Friday, November 25, 2011

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: GOOD DEEDS DONE WITHOUT FANFARE

  
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: GOOD DEEDS DONE WITHOUT FAN FARE
   
 
Jewish  Spiritual  Renewal:
  
  Derek  Eretz Zuta + Rabbah:
  
 Shabbat  12/10/11 
 
 (aka  Derech  Eretz )
  
 
  
Shalom  my dear Chaverim, Talmidim, v' Rabbanim, friends, students and fellow rabbis: 
  
An oneg, joy-filled, Shabbat this coming weekend to all. And a early Happy Chanukah, Happy Holidays and a blessed Happy New Year. These wishes are being sent early as this will be our last class till Mid January 2012, as I will be officiating as Rabbi for Shabbatot  and Chanukah out of state and the USA. 
  
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.
  
  
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 complete  CHAPTER 5 of Talmud  Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta Verse  5:5.
 
''The beauty of the Law is wisdom; the beauty of wisdom is modesty; the beauty of modesty is the fear of Heaven; the beauty of the fear of Heaven is noble performance; the beauty of noble performance is secrecy (i.e., not publicly, for the purpose of being praised). ''
 
Today's verse is defining ''beauty'' as the ''beautiful result of.'' So the beautiful result that we wish to gain from studying Torah and Talmud is wisdom. Judaism makes distinction among wisdom, understanding, and knowledge...chochmah, binah and da'at.
 
Chochmah , conceptional wisdom, is acquiring  a simple formulation of certain facts. One can be taught that it is a mitzvah to love one's fellow. If asked if it is a mitzvah  to love one's fellow, he can be taught to say 'yes.'
 
When the individual can explain important corollaries to loving one's fellow, such as not gossiping, one has gained binah , understanding. So far these are both conceptual levels.
 
When we have the wisdom and the knowledge, still using the example of loving one's fellow, and we can go out an apply it in our daily lives, we have gained da'at, understanding.
 
Why Judaism distinguishes between these three levels is found in Kabbalistic understanding. When we understand spiritually that loving one's fellow is part of actual living in a happy, joyous and free way, so that it becomes as natural as breathing, we have combined wisdom and knowledge, into true understanding, da'at.
 
So studying Torah and Talmud as the basic level should yield us the wisdom of the Torah and Talmud. But at the wisdom level we can teach the ethical behavior of loving one's fellow, but until we truly we have da'at, we  can sadly allow ourselves to selfishly walk past someone needing aid.
 
Now with wisdom of Torah we can hopefully work into the da'at stage. And this level should lead us to begin to become modest and humble, as we truly begin the understanding in our very soul, trumping intellect, about how little we truly understand.
 
As we become modest and humble, we begin to have da'at, understanding, in  our souls, in our spiritual awakening, of Adon Olam. We develop true awe and love for God.
 
Because we love God, and His goodness , kindness, grace and mercy, we are able, without second thought, to live our lives doing mitzvoth, not just ritual, but especially those that are life changing and life affirming for others.
 
And our doing these mitzvoth, are done as privately as can be, without striving to get our names in synagogue bulletins. In fact, when we pray each day for our names to be like dust, we truly strive for this, and not the kavod, the honors, that others seek, as we know, we have the da'at, that all honor belongs to God. We are here on earth to be of maximum service to our fellows. We do not need thanks for performing good deeds, any more than we need applause for breathing. We understand that this is what life is. And it is 'beautiful.'
 
 
We discuss these middot, character traits, of wisdom, understanding,  knowledge, humility, modesty, love and awe of God, and mitzvoth done with altruism, throughout the majority of chapters in  ''The  Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern  Jew'' ' (http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/ )  as well as in most chapters of ''A  Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud''  
  
What are your ideas about  ''undertanding'' and becoming spiritually awakened?  How has learning Talmud's Derek Eretz 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, in mid January 2012, we will continue with Derek Eretz Zuta, Chapter SIX. Thank you for joining me.
 
For those who want a d'var Torah on Parasha Vayishlach from '''A  Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and  Talmud ''

 

 

Shabbat Shalom:

Rabbi Arthur Segal_

 www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org_ (http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org/ ) 

Jewish Renewal_ 

www.jewishrenewal.info(http://www.jewishrenewal.info/ ) 

Jewish Spiritual Renewal

Jewish Spirituality

Eco Judaism

Hilton Head Island, SC,  Bluffton, SC, Savannah,  GA

 

If visiting SC's Low Country, contact us for a Shabbat meal, in our home by the sea, our beth yam.

 

Maker  of Shalom (Oseh Shalom) help make us deserving of Shalom beyond all human  comprehension!

 
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Posted by Rabbi Arthur Segal at 1:59 PM