Parsha HaShavuah – Jewish Relationships Initiative

Pushing back on the Torah

As a rabbi in the community, I spend substantial time with interfaith couples. There is an undeniable trend with many Jews finding life partners with people of other faith traditions. It is a challenge that Judaism can successfully navigate. And hopefully, we can see the beauty and opportunity arising from such unions.

The story of Pinchas in Balak relates to a fear of intermarriage. It demonstrates how the Israelites were concerned about maintaining their community’s purity and adherence to God’s laws. In the story, the Israelites were seduced by the Moabite women. As a result, they began to engage in sexual immorality and idol worship, which threatened their relationship with God and their identity as separate people.

As a zealous and devout member of the Israelite community, Pinchas took matters into his own hands. He killed an Israelite man and a Midianite woman who were openly engaging in such behavior. His actions were seen as a necessary and just response to the threat of intermarriage and the resulting erosion of the Israelite community’s values and identity. This story speaks against intermarriage, then or now.

However, times have changed since the era depicted in the story of Pinchas. And indeed, this idea is not the first time Jews have seen borders and boundaries as porous, opportunities to engage new ideas and be enriched by them.

Judaism has a rich history of connecting with other cultures and incorporating new ideas, practices, and beliefs. Here are some specific examples of how Judaism has been enriched through its interactions with different cultures:

During the Babylonian Exile in the 6th century BCE, Jews were exposed to new ideas and practices from the Babylonian culture. This led to the development of new forms of Jewish scholarship and the compilation of the Babylonian Talmud, one of the central texts of Judaism.

In the Hellenistic Period in the 4th century BCE, Jews came into contact with Greek culture and philosophy. This led to the development of Hellenistic Judaism, which incorporated Greek ideas into Jewish thought. For example, Philo of Alexandria, a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher, used Greek philosophy to interpret the Hebrew Bible.

During the Islamic Golden Age in the 8th to 13th centuries CE, Jews lived in Muslim-majority societies and were exposed to Islamic culture and philosophy. This led to the development of Jewish philosophy, such as the works of Maimonides, who used Islamic philosophy to interpret Jewish theology.

Sephardic Jews originated in the Iberian Peninsula and had a rich cultural exchange with the Christian and Muslim cultures around them. This led to the development of Sephardic music, art, and cuisine, which have become integral and celebrated parts of Jewish culture.

The Hasidic movement emerged in Eastern Europe in the 18th century, incorporating mystical and ecstatic practices arguably adopted from the surrounding Slavic and Turkic cultures. This led to the development of Hasidic music, dance, and storytelling, which have become central to Hasidic culture and across many Jewish denominations.

In modern times, intermarriage is more widely accepted and celebrated, and many people see it as a positive way to build bridges between different cultures and communities. In many cases, intermarriage can help to promote understanding and reduce prejudice between groups. We are blessed to live in a place and time where we can marry the person we love because of whom they are rather than feel threatened or risk being ostracized.

When welcomed into Judaism’s embrace, these people also hold special esteemed status, known as a Ger Toshav. They have supported the Jewish community in which they live and enriched us. Although considered our “first convert,” Ruth may have been a Ger Toshav.

While some still hold on to the fear of intermarriage and seek to maintain the purity of their community, many people now recognize that diversity and intermarriage can be positive forces for social and cultural change.

Rather than fearing intermarriage, we can welcome those who choose it, seeing it as an opportunity for growth, connection, and understanding. Judaism rises to the occasion with its rich knowledge of its universal core values that are a foundation for creating a meaningful life. It also helps the 21st-century Jew see identity in an inclusive and embracing way.

Judaism has been enriched by its interactions with other cultures throughout history. These interactions have led to the developing of new ideas, practices, and beliefs, which have become integral parts of Jewish culture. Using the past as a prologue, we should welcome these couples with open arms.

Whose side would you be on?

As I engaged with Parshat Korach this time around, I found myself asking an interesting question: If I were there, which side would I have been on?

With the benefits of Torah and hindsight, it is clear that Moses’ was the winning side of the argument. Moses did more than actually prevail, God had Korach and his followers swallowed by the earth. But up until the final moment, Korach was making a persuasive argument about the appropriate leaders of B’nai Israel. Would I have been swayed?

Korach makes a compelling case. He charges that Moses and Aaron have usurped power that rightfully does not belong to them. Now that the Hebrews are free, they should have right leaders, the Levites for the priestly matters and the descendants of Reuven as the true political leaders of the people. We believe that Korach had ulterior motives and saw the opportunity for personal power, but he made a cogent argument, on the surface at least, and many people were likely swayed. As uncomfortable as it might appear, initially there were likely good people on both sides. But just because an argument sounds good on the surface, does not mean it is acceptable without first digging deeper.

The return of leadership to Reuven is in keeping with the concept of primogeniture. And the return of the Levites is consistent with their status as the priestly class. But even before God stepped in placing Moses and Aaron as the leaders, we have seen primogeniture is not automatic and leadership is based on character and deeds before anointing takes place. Before anyone could ultimately align with Korach, a deeper understanding of Korach’s motives and the relationship to the Divine had to be probed. It was not enough that Korach was persuasive. It was not enough that Korach’s agenda aligned with our own. We are also obligated to think in terms larger than our own self-interest. In other words, we are responsible for determining what is right for ourselves and for the greater good and taking a stand toward making that possible.

The people were fearful. Moses ascended the mountain and the anxiety of a slave people feeling abandoned when he did not return was overwhelming. The mob mentality took over and Korach exploited that. Unfortunately, the people went astray. But that could not absolve them of the responsibility to return to rationality and make thoughtful correct choices. I too might have been swept up in the initial emotions in the moment, but then it would be incumbent on me to soberly reflect on whether I was indeed pursuing the right course. This is the burden of freedom.

But there is more to this story, and it gets even more interesting. There is actually a third side to the situation. What about the people who did not take sides? Usually, in arguments, there are the traditional two camps, but there is also a third group. This group remains uncommitted to either side, preferring instead to wait on the sidelines to see who actually wins. And then they throw in with the winning side, never losing and also never risking. These people are more insidious than the losing or wrong side Doing nothing is feckless at best, or likely even more conniving than Korach himself. Nechama Leibowitz’s commentary on Korach references our Sages condemning this kind of opportunistic behavior (Korach 3, Studies in BaMidbar).

Driven not by a belief in something but instead a desire to be on the winning side, to survive and thrive without ever risking anything. These people are more than rootless, they are not to be counted upon for loyalty or sacrifice for a greater good. These opportunists undermine any cause that requires a measure of devotion, as they are devoted only to themselves. They would be the voices that would undermine the report of the spies, they might be among the spies themselves, not appreciating the opportunity offered by Joshua and Caleb, only seeing the personal risk involved. In many ways, this group is the more dangerous one. Focused only on themselves, they fight for nothing. Sometimes it is apathy, sometimes it is selfishness, but it always keeps us from moving forward towards what could be, mired instead in the safety of being nameless in the crowd. Hoping to land on their feet, they are little more than mercenaries, fair weather friends who ultimately cannot be trusted to do anything other than enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labors.

At the end of the day, there was only one side-to align with Moses in service to the Divine. Today these issues confront us in sometimes subtle but often blatant ways. Determining who we are as a people and nation require taking an active and bold stand, championing our values, speaking truth to power and speaking truth to those desirous of power.

Which side are you on?

Rabbi David Levin is a second career rabbi. Trained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Rabbi Levin’s rabbinate focuses on outreach to seekers of meaning, bringing Jewish Wisdom to their life journey. Rabbi Levin’s work is trans-denominational, embracing and drawing knowledge from all aspects of Judaism. He is a member of the CCAR (Reform Rabbinical Association), OHALA (Renewal Rabbinical Association), NAJC (Neshama, Association of Jewish Chaplains), a Fellow of Rabbis Without Borders, serves on the regional board of NIF (New Israel Fund), and is a volunteer on the Disaster Spiritual Care Team of the American Red Cross.

Rabbi Levin currently teaches subjects including Ethical Wills Re-imagined, Mussar at the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy, Introduction to Judaism for the URJ, “Kavod v’Nichum, Understanding Jewish end-of-life rituals”, and the acclaimed series “L’Chaim, Jewish Wisdom for the End of Life Journey” with two esteemed rabbinic colleagues. Rabbi Levin officiates in complex lifecycle events including non-traditional burial and works with interfaith couples. Rabbi David leads interfaith trips to Israel through the CLAL Stand and See project. Rabbi Levin is the organizer of Death Café of Greater Philadelphia

Rabbi Levin is a teacher and speaker appearing nationally and is available to be with your congregation.

BaMidbar-In the Desert and Everywhere, Everyone counts

As social beings we seek relationships as a way of making meaning. We need to connect to other people’s lives, believing we have something to contribute, and through this validating our own self. We want to count. Each of us is busy, absorbed in our own world with scarce time to think of others. We often find ourselves shunted aside, neglected or forgotten, not because of anything malicious, but because each of us become so focused on the day to day challenges, we forget to reach out and are often left feeling alone. This can be discouraging and even make us doubt our own value. This week’s Torah portion BaMidbar reminds us however, that indeed we are important.

This first chapter of the book of Numbers has the Israelites out wandering in the desert, in the Midbar. But translating the word as desert is deceptive. We picture a desert as a vast place, devoid of life, empty, and forbidding. But the desert is actually a place teeming with life, a place of overwhelming beauty, and an awesome night sky filled with countless stars. It is the place where the children descended from Israel/Jacob become the People/nation of Israel. The Children of Israel are forged in this harsh climate, and preparing to enter the Promised Land. It is a time of growing where everyone is needed to build the nation. Everyone counts.

The idea that everyone counts is so important that God instructs Moses to conduct a census. God appoints leaders of each clan to do help in this important work of accounting for everyone so the greater task of building the nation can occur. As it says in Numbers 1:19, “As the Lord commanded Moses, so did he count them in the Sinai desert.” The desert is a place of accounting, revelation and building, and revealing that each of us has a critical role to play. At this time, nothing is of greater importance.

Even the word BaMidbar speaks to our significance and meaning. The word shares the same letters as the word for speaking or speaker, Midaber. The word BaMidbar that we translate as “in the desert,” could be, “ in the speaking”, or “in the speaker.” Each person has an important contribution to make to the whole. It was true in the Sinai, also it is also true now. The desert is far more than what it might seem on the surface. The Torah portion shares that the Midbar is an extraordinary place of discovery- finding our place, finding our purpose, and finding our connection to things greater than ourselves, our family and our people. BaMidbar teaches that I am worthy of being counted- that I do count!

Each of us counts. Each of us has something worthwhile to say and something important to give. Our life experiences have created a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. We are teachers and caregivers, learning, practicing, educating, and demonstrating what it means to be human, what it means to make meaning in the lives of others and in our own lives as well. That makes each of us significant.

Each of us counts.