I may not know much about Judaism (though I suspect I know more than Beinart) but I thought the point of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is less about criticizing what other people are doing wrong and more about looking at yourself and atoning for your own sins. I can’t recall any part of the Yom Kippur service that involves sitting in judgement of others, isn’t that God’s job, and not yours?
Beinart is in dire need of some introspection but seems to be more interested in judging others. What’s “judge not lest ye yourself be judged” in Hebrew?
Huh? Yom Kippur is about collective and communal responsibility, not just personal atonement.
The Viddui prayer which is recited during YK services opens with, "We and our fathers have sinned." It is a prayer of confession in which Jews say that "we" have committed certain sins, regardless of whether an individual Jew has committed them or not.
Together, the community takes responsibility for the transgressions that have occurred in the previous year, regardless of who is 'guilty' and who is blameless. The idea is to acknowledge the wrongdoings that have occurred and to jointly commit to a better path in the year ahead.
"Judge not lest ye yourself be judged" was originally written in Greek, but spoken in Aramaic. Since it comes from the New Testament, there is no reason to translate it into Hebrew, nor to use it to admonish a Jew.
Thank you so much for highlighting this topic. The similarity between the Torah and the Quran in relating the story of Hagar or Hajir (which in Arabic means emigrant) is uncanny. Hajir is central to the Muslim faith because of her adamant trust that Allah would hear her pleas and provide her and her son Ismail (Arabic meaning heard by God) with water. According to the Quran she was born in Egypt, was a slave, but of noble birth. She was abandoned by Abraham in a desolate desert and was consumed with the need to find water. Hajir is the reason why Muslims perform the ritual of twaf or circumambulations of the holy Kaaba during Hajj and Umra (pilgrimage), which includes the area where Hajir found water well (zamzam) right near her crying son. It fascinates me that although we are told she never lost her faith in God, the ritual of twaf honors the fact that she was not idle waiting for water- she relentlessly kept running back and forth looking for water and finally found it and praised God for saving her and her son. Most Muslims relate this story that no matter the circumstances keep faith in God and keep working hard to attain the goals you seek with the help of God. Her deep trust in God while doggdly looking for water is a central principle among Palestinians- especially women.
My thinking is a lot simpler. According to mainstream Judaism and Israel, the state of Israel is central to all Jews. In Israel, because half the population controlled by the Israeli government is Palestinian, then the Palestinian situation in Israel is central to the Jews whether they know it or not. Therefore the Palestinian situation is central to all Jews in the diaspora as well.
I didn't know this was a shared story. As a new mother, it's a story close to my heart. Thank you for always striving to humanize Palestinians. May the Almighty hear all our calls for help.
So on day one we read of Abraham ready to kill his first son by sending him to a sure death in the desert, on the second day we read about him being a breath away from killing with a knife his second son, and elsewhere we read how he gave away his wife to the king as if she was his sister to spare his own life - a nice ancestry to be proud of we got.
Somehow I don’t think the point of the Hebrew Bible is “look how shitty your patriarchs and matriarchs are.” But this kind of vile nastiness is exactly what I would expect to see from Beinart’s comment section.
Yashar Ko’oach! You have provided much to consider.
To add to the horror of the story and complicate it further, given the power dynamics, it is most accurate to say that Abraham raped Hagar at the direction of Sarah. Both Abraham and Sarah then abandon Hagar when the product of their utter violation of Hagar’s personhood and bodily autonomy- the child Ishmael - is no longer ‘necessary.’ Importantly, as you pointed out, Gd listens and provides for Ishmael and promises to make of them a great nation.
I appreciate your encouragement to see Rosh Ha Shanah as the commemoration of a universal creation story (an indigenous perspective) rather than a myth of national origin (a colonial perspective).
I am also left thinking about how the significance of Ishmael’s name--Gd Hears-- shares a root meaning with the first word and title of arguably the holiest of Jewish prayers, recited daily, the Sh’ma. “LISTEN, people who struggle with Gd (one translation of Israel), Our Gd is One.” Seems like an undeniably universalist theme, subversively embedded in a central mantra that has, unfortunately, been narrowly interpreted as a proof of an exclusive national identity.
Love the videos please keep them coming. Love your writing too but listening is so much easier considering so much we have to do taking care of chores everyday. Just love you all around.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. For years I have been, only half-jokingly, saying that all Jewish holidays have the same theme: they hate us, they tried to kill us, we survived again because we are the chosen ones. The talk today was so interesting and indeed welcome. I’m a Jew in my 60s who has not attended services since I was a teenager and doesn’t celebrate Jewish holidays now that my elders are all gone, and I was glad to hear about the surprising story of Hagar and Ishmael. I wish Hebrew school had actually taught any of this. We learned only of our eternal victimization and how God listens only to Jews. It’s the seeds of the current situation in which Israel can self-righteously ignore all the truths about Palestine and israel’s role in victimizing Palestinians. American Jews continue to toe the immoral line that Jews cannot possibly be oppressors or victimizers.
I wanted to include that line in the video--"they tried to kill us, let's eat"--but forgot! It sums up so much of the way we narrate our own tradition (and what we leave out)
Nothing to apologize for..As a teacher, you work to bring your own knowledge and understanding to listeners.
Your class today I found exceptional. Getting an understanding of the origin and principles of of the Jewish faith is, for me, very enlightening and eye opening.
I may not know much about Judaism (though I suspect I know more than Beinart) but I thought the point of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is less about criticizing what other people are doing wrong and more about looking at yourself and atoning for your own sins. I can’t recall any part of the Yom Kippur service that involves sitting in judgement of others, isn’t that God’s job, and not yours?
Beinart is in dire need of some introspection but seems to be more interested in judging others. What’s “judge not lest ye yourself be judged” in Hebrew?
Huh? Yom Kippur is about collective and communal responsibility, not just personal atonement.
The Viddui prayer which is recited during YK services opens with, "We and our fathers have sinned." It is a prayer of confession in which Jews say that "we" have committed certain sins, regardless of whether an individual Jew has committed them or not.
Together, the community takes responsibility for the transgressions that have occurred in the previous year, regardless of who is 'guilty' and who is blameless. The idea is to acknowledge the wrongdoings that have occurred and to jointly commit to a better path in the year ahead.
"Judge not lest ye yourself be judged" was originally written in Greek, but spoken in Aramaic. Since it comes from the New Testament, there is no reason to translate it into Hebrew, nor to use it to admonish a Jew.
Thank you so much for highlighting this topic. The similarity between the Torah and the Quran in relating the story of Hagar or Hajir (which in Arabic means emigrant) is uncanny. Hajir is central to the Muslim faith because of her adamant trust that Allah would hear her pleas and provide her and her son Ismail (Arabic meaning heard by God) with water. According to the Quran she was born in Egypt, was a slave, but of noble birth. She was abandoned by Abraham in a desolate desert and was consumed with the need to find water. Hajir is the reason why Muslims perform the ritual of twaf or circumambulations of the holy Kaaba during Hajj and Umra (pilgrimage), which includes the area where Hajir found water well (zamzam) right near her crying son. It fascinates me that although we are told she never lost her faith in God, the ritual of twaf honors the fact that she was not idle waiting for water- she relentlessly kept running back and forth looking for water and finally found it and praised God for saving her and her son. Most Muslims relate this story that no matter the circumstances keep faith in God and keep working hard to attain the goals you seek with the help of God. Her deep trust in God while doggdly looking for water is a central principle among Palestinians- especially women.
Thank you so much. I didn't know any of this and am so grateful to you for this explanation. If it's OK, i may share it in next week's newsletter.
Yes
It’s the Sai not the twaf!
My thinking is a lot simpler. According to mainstream Judaism and Israel, the state of Israel is central to all Jews. In Israel, because half the population controlled by the Israeli government is Palestinian, then the Palestinian situation in Israel is central to the Jews whether they know it or not. Therefore the Palestinian situation is central to all Jews in the diaspora as well.
I didn't know this was a shared story. As a new mother, it's a story close to my heart. Thank you for always striving to humanize Palestinians. May the Almighty hear all our calls for help.
Thank you
So on day one we read of Abraham ready to kill his first son by sending him to a sure death in the desert, on the second day we read about him being a breath away from killing with a knife his second son, and elsewhere we read how he gave away his wife to the king as if she was his sister to spare his own life - a nice ancestry to be proud of we got.
Somehow I don’t think the point of the Hebrew Bible is “look how shitty your patriarchs and matriarchs are.” But this kind of vile nastiness is exactly what I would expect to see from Beinart’s comment section.
Yashar Ko’oach! You have provided much to consider.
To add to the horror of the story and complicate it further, given the power dynamics, it is most accurate to say that Abraham raped Hagar at the direction of Sarah. Both Abraham and Sarah then abandon Hagar when the product of their utter violation of Hagar’s personhood and bodily autonomy- the child Ishmael - is no longer ‘necessary.’ Importantly, as you pointed out, Gd listens and provides for Ishmael and promises to make of them a great nation.
I appreciate your encouragement to see Rosh Ha Shanah as the commemoration of a universal creation story (an indigenous perspective) rather than a myth of national origin (a colonial perspective).
I am also left thinking about how the significance of Ishmael’s name--Gd Hears-- shares a root meaning with the first word and title of arguably the holiest of Jewish prayers, recited daily, the Sh’ma. “LISTEN, people who struggle with Gd (one translation of Israel), Our Gd is One.” Seems like an undeniably universalist theme, subversively embedded in a central mantra that has, unfortunately, been narrowly interpreted as a proof of an exclusive national identity.
I hadn't thought of the connection between Ishmael and Shma. Wonderful insight. Thank you
I love your videos. The Dvar on Hagar was enlightening and informative. First time I have heard
a sermon or even a discussion on the significance of Hagar.
I would like to pass on to others...
Thank you from a spiritual and practicing Jew.
Thank you!
Beautiful! And beautiful again and again!
Thank you!
Love the videos please keep them coming. Love your writing too but listening is so much easier considering so much we have to do taking care of chores everyday. Just love you all around.
Thanks!
I thoroughly enjoyed this. For years I have been, only half-jokingly, saying that all Jewish holidays have the same theme: they hate us, they tried to kill us, we survived again because we are the chosen ones. The talk today was so interesting and indeed welcome. I’m a Jew in my 60s who has not attended services since I was a teenager and doesn’t celebrate Jewish holidays now that my elders are all gone, and I was glad to hear about the surprising story of Hagar and Ishmael. I wish Hebrew school had actually taught any of this. We learned only of our eternal victimization and how God listens only to Jews. It’s the seeds of the current situation in which Israel can self-righteously ignore all the truths about Palestine and israel’s role in victimizing Palestinians. American Jews continue to toe the immoral line that Jews cannot possibly be oppressors or victimizers.
I wanted to include that line in the video--"they tried to kill us, let's eat"--but forgot! It sums up so much of the way we narrate our own tradition (and what we leave out)
"American Jews continue to toe the immoral line that Jews cannot possibly be oppressors or victimizers.
American Jews are immoral, you heard it here on Peter Beinart's Substack.
Thanks Peter, we needed that
This is just so good. Thank you, Peter. 🙂
I appreciate it, thanks
More meaningful comments than I heard in synagogue on Rosh Hashanah. Excellent. Thank you.
High praise, thanks
Nothing to apologize for..As a teacher, you work to bring your own knowledge and understanding to listeners.
Your class today I found exceptional. Getting an understanding of the origin and principles of of the Jewish faith is, for me, very enlightening and eye opening.
Thank you very much. Really appreciate it
Excellent reminder that, if there is indeed one god, he hears all of us, 'belongs' to all of us.
Thanks
Thank you