Michael Franco
Yirmiyahu and a New Beginning: A. What went wrong? (Jer 9)
.םיִדְגֹבּ תֶרֶצֲע ,םיִפֲאָנְמ םָלֻּכ יִכּ :םָתִּאֵמ הָכְלֵאְו ,יִמַּע-תֶא הָבְזֶעֶאְו ,םיִחְרֹא ןוֹלְמ ,רָבְּדִמַּב יִנֵנְתִּי-יִמ .הָוהְי-םֻאְנ ,וּעָדָי-אֹל יִתֹאְו וּאָצָי הָעָר-לֶא הָעָרֵמ יִכּ .ךְֹלֲהַי ליִכָר ַעֵר-לָכְו ,בֹקְעַי בוֹקָע :ץֶראָָב וּרְבָגּ הָנוּמֱאֶל אֹלְו ,רקֶשׁ ֶחאָ-לָכ יִכּ :וּחָטְבִתּ-לאַ חאָ-לָכּ-לַעְו םָתְּשׁק ַםָנוֹשְׁל-תֶא וּכְרְדַיַּו ,וּרֵמָשִּׁה וּהֵעֵרֵמ שׁיִא Problem= self interest, deceit
B. How are we to understand evil? How did the leaders of different generations deal with evil? What is the nature of the covenant and what are its intrinsic features? 1. Moses and the Golden Calf Debacle
ָתְּבָתָכּ רֶשֲׁא ךְרְפִסִּמ ָ,אָנ יִנֵחְמ --ןִיאַ-םִאְו ;םָתאָטַּח אָשִּׂתּ-םִא ,הָתַּעְו .יִרְפִסִּמ וּנֶּחְמֶא ,יִל-אָטָח רֶשֲׁא יִמ :הֶשֹׁמ-לֶא ,הָוהְי רֶמאֹיַּו יוֹגַּה ךְמַּע ָיִכּ ,הֵאְרוּ ;ךיֶניֵעְבּ ָןֵח-אָצְמֶא ןַעַמְל ,ךֲעָדֵאְו ָ,ךֶכָרְדּ-תֶא ָאָנ יִנֵעִדוֹה ,ךיֶניֵעְבּ ָןֵח יִתאָצָמ אָנ-םִא הָתַּעְו . הֶזַּה . ךָל ְיִתֹחִנֲהַו ,וּכֵלֵי יַנָפּ :רַמאֹיַּו .הֶזִּמ וּנֵלֲעַתּ-לאַ ,םיִכְלֹה ךיֶנָפּ ָןיֵא-םִא :ויָלֵא ,רֶמאֹיַּו רֶשֲׁא ,םָעָה-לָכִּמ , ךְמַּעְו ָיִנֲא ,וּניִלְפִנְו ; וּנָמִּע ךְתְּכֶלְבּ ָ,אוֹלֲה-- ךֶמַּעְו ָיִנֲא ךיֶניֵעְבּ ָןֵח יִתאָצָמ-יִכּ ,אוֹפֵא עַדָוִּי הֶמַּבוּ .הָמָדֲאָה יֵנְפּ-לַע .ךֶדֹבְכּ-תֶא ָ,אָנ יִנֵאְרַה . םיִעֵבִּר-לַעְו םיִשֵׁלִּשׁ-לַע ,םיִנָב יֵנְבּ-לַעְו םיִנָבּ-לַע תוֹבאָ ןוֲֹע דֵקֹפּ...ויָנָפּ-לַע הָוהְי רֹבֲעַיַּו
,יִלּ הָחיִנַּה הָתַּעְו... אוּה ףֶרֹע-הֵשׁםֵלַּכֲאַו םֶהָב ק-םַע ְהֵנִּהְו
רֶצֵי-לָכְו ,ץֶראָָבּ םָדאָָה תַעָר הָבַּר יִכּ ,הָוהְי אְרַיַּו יִפּאַ-רַחִיְו
םוֹיַּה-לָכּ עַר קַר ,וֹבִּל תֹבְשְׁחַמ
אוּה ףֶרֹע-הֵשׁק-םַע ְיִכּ וּנֵבְּרִקְבּ ,יָנֹדֲא אָנ-ךֶלֵי
ְרוּבֲעַבּ הָמָדֲאָה-תֶא דוֹע לֵלּויָרֻעְנִּמ קְל ַףִסֹא-אֹל וֹבִּל-לֶא הָוהְי רֶמאֹיַּו עַר םָדאָָה בֵל רֶצֵי יִכּ ,םָדאָָה 2. Abram and the Covenant of the Parts יִריִרֲע ךֵלוֹה ְ,יִכֹנאְָו ,יִל-ןֶתִּתּ-הַמ הִוהְי יָנֹדֲא . הָנֶּשָׁריִא יִכּ עַדֵא הָמַּבּ ,הִוהְי יָנֹדֲא . רָתָב אֹל ,רֹפִּצַּה-תֶאְו .לָזוֹגְו ;וּהֵעֵר ,רֹתְו תאַר; שָׁלֻּשְׁמ קִל ְלִיאְַו , תֶשֶׁלֻּשְׁמ זֵעְו , תֶשֶׁלֻּשְׁמ הָלְגֶע יִל הָחק ְ,ויָלֵא רֶמאֹיַּו ,וֹרְתִבּ-שׁיִא ןֵתִּיַּו ,ךֶוָתַּבּ ְםָתֹא רֵתַּבְיַו ,הֶלֵּא-לָכּ-תֶא וֹל-חַקִּיַּו .םָרְבאַ ,םָתֹא בֵשַּׁיַּו ;םיִרָגְפַּה-לַע ,טִיַעָה דֶרֵיַּו הָנֵּה וּבוּשָׁי ,יִעיִבְר רוֹדְו ...הָנָשׁ , תוֹאֵמ עַבְּראַ .ןֵב הָרָשְׂלוּ--הָיַּח תֵעָכּ ,ךיֶלֵא ָבוּשׁאָ דֵעוֹמַּל ; רָבָדּ ,הָוהְיֵמ אֵלָפִּיֲה
3. Jeremiah and the Destruction of the Temple Jer 25:12
וֹתֹא יִתְּמַשְׂו םיִדְּשַׂכּ ץֶרֶא־לַעְו םָנוֲע־תֶא הָוהְי־םֻאְנ אוּהַה יוֹגַּה־לַעְו לֶבָבּ־ְךֶלֶֽמ־לַע דֹקְפֶא הָנָשׁ םיִעְבִשׁ תואֹלְמִכ הָיָהְו ׃םָֽלוֹע תוֹמְמִֽשְׁל Jer 29:10, 30:11 ,םֶכְתֶא ביִשָׁהְל ,בוֹטַּה יִרָבְדּ-תֶא ,םֶכיֵלֲע יִתֹמִקֲהַו ;םֶכְתֶא דֹקְפֶא , הָנָשׁ םיִעְבִשׁ לֶבָבְל תאֹלְמ יִפְל יִכּ ,הָוהְי רַמאָ ,הֹכ-יִכּ הֶזַּה םוֹקָמַּה-לֶא ָךיִתְּרַסִּיְו ,הָלָכ הֶשֱׂעֶא-אֹל ָךְתֹא ְךאַ ,םָשּׁ ָךיִתוֹצִפֲה רֶשֲׁא םִיוֹגַּה-לָכְבּ הָלָכ הֶשֱׂעֶא יִכּ :ָךֶעיִשׁוֹהְל ,הָוהְי-םֻאְנ יִנֲא ָךְתִּא-יִכּ . ָךֶּקַּנֲא אֹל הֵקַּנְו ,טָפְּשִׁמַּל 31:7 הָנֵּה וּבוּשָׁי ,לוֹדָגּ לָהָק 31:27 .הָוהְי-םֻאְנ , ַעֹטְנִלְו תוֹנְבִל םֶהיֵלֲע דֹקְשֶׁא ןֵכּ :ַעֵרָהְלוּ דיִבֲאַהְלוּ--סֹרֲהַלְו ץוֹתְנִלְו שׁוֹתְנִל ,םֶהיֵלֲע יִתְּדַקָשׁ רֶשֲׁאַכּ הָיָהְו 32:17,18,, 27
. רָבָדּ-לָכּ ,ָךְמִּמ אֵלָפִּי-אֹל :הָיוּטְנַּה ָךֲעֹרְזִבוּ לוֹדָגַּה ָךֲחֹכְבּ ,ץֶראָָה-תֶאְו םִיַמָשַּׁה-תֶא ָתיִשָׂע הָתּאַ הֵנִּה ,הִוהְי יָנֹדֲא ,הָּהֲא .וֹמְשׁ תוֹאָבְצ הָוהְי ,רוֹבִּגַּה לוֹדָגַּה לֵאָה :םֶהיֵרֲחאַ םֶהיֵנְבּ קיֵח-לֶא , תוֹבאָ ןוֲֹע םֵלַּשְׁמוּ ,םיִפָלֲאַל ,דֶסֶח הֶשֹׂע . רָבָדּ-לָכּ אֵלָפִּי ,יִנֶּמִּמֲה --רָשָׂבּ-לָכּ יֵהֹלֱא ,הָוהְי יִנֲא הֵנִּה Chapter 34
.שׁיִא ,וּהיִחאָ יִדוּהיִבּ םָבּ-דָבֲע יִתְּלִבְל :םיִשְׁפָח--הָיִּרְבִעָהְו יִרְבִעָה ,וֹתָחְפִשׁ-תֶא שׁיִאְו וֹדְּבַע-תֶא שׁיִא חַלַּשְׁל תוֹחָפְשִׁלְו םיִדָבֲעַל ,(םוּשְׁבְּכִיַּו) ויָלָע יִמְשׁ אָרְקִנ-רֶשֲׁא ,תִיַבַּבּ ,יַנָפְל ,תיִרְב וּתְרְכִתַּו ןיֵבּ וּרְבַעַיַּו ,םִיַנְשִׁל וּתְרָכּ רֶשֲׁא לֶגֵעָה--יָנָפְל וּתְרָכּ רֶשֲׁא ,תיִרְבַּה יֵרְבִדּ-תֶא וּמיִקֵה-אֹל רֶשֲׁא ,יִתִרְבּ -תֶא םיִרְבֹעָה .ויָרָתְבּ
4. Elijah at Mt. Horeb
.תיִנַּרֹחֲא ,םָבִּל-תֶא ָתֹבִּסֲה הָתּאְַו ;םיִהֹלֱאָה הָוהְי הָתּאַ-יִכּ ,הֶזַּה םָעָה וּעְדֵיְו ,יִנֵנֲע ,הָוהְי יִנֵנֲע הָרָעְמַּה -לֶא םָשׁ-אֹבָיַּו . בֵרֹח ,םיִהֹלֱאָה רַה דַע , הָלְיַל םיִעָבְּראְַו םוֹי םיִעָבְּראַ וּהָיִּלֵא הֹפ ָךְלּ-הַמ ;בֶרָחֶב וּגְרָה ָךיֶאיִבְנ-תֶאְו ,וּסָרָה ָךיֶתֹחְבְּזִמ-תֶא--לֵאָרְשִׂי יֵנְבּ ָךְתיִרְב וּבְזָע-יִכּ ,תוֹאָבְצ יֵהֹלֱא הָוהיַל יִתאֵנִּק אֹנַּק הָּתְּחַקְל יִשְׁפַנ-תֶא וּשְׁקַבְיַו ,יִדַּבְל יִנֲא רֵתָוִּאָו רֵבֹע הָוהְי הֵנִּהְו ,הָוהְי יֵנְפִל רָהָב ָתְּדַמָעְו הָקַּד הָמָמְדּ לוֹק ָךיֶתְּחַתּ איִבָנְל חַשְׁמִתּ ,הָלוֹחְמ לֵבאֵָמ טָפָשׁ-ןֶבּ עָשׁיִלֱא-תֶאְו
5. The suffering of Joseph
םֶכְתֶא דֹקְפִי דֹקָפּ םיִהֹלאֵו...ףֵסוֹי יֵכְּרִבּ-לַע ,וּדְלֻּי--הֶשַּׁנְמ-ןֶבּ ריִכָמ יֵנְבּ ,םַגּ ; םיִשֵׁלִּשׁ יֵנְבּ ,םִיַרְפֶאְל ףֵסוֹי אְרַיַּו Num 32:29, chronological end of the Torah ריִאָי תוֹוַּח ,ןֶהְתֶא אָרְקִיַּו ;םֶהיֵתוֹוַּח-תֶא דֹכְּלִיַּו ,ְךַלָה הֶשַּׁנְמ-ןֶבּ ריִאָיְו
6. Job and Hannah Job 42:14,17
,הָעָבְּראַ --ויָנָב יֵנְבּ-תֶאְו ויָנָבּ-תֶא ,(הֶאְרִיַּו)... ְךוּפַּה ןֶרֶק ,תיִשׁיִלְשַּׁה םֵשְׁו ;הָעיִצְק תיִנֵשַּׁה םֵשְׁו ,הָמיִמְי תַחאַָה-םֵשׁ אָרְקִיַּו . תוֹרֹדּ Prayer of Hannah
וֹחיִשְׁמ ןֶרֶק םֵרָיְו C. The non ego:
● Concern for future generations
● Jeremiah buying a field he will never use
● Elisha understands he is carrying on legacy of eliyahu
● Yonah and qiqayon
● רמתכ/בשע
● Abram setting up JCC’s, ןעמל ויתעדי יכ...
● 400 years and 4 generations, 2000 years of exile, process of stages
● Jer 34:20 and the vultures -- we must emulate Abram to ensure the covenant takes effect
● Moses’ desire to be closer with God not only for its own sake, but also to plead from a superior position
The concept of God forgiving Israel “because they are a stiff-necked nation” connects nicely with God deciding not to destroy man after the flood “because the forms of his heart are evil from his youth.” In Parashat Noah it was almost as though God Himself was noticing that, although man is limited and is inclined to evil, he has a man like Noah with whom He can work. Similarly, in Parashat Ki Tissa, God prods Moses to notice a similar limitation in the very nature of Israel. Once Moses learns of God’s 13 attributes, he is able to go a level beyond his previous acknowledgment of, “this nation has sinned” and clearly state the root cause of the problem, “because they are a stiff-necked nation.” In both contexts, the reader learns that God is willing to work with mankind, so long as He has a Noah or a Moses with whom He can work. The reader also gains an invaluable insight: God’s patience and forgiveness exist because of man’s limitations. This is a fundamental fact of human existence. We do not and cannot possess all the answers. One who claims enlightenment is not truly enlightened. The credit rather belongs to he who everlastingly seeks enlightenment. “Proper being is process, not a state, a journey, not a destination.”
Jordan Peterson discusses this line of thinking in his 12th rule; it is not despite, but because of an individual’s limitations that we love him or her. He discusses his thoughts when his son was 2 years of age: although he is extremely vulnerable and there is a lot of potential for pain, he would not rather his son be 10 feet and made of steel to avoid injury. He realizes that what makes his son so lovable and cute are exactly the things that make him susceptible to suffering.
On a grander scale, it may be that God loves humanity, invests in it and has faith in it not despite, but because of man’s vast limitations and even his capacity for great evils. Peterson remarked at one point in the book how we must appreciate that the (patriarchal, yes this is a good thing) world in which we live was built by many flawed and imperfect, yet courageous individuals. But it is exactly that which makes them and their accomplishments great. It is the ability to dare greatly in the face of great difficulty and pain that truly grants human achievement its greatness.
On some level, says Peterson, this train of thought can provide insight into the question of evil. He discusses reading a midrash on Genesis.
Imagine a Being who is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. What does such a Being lack?
Limitation.
If you are already everything, everywhere, always, there is nowhere to go and nothing to be. Everything that could be already is, and everything could happen already has. And it is for this reason, so the story goes, that God created man. No limitation, no story. No story, no Being.
Similar idea in Adon Olam:
1. Adon Olam asher malakh
Beterem kol yesir nibra 2. Veahahre kikhlot hakkol
Lebaddo yimlokh norah Kibyakhol, God was only (recognized as) God when he created existence.
What makes us human is our vulnerability. Without this vulnerability, would our achievements really mean anything? Being cannot be without limitation, the same way a triangle cannot, by definition have 4 sides. Why is there so much limitation? Well, perhaps this is where humanity comes in. Why couldn’t God create a world where no limitations exist, yet we enjoy achievements as though there were limitations? It seems that such a thing is simply impossible, by definition.
So, may we love and appreciate ourselves for the limits we have, for the things we cannot do, and the perfect beings we cannot be. Maybe if we do that, we can begin to love and appreciate others for the very same reasons.