tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12706513880453413012024-03-17T21:30:07.209-04:00SONSINO'S BLOGRifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.comBlogger246125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-37952380010920969542024-03-08T09:53:00.003-05:002024-03-08T09:53:50.297-05:00WHERE DOES GOD LIVE?<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Among those who conceive of God in
theistic terms, namely as a father image who is all powerful and all-good,
there seems to have a universal assumption that God lives in the heavens above.
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Here are a few examples:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">In one of the most popular Israeli
songs today, Tefilah, the singer Omer Adam, invokes God as being<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Only one, and, in the video, he points to
the heavens as the place where God can ben found. Similarly, in the Prayer for
the State of Israel, the singer invokes God as the one who is <i>avinu she-bashamayim.
</i>“Our Father in Heaven.” This is a popular rabbinic expression, even though the
concept is already found in the Hebrew Bible (e.g. Isa. 63:16). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The idea of a heavenly God originated
in the Ancient Near East. According to the Sumerian Deluge myth, this event
took place “after ...kingship had been lowered from heaven” (where gods live)(
ANET, p. 43). Similarly, we are told that ANU, “the father of the gods, lived
in the highest level of the heavens” (Horowitz , <u>Mesopotamian Cosmic
Geography</u>, 2001:8-11). <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The picture in the Hebrew Bible is
not clear. At times, we are told that God is <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>found in a specific place. For example, according
to Deut. 33:2, God lives on Mt. Sinai. According to I K 8: 13, God dwells in
the Temple built by King Solomon. In Ps. 74:2, God lives in Zion, namely
,Jerusalem. God can also reveal himself out of a burning bush (Ex. 3:4), or
even through a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“still small voice”
(meaning unclear, I K 19: 12). On the other hand, according to other biblical
passages God is everywhere: “If I ascend to heaven, you are there; If I descend
to Sheol (underworld), you are there too” (Ps. 139: 7). <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The Hebrew word <i>shamayim, </i>(<i>“</i>
heavens”) often refers to the abode of God: In Deuteronomy, God is called the
one<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>who “rides through the heavens”
(33:26). In Genesis, God rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah sulfurous fire “from
the Lord out of heaven” (19:24). According to the prophet Isaiah, “The heaven
is My throne”(66:1). (For more examples, see BDB, p. 1030 , under <i>shamayim</i>).<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">This assumption is also present in
the Christian tradition, where, in the Lord’s Prayer, a worshiper refers to God
as “Our Father in Heaven” (Math. 6: 9-13; Luke 11: 2-4). <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">On the other hand, religious
naturalists or pantheists like Spinoza, Kaplan or Gittelsohn (and me, as one of
the followers) who view God as the power or energy behind the universe, maintain
that God is omnipresent, and is not limited to the heavens above. In fact,
Spinoza equates God with nature, as the only substance there is.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">So, you have a choice, and do not
assume that theism is the only answer. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">SONSINO’S BLOG,
rsonsino.blogspot.com <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-78571143906148386172024-02-01T10:30:00.001-05:002024-02-01T10:30:41.174-05:00THE SEFARDI/ASHKENAZI DIVIDE; A SUMMARY<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Sometimes I am asked , what is
special about being a Sefardic Jew? Or, alternatively, can a Sefardic Jew become
a Reform Jew? Here below is a simplified response. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">First, a definition: A Sefardic Jew
is one who can trace his/her background to medieval Spain. The word Sefarad in Hebrew
means Spain. Jews came into Spain from North Africa in large numbers in 711 CE,
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but were expelled by King Ferdinand and
Queen <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isabella in the year 1492. Then they
spread all over the Mediterranean basin. Today, even though they have never
been to Spain, Persian Jews follow the practices of Sefardic Jewry. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">On the other hand, an Ashkenazic
Jew, is one who comes from many parts of Europe, including Poland and Russia.
The Hebrew word Ashkenaz means “German.” <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">There are many differences in
religious practices between Sefardic and Ashkenazic Jews:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Hebrew is pronounced and written differently by these two groups.
When the State of Israel was established in 1948, they adopted the Sefardic
pronunciation and the Ashkenazic script.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">There are major differences in the use of food, based on the
background of each group. For example, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sefardic Jews are allowed to eat rice during
Passover, whereas Ashkenazic Jews are not.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many different
religious customs unique to each group: For example, Sefardic Jews do not mark
Yahrzeits, they have Meldados at home. Selihot is celebrated by Sefardic Jews
many times before the High Holidays, whereas Ashkenazic Jews have a special day
for it. During the High Holidays, Sefardic Jews greet each other by saying, <i>Tizku
leshanim rabbot </i>(“ May you merit to celebrate it for many years”), whereas
Ashkenazic Jews simply say, <i>shanah tovah </i>(“a good year”). The chanting
of the Torah differs between Sefardic and Ashkenazic Jews. Sefardic Jews name
their children after living parents. Ashkenazic Jews do not. In a Sefardic
cemetery, the stones are flat; in Ashkenazic cemeteries, they are placed
standing. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The physical structure of the synagogue depends on whether or not
it is a Sefardic or Ashkenazic: In a Sefardic synagogue, the pulpit is in the
center, whereas among Ashkenazic Jews, it is usually placed before the Ark. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">In Europe, the “home” language of the Sefardic Jews is Ladino, which
is a mixture of medieval Spanish and Hebrew with various additions from the
country of residence . Ashkenazic Jews speak Yiddish. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Presently, these differences are
slowly disappearing, because of migrations, inter-religious marriages <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and the realities in Israel today where the
two communities live close to one another. Reform Judaism emerged out of an
Ashkenazic milieu; so did many non-Orthodox Jewish denominations, such as
Conservative or Reconstructionist. Sefardic Jews tend to be Orthodox in their
religious practices or totally secular. This too is changing, in as much as
there are many non-Orthodox Jews who have a Sefardic background. I grew up as a
Sefardi and became a Reform Rabbi. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the modern world, there is a greater tendency to eliminate differences. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">SONSINO’S BLOG,
rsonsino.blogspot.com<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-43015937022146622672023-12-09T15:13:00.002-05:002023-12-09T15:13:23.616-05:00MY BOOKS<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxWupzx6aJjbt8NotP7NYx71c5TYSDq7sLKBnW_CqqIceK8f0khXDw-Hnsw5wpkVJDk0gJ46F2BeDCDoB0MFKCHxug8BCOMRvQ-BkpEcsr68ehvxYksODfmaSm9bYMdiv4KP9z4ZWIoKBc6N4I1lfvFS7pL3KzncepwM8eSJonJWYIQ50lFYQyAEyz6OmC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxWupzx6aJjbt8NotP7NYx71c5TYSDq7sLKBnW_CqqIceK8f0khXDw-Hnsw5wpkVJDk0gJ46F2BeDCDoB0MFKCHxug8BCOMRvQ-BkpEcsr68ehvxYksODfmaSm9bYMdiv4KP9z4ZWIoKBc6N4I1lfvFS7pL3KzncepwM8eSJonJWYIQ50lFYQyAEyz6OmC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-25996165580109483072023-12-03T10:56:00.003-05:002023-12-03T11:28:01.985-05:00THE FESTIVAL OF HANUKAH; MIRACLE: YES OR NO?<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>This year, the first candles of Hanukah will be lit on Thursday
night, Dec. 7, 2023. The festival lasts 8 days. <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The traditional explanation of why the festival of
Hanukah is celebrated for eight days is based on a Talmudic passage: Oil for
one day, miraculously lasted eight. . However, this is a late development.
Early texts do not mention this so-called miracle. It is time we give up this
irrational explanation and find a better one. And that historical explanation
does exist.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The history behind Hanukah is, briefly, this: In the
second cent. BCE, Antiochus IV, the Syrian king, set out to conquer Egypt.
While he was fighting there, Jason, who was deposed from his position as the
Jewish High Priest in Jerusalem, left the Ammonites with whom he had taken
refuge, and attacked Menelaus, his brother in Jerusalem, in order to regain the
High Priesthood. A civil war broke out between the two, and Jason successfully
entered Jerusalem. King Antiochus was furious. On his way back from Egypt, the
king attacked Jerusalem, imposed restrictions on Judea, and eventually
desecrated the Temple. In reaction, a priest by the name of Mattathias, and his
sons (called the Maccabees), fought against the Syrians, and were able to clean
and rededicate the temple of Jerusalem to the worship of one God in the year
165 BCE. This rededication is called Hanukah (“dedication” in Hebrew). <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The First Book of Maccabees (c.mid-2<sup>nd</sup> cent.
BCE), states that Hanukah ought to be celebrated for eight days but does not
indicate the reason for it (see, 4:59). It is in the Second Book of Maccabees
(c.125 BCE) that we find a rational explanation: <i>It happened that on the
same day on which the sanctuary had been profaned by the foreigners, the
purification of the sanctuary took place, that is, on the twenty-fifth day of
the same month, which was Kislev.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they
celebrated it for eight days with rejoicing, in the manner of the feast of
booths, remembering how not long before, during the feast of booths [Sukkot],
they had been wandering in the mountains and caves like wild animals.</i> (10:
6). So, Hanukah was really like a delayed Sukkot that lasts seven days plus
Atzeret, a one day festival (See, Lev. 23: 33-36; cf. v.39).<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The first reference to the lights of Hanukah appears in
the writings of Josephus (1sr cent. CE) who calls the festival “Lights” by
saying: <i>I suppose the reason was this liberty beyond our hopes appeared to
us and that hence the name given to that festival.</i> (Antiquities, 7:7). <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In it only in the Talmud, which was edited
in Babylonia in the 5-6<sup>th</sup> centuries CE that the so-called “miracle”
makes its appearance (under Persian influence?)</span>: </b><b><i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">What is [the reason of] Hanukah? For our Rabbis
taught: On the twenty-fifth of Kislew [commence] the days of Hanukkah,
which are eight on which a lamentation for the dead and fasting are
forbidden. For when the Greeks entered the Temple, they defiled all the
oils therein, and when the Hasmonean [i.e. Maccabees] dynasty prevailed against
and defeated them, they made search and found only one cruse of oil which lay
with the seal of the High Priest, but which contained sufficient for one
day’s lighting only; yet a miracle was wrought therein and they lit [the lamp]
therewith for eight days. The following year these [days] were appointed a
Festival with [the recital of] Hallel and thanksgiving.</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> (BT Shab. 21b).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Later on a midrashic text (c. 9<sup>th</sup>
cent.) provides another explanation<i>: </i>When the Hasmoneans defeated the
Greeks,<i> they entered the temple and found there eight iron spears. They
stuck candles on these spears and kindled them. </i>(Pesikta Rabbati 2: 5). <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It is clear that the explanation of why
Hanukah was celebrated for eight days changed over the years, some legendary,
and some more historical. For me, the simplest and the most reasonable
explanation is that, in its own time, Hanukah was a delayed Sukkot. No
miracles. The festival today proclaims many important values, such as courage,
dedication, thanksgiving, and above all, the right to be different. These are
the values we need to stress, and not the miracle of oil which is not rational,
historical or even believable in our time.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">HAPPY HANUKAH</span></b></p>
<p><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p><b><a href="http://rsonsino.blogspot.com"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">http://rsonsino.blogspot.com</span></a></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-26281380573398923872023-11-16T14:29:00.007-05:002023-11-16T16:03:46.358-05:00WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT BEING JEWISH? A KEY TO THEIR SURVIVAL<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Jews have survived for centuries, often
living under very poor conditions. Yet, they made it. Jews are in general not
more or less capable than others. The question is what is the secret of their
survival? What keeps Jews Jewish in good times or bad? A few ideas come to
mind.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Survival skills<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">When the second
temple of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE, Jewish sovereignty
ended in the land of Israel. From then on, Jews had to live under the hegemony
of other people and cultures. Many lived in Christian societies, and others,
later on, in Muslim countries. Even though they lived as tolerated minorities,
they somehow managed to create a culture of their own by absorbing the best of
what the dominating societies had to offer. In the Greco-Roman period, Jews
created an imposing rabbinic literature. Living in Muslim Spain, they gave rise
to a rich literature of poetry and philosophy. They survived by adapting to the
environment. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Kinship<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">There is a
rabbinic saying that “All of Israel are responsible for one another.” (Shevuot
39a). This is the basis of the notion of communal responsibility in Jewish law.
In other words, if a Jew sees another on the verge of sinning, he/she has an obligation<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to step in and help. But the concept goes
even beyond that. Jews are expected to look for one another, especially when
living in hostile countries. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Intellectual pursuit<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">According to a
rabbinic teaching, “the study of Torah is equal to all other religious
obligations “ (Peah 1:1). This dictum has been the center point of Jewish life throughout
the centuries. Jews soon realized that in order to advance in life and survive as
individuals, they needed to pursue science and special skills. In the past,
many Jews were not allowed to practice all types of trades and were forced to
concentrate on limited choices of work. For example, until the 16th cent.
Catholics were forbidden by the church to engage in money lending. So, Jews were
forced to do that. Many Jews in the past could not work as farmers because they
were not allowed to own lands. So, they excelled in only those professions that
were still open to them. And most of them did well. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Religious cohesion<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The Jewish
religion has been a powerful unifying element in Jewish life. Some in the past
and many even now believe that God has had a special covenant with the Jewish
people, that will guarantee their survival. Reading through Esther Rabba, an
early rabbinic Midrash (c.500 CE), <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>one
comes out with the realization that many past kingdoms have disappeared (i.e.
Greco-Roman, Babylonian, Persian etc), and yet we Jews are here. This belief
has been a comforting message to Jews who were suffering. Furthermore, the practice
of Jewish rituals and festivals, albeit in different forms, have had a unifying
force that kept Jews strong and hopeful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The Nazis did
not destroy the Jewish people, nor will Hamas in our time. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Am Yisrael hay!
The Jewish people will live.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><b><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: ES-AR; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">SONSINO’S BLOG, rsonsino.blogstop.com <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: ES-AR; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-14989625134627729182023-10-24T09:36:00.004-04:002023-10-24T09:36:59.546-04:00WE NEED EMPATHY<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">There are different ways to relate
to others. The best, I believe, is to have empathy for someone else. What is
empathy? According to Carl Rogers, a prominent American psychologist, it is
“the accurate understanding of the other person’s world as seen from the
inside.” It is like getting into the other people’s shoes and view the world
through their eyes. It is stronger than sympathy, which is simply understanding
your neighbor’s plight. When you empathize, however, you get into their skin!
This usually has three components: cognitive, emotional, and compassionate.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An example of empathy comes from the
Babylonian Talmud, which attributes a saying to Moses, “<i>Since the Jewish
people are suffering (in Egypt), I too will be with them in their suffering” (</i>Taanit
11a).<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">But there is even an older text in
the Hebrew Bible, which states, “<i>You shall not oppress a stranger, for you
know the feelings (</i>literally, the heart<i>) of the stranger, for you were
strangers in the land of Egypt” (</i>Ex. 23:9). <i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Here the word for “stranger” in Hebrew is
GER, and it means, a resident alien, a sojourner. (For the Rabbis, later on, a
GER is a convert). In another Biblical text we are reminded that “we used to
eat fish free in Egypt” (Num.11:5). Life was good there!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Note that the law in Ex. 23:9 is in
conflict with another statement in the Bible which reminds us that “we were
slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt” (Deut. 6:21). So, were we sojourners having a good
time in Egypt or were we slaves suffering under the yoke of the Egyptians? The
answer is simple: the text is Exodus is early (c.9 cent. BCE). Things changed
by the time Deuteronomy was put together in the 7<sup>th</sup> cent. BCE. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The original message is still compelling.
The law in Exodus is telling us, when you see a stranger, treat him/her with
kindness and care, for you must remember that, once upon a time, you yourself
were a stranger in Egypt. Now, this teaching applies to us and those we deal
with in our daily life. We need people who care for others. And for that we must
develop an empathic personality. Our lives will be enriched, and we will find
pleasure in our achievements.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">SONSINO’S BLOG,
rsonsino.blogspot.com <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-58349740175580805472023-09-10T13:24:00.003-04:002023-09-10T15:24:01.679-04:00SPIRITUALITY FOR NON-THEISTS<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Some people have argued that unless you are a theist who thinks of
God in personal terms, namely, viewing God like a Person who is all-powerful and
all-good, and who listens and responds, punishes or rewards, you cannot have a
spiritual experience. I would say that all depends on how you define spirituality.
I prefer to define it as “the awareness of being in the presence of God” no
matter how you understand the term God.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">For me, a religious naturalist, God is the mysterious energy that
sustains the universe. God does not have free will but functions with necessity
according to the laws of nature. God does not create miracles by changing
natural law. </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Spirituality is still possible for non-theists, but it needs to be understood
differently. Judaism has had a long tradition of spirituality. In the Bible, it
was centered on the “love” or “fear” of God, and expressed through an elaborate
sacrificial system. In the Rabbinic period, the sages designed a Mitzvah
system, where individuals were expected to go and carry out certain Mitzvot, religious obligations
defined by a heavenly father. In the Hellenistic period that followed, people
concentrated on a contemplative life. In the medieval period, many opted for a
mystical love of God and a longing for communion with the divine. For many mystics,
this involved an immediate awareness of the relation with God through prayer,
meditation or song.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> In my case, </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I experience my spirituality through various paths. For example,</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I
experience it through many acts of transcendence, such as rare peak experiences
in life, which are transformative in nature: such as, carrying a Torah scroll, holding
my baby for the first time, major life cycle-events etc.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I
experience it through prayer when I can formulate my hopes and expectations. I
am aware that prayers do not change the world outside but they give me new
insights into myself. In Hebrew, to pray is <i><u>lehitpalel</u></i> , an
introspective verb, which deals with personal reflections. Music is a major
component of this endeavor.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I
experience it through meditation when I direct my mind towards something
specific within myself. ( The word “meditation” comes from the Latin “medi”
meaning “center.” The Hebrew equivalent would be <i>hitbonenut </i>, meaning”
“to know oneself.”)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I
experience it through religious rituals, when I perform them with joy and a sense
of accomplishment. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I
experience it through relationship and good deeds, through empathetic response
to others.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I
experience it through study of classical texts for its own sake. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I believe spirituality cannot be imposed; it needs to be discovered
by each individual, at times combining various paths. It must satisfy the heart
as well as the mind. It should lead to <i>tikkun atsmi and tikkun olam, </i>to
bettering oneself and improving the world around us.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">SONSINO’S BLOG, rsonsino.blogspot.com</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">For more details, see my book, SIX JEWISH SPIRITUAL PATHS; A
RATIONALIST LOOKS AT SPIRITUALITY, 2002</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-42523565096145639212023-08-04T12:59:00.008-04:002023-08-06T17:23:16.575-04:00RABBINIC GEMS <p><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjINXnQFRufm14UZekpYMiWpkdK_VhxSTWuEQb9sgb-weCUiULtsXXHKk1voR8ldaIJD5rFWo0j-5OfPhJkuQm-XgYxZC_nqLG2JcNwaVKZEJCAxUW7jebrYhmZysTeLevJqc8SWRG75eVMLrleBeV9AxNemhquEKcka6oIEsqDi1Or7mPRZkb4jzyrB3X7" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjINXnQFRufm14UZekpYMiWpkdK_VhxSTWuEQb9sgb-weCUiULtsXXHKk1voR8ldaIJD5rFWo0j-5OfPhJkuQm-XgYxZC_nqLG2JcNwaVKZEJCAxUW7jebrYhmZysTeLevJqc8SWRG75eVMLrleBeV9AxNemhquEKcka6oIEsqDi1Or7mPRZkb4jzyrB3X7" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><br /></span></b><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino. Ph.D</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I belong to a unique rabbinic study
group that meets online in the greater Boston area, religiously, every Monday
morning, 10 am to 11.30 am. We have been doing this for a few decades. To my knowledge,
there is nothing like this in the States. We rarely take a vacation. We are 11
retired Reform Rabbis, and consider this
endeavor as a sacred commitment. We are now studying Ruth Rabba, a 6th century
CE rabbinic Midrash that comments line by line on the biblical book of Ruth. It
was composed in Israel and written in mishnaic Hebrew as well as in Galilean
Aramaic, and contains many Greek words.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are great gems in the text.
Here are three examples:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Knowing how important it is to
preserve a good reputation in life, the ancient Rabbis taught:
“Praiseworthy is the person who has departed from this world with a good
name.” (RR 2:7) After all, after we die that is all that matters.</span></b><o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Teaching appropriate behavior,
they also stressed that “One engages in sexual<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>relations at night, not during the
day.”(RR 2:16) Many would probably take exception to this teaching. I
guess the Rabbis were concerned about issues of privacy.</span></b><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Commenting on the biblical
teaching that gives priority to a worthy life here on earth, as stated in
Eccl. 9:14, “A live dog is better than a dead lion,” the ancient sages
maintained that in this world one can, and should,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>improve his/her lot but not after death,
for it would be too late: They say, “in this world one who is a dog can
become (as strong) as a lion, but in the world to come (namely, at the end
of time after death), one who is a lion cannot become a dog, and anyone
who is a dog cannot<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>become a lion.”
(RR 3:2)</span></b><o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These are sound teachings that are
worth pondering.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SSONSINO’S BLOG,
rsonsino.blogspot.com</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><br /></span></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-57054094759255190342023-07-06T14:32:00.008-04:002023-07-06T15:25:07.303-04:00BIBLICAL HEROES: LEGENDS OR HISTORY?<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Rabbi
Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">The
Hebrew Bible mentions a number of people who led the Israelites during their
peregrinations in the ancient Middle East. However, very few of these leaders are
mentioned in other ancient Near Eastern texts. For example, no contemporary
source, outside of the Bible, mentions Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, not even Moses or
Solomon. These individuals appear as great heroes in the biblical narrative to
whom miraculous feats were attributed. We can assume that they actually lived,
even if we are left only with a biblical testimony. How reliable is this? Not
much!</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">On the other hand, we do have a few texts
that come from the Hebrew Bible as well as other sources in the ancient Near
East. Based on this duplication, we can convincingly maintain that these
leaders did in fact existed. For example, the Mesha Stone (II K 3:4, 9<sup>th</sup>
cent. BCE), discovered in 1868 by F.A. Klein, a German missionary, and written
in Moabite, clearly mentions king Omri of Israel (I K, 16:15-28, c.876-869 BCE)
and the Israelite tribe of Gad. Similarly, the Annals of Shalmaneser III of
Assyria (858-824 BCE), written in Akkadian, know of “Ahab, king of Israel” (I K 16: 29-22:40; 869-850 BCE) as
well as “Jehu, son of Omri” of Israel (843/2-815 BCE) even though Jehu was not the son of Omri, nor
his descendant. He was the son of Jehoshaphat (II K 9: 2) and a military
commander who took over the kingdom in Israel.
We also have the Annals of Sennacherib (7<sup>th</sup> cent. BCE), written
in Akkadian, that refer to king “Hezekiah of Judah,” (II K 18: 1-20:21; 715-687/6
BCE). It is also most likely that “(Jeho)ram son of (Ahab), king of Israel”(II
K 8: 25; c.849-842 BCE) and “(Ahaz)iahu, son of (Jehoram)” of Judah (II K 8:
16; c.843/2 BCE) are mentioned in Tel Dan Inscription- the text is however corrupt. This monument was discovered by Avraham Biran
in 1993, and written in Aramaic, probably by Hazael, ruler of Syria (842-800
BCE). Preserved in 13 lines, it celebrates his military victory over Israel and
Judah. </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">What
about King David? Well, Tel Dan inscription, in line 9, does mention BYTDVD,
namely, “the house of David.” The implication is that if there was a “house of
David,” there must have been a David as well. This is as far as we can go.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Up
until now, it was claimed that even the Mesha Stone makes reference to “the house of David” in line 31. However, in a
recent article in the Biblical Archaeology Review of Spring 2023, the authors
M. Richelle and A. Burlingame have raised serious objections to this
identification. They say that “while the reading <i>b(td)wd </i>is not impossible,
it remains purely hypothetical” (p. 570). The original text is not clear.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Our
biblical text contains much legendary material that was transmitted orally for
many years before they were written down. Some of it is historical. Others are
not but we continue to be inspired by their message, most of it positive, even
if it is not always based on verifiable data.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">SONSINO’S
BLOG, rsonsino.blogspot.com</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-63506744320513167192023-06-06T09:58:00.007-04:002023-06-06T09:58:50.943-04:00A LIVING FUNERAL<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Now, that is an intriguing idea!</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Recently, a
prominent Rabbi in Massachusetts died. His name was Harold Kushner. He was the
author of a very popular book called, <u>When Bad Things Happen to Good People</u>
(1981), which he wrote after the death of his son from progeria. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Agonizing over this tragedy, the author
concluded that there is some randomness in the universe, which even God cannot
control. Rabbi Kushner was eulogized by many people during his funeral. Obviously,
he heard none of this. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>His death triggered
an idea. Why wait until you pass on? Why not have a living funeral during which
people can express their feelings and appreciations for you while you are
around? The concept is not totally new: In a well-known book by Mitch Album,
called <u>Tuesdays with Morrie</u> (1997), the protagonist, having attended a colleague’s
funeral, feels depressed thinking that the deceased never get the opportunity
to hear the good things said about them during funeral services. So, Morrie
decides to have a “living funeral” which ends up being a great success. A woman
even reads a poem about him that moves him to tears.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Doing a bit of
research on the subject, I discovered that the Japanese already have such a
ceremony. It is called Seizenso, and is gaining great popularity. The first
ceremony of this kind was held by the Japanese singer and actress Takiko
Mizunoe in 1992 and was broadcast on TV to great fanfare. Similar practices are
now found in South Korea and other places, even in Scotland. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Would you hold a
living funeral for yourself? Some people would say, it is selfish and reeks of self-aggrandizement.
On the contrary, I would argue that this may be a great opportunity for the
celebrant to read his will, both financial or ethical, and share it with all
the attendees.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If you feel this
does not ring right for you, then, may I suggest that, while you are alive and
well, you should thank people who have influenced you and sustained you in good
times and bad. Albert Schweitzer once said: “Each of us has cause to think with
deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within is.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will feel good about it, and your mentor
will smile and feel appreciated. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">SONSINO’S BLOG, rsonsino.blogspot.com</span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-90191451520124291282023-05-10T16:58:00.002-04:002023-05-11T16:02:36.862-04:00SPINOZA AND GOD<p><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Rabbi
Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Recently
I have been re-reading Spinoza’s Ethics. The more I read it, the more I like it.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Baruh Spinoza was a Dutch Jew, born in
Amsterdam in 1632. He was a philosopher who read Scriptures critically, and got
into trouble with the Jewish community, which actually banned him from the
synagogue. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I consider Spinoza to be a
God-intoxicated person. He did not believe in a theistically defined God as a
Person who created the universe and humanity. In his book, Ethics, written in
Latin between 1661 and 1675, and published posthumously in 1677, he defines God
as “an absolute infinite being of whom no attribute expressing the essence of
substance can be denied” (Proof to Proposition 14). God “necessarily exists”,
and “there is no other substance but God.” Very often, Spinoza equates God with
Nature. This God “ acts solely from the laws of its own nature,” (Prop. 1/17) “Whose
existence and essence are one and the same.” (Prop. 1/ 20). God is not the
“creator” of the universe because God and the universe are one and the same
thing. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>According to Spinoza, God acts by
necessity and not with free will. God does not “hear” our prayers or respond to them. God does not reward or punish individuals. He would say, God was not
responsible for the Holocaust or other calamities that befell humanity. God
simply is. The laws of nature are an expression of God. I love that. It is so
rational. And it resolves the age old problem of evil. (If God is all-powerful
and all-good, why is there evil in the world?) <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It is not very clear why the leaders
of the Jewish community of Amsterdam excommunicated him, at the age of 23, on
July 27,1656, on account of his “wicked ways, “abominable heresies” and “monstrous
deeds.” (Quotes from the Edict of Excommunication). At the time, he was only a
small businessman. True, he did not believe in a theistically defined God or
that the soul is immortal. The harshness of the decree is still puzzling. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Attempts to rescind the edict has
failed. In fact, recently in Nov. 2021, Yitzhak Melamed, a Spinoza scholar and
a Prof. of philosophy at Johns Hopkins University, who wanted to create a film
about Spinoza, was denied entry into the Amsterdam synagogue attended by
Spinoza in the past, on the basis that “the ban (against Spinoza) remains in
force for all time and cannot be rescinded.”(Quote from a letter written by
Rabbi Joseph Serfaty, on behalf of the Jewish community in Amsterdam). <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This is sad and unacceptable. Spinoza’s
work will continue to influence many, as it did in my case. My religious
philosophy is in line with his thinking. (See, my new book, co-edited with R.
Agler, <u>A God We Can Believe In</u>). Spinoza died in 1677 at the age of 44. May
his memory be a blessing.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">SONSINO’S
BLOG, rsonsino.blogspot.com</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-1410745951420052902023-04-20T09:24:00.004-04:002023-04-20T09:24:23.499-04:00ANOTHER BIBLE TRANSLATION: THE LATIN VULGATE<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The term Vulgate, often abbreviated as Vg, comes from the Latin, <i>vulgatus,</i>
meaning “commonly known.” It is the official Bible of the Roman Catholic
Church.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">In 382 CE, Pope Damasus I , commissioned Jerome (born as Eusebius
Sophronius Hieronimus, in Dalmatia, Croatia, 340 or 342 CE), his secretary, to
produce an authoritative version of the Bible in Latin. Jerome did this in
stages. After he moved to Bethlehem, he first translated the New Testament,
using the Septuagint, namely, the Greek version of the Bible, and then, having studied with many Hebrew
tutors, he translated many books of the Hebrew Bible from the Hebrew original. At the beginning, his renditions were not
universally accepted but in 1546, the Council of Trent, the ecumenical council
of the Roman Catholic Church, declared the Vg to be the exclusive Latin text of
the Bible for the Catholic Church. In 1965 a commission was established by the Vatican Council to revise the Vg, and
the new version was published in 1979, called Nova Vulgata.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The Vg contains the Hebrew Bible , the New Testament and the
Apocrypha. It has been very influential in the history of Bible translations. Like
other versions, however, it reflects the thinking and style of its time.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">For example, when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai holding the two
tablets of the Law, the Hebrew Bible reads, “the skin of his face shone (Ex 34:
29).” The Hebrew is, <i>QARAN OR PANAV</i>.
When Jerome translated this verse, he used the expression, <i>cornuta esset
facies, </i>literally, “his face was horned.” Based on this rendering, the
famous Italian sculptor and painter, Michelangelo (1475-15640, placed two horns
on Moses’ face, in his famous sculpture found in the Church of St. Peter- in-
Chains of Rome. Many readers, even today, think that Moses had horns! In our
time, some anti-Semites even believe that Jews have horns. But, as Lee M.
Jefferson, in his recent article in the Biblical Archaeology Review (Spring 2023, p. 59) stated that , “It is debatable whether Jerome
had any malicious intent in using the word <i>cornuta (“</i>horned”), but it
seems unlikely.” He probably used the best Latin word of his time to indicate
that Moses was glorified after meeting God.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The Italians have an expression, <i>traduttore, traditore, </i>meaning,
that every translator is like a traitor who does not reflect the real meaning
of the original text. The same applies to contemporary readers. If they have a negative
view of the Jews, they see horns; if they have a positive attitude toward Jews,
they see glory!</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">SONSINO’S BLOG, rsonsino.blogspot.com</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-87483881563812549592023-04-14T16:34:00.001-04:002023-04-14T16:34:22.099-04:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmfb2ARtLPJiQZwUFJPSa1DyUXuW6dnZjgJS84Fbl2SVCLfinOvoYTRJsa_G7l3dUm2hqUfnhSJ0A6nToS1UW19ETthd_cCR3SNWbyS5qAp5Hk_wEZTBLHm-80KRpzBiF1j_FaC34gGSp5VuMBWBVc8DRzEo-aGCo_mJd_eAkFcv6n4BeZLye5-HtIA/s640/A%20GOD%20WE%20CAN%20BELIEVE%20IN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmfb2ARtLPJiQZwUFJPSa1DyUXuW6dnZjgJS84Fbl2SVCLfinOvoYTRJsa_G7l3dUm2hqUfnhSJ0A6nToS1UW19ETthd_cCR3SNWbyS5qAp5Hk_wEZTBLHm-80KRpzBiF1j_FaC34gGSp5VuMBWBVc8DRzEo-aGCo_mJd_eAkFcv6n4BeZLye5-HtIA/s320/A%20GOD%20WE%20CAN%20BELIEVE%20IN.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Co[author, available for lectures and presentations. <p></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-28055105175809643972023-04-03T16:17:00.010-04:002023-04-04T10:49:30.390-04:00PASSOVER; THEN AND NOW<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>This year, on Wednesday night, April 5, 2023, Jews all
over the world will begin to celebrate the festival of Passover with a
ritualized meal called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seder,</i> a
Hebrew word meaning “order” that refers to the order of the prayers that are
recited and the symbolic foods that are eaten prior to a fancy meal. The
purpose of the Seder is to tell the story of the liberation of the Israelites
from the Egyptian slavery in biblical times.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Passover is a popular family holiday, primarily observed
in the home. Its history, however, is complicated and its celebration varies
around the Jewish world. <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Here are some facts about Passover:<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>1.The festival appears to be a combination of two
different holidays: <i>Hag ha-</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pesah</i>
(“Pascal Offering” Ex.34:25), reflecting a nomadic life-style, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hag Ha-Matzot</i> (“The Festival of
Unleavened Bread” Lev. 23:5), representing a sedentary society. After these two
were combined, it was historicized and celebrated as the exodus from ancient
Egypt. In Biblical times, Passover was one of the three pilgrimage festivals
(to Jerusalem); after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, it became
a home festival. <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>2. Jewish lore also reflects two different traditions,
one that knows of Egypt as a place where Israelites were mainly “sojourners” (<i>gerim</i>,
in Hebrew, Ex.22:20), living the good life, and another that stresses the
liberation from the Egyptian slavery (Ex.20:2). <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>3. It is not clear how the Israelites got out of Egypt. Some
say all Israelites left as a group, others say that the exodus took place over
a long period of time. Furthermore, it is
impossible that a group of 70 individuals who entered Egypt with the patriarch
Jacob (Gen.46:27), would end up , in about four generations, as a group
numbering millions (Ex.12:37). <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>4. During the recitation of the story at home (<i>Hagaddah</i>),
Moses, the great liberator, is mentioned only once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe because of the fear that Moses could be
given all the glory, and even deified, whereas in Jewish tradition only God is
viewed as being responsible for the redemption of the people. <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>5. One of the prohibitions during Passover is not to eat <i>hametz
</i>(“leaven”) for seven days . Instead, one must consume <i>Matzah,</i>
unleavened bread. The biblical rationale is that the Israelites left Egypt in
haste and prepared unleavened cakes instead (Ex. 12: 19). In reality, this type
of unleavened bread was consumed by the farmers who are in the field during the
spring harvest. <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>In addition to this prohibition, there is the custom
among many eastern European Jews not to eat rice or eat different types of
legumes (<i>kitniyot</i>), or grains that can ferment ,such as wheat, oats, rye, barley or spelt. On the
other hand, Sefardic Jews, like me, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>have
no problem eating these food items during Passover. Now, there are a number of
rabbinic responsa that allow Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist Jews to
eat all types of legumes.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>6. In Israel, Passover is celebrated, as the Bible
commands, for seven days (Ex. 23:14); outside of Israel, following the rabbinic
teaching, it is kept for eight days. In Reform Judaism, however, the practice
is to follow Israeli custom and keep Passover for seven days<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>7. Finally, it must be stressed that the “last supper” of
Jesus (Mark, 14:25), though taking place during Passover, was not a Passover
Seder, because the Seder, as it is celebrated today, is a Rabbinic creation
that did not exist during the life of Jesus. <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Have a great Passover<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>SONSINO’S BLOG rsonsino.blogspot.com<o:p></o:p></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-38096954425051212622023-03-15T09:36:00.007-04:002023-03-15T15:55:41.607-04:00A BIBLE TRANSLATION: THE SEPTUAGINT<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The Septuagint, Greek for 70 and usually identified as LXX, is the
earliest extant Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (See, Encyclopedia
Britanica, ad loc). This was done in two stages: The Pentateuch, namely, the
Five Books attributed to Moses (i.e., Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and
Deuteronomy) was translated into Greek in the 3<sup>rd</sup> cent. BCE, and the
rest of the Hebrew Bible, namely, The Prophets and Writings, in the 2<sup>nd</sup>
cent. BCE. The LXX is the official text of the Greek Church. There is a new
English translation of the Septuagint by the Oxford University press, 2007.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The story dealing with this famous translation is found in the <u>Letter
of Aristeas</u>, a text written in Greek in the 2<sup>nd</sup> cent. BCE.
According to this text, a certain Aristeas, probably a Jew from Alexandria, in
a letter written to his brother Philocrates, tells him that the Greek king in Egypt,
Ptolemy II (mid. 3<sup>rd</sup> cent. BCE) had ordered his chief librarian, Demetrius
to request from the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem a list of qualified translators
to be sent to Alexandria, where a large Jewish community lived, in order to
carry out the translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek. The Jewish high priest, Eleazar, responded favorably, and sent six learned
individuals from each of the twelve tribes of Israel, a total of 72, to
Alexandria to begin the work. According to the legend, this was accomplished in
72 days. All translations were made to agree with others. It was then presented to the king and the leaders of the Jewish
community for their approval. This was done, and, in fact, a curse was issued against
anyone who would alter the translation proposed by the experts from Israel.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Philo of Alexandria, a Jewish philosopher who lived in the 1<sup>st</sup>
cent. BCE (See, <u>On the Life of Moses</u>, II, 25-44), repeats the story of
Aristeas. So does the Jewish historian, Josephus (1st cent. CE), who approvingly
quotes the Letter (Antiq. 12: 2). In reality,
Aristeas’ text is a mixture of facts and myth, containing many mistakes. For
example, the so-called librarian, Demetrius</span></b><span class="MsoCommentReference"><b><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><a></a><a class="msocomanchor" href="file:///C:/Users/rifat/Dropbox/My%20PC%20(DESKTOP-L2SVUVN)/Documents/SEPTUAGINT.docx-.docx#_msocom_1" id="_anchor_1" language="JavaScript" name="_msoanchor_1">[RS1]</a> </span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">,
never held such a position in the court of Ptolemy II. The Letter is a typical
work of Jewish apologetics and self-defense, directed to the Greeks of the time</span>.</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The Septuagint translation varies considerably from the Hebrew text
that we have: For example, the Song of Moses in the LXX, is longer by six
verses; Similarly, the Greek text in Samuel is much longer than the Hebrew; On
the other hand, the LXX text of Job is much shorter. Furthermore, the LXX
contains the books of the Apocrypha, that is, Jewish texts that were not
included in the Hebrew Bible.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The “most important reason for studying the LXX is to read and
understand the thought of Jews in the pre-Christian centuries” (Anchor Bible,
Dict. Vol 5, p. 1102).</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">When Christians started to rely on the Septuagint, Jews stopped
using it.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">SONSINO’S BLOG, rsonsino.blogspot.com</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoCommentText"><span class="MsoCommentReference"><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: comment;"> <!--[if !supportAnnotations]--><a class="msocomoff" href="file:///C:/Users/rifat/Dropbox/My%20PC%20(DESKTOP-L2SVUVN)/Documents/SEPTUAGINT.docx-.docx#_msoanchor_1">[RS1]</a><!--[endif]--></span></span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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</div>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-58295876598113962422023-03-02T10:03:00.005-05:002023-03-02T10:03:43.275-05:00BACK TO BASICS: THE BIBLE, THE WORD<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The English word “Bible” comes from the Greek, <i>biblion, </i>meaning
“scroll,” because, in the past, most written material had the form of a parchment
that could be rolled.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Writing originated in Sumer during the 4<sup>th</sup> millennium
BCE. In antiquity, Sumerian or Akkadian was
written on soft clay tablets, going back to Mesopotamia in the 3<sup>rd</sup> millennium
BCE. In ancient Egypt, papyrus reed was used to write documents (about 2400
BCE). The first printing of books started in China in the 9<sup>th</sup> cent.
BCE. using woodblocks. Between the 2<sup>nd</sup> and 4<sup>th</sup> centuries
CE, the scroll was replaced by the codex, which was a collection of sheets
attached at the back. The earliest most complete Hebrew Bible is called Codex
Sassoon (c.900). The printing press was
invented by Johannes Gutenberg of Mainz, Germany, around 1440 CE.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The Hebrew Bible</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The Hebrew Bible, originally written on prepared skin of an animal,
contains 3 sections: a. <u>The Pentateuch (called Torah in Hebrew)</u>, the
Five Books attributed to Moses; b. <u>The Prophets (Neviim)</u>, which include
some quasi-historical books, like Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings, as well as
a number of prophetic texts, like Hosea, Amos and Isaiah, and finally, c. <u>The
Writings (Ketuvim)</u>, a collection of books, like Psalms, Proverbs, Job etc. The
Hebrew canon, called TANAKH (short for Torah, Neviim and Ketuvim) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>has 24 books.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Authorship</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">a.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><span dir="LTR" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Pentateuch
(Torah) </span></u></b><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">: Jewish tradition claims that Moses wrote the Five Books: Genesis,
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy (BB 14b). In fact, according to the ancient
Rabbis, “even the questions that students were to ask of their teachers,” were revealed
to Moses by God on Mt Sinai. (Midrash Rabba, 47/1). In reality, biblical
scholars tell us that the Pentateuch was made of four different sources: J (using
the name of God “Yahweh” by those living in the southern kingdom of Judah, c.
850 BCE), E (using Elohim as the name of
God by those who lived in the Northern
kingdom of Israel, c.750 BCE), D (for Deuteronomy, c.621 BCE) and P (for Priestly,
mostly dealing with temple rituals, c.450 BCE). It is estimated that these 4
sources were at some point combined around 400 BCE to form the Pentateuch.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The Prophets
(Neviim)</span></u></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">, both Early and Late: these books were most likely finalized c.
200 BCE.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The
Writings (Ketuvim)</span></u></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">: this collection was completed
around the 1 cent. CE.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The earliest Hebrew
compositions in the Hebrew Bible are The Song of <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>the Sea (Ex.15) and The Song of Deborah (Jud.5), both probably <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>coming from the early monarchic period,
c.11-10 cent. BCE. Most of <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>the material
included in the Tanakh was transmitted orally for many <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>generations until they were written down at different times.
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The entire <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hebrew Bible was finalized toward the end of the 1<sup>st</sup>
cent. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>CE.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 157.5pt; mso-add-space: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The Jewish Bible versus Christian Bible (“The New Testament”)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Even though there are a number of Bible translations in English,
like The New American Bible, the New Oxford Annotated Bible or The Jerusalem Bible, which use the term “Bible”
in their title, these are NOT Jewish scriptures, because they include the New Testament, considered sacred by Christians,
not by Jews. Most Jews use Tanakh, an
English translation published by the Jewish Publication Society or The Soncino
Bible. </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Furthermore, the New Testament contains a number of late Jewish books,
like Tobit, Judith and the Book of Maccabees, that were not included in the Hebrew
Scriptures. Also, Jews do not use the term “Old Testament” (which implies the
existence of a New Testament), because they do not accept the Christian
assertion of the sacred nature of the New Testament.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Next blog: The First Bible translation.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">SONSINO’S BLOG, rsonsino.blogspot.com</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-36834070083425285872023-02-13T13:03:00.011-05:002023-02-13T16:41:14.046-05:00ON GETTING OLDER<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">This is a personal blog but I like to share it with you, my
viewers, who have followed me for years. It has to do with getting older, and
the way I try to deal with it.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">According to the Hebrew Bible, 70 was considered “old age.”—that’s
when King David died (II Sam. 5:4). In reality, people did not usually live
that long. It is estimated that in Biblical times, the average age at death was
about 35. I, now at 84, view myself as
getting older but not old. I do not know how much longer I have but I am
certain I will not reach 120, a la Moses.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I am, however, noticing some changes in my daily life:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><span dir="LTR" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I am
much slower. I do not process novelties fast. Everything takes a bit longer.
Recently we went on a Caribbean cruise with my wife Ines, but I could not keep
up with her during our daily walk around the deck, so I gave up.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I
like my routine. There an element of security there. I walk everyday. I use the
gym twice a week. But I am afraid to fall. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">My
memory is falling. I don’t remember too many names or locations. As a Bible
scholar with a Ph.D in Bible and Cuneiform studies, I used to know all the
Assyrian kings by name and in the correct order. Now, as president of our
residents’ association at the Willows in Westborough, MA, where we live, I
don’t even bother memorizing names. For this, I rely on my wife who is much
younger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">During
my professional life, I have published 11 books and chaired many national committees,
but these days, I live reservedly, enjoying each breath I take. Even though,
last year I co-authored a new book, <i>A God We Can Believe In </i>and my blog
has reached almost 800,000 viewers around the world, I am slowing down and do
not have the energy I had before. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Recently,
my daughter asked me for my happiest moment in my life? In the past, I had many
such occurrences: when I came to the USA, when I got married, when our children
and grandchildren were born, when one of my articles or books was published,
but now the best I can say is that I am content with what I have and am. In
comparison to many of my neighbors, I still have it, and my mind is still
working. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>More
and more I am irritated at the narrow mindedness of many of the younger people
I encounter or read about, who still believe in “miracles” –it is only a </b></span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>metaphor</b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>, they say-; who follow what I call a </b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>primitive theology that is based on false
hopes instead of dealing with issues with reason and rationality. But I keep my
mouth shut. I will not change the world. People who are interested in my views
can read my books or my blog. </b></span><b><o:p style="font-size: 14pt;"></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">After
I die, I am sure, someone will say, there was a man by the name Rifat Sonsino,
who used to say…..but I will never hear it myself, because I do not believe in
resurrection!!!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> So, my friends, I am content
with my achievements for which I was fortunate, and leave it to my children and
grandchildren and their generation to keep the universe going.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I am ok with this.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">SONSINO’S BLOG, rsonsino.blogspot.com</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-28122524455307431382023-01-09T13:21:00.009-05:002023-01-10T08:39:42.940-05:00MOSES AT THE MOUNTAIN. WHAT REALLY HAPPENED THERE?<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">SONSINO’S BLOG, rsonsino.blogspot.com</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">According to a famous rabbinic text, <u>The Ethics of the Fathers</u>,
“Moses received the Torah from Sinai” (Av. 1:1; 2<sup>nd</sup> cent. CE). This teaching
is repeated in <u>The</u> <u>Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan, </u>“Moses was
sanctified by the cloud and received the Torah at Sinai” <u>(</u>1: 1;<u> </u>7-9<sup>th</sup>
cent. CE). However, what really happened
at Mt. Sinai is still a mystery.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><span dir="LTR" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Which
mountain?</span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">We don’t know where Mt. Sinai is
located. In fact, according to the Anchor Bible Dictionary, “at least a dozen
different sites have been proposed” (Vol. 6, p. 48). Many Christians place it
at Jebel Musa, where <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>St. Catherine
monastery is located in the Sinai Peninsula. On the other hand, according to the
book of Deuteronomy, the Torah was given to the Israelites on Mt. Horeb
(Deut.4:10; see also Mal.3:22), somewhere in the Negev or even, in Midian, in
northern Arabia. So, is it Sinai or Horeb? A medieval commentator, Ibn Ezra,
combined the two: “Horeb is Sinai.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><span dir="LTR" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Where
is God?</span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">In order to receive the Torah, Moses
goes up the mountain (Ex.19:3) or down from it (Ex. 19:14). Where is God? On
top of the mountain or at the bottom? According to Ex.20:19, God is in the
heavens; according to Ex.19: 3, God is on the mountain. Nehemiah, the prophet,
combines the two: “You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke to them from heaven” (9:13).<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><span dir="LTR" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The
Content:</span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">What is the extent of the revelation
of the Torah? Some say it is only the Decalogue (Deut. 5:2); another text says,
it is “the record of the Covenant” (Ex.24:7, probably referring to Ex. 20:
19-23-33); for many others, primarily the Rabbis, it is the entire corpus of Jewish
knowledge. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><span dir="LTR" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The
Method of the Revelation:</span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Did God speak? In biblical Hebrew?
According to one source, “Moses spoke and God answered in thunder” (Ex.19:19).
According to another, the Israelites heard “a voice but perceived no shape of
God’ (Deut. 4:12). The Rabbis say that at Mt. Sinai, “a voice went forth: I am
the Lord your God”, namely, the first commandment (Shemot Rabba, 29:9). According
to Mendel of Rybanov, a Hassidic master of the 18<sup>th</sup> cent, the Israelites
heard only the sound of the first letter of the Ten Commandments, namely the
silent A. The rest was written by Moses.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">So, we don’t know where it happened; how it happened; and we don’t
even know the extent of the revelation. In reality, we are not dealing here
with history, but with legends built upon other legends.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> In line with modern biblical
scholarship, I maintain that the Ten Commandments and most biblical
teachings that emerged among the early Israelites, were disseminated first
orally, and then , for many generations afterwards, they were written down by
unknown authors, going through many changes- ergo, the different wording of the
Decalogue in Deut. The Pentateuch was finally attributed to Moses, and
ultimately to God as a source of all wisdom.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Now, that I can believe in.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">(For more details, please see my article in my book, <u>Did Moses
Really Have Horns</u>, URJ/Behrman, 2009, pp. 82-96. )</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-69963815560390438122022-12-19T12:35:00.002-05:002022-12-19T12:35:21.071-05:00A HANUKAH CONTROVERSY<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b><b>In Jewish practice, the festival of Hanukah celebrates
the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem to the service of one God
after the successful revolt of the Maccabees against the Seleucid rulers of
Syria in the 2<sup>nd</sup> cent. BCE. It
is customary to light eight candles during Hanukah, one per night.</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b><b>The question is this: In which order should they be lit?
On this issue, two famous rabbinic schools of the first century CE disagreed.
We read in the Talmud: <i>“Beth Shammai
maintains: On the first night eight lights are lit and thereafter they are
gradually reduced. However, Beth Hillel says: On the first night one is lit and
thereafter they are progressively increased</i>” (BT Shab. 21b).</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>What is Beth Shammai’s justification? They argued that
the candle lighting should correspond to the sacrifices offered during the
festival of Sukkot- Hanukah was originally viewed as a second Sukkot-with one sacrifice
less each day (cf. Num. 29). The school of Hillel, however, maintained that in
matters of holiness we must increase and not reduce.</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Hillel’s position makes more sense to me (and that is the
Jewish practice today). When it comes to questions of religion and
spirituality, even within the context of religious naturalism, we need to realize
that, ultimately, faith, which is nothing but certainty of one’s convictions,
requires a leap of faith. For, we are all fallible. However, as we absorb more knowledge about
the universe and as we engage in a variety of spiritual exercises, our
sensitivity increases, and with that comes a deepening sense of sanctity and
wonder for all existence.</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b><b>The adding of the candles reminds us that religious
conscientiousness is broadened slowly. We build one block upon the other. At
times, we stumble, we are burdened with questions; we often struggle with doubts
and with answers that do not always satisfy the mind. But, with a faith based
on a positive attitude, we plug along, and discover glimpses of lights here and
there, finding deeper meaning and purpose in our existential condition. And
that spells human growth.</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b><b>Have a happy Hanukah.</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-67380804356865097712022-12-11T10:31:00.005-05:002022-12-11T10:31:59.923-05:00WHAT REALLY HAPPENED DURING HANUKAH, BRIEFLY<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The history behind Hanukah is, briefly, this: <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>In the second cent. BCE, Antiochus IV, the Syrian king,
set out to conquer Egypt. While he was fighting there, Jason, deposed from his
position as the Jewish High Priest in Jerusalem, left the Ammonites with whom
he had taken refuge, and attacked Menelaus, his brother in Jerusalem, in order
to regain the High Priesthood. A civil war broke out between the two, and Jason
successfully entered Jerusalem. King Antiochus was furious. On his way back
from Egypt, the king attacked Jerusalem, imposed restrictions on Judea, and
eventually desecrated the Temple. In reaction, a priest by the name of
Mattathias, and his sons (called the Maccabees), fought against the Syrians,
and were able to clean and rededicate the temple of Jerusalem to the worship of
one God in the year 165 BCE. This rededication is called Hanukah (“dedication”
in Hebrew). <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b>The
festival lasted 8 days, not because of the so-called “miracle of the oil,”<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(miracles don’t happen)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but because it was considered a delayed
Sukkot <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b>(“Tabernacles”)
which is 7 days-long, plus Atzeret, a one day festival (See, II Mac. <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b>4:59;
Lev.23: 33-36, 39).<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b>Happy Hanukah
to all who celebrate it.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For more information, read my article,
“Was Hanukah Really a Miracle?” in my book, <u>Did Moses Really Have Horns; And
Other Myths About Jews and Judaism, </u>pp. 155-164)<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-47343790124706469942022-12-01T09:34:00.004-05:002022-12-01T09:34:25.053-05:00WHERE DOES GOD DWELL?<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>SONSINO’S BLOG, rsonsino.blogspot.com<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">In ancient times, biblical authors assumed that the earth was flat,
with Sheol, below the earth where the dead live, and a dome on top of the earth,
which was the abode of God (Deut. 26:15; Isa.40:22). Later on, the Rabbis spoke
of God as “our Father who is in heaven.” In fact, early Christians referred to three
different levels of heaven (II Cor. 12:2): The first was set aside for us
humans and animals; the second, above it, for the moon, stars and other
planets- some even claimed that this was the living quarters of Satan-, and
finally, on top of everything, it is where God resides.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">It was the early Greeks who first convincingly argued that the earth
was in fact round. Some claimed it was Pythagoras in the 500 BCE who did this;
others attribute this invention to Eratosthenes, a Greek mathematician of the 3<sup>rd</sup>
cent. BCE. Today, it is normative to assume that the earth is round.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">So, where does God live in our universe?</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Some biblical authors maintained that God lives not only in the
heavens above but everywhere, both heaven and earth (See, for example, Ps.139:7-8;
Jer. 23: 24; Isa. 66:1).</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">As a religious naturalist, I do not conceive of God as a “Persona” (
“Theism”) who “lives” in a particular place. I do not search for God or expect
to encounter God only in the heavens or the earth below. I do not even understand
when people talk about “God’s abode.” For me, God represents the energy, the
force, which keeps the universe going, and, as such, God is omni-present in the
universe. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more we know about nature
and nature’s mysteries, the more we discover how God operates. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">In my view, God does not verbally communicate with human beings;
God does not respond to our pleas or prayers. God does not choose one people
over another. God does not reward or punish. God does not change the course of
nature by a miracle. As the ancient Rabbis taught, “the universe follows its
own path” (Avodah Zarah 54b). Spinoza taught us that God acts by necessity in
line with the laws of nature. We humans create a culture in response to the
mystery of nature and formulate prayers that represent our inner most feelings
and expectations.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">This is religious naturalism that is based on reason, natural law
and human efforts. We are Jews because we chose to be Jews and are proud of the
culture that we have created over the centuries. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-83775554690205095152022-11-06T13:38:00.005-05:002022-11-06T13:38:42.853-05:00FOREIGN WORDS IN HEBREW TEXTS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwM5OIZ9wlMqf5N9nH1YCkUrFO04Po1ewCJHOb7g92CbWzsNvEAbMaj2Der882AL7un0oBRSJRRnOV0GipkzGj7OfsZxlz9CMnlqeX3wxc9LeQdzTy_OmJM4YOjVSBy5Ax9mHlH7k52F1EyflfusACgLRMkG1l7EjP-CejY5aAhwN9PDqwECDYYfmGw/s640/RS%20blowing%20Shofar,%20July,%202020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwM5OIZ9wlMqf5N9nH1YCkUrFO04Po1ewCJHOb7g92CbWzsNvEAbMaj2Der882AL7un0oBRSJRRnOV0GipkzGj7OfsZxlz9CMnlqeX3wxc9LeQdzTy_OmJM4YOjVSBy5Ax9mHlH7k52F1EyflfusACgLRMkG1l7EjP-CejY5aAhwN9PDqwECDYYfmGw/s320/RS%20blowing%20Shofar,%20July,%202020.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>SONSINO’S BLOG, rsonsino.blogspot.com</b></span><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">It is noteworthy that many classical Hebrew texts contain a number
of foreign words. Let’s start with examples from the Bible:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">In
the Hebrew Bible, in </span><u style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">The Song of Songs</u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">, we have the word </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">pardes </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">(4:12),
meaning “park,” or “garden” (our “paradise”) and </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">egoz </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">(6:11), meaning “nut-tree.”
They are Persian loan-words, indicating that the Song was probably written
during the Persian period (6</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.5in;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">-4</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.5in;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5in;"> cent. BCE).</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">It is well known that after the destruction of the first temple of
Jerusalem in 586 BCE many Jews were exiled to Babylonia (today, Iraq) where
they lived for a number of years, and many of them returned around 515 BCE to
rebuild the Second Temple. One of the famous Jewish residents in Babylonia was
the prophet Ezekiel (6</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> cent. BCE), a priest, who grew up in Judah but
lived and prophesized much of his adult life in Babylonia. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">It is, therefore, not strange to find in his
book a number of loan words taken from Akkadian, the language spoken in
Babylonia at the time. For example: </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">hashmal </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(Ez. 1:27) from </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">elmeshu </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">,
meaning “a shining substance” (BDB). Or, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">eshkar </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(Ez. 27:15), from </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">ishkaru,
</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">meaning “work assignment” or “gift” (BDB). Or, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">tsurah </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(Ez. 43: 11),
from </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">utsurtu</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, meaning “plan, design,” or “form” (Gesenius).</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">A large part of the biblical books of Ezra (c. 4</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> cent.
BCE) and Daniel (c.2</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">nd</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> cent. BCE) are in Aramaic, the lingua franca
of the Babylonian diaspora.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Similarly, many Rabbinic texts contain Greek words, because Greek
was the</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">dominant language of the many Jewish
communities in the Middle East during and after the first century CE. For
example, Midrash Rabba, a text composed around the 4</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> century CE,
contains a number of Greek words written in Hebrew letters, such as (on Gen. 1)
</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">pedagogos</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, “nanny;” </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">palatin, </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">“palace;” </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">matrona </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, “woman;” or </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">astrologos,
</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">“astrologer.”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">On the other hand, modern Hebrew has many English words written in
Hebrew letters, such as “Hi,” “Bye,” “please,” “OK” or even using a verbal
form, such as </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">ledaskes, </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">namely “to discuss.”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">It is interesting to note that Hebrew has contributed a number of
words to English, such as </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Mazal tov </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(“congratulations”), </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">amen </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(“verily,
“certainly”), </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">behemoth </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(“beasts”), or </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">hallah </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(“egg-rich
yeast-leavened bread”). Similarly, Yiddish has added many words to our English
language today, such as </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">shlep</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> (“carry”), </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">schmooze </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(“talk”), </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">bupkes
</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(“least amount”), </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">klutz </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(“clumsy”), or </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">tchotchke </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(“trinkets”).</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">These examples show that Jews, wherever they lived, appropriated
words prevalent at the time and contributed to society special words of their
own vocabulary.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><b> </b></span></p><p></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-56475308912115377572022-10-23T10:48:00.005-04:002022-10-23T10:48:29.805-04:00FANATICS-THEN AND NOW<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>SONSINO’S BLOG</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> rsonsino.blogspot.com</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Moses Maimonides (1138-1204) of Spain was one of the greatest Jewish
thinkers of the Middle Ages. He was a physician and philosopher, a rationalist.
There is a statue of him in downtown Cordoba that I saw a few years ago. He was
the author of <u>The Guide of the Perplexed </u>(he wrote it in Arabic) on
theology, and <u>Mishne Torah</u> (“The Second Law”-he wrote it in Hebrew) on
Jewish law.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">But he was also controversial, because of his advocacy of
Aristotelian philosophy. Some people did not like him. And in 1233, in a public
square in Paris, a group of Dominican monks set fire to a huge pile of his
books. The sad part was that they did this at the instigation of some fanatic
Jews who had accused him of heretical views.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Every religion has its own fanatics who think they have the
truth and cannot accept a diversity of opinion. Christians have them- look at
the fights between Catholics and Protestants. Moslems have them- look at the enmity between
Sunnis and Shiites. We Jews have them too. In fact, right now, there are a
number of Haredim, members of the right-wing Orthodox movement, attacking
Reform Jews at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, who are celebrating a Bar
Mitzvah!!! What a shame!</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">No one has an exclusive key to the truth. It is by an open and
respectful discussion of issues that we can learn from one another and reach an
understanding of the mysteries of the universe.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-53019914833873263152022-10-07T12:38:00.005-04:002022-10-07T12:38:27.105-04:00WHOSE LIFE COMES FIRST?<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The topic of whose life comes first has exercised the imagination
of many ancient Rabbis. One scenario was debated in a Jewish legal commentary
called SIFRA (on the Book of Leviticus, 4<sup>th</sup> cent. CE). Here, we find
the following dilemma (See also a parallel discussion in the Babylonian Talmud,BM
62a, 6<sup>th</sup> cent. CE).</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">“The following was expounded by Ben-Petura (a 2nd cent. CE rabbinic
scholar): Two men are traveling through the desert. One of them has a flask of
water. If he alone drinks the water, he will reach the town but if both of them
drink, they will both die. Ben-Petura expounded the biblical text (in Lev.
25:36) “<i>That your brother may live with you</i>” to mean that both should
drink and die (rather than one should live while the other dies). But Rabbi
Akiva (a 2<sup>nd</sup> cen. CE scholar) said to him: “<i>That you brother may
live with you</i>” means that he may live WITH YOU , not instead of you, namely
that your life takes precedence over the life of your friend. Rabbinic law
accepts this approach.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">This dilemma sounds very much like “the Plank of Carneades,” namely
, Carneades of Cyrene, a Greek
philosopher who lived in 2<sup>nd</sup> cent. BCE. Here, instead of a desert,
the event takes place in water: There
are two shipwrecked sailors. They see a plank that can support both of them.
Sailor A gets to the plank first. Sailor B , who is about to drown, pushes A
off and away from the plank and, thus causes A’s death. Sailor B is later saved
by a rescue team. The question is whether B should be tried for murder?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The similarity between the two cases, though not completely
parallel to one another, shows that the ancient Rabbis were aware of the
popular ethical debates that took place in the Greco-Roman world.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Obviously, the tension here is between self-preservation and personal
sacrifice. Many ancient Greek thinkers argued that one should die rather than
deprive the other of his or her means of survival. The Rabbis, however, gave
self-preservation the upper hand. (See, the detailed discussion by K.
Berthelot, “A Classical Ethical Problem in Ancient Philosophy,” Harvard
Theological Review 106/2, 2013, 1-29).</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I would argue that it depends on who is the “other”? If it is my
child, I would be ready to give him/her a chance to survive. Otherwise, if it
is a stranger or if the other has a lesser chance of survival, I will save
myself.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Your opinion?</span></b></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1270651388045341301.post-18444244503576153452022-09-08T10:47:00.002-04:002022-09-08T10:47:12.019-04:00FOR THE SINS THAT WE HAVE SINNED <p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span dir="RTL" lang="HE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">על חטא שחטאנו</span></b><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>; AL HET SHEHATANU</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">For the sins that we have sinned against our parents</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">…………………………………….against our siblings<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">……………………………………against our children<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">…………………………………....against our spouse<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">…………………………………….against our friends and relatives<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">……………………………………against our teachers and students<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">........................................................against the
elderly<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">........................................................against the
sick and the handicapped <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">We are deeply sorry.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">For the sins that we have sinned consciously or unconsciously</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">……………………………………by the abuse of our power<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>………………………… ……..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>by using deceitful language<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">……………………………………by hardening our hearts<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">……………………………………by speaking slander<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">……………………………………by hiding the truth<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">……………………………………by ignoring the pleas of the poor and innocent<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">…………………………………….by hurting others<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">…………………………………….by failing to respond to people in need<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">We are deeply sorry.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">We are committed to undo the wrong we have caused.</span></p>Rifat Sonsinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02553604291827953693noreply@blogger.com0