Jewish Action - Winter 2018 by Orthodox Union

Winter 5779/2018

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ORTHODOX UNION

Vol. 79, No. 2 â&#x20AC;¢ $5.50

Mining

Tanach

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Winter 2018/5779 | Vol. 79, No. 2

INSIDE FEATURES

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COVER STORY: Mining Tanach Introduction by Gil Student Queen of Questions: Nechama Leibowitz By Shira Leibowitz Schmidt

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The First and Last Time I Saw Nechama By Shira Leibowitz Schmidt Up Close with Rabbi David Fohrman By Dovid Bashevkin A New-Old Approach to the Study of Tanach: Meet Dr. Yael Ziegler, a leading figure in contemporary Modern Orthodox parshanut By Alex Maged The Case for a Traditional Approach in the Study of Tanach: Talking with Rabbi Nosson Scherman By Dovid Bashevkin Tanach for Our Generation: Rabbi Yaakov Ariel on Tanach study, translated into English for the first time Why Isn’t Tanach Studied More? By Eliyahu Krakowski The Limits of Interpretation By Netanel Wiederblank ART A Book Out of the Ashes Artist Yoram Raanan comes out with a new book after a devastating fire By Toby Klein Greenwald EDUCATION Frumonomics: Teaching frum kids to live financially responsible lives By Rachel Schwartzberg

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Money Management for Kids: Making Cents of It All By Bayla Sheva Brenner TRIBUTE A Most Obscure Best-Selling Author: Dr. Philip Birnbaum By David Olivestone HEALTH AND NUTRITION Foodie Nation: A Jewish Conversation on Mindful Eating By Naomi Ross

DEPARTMENTS

02 06 12 16

90 92 96 105 112

LETTERS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE You Need to Choose to Choose By Mark (Moishe) Bane

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FROM THE DESK OF ALLEN I. FAGIN Pray for our Government—and for the Freedom It Accords Us

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CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE By Gerald M. Schreck

JUST BETWEEN US A Day to Remember By Dovid Cohen THE CHEF’S TABLE Kidding Around in the Kitchen By Norene Gilletz INSIDE THE OU INSIDE PHILANTHROPY BOOKS The Rabbinate in Stormy Days: The Life and Teachings of Rabbi Yitzhak Isaac HaLevi Herzog, the First Chief Rabbi of Israel By Shaul Mayzlish Reviewed by Baruch and Judy Sterman Bewilderments: Reflections on the Book of Numbers By Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg Reviewed by Sarah Rindner LASTING IMPRESSIONS Our “You People” Community By R. Rosenfeld Cover: Rachel Olson

Jewish Action is published by the Orthodox Union • 11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004 212.563.4000. Printed Quarterly—Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, plus Special Passover guide. ISSN No. 0447-7049. Subscription: $16.00 per year; Canadian, $20.00; Overseas, $60.00. Periodical's postage paid at New York, NY, and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Jewish Action, 11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004.

Jewish Action seeks to provide a forum for a diversity of legitimate opinions within the spectrum of Orthodox Judaism. Therefore, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the policy or opinion of the Orthodox Union.

Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

LETTERS

NOT ENOUGH TIME OR ENERGY THE MAGAZINE OF THE ORTHODOX UNION jewishaction.com

Editor in Chief

Nechama Carmel carmeln@ou.org

Assistant Editor

Sara Olson

Literary Editor Emeritus

Matis Greenblatt Book Editor

Rabbi Gil Student Contributing Editors

Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein • Dr. Judith Bleich Rabbi Emanuel Feldman • Rabbi Hillel Goldberg Rabbi Sol Roth • Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter Rabbi Berel Wein Editorial Committee

Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin • Rabbi Binyamin Ehrenkranz Ehrenkranz Rabbi Avrohom RabbiGordimer Avrohom •Gordimer David Olivestone • David Olivestone • Gerald M. Schreck Dr. Rosalyn Gerald Sherman M. Schreck • Rebbetzin • RabbiDr. GilAdina Student Shmidman Rabbi Gil Student Rabbi Dr.• Tzvi Rabbi Hersh Dr. Tzvi Weinreb Hersh Weinreb Design Design 14Minds

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ORTHODOX President UNION Mark (Moishe) Bane

I very much enjoyed reading the summer 2018 edition, especially Allen Fagin’s essay entitled “Do We Have the Time and Energy to Lead a Torah Life?” Certainly, as he points out, there is no simple solution. At the same time, however, I believe that for many Orthodox Jews, there is something that can be done to drastically improve their quality of life: move to a smaller city that possesses the necessities for an Orthodox lifestyle. For example, Mr. Fagin describes how many people have “daily commutes of over an hour each way.” In Memphis, Tennessee, where I live, this would be unfathomable. Here, most members of the Orthodox community have commutes of only five to ten minutes. Even twenty minutes is considered unbearable! This difference alone results in significantly more time for family and friends, volunteering for the community, attending minyan and shiurim and leading a more relaxed, enjoyable life. There is also a significant financial disparity. Mr. Fagin correctly states that “it’s painfully expensive to lead an Orthodox lifestyle.” While this is true to some degree in any community, in a smaller city, the overall cost of living is significantly lower. In Tennessee, for example, there is no city or state income tax. In addition, the costs of real estate and property taxes are profoundly lower than in the larger urban areas.

President

Chairman Mark (Moishe) of the Bane Board Howard Tzvi Friedman

Chairman of the Board Vice Howard Chairman Tzvi Friedman of the Board

Mordecai D. Katz

Vice Chairman of the Board Chairman, Mordecai BoardD. Katz of Governors

Henry I. Rothman

Chairman, Board of Governors Vice Chairman, Board Henry I. Rothman of Governors

Gerald M. Schreck

Vice Chairman, Board of Governors Executive Vice President/Chief Gerald M. Schreck Professional Officer

Allen I. Fagin

Executive Vice President/Chief Professional Officer Chief Institutional Allen Advancement I. Fagin Officer

Arnold Gerson

Chief Institutional Advancement Officer Senior Arnold Managing Gerson Director

Rabbi Steven Weil

Senior Managing Director Executive Rabbi Vice Steven President, Weil Emeritus

Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb

Executive Vice President, Emeritus Chief Financial RabbiOfficer/Chief Dr. Tzvi Hersh Administrative Weinreb Officer

Shlomo Schwartz

Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer Chief Human ShlomoResources SchwartzOfficer

Rabbi Lenny Bessler

Chief Human Resources Officer Chief Rabbi Information Lenny Bessler Officer

Samuel Davidovics

Chief Information Officer Chief Samuel Innovation Davidovics Officer

Rabbi Dave Felsenthal

Chief Innovation Officer Director of Rabbi Marketing Dave and Felsenthal Communications

Gary Magder

Director of Marketing and Communications Jewish Action Gary Magder Committee

Gerald M. Schreck, Chairman Committee Joel M. Jewish Action Schreiber, Chairman Emeritus Gerald M. Schreck, Chairman Joel M. Schreiber, Chairman Emeritus

© Copyright 2018 by the Orthodox Union Eleven Broadway, New York, NY 10004 ©Telephone Copyright212.563.4000 2018 by the Orthodox Union • www.ou.org Eleven Broadway, New York, NY 10004 Telephone 212.563.4000 • www.ou.org Twitter: @Jewish_ActionFacebook: Facebook: JewishAction Twitter: @Jewish_Action JewishAction

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

Joel Siegel Memphis, Tennessee VISITING THE MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE Sara Rindner insightfully captured what the Torah-observant visitor should expect—and should not expect—at the Museum of the Bible (“Whose Museum of the Bible Is It?”, summer 2018). Rindner was impressed by the sensitivity to Jews that was shown by the museum’s designers. More went into that sensitivity than her review gives away. The designers were not only solicitous of Jewish reactions, but they went out of their way to seek Orthodox Jewish voices for their international advisory board. (I was one of several who served.) As committed evangelical Christians with an oversize regard for the importance of the Bible, they have a special affinity for Jews who take it seriously, even though they understand how thoroughly we disagree about key theological points. They keenly listened to our suggestions in several areas, and acted upon them. This affinity helps us overcome some of the suspicions we could legitimately have about an enormous project pitching the Bible. We immediately think of some insidious, covert plan to win converts. While they certainly would not mind, that was not their intention in building this museum. Rather, they understood that much of contemporary culture seeks to drive God and God-consciousness out of public places and to minimize the importance of the Bible as a foundation of Western civilization. They know that Christians and Diaspora Jews—at least the Orthodox ones—are looking at a rough ride ahead as religion continues to be denigrated, and they wanted to do something to remind Americans and

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Being a Jew requires the continual development of the heart, mind and soul. others that the positive influence of the Bible upon civilization cannot be ignored or minimized. As Rindner correctly observes, that reminder is a powerful antidote to the growing claim that Jews had no stake in the Holy Land until after the Holocaust. As we learn in the first Rashi in Chumash, the claim of legitimacy for the State of Israel in the eyes of tens of millions of Christians around the world rests upon the veracity of the Hebrew Bible as the Word of God. The Museum of the Bible will promote that veracity for decades to come.

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Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein Jerusalem, Israel CHOOSING JUDAISM I’m writing in response to your article “Jews By Choice” by Barbara Bensoussan (fall 2018). Three years ago, I served as a city leader on a Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project trip to Israel. Several of the women on the trip were Reform and Conservative converts. I was the first frum convert they had ever met. They were amazed that anyone would convert to Orthodox Judaism. They asked me questions about my religious observance, as well as ways to increase their own. One woman remarked that she finally felt “comfortable with an observant woman.” When another city leader realized there was a giyoret serving in the same role, she felt the need to be the arbiter of my Jewishness. She grilled me about my personal observance. “Do you keep kosher?”, “Do you keep Shabbat?”, “Do you know how to daven?” I had enough when she asked me if I missed Xmas and whether I still celebrated it “in private.” At that point, I walked away to be with Israeli friends who call me “Diana haIndianit” because of my Native American-Jewish heritage. Fortunately, they had no problems with my Jewishness. I don’t mind when a rav asks me questions, but like every convert I know, we get tired of others who feel they must look for that “crack” in our Jewishness— trying to find something to “invalidate” us. I volunteer to mentor women who are in the process of conversion, and it is not uncommon to deal with the unkind and often cruel words of people who just “want them to know what they are getting into” or who feel the need to determine “if they are really serious.” Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

It is difficult to convert to Judaism. It should be. I was in second grade when I decided I wanted to be Jewish. I read every book on Judaism I could get my hands on. When I converted at the age of twenty, I had studied for years. I spent this past summer learning in a seminary in Israel. Being a Jew requires the continual development of the heart, mind and soul. My family hasn’t spoken to me in decades, and my husband’s family, who embraced the intermarriage of his siblings, resents his return to religion and “that woman.” We were ridiculed as we chose to spend our money paying for yeshivah tuitions rather than exotic vacations. I am often told by people born into the faith that it’s good they were born as Jews because they wouldn’t have the koach to convert. I hope that isn’t true. For me, becoming a Jewish woman remains the best decision I have ever made. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Diana Emuna Rubin Richmond, Virginia Your most recent edition featured an article entitled “Jews by Choice,” which led me, a liberal Jewish woman, to write. How do observant Jews deal with the Jews who are Conservative and Reform and vice versa? We are not “Jews by choice”; we have been raised Jewish and are very devoted to the Shabbat and the other holidays and raise our children to do the same. While we are pretty much united in supporting the State of Israel and combating anti-Semitism, I have seen some observant Jews treat Reform Jews as pariahs and some Reform Jews treat their observant brethren the same way. My oldest son became observant while in graduate school and he married a ba’alat teshuvah; together, they are raising two gorgeous children in an Orthodox home. As a result, I have learned a great deal about halachah and its importance to their Jewish life. My concern and that of my grandchildren’s other grandmother is that these young children are being raised in a very closed community where there is no recognition of other branches of Judaism. When they get older, we are worried that they will reject us; they have already begun to ask one of the grandmothers, “Are you Jewish? Why are you wearing pants?” I follow all their practices when I am at their home. If I spend Shabbat with them, I do not drive or use my phone or any electrical devices; I enjoy the peace of Shabbat. Any constructive suggestions you can offer would be helpful. A Jewish Grandmother Editor’s Note: We asked Rabbi Menachem Schrader, founding director of the OU’s campus program, the Heshe and Harriet Seif Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (OU-JLIC), to respond. Rabbi Schrader has many decades of experience counseling young people going through religious transitions and their families. 4

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

It is fair to assume that it was the strong Jewish upbringing your son had that resulted in his seeking out an even more elaborate and obligating Jewish life experience. You have a great deal to be proud of. The strong connection you express regarding Shabbat and holidays bears this out. All born Jews and halachically converted Jews are equally Jewish, regardless of the extent of their observance. God forbids us to regard Jews who do not identify as Orthodox as enemies or as threats in any way. At almost all Orthodox weddings and bar mitzvah celebrations there are relatives and friends who are not Orthodox who are invited as fellow Jews to celebrate together this Jewish milestone. Orthodox Judaism and Orthodox Jews are not under siege. We are proud of our observance, are welcoming to all those who would like to join us in this commitment, and respect the choice of those who do not. Children ask questions, and they deserve responses. You and your son should together discuss what answer your grandchild should receive. You may want to first discuss the response with a rabbi both you and your son respect, or it may not be necessary. Regardless, the respect you show your son and his family by observing halachah when you stay at their home will certainly fortify the strong sense of Jewish identity you have successfully fostered in your family.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! To send a letter to Jewish Action, send an e-mail to ja@ou.org. Letters to the editor should include author’s full name and home address. We generally do not consider anonymous letters. Please note that letters may edited for clarity.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

YOU NEED TO CHOOSE TO CHOOSE By Mark (Moishe) Bane

Life is about making choices. Most commonly, it is about choosing between right and wrong, attentiveness and carelessness, commitment and indifference. Our decisions frame and impact both who we are and our relationship with the Almighty. They matter. The leadership of the Orthodox Union is presented with a constant flow of choices. Decisions, both large and small, are made on a daily basis. While participating in many of these decisions, I began to notice that they actually fall into a variety of categories, often requiring different attitudes and decision-making processes. Though the categories are self-evident, thoughtfully assigning each decision to its appropriate box makes it easier to consider the best approach. Mark (Moishe) Bane is president of the OU and a senior partner and chairman of the Business Restructuring Department at the international law firm, Ropes & Gray LLP.

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

Impacting Others: Choices often appear to be personal but actually impact others equally, if not more. The challenge is then not only making the core decision but also determining the extent to which we consider others. In fact, our degree of concern for others in making such personal choices may be the more significant test of our character. Sometimes we must make decisions on others’ behalf, whether for our family, colleagues, employees or community members. When making choices that only affect ourselves, we have the latitude and entitlement to forgo our rights, defer our interests, and forgive insult or disrespect. Making decisions on behalf of others not only demands more thought but also requires consideration of how much latitude we have to forfeit the rights, defer the interests or tolerate the indignity of others. Judgment Calls: Many decisions are not a choice between wrong and right, but rather an exercise in judgment—we have an objective but are uncertain how best to achieve it. In our personal lives, serious judgment calls include choosing which job offer to accept or which neighborhood to live in. At the Orthodox Union, judgment calls dominate decisionmaking, such as which approach to outreach is likely to be most effective for a particular cohort, which of various communal program proposals will be most impactful, or which style and voice of Torah teachings will be most well-received. Throughout OU history, many delicate judgment calls

were made that dictated the legendary success of NCSY and OU Kosher. For example, judgments included assessing whether non-observant Jewish teenagers would engage in a youth movement that resisted compromising halachah and that was unwavering in teaching authentic, traditional Torah principles. Similarly, OU leadership considered whether the broader American food industry would appreciate the value proposition of adopting kosher supervision, and whether the kosher consumer would recognize the reliability and benefits of a national kosher symbol. Weighty judgments are frequently close calls, with strong arguments going either way. Moreover, the outcomes are affected by so many external factors that the results may not be a fair measure of the wisdom of the decision. Nevertheless, though any single decision may not reflect the quality of an individual’s judgment, patterns emerge over time, similar to professional baseball where any team can win a single game, but over the course of a season the strongest teams win most often. Whether a judgment call is addressed appropriately is also dictated by two further aspects: the degree of effort expended and the extent to which subjectivity is mitigated. Making a judgment is thus also an exercise in choices, since a decision must also be made regarding how to address these obligations. Subjectivity: Every individual is a bundle of personal interests and biases that should be shed prior to

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making communal decisions. Integrity certainly compels those with financial or familial interests impacted by a communal decision to recuse themselves, but other subtler aspects also come into play. Subjectivity may be a reluctance to disagree with others whom we rely upon for support on unrelated issues, or with whom we have outside relationships. Subjectivity in communal decisions is often overlooked, since it is challenging to remember that when acting in a communal capacity it is inappropriate to indulge in granting favors or act upon particular sympathies in ways that would be fully appropriate when making personal life choices. Though perhaps too difficult to fully eliminate, subjectivity can be mitigated. The first and most crucial step is simply acknowledging it. I have occasionally been disappointed when individuals of integrity deny their own obvious subjectivity. One manner of checking subjectivity is seeking input from others. Just as we seek counsel from wise and informed individuals to ensure that we are aware of the applicable halachah and Torah values, we should do the same to assess whether our judgment is being unduly influenced by personal interests or biases. Time and effort: When making decisions, especially for the community, our duty is to invest the time and effort appropriate to the particular seriousness and complexity of the situation. In my legal practice I have been privileged to represent extraordinarily astute and successful investors in distressed companies. I have occasionally commented at Jewish communal meetings that my clients spend countless hours researching, studying and debating the benefits and risks of potential investments. And their decisions primarily concern money. Should not community activists, who are entrusted with making decisions that impact the Jewish community and that may affect the Jewish community’s relationship with God, expend the same degree of time and effort, if not much more? 8

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

Certain individuals tend to be uniformly aggressive and forceful when negotiating personal business transactions or when dealing with their employees but are overly accommodating and eager to compromise when communal values and resources are at play. Consultation: Finally, a communal leader contemplating significant judgment decisions should test whether others reach the same conclusions. Sometimes others disagree because they are committed to different values or goals. But if others who share similar values and goals unanimously find the particular judgment flawed, the community leader may be well served to rethink the judgment. There is a fine line between being a courageous leader who is oblivious to outside pressure and being one who is simply out of touch or even delusional. When the prevailing uniform view is that the leader’s judgment is flawed, it may be time for him to be less courageous. Identifying Right and Wrong: Often our choice is not whether to do right or wrong in the eyes of God, but to first determine which alternative is right and which is wrong. In other words, although certain aspects of Orthodox Judaism are governed by “absolutes,” many areas are not, particularly public policy choices confronting murky facts or uncharted territory, such as addressing religious challenges imposed by technology or new social norms. Seeking guidance from experts in the applicable field, and in the relevant areas of halachah or Torah values, is important, but is often not enough to fully resolve the dilemma. Word choice occasionally influences our perspective of right and wrong.

For example, do we describe one who is being accommodating as being “admirably tolerant” or “hopelessly naïve?” Do we refer to one standing his ground as “obstinate” or “courageously principled?” Moreover, sometimes traits typically viewed as admirable are not as commendable when employed to make momentous public policy decisions. For example, while we typically strive to be accepting, tolerant and loving, these very traits may be wholly inappropriate and harmful under certain circumstances. Employing these traits inappropriately could result in our compromising communal interests and values when we have no right to do so. Similarly, though we are taught to control our anger, stubbornness and suspicious natures, these very traits may occasionally be justified, if not mandated, when employed for the purpose of protecting the welfare of a community or the authenticity of Torah life. Ironically, certain individuals tend to be uniformly aggressive and forceful when negotiating personal business transactions or when dealing with their employees but are overly accommodating and eager to compromise when communal values and resources are at play. Values Triage: For me, the most daunting decision-making challenge, particularly with regard to determining

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public policy, is when I am forced to choose between pursuing one of two or more equally good options or between avoiding one of two or more equally bad options. These predicaments usually present in one of two fashions—being compelled to allocate resources or accommodate the interests of competing individuals or groups; or being forced to prioritize among competing Torah values. Just as the fairest-minded parents will occasionally have no alternative but to accommodate or favor one child over another within a family, community leaders at times need to favor the interests of one group within a constituency. Choices often require prioritizing the accommodations offered to different cultures and styles, varying degrees of communal religious stringencies, or multiple levels of intellectual sophistication and education. North American Orthodox Jews have varying degrees of religious background and education and belong to families that arrived on these shores from myriad different countries and cultures. Community leadership usually aspires to accommodate these disparate needs and comfort levels. In many instances, however, choices must be made that inevitably favor one group over another. Often, limited resources force choices among different important community priorities. How do we allocate limited resources when choosing between addressing urgent chesed needs and the Torah education of our children? How do we choose between addressing the pressing needs of a large, established Orthodox community or the more acute needs of a relatively tiny community? How do we allocate resources between (i) outreach to the unaffiliated (ii) elevating the religious commitment and inspiration of observant Jews who are lacking passion and (iii) intensifying the deep commitment and skills of the potentially future religious leaders of the community? In other instances, non-resource allocation policy choices will be compelled by competing Torah values. The most common of these tensions, 10

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

arising in our personal lives and even more noticeably in communal choices, is a tension between emes (truth) and shalom (peace). While which view or position constitutes emes can be the fodder of endless debate, individuals and communities adopt principled positions as truth, at least for themselves. In the same vein, it is debatable whether shalom means peace and tranquility or mutual respect. But it is evident that open hostility and resentment do not constitute shalom. Both emes and shalom are cornerstone Torah values and each one is intrinsic to our relationship to and understanding of God. In most instances, these values complement each other, and in Biblical verses they are occasionally referenced jointly. But they sometimes conflict, in which case, choices must be made. For example, in one’s personal life, for the sake of shalom one would never admit that the expensive, non-refundable suit makes one’s spouse look fat or that one’s sister’s dinner party was a disaster. More troubling is grappling with whether family harmony justifies dancing at and celebrating Cousin Benny’s intermarriage or attending Aunt Judy’s Thanksgiving dinner, notwithstanding her suspect kosher standards. On a communal level, tensions between emes and shalom regularly arise, albeit far more visibly. Orthodox community segments commonly struggle with the degree of accommodation they should afford to others’ approach to Torah values and halachah. Every community faction views certain other community segments as being far too right and dogmatic and certain community factions as being far too left and progressive. By the very nature of Orthodoxy, each and every Orthodox community has lines that cannot be crossed and is thus faced with choices regarding the degree of tolerance and accommodation that should be extended to those to their right or left. Community decision-makers confronting these choices face unique difficulties. Many suffer immense discomfort with confrontation,

which leads them to invoke shalom to justify accommodations that they would criticize if introduced by others. Others, who refuse to give an inch in their personal, rather adversarial business dealings, urge compromise when it comes to religious principles—for the sake of peace. On the other extreme, the invocation of emes is used to justify religious confrontation that could actually be avoided without compromising principles. For some, evidencing and expressing religious superiority is intrinsic to the religious experience; thus, breaches in shalom are not only tolerated but actually celebrated. Whether in our personal, professional or communal roles, we are each decision-makers. Indeed, at the core of religious belief is the notion that we can choose. Moreover, we understand that ultimately we are responsible for our choices and their ramifications. “Uvacharta ba’chaim—And you shall choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19) is not merely an instruction, but a revelation of remarkable mortal power, and consequently, enormous responsibility. We can embrace making choices, or we can allow our personality, experiences and environment (complemented by a good measure of inertia) to predetermine our choices. Clearly, choosing to choose, and investing the proper thought and energy into the choices we make, is a threshold step to being a Torah Jew. Though our power of choice is clear, we should not forget that ultimately it is the Almighty who controls the world, and we must look to Him for support and help in our choices and our decision-making processes. When confronting a decision of importance, in addition to exercising effort and ensuring objectivity, praying to Hashem for wisdom and insight is essential.

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FROM THE DESK OF ALLEN I. FAGIN

PRAY FOR OUR GOVERNMENT— AND FOR THE FREEDOM IT ACCORDS US

ew possessions made it over the trans-Atlantic journey of my maternal grandparents, Samuel and Rachel Ehrlich, from Europe to America, but among the most cherished heirlooms salvaged from that time are my grandfather’s machzorim, printed in 1870 in Warsaw. Every Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, I make it a point to daven Unetaneh Tokef from my zaide’s machzor. As I turn the yellowed, tear-stained pages, grown stiff with age, I am transported to a pre-Holocaust world, a world that vanished but that, in many respects, has re-emerged and flourishes in America. One of the most fascinating pages of the machzor is the “Tefillah B’ad Shelom Hakeisar—the Prayer for the Welfare of the Tsar,” a text that offers deep insight into the atmosphere of the time. The prayer describes the Russian monarch (Poland was then Allen I. Fagin is executive vice president of the OU.

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

under the rule of the Russian Empire) as “Our master, the tsar, the great, the righteous, the upright,” and then goes on to offer blessings to Tsar Aleksandr Nikolayevich (Aleksandr II); his wife, Tsaritsa Maria Aleksandrovna; their son and heir to the throne, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich (Aleksandr III); his wife, Maria Fyodorovna; and various other members of the royal family. This tefillah is especially astounding given that historically the Russian tsar was no friend of the Jewish people. Yet for centuries, despite the burden of an oppressive and anti-Semitic government, Jews throughout the Russian Empire prayed for the tsar’s well-being. That Jews offered prayers for the well-being of their rulers throughout the Diaspora dates back for millennia. Rabbi Chanina Segan HaKohanim stated (Avot 3:2): “Pray for the welfare of the government, for if not for the fear of it, people would devour their friends alive.” A world without a strong governing body is a world in which chaos and anarchy reign, and Rabbi Chanina, appreciating the important role of government in our social order, encouraged us to pray for the success of our rulers. In fact, Rabbi Chanina was echoing the voice of the Prophet Yirmiyahu who taught (29:7): “Seek the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you, and pray to God on its behalf; for with its peace, you will have peace.” This idea is repeated in the Talmud (Avodah Zarah 4a):

Just as in the case of fish of the sea, where any fish that is bigger than another swallows the other, in the case of people, were it not for the fear of the ruling government, anyone who is bigger than another would swallow the other. And this is as we learned in a mishnah, that Rabbi Chanina Segan HaKohanim says: “Pray for the welfare of the government, for if not for the fear of it, people would devour their friends alive.” The author of the work Seder Hayom, Rabbi Moshe ben Yehuda ibn Mechiri (sixteenth century), goes so far as to consider it a mitzvat asei midivrei kabbalah (a positive commandment from the Prophets) to pray for the welfare of the king, basing it on the verse in Yirmiyahu. But unlike many other Jewish prayers that were canonized at an early date, the prayer for the sovereign was at first recited in many different forms. The earliest recorded prayer for a monarch can be found in the town records of Worms from the year 1096.1 That prayer was recited in the style of a Mi Shebeirach that we are familiar with. A similar prayer can be found in a siddur from Spain printed around the year 1300.2 In the Sefer Avudraham (fourteenth century), we find that “the custom is to bless the king and to pray to God to help him and empower him over his enemies.” However, the exact wording of the prayer is not mentioned. At the end of the fifteenth century, siddurim begin to appear containing

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ABUSED

Text of “Prayer for the Welfare of the Tsar” from an 1870 machzor printed in Warsaw. The prayer offers blessings to Tsar Alexsandr II and to each member of the royal family, specifying each member by name. Photo: Josh Weinberg

a formalized prayer for the welfare of the reigning monarch.3 That tefillah begins with the phrase: “Hanoten teshuah lamelachim u’memshalah lanesichim—He Who gives victory to kings and dominion to nobles.” It is a beautiful, poetic prayer, drawing heavily on verses and metaphors from Tanach. While we do not know who composed this prayer, or exactly when it was composed, a short time after its initial appearance it became popular across the European continent. One can find this prayer, with little variation, in prayer books and machzorim from across Europe and beyond: from Spain, Poland, Germany, Italy and elsewhere—even from Yemen. A siddur from Venice in 1622 (with a Spanish translation) includes the prayer of Hanoten Teshuah with the following instruction: “Agora dira el kazan esta bedicio que es por la conservacion del estado Real—now the cantor will recite this blessing, which is for the preservation of the government.”4 Rabbi Menashe Ben Israel, who famously lobbied in the seventeenth century for the return of Jews to England following their expulsion, cites the prayer Hanoten Teshuah in his work The Humble Addresses to His Highness the Lord Protector, dated 1655.5 For the most part, the prayer was printed with the name of the contemporary monarch and his family, and unlike the rest of the siddur which did not receive many updates, this prayer changed over time as monarchs shifted, creating a fascinating historical curiosity for collectors of old siddurim. Hanoten Teshuah is still recited in most congregations in Europe, though it is not as common in the US. In Israel, the general custom is to recite instead the Tefillah L’Shelom HaMedinah, composed by the former chief rabbis of Israel, Rabbi Isaac HaLevi Herzog and Rabbi Ben Zion Chai Uziel, in 1948. Ever since the Jewish nation was dispersed in galut, we have found ourselves under the sovereignty of countless rulers and assorted forms of government, often despotic kings and evil sultans, wicked emperors and vicious dictators. Nevertheless, Yirmiyahu HaNavi and Rabbi Chanina remind us that the success and well-being of the

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Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

ruler under whose authority we find ourselves can only benefit us, and that we should therefore pray for their welfare. And for hundreds of years, Hanoten Teshuah was the prayer recited to express our supplication to God that He protect our temporal rulers and allow the Jewish people to experience favorable, enlightened treatment under their rule. Such was the case regardless of how fond the Jews were of the particular monarch, and regardless of his or her treatment of the Jews. In fact, according to one scholar, it is possible that the prayer of Hanoten Teshuah was originally composed for King Ferdinand II of Aragon, who later expelled the Jews from his empire in 1492.6 The Chatam Sofer, in his responsa (vol. V, Hashmatot, no. 190), extols the virtues of praying for and honoring a king, and notes that God commanded Moshe Rabbeinu to show honor even to Pharaoh (see Rashi to Shemot 11:8), despite his being a despotic ruler who cruelly tortured the Jewish people. As I turn the pages of my grandfather’s machzor, I often marvel at how different my experience as a Diaspora Jew is compared to that of my zaide. The blessings of freedom surround us—the freedom to practice our religion as we choose; to educate our children without interference or imposition; to express our viewpoints openly and to participate actively in the civic process. Over the past few years, I have been honored to be a guest at the White House and the State Department on various visits representing the Orthodox Union. It is, I believe, a profound blessing from Hakadosh Baruch Hu that Jewish Americans—indeed, demonstrably Orthodox Jewish Americans—are warmly welcomed in the halls of government. That I can sit with the President of the United States, proudly wearing a yarmulke and speaking my mind freely on issues of national concern, is no longer a novelty but an American fact of life. How blessed we are to live in this country, and particularly in these times. Last year I attended the White House’s Yom Ha’atzmaut reception, 14

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hosted by Vice President Mike Pence. While the White House has long acknowledged Jewish holidays and hosted Chanukah parties and Pesach Seders, recognizing Israel’s Independence Day is a whole new level of outreach to our community. Never since Israel’s founding in 1948 has the American government marked the country’s independence with such a celebration. Honoring Israel’s independence not only represents our government’s recognition of the centrality of Israel to the Jewish people, it also emphasizes America’s unique bond with Israel. What other country has its Independence Day recognized at a White House ceremony? Vice President Pence’s remarks on that occasion were especially moving. “Thank you for being here today at the White House to celebrate this day, the anniversary of a moment that will be remembered for eternity,” he began. “You’re all here, all of you, regardless of your home, your creed, because on this day, the fifth day in the month of Iyar in the Hebrew calendar in 1948, nothing short of a miracle occurred. “On that day, in the ancient and eternal homeland of the Jewish people, the State of Israel was reborn. On that day, the Jewish people’s twothousand-year exile, the longest exile of any people anywhere, ended. “Israel is an eternal testament to the undying fortitude of the Jewish people, to the unfathomable power of human freedom, and to the unending faithfulness of God. Indeed, though Israel was built by human hands, it’s impossible not to sense that just beneath their history lies the hand of Heaven.” How incredible to hear these words from the mouth of the Vice President of the United States. We have so much to be grateful for from this administration: the move of the United States embassy to Jerusalem, despite enormous international pressure to again defer doing so, an act of extraordinary courage and an historic display of American support for Israel; the decision to stop the flow of US funds to UNRWA; the cutback of funding to the PA and the

passage of the Taylor Force Act; the re-imposition of onerous economic sanctions on Iran in an effort to limit their incitement of, and support for, terrorist activity across the Middle East; and unwavering American support for Israel in the United Nations and around the world. It is not surprising that Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer stated recently that under the Trump administration, the US government has been the most supportive of Israel since the administration of Harry Truman. And yet, many in our community, myself included, cringed at the President’s comments in the wake of the Charlottesville demonstrations, appearing to give tacit approval to white nationalist sentiment. And surely many of the President’s remarks—often ad hominem, crude and misogynistic at best—must be anathema to anyone whose Torah values define them. And hence we turn to prayer as we have for millennia—prayer for the well-being of our government and our elected officials; prayer that the benevolence of our government continue, and that it provide the Jewish people, and Israel, with safety and security. And prayer that our leaders be given Divine blessing to carry out their duties with inspired wisdom and good judgment as well as with decency, humanity and civility. And regardless of the administration in power— whether we agree with our elected leaders always, sometimes or not at all—it is incumbent upon us to offer shevach, praise, and hoda’ah, gratitude, to Hashem for giving us unprecedented freedom in the midst of the Diaspora. Let us never take these freedoms for granted. Notes 1. Avraham Steinberg, Prayers for the Welfare of the State and for the Welfare of the State of Israel (Jerusalem, 2012), 25. 2. Aaron Arend, Pirkei Mehkar le-Yom Ha’atzmaut (Ramat Gan, 1998), 181. 3. Ibid., 182. 4. Barry Schwartz, “‘Hanoten Teshua’: The Origin of the Traditional Jewish Prayer for the Government,” Hebrew Union College Annual 57 (1986), 115. 5. Ibid., 116. 6. Arend, Pirkei Mehkar, 182.

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CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

By Gerald M. Schreck

can recall listening intently as a young child as a teacher or rebbe kept me spellbound while recounting the story of Eliezer meeting Rivka at the well or of Yehuda encountering Yosef in the Egyptian palace. The parshiyos centering on the Avos and the Imahos or on the Jews wandering in the desert filled my imagination and nurtured my soul; I learned and re-learned them year after year. And despite the familiarity of the stories, I loved hearing them over and over again. But as I matured, the focus shifted. I was a yeshivah boy and my days were primarily filled with Gemara study; there was some mussar, even a bit of halachah but Tanach simply faded away. True, a few of the rebbeim gave us weekly “Chumash and Rashi” tests, demanding that we study on our own. Some of us yeshivah boys did, many of us didn’t. The highly motivated among us set up independent Chumash or Navi sedarim, and plowed ahead on their own. But for many of us, the inevitable happened— our knowledge of Tanach waned. Years later, I recall being amazed when my daughters started high school. The standards at the Brooklyn all-girls high school they attended were rigorous—and they were learning so much Tanach! Chumash with Ramban and Ibn Ezra, Yirmiyahu and 16

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Yeshayah, Koheles and Mishlei, and so much more. One thing seemed clear: the girls’ schools were certainly not overlooking the study of Tanach. Yeshivos, however, tend to be Gemara-centric, and this is no accident; there are historical and other reasons for why many of the yeshivos stress Gemara study above everything else (see in this issue “Why Isn’t Tanach Studied More?” by Rabbi Eliyahu Krakowski, associate editor of OU Press, on page 48). Yet, despite the fact that for centuries the trend has been to emphasize Gemara, in this issue, we explore an ongoing revolution involving Tanach study, with some yeshivos now offering serious, high-level shiurim on Tanach. The Orthodox world has seen an explosion of Tanach study in recent years, with new Tanach journals, ground-breaking books, and conferences on Tanach attended by thousands. As Jewish Action Book Editor Rabbi Gil Student writes, in reference to the Tanach revolution started by the Bible scholar Nechama Leibowitz some decades ago, “there is now a wide variety of Religious Zionist methodologies of Tanach study—some emphasize medieval commentaries; others focus on Israeli geography or botany; still others address the psychology of the Biblical characters; and much more . . . . “Particularly remarkable about this phenomenon is that it is not limited to scholars. While professors and rabbis join Tanach conferences, the vast majority of attendees are laypeople—men and women, young and old, across all occupations.” In this issue, you will meet a few of the key proponents of this Tanach revolution—teachers who, as a result of their sophisticated, innovative approach to Tanach study, continue to keep students of all ages spellbound by the timeless stories of Tanach. You will also get to meet Philip (Paltiel) Birnbaum, editor and translator of the famed “Birnbaum Siddur.” While largely unknown to the

contemporary Jewish world, Birnbaum was responsible for publishing one of the most popular English-language machzorim and siddurim in the pre-ArtScroll era. “The New York Times once aptly described him as one of the world’s ‘most obscure best‐ selling authors.’ Yet for many decades, in synagogues and Jewish homes throughout North America and even around the world, his was a household name.” So begins David Olivestone’s excellent profile of Birnbaum, a quiet, elegant man whom I knew personally, having spent four summers working at Hebrew Publishing Company (HPC) when I was a teenager (earning $1 an hour). It was at HPC that I developed a deep, lifelong love for the written word and for the world of publishing. Special thanks to David for writing a memorable tribute to a memorable man. This issue also features Toby Klein Greenwald’s article on the devastating fire that destroyed artist Yoram Raanan’s studio and life work. The article focuses on Raanan and his attempt to rebuild in the aftermath of tragedy, but mostly it’s a story about faith, perseverance and resilience. On a lighter note, food writer Naomi Ross provides readers with a new way to combat the overindulgence and overabundance so common at simchas and during the yamim tovim (think sufganiyot): mindful eating. In this age of “mindfulness,” taking the time to eat carefully and deliberately can serve as the perfect antidote to the fact that “food permeates the fabric of Jewish life and culture.” Finally, this jam-packed issue includes our usual array of thought-provoking book reviews and scrumptious recipes. Before signing off, I want to remind you that I always enjoy hearing from you. Feel free to send your comments and thoughts to ja@ou.org. Gerald M. Schreck is chairman of the Jewish Action Committee and vice chairman of the OU Board of Governors.

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JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

Professor Nechama Leibowitz was perhaps the pivotal figure in a Tanach revolution that began a century ago and continues to this day. Many of the early secular Zionists promoted Tanach study as a counterpart to their efforts to settle the Biblical land. Religious Zionists took Tanach study as a doubly sacred venture: Torah study in itself and also as an element of their devotion to the flourishing of the land. Professor Leibowitz, or Nechama as she preferred to be called, spearheaded in her modest way a new approach to studying Tanach. While she was not alone in this effort to reinvigorate and revolutionize the study of Tanach, she personally

inspired thousands of students to take a fresh and serious look at the sacred text. Just like Reb Chaim Brisker’s students adapted his revolutionary approach to Talmud into different new methods of their own, Nechama’s students have developed their own approaches. There is now a wide variety of Religious Zionist methodologies of Tanach study—some emphasize medieval commentaries; others focus on Israeli geography or botany; still others address the psychology of the Biblical characters; and much more. These exciting and different new approaches have yielded vibrant journals, ground-breaking books

and heavily attended conferences. Particularly remarkable about this phenomenon is that it is not limited to scholars. While professors and rabbis participate in Tanach conferences, the vast majority of attendees are laypeople—men and women, young and old, across all occupations. Over the past decade or two, this excitement has spilled over into the United States and Israel, where new books, lectures and conferences have attracted increasing numbers of attendees. In the pages ahead, we include interviews with a sample of prominent Tanach teachers from across the spectrum, in the US and in Israel.

—Rabbi Gil Student

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Nechama Leibowitz. Photo from Nehama Leibowitz: Teacher and Bible Scholar (Jerusalem 2009) by Yael Unterman, with permission from the publisher. 20

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COVER STORY

Queen of Questions: Nechama Leibowitz By Shira Leibowitz Schmidt

n a torrid Jerusalem summer day in 1994, a package wrapped in brown paper was handed to Dr. Nechama Leibowitz while she was sitting shivah for her brother, Professor Yeshayahu Leibowitz. It had been sent to her via airmail from the US. The variegated crowd that had come to pay condolence calls strained to see what was in it. The package contained several hundred condolence letters from the campers and staff at Camp Morasha, a Modern Orthodox sleepaway camp. Rabbi Saul Berman, the camp rabbi (who had attended Nechama’s shiurim some time earlier while on Sabbatical in Jerusalem) had told them about Nechama and had incorporated her methodology into the camp learning program. When he suggested that the campers and counselors write short condolence letters, there was an outpouring of sentiments, variations on the theme: “My mother went to your shiurim when she spent a year in university in Israel, and she says they inspired her to become a Hebrew school teacher;” “My husband, a rabbi, uses

your books and Gilyonot questions in almost all the shiurim he gives.” What was it about Nechama’s approach to Bible study that enabled her to impact thousands in the Diaspora and tens of thousands in Israel, be they laypeople, teachers, rabbinic scholars, academics, soldiers or kibbutznikim? Her students came from across the Jewish spectrum— secular, traditional and Orthodox, even including some Chareidim. In the following article, we will respect her preference to be addressed sans any honorifics, although she was professor of education in Tel Aviv University and laureate of the Israel Prize, Israel’s highest form of recognition. Nechama’s main preoccupation was the development of an active approach to study in general, and to Torah study in particular. In an essay she wrote in 1943, she lamented the passivity that sometimes characterizes those who study a text without a mentor. The problem is not that people misunderstand what is written, but rather that students think they understand, when actually they don’t.

Shira Leibowitz Schmidt co-authored Old Wine, New Flasks: Reflections on Science and Jewish Tradition with Nobel Prize laureate Roald Hoffmann. Nechama Leibowitz was the aunt of Shira’s late husband Elhanan. Shira tries to incorporate Nechama’s methods not only in Tanach, but in all of the subjects she studies and teaches. Editor’s Note: Nechama Leibowitz’s name has been spelled as both Nechama and Nehama.

If a person does not understand a word or expression, the person will immediately realize it. But if the words do not ostensibly present any problems, and the sentences are clear, everything will seem simple and the student will think, “there is nothing here that I do not understand.” That is exactly the misunderstanding. The student does not realize the innovation, or what the verse is telling us, or what idea the verse is opposing. The student does not realize that there are questions embedded here. Passivity during lectures worried her. One young woman would regularly doze off during shiurim. But it turned out that she was a laundress who worked the night shift. That was understandable. Nechama considered it laudable that the laundress made the attempt to attend shiurim during the day. What irked Nechama greatly were those who slept in class with their eyes wide open. “This passivity that characterizes listening to lectures, as well as text study, leads people to think they can learn effortlessly, without exertion, without a spiritual struggle with the text.” The most salient aspects of Nechama’s methodology centered on four stages or steps: 1. The kushya. Nechama is most famous for encouraging her students to ask, “What is bothering Rashi?” That is, what is the difficulty, the kushya, Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

Photograph and design concept by Judah S. Harris, with inset photo of Nechama courtesy of her family (text has been blurred for purposes of printed publication).

that Rashi or any commentator is addressing? A kushya is different from a question. A kushya has the form: Why does the verse say A whereas you might have thought B? An example of a question is: “What do we eat during Pesach?” But a kushya, as in the Four Kushiyot, is: “Why do we eat only matzah on Pesach whereas during the year we eat either matzah or bread?” 2. Once a student has pinpointed the difficulty in the Biblical passage, the second stage is to identify the essential differences between one parshan and another. 3. In the third stage Nechama might ask, “What are the pluses and minuses of this particular solution?” Nechama was often criticized for daring to ask, “What is the problem with the solution offered by Rashi?” But she was 22

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not swayed by the critics and insisted that this approach is necessary for active engagement with Torah and its commentators. Her rejoinder was that Rashi knew full well what the deficiencies were in his explanations but he realized that this was the best possible solution. She had the utmost emunat chachamim, belief in the Sages, rabbis and parshanim, past and present. But if you were going to check your analytical skills at the door, don’t come into Nechama’s beit midrash. 4. Lastly, Nechama would ask, “What meaning does this Biblical verse and commentary have for us? What insight do we gain for our lives?” I’d like to illustrate how Nechama applied these four stages by drawing upon an example from the Gilayon of Vayakhel 1953.

In Shemot 38:8, a seemingly simple verse describes the copper washbasin that the priests used to consecrate their hands and feet before going to serve in the Mishkan. The verse states: “And he made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors1 of the crowding women who had crowded at the door of the Tent of Meeting” (Shemot 38:8). Rashi comments on four Hebrew words in this verse: “b’marot hatzovot asher tzavu—from the mirrors of the crowding women who had crowded . . . . ” (Note that the terms hatzovot and tzavu come from the same root as the word tzava, an army, host or crowd, as in the acronym for the IDF, Tzva Haganah L’Yisrael [Tzahal].) To resolve the kushya, which we will soon identify, Rashi (b. 1040) cites about a third of a long Midrash Tanchuma: Israelite women owned mirrors, which they would look into when they adorned themselves. Even these mirrors they did not withhold from bringing as a contribution toward the Mishkan, but Moshe rejected them because they were made to satisfy the evil inclination. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Accept the mirrors, for these are more precious to Me than anything because through them the women raised crowds of children in Egypt.” When their husbands were weary from back-breaking labor, the women would go and bring them food and drink and give them to eat. Then they would take the mirrors and each one would see herself with her husband in the mirror, and she would seduce him with words, saying, “I am more attractive than you.” And in this way they aroused their husbands’ desire and would be with them, conceiving and giving birth. This is the meaning of b’marot hatzovot [mirrors of those who raised crowds of children]. What is bothering Rashi? The difficulty, or kushya, that is troubling Rashi in this verse is in the seeming redundancy—“the mirrors of the crowding women who had crowded.” It would have sufficed to say “the mirrors of the women who had crowded.”

Using the text of the Midrash, Rashi resolves this apparent redundancy by giving two different meanings to the words deriving from the root word tzava. He proposes that the meaning of the verse is: “. . . the mirrors of the women—who raised crowds [of children]—who had crowded at the door of the Tent of Meeting.” The virtue of this explanation is that the extra “tzavu” is not superfluous at all. One disadvantage is that Rashi seems to be diverging from the simple meaning, the peshat, of the term hatzovot, which is normally an intransitive verb that cannot take an object, but is used here in a transitive capacity: “the women who raised crowds.” What’s the difference between Rashi and the Midrash? When grammatical, syntactical, contextual or other solutions do not solve a kushya satisfactorily, Rashi will cite a midrash, or a part thereof, as he does in this verse. Here

What irked Nechama greatly were those who slept in class with their eyes wide open. Nechama draws our attention to the original Midrash Tanchuma2 on Parashat Pekudei and poses the question: How and why did Rashi abridge the Midrash Tanchuma? The Tanchuma reads: What did the daughters of Israel do? They would go down to draw water from the river. Whereupon the Holy One blessed be He prepared small fishes for them inside their jars. They would cook some, sell some, and buy wine with the proceeds and go out into the fields and give their husbands to eat there. After they had eaten, they took their mirrors and looked into them together with their husbands. She said:

“I am more attractive than you.” He said: “I am more attractive than you.” In the course of this tete-a-tete, their desire was aroused and they became fruitful and multiplied . . . (9:1) Rashi abridged this into three sentences: The women would go and bring their husbands food and drink and give them to eat. Then they would take the mirrors and each one would see herself with her husband in the mirror, and she would seduce him with words, saying, “I am more attractive than you.” And in this way they aroused their husband’s desire and would be with them, conceiving and giving birth. Continued on p. 26

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The First and Last Time I Saw Nechama By Shira Leibowitz Schmidt

Photo: David S. Levin

First Encounter I first met Nechama Leibowitz in the summer of 1967. I had come to Israel to volunteer during the Six-Day War and decided to stay for a year to take courses in Jewish studies at Hebrew University. A friend insisted I meet Nechama, who could suggest a program of studies for me. Coming from a religiously non-observant home, I wanted to make up for having almost no serious Jewish education. My friend, who herself was not observant, told me that Nechama would meet me at noon in the university cafeteria and I should ask anyone there to point her out since “everyone knows her.” I found her in the cafeteria, identifying her by her trademark beret. Ever practical, she told me to take a tray and get some lunch. “If you want to study Torah, you have to eat,” she said, inverting the usual conception of Torah as nourishment. She told me to register for her course on Sefer Shemot in easy Hebrew for American students, 24

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Born in 1905 in Riga, Latvia, Nechama received an extensive secular and Jewish education in Germany after her family moved to Berlin. and wrote up a list of courses at Hebrew University in some basic Jewish sources: a class on beginning Talmud for literature majors; an introduction to the Kuzari, Guide for the Perplexed and Sefer HaIkarim; a seminar on Hebrew literature; and a course on Jewish history. Sometime later I was introduced to her nephew, Elhanan Leibowitz, and we were married the following year in Jerusalem. How the Gilyonot Originated Born in 1905 in Riga, Latvia, Nechama received an extensive secular and Jewish education in Germany after her family moved to Berlin. In 1930 she married her uncle, Lipman Yom Tov Leibowitz, and he insisted she finish her doctorate in Bible from the University of Marburg before they made aliyah. She earned her doctorate and the couple moved from Berlin to Jerusalem. Except for a brief visit back to Germany to help her parents make aliyah, Nechama refused to ever leave Eretz Yisrael. In 1942 she was asked to give a course of Torah study in Jerusalem for young women from the religious kibbutz movement. She would assign the students homework questions on the parashah, usually comparing different commentators. The written answers of the students were returned to them marked “correct,” “very good,” or “incorrect”— with clarifying explanations. Yael Unterman, in her comprehensive biography of Nechama (Nehama Leibowitz: Teacher and Bible Scholar [Urim, 2009], p. 51), describes what happened in the summer of 1942:

“After the young women returned to their kibbutzim, a rare, if not unique, event in the history of education occurred: though the school year was over, the students asked for more homework! These young women wrote, asking to continue the questionnaires under her supervision. More than happy to oblige, she mailed the first sheet to the women at their respective kibbutzim.” Thus, necessity mothered the invention of the unique innovation that Nechama became known for: a weekly worksheet filled with questions on the Torah portion, which she termed “Gilyonot L’iyun B’Parashat Hashavua.” Word spread about this one-woman voluntary correspondence course, and over the years hundreds subscribed to the Gilyonot. Answers were submitted along with self-addressed, stamped envelopes so Nechama could return them with her responses marked in red ink. From 1942 until 1972, she disseminated weekly Gilyonot, amounting to some 1,500 worksheets; many weeks she also typed out a guide sheet she referred to as Alon Hadrachah, containing supplementary material. The Gilyonot were typed on a manual typewriter and mimeographed. Nechama’s nephews and nieces were drafted to hand-address envelopes, lick stamps and trudge to the post office. During the Gilyonot’s early years, Nechama would instruct students to look up specific commentaries and she provided the relevant chapter and verse for the question under discussion. She subsequently

decided to include the commentaries to make it easier for soldiers who were studying her Gilyonot. For Nechama, even the lowliest private in the IDF was top brass in her eyes, especially those who wanted to study Torah while enlisted or in the reserves. For many years, I sent in my responses to Nechama’s Gilyonot. My husband and I did not live in Jerusalem and this was a way for me to continue to study Torah with Nechama. Though I had become a niece by marriage, she cut me no slack and I received my share of comments like “you completely misunderstood the question” or “absolutely wrong,” along with some “very goods” and even a rare “excellent.” Nechama was reluctant to publish her answers to the Gilyonot in a book. She considered her primary mission to teach, lecture and put out the Gilyonot; publishing books was a sideline. Nevertheless, she was prevailed upon to publish, and thus her “Studies” series on the five books of the Torah came out in Hebrew, which was subsequently translated into English and other languages. A number of her other works were printed as books, and her Gilyonot were published posthumously in book form by several of her students. For example, Yitshak Reiner and Shmuel Peerless published Studies on the Haggadah from the Teachings of Nechama Leibowitz (Hebrew and English), containing Gilyonot questions related to the text of the Haggadah, including their suggested answers. Last Encounter The last time I saw Nechama was a few weeks before Pesach 1997, at the weekly shiur held in her cramped Jerusalem apartment for a few dozen aficionados. I came early and she was resting somewhat listlessly. She asked me to assemble a year’s worth of Gilyonot which were filed wall-to-wall in folders according to the weekly sidra. I performed the task slowly because I did not know the order of the parshiyot by heart. Flabbergasted, Nechama chided me for my lack of knowledge and then resumed resting. The shiur participants entered, and she rose to hand out the Gilayon that she had chosen to teach. Suddenly she came to life; she was her old animated self, giving her trademark interactive shiur. The Gilayon topic was “The Breaking of the Tablets” in Parashat Ki Tisa, and she lingered on the Meshech Chochmah, one of her favorite commentaries. Even though she was weak, she brooked no foolish answers from the participants. The following day Nechama was hospitalized for the last time, and she returned her soul to its Maker on the fifth of Nisan, 5757 (April 12, 1997). My first encounter with Nechama focused on the importance of a good lunch before engaging in Torah study; it seems to me that Nechama, with her penetrating questions and thought-provoking insights, nourished thousands with her Torah.

I found her in the cafeteria, identifying her by her trademark beret. Ever practical, she told me to take a tray and get some lunch. “If you want to study Torah, you have to eat,” she said, inverting the usual conception of Torah as nourishment.

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But if you were going to check your analytical skills at the door, don’t come into Nechama’s beit midrash. Continued from p. 23

The Tanchuma continues: When Moshe saw the mirrors, he was furious with the women. He said to the men, “Take sticks and break the legs of those who brought them. What use are such mirrors?” Said the Holy One blessed be He to Moshe, “Moshe! You look down on them! It was these mirrors which raised up all these crowds of children in Egypt. Accept them!” (9:4) Rashi, however, is concise: . . . but Moshe rejected them because they were made to satisfy the evil inclination. Whereupon the Holy One blessed be He said to him, “Accept them.” The Tanchuma has many more details than Rashi—the women are making fish and chips, getting their husbands tipsy, and taking selfies in their bronze mirrors. There is the dialogue between Moshe and the men and Moshe and Hashem. Midrash is often action-packed, dramatic and literary, with lots of dialogue. Midrash is a homily or sermon and does much more than solve a textual kushya. Rashi, on the other hand, is highly economical and excerpts from the Midrash just enough to solve the kushya. What’s the difference between Rashi and Ibn Ezra? Avraham Ibn Ezra, born in Spain a half-century after Rashi was born in France, takes a different tack in explaining why the women contributed their mirrors: It is customary for every woman to make up her face every morning and look in a bronze or glass mirror in order to adjust her hairstyle and ornaments. The Israelite women behaved exactly as the Ishmaelite women today. But there were pious women in Israel who overcame this worldly temptation and freely gave away their mirrors, because they found no more need to beautify themselves 26

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but came instead daily to the door of the Tent of Meeting to pray and hear religious discourses for their edification. The text says: “ . . . who crowded at the door of the Tent of Meeting” because there were many of them. Now come with me into Nechama’s classroom, or into her living room-cum-office or to an army base where Nechama is asking what the difference is between the two parshanim. She gives out small pieces of two-inch-square papers, the size of post-it notes, and instructs you to jot down the difference between Rashi and Ibn Ezra with respect to the mirrors. She then walks around among the students, who are busy scribbling, and looks at the answers. Typically, someone new to Nechama’s approach will write: “Rashi says that the women used their mirrors to attract their husbands and Hashem praised them for that. Ibn Ezra says that the women gave their mirrors away because they did not need them.” Nechama whispers a gentle rebuke. “You summarized what each commentator said. I did not ask for a summary. I asked for the difference in as few words as possible. Try again.” The great pedagogical advantage in having students write answers rather than answer orally is that it gives the less experienced students a chance to think. If all the answers to a teacher’s questions are presented aloud by the students, the better students will answer and rob the others of a chance to work their way to an answer. While there is usually no absolutely correct or incorrect response, there is a range of appropriate answers, the more succinct the better. A veteran student put down on his scrap of paper: “For Rashi, mirrors serve a survivalist, life-giving purpose; for Ibn Ezra, mirrors evoke the triviality and

vanity of their conventional use.” That answer can be further reduced to a mini-table with the heading: Mirrors: Rashi–positive. Ibn Ezra–negative. We learned from this pasuk that the assertiveness of the Israelite women was absolutely pivotal to the survival of the Jewish people. The positive role of marital life and the raising of “crowds of children” is clear from the commentaries and Midrash. It is interesting to note that the Gilayon of 1953 we presented here was one of the earlier ones. Nechama first sent out the Gilyonot, a one-woman correspondence course, in 1942. In that first decade she would write: “Look up Rashi on this verse,” “Find Ibn Ezra on this passage,” “Refer to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch on this verse,” “What does the Midrash say on this?” and she would intentionally send students to the bookshelves to look up the relevant commentators. This was part of her emphasis on active learning. However, when she received complaints from soldiers in the IDF on isolated outposts who wanted to answer the Gilyonot but had no access to a library, she changed her policy for their sake. Today, in the retyped Gilyonot on the web site www.nechama.org.il, the actual words of the commentators are included. Nechama often expressed sadness that she and her husband were not graced with children. But actually, she was. The “crowds of children” who sent letters of condolences to Nechama in 1994 are now parents themselves. They, their teachers, and the thousands of teachers and laypeople in Israel who were taught by the Queen of Questions to ask questions—and above all, to love Torah—are her spiritual children. Notes 1. Mirrors in Biblical times were made from highly polished bronze. 2. It is worthwhile to look at the original Tanchuma (Pekudei 9); it can be found in English and in Hebrew in editions of the Tanchuma or in Nechama’s Studies in Shemot (Pekudei, “Basin-andStand”). In addition, all the Gilyonot that Nechama produced weekly for thirty years—1,500 Gilyonot!—are in Hebrew on the posthumously established web site: www.nechama.org.il (see Vayakhel, 1953, B’marot Hatzovot).

Photo: Amir Levy/Mishpacha Magazine 28

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UP CLOSE WITH

Rabbi David Fohrman By Dovid Bashevkin

NCSY Director of Education Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin speaks with one of the most innovative and dynamic personalities in the world of Tanach study. An internationally renowned lecturer on Biblical themes and the principal educator at Aleph Beta—an initiative to bring Torah to life through engaging videos— Rabbi David Fohrman has served as an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University, and as a lead writer and editor for ArtScroll’s Talmud translation project. Rabbi Fohrman has also served as scholar for the Hoffberger Foundation for Torah Study for ten years. Rabbi Fohrman spent his childhood years in the San Francisco Bay Area and currently lives in Woodmere, New York, with his wife and children. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin: Can you describe your approach to Tanach? Rabbi David Fohrman: Contemporary Biblical commentary comes in three different varieties, and while my approach doesn’t fit neatly into any of them, it does include elements of all three.

The first type of Biblical commentary is “critical academic scholarship.” My approach wouldn’t be considered academic for two reasons. First, I write for a lay audience as much as for a scholarly one. Second, I seek to explore how we’re meant to relate to these texts, how they should inform our lives, and what spiritual meaning the Torah wants us to derive from them. Academic writing is typically silent on those questions. At the other end of the spectrum lies English-language commentary that focuses more directly on questions related to inspiration and meaning. That kind of Biblical commentary tends to offer nuggets of inspiration for the benefit of the reader but does not rigorously examine the Biblical text. Finally, a third kind of Biblical analysis is the anthology—such as the ArtScroll methodology— where the thoughts of various commentators are presented, but the reader generally does not attempt to grapple with the text himself. None of these approaches fully describes my methodology. I would explain my approach as an attempt to understand the depth of peshat by looking carefully at the text in

concert with Chazal. I try to engage with the Hebrew text of the Torah— everything else revolves around that. I draw on commentary, principally Midrashic commentary, not as much on commentary from the Rishonim. And I also explore the spiritual meaning; however, my approach allows the meaning to arise organically from a close examination of the text. RDB: How would you respond to those who might criticize you and say, “Why don’t you just build off the edifices that have already been constructed by Rashi, the Ramban, the Seforno and all the other Rishonim in the standard Mikraot Gedolot?” RDF: We have conditioned ourselves to believe that to learn b’iyun (in-depth) means to read what commentators have said. But I don’t think that’s true. I don’t think it’s true regarding Gemara and I don’t think it’s true regarding Chumash. When it comes to Chumash, we are not used to thinking deeply about the Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin is the NCSY director of education and a member of the Jewish Action Editorial Board.

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Some of the illustrations that appear in Aleph Beta’s array of stimulating Torah videos. Courtesy of Aleph Beta

language of the text itself. Imagine if a young yeshivah student said, “I’m not going to try to learn the gemara deeply. I won’t think much about what’s on the blatt, but I’ll study Reb Elchonon and the Shev Shema’tata and the Ketzot and I’ll see what they say.” Most likely his rebbi would respond, “First you have to struggle with the text, see what the issues are, and understand what the gemara is saying, and then you will see how the Rishonim pick up on those issues.” When learning Gemara, we require students to engage in some kind of critical reading; there’s a certain paradigm of how to approach the Gemara. With Chumash it should be no different. You have to make a real attempt to try to understand the pasuk. Until you do that, you can’t properly understand the commentaries, because the commentaries assume that you have already read the text. When it comes to Chumash, we seem to have lost the paradigm. Without a paradigm, learning can easily become like a shalosh seudos Torah where I say a vort and you listen and say, “Yasher koach, very nice,” but you have no confidence that what I said might actually be true—which is sad. Since we know God wrote this Book, we believe the text itself has something very powerful to say to us. 30

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RDB: Is this kind of learning considered revolutionary? RDF: The kind of learning I’m doing is not really new. It’s actually very close to the underlying methodology of Midrash. If you use the tools that I use, such as inter-textual relationships— seeing how one text seems to relate to another text somewhere else in Tanach—you will often arrive at the same conclusions as Midrash. And you can start either way. Sometimes I start with the text and struggle with it; then I open up a Midrash Rabbah and feel like laughing—the answers are right there in the Midrash. Other times I do the inverse—I start with the Midrash and it seems odd, but when I review the text, it suddenly becomes clear. RDB: Can you explain how you arrived at this kind of unique strategy in approaching Torah? RDF: Back in our small shul in Berkeley, California, Rabbi Yosef

Leibowitz used elements of this methodology. As an eleven-year-old kid, I was mesmerized when I listened to his sermons. When I moved to the East Coast, I attended Yeshivas Ner Yisroel for high school, and was puzzled when I saw that we spent a lot of time learning Gemara, which was fascinating, but Chumash was more or less ignored. I have memories of myself as an eleventh grader, sitting on the yeshivah lawn, opening up Sefer Shemot and trying to figure out the layers of meaning. But I found myself very frustrated—I couldn’t do it. I didn’t have the tools. Over time, however, I slowly began to assemble an arsenal of tools, and that made all the difference in the world. I took bits and pieces from different people. For example, I was in Rabbi Tzvi Berkowitz’s shiur in Ner Yisroel. He would argue that there are themes that make their way through a masechta—a subterranean theme that is never articulated directly but that can animate fourteen different sugyot. That was one of the elements that made his shiur so fascinating. I applied this approach to Chumash. For example, you can take fourteen stories in Chumash, the Eitz Hada’at, the Eigel, the Brit bein Habesarim— events that seem disparate. But if you read patiently and carefully, attuned to the story beneath the surface, you will discover that they all have similar underlying themes. Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg, zt”l [former rosh yeshivah of Ner Yisroel], had some beautiful methodological gems, which I use all the time. One of the things he taught me is that if you want to understand the meaning of a word, you have to look at how it’s used elsewhere in Chumash. I learned

There’s a responsibility for every generation to struggle with the text and learn its truths. And all of the Rishonim understood that.

from my chavruta Mark Stern that when a word appears repeatedly in a text, that is also significant. Sometimes a word will echo not just within one story in Tanach but within two or more. Is there a connection between the two echoes? This is a technique often used in Midrash. There seems to be an assumption in the Midrash that the Torah has a certain interconnectivity: “Hafoch bah v’hafoch bah d’kulah bah—turn it [Torah] and turn it again, for everything is in it” (Avot 5:22). If you dig in the Torah, you will find infinite wisdom. How could a finite text offer infinite wisdom? We live in an era where we actually know the answer to that question. When the Internet first came about, it was referred to as the “information superhighway.” Nobody calls it that anymore, because it’s too linear a term; instead, the Internet became known as the “World Wide Web.” You can start anywhere, and in a web-like fashion you are connected to everywhere else. Thousands of years before the Internet—before electricity even existed—there was something much more sophisticated than the Internet. The Torah is an interconnected web of text with nearly infinite information potential that creates startling three-dimensional renditions of ideas. Midrash does exactly this. But over time, somehow the methodology behind it was lost. When Chazal wrote the Midrash, they were not overt about the methodology, but it’s important to know that there was a methodology there. RDB: Were any of your influences from non-Jewish books or authors? RDF: While going for my master’s degree in history, I was exposed to literary methodology. It sensitized me to the fact that whether you are in yeshivah or in university, close reading of a text is critical. But the type of methodology that the Torah uses is particular to the Torah. In other words, it doesn’t exist in any other text. It’s not like you can open up Mark Twain or Shakespeare and find inter-textuality, at least not the way the Torah uses it. For example, the Atbash structure [a device whereby the letters of the Hebrew alphabet are substituted with their counterparts from the opposite end of the alphabet—alef = tav and beit = shin, et cetera] is used to make associations between different words and ideas and thereby convey meaning or a lesson (often a kabbalistic one). Atbash was used in early ancient texts but in a very rudimentary way, not at all on the level of sophistication which the Torah uses. RDB: Are there any Rishonim or Acharonim that you are reluctant to argue with? RDF: There is an accepted understanding in Gemara, a mesorah that we have, that you don’t argue with earlier generations. You do not argue with the Ritva or the Ramban in Gemara. Interestingly enough, that mesorah never really held in Chumash. You won’t find the Ramban arguing with Ravina and Rav Ashi in the Gemara, but in Chumash he does it all the time.

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Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

Rabbi Fohrman displays one of his videos. Photo: Amir Levy/Mishpacha Magazine

When it comes to Chumash, we are not used to thinking deeply about the language of the text itself. RDB: Why is the paradigm for Chumash so different from the paradigm for Gemara? RDF: I suspect that the difference in mesorah is based on the fact that Gemara is an attempt to distill halachah from the arguments in Torah Shebe’al Peh. The way the Torah legal system works—any legal system—is that precedent is important. You can’t have a legal system develop over time without a willingness to accept the precedent of previous generations. Look, for example, at the American legal system; what earlier courts said going back to 1812 or 1790 still matters. This is because at the end of the day you have to know what to do, and you can’t know what to do unless you have an orderly process where precedent matters. When it comes to Chumash, we are not seeking to derive halachah in order 32

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to know what to do. And you might ask—what is the purpose of Chumash if it doesn’t tell you what to do? Whenever you read a book, you have to understand the genre. If you are reading a chemistry textbook but think you’re reading a poetry textbook, you’re going to ask the wrong questions about it. What genre is the Torah? Is it a history book? It has too many laws in it to qualify as a history book. Is it a legal work? It has too much history in it to be a legal work. Maybe it’s a philosophy book? There is some philosophy in it but there are too many laws and too much history in it for it to be a philosophy book. So what kind of book is it? The Book actually comes from its name: Torah. It’s a book of hora’ah, a guide showing us how to live. Yes, there are laws in it, but law is too

narrow a discipline to fully guide a human being. So there are also stories in it, and those stories teach us larger ethical truths that inform how we are supposed to live our lives. RDB: Why do you think the Torah incorporates storytelling? RDF: Instead of writing 1,000 pages of War and Peace, Tolstoy could have summarized his life philosophy in a couple of paragraphs. He could have said, “Here are the ethical truths that I believe one should live by . . .” Why didn’t he do that? Because no one would listen! You have to grapple with a story and struggle with it in order to internalize it. When you identify with the characters and what they go through, those ethical truths become a part of you. That’s what great literature is—learning ethical truths through stories. Torah contains an element of literature. There’s a responsibility for every generation to struggle with the text and learn its truths. And all of the Rishonim understood that. So it’s not about whether or not we may argue with a commentator from an earlier generation. It’s about

understanding how Chazal interpreted the text, but also about struggling to understand the basic text on our own. RDB: What questions should we be teaching our children to ask when they study Chumash? RDF: A good rule of thumb when it comes to questions is that you should be asking more “internal” questions and less “external” questions. An external question is one that comes from outside the text. An example would be if you’re teaching Sefer Yonah and a student raises his hand and says, “I don’t understand how Yonah was able to survive in a fish for three days; that’s impossible . . . ” That’s not a very interesting question; it’s an external question. I’m not saying it’s not important to address the question. The student might be asking because he’s skeptical about miracles. While a discussion about miracles could be great, let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that it’s a discussion about Sefer Yonah. On the other hand, if you’re reading that God came to Yonah and told him to go down to Nineveh, and in the next pasuk you read that he ran away, it’s legitimate to ask: Why did he run away? He just got a directive to go to a specific city. Why didn’t he listen to God? That’s an internal question. It’s a question that the text itself is forcing you to ask. Such questions are gold because one of the most empowering ideas we can tell a skeptical child is that not only are questions okay but questions are the only way you learn Torah! The Torah is actually counting on you to question in order to explore the deeper meaning of the text.

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RDB: How would you advise someone who wants to connect to Chumash; where should he or she start? RDF: Since the Torah is a web, you can start anywhere— start with whatever fascinates you and move from there. Having said that, I would suggest starting at the beginning with the very first two perakim of Sefer Bereishit—which, by the way, tend to be skipped in most yeshivot because we’re afraid of it and so we start with Parashat Lech Lecha. The fear stems from the fact that some of us don’t know how to reconcile the science; it seems strange, for example, that during Creation vegetation preceded the sun. But God did start from the beginning, so we should start there. If the Torah is a guidebook, then the reason it’s recounting the story of Creation is not to explain the science behind it but rather to tell us what happened during Creation, from the perspective of what we need to know to guide our lives. You would expect the beginning of such a guidebook to touch upon some of the existential questions that are at the very center of what it means to be a human being: How do I orient myself in the universe? How do I develop a relationship with God and with other humans? What does it mean to be a human being? There is a real opportunity to touch on these fundamental issues right there at the very beginning. ■ Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

MEET DR. YAEL ZIEGLER, a LEADING FIGURE

in CONTEMPORARY MODERN ORTHODOX PARSHANUT

A New-Old Approach to the Study of Tanach Interview by Alex Maged

Dr. Yael Ziegler is a lecturer in Tanach at Herzog Academic College in Alon Shvut and Matan Women’s Institute for Torah Studies in Jerusalem. She received her BA from Stern College and an MA and PhD in Bible at Bar-Ilan University. Dr. Ziegler has lectured widely on various Tanach topics in Israel, the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia and Europe. Dr. Ziegler is the author of Promises to Keep: The Oath in Biblical Narrative (Leiden, Netherlands, 2008), and Ruth: From Alienation to Monarchy (Jerusalem, 2015). Alex Maged: There seems to be a renaissance around the study of Tanach in recent years, spurred largely by the literary methods you are championing. And yet, the literary method seems in many ways to find antecedents in the Midrash. What would you say is “new” in the literary approach, and how much of it is a function of reformulating, or expanding upon, that which Chazal already noticed?

Photos courtesy of Matan Women’s Institute for Torah Studies 34

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Alex Maged holds a master’s in Biblical studies from Yeshiva University.

Dr. Yael Ziegler: The medieval parshanim, the Rishonim, enable us to read (translate) the pasuk. Midrash often takes a step back and gives us a larger sense of the message. A lot of the methods and goals of literary readings, certainly within the context of Herzog Academic College (a teacher training college in Alon Shvut associated with Yeshivat Har Etzion) where I teach, or “literarytheological readings”—a term coined by Rabbi Shalom Carmy—are similar to what the Midrash is doing. The Midrash won’t say explicitly, “This is a key word,” or “This is an interbiblical exegesis.” It doesn’t use that kind of terminology. But it will point to the words that stand at the center of the story and direct us to its undercurrents. So while it might not use the term “interbiblical exegesis,” it is doing those kinds of readings all the time, pointing us to the similarities between stories, characters and plot. So much so that I would say it is extremely rare, if not impossible, for me to find an analogy or parallel not already found in Chazal. For example, a couple of years ago it occurred to me that there is a strong analogy between David fighting a lion/ Philistines, and Shimshon fighting a lion/Philistines—both without weaponry—although I didn’t know of a midrash that compares the two figures. But of course there was! I went back to look again and sure enough, I found that Chazal alluded to this analogy. What I have yet to find in Midrashic literature is any emphasis on seeking out broader structures in narratives. That is something I think is often very useful, though, like any tool, it can be

over-applied or misapplied. There is sometimes an awareness of chiastic word structure among the medieval parshanim even if they don’t use that term. But as far as awareness of broader structures, I’m not sure if I see that in Chazal. So the literary approach can be very helpful in that sense, as well as by providing a heightened methodological awareness and the ability to classify and define techniques of interpretation. AM: We’ve spoken a bit about your method as it relates to earlier methods of Tanach study, but let’s talk about the literary method on its own terms. What is it? What are the major questions it encourages us to ask when we study Tanach, and what are the advantages of asking these sorts of questions? Into what aspects of Tanach do we gain insight that we otherwise might miss? DYZ: The literary approach has several advantages. It looks at all of Tanach as a whole. It assumes that we have an internal canon and deliberately draws from all of Tanach. It is sensitive to the allusive character of Biblical text. The literary approach pays close attention to the phraseology and rare words, especially when they appear concentrated in one passage and then in another passage. That’s begging for comparison! If you miss [some of these elements], you will miss some of the most important aspects of the text. At the same time it entails paying close attention to structure, syntax and the way in which ideas are expressed. It demands that the reader notice all sorts of conscious writing devices in the text—the subtle variances or ambiguities or word plays; all of

While [Midrash] might not use the term “interbiblical exegesis,” it is doing those kinds of readings all the time, pointing us to the similarities between stories, characters and plot.

those devices are there to draw our attention. The Tanach was not casually written—every word carries meaning. We are students of the idea that every letter has meaning. In general, this approach maintains that the methods of writing were conscious—such as key words, different kinds of patterns, characters: how they develop, how we meet them, how they are described, how we part from them, their first words, their last words, the way they interact with others. “Type scene” is a term borrowed from general literature. It’s basically a scene that unfolds in a specific way, for example, how people are born, how they die, how they become heroes, et cetera. Analyzing the various type scenes in Tanach, and the subtle varieties within them, enables us to look more deeply at the stories to understand the underlying themes and goals. Ultimately, what sets apart the religious quest from the academic quest is that in the former we are seeking a religious message. True, academics try to find meaning as well. But academics will ask, “What does this story say?” The religious person will ask, in addition, “What is the story saying to me?” AM: Can you share an example of a type scene in Tanach? DYZ: There are so many examples. One classic type scene in Tanach is where a man and a woman meet next to a well. The man leaves his homeland for a distant land, draws water for the woman he meets and then is invited home to a meal where the couple becomes betrothed. Every time this scene appears, there are some very distinctive differences. Take Yaakov and Rachel—a prototypical type scene. But when you look deeper you see that there are things happening here that do not happen in other scenes of this type: Yaakov isn’t exactly on a leisure journey; he is running for his life. There’s a stone blocking the well. He’s not actually invited for a meal. And he must work for many years in order to marry Rachel. You get the sense that Yaakov’s life is marked by adversity. Which is true, of course—struggles in Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

criticism to an emphasis on using literary tools for analysis. This very much appealed to me as a religious person who had learned Tanach. I also had a background in Midrash.

Dr. Yael Ziegler teaching a class at Matan Women’s Institute for Tanach Studies in Jerusalem.

the womb, struggles with his brother, struggles with his children, et cetera. But the theme of struggle is right there in his betrothal story—it highlights this ongoing motif in Yaakov’s life. Another wonderful point made by the Dutch scholar Jan Fokkelman is that you find stones everywhere you see Yaakov. Every time I teach this portion of Tanach, my students say, “Aha!” Everyone knows this but fails to notice it. The stones under Yaakov’s head on Har Hamoriah, the stone on the well in Charan, the stone matzeivah Yaakov places between himself and Lavan and the mound of stones (gal) that marks the treaty between the two on Har Hagilad, et cetera. What’s fascinating is that although Yaakov struggles, in the end he overcomes his struggles. He obtains the bechorah (birthright) and the blessing, he manages to push the stone off the well, and he eventually marries Rachel. The Gemara in Pesachim 88a associates Yaakov with the “House”— he is the only one of the forefathers who refers to the future place of the Mikdash as a “Bayit.” And he is the first person in Tanach to build a bayit (Bereishit 33:17). The point, I think, is 36

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that he takes those stones and instead of tripping over them, he builds a house. He is the first to have a complete family. He becomes the symbol of how we deal with challenges—the “father of overcoming adversity.” A shorter example of the same type scene takes place in Megillat Ruth. An individual leaves what’s familiar to travel to a distant land. But the story is inverted here: in Megillat Ruth it is not the man who is the central figure leaving, it is the woman. In every other story it’s the man who leaves. This points to what is unique about this particular marriage, which perpetuates the traits of the female throughout the generations. It is Ruth who is the progenitor. By noting that, we see in concrete terms the idea that the line that will emerge from this couple is important. AM: What originally got you interested you in Tanach studies? DYZ: When I was in college I was not particularly interested in Tanach, I was actually interested in Torah Shebe’al Peh. When I began my graduate studies it was a very fortuitous time for Biblical studies in academia, because it was the beginning of a significant shift from an emphasis on Bible

AM: Who were your major influences? DYZ: Dr. Bryna Levy was a Tanach teacher of mine who inspired me to love Tanach and to seek to deepen my understanding of it. After college, I read a great deal of books and articles on literary study of Tanach by authors who introduce a methodology that facilitates sensitive and close readings of Tanach passages. I was very influenced and inspired by Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Sabato, an expert on Tanach at Yeshivat Har Etzion, whose work is very comprehensive and deep. In addition to focusing on structure and close reading, he weaves in traditional ways of approaching Tanach. It took him years to teach any particular section of Tanach because he delved so deeply into the text. I appreciate his methodical approach and have largely adopted it; in my book on Ruth I try to employ both traditional and literary academic approaches to the text. Rabbi Yaakov Medan, a rosh yeshivah at Yeshivat Har Etzion, also had an influence on me. He believes that Midrash points towards a deeper peshat—“omek peshuto shel mikra.” Sometimes I read a midrash and say, “I’m not really sure where this is alluded to in the peshat.” But often, upon closer examination, I find that the Midrash actually reveals the simple meaning of the text, the core of the peshat. That is something I’ve learned from Rav Medan that’s been very inspiring for me. AM: What are the limitations of the literary approach to Tanach study? Does it run the risk of leading one to treat Tanach as though it were just another literary work? DYZ: This method should never, ever become technical and omit the dimensions of meaning and inspiration. You must have the right teacher, and be engaged in the right quest. The study of Tanach should not just be an exercise in

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intellectual and aesthetic prowess. I’ve read academic articles that focus on form only; “Isn’t this literarily beautiful?” the authors conclude. But for the religious student, the study of Tanach is not merely an aesthetic experience; there is a deeper religious meaning. One of the reasons so many people have become excited about Tanach study is because Tanach contains such profound ideas. Taking stories that we are all familiar with and rethinking some of the broader and deeper messages can and should produce something that is meaningful and profound. I don’t think everyone uses this methodology correctly, but because this approach is so similar to what Midrash does, how could it not be a legitimate means of probing Tanach?

Academics will ask, “What does this story say?” The religious person will ask, in addition, “What is the story saying to me?”

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AM: How confident should we be in the conclusions we reach through the literary approach? DYZ: I think everybody likes a good literary structure, but you need to be certain that it’s something that is embedded in the story. I’ve been asked many times, “Do you think this was the intent of the Author? Do you think that Megillat Ruth was intentionally alluding to the earlier type scenes of Bereishit?” It’s hard to answer those kinds of questions, but I do think that there is truth in these readings because they give us insights or pull together ideas that we wouldn’t necessarily be able to find otherwise. Having taught some of these ideas many times, I’ve noticed that students emerge with an “aha” moment, acquiring a newfound understanding of very familiar stories. That’s one of the advantages of using this “new-old” method. Does this methodology turn Tanach into Shakespeare? I don’t think so, but it all depends on the teacher and the endgame and what you are trying to achieve. AM: Are there particular books of Tanach that lend themselves less to the literary method, which you’ve had a harder time “breaking through”? DYZ: It might be harder to apply the literary method to the wisdom books—for example, Mishlei. But it’s particularly fruitful in narrative and in poetry. I have written on narrative and I’m now working on Eichah (poetry) and I think it’s been very useful in those contexts. ■ Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

Courtesy of ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications Background Image: Josh Weinberg 38

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The Case for a Traditional Approach in the Study of Tanach TALKING WITH RABBI NOSSON SCHERMAN, GENERAL EDITOR OF ARTSCROLL/MESORAH PUBLICATIONS Interview by Dovid Bashevkin

Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin: How does ArtScroll approach the in-depth study of Tanach? Is there a goal that ArtScroll is trying to achieve with its translations and commentaries? Rabbi Nosson Scherman: The goal is to explain the pasuk as Chazal and the major mefarshim understood it. In Tanach, our emphasis is on the peshat; and where applicable, we try to insert inspirational thoughts and ideas. The main emphasis, however, is to explain Tanach the way the traditional mesorah understood it. RDB: Did you have any challenges when you were translating the text of Tanach [for the ArtScroll Tanach, a 1,400-page English-language volume containing all twenty-four books in Tanach] that you did not anticipate? RNS: With the single-volume Tanach,

we worked on creating a readable translation of the entire text of the Torah; there’s just a smattering of commentary where the translation would be confusing to the reader. When it comes to our other works that provide a translation and commentary on Chumash, Nevi’im and Kesuvim, we translate a pasuk and try to remain true to the peshat, the literal meaning as understood by the major mefarshim. In cases where the literal translation is challenging, we rely on the commentaries to provide explanation. Translating Nevi’im Rishonim is relatively easy; they are mostly narratives. But when it comes to Nevi’im Acharonim, there are challenges. A sefer such as Yeshayahu, for instance, is primarily poetry and a straight translation without any commentary would be very difficult to understand. With the English Tanach [because of the length of the work, we can’t provide a comprehensive commentary for each book], we had to make the translation speak for itself as much as possible.

For example, we don’t provide an exact translation of Shir HaShirim. On the literal level, it’s a love story with explicit expressions. We spoke to Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky and Rabbi Moshe Feinstein before we started working on the translation and they were unanimous in their opinion that the only honest translation of Shir HaShirim is the allegory. To translate Shir HaShirim literally is to miss the whole point of the work. So in the ArtScroll Shir HaShirim, we provide an allegorical translation, primarily based on Rashi. In the commentary below the text, we provide a literal translation. And we were attacked for this! Moment Magazine ran a review of the entire ArtScroll project and devoted most of it to attacking us for not translating Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin is the NCSY director of education and a member of the Jewish Action Editorial Board.

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Photo: Yisroel Teitelbaum

Shir HaShirim literally as an erotic love song. A sign of the times, isn’t it? RDB: Did you respond to that attack? RNS: No, there was no point. There are people who insist on believing what they want to believe. These are people who adhere to the “don’t-confuse-me-with-the-facts-my-mindis-made-up” school of thought. But as we explain in the introduction to our Shir HaShirim, the traditional commentators unanimously agree—not the Bible critics, but those who follow the mesorah—that Shir HaShirim is not to be translated literally because it’s not meant to be literal; it’s an allegory.

Some of the verses in Iyov sound heretical, as if some of the personalities don’t believe in God. And that’s where the commentary becomes very, very important. 40

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RDB: Were there other instances where gedolim were called upon to weigh in on translation issues with Tanach? RNS: There were certainly cases where the peshat wasn’t clear and we had to consult with gedolim. In the early years, our very first published work was an English-language translation of Megillas Esther; following that, we worked on a translation of Megillas Rus. Shortly after Megillas Rus was published, we received a letter from Rabbi Mordechai Gifter [rosh yeshivah of Telz Yeshivah in Cleveland] that was very complimentary. He wrote how the work we were doing had never really been done before and how important it is to make Torah literature available in English. Subsequently, we went to visit him in Cleveland. He offered to review our galleys, which he did for two or three years, and he commented on everything. He wrote a foreword in Hebrew to Shir HaShirim, explaining what the love song really means. RDB: That’s remarkable! Did you ever consult with Bible scholars, historians, or archaeologists regarding the translation of Tanach? RNS: No, we avoid that completely. RDB: Was that a she’eilah or was that a given? RNS: It was a given. If you’re writing on Constitutional law, then you have to explain it the way the Supreme Court has interpreted the Constitution over the last 225 years. If you’re going to come up with chiddushim on the

Constitution, reading the text the way you choose to understand it or the way you think the court should have understood it, that’s a fine literary exercise but that’s not really interpreting the law. If you’re an attorney advising a client that way, you would be guilty of malpractice. To us as Torah Jews, the Torah is the way Chazal, the Rishonim and the Acharonim understood it. RDB: On the surface, Tanach seems to reflect a world that’s so vastly different from the one that we are familiar with. A Yiddishkeit with a Beis Hamikdash and with nevi’im—it seems so inaccessible. There’s almost more familiarity with the world of the Gemara and Rishonim. But I’d like to know why you think Tanach study is neglected in yeshivos. RNS: Well, historically the primary limud of the yeshivah world has been Gemara and Rishonim. The gedolim like Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein and Rabbi Mordechai Gifter all knew Tanach virtually by heart. They always studied Tanach. And today I’m sure there are many who went through the yeshivah system who are well-versed in Tanach. But the emphasis in the yeshivos is not on Tanach. Reb Yaakov once said in a shmuess in Torah Vodaas, when I was a bachur learning there, that Tanach study was de-emphasized in the yeshivos since the Maskilim emphasized the study of Tanach (Ben-Gurion, for example, knew Tanach very well and quoted from it extensively). The Maskilim learned Tanach exclusively, but not as believers; they studied it as Jewish literature. RDB: You were a product of the traditional yeshivos, so how did you come to immerse yourself in the world of Tanach? Was it because of your work at ArtScroll or were you involved with Tanach study before that? RNS: I was a typical yeshivah boy. Tanach was not a primary limud for me. But then I got involved with ArtScroll. We translated the megillos; we went on to translate Chumash, Nevi’im, and Mishnayos. Because of my writing skills, translating

To us as Torah Jews, the Torah is the way Chazal, the Rishonim and the Acharonim understood it.

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RDB: I’m curious about some of your influences outside of the canon of Rishonim and Acharonim that appear in Mikraos Gedolos. Were there any Chassidic thinkers who influenced your approach to Tanach? RNS: Rabbi Gedaliah Schorr, the Sefas Emes [Rabbi Yehudah Leib Alter], and Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen all had an influence. If you read the overviews [in the ArtScroll translations], you’ll see that there’s a heavy combination of mussar and chassidus that we incorporate into our commentary and that form our worldview. RDB: Is there a book of Tanach that you found to be the most difficult to translate or that you had the hardest time getting through? RNS: Nevi’im Acharonim is very challenging. Iyov is especially difficult. Some of the verses in Iyov sound heretical, as if some of the personalities don’t believe in God. And that’s where the commentary becomes very, very important. RDB: Are there any books or translations that ArtScroll put out that you think are your best, and that give you an extra sense of pride? RNS: Rabbi [Meir] Zlotowitz’s Bereishis, which originally consisted of six volumes and is now two, is the best commentary on Bereishis, bar none. Rabbi Joseph Elias—who knew Tanach cold—once said if he had any difficulty with Bereishis, he would look at Rabbi Zlotowitz’s work and invariably he would find an answer to his question. But unfortunately as ArtScroll grew, Rabbi Zlotowitz was overwhelmed with other responsibilities and he couldn’t do his own writing anymore. RDB: Are there any books that you would want to redo if you were given a second chance? RNS: I wouldn’t necessarily want to redo any works, but I would want to write a few of them on a different level. In retrospect, I would have added more depth to our commentary on Nevi’im Acharonim— but there just isn’t room for everything. ■

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Tanach for Our Generation By Rabbi Yaakov Ariel

Translated from the Hebrew for the first time for Jewish Action, this excerpt was adapted from a book-length interview with Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, the recently retired chief rabbi of Ramat Gan and one of the leading rabbis of the Religious Zionist movement. From the book Ye’erav Sichi: Sichot im HaRav Yaakov Ariel al Hashkafah, Avodat Hashem uPirkei Chaim (Dabri Shir, 2018), this excerpt, authored by Rabbi Arale Harel, presents Rabbi Ariel’s views on contemporary Tanach study. Translation by Rabbi Gil Student; published with permission from the publisher.

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Rabbi Gil Student writes frequently on Jewish issues and runs Torahmusings. com. He is a member of the Jewish Action Editorial Board.

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anach is our book of books. It is the source of our faith, personal and communal practices, and the great halachic system of the Oral Torah. Tanach is the focus of public Torah study: we read the Torah in synagogue, conclude with the Haftarah from the Prophets, and pray primarily from the prayers of King David contained in Psalms. When I served as the head of Yeshivat Yamit in Neve Dekalim, I taught an ongoing Thursday night class on Tanach.1 It is commendable that people learn Tanach. The in-depth approach to Tanach study is important, as it enables one to acquire a Biblical worldview based on the text and commentaries. However, I offer a specific criticism: I sometimes see a deviation from the Torah path, a phenomenon that I call a form of modern Karaism. Some independently interpret Tanach without basing themselves on the Sages and even attempt to undermine their authority. In principle, we are allowed to study Tanach using the peshat approach, based on our independent and even innovative understanding. The Sages did not oppose this. Our great commentators interpreted Torah in this fashion. They did not explain the text based only on the interpretations of the Sages, because the Sages themselves did not obligate us to accept only their interpretations—

If someone proposes ideas that contradict the fundamentals of faith, he is not engaging in Tanach study. except regarding practical halachah and fundamentals of faith. When we discuss practical halachah, the Sages alone have the correct interpretation. The same is true regarding ideas: if one proposes ideas that contradict the fundamentals of faith, he is not engaging in Tanach study. One can suggest new interpretations of Tanach using the peshat approach even if this interpretation is not found in existing commentaries, on the condition that it conforms with the spirit of Tanach and with the spirit of the great commentators who served as the Sages’ successors. Unfortunately, sometimes people mistakenly see themselves as capable of interpreting Tanach on their own, extracting ideas that contradict the spirit of Tanach and the spirit of the Sages. For example, the Sages and commentaries explain Amos (9:11), “On that day I will raise up the fallen booth [sukkah] of David that is fallen,” as a reference to the period following the destruction of the Kingdom of Judah. While the Sages and the Rishonim interpret this verse as relating to the future redemption, based on the context it is also possible to explain this verse as referring to the Kingdom of Judah during the days of Hezekiah.2 While no other commentators raise this possibility, this interpretation is completely legitimate. The interpretation does not contradict the Sages’ approach, since prophecies were given both for the prophet’s generation and for subsequent generations. Isaiah’s prophecies about the Mashiach refer also to Hezekiah, who had the potential to be Mashiach had he and his generation been worthy. The above explanation of Amos can be correct as long as one fully believes in the future redemption in which the Davidic monarchy will be reinstated, like the sukkah of David that fell and will one day be rebuilt from the same materials. Another example is the vision of the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37). According to the Sages, this prophecy refers either to the members of the Tribe of Ephraim who left Egypt too early or to the future resurrection of the dead.3 Following the establishment of the State of Israel, contemporary commentators lean toward interpreting the prophecy as referring to the resurrection of the Jewish People and its return to the Land of Israel. This is particularly poignant after the Holocaust and the long exile that eroded our dry bones, which were scattered across the globe. This interpretation does not contradict

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the resurrection of the dead. Quite the opposite—the miraculous resurrection of the nation in our day only strengthens the belief in resurrection of the dead. The Gemara4 offers practical examples or analogies to explain the resurrection of the dead, such as snails awakening after rain and dry wheat that is planted and grows. Similarly, we can offer the greatest of all analogies to resurrection, which is the revival of the Jewish nation—a unique historical occurrence. A nation that was dispersed 2,700 years ago, beginning with the exile of the Ten Tribes, was scattered and divided among the nations, experienced pogroms, forced conversions, the Holocaust and other terrible suffering—returns to its land with renewed independence. It reestablishes its army, restores its language, and reinvigorates its Torah study that had reached a low point. How did this happen? Someone who does not believe in the resurrection of the dead will be incapable of

here to teach us, not for us to teach it. The interpreter of Torah must rise above his personal physical and spiritual circumstances and seek to genuinely understand the Tanach. Through this study, he can gain true insights into the challenges of his generation, and use them to elevate his generation. An interpreter’s circumstances can only help him see things from a new perspective, through which he can understand the Biblical text. Contemporary studies and discoveries having to do with the realia of the ancient world, such as geography, history, and archeology, can shed new light on a verse. For example, the Book of Samuel (1 13:21) says, “And the price of the filing was a pim for the mattocks.” Commentaries struggle to define the word pim and offer a variety of interpretations. I heard from the late Professor Yehuda Elitzur (who taught Tanach at Bar-Ilan University) that scholars found a small weight bearing the word pim. So now we know that

If studied in the spirit of the Sages, Tanach can help us answer questions that arise—questions of faith, morality, values, culture and society. understanding this phenomenon, while someone who sees it must believe in the resurrection of the dead. Therefore, the new interpretation does not contradict the Sages’ approach but rather strengthens it. We are permitted to and, in fact, we should seek to interpret Tanach. We should study Torah in depth, which invariably leads to new, fresh interpretations. Tanach was given for the ages; every prophecy that was written was intended for the generations. Each generation may interpret Tanach based on its own understanding, but on one condition: Tanach should not be forced to fit into one’s personal worldview. Tanach is 46

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that pim refers to the weight of the coin (indicating its price). Someone who took his mattock to the Philistines for sharpening paid that high price because, at that time, there were no ironsmiths in Israel.5 Is there anything wrong with learning the meaning of the word pim? Contemporary Biblical scholars identify many of the places mentioned in Tanach. However, we have to be careful as sometimes their hypotheses contradict the text. For example, some scholars contend that the city of Ai was not destroyed in Joshua’s time since they identify a different place as Ai, which was destroyed at an earlier period. They are mistaken. While there is room for honest, objective

scholarship, we need to remember that these are imprecise sciences that are built on speculation. We cannot dismiss the Biblical text because of questionable speculation. Tanach is always correct. If there is a contradiction between Tanach and a theory, the theory must be wrong. However, a reasonable theory that coheres with Tanach and sheds new light on a verse is absolutely worth stating. Therefore, it is a positive development that people today are involved in studying the archaeological and historical aspects of Tanach; this revives the sacred text. But one should engage in such studies only if one accepts that Tanach is the ultimate truth. We have to remember that, for us, Tanach is not archaeology but ideology. Archaeology helps us understand the context of the events described in Tanach. However, we cannot limit the prophecies to the historical period in which they were given. Everything contained in Tanach is intended for all generations. The main point in studying Tanach is to find its message for us today. The intent is not to reduce Tanach to contemporary concerns, but rather to ensure that it shapes our view of reality and that we see life through the lens of Tanach. If studied in the spirit of the Sages, Tanach can help us answer questions that arise—questions of faith, morality, values, culture and society. This engagement should be our primary focus when studying Tanach. ■ Notes 1. According to kabbalistic sources, it is best to study Tanach during the day and not at night. However, I taught the Early Prophets in depth from a halachic perspective, as explained in the Oral Torah, and therefore did not see a problem in learning Tanach in this way at night. Additionally, the recommendation against studying Tanach at night is not directed at everyone. If someone is unable to learn during the day, or the yeshivah insists that students devote all hours of the day to Talmud except for a single weekly class at night, it is not a problem. 2. Example suggested by Rabbi Arale Harel, the interviewer. 3. Sanhedrin 92b. 4. Ibid. 91a. 5. See Da’at Mikra, ad loc.

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Why Isn’t Tanach Studied More? By Eliyahu Krakowski

lthough we may have assumed otherwise, the neglect of Tanach study is not a recent phenomenon. At least among Ashkenazic Jewry, neglect of Tanach study dates back to the Middle Ages. (Sephardic Jewry, on the other hand, better maintained the study of Tanach.) The Mishnah (Avot 5:21) sets ages for the various educational levels—five for Scripture, ten for Mishnah, and fifteen for Talmud—but in Ashkenazi lands (France, Germany and Northern Europe) this was rarely implemented. Instead, students were taught the parashah of the week with Rashi— younger students, the earlier sections, and older students, the whole parashah. Those sections of Chumash which are read when there was no cheder in session were never studied. As for the rest of Tanach, students covered at most the earlier books of the Prophets. At the age of eight or nine, students switched to primarily studying Gemara (and Mishnah was omitted almost entirely).1 Medieval travelers from Germany to Spain and vice versa provide evidence for the different approaches to Tanach in these two Jewish cultures. Rabbi Yehudah, son of the Rosh, who emigrated from Germany to Rabbi Eliyahu Krakowski is associate editor of OU Press. 48

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Students learning in the beit midrash of the Chevron Yeshiva, a branch of the Slabodka Yeshiva (Yeshiva Kenesess Yisrael), circa 1920. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo

Spain when he was thirteen, wrote to his children in his will: “Also, make time to study the verses [of Tanach] with dikduk [grammar or precision] and commentary. I did not study this in my youth, because they were not accustomed to study it in Ashkenaz, and therefore I have been unable to study it here.” This remark, coming from the son of one of history’s most important halachists, provides a fascinating window into educational priorities.2

The fourteenth-century Spanish philosopher Profiat Duran, who spent time studying in Ashkenaz, wrote about the Ashkenazi attitude toward Tanach study: “Jewish scholars, even the greatest among them, show great disdain for Biblical studies. It is enough for them to read the weekly portion shenayim mikra v’echad Targum, and still it is possible that if you ask them about a particular verse they will not know where it is. They consider one who

spends time doing Biblical studies a fool Mishnah and one third for Talmud. Rabbeinu Tam comments that one who because the Talmud is our mainstay.”3 has sated himself with Scripture and is The Ashkenazi curriculum’s neglect thoroughly versed in the twenty-four of Tanach study was lamented by sacred books . . . need not devote almost all rabbinic authorities who one third of the day to them, for the addressed it. The greatest proponent Babylonian Talmud is permeated of Ashkenazi educational reform was with them. But to neglect Scripture the Maharal of Prague, who advocated [altogether], Heaven forfend that for more systematic study of Chumash, one should entertain such a thought among other reforms, but his proposals and cast off the yoke of Torah . . .”6 achieved only limited success.4 Rabbi Rabbi Yoel Sirkes, the Bach, Isaiah Horowitz, a successor of the maintains that one is obligated to teach Maharal in the Prague rabbinate, better his son all of Tanach, which includes known as the Shelah Hakadosh, and the obligation to hire a teacher to do his family members, continued to so. Based on this, he writes that the argue for the importance of Tanach “world’s custom” not to teach one’s study. The Shelah’s son, Rabbi Sheftel, child all of Tanach is against halachah. wrote of his experience visiting the The Shach, Rabbi Shabtai HaKohen, Sephardic community of Amsterdam: presents one of the only defenses of “I passed through the Amsterdam this custom found in classical sources.7 community. There I found distinguished men, many of them scholars, and I visited their study halls . . . I saw that the young children learn Scripture from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Deuteronomy, and after that the [rest of] Scripture, and then all the Mishnayot. And when they come of age, they start to study Talmud with the Tosafot. They grow and thrive and produce fruit. And I wept—why cannot this system be followed in this country?”5 Rabbi Avraham, the Shelah’s brother, also wrote passionately The Shach argues that the custom not about this subject: “How can we possibly justify ourselves to study Tanach follows the view of Rabbeinu Tam mentioned above, who before God if we reject His pride, the maintains that since the Babylonian Holy Torah, which issued first from His Talmud contains Tanach verses, one mouth? In my opinion, this obligation fulfills the obligation to study Tanach is also included in the verse ‘and you by studying the Talmud. However, shall heed His voice,’ which our Sages the consensus rejects the Shach’s interpreted as the voice of the prophets view—Rabbeinu Tam, most posekim . . . If you do not learn them, know them, explain, intended his ruling only and become well-versed in them, how for those who already know Tanach, can you heed their voice and fulfill but not for students who have never them? And even for one whose only studied Tanach in the first place. In occupation is Torah study—no study in the words of Rabbi Yaakov Emden: the world is entirely comparable to that “In this regard, the Sephardim have of Scripture, that is, to Torah, Prophets the advantage . . . [The Ashkenazim] and Ketuvim, from start to finish . . . want the youngster to learn the entire Therefore, there is no valid objection Torah while standing on one foot or excuse by which a person can free . . . What sense does it make to enter himself from this obligation . . . They the Torah’s inner sanctum, where say that a person should divide his the Oral Torah is revealed, if one time into three equal parts: one third has not been given the outer keys, of the day for Scripture, one third for

the requisite simple explanation of Scripture? . . . The words of the Shach on this subject are not at all convincing, although his honor remains intact.”8 If the halachic justifications for neglecting Tanach are insufficient, Yekutiel Blitz, the translator of the first Yiddish edition of Tanach, printed in Amsterdam in 1679, offers another theory for why the Ashkenazi educational system overlooks the study of Tanach: Among the Sephardim, teachers were paid by communal funds, but in Ashkenaz every father had to privately hire a teacher for his sons. The father “wants his son to know the entire Torah on one foot before reaching bar mitzvah,” to limit his educational expenses. Therefore, “they begin in a backwards order—before he knows how to pray, they teach him Chumash,

The greatest proponent of Ashkenazi educational reform was the Maharal of Prague, who advocated for more systematic study of Chumash, among other reforms. before he knows Chumash, they teach him Mishnayot and then Gemara.” Then, “when the teacher tells the father, ‘Your son is learning Gemara,’ the father thinks to himself, this child knows enough.”9 This provides a compelling economic explanation for the difference between Ashkenazim and Sephardim. When we reach the period of the Haskalah, the Enlightenment, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a new justification is introduced for the lack of Tanach study: one who studies Tanach risks being swept into Haskalah. However, even these warnings include an appreciation of the need to know Tanach properly. As Rabbi Shmuel Wosner wrote: “According to halachah it is obvious that although Rabbi Eliezer said ‘Keep your children from higayon,’ i.e., from studying too much Tanach Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

Neglect of Tanach study among the Ashkenazim dates back to the Middle Ages. (Rashi, Berachot 28b), this means too much, but we are obligated [to study] the abundance of fundamentals of Tanach sufficiently. And although the Chatam Sofer (Torat Moshe, Parashat Beshalach) strongly supported the method of learning in which Talmud and Torah Shebe’al Peh are primary, and the fundamentals of Tanach come only afterwards, it is known that our master [the Chatam Sofer] and his great students were tremendously proficient in Tanach, and particularly the great gaon Maharam Schick, as I have reliably received. And my teacher, the great and pious master of all Talmud, Rabbi Shimon HaLevi Zelichover of Lublin, may God avenge his blood, knew the entire Tanach by heart in an astonishing way. What need is there to elaborate about something which is accepted by all gedolei Yisrael? Although some of them hid their knowledge of Tanach and grammar out of concern that this would strengthen the heretics . . . the actual knowledge of this aspect of our holy Torah does not require my haskamah [endorsement].”10 In a letter to a critic who saw him as overly accommodating of non-religious ideologies, Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch, the late rosh yeshivah of Telz, wrote: “. . . we have lost much by refusing to recognize things which are true because the non-religious . . . promote them. In my mind, our views have not found a receptive audience in the broader community not because our position which is true conflicts with theirs which is false, but because of our opposition to their correct views, such as [support for] study of Tanach, Hebrew, and Eretz Yisrael . . .”11 In short, neglect of Tanach in the traditional curriculum is 50

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not a recent phenomenon—but criticism of this practice has a distinguished history as well. ■

p. 41, translated in Kanarfogel, Jewish Education, p. 85. 4. See Assaf, Me’ein Mevo, p. 32-42. 5. Vavei Ha’Amudim, Amud HaTorah, Notes chap. 5, translated in Leo Levi, Torah 1. See Simcha Assaf, Mekorot leToldot Study: A Survey of Classic Sources on haChinuch beYisrael (New York and Timely Issues (New York, 1990), 216. Jerusalem, 2002), vol. 1, Me’ein Mevo, 6. Hagahot Yesh Nochalin, translated p. 30-31. Some primary sources on this in Levi, Torah Study, p. 205-206. subject include the Gemara’s cryptic 7. Bach and Shach, Yoreh De’ah 245:5. statement, “Keep your children from 8. Rabbi Yaakov Emden, Migdal Oz, higayon” (Berachot 28b), which Rashi translated in Levi, Torah Study, p. 218-219. explains to mean that one should avoid See also Yesh Nochalin, cited above; teaching his children too much Tanach. Shelah, Masechet Shavuot, Ner Mitzvah 22; Yet although this is a warning against Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Hilchot Talmud overemphasizing one section of Torah, Torah, Kuntres Acharon 1; Toldot Adam, this surely does not mean that one should chap. 3; Aruch HaShulchan, Yoreh De’ah not teach his children Tanach altogether. 246:14; Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky, Emet See also Rashi (Shemot 31:18), citing LeYaakov Mevo LeLimud HaMikra. the Midrash: “Just as a bride bedecks 9. Quoted in Assaf, Mekorot, vol. 1, herself with twenty-four ornaments, so p. 400. For a much earlier economic must a scholar be thoroughly versed in explanation of this phenomenon, see the twenty-four books of Scripture.” C.f. the responsum of Rabbi Natronai Tosafot (Bava Batra 113a) and Rabbi Gaon in Teshuvot HaGeonim (Lyck), Reuven Margolis, HaMikra veHaMesorah, 90, quoted in Machzor Vitry, 47. p. 7-9. Another important source is the 10. Rabbi Shmuel Wosner, Shevet Gemara (Kiddushin 30a and Avodah HaLevi 8:207. See also Rabbi Ezekiel Zarah 19b) which requires one to split Landau, Tzelach, Berachot 28b his learning into three segments, one of (Rashi s.v. mehahigayon); Rabbi Tzvi Tanach, one of Mishnah and one of Talmud. Elimelech of Dinov, Ma’ayan Ganim, On these passages, Tosafot cite Rabbeinu chap. 12; Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, Tam who maintains that one can fulfill this Teshuvot VeHanhagot 2:457. obligation through the study of Talmud 11. Printed in the first edition of Rabbi Bavli alone, since it is made up of all Yosef David Epstein’s Mitzvot HaShalom three of these components. See also Bava (1969)], p. 605-606. My thanks to Rabbi Metzia 32b and Rashi s.v. v’einah middah. Dovid Bashevkin for making me aware 2. Quoted by Simcha Assaf, Me’ein Mevo, of this source. For the fascinating history p. 30. See also Ephraim Kanarfogel, behind this letter, see Elazar Muskin, Jewish Education and Society in the High “When Unity Reigned: Yom ha-Azma’ut Middle Ages (Detroit, 1992), p. 79. 1954,” Hakirah 13, p. 51-63: http:// 3. Ma’aseh Efod (Vienna, 1865), www.hakirah.org/Vol13Muskin.pdf.

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THE LIMITS of INTERPRETATION Are There Red Lines in Peshat? By Netanel Wiederblank

hen studying classical Tanach commentaries, occasionally one encounters statements that seem to reject the interpretation of Chazal. Students are often shocked, since in matters of halachah all Orthodox thinkers agree that the positions of Chazal are authoritative. Why would this not apply to Tanach? Why would Rabbi Akivaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s viewpoint be binding in halachic realms but not with respect to parshanut? These questions prompt further questions: if one may in fact disagree with Chazal about the interpretation of Tanach, are there any limits? Is any interpretation legitimate if it is rooted in the text, or might it be too creative, even sacrilegious?

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Binding or Non-Binding? Why are halachic statements of Chazal binding? While there are numerous approaches to answering this question, the most prominent view is expressed by Rambam in his introduction to Mishneh Torah. In Devarim 17, the Torah establishes the Sanhedrin’s authority with respect to the interpretation of the Torah and legislation (takanot, gezeirot and minhagim). As understood by Rav Yosef Ber Soloveitchik, among others, Rambam asserts that any halachic ruling accepted by the Jewish people has the same standing as a ruling of Sanhedrin.1 This happened with the Talmud Bavli; the entire Jewish people accepted the Gemara’s conclusions, making it binding upon the entire nation. As such, no person, despite his brilliance or erudition, has the authority to argue with the Talmud’s conclusions. While the Talmud’s authority was accepted with respect to the law, it is not clear whether it was accepted with respect to non-halachic matters, or whether the notion of acceptance is even possible, since there may be no such thing as a legal ruling on a non-legal matter. Thus, there are some thinkers who maintain that concerning non-halachic matters the positions of Chazal are not binding. This seems to be the stance adopted by a number of Geonim, though the precise opinion of the Geonim is the subject of a major debate.2 Many others disagree, averring that the non-halachic positions of Sanhedrin and Chazal are binding.3 One who adopts the first position can easily understand how, on occasion, commentators on Tanach argue with the Scriptural interpretations of Chazal. However, this is not the only way to explain this phenomenon. The Seventy Faces of Torah Often, when commentators explain a Torah verse differently from Chazal, they are not arguing with Chazal. Instead, they are elucidating the Torah on a level of peshat, in contrast to Chazal, who focus on

derash. Peshat and derash are two methods of interpretation with different methodologies and goals. Thus, a commentator who elucidates a verse at variance with Chazal is not necessarily disagreeing as much as highlighting another one of the Torah’s seventy faces. This is often true even if his interpretation is initiated by questions upon the Midrashic interpretation; the alternative explanation does not reflect irreverence towards Chazal’s understanding. Consider, for example, the commentary of Rashbam, who frequently questions Chazal’s interpretation of a verse and offers original and creative alternatives which interpret according to peshat. At the same time, he assigns preeminence to derash.4 On the other hand, Rashbam clearly felt that there is great value in the study of peshat, otherwise he would not devote his commentary towards explaining Scripture on a level of peshat. Thus, it would be incorrect to conclude that these pashtanim (those who seek a literal meaning of the Biblical text) are rejecting Chazal, even as they are offering interpretations that differ from Chazal, because they maintain that both levels of interpretation are valuable. But, Rashbam maintains, they may not be confused. Derash is meant to convey the truth of Torah on a different level than peshat. (While this is generally the case, there are cases where some Rishonim indicate that Chazal were wrong in their interpretations. I discuss this point in Illuminating Jewish Thought: Explorations in Faith and Knowledge of God.) Peshat or derash alone presents an incomplete perspective. Taken together, we get a more comprehensive understanding

of the Torah’s message and come closer to understanding God’s will. The Purpose of Derash—the Torah’s Inner Message To better appreciate the goal of Midrash, and why it is a necessary complement to peshat, consider the following observation made by Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Chajes (the Maharatz Chayot; 1805-1856). He notes that Chazal frequently use derash to highlight the extreme righteousness and extreme wickedness of many Biblical personalities, far in excess of what the text indicates.5 However, an important clarification is in order. The episodes recorded in Midrash are not thoughtless exaggeration; rather, they are precise metaphors intended to get at the heart of the story. This is true whether or not one presumes that they literally occurred. As an example of this phenomenon, he cites the passage from the Talmud (Bava Batra 16b) that states that Eisav violated five major sins on the day he sold the birthright to Yaakov. One was the prohibition of having relations with a na’arah me’urasah (halachically betrothed maiden). Why do Chazal ascribe this specific sin to Eisav rather than simply stating that he committed adultery? After all, the concept of eirusin (halachic betrothal) did not even exist at the time.6 The answer, as I heard from my teacher Rabbi Ahron Lopiansky, is that the concept of eirusin highlights an orientation towards the future. Even though the maiden still lives at home, she is considered a married woman based on her future status of entering her husband’s home. Chazal recognized that the primary point of conflict between Yaakov and Eisav concerned their perception of reality.

Rabbi Netanel Wiederblank is a maggid shiur at Yeshiva University, where he teaches Tanach, Talmud, halachah and Jewish philosophy. Rabbi Wiederblank also serves as rabbi at the Yeshiva Community Shul (Shenk Shul) in Washington Heights. He recently published Illuminating Jewish Thought: Explorations of Free Will, the Afterlife, and the Messianic Era (Jerusalem, 2018).

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Eisav saw only the here and now, while Yaakov glimpsed an eternal reality beyond the present one. When Yaakov asked Eisav to sell the birthright, Eisav responded, “Hinei anochi holech lamut—behold, I am going to die” (Bereishit 25:32). According to the Talmud (ibid.), Eisav meant to say that death is final, that there is nothing besides our meager existence in this world. Ramban (Bereishit 25:34) explains that this attitude was why Eisav disparaged the birthright, arguing, “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we will die.” To him, giving up on eternity for a good meal seemed like a fair deal. Yaakov disagreed; he argued that there is purpose in existence and direction to history.7 Thus, the aforementioned Talmudic passage is meant to get at the heart of the dispute between Yaakov and Eisav. It is not merely hagiographic exaggeration; it is precise imagery intended to convey the deeper message of the stories described in the Torah. Absent Chazal’s careful analysis, one might miss the primary message of the text and one could cogently argue that Eisav was an innocent victim while Yaakov was a scheming scoundrel. Thus, the interpretation of Chazal proves essential regardless of whether or not it actually happened in a literal sense. More importantly, failure to study Chazal’s analysis can cause one to miss the boat completely. To appreciate the extent to which this is true, consider the following: without Midrash one might read an entire parashah concerning tzara’at and miss its central lesson—namely, the evils of lashon hara.

Are there limits? Thus far we have seen many commentaries offer interpretations that differ from Chazal, in the words of Rashbam cited above, “lefi hapeshutot hamitchadshim bichol yom—according to the new insights of peshat that arise each day.” One question that arises relates to whether there are limits to interpretation. Consider the possibility we alluded to earlier: could one argue that in the story of Parashat Toldot Yaakov is the duplicitous villain? I believe a careful reading of the pesukim does not allow for such a conclusion. But let’s imagine a person studies the text to the best of his or her ability and arrives at such an unfathomable conclusion. Could he or she say, “My interpretation is correct on a level of peshat since it is supported by the text of the Torah?” I believe the answer is no. To appreciate this, let us draw an analogy from Rambam’s treatment of Creation ex nihilo. The predominant scientific and philosophical viewpoint in Rambam’s era rejected the concept of Creation, accepting instead the Aristotelian notion that matter is eternal. Rambam (Guide for the Perplexed II, 25) rejects this position not because of the text of Parashat Bereishit, which could conceivably be read in a way that is consistent with the Aristotelian position, but for two other reasons. Firstly, Aristotle’s view has not been proved definitively. Secondly— and this is what is relevant to our discussion—Rambam argues that for a number of reasons the basis of the Torah is conceivable only if we reject

Even if one simply claims his interpretation is true only on a level of peshat, an explanation that deviates from fundamental and universal assumptions made by Chazal is wrong and intolerable. 54

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Aristotle.8 There are limits. Rambam is informing us that when considering the appropriateness of an interpretation there are more than textual limitations. I believe the same thing can be said about certain basic Torah principles that we know from Chazal, such as the rectitude of Yaakov.9 This does not mean Yaakov was perfect. Chazal themselves criticize some of his decisions. But there is no question that he was a tzaddik chosen by God to carry on the legacy of Avraham and Yitzchak.10 Two Examples of Red Lines An illustration of this principle emerges from a debate concerning Nimrod. Chazal portray Nimrod as the epitome of evil. Among other things, he attempts to fight God through the construction of the Tower of Bavel and to murder Avram in a fiery furnace. Nimrod’s very name, which comes from the root mered (rebel), alludes to his primary objective—to rebel against God. (Who else could the most powerful person on earth rebel against?) However, in the text of the Torah (Bereishit 10:9), the phrase “gibor tzayid lifnei Hashem” is ambiguous. Ibn Ezra translates this phrase as meaning “a mighty hunter in the presence of God.” This understanding allows for a positive conception of Nimrod: “Nimrod was the first to show mankind’s might over the animals for he was a ‘mighty hunter.’ The phrase ‘before God’ tells us that Nimrod would build altars to God and sacrifice the animals that he caught to God. This is the straightforward reading of the text [derech hapeshat]; however, the Midrash chooses a different reading.” Ibn Ezra notes outright that his explanation differs from Chazal, but insists it is correct on a level of peshat. Ramban disagrees: “How can he be correct? He has transformed the rasha into a tzaddik! Our Sages know from the earliest tradition that Nimrod was evil.” Ramban’s principal contention is not textual. He asks no textual questions upon Ibn Ezra as he usually does. Instead, he asserts that Ibn Ezra has crossed the line cited

above. While every interpretation of Midrash may not be the result of a tradition, basic and uncontested ideas— such as Nimrod’s wickedness—reflect tradition and cannot be questioned, even on a level of peshat. How did Ramban know this? Why is it different from the specific interpretations of the pesukim which Ramban frequently rejects, at least on a level of peshat? The answer seems to be that basic, uncontested assumptions in Chazal must reflect a tradition.11 Thus, even though Ramban’s explanation of the above verse differs from that of Chazal, it is in keeping with the basic premise that Nimrod was wicked.12 Let us consider one more example of a possible red line. Rav Soloveitchik maintained that there is no “peshat” in Shir HaShirim: The allegorical character of the Song of Songs is a firm principle of the Halakhah, upon which are founded both the physical sanctity of the scroll of Song of Songs as not to be touched

(Yadayim 3:5), and the sanctity of the name Shelomoh, occurrences of which in the Song of Songs are interpreted allegorically as appellations for God. The aggadic tradition also interprets the Song of Songs symbolically . . . . The book cannot be interpreted according to pshat. In all of the rest of the Torah, we are permitted to interpret the verses according to either the midrashic reading or the plain sense . . . . In this case, the symbolic method is the only one we can use. Anyone who explains this book, in accordance with the literal meaning of the words, as referring to sensual love, defiles its sanctity and denies the Oral Torah.13 Generally, when pesukim speak allegorically, there is a mashal— the vehicle of the message being conveyed—and the nimshal, which is the message being conveyed. This is not the case for Shir HaShirim. While Rashi, Rashbam and Ibn Ezra all elucidate the verses according to peshat, they see the peshat as an

allegory. What Rav Soloveitchik maintains is that the claim that Shir HaShirim on a level of peshat is a collection of love poems, entirely lacking in religious content, is false. Regarding such a basic and uncontested issue the position of Chazal reflects a tradition which cannot be debated, even on a level of peshat. Hence, Rabbi Akiva (Tosefta, Sanhedrin 12:10) said if someone treats Shir HaShirim as a love song, he has no portion in the World to Come. Rav Soloveitchik compared this to Rambam’s idea that when there is a tradition regarding the correct understanding of a particular verse, then all other interpretations are false. “In these cases, only the derashah exists; the plain meaning has been completely abolished. To interpret literally . . . ‘an eye for an eye’ . . . constitutes denial of our tradition.”14 Of course, this does not mean one may ignore the literal reading. Rambam (Hilchot Chovel uMazik,

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Anyone who engages in the valuable pursuit of discovering novel interpretations of Scripture must be wary of going too far. chap. 1, 5) derives significant halachic and philosophical lessons from the Torah’s referring to this particular monetary payment as a penalty. Likewise, the fact that God chose to allegorize His relationship with the Jewish people through romantic human affection teaches us a great deal about the nature of religious love. Thus, even when the halachah (according to Rav Soloveitchik) places methodological limitations on peshat, one can never ignore the text. On a practical level, this means that anyone who engages in the valuable pursuit of discovering novel interpretations of Scripture must be wary of going too far. Even if one accepts the view that the non-halachic words of Chazal are not binding, and even if one simply claims his interpretation is true only on a level of peshat, an explanation that deviates from fundamental and universal assumptions made by Chazal is wrong and intolerable. To be sure, there is no clear line. Great people may debate whether a particular interpretation is tenable. However, the values, worldview and basic assumptions of Chazal are not the inventions of mortals but are traditions stemming from Sinai. As such, they are sacrosanct and uncontestable on any level of interpretation. Of course, the above analysis will not always provide clear-cut guidelines. Some of the traditional commentators display remarkable creativity explaining Scripture in a way that deviates substantially from Chazal.15 I cannot tell you whether a particular interpretation has crossed the line. Such a decision often requires the intuition of a gadol. However, ultimately, we must always treat the words of Chazal with 56

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reverence and accept that sometimes there are even limits on peshat.16 ■ Notes 1. This may be because the authority of the Sanhedrin is rooted in the Jewish people, and would explain how Rambam knew that the Sanhedrin and semichah can be reconstituted. Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman proposes a similar suggestion in Kuntres Divrei Sofrim, siman 2 (Kovetz Shiurim, vol. 2, p. 96). 2. I elaborate on this critical debate in chapter five of the forthcoming Illuminating Jewish Thought: Explorations in Faith and Knowledge of God (Jerusalem, expected Jan. 2019). 3. We should stress that the above debate relates to aggadic or philosophical matters with no halachic implications. Frequently, a philosophical question will have halachic implications. For example, the shechitah performed by someone who denies one of the Thirteen Principles of Faith is invalid. 4. Rashbam, Bereishit 37:2 writes: “Even though the primary goal of Torah is to

teach and inform us—through various allusions in peshat—the teachings of aggadah, halachot and legal rulings through idiosyncrasies in the text and the thirty-two hermeneutical principles of Rabbi Eliezer and the thirteen of Rabbi Yishmael, the early commentators, due to their piety, focused on derash, for that is primary (accordingly, they were not accustomed to noting the depth of peshat).” While I believe this sentiment reflects the prevailing position among the commentators, there may be dissenters. Professor Mordechai Cohen has argued that Rav Saadia Gaon, Rav Shmuel bar Chofni Gaon and Rav Shmuel Hanagid all believed that what the Gemara means when it says “ein mikra yotzei mi’yedei peshuto” is that peshat is the primary meaning and the derash secondary. 5. Chapter 20 of Mevo HaTalmud, pp. 162-164 of the English edition (The Students’ Guide through the Talmud, translated by Jacob Shachter [New York, 1952]). 6. See the beginning of Hilchot Ishut in Rambam’s Mishneh Torah. 7. While the Midrash underscores this notion, Ramban demonstrates that it is textually rooted. 8. This is because if Aristotle were correct, miracles and prophecy would be impossible. (Aristotle believed that the universe has its present form as the result of fixed and necessary laws and thus cannot be altered by supernatural forces.) Yet the Torah clearly accepts miracles and prophecies. To interpret the Torah figuratively, such that there are no miracles or prophecy, would undermine

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more than the first chapter of Bereishit. 9. This idea was conveyed to me by many of my teachers, including Rabbi Ahron Lopiansky and Rabbi Moshe Stav. Rabbi Stav cited the introduction of the Sefer HaChinuch as an expression of this idea: “Among the fundamentals of the Torah is to believe that the true explanation of the Torah is the traditionally received explanation that is in our hands from the early Sages of Israel. And anyone who explains about it something that is the opposite of their intention is [expressing] a mistake and a completely void thing.” Rabbi Stav understood that this allows for explaining matters differently than Chazal, but never the opposite of Chazal. 10. Rabbi Shalom Carmy (“Homer and the Bible,” Tradition 41:4 [winter 2008], 1-7) offers a different type of critique on this sort of approach: “One manifestation of this ‘new irreverence’ is the proliferation of interpretations, presented in the lingo of pop psychology, purporting to take the Avot and other sanctified Biblical personalities down from their pedestal, and bring them down to earth. In Israel this is called Tanach begovah einayim. ‘Bible at eye level’ sees the Avot as dysfunctional guys very much like the ones in our society. For people like me, precisely because we want psychological insight to animate our religious life and do not want to treat Biblical characters as ‘petrified statues of ossified tsidkut’ (Rabbi [Aharon] Lichtenstein’s phrase), the results are disappointing. The tragedy is not only that they shrink the Avot to our size, but that failing to recognize the shaping religious personalities of our tradition in their magnificence, we lose the aspiration to live religiously passionate lives ourselves. We subject ourselves to the casual deterministic assumptions, clichéd depictions of emotion, typical of the therapeutic outlook at its dreariest, and adopt a philosophy that cannot grasp the dramatic, absolute, momentous solemnity of the moral-religious life.” 11. This may parallel Rambam’s contention in his introduction to Mishnah concerning uncontested halachic assumptions. 12. While, in this case, Ibn Ezra disagrees (perhaps because of Nimrod’s relative unimportance on a level of peshat), Ibn Ezra also has his red lines regarding when it is inappropriate to disagree with Chazal even on a level of peshat. These primarily relate to his objection to explaining halachic passages at variance with Chazal. Consider, for example, his famous letter concerning Shabbat. However, even in non-halachic passages where Ibn Ezra is 58

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The values, worldview and basic assumptions of Chazal are not the inventions of mortals but are traditions stemming from Sinai. As such, they are sacrosanct and uncontestable on any level of interpretation. inclined to disagree with Chazal, he prefaces his maverick ideas with qualifications such as the following: “v’im divrei kabbalah nekabel u’miderech sevara ein zeh nachon— if the interpretation of Chazal is based on tradition, we accept it, but if it is not, then it is incorrect” (Bereishit 22:5). At the same time, Ramban’s comments here must also be considered within the broader debate between him and Ibn Ezra (who is but one leading member of an entire exegetical school), which, among other things, concerns the value and role of Chazal in parshanut hamikra. 13. And From There You Shall Seek, translated by Naomi Goldblum (2009), pp. 151-153. See also Nefesh HaRav, p. 289-290 and https://www.ou.org/torah/parsha/ vayigdal-moshe/parshas-behaaloscha-2/. In what sense is Shir HaShirim different from other Biblical allegories which should be understood as having a mashal and nimshal? Clearly, the fact that human love is used to allegorize our relationship with the Divine reflects the reality that the powerful emotions between people is the best vehicle to portray the love between the Jewish people and God. To appreciate what the Rav was saying, we can compare his statement to Rambam’s comments about Mishlei in his introduction to Moreh Nevuchim, where Rambam explains that generally Biblical metaphors offer insight on two levels: “The parables of the prophets are similar [to a golden apple overlaid in silver]. Their peshat [represented by the silver overlay] contains wisdom that is useful in many respects, among which is the welfare of human societies, as is shown by the peshat of Mishlei and of similar sayings. Their deeper meaning [comparable to the golden core] contains wisdom that allows a person to apprehend the truth as it is.” Perhaps Rav Soloveitchik intended to contrast sefarim like Mishlei, which convey wisdom and

truth on multiple levels, to Shir HaShirim. Do not say that on a simple but true level Shir HaShirim is Shlomo Hamelech’s profession of love towards a woman and on a deeper level it reflects the relationship between the Jewish people and God; rather the only true level of interpretation is the nimshal. Of course, to understand the nimshal, one must understand the mashal. Hence, Rashi, Rashbam and Ibn Ezra all carefully elucidate the mashal independently of the nimshal. If that is indeed what Rav Soloveitchik intended, it would seem that there may be those who disagree. Consider Rabbi Yitzchak Arama’s introduction to Shir HaShirim, in which he writes: “u’mei’atah neva’er hamegillah hazot lefi chomer hamashal ki hu davar ra’ui v’na’ot, v’achar kach navo el hanimshal.” 14. Goldblum, p. 153. 15. Consider the following examples: Ralbag (and Derashot HaRan) contends that the people did not sin with the Tower of Bavel. God’s motivation was actually to ensure the dispersal of humanity in order to guarantee its survival in the event of a major catastrophe; Rambam understands that angels did not visit Avraham when he was sick, instead the episode took place in a dream; Rashbam argues that the brothers did not sell Yosef, instead they left him in the pit and the Midianites sold him to the Ishmaelites; Ibn Ezra asserts that Yocheved could not have been born on the way down to Egypt and that several of the plagues, including the first, affected Jew and Gentile indiscriminately, and Ralbag claims that there were no real walls in the splitting of the sea. 16. I would like to thank the following people who reviewed this article and offered valuable insights: Rabbis Mordechai Willig; Yitzhak Grossman; Matt Lubin, Doni Zuckerman and Aviyam Levinson.

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

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ART

A Book Out of the Ashes Artist Yoram Raanan created a magnificent book of paintings on the parshiyot, following a devastating fire By Toby Klein Greenwald

“Menorah Spreading Light,” a painting of shimmering colors depicting the menorah’s light. Photos: Yoram Raanan

he winding road up from the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway to Moshav Beit Meir, a picturesque moshav located twenty minutes west of Jerusalem, looks out on some of the most beautiful foliage in Israel—a lush, ethereal setting in which an artist can lose himself and find the soul in his art. And this is what Yoram Raanan did, living with his wife, Meira, and his family in this utopian atmosphere, painting in his studio (formerly a chicken coop) and eventually becoming one of the most celebrated Jewish artists worldwide. And then one day in November 2016, a fire erupted, devastating large forest areas and burning Yoram’s studio down to the ground, taking

with it more than 2,000 paintings. As the couple sped down the mountainside in their car, fearing for their lives, Meira heard her husband calmly utter the words that have by now become legendary: “There goes the studio.” In the days and months that followed, as they put their lives back together, people around the globe heard Yoram’s story. Miraculously, the treasures that went up in smoke, rather than becoming only ashes and memories, served as the fiery impetus for Yoram to soar. The destruction of much of Yoram’s life’s work resulted in a magnificent coffee table book, Art of Revelation: A Visual Encounter with the Jewish

Toby Klein Greenwald, a regular contributor to Jewish Action, is a journalist, playwright, poet, teacher, and the artistic director of a number of theater companies. She is the recent recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award from Atara-The Association for Torah and the Arts for her “dedication and contributions in creative education, journalism, theatre and the performing arts worldwide.”

Bible, consisting of his 160 exquisite parashah paintings. All of the paintings had been burned, but fortunately, he had photographed these earlier— sometimes professionally, sometimes with his own camera. (Most of his paintings had not been photographed.) Yoram built a new studio. He received new commissions. He threw new passion into his art. He said “gam zu l’tovah—this too is for the best,” and his hishtadlut turned it into a self-fulfilling prophecy. The Beginning Yoram was not always well known; he lived for many years as the quintessential struggling artist. He began to paint at the age of two, he says, “like most children.” But he knew it was his calling from the age of sixteen, when, he says, “I left the world of ice hockey and went into art.” He grew up in New Jersey, graduated from the University of Arts in Philadelphia, and then began to travel the world, studying art along the way in Europe Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

“The process of making art is one of creation and destruction,” says Yoram. “I turn it upside down, I do it different ways. I cover [the painting] over. Sometimes I think I have a painting and then in the end it doesn’t work and it gets destroyed and something better comes out of it.” Photo: Jared Bernstein

and the Near East. In 1977, he found himself in Israel. He spent a short time at Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem, before moving on to the beaches and sand dunes of Sinai. From Sinai he went to Ohr Somayach, where he stayed for two years, becoming shomer Shabbat, he says, during the second year on Shavuot, when he experienced what he describes as “an epiphany.” Suddenly, he knew: “This is me.” He was introduced to his wife Meira, currently a researcher and writer, who had made her own journey. Recalling her days as a student at Hebrew University, Meira confesses, “I had one foot in and one foot out of religion. I started learning at Bruria [today Midreshet Lindenbaum]. Then I had both feet in.” They married, and the early years were lean as they tried to make ends meet while Yoram pursued his passion. They had four children and ultimately settled in Moshav Beit Meir, where 64

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they have lived for the past twenty-five years. “I’m not a city person. I like nature, the quiet,” says Yoram. Where did Yoram get the faith, the strength to be able to say “gam zu l’tovah” after the devastating fire? “I believe that God is good, and everything is for the good; He’s running the show,” he says. “These are things that we say every day in tefillah, so how can you not feel this way? [Look at] Shir Hama’alot [Psalm 126]. When we come back it’s going to be like we’re in a dream. And life is pretty dreamy in a way because it goes by so quickly. Do you even remember what happened yesterday? And then we have this terrible long exile, but we’re going to be laughing, we’re going to be so happy, semechim. So if you’re saying [this tefillah] every day or at least on Shabbat… If you’re a practicing Jew, what’s the difficult part? “I’ve learned a lot from hishtadlut because I tried so hard for many years

to make a living as an artist. It’s not easy, though now, baruch Hashem, it’s much easier than it once was.” Yoram painted in Israel for forty years with “a lot of ups and downs,” not selling anything sometimes for months on end, traveling to America and returning empty-handed, having a work commissioned and then abruptly canceled, having a meeting look promising and ending in nothing. Disappointment after disappointment plagued him, as well as increasing debt. “And then I got a call from a woman in Pittsburgh, who said, ‘I’ve been wanting to buy one of your works for so many years. We’re coming to Israel in a few weeks. Would it be okay if we came to the studio…?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah! It’ll be okay!’ They came, and she brought her parents as well. They ended up commissioning a painting for the exact same price as the one that had been canceled—$8,000. And her parents bought two pieces of art and

commissioned another two pieces. “Nothing came from all the [hishtadlut] I had done and then, poof, min haShamayim, I had this little mini-geulah [redemption],” he says. “Eventually things evened out through the years. I saw from that why you’re supposed to do hishtadlut—to see that Hashem runs the world. I’m just an actor and not the director.” Things took off. Yoram received lucrative commissions, built up an exclusive clientele and began to exhibit throughout the world. His works can be found in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Jerusalem and the Wolfson Museum of Jewish Art in Jerusalem, as well as in high-end galleries and private collections. The Process In the opening to Yoram’s book, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks writes: “Few artists in the Jewish world today better capture the beauty of holiness,

I saw from that why you’re supposed to do hishtadlut—to see that Hashem runs the world. I’m just an actor and not the director. avodah and of Judaism as a faith than Yoram Raanan . . . these works of art are Yoram’s commentary to the Torah, and to the spiritual dimension of our life and Land. He helps us ‘see that it is good,’ showing us the light of holiness and the beauty of being.” “The process of making art is one of creation and destruction,” says Yoram. “I turn it upside down, I do it different ways. I cover [the painting] over. Sometimes I think I have a painting and then in the end it doesn’t work and it gets destroyed and something

better comes out of it.” He tells the story of a painting he had hanging in a hotel, but the manager said it was too abstract and they needed something “more Jewish.” “Well, you can see the heavens,” [Yoram] said, “and that’s an eagle flying through the sky, and you know, Bnei Yisrael were on eagles’ wings.” The manager wasn’t convinced and gave it back to him. Yoram went back to his studio frustrated, threw green paint all over the painting (it was mostly blue), then a bucket of Continued on p. 68

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Photos: Yoram Raanan

▲ “Art of Revelation: A Visual Encounter with the Jewish Bible” contains photographic reproductions of exquisite paintings that were done in oil, acrylic and mixed media on the fifty-four parshiyot of the Torah. On a page facing each painting, there are explanations and commentary compiled by Meira. ▶ “Masei,” composed of three canvases, depicts the people of Israel going to the Promised Land. Describing the magnificent work, Meira writes that the journey begins with a desert sky that “flames with passion” to a canvas in which they are walking toward swirls of light, culminating in a panel with a sunrise above the Land of Israel, “which rises before them in exulting curves.” 66

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

“Jacob Wrestling with Angels” Describing the painting, the book notes: “At the end of the struggle, when the darkness of dawn had passed, a light shone on Jacob and he did not let the figure go until he blessed Jacob with a new name . . . Counterpoised over the deep-blue background, a warm, gold light predominates over the tense conflict of the night-long encounter. This battle is symbolic of each person’s wrestling with his or her darker side, and shows how blessing and light often come through struggle.”

“Dialogue of the Mountains” was inspired by the midrash in Bereishit Rabbah, in which the mountains argue on which one the Torah will be given. It is composed of three canvases together, in dynamic reds and oranges and golds and browns. Meira writes, “…the air is crackling with anticipation. Something is about to happen here; something life-changing.”

Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

Continued from p. 65

water, and he worked on it. “And this image, this face of Esther appeared, and then as I was clarifying the image, all of a sudden I saw this Mordechai figure behind her. So I brought that out a little. That’s an example of why I have no preconceptions whatsoever. A lot of these paintings that I paint, I don’t paint,” he says, implying that they come from Above. After the fire, the editor of the Jerusalem Post asked if they could run a few of Yoram’s paintings in the weekend magazine. “Some billionaires noticed them. They commissioned six large paintings,” said Meira. “It was like some people had told me—fire brings wealth.” Yoram believes he was able to bounce back financially because so many people were deeply moved by his story and prayed for his success. He was happy to rebuild his studio as he saw fit, not as a refurbished chicken coop. Because the fire was regarded as an act of terror, Yoram received some funding from the Israeli government to rebuild his studio. But he did not get any compensation for the lost canvases, which generally range in price from $3,000 to $50,000. Yoram shows me around his newly built studio, which has high ceilings and is constructed from better quality materials. I try to identify which painting is Jerusalem, which depicts a flood, and who the Biblical characters are in each. Yoram says he enjoys seeing people try to interpret his art. He’s worked on some paintings for twenty-five years. On the other hand, “Every once in a while I can do a painting in twenty minutes,” he says. “A good one.” The Book Art of Revelation: A Visual Encounter with the Jewish Bible contains photographic reproductions of exquisite paintings that were done in oil, acrylic and mixed media, on the fifty-four parshiyot of the Torah. Some Biblical stories have several variations, such as three paintings of the creation of Adam and Eve, three of keruvim, many paintings of the menorah, and several of the Cave of the Patriarchs. Each painting expresses 68

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something different through its colors and shading, the movement of the brush. The facing page to each painting provides explanations and commentary compiled by Meira. “Everything that’s written in this book is based on interviews, what Yoram told me he was thinking and feeling about each of the paintings,” says Meira. And then there was my own research into each subject, and putting it all together.” Meira’s prose is as rich in its use of language as Yoram’s paintings are rich with color. A teacher of religion and meditation, she is working on another book, The Lights of Fire, on the subject of the blessings that have emerged from the fire that destroyed Yoram’s studio and its contents. Rembrandt, Picasso, the abstract expressionists and the New York School of artists in the 50s all influenced Yoram’s engaging artistic style, but Yoram is unique in that he expresses Torah through his art. How does he do that? “I read through the parashah

Hashem tore the heavens, or something like that. All of a sudden, the ragged paper that I’d pasted on top of the original painting had meaning to it. “That’s an example of how I put another level of meaning into a painting without even realizing that I’m doing it. I’m not a talmid chacham, but I find that somehow I get a certain energy, so to speak . . . .” Yoram paints with his fingers, his hands and brushes of different sizes, including house paint brushes, a palette knife and an Israeli spongee stick. He describes an entire series he did on canvas with his hands, of people praying and dancing on Simchat Torah. “What I like about using my hands is that I can do the work very quickly, and I fill up the whole canvas and use the side of my hand and all of a sudden there are people and chandeliers. “Since the fire,” he says, “I only want to create art when I really believe and feel it. I have to make a living, so when I get a commission to do very

Where did Yoram get the faith, the strength to be able to say “gam zu l’tovah” after the devastating fire? and find things that I want to research,” he says. “Then I look through all my paintings. Sometimes I paint over paintings, or use old paintings, or I collage paintings together. And I find things that could go with that parashah or that pasuk or that idea. And then I read as many commentaries as I can to get ideas and find them in the painting and bring those out. “I had done a series of paintings on the days of Creation. I came to day two, the separation of the waters, and I had a large painting that had a watery feeling to it, but it lacked the idea of separation. So I found another painting that was sort of watery. I only wanted part of it, so I tore it in half and I pasted it on top of the first painting. Afterwards I found a commentary that said that

well-paid work, I take it. But I’m a little torn between making a living and just being a pure expressionist artist.” As for the future, he hopes his art will become more accessible and more affordable so more people can enjoy it. “They’re coming up with new printing techniques that can make pieces as exciting and dynamic as the originals, and they’ll become much more affordable than the originals.” To Yoram, one’s spiritual journey is never ending. “That’s what it is if you’re a Jew. It’s like Yisrael fighting with God. We have to grow, to develop as people, to wrestle, to live a very active life. You don’t sit still.” Meira concurs, “We all have fires in our lives, and hopefully they’ll be opportunities for growth.” ■

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How it Works

Frumonomics Teaching Frum Kids to Live Financially Responsible Lives By Rachel Schwartzberg

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

EDUCATION

A Growing Number of Day Schools Are Taking Financial Literacy Seriously

en years from now, Yehudis Tova Samuels probably won’t be a literary editor living in Chicago. That’s because, after extensive research into salaries and costs of living, her projected monthly budget for the location and career of her choice was in the red by $78—“even without putting aside any money for retirement!” she says. Samuels is in twelfth grade at the Goldie Margolin School for Girls (GMSG) in Memphis, Tennessee, where last year she took a required course in personal finance. Under the guidance of their teacher, Rhonda Martin, she and her classmates were tasked with imagining their lives ten years down the road and crunching the numbers. “We planned out which college we would attend, if we would need student loans, our future jobs, where we would live,” Samuels explains. “Then, we calculated our estimated income based on our credentials, job and location. We tried to think of all of the possible expenses that might come up, from taxes and loans to groceries, clothes and entertainment.” And when her numbers just didn’t add up? “That was a big shock,” she says. “It quickly became apparent that this class is really important and that we still have a lot to learn.” Tennessee is one of only seventeen states that require high school students to take a course in personal finance, according to the Council for Economic Education. This is despite growing indications that teens benefit from learning financial literacy in a formal setting. In fact, a recent T. Rowe Price study found that financial education in school is associated with better financial habits as an adult. Specifically, it found that young adults

who received financial education are morely likely to have a budget (81 percent vs. 72 percent) and are more likely to say that they are good with money and finances (77 percent vs. 67 percent), among other findings. In Jewish high schools across the country, administrators are beginning to see the practical value of introducing the subject to students, and several schools are incorporating personal finance into the curriculum. At the very least, most include a session on basic financial literacy as part of a senior-year seminar, but many schools—and experts— insist that those few hours are not sufficient to prepare students for real life. Some Jewish high schools now offer personal finance as an elective course and a growing number of schools are even requiring it. The strongest push for offering such a course has come from the farther right sector of Orthodoxy. The trailblazer in this area has been Mesila, an organization committed to helping frum Jews achieve financial stability. Begun in Israel, Mesila opened its first US branches in 2009. Mesila (www.mesila.org) offers family financial coaching and business consulting for entrepreneurs and, in 2010, it expanded its mission to include financial education as well. “After years of coaching thousands of families around the world on how to improve their finances, often as a remedy to financial ailments they were experiencing, we were prodded by community leaders to swing our focus to ‘an ounce of prevention,’” explains Mesila Founder and Executive Director Rabbi Shmuli Margulies. “Educating the youth to handle money correctly from the start was a project we had always dreamed of. . . . Once the necessary financial backing was acquired, the project of creating a financial education curriculum for the Jewish community was a logical response

to an obvious need and quickly developed into a global enterprise.” The Mesila curriculum is clearly filling a need in Orthodox education around the world. With branches in the UK, US, and Canada, the organization has created versions for girls’ high schools, boys’ yeshivot and junior highs. According to Chaya Roth, assistant director of Mesila USA, Mesila’s educational materials are being used this year in approximately eighty-five North American Jewish day schools in fifteen states and Canada. “The schools using our curriculum are from across the spectrum,” says Roth. “We have Bais Yaakov-type schools, mesivtas, Yeshivish schools, Chassidic schools, Sephardic schools and co-ed schools.” Mesila’s curriculum covers a broad range of money-related topics, ranging from the technical—budgeting, use of credit, borrowing and lending—to the conceptual—the psychology of spending, wants vs. needs, tzedakah and financial integrity. In Teaneck, New Jersey, veteran teacher Elise Vitow also noticed a lack of financial acumen at a girls’ school where she worked. “People came to do a presentation about retirement planning for the teachers,” she recalls. “The questions teachers were asking were so basic, and these were not all young teachers.” With her strong interest in personal finance, Vitow brought up the idea of offering it as an elective for the students. “We teach the girls to advocate for themselves and be independent,” she notes. “Shouldn’t we teach them financial literacy as part of this goal?” The school was supportive of the idea and Vitow developed a Rachel Schwartzberg works as a writer and editor and lives with her family in Memphis, Tennessee. Special thanks to financial writer Cheryl Munk who assisted in the research.

Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

course and taught it to seniors for several years as an elective until she left the school in 2017; the school continues to offer the course. A recent study from the money app BusyKid showed that only 21 percent of parents regularly talk about money with their kids and only 10 percent are interested in teaching them about managing credit cards or investing. There are no indications that these numbers are different in the Jewish community. In fact, Vitow noted that her students had picked up very little understanding of money from home. “The girls really didn’t know very much about the topic at all,” she says. “From the strongest students to the weakest students, everyone in the class was starting at the same point.” “Financial literacy education impacts

every individual’s quality of life and is important for everybody,” notes Rabbi Margulies of Mesila. “But in the frum community, this program is different and even more crucial. It is a Torah requirement to use money wisely, and the frum community has different challenges from the general population, such as a heavy tuition load, yom tov expenses, large families, et cetera. These unique circumstances must be provided for by strong financial foundations.” Tamar Snyder, a journalist who created a curriculum on financial literacy for Jewish Women International’s Life$avings Project, adds another important difference in teaching Jewish teens. “In the secular world, charity is a discretionary expense,” she says. “It’s the first thing to cut when money

is tight. But it’s a priority for us, and not something we can cut.” Snyder estimates she taught her curriculum to about 750 Jewish girls from all different backgrounds, through high schools, youth groups and JCCs. “People were really thirsty for this,” she recalls. “They were excited about it.” After Snyder presented her material at Manhattan High School for Girls, the administration asked if she would return to teach a mandatory yearlong course on financial literacy. Snyder taught the course there for two years. A highlight of the course was a budgeting project similar to what the students at GMSG in Memphis did, though in her class, students were assumed to be married with three children— so they were forced to consider the financial realities that would come with marrying a man learning in kollel vs. working, in addition to factoring tuition into their budgets. Though Snyder now works full-time in marketing and communications, she continues to lead seminars for high school students on personal finance, which she dubs “Everything I wish I knew about money when I was your age.” She also offers budget consulting for Orthodox newlyweds and young professionals, through her web site newlywedbudgeting.com. “I love teaching people before they get into trouble with money,” she explains. “It’s so much easier to help someone when they’re starting out and haven’t made mistakes. Teenagers today literally don’t know how credit cards work, and yet some of them already have credit cards. This leads to complicated and sad situations that could have been avoided.” To Snyder, creating a budget is simply about “telling your money where you want it to go.” And this, she maintains, is not intuitive for anyone. “If young people have never done this, they won’t be able to suddenly do it [when they leave home for the first time],” she says. “They need to be taught.” Yehudis Tova Samuels (left), a student at the Goldie Margolin School for Girls in Memphis, Snyder enjoys teaching seminars with her teacher Rhonda Martin. One of the exercises Martin uses in her financial literacy class is to have her students imagine their lives ten years down the road and crunch the numbers. to high school seniors about personal Courtesy of Goldie Margolin School for Girls finance, but she believes that Jewish

I love teaching people before they get into trouble with money. It’s so much easier to help someone when they’re starting out and haven’t made mistakes.

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

high schools should be requiring the subject as a mandatory course. “It’s not as effective [to offer the subject] as an optional class or a club,” she says. “The students who need it the most are the least interested. They simply won’t take it as an elective.” Davis Renov Stahler Yeshiva High School for Boys (DRS) on Long Island, New York has offered a course called Personal Financial Literacy to seniors for the past several years. According to Dr. Hillel Broder, general studies principal of DRS, the course covers a wide range of topics in personal finance and financial planning including budgeting and understanding assets vs. liabilities, planning for retirement, understanding the mortgage process, methods of saving, methods of investing, the value of education in relation to income, the importance of building credit and more. “Almost every student in the history of education has uttered the question ‘Why do I need to learn this?’” says Dr. Broder. “As frustrating as that can be for an educator to hear, students in Personal Financial Literacy do not ask that, because they realize the value of the information both in the short-term and as they continue into college and enter the intimidating world of adulthood.” Back in Memphis, Rhonda Martin says the topic that most surprises her students is taxes. “They looked at pay statements from New York City, as opposed to Memphis,” she explains. “Since our students come from across the country, they are familiar with the cost of living in other cities, but it was eye-opening for them to see the difference between gross salary and net salary, and how much you take home depending on where you choose to live. I think they were shocked to discover how little control they would have in that.” Chris Allulis, who taught a mandatory course in personal finance last year to juniors at Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School in Baltimore, said the primary goal of his course was to have students come out of high school with a basic

DRS Yeshiva High School for Boys offers a course, called Personal Financial Literacy, that covers a wide range of topics in personal finance and financial planning, from budgeting to understanding mortgages to the importance of building a credit score. Courtesy of DRS

understanding of finance, enough to help them make good choices as they become more financially independent. However, he added, “the students generally don’t like learning about interest, loans, budgeting or taxes.” Allulis found that while his students enjoyed learning about investing and discussing how current events affect world markets, it can be difficult to communicate the importance of making solid financial decisions to students who haven’t yet had to be financially independent. Yehudis Tova Samuels might be rethinking her plans for the future, but she isn’t feeling discouraged. She thinks she has a more realistic grasp now of how her decisions in the next few years could affect her future and her hopes of living comfortably as an observant Jew. “Before taking this course, I basically knew that saving was good and wasting was bad, but I didn’t know much more than that,” she says. “This has given me the tools to feel prepared for the next stage of life.” ■ Mesila, an Israeli company that opened a US branch in 2009, created financial education materials that are currently being used in approximately eighty-five Jewish day schools across North America. Photo courtesy of Mesila Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

Money Management for Kids: Making Cents of It All By Bayla Sheva Brenner

tzedakah, it makes an impression. hen should parents start Lebowitz, whose Facebook group talking to their kids about money? Even five-year-olds “Living Financially Smart in Israel” boasts more than 24,000 members, can begin to learn how to handle recommends that children be money responsibly, say experts. instructed to do the same with the “How we spend our money money they receive on birthdays. is an area where children see Children need to learn that what we value most. If we value money is not a goal unto itself, but Jewish education, then we’re a valuable tool to help us fulfill paying for it. If we value going our obligations as Jews. Lebowitz to Disney World, we’re paying emphasizes that these messages for that,” says Rifka Lebowitz, a should be conveyed positively. For financial consultant specializing example, she says, parents can in personal and small business say things like: “Hashem gave us finance. “Torah values go hand in mitzvot to perform with our money.” hand with how we deal with money.” “We have an opportunity to work to Lebowitz, who lives in Israel and make money so that we can feed our spends her days helping people family, celebrate Shabbat and yamim live financially smarter, states that tovim and help others do the same.” children pick up on their parents’ The neighborhood in which one attitude towards money through their lives plays a significant role in how words and actions. When they see children learn about money, says their parents immediately budgeting renowned educator Rebbetzin out a portion of their paychecks to Tziporah Heller. It’s common in Jerusalem, she explains, to send Bayla Sheva Brenner is an awardyoung children to the makolet (the winning freelance writer and a grocery store) with a shopping regular contributor to Jewish Action. list even before they can read it. 76

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“They see what money buys,” she says. “That’s the first step. Then you teach them how one earns money to begin with.” She advises parents to explain to children that when people provide a service for you, you need to pay them. Parents should then demonstrate the concept. For example, children should see their parents paying the babysitter. By the age of eight or nine, a child is mature enough to understand the idea of saving and budgeting. Parents should involve their children in some of the family’s financial decisions. “Before yom tov, I use Monopoly money and say, ‘Okay we have this amount of money to spend. What’s most important to us?’” says Lebowitz. “Lots of new clothing or going on a trip? If we spend everything on new clothes, we won’t be able to go on the trip.” She advocates including children in the planning of their semachot, to give them the budget and have them decide whether it’s more important to have balloons or fancier decor or a DJ. Rebbetzin Heller concurs that at this stage children are ready to learn that if you spend the money on one item, you won’t have it to spend on something else. While traveling to the north of Israel with one of her daughters,

Children need to learn that money is not a goal unto itself, but a valuable tool to help us fulfill our obligations as Jews.

they passed a convenience store. She gave her daughter fifteen shekels and instructed her to spend it on her choice of snacks and added that they wouldn’t be stopping again for more. “She realized she could buy some incredible ice cream treat and have nothing left to spend, or buy several other items,” says Rebbetzin Heller. “Give your children money and make it clear that they have limited funds to buy what they want. Then let them make the decisions.” But don’t children notice that others have more to spend on what they want? How should parents address the inevitable envy a child feels when he notices that his peers have more than he does? “It’s a fact of life; no matter who you are, there will always be someone who has more. How you view it will make an impact on your child,” says Lebowitz. “Don’t say: ‘Our neighbor just got a new car, and we can’t afford a new one.’ Convey that ‘we are grateful for what we have,’ and that it is a Torah value to be happy with [what Hashem gives us].” For teenagers, the challenge of envy is compounded by their natural impulsivity, says Rebbetzin Heller. Adolescents continue to expect their parents to provide the money they need for whatever they want, and feel slighted if their appeals are turned down. “Teenagers want their desires to be your priority. If you don’t give them the money requested, they interpret it as not being loved,” she says. “It’s important to clarify that there are things that we need and things we want. We need to pay rent and pay the water bill. You could explain that things that cost money bring happiness for only a brief amount of time. Encourage them to pursue experiences that bring lasting satisfaction, such as hikes, visiting friends, or doing chesed.” If a child tends to fritter away money, Lebowitz recommends encouraging him or her to save up for something that he or she really wants. She accentuates that the parents’ approach to saving makes the greatest impact. “Mention that you are saving for their weddings or for a family vacation,” she says, “an occasional comment that you [accumulated] money so that the family can do this or that. Teaching them the value of saving, and showing pride in them when they do, works [wonders] on their impulsivity.” Lebowitz, whose clients include some exceptionally wealthy individuals, points out that the Torah doesn’t view affluence as a negative. “It’s all about using it for the right things,” she says. “One of my clients is very wealthy, but she lives simply. The amount of giving she does quietly is incredible. It’s a value, a virtue; it’s who her parents were and the message she grew up with. That education went a long way.”

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Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

A Most Obscure Best-Selling Author Dr. Philip Birnbaum

The Birnbaum Siddur, with nearly 800 pages, went through dozens of reprints. Birnbaum firmly kept the type all one size, because of his pedagogical belief that â&#x20AC;&#x153;children, trained in reading the larger type in the siddur, gradually develop a prejudice against whatever appears in the smaller print.â&#x20AC;? Courtesy of David Olivestone 78

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TRIBUTE

By David Olivestone

he New York Times once aptly described him as one of the world’s “most obscure best‐selling authors.” Yet for many decades, in synagogues and Jewish homes throughout North America and even around the world, his was a household name. He was Dr. Philip Birnbaum, translator, editor and author of over twenty books of Judaica, chief among them Ha-Siddur Ha-Shalem, known everywhere as “The Birnbaum Siddur,” which was by far the most popular siddur used in Modern Orthodox congregations in the second half of the twentieth century. This year marked his thirtieth yahrtzeit since he passed away at age eighty-four. Despite his one-time renown in the Jewish world, virtually nothing has ever been written about him, outside of a 1967 Jewish Press profile and a New York Times obituary. I came to know Dr. Birnbaum in the 1970s, when for several years I was the editor at the venerable Hebrew Publishing Company (HPC) in New York, in its day one of the leading publishers of Judaica in America. The company was owned by the Werbelowsky family (later shortened to Werbel) and occupied an impressive former bank building on Delancey Street in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. In addition to the many hundreds of books it published, HPC produced an extensive line of greeting cards, as well as cantorial and Yiddish theater sheet music, all of which it sold in its retail store on the ground floor and distributed throughout the world. Publishing Jewish books is not usually a very lucrative pursuit, but David Olivestone edited and translated The NCSY Bencher and is the translator of the forthcoming Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel. A member of the Jewish Action Editorial Committee, he lives in Jerusalem.

Hebrew Publishing Company occupied a former bank building on Delancey Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. As one observer wryly noted, “Since everything is more or less backward in a company that specializes in Hebrew and Yiddish, the building supports the columns instead of the columns supporting the building.” It was later converted into apartments, offices and stores. Photo: Robert K. Chin/Alamy Stock Photo

Philip Birnbaum was almost unique in that his books sold so well that he was one of the very few Jewish authors able to sustain himself solely on his royalties. True, his needs were few, as he never married and he lived very simply, but once his books began to meet with success, he gave up his teaching positions and moved to Manhattan’s Upper West Side. What is perhaps even more remarkable is that a nineteen-year-old Polish immigrant attained such a

high level of fluency in a language that was not his mother tongue, and produced felicitous, articulate, eloquent and sometimes even poetic translations of complex texts. Not only was he a master of the nuances of English vocabulary, syntax and phraseology, he was also a superb Hebraist, which added yet another invaluable dimension to his work. When he was not occupied with his scholarly pursuits in one of Manhattan’s several outstanding Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

Top: A profile of Philip Birnbaum by Tovia Preschel ran in the Jewish Press on Friday, February 24, 1967. Courtesy of David Olivestone Bottom: Ad for the new Birnbaum Siddur that appeared in April 1949 in the OU’s Jewish Life magazine, the forerunner of Jewish Action.

Jewish libraries, Birnbaum would write articles and book reviews for the Hebrew weekly Hadoar, published by the Histadrut Ivrit of America, of which he was a board member. Often, he would come into the HPC office to chat or to discuss possibilities for new editions of his works. Birnbaum had high expectations of other people’s scholarship, which were not always met. Ira Kellman, a fellow congregant at The Jewish Center in Manhattan, remembers him as “very precise and scholarly. Rabbis were at peril if they made a mistake in their Hebrew or any other area of Birnbaum’s expertise.” Attorney Lawrence Kobrin, who served as president of The Jewish Center, recalls that Birnbaum “was a very private person, immersed in his scholarship and publishing efforts. 80

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a phrase here and adding one there, We invited him on several occasions each according to his own beliefs.” to join us for a Shabbat meal, but I Werbel queried Birnbaum as to why cannot recall his ever having accepted.” the dozens of editions of the siddur Born in 1904 in Kielce, Poland, that HPC published were awash with Philip (Paltiel) Birnbaum came so many different fonts and type to the United States in 1923. He sizes, even on the same page. “Why attended Howard College (now can’t the text of the siddur all be in Samford University) in Birmingham, one size,” he asked, “like any other Alabama, and in 1939 he received book?” Birnbaum embraced the idea, his PhD from Dropsie College (today and wrote about it in his introduction. the Herbert D. Katz Center for “For no sound reason the pages of the Advanced Judaic Studies at University siddur are broken up by several type of Pennsylvania). For several years sizes which have a confusing effect he served as the principal of a Jewish on the eyes of the reader. Those who day school in Wilmington, Delaware, learn the contents of the prayers soon and had also directed Jewish schools discover that the emphasis suggested in Birmingham and in Camden, by the larger type is in most cases no New Jersey, before moving to New emphasis at all.” And in a pedagogical York. His only known relative was insight which certainly rings true, he a sister who lived in Tel Aviv. added, “Children, trained in reading As part of his educational endeavors, the larger type in the siddur, gradually he set about selecting passages from develop a prejudice against whatever Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah and appears in the smaller print.” carefully vocalizing and punctuating Other innovations included his the Hebrew text. With his explanatory notes in English on each page, it offered use of modern punctuation marks to indicate the breakup of sentences students an introductory glimpse into and clauses in the Hebrew text. He Maimonides’ vast compendium of also made a point of including all Jewish law. Birnbaum submitted his the necessary component prayers manuscript to the Hebrew Publishing within the pages of each service, “so Company, which published it in 1944. that the worshipper is not called When the abridged Mishneh Torah upon to search from page to page met with success, HPC President and to commute from reference to Isidor Werbel suggested to Birnbaum reference.” At the foot of each page, that he translate the daily prayer Birnbaum added source references, book. Werbel’s motive was purely halachic information, historical commercial. The prayer book business insights and a brief commentary. was very competitive, and Werbel saw an opportunity to get ahead of the pack. Heaping criticism on other editions of the siddur, he gave many examples Many of the existing translations, such of poorly worded instructions that as those by Philips, Singer and others, misled instead of leading. “What were replete with archaic language do [they] all mean?” he asked, and such as “Blessed be He who speaketh answered, “In one word: confusion.” and doeth: blessed be He who decreeth Dr. Avi Shmidman, liturgy scholar and performeth.” Most shul goers and member of the Academy of the in those days had a minimal Jewish Hebrew Language who lectures in education, but this “Bible English” the Hebrew Literature Department at was probably almost as incompreBar-Ilan University, grew up in Teaneck, hensible to them as the Hebrew itself. New Jersey using the Birnbaum For Birnbaum, it was also an Siddur. “Birnbaum set the standard,” opportunity to combat those he says. “His impact was huge because elements in the Conservative and of his insistence on precision in nikud Reform movements which he saw as [punctuation] and nusach [accuracy distorting traditional Judaism. In his of the text]. The care that he gave to introduction to the new Siddur, he linguistic precision really affected railed against those who “. . . take the way entire generations davened.” liberties with the original, eliminating

Based on careful research, Birnbaum corrected obvious, and not-so-obvious, errors in the Hebrew text of earlier siddurim, whether grammatical mistakes or misplaced words. When challenged, he was always able to back up his emendations with authoritative rabbinic sources. All this made the new siddur very usable. But its crowning achievement was the translation. In order to preserve the sense of reverence that he felt the prayer book demanded, Birnbaum retained the use of “Thee” and “Thou” when referring to God. “The diction has not been allowed to reach the level of everyday English,” he wrote, “in view of the exalted literary tone of the siddur.”

But tastes and styles change, and just as the Birnbaum Siddur replaced the editions that came before it, so, inevitably, did the siddurim of a new generation edge the Birnbaum off the synagogue shelves. But in stark contrast to the archaic style of previous translations, his version was intelligible and readable. According to Birnbaum, “The fault of some translations is their literalness. . . . Words should be translated according to their context.” Birnbaum’s genius was in choosing the most germane word, the most apposite turn of phrase. Chazzanim welcomed the Birnbaum Siddur. “Whenever I was leading the davening in a congregation that was using the Birnbaum Siddur,” says Cantor Bernard Beer, director emeritus of Yeshiva University’s Belz School of Jewish Music. “I felt it helped those around me focus on what they were saying. The text was clear and easy to read, the translation was lucid and intelligent, and there was no need to turn pages back and forth.” After the Siddur was published in 1949, it was followed by equally popular Birnbaum editions of the machzor for the High Holidays and the other festivals. His talent for translation and popularization soon led him to explore texts beyond the liturgy. In A Treasury of Judaism he set out “to acquaint the average reader with the ethical teachings of some seventy Jewish classics

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What is perhaps even more remarkable is that a 19-year-old Polish immigrant attained such a high level of fluency in a language which was not his mother tongue, and produced felicitous, articulate, eloquent and sometimes even poetic translations of complex texts. covering a period of thirty centuries.” Demonstrating an encyclopedic knowledge of rabbinic literature, he abridged and translated selections from the Tanach (later published in a separate volume as The Concise Jewish Bible), the Talmud, Midrash, Zohar and the medieval Jewish philosophers. He even translated the writings of some contemporary rabbinic figures. A Book of Jewish Concepts was another acclaimed and popular work which differed from his previous books in that it was not a translation but Birnbaum’s own exposition of hundreds of essential Jewish ideas and practices, in dictionary form. He also published a Hebrew language textbook, Fluent Hebrew; a popular Haggadah; a Chumash; and the all-Hebrew Siddur Am Yisrael. HPC continued to publish these and similar liturgical and reference works by Birnbaum in multiple editions for several decades. But tastes and styles change, and just as the Birnbaum Siddur replaced the editions that came before it, so, inevitably, did the siddurim of a new generation edge the Birnbaum off the synagogue shelves. “The siddur,” wrote Birnbaum, “has never been sufficiently appreciated as a vehicle of Jewish knowledge.” The same might perhaps be said of Dr. Birnbaum himself. ■ * My thanks to Menachem Butler, Zev Eleff, Dr. Jeffrey Gurock, Robert Hersowitz, Philip E. Miller, Sara Olson, Rabbi Dr. J. J. Schacter, and Rabbi Gil Student for their suggestions and insights.

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

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FOOD & NUTRITION

Foodie Nation A Jewish Conversation on Mindful Eating By Naomi Ross

There’s an old joke: Two elderly women are at a Catskills hotel. One of them says, “Boy, the food at this place is just terrible.” The other one says, “Yeah, I know. And such small portions!” At the heart of this joke lies a kernel of truth, revealing the conflicted relationship we have with the food we eat. As Jews, we use food to enhance and celebrate our special moments; food permeates the fabric of Jewish life and culture. Finding balance is often elusive, spiraling us toward extremes: over-indulgence and obesity at one end and restrictive eating disorders at the

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

other. Many of us battle the desire to enjoy every enticing thing available and then suffer the guilt that accompanies succumbing to temptation. The food we eat may have a hechsher, but do our habits and behaviors reflect a kosher attitude toward food? Mindfulness, the new buzzword for being aware of your surroundings and actions, can be applied to our eating and food choices. In a world of ever-increasing distractions, exercising practices of mindful eating has become a popular approach towards developing balanced eating habits. How does this impact behavior, and is there a Jewish approach to mindful eating?

Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

Identifying the Pitfalls At a kosher retreat a few years ago, large draped banquet tables lined the dining room. Elaborate spreads of salads, fish, meats and pastries filled the decorative tables as far as the eye could see. This was not a wedding. It was not even a meal, but rather the kiddush that preceded a four-course Shabbat lunch, which was followed by desserts in the twenty-four-hour tea room. About two hours later, dozens of people stood with hands extending empty plates, waiting for the sushi station to open. As overwhelmed sushi chefs opened the display, a crazed rush ensued. Watching the events unfold, I couldn’t help but wonder, “How did we as a people get here? Is this what God wants from us? Are we using the terms ‘l’shem mitzvah’ and ‘l’kavod Shabbat kodesh’ as excuses for eating mindlessly and excessively?” “We’re taught so often to think before we act, before we speak—but not with food,” explains dietitian and nutritionist Bonnie Taub-Dix, the award-winning author of Read It Before You Eat It (New York, 2010) and creator of the web site BetterThanDieting.com. “Thinking about whether your stomach is full or not, thinking about what you are really in the mood for, thinking about how you are going to feel after you eat—all this is a part of mindfulness.” Affluence and the current culinary renaissance (a.k.a. “foodie culture”) have affected our dietary norms, especially on Shabbat and holidays. “Shabbat and holidays are not usually about mindfulness, but rather about opulence and overabundance,” Taub-Dix observes. “Often there are so many choices from the same food group, and it is just unnecessary to have all of these offerings at one sitting. Pay attention to what your stomach says as opposed to what your eyes are saying because it looks so good.” Achieving mindful eating during the week has its own challenges. For busy mothers, a proper lunch is often replaced with a granola bar eaten

The food we eat may have a hechsher, but do our habits and behaviors reflect a kosher attitude toward food?

during carpool. A common reality for many women is the three-dinner syndrome: one with the kids, one alone and a third with their husbands. At the other end of the spectrum of unhealthy relationships with food confronting our community and society at large is restriction. Devorah Levinson, director of the Eating Disorders Division at Relief Resources, a mental health referral agency with offices in North America, Israel, and the UK, has seen

Naomi Ross is a cooking instructor and food writer. She teaches classes throughout the tri-state area and writes articles connecting good cooking and Jewish inspiration.

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

a definite increase in the incidence of eating disorders within the Orthodox community and at increasingly younger ages. “I point the finger at the ‘thin ideal.’ After [WWII], the heavier girl was the healthy girl [because she could afford to eat]. The ideal girl now is very thin. The notion of beauty has changed tremendously. We are being duped into believing in something that is not healthy.” Raising awareness of what healthy portions look like and allowing ourselves enjoyment in moderation can help strike a balance for a generation struggling with a healthy body image. But if we ourselves are confused or misguided about our relationship to food, how can we model healthy eating for our children? Lifting up the Sparks “Mindfulness” and eating in a more spiritually aware state are not new concepts in Judaism. The Ramban in Parashat Kedoshim famously explains “kedoshim tehi’yu,” to be holy in all of our ways, as a general mitzvah to prevent one from becoming a “naval b’reshut haTorah,” one who acts in a disgusting way within the allowed parameters of the Torah. In other words: think. Be mindful of God in all of your actions, even if they are technically allowed. King Solomon advises against the unnecessary consumption of food, as he writes, “The righteous eat to satisfy their souls” (Proverbs 13:25). The Midrash applies this to Ruth, who shows by example that one should eat what one needs but no more—“And she ate, and she was satisfied, and she left over” (Ruth 2:14). In Hilchot De’ot (4:2), Rambam advises one to eat until he is about three-quarters full. (Modern-day nutritionists also recommend stopping before completely full, as it takes the body twenty minutes to digest food and feel satiated.) Rambam also stated earlier in the chapter: “Never shall man partake food save when hungry . . .” (4:1). Hashem created the food we prepare to be more than just calories. He made it tasty, a source of pleasure and comfort. He did not do this to set us up for failure, but rather as an opportunity

If we ourselves are confused or misguided about our relationship with food, how can we model healthy eating for our children? to appreciate and enjoy every nuance of what was given to us and to recognize Hashem as the Source of that blessing. Eating with God consciousness is not so easy even for tzaddikim. The Zohar calls mealtime a time of war. Our physical and spiritual halves can be opposing forces within us; it takes focus, awareness and intention to turn an act of eating into a means of serving God. As such, many tzaddikim of previous generations restricted themselves during meals, ate deliberately, leaving food uneaten on the plate. Rabbeinu

Yonah discusses chewing each bite slowly. The Ben Ish Chai recommends not reaching for the next bite until the previous one is completely swallowed. Sounds like mindful eating, doesn’t it? In Chassidic thought, eating can be a vehicle for achieving deveikut with Hashem. One can elevate the holy sparks in the food not only by having the correct intentions by eating for one’s health and to engage in Divine service, but by recognizing and enjoying the Divinely given qualities—the taste, the texture, et cetera—inherent in the food.

The Other Side of the Story If mindful eating is endorsed by clinical psychologists and nutritionists and is consistent with Torah principles, is it a panacea for all eating issues? Not quite. Mindful eating has its critics, too. One 2014 comprehensive review, published in the journal Eating Behaviors, examined how those with eating issues respond to mindfulness interventions. Psychologist Shawn Katterman and his team concluded that mindfulness training effectively decreases binge eating and emotional eating in people who engage in these behaviors but is ineffective as a stand-alone intervention for significant or consistent weight loss. In addition, practicing mindful eating may be a tool and asset towards better health and diet, but it should not be misconstrued as a cure for eating disorders or illness stemming from chemical imbalances. In such cases, medical and mental health professionals should be sought for treatment. ■

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Practical Pathways Back to the Table Having a treat every so often in moderation is not wrong and can even be eaten mindfully. But how do we deal with every day life choices and make lasting changes in our outlook and habits?

Ask the question: Am I hungry? Do I really want to eat this?

“Often, people are not eating because they are hungry—they may be eating for comfort or escape,” explains Rabbi Dr. Benjamin Epstein, a clinical psychologist who blends cognitive behavioral therapy with mindfulness. Dr. Epstein works in private practice in Jerusalem and is the author of the forthcoming book Living in the Presence: A Jewish Mindfulness Guide for Everyday Life (Jerusalem, expected January 2019). “[Being mindful] is to notice the impulses or urges and where they are coming from . . . how to best accept them without acting on them impulsively. . . . It’s never about needing a whole bag of chips.”

Model the behavior you want your kids to follow

To mumble a few words without thought is to defeat the purpose of making a blessing: to develop a sense of appreciation. “When making a berachah, we are supposed to focus on what we are eating, look at the food, appreciate the food, recognize and appreciate Hashem’s role in the food,” says nutritionist Beth Warren, author of Secrets of a Kosher Girl. Sitting down and pausing as you make a blessing creates the space to think about what you are eating.

Slow Down Eat and chew more slowly to savor and appreciate your food.

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

Healthy foods, portions and attitudes have to come from the top down in the home. Dr. Epstein acknowledges, “We have to practice what we preach [positively], never with negative comments. It’s never about fat or skinny, but rather about feeling good and healthy. Kids feel good when they make healthy choices.”

Cook real food (and get your family cooking, too)

Berachot: a built-in vehicle for developing appreciation

as families. “Sharing a meal and stimulating conversation is an amazing opportunity for parents and children to learn about and practice mindfulness and being in the moment,” says Taub-Dix. Warren’s advice: “There is a delicate balance between enjoying the spirit of Shabbat and ignoring the cues that you are full and stopping there. We should be making choices that we are comfortable with and don’t detract from the enjoyment of the day.”

Sit at a table The Rambam in Mishneh Torah prohibits standing or walking while eating. This is both out of concern for digestion as well as for building respect for the act of eating. While many don’t have the luxury to sit down to a formal lunch in the middle of the day, trying to eat at a table rather than multitasking in a car will make eating a more conscious act.

Shabbat: a gift of being present Shabbat is the gift that focuses us and brings us together

To be involved in the whole process of cooking a dish— the amazing transformation of raw elements on your stovetop—is to appreciate the intimately unique role we possess as human beings. It gives us a chance to partner with the Creator to sustain ourselves while adding our own personal taste, touch and creativity. Learning about different ingredients leads to healthier choices. Taub-Dix says “Getting kids involved in cooking, shopping and meal prep is critically important to help develop appreciation for . . . food you like, and that you like yourself after you eat it.”

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By Dovid Cohen

JUST BETWEEN US

A Day to Remember

y eldest son, Yedidya, recently celebrated his bar mitzvah. Unlike other parents, we didn’t have huge expectations. Our simple goal for our son was that he should appreciate and be excited about the mitzvos that he would be accepting upon himself. Yedidya, who has Down syndrome, was the quintessential bar mitzvah. Many participants confided in me that they do not recall seeing a young man more excited about accepting upon himself the yoke of mitzvos.

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

What exactly is the celebration of a bar mitzvah? Literally, the words mean “the son of a mitzvah,” conveying the idea of a deep desire and longing for mitzvos. The Sefer Chareidim equates the concept of being the “son of something”—ben Torah, ben Olam Haba, et cetera—with a child who suckles milk from its mother (“k’ben al cheik imo”). Milk is a life force that a young child can’t live without; similarly, the ideal is that the young man becoming a bar mitzvah desires and covets mitzvos. Concepts associated

with the word “ben” convey a deep longing on our part for something special, transcendent and eternal. For an entire year, Yedidya worked to master the cantillation of six pesukim from the weekly Torah portion. He totally immersed himself in the parashah of tzitzis, the maftir for Parashas Shelach, and never backed away from a chance to practice. Whether practicing in his Tikkun Korim, in the sefer Torah itself, or from memory while riding in the car, Yedidya was the paradigmatic masmid. Suffice it to say, the members of our household know those six pesukim in our sleep. When you have a child with a disability, you subconsciously dread big milestones. There is fear on many levels as to how the event will turn

When you have a child with a disability, you subconsciously dread big milestones.

out. Will the bar mitzvah boy fully participate as a typical boy would? Will the guests be sensitive and comment appropriately? Will the participants look past the disability and see a young man striving to be accepted just like every other thirteen-year-old boy? And the ultimate barometer: Will your child feel good about himself? Thirteen years earlier, when we discovered that Yedidya had Down syndrome, many tears were shed. There was disappointment as well as fear and anxiety about the future. The bris was delayed a number of weeks and ultimately took place immediately before shekiah. The young yeshivah men who participated tried hard to elevate the level of simchah. They danced for a long time in the darkness of a Yerushalayim

summer night, attempting to impart chizuk and encouragement. “It is a simchah” was the message not so subtly communicated. Before the bris, Rav Moshe Shapiro, zt”l, the sandek, looked me in the eye and promised me that Yedidya would be a typical child. During the ceremony, as he proclaimed, “zeh hakaton, gadol yihiyeh—this baby will grow up and mature,” Rav Moshe yelled aloud “gadol,” stressing the word. Frankly, I thought it was strange that Rav Moshe said my son would be a typical child, but he didn’t just say it to me; he promised me. And he did so with the utmost conviction. Rav Moshe was telling me that Yedidya had potential. It might take a little more work to access it, but it was there. While dancing during Kabbalos Shabbos at the bar mitzvah, my mind unexpectedly traveled back thirteen years to a very different time in our lives. I recalled the dancing in Yerushalayim. But this time, the dancing was not for the sake of providing chizuk. Rather it demonstrated our true simchah and our celebration of a boy who, with dogged determination, was on the cusp of accomplishing his goals with great confidence and poise. The entire Shabbos was a celebration of Rav Moshe’s prophetic words. My son had in fact become the typical child that was promised years before. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. When someone less capable than ourselves is so passionate about Yiddishkeit, it imposes upon the rest of us a certain sense of obligation. If Yedidya is a bar mitzvah in the truest sense, then the gauntlet has been dropped for the rest of us. When he wakes up his father to get to minyan on time, what possible excuse can the rest of us give? When he puts on his tefillin multiple times a day because of his affection for

the mitzvah, can we just continue going about our business, casually strapping our tefillin on and off? It is said that 90 percent of success is just showing up. Chazal teach us “lefum tza’ara agra—commensurate to the effort is the reward.” At a siyum it is customary to recite “anu amelim umekablim sechar—we [Klal Yisrael] toil and are rewarded.” We believe that Hashem assesses and values our efforts, not just the results. Yedidya reminds us all of the value of our hard work and passion in our avodas Hashem. There is another lesson I learned from this simchah as well. We had the privilege of having my rosh yeshivah, Rav Yaakov Friedman, shlita, participate in the simchah, since we held it in Eretz Yisrael. At the bar mitzvah, he spoke about Yedidya’s self-assurance, and stated that it is rare to find an individual who is genuinely comfortable in his own skin. He shared that as he spends significant time counseling people, he often finds that many suffer from a certain inner tension or conflict. It is unusual to meet a person who knows with clarity exactly who he is—without doubts, conflict or inner tension. Yedidya exhibits just that: pure joy, focus and purpose. If only we had such clarity. Hashem created each of us pure and uncomplicated, but somehow, as Koheles posits, “asah HaElokim es ha’adam yashar, vehama bikshu cheshbonos rabim—God has made men simple, but they sought many intrigues” (7:29). We have many cheshbonos, calculations that confuse us and lure us away from our destined path. As we gathered by the Kosel to watch Yedidya being called to the Torah in our holy land, his birthplace, we came full circle. Thirteen years ago, our journey with Yedidya began in Jerusalem, and now, we were blessed to witness him embrace his new sacred duty in Hashem’s presence. ■

Rabbi Dovid M. Cohen is the national director of community engagement for Yachad, the National Jewish Council for Disabilities and the rabbi of Congregation Ohr Torah in North Woodmere, New York. He is the author of We’re Almost There: Living with Patience, Perseverance and Purpose (2016).

Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

THE CHEFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TABLE

The Ultimate Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookie

Reproduced from The Silver Platter: Simple Elegance by Daniella Silver and Norene Gilletz, with permission from the copyright holders ArtScroll/ Shaar Press Publications, LTD

KIDDING AROUND in the KITCHEN By Norene Gilletz

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

’m a big believer in getting kids started in the kitchen at an early age. Even though it’s much faster and far less messy to do it yourself, baking teaches them so much—math skills, dexterity, creativity—and most of all, they’ll have fun! These easy chocolately sweets are perfect for Chanukah and great for gift-giving. Let’s bake up some mm-good memories!

The Ultimate Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookie

Adapted from The Silver Platter: Simple Elegance by Daniella Silver and Norene Gilletz (ArtScroll/Shaar Press) Yields 15 cookies A rich, fudgy brownie taste—only in cookie form—these are just as delicious hot from the oven as they are straight out of the freezer. 2 large eggs 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted and slightly cooled 1 cup flour (or gluten-free flour with xanthan gum) 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Pinch of salt 1 cup chocolate chunks In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, sugars and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, mix until well blended, 1–2 minutes. Stir in melted chocolate chips. Add flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; mix just until combined. Stir in chocolate chunks. Cover; refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a large cookie scoop, drop golf-ball-size mounds of dough 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 11–13 minutes, until set. Let cool on baking sheets. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Norene’s Notes: • Double Batch: When baking two pans of cookies at the same time, place oven racks so they divide the oven evenly into thirds. • No Cookie Scoop? Use a 1/4-cup measuring cup and cut each mound in half. • Freeze with Ease: Scoop out balls of dough; place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 1–2 hours. Transfer frozen cookies to a resealable freezer bag. Bake them straight from the freezer, increasing baking time by 1–2 minutes.

Chocolate Chunk Cranberry Cookies

Adapted from The Silver Platter: Simple to Spectacular by Daniella Silver and Norene Gilletz (ArtScroll/Shaar Press) Yields about 18–20 large cookies 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 3/4 cups flour (or gluten-free flour with xanthan gum) 1 teaspoon baking soda Pinch kosher salt 1 1/2 cups chocolate chunks (or chocolate chips) 1 cup dried cranberries In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla on medium speed until light.

Norene Gilletz, the author of twelve kosher cookbooks, is also a food writer, food manufacturer, consultant, spokesperson, cooking instructor, lecturer, cookbook editor, and a podcaster. Norene lives in Toronto, Canada.

Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed, just until blended, 30–60 seconds. Add chocolate chunks and cranberries; mix just until combined. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes, until chilled. (The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a large cookie scoop, drop mounds of dough the size of golf balls 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12–14 minutes, until golden. Let cool on baking sheet. Store at room temperature in an airtight container. Norene’s Notes: • Brown or White? Brown sugar has a higher moisture content than white sugar. Using more brown sugar produces softer, chewier cookies. Using more white sugar produces cookies that are flatter and crispier. • Chill Out! If you chill your cookie dough before baking, the cookies will spread more slowly during baking. That’s because the heat sets the cookie while it’s still thick, producing a denser, chewier cookie. • Cool Tip: For chewier cookies, cool cookie sheets between each batch. If your cookie sheets are hot when you add the cookie batter, the cookie will spread more. Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

2 large eggs 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup orange juice 1/2 cup chocolate chips (mini chips work well) Colored sprinkles or chocolate chips Banana Icing 2 tablespoons margarine or butter 1/4 cup mashed banana 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice 1 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)

Chocolate Mounds Reproduced from The Silver Platter: Simple

Elegance by Daniella Silver and Norene Gilletz, with permission from the copyright holders ArtScroll/Shaar Press Publications, LTD

Chocolate Mounds

Adapted from The Silver Platter: Simple Elegance by Daniella Silver and Norene Gilletz (ArtScroll/Shaar Press) Yields about 2 dozen 1 bar (14 oz/400 g) semisweet chocolate, broken into chunks 3 cups chow mein noodles 2 cups mini marshmallows Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour about 1 inch of water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Place chocolate into a large, dry, heatproof bowl wider than the saucepan. Place bowl over simmering water. Melt chocolate, stirring often. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in noodles and marshmallows. Using a large cookie scoop, form mixture into golf-ball-size mounds. Arrange mounds in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 45 minutes, or until set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. 94

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

Norene’s Notes: • Make sure that no water gets into the chocolate when you melt it. If water mixes with the chocolate, the chocolate will not melt properly. • It’s important to cool the chocolate before adding the marshmallows in, or they will melt and disappear! • Variation: Add colored mini marshmallows instead of white ones. Add 1 cup shredded coconut to the melted chocolate when adding the other ingredients.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake Adapted from Healthy Helpings by Norene Gilletz (Whitecap) Yields 12–15 servings Icing yields enough for a 9-inch square or 7x11-inch oblong cake, or 12–15 cupcakes Cake: 3 large, very ripe bananas (1 1/2 cups mashed) 1/4 cup pareve tub margarine (see Norene’s Notes, below) 1 cup sugar

Chocolate Icing 1 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar) 1/4 cup soft butter, margarine or shortening 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 3 tablespoons milk (regular or non-dairy) 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 7x11-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Insert the steel blade in the bowl of a food processor. Cut bananas into chunks. Puree them in a food processor until smooth, about 20 seconds. Measure 1 1/2 cups of puree. Beat margarine, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the food processor until light, about 3–4 minutes. Blend in bananas. Add baking soda, baking powder, and flour. Drizzle orange juice over flour mixture. Process with several quick on/off turns, just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake at 350ºF for 45–50 minutes, until golden brown and cake tests done when you insert a cake tester. While the cake bakes, make the icing of your choice. For either flavor, combine all icing ingredients in a large bowl or food processor and beat until smooth and lump-free. Cool cake completely before frosting. If desired, top with colored sprinkles or chocolate chips.

SPONSORED CONTENT Norene’s Notes: • Going Bananas? When you have lots of ripe bananas, puree them in the food processor (or mash with a potato masher). Measure 1 1/2 cups puree into each container and freeze for future use. Freezing makes bananas taste sweeter. • Oil Right! Canola or vegetable oil can replace butter or margarine in most baking recipes, but you may notice a difference in the texture of baked items. Here’s a quick trick: If you freeze the oil before combining it with the sugar and eggs, the final texture will be similar to using butter or margarine. • Cupcakes: Any cake batter may be baked in muffin pans. Line compartments of muffin pan(s) with paper liners, filling them two-thirds full before baking. Bake in a preheated 400ºF oven for 18–20 minutes. When baking cupcakes or muffins, fill empty compartments one-third full with water to prevent the muffin pan from discoloring or burning.

Fast Fudge

Adapted from The New Food Processor Bible by Norene Gilletz (Whitecap) Yields about 1 1/2 lbs or 25 squares 1 cup walnuts, almonds, pecans or cashews (or pumpkin seeds) 2 cups chocolate chips 2 ounces (60 g) unsweetened chocolate 1 tablespoon butter 14 ounces (398 ml) can sweetened condensed milk 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Insert the steel blade in the bowl of a food processor. Process nuts with quick on/off pulses, until coarsely chopped. (Alternatively, place nuts in a resealable bag, seal tightly and crush them coarsely, using a rolling pin.) Combine chocolate chips, chocolate, butter and sweetened condensed milk in a 2-quart microwaveable bowl. Microwave on High for 2 minutes; stir well. Microwave 1 minute longer, until melted. Mixture should be smooth and shiny. Stir in nuts and vanilla extract. Spread mixture evenly in an 8-inch square pan that has been coated with non-stick spray. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into small squares. Serve in small paper cupcake papers. Variations: • Rocky Road Fudge: Stir 2 cups of cut-up or miniature colored marshmallows into fudge along with chopped nuts. • Fudgy Mounds: Drop mixture by mounded spoonfuls into paper cupcake papers instead of spreading it in a pan. No cutting required! ■

Buttery Fried Potato Latkes

From Perfect for Pesach (ArtScroll/Mesorah) by Naomi Nachman, reproduced with permission from ArtScroll/Mesorah Publication LTD. 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, shredded 1 Tablespoon salt 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese 2 tablespoon oil 1/2 stick BREAKSTONE’S BUTTER, unsalted Heat a large frying pan on medium heat and add the butter and oil to slowly melt the butter. Mix the potatoes, salt and cheese in a medium bowl. Take cup measure of the potato mixture and squeeze it dry with your hand to release all the water. Place the potatoes in hot butter and fry for about 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

For best results, use Breakstone’s® butter Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

INSIDEthe PROGRAMS OF THE ORTHODOX UNION

HAPPENINGS

AROUND THE OU

1600+ teens participated in 18 NCSY summer programs this past year. To register for any of NCSY’s summer programs, visit summer.ncsy.org

NEW!

NCSY’s newest summer program, GIVE East, is a four-week-long, all-girls program that helps teens learn the value of chesed and social action in a fun and wholesome environment. While traveling across the Southeast USA, post-seventh and eighth grade girls will engage in hands-on chesed—preparing and distributing food at soup kitchens, interacting with the elderly, creating a carnival for the developmentally disabled, and so much more. Learn more at giveeast.ncsy.org. Above: Teens volunteering at a food pantry on GIVE West, GIVE East’s West Coast counterpart.

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

Dating Site for OU-JLIC Students & Alumni

This summer OU-JLIC launched a dating web site for students and alumni: JLIConnections.com. The initiative was spearheaded by Rabbi Reuven and Shira Boshnack, OU-JLIC Educators at Brooklyn College, who saw the need for a dating platform where OU-JLIC’s constituents would be comfortable. What does JLIConnections offer that other Jewish dating sites don’t? “The personal touch,” explains Rabbi Boshnack. “Our students are set up by matchmakers—OU-JLIC Educators—who really know each individual.” OU-JLIC operates on twenty-one college campuses and serves nearly 4,500 students a year. To sign up, visit

jliconnections.com >

Social entrepreneurs Rivka Ariel (right) and Yael Wedeck pitch their program—Yedei Moshe—to the Accelerator Board this past September. Yedei Moshe places teenagers for whom the traditional school environment does not work in meaningful jobs that teach responsibility and respect.

OU Impact Accelerator Announces Winners! The OU Impact Accelerator, a six-month program built on mentorship-based growth and early-stage funding for Jewish nonprofit entrepreneurs, announced its first cohort! During September’s pitch night at the OU Headquarters in New York, twelve semi-finalist ventures, originating from fifty-seven applicants, pitched their nonprofits to the Accelerator Board, OU senior leadership, and each other. After careful deliberation, in October the Accelerator Board selected the following six winners for the 2018-2019 Cohort: NechamaComfort supports families who have suffered miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss. Services include immediate help at the time of the loss, and ongoing individual, family and group support.

Imadi provides advocates to families struggling with mental illness to ensure basic needs, such as meals, carpools and childcare, are met. Imadi helps establish functionality in homes that are suffering due to mental illness.

GrowTorah develops educational Torah garden programs for Jewish schools and communal organizations, incubating emunah, environmental stewardship, compassion for creatures and tzedakah.

The Young Talent Initiative (YTI) channels the creativity of young men ages sixteen to twenty-one through professional music training, teaching them how creativity can enhance all aspects of their lives.

Yedei Moshe places teenagers for whom the traditional school environment does not suit in meaningful jobs that teach responsibility and respect. By learning a trade, teens build confidence and skills.

TorahAnytime records Torah lectures given around the world and uploads the footage to its web site, enabling viewers around the globe to watch or listen, free of charge. This online Torah resource for the busy adult aggregates Torah shiurim through various digital platforms.

imadi P R O V I D I N G H E L P.

PROVIDING HOPE.

The OU Impact Accelerator’s vision is to serve as a hub for Jewish innovation within the Orthodox world. —Jenna Beltser, Founding Director Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

College Student Launches Women’s Beit Midrash

Leora Spitz, a student at Barnard College in New York, learning at Bnot Sinai. Photo: Nava Yastrab

What began as a WhatsApp group of like-minded friends developed into an intensive summer learning program for college-age women. This past summer, Yavneh guided a group of students in launching the Bnot Sinai Women’s Beit Midrash. Yavneh, a Jewish student leadership initiative dedicated to strengthening Jewish leadership on campuses around the world, is a partnership between OU-JLIC and Mizrachi with the support of Legacy Heritage Fund. Guided by skilled Torah Educators, including the Founding Director of OU-JLIC Rabbi Menachem Schrader, local yeshivah day school educators, and alumnae of YU’s Graduate Program for Advanced Talmudic Study

NEW!

OU-JLIC College Guide Now Available 98

JEWISH ACTION Winter 5779/2018

(GPATS), the Yavneh student leaders embarked on an intense two-week Beit Midrash program where they studied Tanach, Gemara, halachah and Jewish philosophy at the Young Israel of North Woodmere. Who brought this all together? A twenty-year-old junior at Stern College for Women in New York named Tamar Beer. In the fall of 2017, Tamar was finishing Shana Bet at Midreshet Lindenbaum in Israel. She dreamed of creating a place where young women could continue high-level Torah study after their year in Israel. So she created a WhatsApp group chat as a way of crowd-sourcing other young women interested in advanced Torah study. “Though there is an endless supply of high-level shiurim available online, it’s often difficult to focus and remain persistent when you feel like you are learning alone,” says Bnot Sinai participant Rachel Fried, who currently attends Stern College. Devora Chait, a Yavneh Fellow at Queens College in New York, connected Tamar to Rabbi Jonathan Shulman, Director of Yavneh and OU-JLIC in Israel, to see if Yavneh could help bring Bnot Sinai Women’s Beit Midrash from a dream to reality. The answer was a resounding yes. “This is what Yavneh does—identify, train and support great student leaders who want to dream and create,” says Rabbi Shulman. At Yavneh’s Shtark Tank competition in October, Tamar successfully secured funding for a second year, including a grant from the OU’s Women’s Initiative. Tamar is planning to expand Bnot Sinai’s programming in the coming year, and she would love to develop the program even further: “It would be a dream to bring this program to cities across the country,” she says.

This fall, OU-JLIC released its second bi-annual College Guide, an indispensable source of information about religious life on campus. Edited by Hani Lowenstein, OU-JLIC Associate Director of Community Projects, and Simcha Himmel, OU-JLIC Logistics and Communications Associate, the Guide helps high schoolers and their parents determine which university is the best fit for them. In addition to the updated profiles of Yeshiva University and Touro College, as well as OU-JLIC’s twenty-one campuses, the Guide also includes a checklist to use during the college research process and an expanded reference guide for Orthodox amenities on campus. But what really makes this college guide unique is that it’s a collaboration between OU-JLIC professionals, Educators on campus and the college students themselves. “We wanted to focus on the Jewish college experience, from choosing colleges through graduation and beyond, so we have many articles written by students,” says Himmel. “These students share perspectives and advice on everything from being a student leader on campus to navigating college life as a religious Jew.” The Guide can be purchased on Amazon.

TALKING WITH

Batya Siegel

Jewish Action spoke with Batya Siegel, a Torah Educator for Israel Free Spirit: Birthright Israel. The program features high-caliber Torah Educators, who are licensed tour guides providing historical and religious perspectives on the various sites.

1500+

How did you come to be a Torah Educator young adults took for Israel Free Spirit: Birthright Israel? I had wanted to work for Birthright for part in the OU’s Israel Free many years, but I worried about the Spirit: Birthright Israel trips logistics of being a tour guide while having young children at home. But I’m this past summer, our largest so glad I did it—I get to see the results. summer to date. So many participants visit the country years later and I get to see who they become; Israel truly becomes their homeland. I often hear participants say things like, “this experience changed my life forever”; it has a huge effect.

From left: Jackie Tayabji and Batya Siegel at Jackie’s Bat Mitzvah ceremony on Masada. For more information about Israel Free Spirit: Birthright Israel or to apply for its year-round trips, visit

israelfreespirit.com >

What were some meaningful moments from this past summer? One that stands out is the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony we held on the top of Masada [where participants can choose a Hebrew name and share their reflections]. One participant, Jackie Tayabji [who did not have a Jewish name], asked me if she could take on my name—Batya. Speaking about why she chose the name, she stated that Batya, the daughter of Pharaoh, stretched out her hand to save Moshe Rabbeinu, the eventual leader of the Jewish People. Jackie said she considered our trip together to be the “hand of Batya” for her own Jewish growth.

In addition to the standard trips offered to 18 to 26-year-olds, this summer Israel Free Spirit: Birthright Israel offered three trips to participants aged 27 to 32 for the first time!

The Time is Now

Make an OU Membership Gift before the Year-end Tax Deadline of Dec 31

WHY Become an OU Member?

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GO TO OU.ORG/MEMBERS19 to give now and learn more about member benefits Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

NEW POSITIONS & PROMOTIONS The OU’s Teach Advocacy Network welcomes Daniel Mitzner as the new Director of State Political Affairs. In this newly created role, Daniel will manage policy and community engagement and mobilization in the Network’s five regional offices (New Jersey, Florida, Pennsylvania, California and Maryland). He and his team will initiate and monitor key legislation and advocacy to further the Network’s mission. Most recently, Daniel served as Director of the Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island Region for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). He received his law degree from St. John’s University and his bachelor’s degree from the University at Buffalo where he majored in political science. A native New Yorker, he currently resides in Brooklyn. Congratulations to Yosef Kanofsky, Director of Government Programs for Teach NYS, a division of the Teach Advocacy Network, for being named to the New York State Education Department’s CAP and Mandated Services Working Group, which assists the Education Department in understanding the needs of schools that are applying for these programs. “There is no question that our work on these programs with our member schools, both from the policy angle and the application side, will bring a new vantage point to continue helping all nonpublic schools,” said Yosef. A hearty welcome back to Solly Hess, who joins the OU Synagogue and Community Services Department as Regional Director of Western States. A dynamic communal professional with extensive experience in leadership development and community engagement, Solly makes his return to the OU after serving as the Major Gifts Director at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. Solly’s previous work with the OU includes serving as Regional Director of West Coast NCSY, where he helped revitalize the West Coast Region, expand the reach of the organization’s brand, and establish a culture of fervent and active Jewish life among a diverse community of students, parents, and lay leaders. Solly received his MBA from Pepperdine University and lives in Long Beach, California, with his wife and three children. Rabbi Phil Karesh joins the OU Synagogue and Community Services Department as the Midwest Regional Director after nearly a decade as an Educator with NCSY. In his new role, Rabbi Phil spends his time partnering with communities and shuls throughout the Midwest Region to engage, strengthen and inspire the greater Jewish community. After earning a bachelor’s degree at Yeshiva University, Rabbi Phil obtained a master’s in education at Loyola University and semichah at Yeshiva University in Israel. He lives with his wife and children in Chicago.

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Sivan Rahav-Meir addressing a packed crowd at the Young Israel of Lawrence in New York this past September. Photo: Naftoli Goldgrab

WOMEN IN ACTION The OU Women’s Initiative (WI) has continued to connect with our communities throughout the yom tov season, providing women across the country with opportunities for learning and growth in the wake of the New Year. To mark the Yamim Nora’im, the WI was privileged to host Sivan Rahav-Meir, renowned journalist, author and media personality from Israel for a “Weekend of Inspiration” throughout the Shabbat Shuvah weekend. Sivan addressed over 1,500 attendees throughout her “speaker tour” in the local New York area, beginning at girls’ yeshivah high schools—Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls, Yeshiva University High School for Girls, and Shulamith High School—and continuing throughout Shabbat and Sunday in Great Neck, New York; West Hempstead, New York, Teaneck, New Jersey, and Lawrence, New York. Sivan’s unique personal and professional experiences combined with her Torah insights provided our audiences with universal messages to take with them into Yom Kippur.

The WI Scholars Program, an umbrella initiative that began Shavuot 2018/5778: Standing Together at Sinai, has been an incredible opportunity for synagogues to partner with the WI. Two additional initiatives, as part of the Scholars Program, have developed: Monthly Rosh Chodesh Virtual Lunch ‘n Learns and Simchat Torah 2018/5779: Celebrating Simchat Torah Together.

The WI looks forward to continuing to partner with our communities and facilitate increased opportunities for learning and growth for women.

For more information regarding the WI and upcoming programs, visit

The Rosh Chodesh Virtual Lunch ‘n Learn program, featuring outstanding female Torah scholars and leaders, began in Chodesh Elul with Rabbanit Shani Taragin and continued with Rebbetzin Tzipora Weinberg in Tishrei. Both presentations were featured on Facebook and other social media outlets, ensuring easy access for participants across the country and from the comfort of their own home or workplace. Chodesh Cheshvan will feature Mrs. Rachel Kosowsky followed by Mrs. Yael Leibowitz in Kislev. Celebrating Simchat Torah Together impacted over thirty synagogues across the US and Canada, by supporting local female scholars and educators and providing Torah learning and inspiration to women during the aliyot portion of morning services on Simchat Torah.

ou.org/women >

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ADVOCACY WRAP UP Working to Roll Back Troubling New Tax Provisions In December 2017, Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a sweeping tax law overhaul intended to reduce federal taxes and simplify the US tax code. But two provisions inside the 1,100-page document not only place unprecedented tax burdens on shuls and day schools but also threaten to undermine state-sponsored scholarships for families who wouldn’t otherwise be able to provide their children with a Jewish education. The OU Advocacy Center is playing a leading role in the effort to repeal these tax proposals through its partnerships with faith leaders and close work with US legislators.

Limits on State and Local Tax Payments and School Choice Programs

Proposed new regulations governing K-12 student scholarships would require individual taxpayers who receive state or local tax credits for contributing to state-supported scholarship programs to reduce any charitable deduction for that contribution on their federal taxes by the amount of the state tax credit. The State and Local Tax (SALT) provision would severely undermine the 23 tax-credit scholarship programs in 18 states that enable thousands of children to attend Jewish schools—along with more than 250,000 students enrolled nationwide in other parochial schools. The proposed rules would particularly harm Jewish day schools and yeshivas in Pennsylvania and Florida, where 40 percent and 25 percent of Jewish day school students, respectively, receive tax credit scholarships worth more than $31 million combined. On Nov. 5, OU Executive Vice President Allen Fagin testified in Washington, DC before a panel of IRS and US Treasury Department officials to express concern over the proposed provision, noting that providing a Jewish education is the American Jewish community’s greatest challenge. “The adverse impact of the proposed regulations on these programs will harm thousands of students that depend upon these scholarships and their families,” said Mr. Fagin, who outlined alternatives to the proposed regulations.

A New Tax on Shuls and Schools

Also tucked into the far-reaching Tax Cuts and Jobs Act legislation is a section that would, for the first time, require shuls, other houses of worship and nonprofit organizations to pay federal taxes on the cost of

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OU Executive Vice President Allen Fagin testified before an IRS panel this past November, where he expressed concern over proposed tax regulations. The regulations would undermine state-sponsored scholarship programs that enable thousands of students to attend Jewish day schools.

America’s houses of worship do so much for the communities in which they’re located. We need to do everything we can so that they’re supported, rather than diverted from their charitable work. —OU President Moishe Bane providing certain fringe benefits to their employees, particularly parking and transportation subsidies. Depending on how the implementing regulations are written, the new taxes would cost smaller shuls several thousand dollars, while day schools could easily be responsible for tens of thousands of dollars in new taxes. To fight this overreaching provision, the OU Advocacy Center is helping lead a coalition that includes the US Council of Catholic Bishops, the Mormon Church and the National Association of Evangelicals as well as other nonprofit sector organizations. OU Advocacy also held meetings with key officials at the White House and the Treasury Department, and with US Representatives and Senators, who have since introduced bills to repeal the burdensome new taxes. In the Senate, OU Advocacy has pressed for Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) Protect Charities and Houses of Worship Act and Lessening Impediments from Taxes for Charities Act introduced in the Senate by Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) and in the House by US Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC). “This would be an unprecedented entanglement of the IRS with the operations of these religious institutions,” said OU Advocacy Center Executive Director Nathan Diament.

OU PRESS CLASSICS The Torah Encyclopedia of the Animal Kingdom Volume1: Chayot/Wild Animals By Rabbi Natan Slifkin | OU Press, The Biblical Museum of Natural History and Maggid Books Rabbi Natan Slifkin demonstrates why he has become acclaimed as the “Zoo Rabbi” with his book The Torah Encyclopedia of the Animal Kingdom— Volume 1: Chayot/Wild Animals. This book contains an encyclopedic array of information relating to everything from the fearsome to the fluffy: lions and leopards and bears, but also hyraxes, hares and hippopotami, and much else as well. (Note: Rabbi Slifkin argues the hippopotamus is actually the fearsome “behemoth” of Job, and as such, belongs to the former category.) Rabbi Slifkin gathers together all Scriptural references to the animals he discusses, as well as sources from the Talmud, the Midrash and later rabbinic literature about the identity, laws, symbolism and significance of the animals in the Torah. In addition, Rabbi Slifkin combines his Torah erudition with wide-ranging knowledge of zoology and natural history, drawing on the latest academic findings to understand Torah sources. The beautiful color photographs that accompany the text evoke the words of King David: “You make darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun arises, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens . . . O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all: the earth is full of Your riches.” For anyone seeking to explore those riches from within the Jewish tradition, The Torah Encyclopedia of the Animal Kingdom is the definitive resource.

Headlines 2: Halachic Debates of Current Events

By Dovid Lichtenstein OU Press

In Headlines 2: Halachic Debates of Current Events, Dovid Lichtenstein, an accomplished talmid chacham and prominent businessman, successfully continues the project he began in the first volume of this series— drawing on items in the news, he examines some of the most controversial issues of our times through the lens of halachah. Each chapter begins with a news article which provides background context for the discussion, then surveys a wide gamut of halachic sources both classical and contemporary, before arriving at its conclusion. Written in clear language, each chapter contains an in-depth exploration of a modern dilemma addressed through the literature of halachah. This volume also contains interviews with a number of leading halachic experts on many of the subjects discussed. Whether or not one agrees with the conclusions reached, each article is thought-provoking and passionately argued. Headlines 2 makes for fascinating reading for scholars and laypeople alike, and demonstrates the enduring relevance of halachah to the contested issues in our society today.

The Light That Unites: A Chanukah Companion—Blessings, Teachings, and Tales By Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider Artwork by Aitana Perlmutter OU Press

Chanukah’s light has grown brighter over time. Missing from much of the traditional canon, Chanukah has received pride of place in many later works, especially those of the great Chassidic leaders. Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider’s The Light that Unites is a significant contribution in spreading the once hidden light of Chanukah. Consisting of inspirational teachings and stories and containing beautiful artwork, the book is divided into eight chapters comprised of thirty-six brief sections—one for each of the thirty-six Chanukah candles. Each of the eight chapters focuses on one of eight major themes of Chanukah identified by Rabbi Goldscheider: peace, love, family, heroism, miracles, hope, unity and holiness. In addition, the book contains a detailed commentary on the blessings and songs surrounding the candle lighting ceremony, and a section of insights into Birkat Hamazon and the customs of Chanukah. The teachings contained in the book come from a wide range of Jewish leaders and thinkers, spanning the generations. In these pages, the reader encounters the insights of the Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik, alongside tales of Chassidic leaders recounted by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, and many more luminaries from the distant past to the present. The Light that Unites is an invaluable resource for all those seeking to gain inspiration from the illumination of Chanukah. Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

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Let Your Chanukah gifts Glow with from OU Press THE LIGHT THAT UNITES: A CHANUKAH COMPANION

Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider’s engaging illumination of this beloved holiday, accompanied by original artwork from Aitana Perlmutter, provides a new appreciation for Chanukah’s message of light and unity.

BIRKON MESORAT HARAV: THE WINTMAN EDITION

Containing the unparalleled commentary of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, the Birkon Mesorat HaRav is a singular companion for the blessings and rituals of Shabbat and Yom Tov, special occasions, and every day.

THE TORAH ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM (VOL. 1)

In a lavish volume replete with stunning photographs, Rabbi Natan Slifkin presents a detailed survey of the animals discussed in Jewish tradition.

THE PERSON IN THE PARASHA: DISCOVERING THE HUMAN ELEMENT IN THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION

A collection of essays, based on Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb’s popular column of the same name, which offers an original point of view that brings biblical personalities to life.

HEADLINES 2: HALACHIC DEBATES OF CURRENT EVENTS

As with his first successful first volume, Dovid Lichtenstein once again takes items drawn from the news as starting points for in-depth halachic analyses of questions at the forefront of our contemporary conversation.

THE COVENANT KITCHEN: FOOD AND WINE FOR THE NEW JEWISH TABLE

Acclaimed winemakers Jeff and Jodie Morgan take kosher dining to a new level of sophistication – the ultimate kosher cookbook for food-lovers, with detailed suggestions for wine pairing.

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Order online at OUPress.org Books of Jewish thought and prayer that educate, inspire, enrich and enlighten

Inside

PHILANTHROPY Portrait of Philanthropy

GRANT AND JENNIFER DINNER

By Atara Arbesfeld

or Grant and Jennifer Dinner and their two daughters, Katie and Emily, Cleveland NCSY is truly a family affair. “NCSY has inspired our daughters as well as ourselves,” says Grant, a partner at Weinberg Wealth Management in Beachwood, Ohio. Jennifer shared, “It works in tandem. When our girls are inspired, we are inspired. NCSY gives them a social network as well as spiritual meaning. The growth we’ve seen and the path that they are on is awe-inspiring and NCSY is an integral part of it. Cleveland NCSY has been tremendously supportive. Our daughters have developed meaningful relationships with peers and mentors that I think will last a lifetime.” Jennifer grew up in a home where Judaism and tzedakah were very important. Grant’s family is from South Africa where the Jewish community tends to be predominantly traditional. After moving to the States in 1976, his family joined a Conservative synagogue and attendance was limited to the High Holidays. A shift in the Dinners’ religious life began with Rabbi Sruly Koval of the Jewish Family Experience and it only grew with and through their daughters. Cleveland NCSY Director Rabbi Arieh Friedner explained that their relationship with the Dinners, who live in Solon, Ohio, goes back to Katie’s bat mitzvah, when both the rabbi’s wife, Elissa, as well as Lori Palatnik from Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project helped Katie prepare for her bat mitzvah.

“Anyone who knows the Dinners says they are amazing,” said Rabbi Friedner. “If there is a problem to be solved, they both readily offer their financial and personal support.” Becoming increasingly involved with NCSY over time, Katie participated in The Anne Samson Jerusalem Journey (TJJ) West Coast and TJJ Israel. While attending a secular private school, she served on the Cleveland NCSY Chapter Board during 2015-2016 and on Central East NCSY’s Regional Board during 2016-2017. She is currently studying at Tiferet, a women’s seminary in Israel, and plans to attend Touro’s Lander College for Women in New York in January. This past year, Emily, now sixteen, began serving on the Cleveland NCSY Chapter Board. Grant and Jennifer have been avid supporters of NCSY. They are also active in several other Jewish causes including the Jewish Family Experience (JFX), the Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland, the Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School and the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. Jennifer will also serve as president of Cleveland NCSY’s forthcoming Advisory Board, which will oversee the expansion of Cleveland NCSY. Through organizing more Jewish learning programs and social activities, and increasing outreach to students in grades six to eight— as well as to more students in public and non-Jewish private schools—the chapter will be poised to contribute to the Jewish experience of more than 600 Jewish teens.

The growth we’ve seen and the path that they are on is awe-inspiring and NCSY is an integral part of it.” “It’s important to realize the amazing potential of these teens,” says Jennifer. “They want to be part of something bigger than themselves; they crave structure, acceptance and connection. NCSY provides those opportunities.” When asked about what advice they would give future Jewish leaders, Jennifer emphasizes how being a mentsch and having an open heart go a long way. “Leading by example is always powerful,” she said. “We all have a specific and important role in this world. Our job is to figure out what it is while being a mentsch in the process.”

We invite you to join us and make a difference. Contact Arnold Gerson at agerson@ou.org or visit ou.org/giving. Winter 5779/2018 JEWISH ACTION

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‫ונשמרתם מאד‬ .‫לנפשתיכם‬ Guard your health carefully.

Bone Pain

Easy Bruising

Nose Bleeds

Fatigue

Gaucher disease can feel like this.

It’s no mitzvah to ignore your symptoms. In the Ashkenazi community, approximately 1 in 15 men and women are carriers for Gaucher disease, an inherited genetic condition that causes fatty lipid deposits to build up in certain organs and bones. Symptoms can mimic other diseases, many people are misdiagnosed or assume they were tested. Treatment options are available, including oral treatment.

It’s just a simple blood test. Get tested. Call 800-745-4447 option 6 for more information about Gaucher disease and testing. gauchercare.com