At around this time in the yearly parsha cycle, the torah begins to get very messy. All through Berishis everything flows in a somewhat choronological order, with the story centering on Avraham and his decendents and culminating with Yetzias Mitzrayim.
When we get to parshas Yisro, Mishpatim, everything goes a bit hairy. Now I have learned chumash for many years with mifarshim and somehow I accepted that אין מוקדם או מאוחר בתורה and of course the various intricate pshatim. While I am not a big Documentary Hypothesis person, (see Little Foxling's blog http://littlefoxling.blogspot.com/ for an extensive study of DH) probably because I do Gemara, not tanach, but the big picture issues are very much a problem. Last shabbas, for example at the end of mishpatim, all of sudden the commandments are given again. And how or when were the laws of mishpatim given? Were the Jews already having Jewish slaves so soon after slavery? I get alot of these bigger picture questions every time I look at the parsha from a macro perspective, and avoid the rashi/textual analysis. I am well aware that a good parsha shiur can link everything together in beautiful tapestry interweaving different themes and p'sukim. And I can appreciate and enjoy that. But it is not sufficient. It is just human artistry.
My real question is one posed by XGH more eloquently (could not find it in archives) about why didnt God give us a user manual to ourselves and the world around us. Why is the torah missing explanations for the universe, olam habaa, suffering, etc. Many big theological topics are totally left out of the torah, while extensive detail is given to others. For the next few weeks we will read in exhaustive detail the bits and pieces of the mishkan. I am sorry but most of this is totally useless information for the Jewish people, it is not timeless. One might argue that by focusing on irrelevant knowledge it might have given us the ability to think theoretically and prepared us for the knowledge economy. Or perhaps this helped us fight persecutions and assimilation. If you believe that the torah is the be all and end all, so why is it missing so many important topics and lacking in editorial control?
16 comments:
The Torah was written by God and seems to focus on the issues which He finds most important.
And he gave straw and provender for the camels (Genesis 24:32). Rabbi Aha said: "The mere conversation of the slaves of the Patriarchs' household is more important than the laws [Torah] of the (Patriarch's) descendants. This chapter dealing with Eliezer covers two or three columns, and [his conversation] is not only recorded but repeated. Whereas [the uncleanness of] a reptile is an integral part of the Torah, and yet it is only from an extending particle in Scripture that we learn that its blood defiles as its flesh." (Midrash Rabbah - Bereishit 60:8)
In addition to the theological items that are absent, i have a problem that the Torah does not come out and say that we should refer to the Oral Torah for more details. I have no problem saying that God just wanted the torah to hit the main points and then had a second book that went into detail. However, you would assume it would refer to this second book at some point and it just doesn't.
JP - that sounds nice, but you really have no proof at all to back up that God "likes" some mitzvot more than others. When you say it "seems" like God does this, you are basically saying it makes no sense, but you have to rationalize it somehow.
I think that is what God is telling us by go on at length about certain points in the Torah - that those topics are really more important to Him.
JP
I am familiar with that pshat/midrash, and it comes down to faith. If you believe that God you have to trust that the torah makes sense. The problem is when you lose faith and look at it from a distance, in other words critically. All of sudden with "objectivity" of the mere mortal mind much of the torah seems irrelevant.
Rich,
I like the part of the torah that references a sefer milchomos hashem, which implies another book.
Nimrod - I am not familiar with the reference you made to Sefer Milchamos. Could you please elaborate further.
JP - My point is that if you believe everything in the torah is directly from God, then it is very easy to believe that the writing style varies because that is what God wanted to emphasize. However, you need to realize that without the underlying belief in God, these inconsistencies make many people question the torah.
For example, why couldn't God anticipate the DH theorists and write the torah in a way that would make their theory impossible?
Or why did God give us so few details on kosher which is pretty central to Judaism, but then list the names of huge family trees?
While we're at it, if you could show me a reference in the Torah for an Oral companion book, I'd appreciate it.
I think this is circular reasoning.
- Since I don't believe in God, then the Torah must have been written by a man.
- If it was written by a man, then he was a very poor writer.
- Since he was such a poor writer, he could not have been God.
- Therefore I don't believe in God.
Rich, what is an "Oral book"? If it's oral, it's not a book. And no matter how the Torah was written people would misinterpret it if they want to.
JP - I meant Oral Torah not Oral Book. Do you not find it odd at all that as OJ we are taught that God gave these details in addition to the Written Torah, but made no reference to them?
Also your circular reasoning is off. Many of us are agnostic or don't believe in God for other reasons. Then we look at the torah OBJECTIVELY instead of just saying that no contradiction is possible and everything MUST make sense since God wrote it.
Rich it is in Bmidbar 21:14
כי בספר במדבר כא'(חקת)פסוק יד' כתוב:האמרי כי ארנון גבול מואב בין מואב ובין האמרי על כן יאמר בספר מלחמות ה'
JP,
Dont agree with your logic or cicular reasoning argument, but not interested in debating, many others have done it far better than I could.
God expected Jews to believe what the most plausible theory in any given generation would ask someone to believe. Let's say JEPD and useless repetitions satisfies that condition. Then God expects us to believe that.
We think we are deconstructing the text. Maybe the text anticipated that we will do this and is reading us.
If you like this idea I will elaborate. If not, I will continue thinking about the sheitl store near Chaim Berlin.
Rich, it's obvious that Torah requires further explanation if anyone is going to actually observe it.
JP
Well the torah is very long, why couldnt there be more detail on practical issues which will be with the Jewish people in exile. The miskan was just for a short time, why couldnt we have a chapter or two on heaven and hell, the expanding universe, or some pirkei avos type of wisdom?
It comes down to faith in the torah, as proving the torah in a scientific manner is a dead end.
But the onus is on believers who need to explain the many issues with the text and reason.
JP - The only obvious thing is that the torah is incomplete. whether their is an oral torah to complete it and answer hanging questions is a different question.
why would God write a book that leaves so many open issues? Why bother with an oral torah (furthermore, one that is never mentioned)? you can't jut answer away these questions by saying "because God said so".
The definition of faith is believing in something that you believe is true, but have no real proof for. So don't make it seem like the torah proves God exists and that we have no legitimate questions.
The legal details covering every situation are endless. You have to draw a line somewhere. Why doesn't the US Constitution go on forever with details about free speech, religion in schools, gun control, etc.? That's what we have a Supreme Court for. Jews also once had the same thing - a Sanhedrin.
the star girl in red dress is really hot and sexy . top to bottom she is hot and sexy
Post a Comment