Tuesday, January 24, 2012

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS: INTERFAITH : PALMETTO BLUFF,SC

 
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS: INTERFAITH : PALMETTO BLUFF,SC
 
 
Jewish  Spiritual  Renewal:
  
  Derek  Eretz Zuta + Rabbah:
  
 Shabbat  2/04/12 
 
 (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.   
  
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: WHO IS HONORED?ONE WHO SHOWS HONOR
  
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 continue and complete CHAPTER 6 of Talmud  Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta Verse  6:3.   
 
6:3  "The first step to sin is in one's thoughts, the second is scorn, the third is haughtiness, the fourth is cruelty, the fifth is idleness, the sixth is causeless hatred, and the seventh is an evil eye; and these were meant by Solomon [Prov. xxvi. 25]: "For there are seven abominations in his heart."
 
This list of character defects makes an excellent check list when one reviews the day with a cheshbon (chesbon) ha nefesh katan. This is an inventory of our soul that we do before going to sleep to see if we are on the right track for spiritual  growth, and to see if there is any teshuvah, amends, owed. We discuss this in Chapter 11 on "Daily Spiritual Growth '' in ''The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation  for the Modern Jew.'' https://www.createspace.com/1000243192  
 
This verse 6:3 of Derek Eretz Zuta also provides a nice check list on our morning prayers of a list of defects we can humbly ask God to keep us from during our day.
 
Let us look at them one at a time.
 
 "Our thoughts": We have studied in previous classes about being God conscious through out the day, and to be mindful of our thoughts. We need to be focused and get rid of that Monkey Brain, where our thoughts are jumping wildly in our minds, and we cannot get  a hold of even one of them, to beat back into  rational thinking.
 
When a silly thought enters our head, let us say, 'so and so doesn't like me,' if we do not catch this thought right away, and substitute rational thoughts in its place, we soon will be thinking of ways to get even with ''so and so.'' Soon we will be doing bad behaviors, perhaps lashon ha ra, gossip, or worse.
 
The spiritual truth is that what someone thinks of us is none of our business. If we are living a spiritual life our only concern is to be right with God. We will not be doing anything to harm another. God forbid  if we did, we owe this person teshuvah. If teshuvah is made and the person still wants to hold a grudge, that becomes his chet, sin, and shows his or her spiritual deficiencies. Hence it is very important to be on top of our thoughts.
 
Next is scorn. When we scorn, we irrationally believe that someone is worthless, or despicable  and worthy of our disrespect. How we judge others, how we treat others, will eventually be how we are judged and treated. The Talmud teaches measure for measure. If some one rubs us the wrong way, the Talmud says we see in them something that reminds us of our own defects  to which we won't admit. We end up painting our own defects onto someone else and hating that person. Scorn is a symptom of spiritual illness and disconnection with the Divine. When we scorn, just like with silly thoughts, we are apt to harm someone, even if it seems as silly as black balling them from a club, or speaking motzi shem ra (making a bad name) about them.
 
Next is haughtiness. It is an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims. It is much more than arrogance. Its delusional. One's self esteem is so low, one's spiritual connection is so disconnected, that one cannot see the reality of all the good that God has granted him. One therefore makes up more than he is with lies. One eventually believes these lies which is why haughtiness is delusional.  One will lie and exaggerate  and do ''resume augmentation.'' We can see this when medics are home from military service and call themselves ''doctor,'' or when one with a masters of social work puts themselves on the same par as a PhD in psychology, on when a prayer leader of a rabbi-less synagogue begins to call himself rabbi.
 
Cruelty is our next defect of character leading us to sin. Cruelty can be described as indifference to suffering, and even positive pleasure in inflicting it. It is a from of  perversion. Sadism can also be related to this form of action or concept. One can write volumes on this and many have. No amount of Torah study, prayer, or Rabbinic nagging can correct the truly cruel. Only intense psychotherapy, with medicate and in-patient treatment, can keep a truly cruel person from harming another.
 
Our fifth defect is idleness. I have seen what happens first hand when retired folks, who used to be 'somebody,' have too much time on their hands. Synagogues, churches, organizations, and board rooms turn into wrestling arenas. It is not a pretty site. When we are idle our monkey brains start to dwell on our selves. Idleness is the yetzer ha ra's, the evil inclination's, petri dish. When we dwell on ourselves we become prisoners in a bondage of self. We are the jailors of our own Mitzraim , our own narrowness. This will lead to bad behaviors. The best cure for this is to actively help others, and do so anonymously. Let someone else be president of the local symphony board. You can set up the chairs for the concerts.
 
Next is causeless hatred...sinat chinam. The Talmud teaches us that sinat chinam was one the of the major causes of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 CE. The sages were not talking of Romans hating Jews. They were talking of Jews hating Jews for no reason. They were talking of cliques, of terrible lashon ha ra, or different groups hating one another, of rabbis disrespecting one another. Along with lashon ha ra, I believe , along with the sages, that sinat chinam, especially in many synagogues, keeps good potential Jews away, and allows bullies and those who have massive egos to cover their low self esteem, to run rampant. In the same way the Rabbis of the Talmud said the Shekinah, God's Holy Presence, did not exist in Ezra's Temple in Jerusalem, It does not dwell in many houses of worship. The Talmud teaches that God and an arrogant person, a hateful person, or a gossipy person, cannot abide in the same Universe. By kal va- chomar, an a fortiori deduction, God and these people cannot dwell in a synagogue together.
 
Lastly we have the character defect of those who have the evil eye, the ayin ha ra. This is not folk lore superstition in Judaism. In Pirkei Avot, Chapter 2,  Rabbi Eliezer says an evil eye is worse than a bad friend, a bad neighbor, or an evil heart. Judaism believes that a "good eye" designates an attitude of good will and kindness towards others. Someone who has this attitude in life will rejoice when his fellow man prospers; he will wish everyone well. An "evil eye" denotes the opposite attitude. A man with "an evil eye" will not only feel no joy but experience actual distress when others prosper, and will rejoice when others suffer. A person of this character represents a great danger to our moral purity.
 
Like some of the others above, having an evil eye, far worse than jealousy or coveting, shows a major disconnect with the Divine and one's fellows. It show that this person not only thinks that God does not help provide his basic needs, but actually wishes harm to one whom he thinks is doing better than he is. This definitely will lead to untoward actions. ''Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?''( Prov.27:4)
 
The rabbis end Chapter 6 of Talmud Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta by stating that the above seven character defects are what King Solomon was referring in his Proverbs 26:25. In fact they are called abominations. They are well beyond defects of character. In fact Solomon has defined the sociopath: ''Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.'' While we are to love all, there are some people from whom we need to stay far away. As the Talmud says: " Stay way from an evil neighbor."
 
We discuss these defects of character and avoiding getting involved with people who are beyond the pale with severe spiritual illness, 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  these seven ''abominations.'' Can you see how each one can be had in small quantities by any of us?  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, we will start with Derek Eretz Zuta, Chapter Seven. Thank you for joining me.
 
For those who want a d'var Torah on Parasha BeShalach   from '''A  Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and  Talmud'' please click on

 

 

Shabbat Shalom:

Rabbi Arthur Segal_

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Posted by Rabbi Arthur Segal at 5:55 PM