Scrollers Preview - Pinchas 2013

One of the best insights I’ve ever heard about what motivates a religious zealot or extremist is that the zealot believes that he or she is defending God’s honor. Last week’s parasha concluded with Pinchas, zealous for God, taking the law into his own hands. Without following any due process of law or justice, Pinchas kills an Israelite man and a Midianite woman who were about to engage in a prohibited sexual and idolatrous act. In this week’s parasha, Pinchas is rewarded with inheriting the line of the priesthood. And as part of this, God extends to him a “brit shalom,” a covenant of peace.

The sages seem to find Pinchas’ actions problematic, and they so some fancy footwork to try to justify why the Torah seems to reward him. They see the reward as God’s way of saying that Pinchas’ intentions were pure. The haftarah this week also has an example of zealotry, in the prophet Elijah. He too was a controversial figure. As we study this parasha I want us to ask ourselves whether zealotry is ever justified or necessary. Does God’s honor need to be defended by human beings? Or is this just an excuse for humans to act with violence and passion?

Although the parasha is named after Pinchas, there are a number of other folks who get the spotlight: Moses invests Joshua with his authority and leadership so that he can take over after Moses dies. The daughters of Zelophchad bring a complaint to God through Moses, asking why they can’t inherit their father’s portion of the Land, since he had no sons. We see here represented by Pinchas, Joshua and the daughters of Zelophchad, the next generation of Israelites taking the mantle of leadership and making their voices heard. A second census is taken at this point, to count those of this next generation who will make up the army that will conquer the Land.

I wonder what it was like to be Moses and the others of the older generation, watching this new generation take over. Did they see them in a favorable light? Is this new generation being celebrated in our text?

Looking forward to exploring together tomorrow!

Shabbat Shalom

Scrollers Preview - Balak 2013

A blind prophet, an angel with a sword, and a talking donkey walk into a bar…

I look forward to reading the Parasha with you this week, just to read it and enjoy the story. For once we have a comedy!

This week, our Torah takes on a completely new voice and perspective; it tells a story from the point of view of a non-Israelite nation, the Moabites. A Moabite King, Balak, sees our people encamped on his land, and he has heard of our military victory against the Amorites, and he is afraid. So he sends for a prophet, Balaam, to curse the Israelites. The curse turns into a blessing, to the great disappointment of King Balak. Along the way, Balaam tries to make his way to curse us, his donkey seems to understand things and see things more clearly than he can. In fact, his donkey can even speak.

The Parasha also includes poetry, as Balaam attempts to curse us three times, and instead, beautiful blessings flow in poetic form, expressing assurance that the Israelites will be fertile and secure in their future.

At the same time that the Torah seems to parody our enemies, it brings a serious message. According to Etz Chayyim, that message is that “God continues to watch over Israel and extend Divine protection to them, despite their recalcitrant behavior and lack of appreciation.” (p. 894)

The contrast with the previous few Torah portions is striking. For weeks, we’ve read about nothing but the Israelites’ rebellious behavior and God’s punishments. Here, when an outsider looks at us, we seem to be doing well, our tents are “goodly,” and there is even a sense of peace and respose in the poetry.

As we read this text together I’ll look forward to exploring some questions –

What is the role of vision and seeing in this story and why does Balak seem to think that if Balaam only sees a smaller portion of the people, he’ll be more likely to curse them?

Why is this story in our Torah? And why at this point in the book of Bamidbar?

Scrollers Preview - Korach 2013

After last week’s disastrous events, culminating in God’s declaration that none of the generation who left Egypt will be allowed to enter the Promised Land, the rebellions continue. This time, Korach and a band of chieftains rise up against Moses and Aaron, saying that they have gone too far, that all the community is holy, and that they have inappropriately raised themselves up above God’s congregation. The result is another disaster. After a test, involving incense and fire pans, God causes the earth to swallow up Korach, Datan and Aviram and their entire families. And then a fire consumes the remaining 250 followers. But this only causes the people to cry out louder against Moses and Aaron and a plague ends up killing off over 14,000 more Israelites as a result.

The parasha continues with a symbolic affirmation that Aaron and his ancestral house are indeed chosen by God. When each tribal chief brings a staff to be placed in the Holy of Holies, only Aaron’s staff sprouts, blossoms, and bears almonds. The last chapter of the parasha then goes on to outline how Aaron’s priestly household and the Levites who guard the Tabernacle will be sustained through the donations and tithes that the Israelites bring.

As we read this dramatic story together this week, with folklorist and storyteller Peninnah Schram in our midst, I think we’ll become aware of the dynamics of folktales. Most old stories have many versions, and the storyteller has to choose which version or combination of versions to tell at a given moment. The Torah is very similar. And in this story, we’ll see how at least two traditions seem to be woven together: one of Datan and Aviram who are swallowed by the earth and one of Korach who is consumed by fire. We’ll also see a feature of much folklore and myth. The “bad guys” are set up against the “good guys” in a battle, and the ending is meant to teach a moral lesson.

The commentaries have a field day with Korach, filling in the blank parts of the story with colorful descriptions of what made him such a bad guy. Most focus on the aspect of Korach of divisiveness – that he divides the people, and that even within his followers, there are divisions. They also focus on ego and the danger of leaders pursuing their own personal agendas for power.

A key verb in the parasha is “vayikach,” which translates as “ to take.” This is the word that opens the parasha, in fact. Korach “takes” or “betook himself” to rise up against Moses. Later during the plague, we see Aaron “take” his fire pan with incense and run out into the midst of the people to stand between the dead and the living, stopping the plague.  One of the questions I’d like to explore is what is an appropriate grasping or “taking” of power, and what makes Korach’s “taking” so problematic in God’s eyes.

Looking forward to celebrating Shabbat with you tonight through tomorrow evening, with Peninnah Schram and with each other, through stories and prayer, meals and study!