Up and Eager for Study

Make your home a regular place for the scholars;

Sit eagerly at their feet and thirstily drink their words

(Avot 1:4)

The tradition says that some mitzvot are to be done with alacrity.  We are to make sure we get to a house of study. We should be eager to engage. We are not to pause or be distracted. Each Saturday morning I wake up with a sense of purpose. I am up and ready. I will have my coffee and walk 4 blocks to my home synagogue’s Torah study class at 9:15 AM.  

There are about 10 regulars and a larger group of another 20 people that come at least once a month. Our rabbi is a great scholar and an excellent teacher. He brings some substantial learning to our table to go with our knowledge and our Etz Hayim humashim. We “regulars” are thirsty for this conversation.

I am no stranger to Torah study or to Jewish texts. While certainly not a scholar, I have a decent understanding of text study and how the parshiot connect to the overall narrative of Judaism and Jewish history. I feel I also have something to bring to the table.

Hebrew Language

Many of the “regulars” were products of Jewish day schools and yeshivas. Others have been active members of the community and developed great literacy in Hebrew language. It is not uncommon for long passages to be read in Hebrew. The class is taught with some deference for the capacities and preferences of the more learned. I am sometimes uncomfortable and intimidated.  At times, I try to work harder to follow in Hebrew so I can learn a new word or see a familiar phrase. At other times I tune out. Our community is pretty stable. Occasionally we have a new prospect test us out. When they don’t return, I wonder if they were intimidated. I have chosen to stay at the table.

Close Readings

Many in the class prefer close readings of the texts. They will focus on words. They will explore a sentence from different angles. I am a generalist. In Meyers-Briggs I am an "N" - Intuitive. We intuitive people tend to see patterns and connections.  We are interested in different synagogues' experiences or even other religions.  We tend to see the forest more than the trees. This close reading often seems to focus on minutiae, on footnotes. Many are "S" types, called sensors, they prefer detail and set rules. I can be impatient when there seems to be a pressing ethical or theological question that I feel we are not focusing on. I may become impatient - but I stay.

Torah Truths

While I love Torah study, I am often frustrated by the Torah. I just can’t believe that God was not always against slavery or couldn’t hear our cries in Egypt for 400 years. I don’t believe that God really wants to oppress Job, or kill Isaac or wipe out the enemie’s woman and children. I can’t believe that God is really jealous of other gods the way I am jealous over a rival. I can’t believe all of the small things that one could be condemned to death for. A death sentence, really? I believe that the God that I would pray to is good and reflective, not reactive and vengeful. When scholars try to provide rationalizations for these doubts, I really do want to get up and leave.

I love the wisdom of Pirkei Avot. I turn to this section in Sim Shalom on Shabbat morning to revisit these sayings. I stumble, however, over one of its central claims, that our tradition comes word for word directly from God (Avot 1:1).

Moses received the Torah from God at Sinai,

He transmitted it to Joshua,

Joshua to the elders, the elders to the Prophets,

The Prophets to the members of the Great Assembly

Based on my travels, I feel there are many synagogue members who go to Shabbat services infrequently. When they hear these words about the literalness of Torah without the interpretative tools of our class or the mentorship of the rabbi, they may feel alienated from the text. Some won’t stay engaged. They will walk away.

Fortunately our class allows many approaches to these texts. While there are different views about the meaning of revelation, the group tends not to take the Torah literally.  They are comfortable with our capacity to learn from difficult texts and to come out of class the richer for the conversation.

I was heartened to hear Rabbi Brad Artson’s podcast on the Ziegler Rabbinic School web site, entitled "Passing Life’s Tests: Using the Bible as a Source of Wisdom (Even if it Never Happened)."  He said he spoke for those who believe that Torah is transmitted wisdom not necessarily history. Our Sages understood Torah according to the time they lived in.  I believe we need to be knowledgeable about the Torah and rabbinic wisdom. Like our ancestors, we need to be engaged in interpreting it. I can stay at that kind of table.

Torah Study Connected Vertically and Horizontally

Chancellor Arnold Eisen of the Jewish Theological Seminary was a scholar in residence at our congregation. He was talking about Conservative Judaism and its core values.  He noted the importance of making our Jewish connections "vertically." We are  vertically connected to our ancestors and to generations that have come before. When our sages and leaders have held a value to be sacred we are honor bound to study it, to take it seriously.   I like the idea that our class is connected to a longstanding process of learning. We treat the texts seriously. We honor them.

Eisen also talked about the importance of being connected "horizontally" to Jews all around the world. We know that other Torah study classes are engaged with the same parsha as we study. The prayers we say on Shabbat morning are the same prayers said in Prague, Moscow or Jerusalem. We are one family.

Reflecting on Learning

I teach congregational leadership. One of the attributes of successful leaders is a capacity for reflection.  I don’t recall if we have ever had a discussion about how the text study class is working for us. What is helpful? What is hard? Where are we on our journey? (Bob, what is it like to move from Ohio at age 60 and start over? What texts speak to this journey? ) How do these texts speak to us at this moment? Why do we stay? I feel I know enough to ask these questions.

While journaling is not part of our curriculum, I have taken this time to write about the experience. On reflection, I value teachers who connect us to sacred texts, sacred conversations and a sacred chevruta community.

When things get tough I try to reflect and not just react. On refection, I see that our class, while imperfect, gives us an opportunity to bring our life experience, our need for community and our thirst for learning to the foot of our Torah study table. I am glad I have stayed.