imprisonment of the trapped energy. All that began to change at Sinai. The purpose of Torah and Mitzvot was to struggle with the physical world, remove its mask and reveal the spiritual world. The sparks hidden in nature could thus be elevated and redeemed, together with all subsequent hemorrhaging of the light. This is where Mitzvot come in. How? That will be my next post.

The Purpose of the Mitzvot part 4

The shock waves continued. In Ashkenazi Franco-Germany, there was a sound rejection of the "Guide". Their approach to Judaism was primarily based on the study of Bible and Talmud. Their halachah was based on the interpretations of great rabbis, as well as local traditions. Taking outside concepts (Greek philosophy) into Torah was unthinkable. Even in halachah, RAMBAM's formulation of the entire system ran contrary to the more eclectic views of Ashkenazi rabbis. In their view, if five rabbis expressed a view on a subject, we must either come up with a formula that encompasses as many of these views as possible, or else go by the majority. For RAMBAM, we take the view that is the most logical. He also was opposed to most post-Talmudic customs, whereas for the Ashkenazim, this was perhaps the most essential part of the system! Both his philosophical and legal works were burned in the cities of France and Germany. It would be another five hundred years before they took another look.

Most Sepharadic communities enthusiastically accepted RAMBAM's views in all areas. The undercurrent of Kabbalistic thought were strong. Some therefore kept themselves distant from RAMBAM's works, some attempted a fusion of the two. Their approach was to understand RAMBAM and Kabbalah as representing two different levels of understanding, both valid, even if seemingly contradictory. In the Iberian peninsula, three distinct approaches were evident. Nearly all accepted RAMBAM's halachic rulings. (This was often not the case in North Africa). But one faction followed RAMBAM's system exactly, often enlarging upon it. Since RAMBAM highly praised secular studies (he defined the concept of "Maaseh Breshit", the acts of creation, as the study of natural science), this segment of Iberian Jewry pursued the study of astronomy, chemistry, grammar; even poetry. We can now understand why many of the craters on the Moon are named for Spanish rabbis, who were also astronomers! Two separate approaches to Kabbalah arose(which were also central to the Jews of Southern France). One, which has all but disappeared today, was the "Prophetic Kabbalah". It was based on the idea that by meditating on the Names of G-d, or even the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, one can achieve the power of prophecy. These Kabbalists also accepted, to a large degree, the works of RAMBAM; especially because he apparently rejected the view of Talmudic rabbis that prophecy had ended with the destruction of the first Temple. (One twentieth century scholar actually wrote his doctoral thesis on the question if RAMBAM considered himself a prophet). The other approach (the one which eventually prevailed) was theosophic; trying to understand the meaning of the world and life through an understanding of G-d's attributes and His "inner life". (RAMBAM emphatically rejected any concept of Divine Attributes). For this group, as with later Kabbalists, the narratives in the Torah are "hints" at higher Truths, and the Mitzvot are part of two dramas, one involving the Universe, one involving our own inner life. (More on this in my next post). For them, RAMBAM's uncompromising view that we have no perception of G-d's intent, let alone His reality, seemed the exact opposite of what they were attempting to do.So, Spanish and Portuguese Jewry had different approaches to the mitzvot; are they symbols or tools? Are they reminders, or the controls governing all existence? Although some attempted a synthesis, most saw them as approaches which most be considered, but, ultimately, only one chosen as a guide to life.

The Purpose of the Mitzvot part 3

RAMBAM's "Guide for the Perplexed" sent shock waves through the Jewish world. The main reason that it does not do that very much today, is that the real issues that it deals with are now non-issues. Aristotelian concepts of the eternity of the Universe (as opposed to creation at a point in time), among others, and philosophical questions such as if G-d has attributes, does that contradict His unity, are not the big issues of our generation. In order to overcome such issues, RAMBAM posits a very distant, unknowable G-d. His foreknowledge makes prayer meaningless, except as an exercise in realizing our dependence on Him. He can only be perceived by philosophical inquiry. In fact, the Paradise envisioned by RAMBAM is the ultimate contemplation of Him. RAMBAM  is not a cold rationalist; he sees such contemplation, even in this life, as bringing one to a sense of ecstasy. In fact, Paradise only awaits those who have pursued such contemplation in this life. Philosophy, rather than Torah, is the ultimate goal. The mitzvot are seen as tangible reminders of G-d and His meaning. The mezzuzah on the door reminds us of His presence, as do the tefillin on our arm and head remind us of dedicating our hearts and minds to His reality. The Temple service was a concession rather than an ideal. Men were used to sacrificing. Rather than pagan rituals, including human sacrifice, we were given a toned-down sacrificial system that contains great lessons. Even the ketoret (incense)  of the Temple, which is seen in rabbinic literature as the most ethereal of the sacrifices, was seen by RAMBAM as merely having the function of removing the foul odors of the dead animals. Again, there were, and are, those who will interpret this mystically. Perhaps a "foul odor" means the forces of evil which must be banished. But RAMBAM would consider a belief in the "forces of evil" to be inconsistent with His unity and omnipresence. RAMBAM negates the existence of both angels and demons for this reason! Most controversial of all is his "Parable of the Island". He writes that there exists an island, on which is a palace, in which dwells a great king. People not living on the island, have no knowledge of any of this. Many live on the island who are unaware of the king. Some are aware, and circle the palace, but are unable to find the entrance. Only a few enter. RAMBAM explains: The people who know nothing of the island, the palace, or the king, are the pagans. Those living on the island, but are unaware of the palace, are the followers of other monotheistic religions. Those who circle the palace are the Torah scholars. Those who enter, are the philosophers. The Guide was hailed by many whose worldview was shaped by Aristotle. In Franco-Germany, the rabbis burned RAMBAM's books, all of them, in the public squares. Some defended his halachic works, while distancing themselves from the philosophical works, especially the Guide. Some refused to believe that the Guide was even written by RAMBAM. After all, if the Temple Service was merely a concession, why does it loom so large in the Torah (covering two-thirds of its commands). Moreover, RAMBAM's own halachic work, the Mishneh Torah, has a huge volume dedicated to the details of the Temple Service (like "how many priests carry the limbs of each sacrifice onto the altar?"). Indeed, if the purpose of the tefillin is to be a mere reminder, why does he go into such great detail in his halachic works about how they must be made, what the ink must be made of, how the parchment is to be processed? But, if they are mere reminders, do we really need to do these actions at all? Jewish humanism, as well as early Reform, used the idea of the commands being mere reminders, as a central feature in their ideology. indicating that the commands are really only suggestions, and that Judaism is primarily focused on ideas rather than actions. The shock-waves went out to the entire Jewish world. many theories came about, but they are still reverberating.