## Classes 3-4: Situating Ourselves in the Narrative ### 1.1 Latter-Day Israelites and the Five Books of Moses While there are at least as many Jewish identities as there are Jews, I think Jewish identity almost always includes an imagined relationship of some kind to the ancient Israelites. For some, there is the sense that we are simply the descendants of the people who wrote the Hebrew Bible. The Tanakh is the beginning of our story and the rest of Jewish history is its continuation. Often, the identification with the Israelites is more robust. We might feel we share important values with the teaching of the Bible. Or we might actually see ourselves as latter-day Israelites, sharing in the covenants that they – we – enacted between ourselves and with God, as described in the holy story. It is therefore important how we read the Tanakh: How we understand the different voices it contains, and how we situate ourselves in relation to those voices. I believe that the typical ways that we as Jews understand the story obscure powerful, even redemptive, spiritual teachings. They also leave us prone to practices of dehumanization, such as gender and sexual oppression, religious intolerance and nationalist supremacism. By listening for different voices among our ancestors than those we usually hear, we can re-imagine our relationship with ancient Israel and the Hebrew Bible. And by identifying the biblical roots of dehumanization, we can better understand why our tradition sometimes fails in this way, and how can direct its power for the good. To get further into these ideas, we will spend some time thinking together about what it means to us to be Jewish, and how Jewish identity is tied to narratives about who we are and where #### Summary of the *Chumash* or Five Books of Moses by *Parashat Hashavua* The summary appears in *The Bible: Where Do You Find It and What Does It Say?, published by Jason Aronson* as reproduced on Myjewishlearning.com. ##### _Breshit_ – The Book of Genesis The creation of the world. The patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob and his sons go down to Egypt. Jacob blesses his sons before his death. **Weekly Portions** - *Bereshit*(1:1-6:8) The world is created in six days. - *Noah* (6:9-11:32) A flood destroys the world. God’s rainbow promises that the world will never again be destroyed in its entirety. - *Lekh-L’kha* (12:1-17:27) Abraham leaves Mesopotamia for the Promised Land. - *Vayera* (18:1-22:24) Abraham welcomes three angels into his tent and learns that his wife Sarah will give birth to a son. - *Haye Sarah* (23:1-25:18) Abraham’s servant finds a suitable wife, Rebecca, for Abraham’s son Isaac. - *Toldot* (25:19-28:9) The birth of Esau and Jacob. Isaac blesses Jacob. - *Vayetze* (28:10-32:3) God appears to Jacob in a dream. Jacob works fourteen years and marries Leah and Rachel. - *Vayishlah* (32:4-36:43) Jacob and Esau reunite after twenty years. Rachel dies and is buried in Bethlehem. - *Vayeshev* (37:1-40:23) Joseph‘s brothers strip him of his coat of many colors and throw him into a pit. - *Miketz* (41:1-44:17) Joseph successfully interprets Pharaoh’s dreams. Joseph is appointed viceroy. - *Vayigash* (44:18-47:27) Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, who are dumbfounded. - *Vayehi* (47:28-50:26) Jacob blesses his sons. Joseph dies at end of book at age 110\. ##### _Shmot_ – The Book of Exodus The Israelites are enslaved in Egypt. Moses receives the Ten Commandments. The Israelites build a tabernacle. **Weekly Portions** - *Sh’mot* (1:1-6:1) Moses is saved by Pharaoh’s daughter. God appears to Moses at the burning bush. - *Vaera* (6:2-9:35) God brings plagues upon the Egyptians. Pharaoh’s heart hardens and he refuses to let the Israelites go. - *Bo* (10:1-13:16) Egyptian firstborn children are slain by God. The Israelites hastily leave Egypt and bake matzah from unleavened dough. - *B’shalah* (13:17-17:16) The waters of the Red Sea divide to make a path for the Israelites. - *Yitro* (18:1-20:23) Jethro, Moses’ father-in law, advises him to appoint judges so as to ease his burden. Moses receives the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. - *Mishpatim* (21:1-24:18) Moses instructs the Israelites in the Law. - *Terumah* (25:1-27:19) The tabernacle is constructed. - *Tetzaveh* (27:20-30:10) Aaron and his sons are put in charge of the menorah. The priestly garments are described in great detail. - *Ki Tissa* (30:11-34:35) The Israelites build a golden calf; when Moses sees it he shatters the tablets containing the Ten Commandments. - *Vayakhel* (35:1-38:20) The people bring an array of gifts for the tabernacle until they are told to stop. - *Pekudei* (38:21-40:38) The cloud of glory covers the completed tabernacle as the Israelites stand in the distance. ##### _Vayikra_ – The Book of Leviticus The priestly code; the rules pertaining to sacrifices, diet, and morality; and the Land of Israel and festivals are discussed. **Weekly Portions** - *Vayikra*(1:1-5:26) God reveals the sacrificial laws. - *Tzav* (6:1-8:36) Moses anoints Aaron and his sons as priests. - *Shemini* (9:1-11:47) Laws describing kosher and nonkosher animals are enumerated. - *Tazria* (12:1-13:59) Cleanliness and uncleanliness are defined in relation to childbirth and leprosy. - *Metzora* (14:1-15:33) The laws for the purification of the leper after he has healed are discussed. - *Ahare Mot* (16:1-18:30) Aaron’s sons die. Aaron chooses by lot a goat and a scapegoat. - *Kedoshim* (19:1-20:27) More laws are set forth, including, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” - *Emor *(21:1-24:23) Festival seasons are described in detail. - *B’har* (25:1-26:2) The sabbatical and jubilee years are discussed. - *B’hukotai* (26:3-27:34) The punishment for rejecting God’s covenant is discussed. ##### _B’midbar_ – The Book of Numbers The Census. More statutes and laws. Adventures of the Hebrews en route to Canaan through the desert. **Weekly Portions** - *B’midbar* (1:1-4:20) Description of the Israelites’ encampments during their journeys through the desert. - *Naso* (4:21-7:89) Regulations concerning Nazirites and the threefold priestly benediction. - *B’ha’alotekha* (8:1-12:16) Kindling of the *menorah.* Seventy elders are delegated to serve under Moses. - *Shelah* (13:1-15:41) Twelve spies are dispatched to survey the land of Canaan. Two of the spies return with a positive report. - *Korah* (16:1-18:32) Korach refuses to accept the leadership of Moses and Aaron. He and his assembly are killed by an earthquake. - *Hukkat* (19:1-22:1) The laws regarding the red heifer are enumerated. Moses strikes the rock and water gushes forth. - *Balak* (22:2-25:9) Balak, king of Moab, sends Bilaam to curse the Israelites. Instead, Bilaam gives his blessing to them. - *Pinhas* (25:10-30:1) The daughters of Zelophechad are given their father’s inheritance. Moses chooses Joshua as his successor. - *Mattot* (30:2-32:42) Moses informs the tribal heads regarding the laws of vowing. - *Masei* (33:1-36:13) The detailed account of the various way stations on the Israelites’ route to the Promised Land. Reference is made to the cities of refuge. ##### _D’varim_ – The Book of Deuteronomy A recapitulation of the laws with some additions. Moses addresses the children of Israel and presents them with some warnings. **Weekly Portions** - *D’varim* (1:1-3:22) Moses explains and interprets the law to the people. - *Va’et’hanan* (3:23-7:11) The Ten Commandments are repeated, with slight variations. The cities of refuge are mentioned. The first section of the *Shema* is begun with, “You shall love the Lord your God.” - *Ekev* (7:12-11:25) The *Shema* continues with the second paragraph, which deals with the theme of reward and punishment. - *Re’eh* (11:26-16:17) Moses continues his address, telling the people that obedience will bring them blessing, whereas disobedience will bring them curses. - *Shoftim*(16:18-21:9) Moses warns the people against idolatry. He also reminds the people of the importance of pursuing justice. - *Ki Tetze* (21:10-25:19) Moses reviews a variety of laws intended to strengthen family life and human decency in Israel. Those laws refer to lost property, the educational responsibility of parents to their children, and kindness to animals, among other things. - *Ki Tavo* (26:1-29:8) The laws of tithing and first fruits arc discussed. - *Nitzavim* (29:9-30:20) Moses continues his farewell speech and God tells the people to choose life. - *Vayelekh* (31:1-30) Joshua is appointed successor to Moses. Moses completes the writing of the Torah. - *Ha’azinu* (32:1-52) Moses’ farewell song—a beautiful poem in which he calls upon heaven and earth to witness God’s dependability. - *Vezot HaBracha* **(33:1-34:12):** Moses blesses each of the tribes of Israel before his death. He ascends Mount Nebo, views the Promised Land, and dies there. The Torah concludes with a tribute to Moses’ unparalleled greatness. ### 1.2 Biblical Voices: The Search for our Spiritual Ancestors In his book *The Hebrew Goddess*, Raphael Patai sums up the struggle between the Israelite kings in regard to the presence of the Asherah in the Temple in the following words: #### Source 1: Patai on the Asherah in Judah ![[Patai - The Asherah in Judah]] *Study Question*: What was normative Hebrew practice, to worship the Asherah in the Temple or to destroy it? #### Source 2: Judges 3: 1-9 **Introduction** Patai's perspective on the Asherah is not how the Deuteronomist (Dtm) sees it. According to many (but not all) scholars, the Dtm is an author or school of thought that wrote and edited significant portions of the Bible, including Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings. It is generally thought that Dtm's authors lived after the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE, and they wrote the Deuteronomist History (DH) to explain why God destroyed Jerusalem. In a nutshell, God destroyed Jerusalem in their opinion because the Israelites shared family and cultic life with the neighboring peoples, to whom they were closely related. The Dtm believed that Israel was meant to exterminate these neighbors, not live and love with them. It is clear from the Bible that throughout Israelite history, many Israelites saw no contradiction in marrying a Siddonian, worshipping the Asherah, and remaining faithful to YHVH. According to Patai's count, for most of the years the Temple in Jerusalem stood, it was home to the Asherah. But this reality became a terrible sin in the eyes of the Dtm, and the reason for the destruction of Jerusalem. They wrote much of the Deuteronomistic history from this perspective (in the biblical books mentioned above). Let us read these texts against the grain, and see if we can discover other voices. ![[Jds 3 1-8]] *Study Notes and Questions:* In this text, we see the basic logic of the Dtm: Israel married and worshipped with the *goyim*, and so God shmiced them by way of Cushan-rishathaim. But if we met the Israelites in verses 5-6, would they describe themselves as having forgotten YHVH? Archeology and the biblical narrative testify that Israelites often worshipped YHVH together with other deities and other peoples. How is it that they didn't see a contradiction? Lets imagine that some of these YHVH worshippers were among the people of verses 5-6. What would they say in response to the narrators conclusion in verse 7? #### Source 3: Solomon's House of Prayer for All People Wiki: The conventional dates of Solomon's reign are derived from [biblical chronology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_chronology "Biblical chronology") and are set from about 970 to 931 [BCE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Era "Common Era"). ![[I Kings 11 1-13]] *Study Notes and Questions*: This text represents the Dtm's answer to the question: Why was David's house divided? It was because of Solomon's foreign influences and religious pluralism. What should we believe in this story? 1) Did Solomon do these things, hear God reprimand him, and thus would agree with the narrator's condemnation? 2) Or might we say he would have agreed with the narrator that establishing shrines in the hills around Jerusalem would be an abomination, but that he didn't do it, and the narrator just made this up to retroactively justify the division of David's House? 3) Or might we say that Solomon did erect the shrines, but does not think he was reprimanded by God, and would reject the narrator's condemnation if he read it? Maybe he would say he was realizing the ideal behind Isaiah's later vision: ![[Isaiah 56 7]] #### Source 4: Josiah Destroys Solomon's Shrines **Introduction** During the reign of [King Josiah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josiah) (c. 640–609 BCE), a book was found in the Temple. Many scholars believe that it was some version of the Book of Deuteronomy. Its discovery resulted in a rampage of seemingly religiously inspired violence. Josiah's voice is important for us to hear. If you don't have time to read the whole text, just read the parts in bold. What do you think of Josiah's policies? After reading the text below, return to Source 1 above. How do Josiah's policies look in that context? ![[I Kings 22 10 - 23 21 English Shorter Version]] *Now re-read Patai above. Where are our biblical spiritual ancestors?*