Judaism (340-20300 & 344-20300) |
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Judaism (340-20300 & 344-20300) |
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3rd-4th century C.E. rabbinic text – a running commentary on the book of Exodus
Seir – another name for Edom, a nation that lived at the southern end of the Dead Sea; one of the neighbors (and often enemies) of ancient Israel
Amon – a nation that lived on the eastern side of the Jordan River, in the contemporary country of Jordan (frequently at war with ancient Israel)
Moab – another nation that lived just east of the Dead Sea (also frequently at war with ancient Israel)
Shekinah – divine presence among humans
Balaam son of Beor – a gentile prophet
Esau – Isaac’s oldest son, the brother of Jacob – he is connected in the Bible to the nation of Edom, which is then later identified with the Roman Empire
Ishmael – Abraham’s oldest son, the brother of Isaac, seen as the ancestor of the Ishmaelite tribes, who are later identified as the Arabs
seven commandments of Noah – according to rabbinic thought, the sons of Noah (which means all of humanity) were given seven basic commandments of civilized behavior, including the prohibitions of murder, theft, and adultery.
Reka – “empty-head,” in Hebrew
kal vahomer – reasoning from the weaker to the stronger case
Was the Torah available to everyone? If it was, then why was it given to the people of Israel? What was the response of the other nations, in this midrash, to the offer of the Torah? Why was the Torah given in the wilderness?
What were the historical circumstances under which Judah ha-Levi lived, and how did they affect his thinking about the role of the Jews in history?
Which Jewish social class did he belong to, and what were the prevailing religious and philosophical opinions of that class?
How and why does he change his philosophical and religious opinions?
What was the purpose of the Kuzari?
What is the “theology of history” that he develops in the Kuzari?
How does Judah ha-Levi’s “anti-rationalism” differ from other medieval Jewish philosophers (for example, Maimonides)?
What is his view of other religions? (p. 37)
What is ha-Levi’s notion of the Election of Israel?
How does one truly reach communion with God? (p. 38)
What is ha-inyan ha-elohi and how does ha-Levi use it to explain the religious role of the Jewish people? (p. 39)
How does the divine spirit or divine influence begin with Adam, the first man, and pass down until it reaches Abraham and after him the Jewish people as a whole? (pp. 41-42)
How has the divine spirit been manifested in the Jewish people, descended from Jacob, and in the Holy Land? (pp. 43-44)
How should the Jewish people bear degradation and persecution? And when a person converts to Judaism, how should he behave, and does he attain the same level of divine influence as those born Jews? (p. 45)
What does ha-Levi mean by calling the Jewish people “a body without either head or heart”? (p. 46-47). And what does he mean when he also says, “Israel amidst the nations is like the heart amidst the organs of the body” (pp. 47-48)?
He uses the word “Tenach,” which is his spelling for “Tanakh,” meaning the Hebrew Scriptures.
Fackenheim begins with the question of why Jews do not seek converts, even though they, like Muslims and Christians, lay claim to a universal religious truth. This then leads him to the question: “How can He who is Lord of all humanity have a ‘special relation’ with one particular people?” (p. 50)
How does Fackenheim answer this question throughout this chapter? How does he deal with seemingly contradictory biblical passages, like the opening chapters of Genesis that speak of the creation of all humanity, in contrast with the choosing of Abraham & his family (Gen. 12, 15, 17), and then the Jewish people as a whole (Ex. 19-20)? (pp. 50-51)
What is the biblical idea of the chosen people? (pp. 52-53)
Why does God make a covenant with the people of Israel? (pp. 53-54)
What is the purpose of the covenant? (p. 55)
How was the traditional Jewish idea of the covenant and chosenness challenged in the modern world? (p. 56)
What is the answer that the Reconstructionist movement makes to these challenges? (pp. 56-57)
What does it mean for the Jewish people to be “singled-out” today? (pp. 57-59)
What does Fackenheim mean by saying, “Who is a Jew? One who testifies against the idols.” What are these idols? What would you consider contemporary idols?
This page maintained by: Rebecca Lesses
Last revised January 15, 2006