Same. Right after chatzot on #TishaBAv
2/ I was about to daven mincha (at home, haven't gone to shul since Adar 16) & the eulogy started, so I sat there in my tallis & tefillin, along with my whole family to hear Pres. Obama
3/ Many thoughts ran through my head: the comparison of Rep. Lewis to Moshe Rabbeinu. Why was Moshe chosen? He was the most humble of all men. There's a strain in Chazal that wants to make him chosen by birth. That his heritage as a Ben Levi, Ben Amram, *made* him the leader
4/ I reject the whole notion of chosen by birth to lead that comes without the balance of punishment for relinquishing that role. It's biological essentialism and runs counter to justice. Yes, Jews are born 'chosen' but that means more responsibility AND more punishment for sin
5/ Some of our leaders weren't born to lead, they chose that path. Avraham & Sarah, Rivka, Rachel & Leah, Moshe, David & Avigayil. These leaders *elevated themselves*
The other leaders, born to an elevated status, were punished heavily when they failed, the price of choseness.
The other leaders, born to an elevated status, were punished heavily when they failed, the price of choseness.
6/ When Moshe fought for justice and was expelled under a death sentence, ran to the desert & kept fighting for strangers, saw the strange sight of violence without consequence - the burning bush - these were actions that made him leader.
His 'race' & humility were immaterial.
His 'race' & humility were immaterial.
7/ If birth were enough, then Datan & Aviram - sons of the firstborn tribe - should have been enough. If double elevation were enough, then Korach should have been king.
Moshe came from his being tested in a battle for justice, not because his father's job! This is so important!
Moshe came from his being tested in a battle for justice, not because his father's job! This is so important!
8/ Moshe's fighting in a battle, so to speak, to rise to royalty is part of a known trope. How else do non-royals become nobility in Western culture? From battle.
A 'commoner' rises to prominence b/c of glory in battle. Becomes captain, then general, then a Knight.
A 'commoner' rises to prominence b/c of glory in battle. Becomes captain, then general, then a Knight.
9/ This was David's path, in a way. A captain, but also a musician (part of me likes how QE2 made the Beatles knights as following the David path, heh)
But Moshe's elevation was as a warrior for justice. That's how an enlightened society makes heroes and 'nobility'
But Moshe's elevation was as a warrior for justice. That's how an enlightened society makes heroes and 'nobility'
10/ And that's the path of Rep. #JohnLewis. Like Moshe, he rose to prominence as a warrior for justice. This is a mythic path & a Biblical one
This is a Jewish path. There was much reference to Christian paths & I see the power in the message of dying so others will live better
This is a Jewish path. There was much reference to Christian paths & I see the power in the message of dying so others will live better
11/ Hearing Pres. Obama's hesped was a perfect way to spend #TishaBav. My family heard my teaching & preaching last night and this morning (one reason we've gotten through the quarantine is they have an in-home rabbi who can make a home shul) so Obama's messages fit right in
12/ I'll add a few more messages to this thread from what I was teaching about the day, about how we understand Kinot, and the destruction of the Temple coming from the sin of baseless hatred... so fitting during a pandemic & civil rights battle while a Golden Calf Pharaoh rules
14/ But because it's 'old mourning' (aveilut yeshana), our act must be tempered with the messages of a fast day, which is repentance. Even at funeral, we must bless "Dayan ha-Emet" (the True Judge) & it's extended version of "Tziduk ha-Din" & recog. our sin as cause for tragedy
15/ These themes intertwine: (1) description of all of our tragedy (2) crying out that God hasn't shown us justice & mercy (3) inability to find consolation (4) recognizing our sins caused punishment (5) yet demanding that our tormentors meet justice
16/ Part of #1, describing the horrors, is seen in the contrapositive, describing what we've lost. This is the theme of the Zionides (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zionides) where the glory of Israel is meant to evoke feelings of loss. This is akin to praising the deceased at a funeral
17/ The chief sin that led to the Second Temple's destruction is 'sinat chinam,' baseless hatred. This is as opposed to the 1st Temple which were the biggest sins of Idolatry, Arayot & Murder
The Big 3 can be seen as sins of ignorance while sinat chinam is a sin of education
The Big 3 can be seen as sins of ignorance while sinat chinam is a sin of education
18/ The Second Temple had the greatest scholars in our history, yet they couldn't prevent the destruction. Or maybe helped it be destroyed.
Personally, I believe the battles of Beit Shammai vs Beit Hillel must have been the root of 'sinat chinam'
Personally, I believe the battles of Beit Shammai vs Beit Hillel must have been the root of 'sinat chinam'
19/ Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai (Ribaz) is the end of the zugot in Pirkei Avot for a reason, IMHO. Before him? Hillel & Shammai.
Avot 2:8 states explicitly he was their sole successor.
sefaria.org/Pirkei_Avot.2.…
Avot 2:8 states explicitly he was their sole successor.
sefaria.org/Pirkei_Avot.2.…
20/ The zugot were considered two equal voices (a process that persisted through the end of Shas, see R'Eliezer v. R'Yehoshua to Rav/Shmuel to Rabbah/R'Yosef to Rava/Abayei to Rav Ashi/Ravina)
But Ribaz was alone. For a moment, the fight between B.Hillel & B.Shammai stopped
But Ribaz was alone. For a moment, the fight between B.Hillel & B.Shammai stopped
21/ The battle started up again w/ R'Yehoshua (as Hillel) and R'Eliezer (as an openly described 'Shamuti', Beit Shammai) and then imbued in their sole honored student Rebbe Akiva (much more Shammai-like than Hillel... which likely is what led to his support of rebellion & war)
22/ Rebbe Akiva's students, though, could have kept the battle of Batei Hillel & Shammi going, which is my theory as to why 24,000 died during the Omer because "they did not respect each other"
That's the sin of 'sinat chinam' It's the sin that keeps the Temple destroyed
That's the sin of 'sinat chinam' It's the sin that keeps the Temple destroyed
23/ Baseless Hatred, sinat chinam, is a sin of educated people who hate their cousins out of ideology. It's the sin of hatred from belief; that your ideas declares the other to be irretrievably wrong.
Ironically, it's a sin that persists because of our high level of Talmud Torah
Ironically, it's a sin that persists because of our high level of Talmud Torah
24/ Back to Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. Why does he have no counterpart but his 2 students, R'Yehoshua & R'Eliezer take up those clear roles?
The zugot were made up from a Nasi & Av Beit Din. After Hillel, the Nasi was permanently his descendant. It simulated David monarchy
The zugot were made up from a Nasi & Av Beit Din. After Hillel, the Nasi was permanently his descendant. It simulated David monarchy
25/ So Hillel was Nasi & then his son's after him were given that honor. Ribaz was the main survivor of the Destruction and he asks Vespasian in Gittin to spare the dynasty of Rabban Gamliel (the Nasi, a descendant of Hillel)
sefaria.org/Gittin.56b.5?l…
sefaria.org/Gittin.56b.5?l…
26/ Who is this Rabban Gamliel? It's clearly Gamliel II, known as Gamliel of Yavneh (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamaliel_…) who was the son of Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel, one of the 10 Martyrs (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Marty…)
His father was martyred in 52; Ribaz made his request in 70. Where was he?
His father was martyred in 52; Ribaz made his request in 70. Where was he?
27/ Ribaz took the leadership role we'd expect R'Gamliel to have taken, but it's the other way around. Ribaz saves R'G. So was R'G the potential opposite number of Ribaz, were they in the expected 'zug'?
Apparently, Ribaz was the Av Beit Din to R'G as Nasi.
Apparently, Ribaz was the Av Beit Din to R'G as Nasi.
28/ But there's another option based on the mysterious figure of Zekharya ben Avkolas. In the story of Kamtza/BarKamtza in TB Gittin 55-56, the rabbinic leader of the nation whose 'humility' leads to everything going wrong is a nearly unknown figure. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamsa_and…
29/ In the story, this man "Zekharya ben Avkolas" (or Zechariah b. Eucolus) appears to be a singular voice that nobody can contradict. Yet this towering figure isn't mentioned in Pirkei Avot?! Elisha b. Abuya, an apostate gets in but ZbA doesn't. It's beyond weird
30/ BTW, the only other place in Shas where ZbA is mentioned is TB Shabbat 143a where he's shown holding another cowardly type position. But that is it.
BTW, Urbach, "Sages" p595 mentions that ZbA is identified by Josephus as one of the destructive Zealots, which is fascinating!
BTW, Urbach, "Sages" p595 mentions that ZbA is identified by Josephus as one of the destructive Zealots, which is fascinating!
31/ ZbA isn't mentioned in the Iggeret of R'Sherira Gaon or in Rambam's Intro to the Talmud (as far as I can see). So who is he? It's just impossible for such a central figure to remain virtually unknown in Shas AND ignored by the religious historians
32/ But it is common for religious figures to be known by nicknames. e.g. R'Akiva is also the father of R'Yehoshua b. Karcha. Akiva = Karcha.
R'Meir is presumed to be a nickname. TB Eruv. 13b says he's poss. R'Nehorai or even Elazar b. Arach!
R'Meir is presumed to be a nickname. TB Eruv. 13b says he's poss. R'Nehorai or even Elazar b. Arach!
33/ I claim that Zekharya ben Avkolas is a nickname, a way to disguise this shameful figure who's given a pivotal role in the destruction of the temple.
Given that he's the singular voice that nobody can disagree with, that sounds like the Nasi, to me.
Given that he's the singular voice that nobody can disagree with, that sounds like the Nasi, to me.
34/ True, it's possible ZbA is Ribaz's predecessor as Av Beit Din, but it's more likely that ZbA is a pseudonym for the current Nasi. Which would mean it's Rabban Gamliel II, the person that R'Yochanan b. Zakkai specifically asked to save!
35/ This theory makes the story in Gittin so much more dramatic. That Ribaz requests the ineffectual Nasi - who caused the Churban! - to be rescued, and who's personality is revealed to be so arrogant that it leads to him being deposed!
36/ R'G's deposition is from his arrogance yet I'm claiming he's ZbA who's described as humble? You should get it now: that's not 'humility', it's a euphemism for arrogance. Because it clearly was.
Even read straight, ZbA had a special type of destructive humility.
Even read straight, ZbA had a special type of destructive humility.
37/ Acc. to commentaries, ZbA was so humble he thought he was the least of all scholars so he would speak first. But since he outranked everyone, he was supposed to speak last so nobody would contradict him.
Later, his humility led to an inability to make bold decisions.
Later, his humility led to an inability to make bold decisions.
38/ These are still common 'humble' traits. Rabbi David Seidenberg compares it to the acts of James Comey in 2016, and that really fits (see
blogs.timesofisrael.com/scoundrels-of-…)
I too know MANY rabbis who think they are very humble but act in dictatorial & selfish ways
blogs.timesofisrael.com/scoundrels-of-…)
I too know MANY rabbis who think they are very humble but act in dictatorial & selfish ways
39/ Their self-regard of being the most humble leads to very self-absorbed and unitary decision making. Literal thinking is very much part of those people I know
But I'm suggesting this other option; that ZbA was probably Rabban Gamliel 2, son of the martyred Rashbag 1
But I'm suggesting this other option; that ZbA was probably Rabban Gamliel 2, son of the martyred Rashbag 1
40/ The other option is ZbA was Rashbag 1 himself, Rav Shimon ben Gamliel, the martyr mentioned in the Ten Martyrs. This would hold if Rashbag 1 was killed during the siege of Jerusalem, but the stories suggest he was killed beforehand.
41/ Ultimately, I want to return to the point that Sinat Chinam, baseless hatred, is a sin borne from education. And it's the sin behind the destruction of Bayit Sheni and Beitar; as well as many of the destructions in the kinot, and a continued problem of today
42/ It's an ironic sin, because how could highly educated, very religious people be guilty of baseless hatred and STILL guilty, until this day.
The modern concept of Dunning-Kruger helps. These are people who don't think they're sinning and will not change their minds
The modern concept of Dunning-Kruger helps. These are people who don't think they're sinning and will not change their minds
43/ This is why I insist that a righteous person must have a system of error checking. You must have people who can tell you that you're wrong, and that you will LISTEN to that person.
Repentance only comes from admitting wrong-doing
Repentance only comes from admitting wrong-doing
44/ Right now, #TishaBav 5780, is mired in the sins of stubbornness. Of utterly baseless hatred. Is there any more hatred more baseless than racism? Race is a meaningless construct; it's entirely social & ideological & it means nothing in behavior. It's a definition made in hate
45/ How better to understand baseless hatred than seeing its opposite. #JohnLewis was a hero of rising above the hate. Yet around us is strife caused by white supremacy & violent racism. A plague exacerbated by ideology & anti-science. Death & slavery caused by baseless hate
@threadreaderapp Unroll, b'vakasha
