SOME THINGS I THINK I THINK - PARASHAT BEREISHIT (1)

Parashat Bereishit

Tishrei 29, 5784 / October 13-14, 2023

Torah Reading - Genesis 1:1 - 6:8

Haftarah (Shabbat Machar Chodesh) - 1 Samuel 20:18-42

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This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Chanah Bella bat Kreina and Devorah bat Feigel.
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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. 
We're continuing to read and discuss the Midrashic collection Ein Ya'akov. On Monday, October 16, we'll be at BT Shabbat 117b, page 188 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1 – "R. Jose said: 'O that my lot fall among those who eat three meals on the Sabbath.'"
Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at:
https://hebrewbooks.org/9630   
A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria: 
https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents  
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Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at: 
https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 
 
Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 
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SOME THINGS I THINK I THINK

"And God said, 'Let us make a human being, in our image, like us. So God created humanity in His image; in the image of God He created it; male and female He created them." Genesis 1:26-27 (In other words, all of humanity has common ancestry)

We learn in Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5, "One who takes a single human life, it is as if he destroyed an entire world. One who saves a single human life, it is as if he saved an entire world." (IMPORTANT NOTE: There is a variant text that limits the Mishnah to “a single Jewish life” – more on which below)

If a human life is taken, all of that person's descendants to be, will never be. They are worlds. Destroyed. If a human life is saved, each of that world's descendants will create worlds of their own. Each of us, every single human being, is a world. 

But none of us is a world alone. "No man is an island unto himself," Donne said. We are interdependent, interconnected - amazingly, incredibly, unbelievably, because we are each and all created in the image of God – whether we like it or not. The living, the dead and the damned. While much of the world watches in horror; and some of the world delights.

It has often been noted that the Koran quotes the above mishnah, and this is offered as proof that the Koran lacks originality. But a closer examination shows that the Koran is actually offering a critique of some Jews of the time and this mishnah at Sura 5:31 as follows (translation and footnotes from Quran.com): 

“That is why We ordained for the Children of Israel that whoever takes a life—unless as a punishment for murder or mischief in the land—it will be as if they killed all of humanity; and whoever saves a life, it will be as if they saved all of humanity.¹ Although Our messengers already came to them with clear proofs, many of them still transgressed afterwards through the land.” 

Footnote 1 - Although this is addressed to the Children of Israel, it is applicable to everyone at all times. (Emphasis mine)

The Koran criticizes Jews for not following their own teachings. Yet, the Islamist group Hamas (an interesting Arabic acronym/word whose Hebrew cognate means “violence”) ignores this teaching as well. Granted, in the very next Sura, the Koran might appear to excuse Muslims from following these principles – until one reads the footnote.

Sura 5:32 – “Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and spread mischief in the land is death, crucifixion, cutting off their hands and feet on opposite sides, or exile from the land. This ˹penalty˺ is a disgrace for them in this world, and they will suffer a tremendous punishment in the Hereafter.^1”

Footnote 1 - This ruling (called ḥirâbah) applies to crimes committed by armed individuals or groups against civilians (emphasis mine) —Muslim or non-Muslim. Different punishments apply depending on the severity of the crime:

In the case of murder or rape, offenders are to be executed. 

In the case of armed robbery, offenders' right hands and left feet are to be cut off.

In the case of terrorizing innocent people, offenders are to be jailed in exile.

Penalties for lesser offences are left for the judge to decide.

Hamas are kidnappers, rapists, and murderers who desecrate the name of God through their actions – there is no other way to describe them - who are deserving of the punishment of this Sura. Indeed, the Koran teaches elsewhere at Sura 49:13 - O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware. (In other words, all of humanity has common ancestry)

One must note that there are Jews, Israeli and non-Israeli, who hold by the variant text of the mishnah – “single Jewish life” – and in so doing, they justify the critique offered by the Koran. These are tangled webs we Jews and Muslims, Israelis and Palestinians, have woven and with which we have ensnared ourselves and each other. Even if we don't engage in crimes against humanity and God, if we condone them or are silent - then we are also responsible. 

I have no pithy conclusion, no great teaching. But this I believe – either we recognize our shared humanity and live and work together for peace and justice – however difficult that might be - or we will destroy each other from our self-inflicted wounds. 

Harachaman hu yivarekh otanu, kol yosh’vei teivel, kulanu, yachad b'virkat shalom.

May the Merciful One bless us, all the inhabitants of the world, all of us, as one, with the blessing of peace.

Rabbi Richard A. Flom
".איזה הוא חכם? הלומד מכל אדם"
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1

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