Thread by @JoshuaCypess

1/ Happy #MLKDay

My archives for Parshat Bo include notes for a sermon I gave in 2005 which was, in my words, "Erev Yom Ha-Melekh" (on the eve of King's Day)

Title: "Civil rights in Jewish thought and in Halakha"

2/ (I had only the outline for the sermon, sorry)

A.Halakhic underpinnings

1.Kavod ha-briyot [honoring humanity]
2.Ahavat ha-briyot [love of humanity]
3.Darkhei Shalom [ways of peace]
4.Kiddush Hashem = Tikkun Olam [ideological mission to be a "light unto the Nations"

3/ [I must have given an overview of these topics - a yearlong course, each, but in 3 min]

B.We help those who are oppressed because of our history of oppression

[This is the connection to the parsha. The Exodus carries a message that we can't perpetuate domination or cruelty]

4/ [Lastly, the underpinning of my identity as a frum-liberal]

C.Jews need to be on the right side of every moral debate because we are to symbolize righteousness

[The most important mitzvah in the Torah is Kiddush Hashem, honoring God by showing the Torah is a force for good]

5/ Kiddush Hashem - and it's dangerous & damning inverse, Chilul Hashem - override every single mitzvah.

You've heard that one's life must be preserved except for 3 major sins? That's specifically the law of Chilul Hashem.

sefaria.org/Yoma.86a?ven=W…

6/ So, while the above was only the outline, I really should expand on this thread later for each of these topics because this type of sermon is my main work as a social theorist & theologian: meta-halakha.

MH for me means laws that apply to & modify every one of the 613

7/ In fact, Darkhei Shalom - preserving the ways of Peace - was a class I gave to a big group when in New Haven with a mixed audience, including the sitting U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman.

So, all I'm saying is that I tried guys. I tried.

8/ Temporary cessation, BE"H more later

@threader_app please unroll.

@threader_app please compile.