A (Very) Minor Holiday

On the Hebrew calendar, today is the 17th of Tammuz, a minor fast day.  Unlike the "major" fast of Yom Kippur, which traditionally lasts 25 hours, on a minor fast day, one only refrains from food from sunrise to sunset.  The period from the 17th of Tammuz to Tisha b'Av (the 9th of Av, or this year, July 20th) is known as the "Three Weeks," during which some Jews observe mourning customs—not holding weddings or parties, avoiding haircuts or shaving, etc.

Why?  According to the Mishnah (Taanit 4:6), five disasters befell the Jews on the 17th of Tammuz:

• Moses smashed the original tablets of the Ten Commandments (because of the Golden Calf).
• When Jerusalem was besieged by the Babylonians, they had to stop offering a sacrifice at the Temple, because the city ran out of goats.
• When Jerusalem was besieged by the Romans, on this day they breached the walls.
• Apostomos (a Roman general?) burned a Torah scroll and...
• ...placed an idol in the Temple.

The Three Weeks of mourning lead up to Tisha b'Av, the major fast commemorating the destruction of the Temple (the "Second Temple" in Jerusalem) by the Romans in 70 C.E.

As part of their attempt to modernize Judaism, the founders of the Reform Movement removed the emphasis on the Jerusalem Temple.  They eliminated prayers that referred to Temple sacrifices and all the traditional prayers for the Temple to be rebuilt.  They deemphasized fast days like the 17th of Tammuz, which focused on Temple-related disasters in the past.

Those early Reforms have mostly persisted—very few Reform Jews will be fasting today.  But being aware of the traditional Jewish calendar helps us stay connected to the larger Jewish world.  And an excuse for some Jewish text and history is never a bad thing.

For discussion:  In recent decades, WHC (like many Reform congregations) has reintroduced customs long absent from Reform Judaism.  Would you like to see us re-engage with more observances from the traditional Jewish calendar?  Should we commemorate the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple? 

Image:  James Jacques Joseph Tissot (French, 1836-1902), The Chaldees Destroy the Brazen Sea

The Oil Spill: Jewish Reflections (Part I)

There are countless Jewish ways to respond to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. These past several weeks, I have thought many times of Genesis 2:15, “Adonai Elohim took Adam and placed him in the Garden of Eden, to tend it and to keep it.” How terribly we have failed at fulfilling this first, most basic human responsibility!

But beside our anger and anguish, our fear and sadness for the people of the Gulf region—the oil spill raises complex ethical and legal questions.  How does Judaism address them?  There were no oil spills in the days of the Bible or of the classical Jewish texts.  As with any modern dilemma, we must mine our tradition for useful parallels.

For example, take this passage from the Mishnah, the compilation of Rabbinic law edited in Roman Palestine around 200 C.E.:

One may not set up an oven within a house unless there is a space of four cubits above it [to the ceiling].  If he sets it up in an upper room, the floor beneath it must be three handbreaths thick....  If it causes damage [by setting fire to the house and neighboring houses], he is liable to pay for the damage.  But Rabbi Shimon says:  The reason for all of these measurements is that [if they are observed], one is not liable to pay for any damage.  (Bava Batra 2:2)

A house fire was a major economic and public safety hazard in ancient cities, and so the Rabbis regulate the use of ovens indoors. But what if one follows all the regulations, and a fire still results? Here the Rabbis disagree. The unnamed consensus says the oven owner must pay for the damage. Rabbi Shimon argues that if the oven owner has taken all the precautions required by the Rabbis, he is free of liability, no matter what damage may result from an accidental fire.

Now as then, we rely on government regulation to keep us safe from the unintended consequences of others' actions.  A large part of our anger at the oil spill is based on the sense that adequate regulations were not in place or worse, that they were subverted or ignored. 

This mishnah teaches us that in Jewish law, regulation is legitimate and necessary to protect the public welfare.

As for Rabbi Shimon?  The Talmud and later Jewish law side against him.  Even when one complies with all regulations, one is liable to pay for any damage accidentally caused.  Just as in our day, regulation is no substitute for personal and corporate responsibility.

For discussion:  As you know, most of the law in the ancient Jewish sources has been set aside in Reform Judaism.  Should we still try to learn ethics from those sources? 

Image © BP p.l.c.

New Jewish Magazine: A Must-Read

I just finished reading the inaugural issue of the Jewish Review of Books, and I am in love. How can I describe it? In his welcoming introduction, the editor, Abraham Socher, contrasts his Review with the academic journals, pop-culture magazines, and special-interest newspapers that form the Jewish periodical landscape:

“We aspire to offer something different: a lively magazine of ideas and argument, criticism and commentary, written especially for intelligent men and women who believe, as I do, that Jewish subjects are worthy of attention that is serious, accessible, and occasionally even playful.” (Spring 2010, p. 4)

Amen. Finally, a magazine that offers sophisticated perspectives on important Jewish issues—and isn’t written only for rabbis. Hillel Halkin’s review of a new British prayer book gave me a lot to think about regarding WHC’s own explorations of prayer books and Mishkan T’filah. This essay by Michael Weingrad, “Why There is No Jewish Narnia,” is full of “aha!” moments for those Jews (like me) who grew up on Narnia, Tolkien, Harry Potter, or pretty much any fantasy adventure. And if you're looking for good suggestions of new Jewish books to read, the Review has dozens.

The whole first issue is free online, but I’m not waiting—I’m already a subscriber.

For Discussion: Are there any Jewish periodicals you read regularly? (Washington Jewish Week? Reform Judaism Magazine? The Forward? Commentary?)

Why a Blog?

Washington Hebrew Congregation is a large and diverse community, and we are always looking for new ways to enhance the Jewish life and learning of our members. What will you find here?

• Food for thought: Torah, ethics, philosophy, history…
• Commentary on events in the Jewish world and the local Jewish community
• Links to important(/fun?) Jewish articles, websites, etc.
• Discussion of life at Washington Hebrew Congregation

Are you a college student or out-of-town member? Visit often and stay connected. Too busy for regular adult study? Visit often for Jewish enrichment. Not sure if a blog is a good idea? Visit often and we’ll all find out together.

My commitment to you: This blog will be updated frequently. You’ll be hearing from me a lot. As the blog gains momentum, our other rabbis, cantors, staff, and lay leadership may share their thoughts as well.

One more thing… Perhaps the greatest asset of a blog is the potential for open discussion. Please use the “comments” button below to become part of the conversation. Comments will be moderated, but anything appropriate will be posted quickly. For online safety, I recommend identifying yourself with first name and last initial (e.g., Noah F.) To start, I’ll give you a topic: What issues/topics would you like to see addressed in future blog posts?

As always, any non-public feedback can be sent directly to me at nfabricant "at" whctemple "dot" org. Let the experiment begin.