RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: ECO-JUDAISM :DERECH ERETZ: ONE SIN LEADS TO ANOTHER

 

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: ECO-JUDAISM  :DERECH ERETZ: ONE SIN LEADS TO ANOTHER

 

Jewish Spiritual Renewal:

 Derek Eretz Zuta + Rabbah :

 

Shabbat 07/30/11

 

(aka Derech Eretz )

 

The JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL class list is hosted by Shamash: The Jewish Network a service of Hebrew College/Yeshiva

 

Shalom my dear Chaverim, Talmidim, v' Rabbanim, friends, students and fellow rabbis: An oneg, joy-filled, Shabbat, Sabbath, this coming weekend... and Shavuah Tov to you for a good and peaceful week.  

 

 

We continue with our exploration into the Talmudic Tractates of Derek Eretz Zuta and Rabbah. (aka Derech Eretz Zuta, aka Derech Eretz Rabbah. As was mentioned, zuta is Aramaic for 'small', and rabbah is 'large').

 

Remember that Derek Eretz is not about Jewish ritual. It is about how we are to treat one another and what traits of character, middot, we are to try to develop. The lessons are universal and ecumenical. The development of character traits and Jewish spiritual renewal transformation is called Mussar.

 

For those new to the class, Baruch ha Ba! Welcome! You can access last week's class  at    Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR EACH OTHER  OR http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2011/07/rabbi-arthur-segal-jewish-spiritual_3680.html

 

From here you will find links to preceding classes in this  series. So,  together we continue:

 

 

TALMUD BAVLI

 

TRACTATE DEREK

 

ERETZ ZUTA

 

(aka Derech Eretz)

 

Today we will begin CHAPTER 3 of Talmud Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta Verse  3:3

 

'' If you neglect one commandment, you will eventually be negligent of other commandments. The same is if have  overlooked the words of the Torah willingly. This will lead you to finally be overlooked, willingly or unwillingly. If you have taken away others' property, yours will be taken away.''

 

'' If you neglect one commandment, you will eventually be negligent of other commandments. The same is if have  overlooked the words of the Torah willingly. This will lead you to finally be overlooked, willingly or unwillingly.''   As discussed some years back in these series of classes, Torah means ''instruction.'' While the most common usage of Torah refers to the Five Books of Moses, many times when our rabbis use it they include the Talmud as well, called Oral Torah.

 

The sages teach us that one sin leads to another sin, while doing one mitzvah gives us the opportunity to doing another mitzvah. It is the slippery slope theory. If we ,for example, get used to telling little lies, we will be soon getting used to telling big lies.

 

"Once a person becomes accustomed to a certain transgression, it becomes permissible to him." [Talmud Bavli Tractate Sotah 22a]. Its very easy to develop bad habits, but very difficult to rid ourselves of them. 

 

So the first  and second sentences are about the ''do's'' and ''don'ts'' listed for us in the Torah and Talmud. These are laws taught by Moses and laws taught by rabbis expounding on Mosaic law. Putting aside ritual laws, as we are dealing with Derek Eretz, human to human behaviors, the advice we are concerned with are the laws governing social conduct.

 

When we arrogantly push aside these anthropomorphic codes, in the beginning we foolishly think we have gained. We may have gossiped about a person of whom we are jealous, and moved ourselves up some social or business ladder. But in the end, we will be known as a gossip and loose any friends or business we gained by our ill deeds. It is not God punishing us. It is we punishing ourselves with our defects of character.

 

By our ill behaviors, we put ourselves in positions to later on be hurt. We become our own jailors, putting ourselves in our own Mitzraim , our self made bondage in our own Egypt.

 

This is what the third sentence means when it teaches: ''This will lead you to finally be overlooked, willingly or unwillingly.''  Socially and spiritually we will be left to rot in the dungeons we have constructed by ignoring the sound advice of Moses and the Sages and these two tractates of Talmud.  They are Derek Eretz Zuta and Derek Eretz Rabbah. We make our own problems when we deal with other people shabbily.

 

Of course if we are thieves, liars, adulterers, etc., we may be overlooked for a while, but eventually we will be looked at thoroughly.

 

Our last sentence of our class today on Derek Eretz Zuta 3:3 is '' If you have taken away others' property, yours will be taken away.''  On a spiritual level, ANYthing we have will be taken away because as the adage goes, ''You can't take it with you,'' upon death.

On a practical level, let's face it, we know of many businessmen from 100 or so years ago in the USA who made fortunes on the backs of others, and whose grandchildren or children are today elected officials. But when we look at the lives of these folks, they are filled with tragedy. "Citizen Kane,'' a fictional but a ''ripped from the headlines'' movie, shows how the pursuit of wealth unethically leaves one miserable.

 

When we steal, that money will burn a hole in our pockets, for other money to fall through and be lost. This may happen soon or may happen years later, but it does happen.  We truly need to understand that we always get enough. We just somehow, if we are not spiritually connected, do not see this and can also squander what we do have.

 

Next week, Baruch ha Shem, we will continue with chapter three of  Derek Eretz Zuta .

 

We discuss the aspects of this verse ,especially about how we make a bondage of self, and how we can open up the gates and be free, throughout the majority of chapters in  The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew  as well as in most chapters of A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud  .

 

What are your ideas about living a life following the advice set out in Derek Eretz?  How has learning to respect others helped you in your interpersonal relationships? How has understanding the spiritual and ethical teachings of Judaism helped you live a more joyous life?

 

Next class, Baruch ha Shem, we will continue with Derek Eretz Zuta, Chapter Three. Thank you for joining me.

 

For those who want a d'var Torah on Parasha Masei from A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud 

 or http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/index.

html#Compendium2  please click on:    Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH RENEWAL :MATOT: MASEI: TORAH'S BORDERS OF ISRAEL OR  http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2011/07/rabbi-arthur-segal-jewish-renewal-matot.html

 

Shalom:

 

Rabbi Arthur Segal www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org
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Jewish Renewal www.jewishrenewal.info
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Maker of Shalom (Oseh Shalom) help make us deserving of Shalom beyond all human comprehension!

 

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