GEN1234 Because the rabbis usually equated wisdom with knowledge of traditional Jewish law, a field all but closed to women, they tended to overlook the frequent, positive connections between wisdom and women found in the Bible.   For there we find the vivid portraits of savvy females endowed with both practical street smarts and complex intelligence, able to handle whatever comes their way. Rebecca knows that Jacob, not Esau, deserves Isaac’s blessings and masterminds the plot to achieve that result [this and following verses]. Yael entices the Canaanite general Sisera into her tent and kills him Judges 4:17 – 22. Moses’ sister Miriam looks after her infant brother as he floats in the Nile River bulrushes and suggests to Pharaoh’s daughter that she hire his real mother to nurse him Exodus 2:4,7. But the rabbis were not so sexist that they never associated wisdom with women. One midrash tells us that “Miriam took wisdom” as her inheritance and passed it on her descendent, Bezalel Exodus Rabbah 48:4 Another relates how Miriam found fresh water to drink after the people crossed the sea to freedom Taanit 9a. However, the ultimate connection between understanding and femininity is supplied by the Book of Proverbs, which personifies wisdom as a woman: “Wisdom cries aloud in the streets, raises her voice in the squares… at the gates she speaks out” 1:20 – 21   “Say to wisdom ‘you are my sister,’ and call understanding a kinswoman” 7:4 “She is more precious than rubies, all your goods do not equal her work. Length of days is in her right hand, riches and honor in her left-hand. Her ways are ways a pleasantness and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that grasp her, and all who hold onto her are happy” 3:15 – 18. Proverbs does not only depict woman as an allegorical figure of wisdom; it also praises the living human being in “The Woman of Valor” poem that closes the book. Feminist scholars have faulted some of the poem’s verses because they portray the archetypal female as glorying in self-sacrifice: “She rises while it is still night, and supplies provisions for household… And never eats from the bread of idleness” 31:15, 27   We prefer to see her as an early exemplar of female entrepreneurship, for the next text also says: “She sets her mind on an estate and acquires it … She girds herself with strength and performs her tasks with vigor; she sees that her business thrives” 31:16 – 18. Some of these early themes have been adapted in more modern times. For example, the 18th-century Polish poet Isaac Halevi Satanov writes: “Because God loved wisdom, He adopted her as His daughter and lovingly brought her up. Before God made heaven and earth, she was God’s delight” Mishle Asaf [The proverbs of Asaf].   A twentieth-century female incarnation of wisdom may well be the poet and playwright Gertrude Stein, whose wise dying words were, “What is the question?”   Of course, of all women honored by the tradition, we must not fail to mention our first and most influential teacher—our own mother. As our first and most constant connection with life, our mother bequeaths us her insight and wisdom, which serve as the foundation of our knowledge for all the years to come. Our later teachers are either her surrogates or her colleagues.   BOROJMV 18-9

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GEN1272 Jacob, like his grandfather Abraham and son Joseph, also doesn’t stay at home. Yet he may well be the greatest biblical exemplar of histapkut (contentedness).  A fugitive, he sets out on the perilous journey to Haran with a prayer requesting God to guard him in his travels and give him just “bread to eat and a garment to wear” [this verse]. After Jacob finally gets to his uncle’s home, the wily Laban defrauds him out of his chosen bride after seven years labor and tricks him into marrying Leah. Jacob must serve another seven years to wed her sister, his beloved Rachel Genesis 29 – 30.   Only once does he complain about this to Laban. He accepts the inevitable and gets past it, glorying in what he finally acquires. Other biblical authors offer a similar philosophy.  Proverbs tells us: ”A contented heart makes a cheerful countenance” 15:13 and adds: “Better a little with the fear of the Lord then great wealth and much trouble: 15:16.  Ecclesiastes chimes in: “Better is a handful of gratification than two fistfuls which come from unworthy work” 4:6.  There has been no lack of Jewish teachers reiterating this theme.   Ben Zoma gave the classic Talmudic epitome in his rhetorical “Q & A”: “Who is rich? One who is happy with what he has” Avot 4:1. The 11th-century Spanish poet-philosopher Solomon ibn Gabiol said: “Who seeks more than he needs, hinders himself from enjoying what he has. Seek what you need and give up what you need not. For in giving up what you don’t need, you’ll learn what you really do need” Mivhar Hapenimim 155, 161. Two centuries later, Yehiel b. Yekutiel   added a touch of realism to the instruction without changing the ideal: “True contentment is found only among those saintly souls who were satisfied with little, just as most people are content only with a lot” Sefer Maalot Hamiddot.”  About one hundred years ago Judah Steinberg, an early Hebrew litteratuer, poetically wrote: “If there is no light from the sun, then let the light of the moon delight your eye” Mishle Yehoshua [Proverbs of Joshua]. This was also the time that our seriously impoverished Yiddish-speaking ancestors wryly commented, “With only one pair of feet, you can’t dance at two weddings, and with one behind you can’t ride two horses.” They knew they didn’t have much, but they sensed: “Even a temporary satisfaction is worth cherishing,” or, putting it negatively, “It’s better to lose your hat than your head.” But surely the most famous defense of appreciating what one has is this of-told folk story: “Once a poor Hasid became so distraught because of the crowding in his hovel that he appealed to his Rebbe, ‘We have so many people living with us that we can’t turn around in the house.’  The Rebbe counseled the man to first move his goat, then his chickens, and finally even his cow into the house. He returned, half crazed, to the Rebbe. ‘It’s the end of the world,’ cried the man. The Rebbe responded, ‘Now go home, turn out the goat, chickens and cow, and report to me tomorrow.’ The following day the Hasid showed up beaming. ‘Rebbe! My hut seems like a palace now!’” Browne, the Wisdom of Israel.  BOROJMV 163-5

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GEN1296 Our tradition gives us no reason to turn the love we are ordered to have for God into some bloodless spiritual abstraction. When the Bible talks of love, it is describing the same extraordinary emotion that we thrill at today. Thus we read in Genesis: Though Jacob served seven years for Rachel, they seemed to him but a few days because he loved her [this verse].   Biblical love takes the many forms that fill fortunate lives: Jacob’s love for Joseph, Ruth’s devotion to her mother-in-law Naomi, and the classic story of David and Jonathan, a love threatened by King Saul’s enmity for David. But Jonathan’s “soul became bound to the soul of David; Jonathan loved David as himself” 1 Samuel 18:1.   And then there is that whole book devoted to love, the rapturously named Song of Songs. On the surface, it seems like a passionate series of exchanges between two lovers. But then, how did it become part of Sacred Scripture? Something about human love must have indicated a similar relationship between God and people. Still in rabbinic times, when the final canonization of Scriptures was taking place, there were those who thought Song of Songs too earthly to have been God – Inspired. Yet not only did the rabbis insist that Song of Songs be included, but they began reading it as the love-talk between God and the people of Israel. They would not deprive love of its full libidinous nature, even as they understood it as modeling the most sublime divine-human intimacy. In medieval mysticism, these erotic connotations came into full play. The Zohar, the most important Kabbalistic text, relates in one of its less overtly sexual metaphors: “The angels in the hall of love introduce love between Israel below and the Holy One above. And they all arouse love and remain in a state of love. And when love is aroused from the lower to the upper realms, and from the upper to the lower realms, this hall becomes filled with many good things… and the love of the lower world penetrates the love of the upper world and they are united together” Zohar II, 253b. BOROJMV 316-7

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GEN1353 Growing up, of course, means learning not only how to trust but also how to be trustworthy ourselves. It means accepting increased accountability for our actions. As the third-century sage Resh Lakish taught, “First clean yourself, and then clean others” Bava Batra 60b.  The Mishnah tractate Demai discusses those persons whose word should be accepted: “If a man is not trustworthy about what he does, how can he be trusted when he attests to what others did?” 2:2. We must guard against unintentional deception. “R. Judah said in the name of Rav, ‘You must not keep in your house a measuring vessel smaller or larger than the standard’ Deuteronomy 25:14, even if it is to be used as a chamber pot. Others may use it as a measure by mistake” Bava Metzia 61b  The author of Psalm 15 demands even more.   First raising question, “Adonai, who may sojourn in Your ‘tent,’ who made dwell on Your holy mountain?” the Psalmist answers: someone “who stands by his oath even into his own loss” 15:1,4. The Torah presents two outstanding studies of how trustworthiness evolves, played out in the lives of our patriarchs Jacob and Joseph. When Jacob hears Laban’s sons complaining about Jacob’s increasing wealth, he hurriedly gathers together his wives and possessions and flees toward Canaan.  Laban pursues and finally catches Jacob, first chiding his son-in-law for running away and then accusing him of stealing the household gods.   Jacob angrily retorts: “… Anything in your herds that beasts ate, I never brought to you; I had to pay for it. You also required me to pay for anything beasts snatched from the flocks during the day or the night. This is how it was: in the day drought consumed me and at night there was frost so bitter I couldn’t sleep. I was in your house for 20 years. I worked 14 years to marry your two daughters and six more to gain my own flock, and in that time you renegotiated my wages ten times! If God… hadn’t help me, you certainly would have sent me away empty-handed” [this verse].   Jacob’s son Joseph embodies a similar ideal of trustworthiness. Trying to rid themselves of this pesky know-it-all, his siblings throw Joseph into a pit. They then sell him to Midianite traders bound for Egypt, where Potiphar, Pharaoh’s chief steward, buys the hapless lad.   Joseph’s new master observes that “Adonai made Joseph successful in everything he undertook. Potiphar took a liking to him. He made Joseph his personal attendant and put him in charge of all of this household and all that he owned…  He left all that he had in Joseph’s hands; with him in charge, Potiphar needed to pay attention only to the food he ate” Genesis 39:3 – 6. When Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Joseph, he resists, arguing that Potiphar trusts him too much to betray him this way: “Look, with me here, my master gives no thought to anything in this house, how than can I do this awful thing and sin before God?” Genesis 39:8 – 9. Potiphar’s wife falsely accuses Joseph, and Potiphar has him thrown in jail, where he again proves so trustworthy that the warden makes Joseph responsible for the whole prison Genesis 39:22–23. Finally, Pharaoh places the entire nation under Joseph’s care, saying: “… except by your authority, no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt” Genesis 41:44 So we learn that the greater our position of responsibility, the greater must be our trustworthiness. Even Moses, God’s “own servant,” is not exempt from this rule.   A midrash explains that the Torah provides a detailed list of all gifts brought by the people to build and decorate the wilderness tabernacle.   It goes to such great length in order to uphold Moses’ reputation for honesty, ensuring that no one charges him with taking anything as a personal payment Yalkut Shimoni, Proverbs 28:2.   BOROJMV 28-30

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GEN1365 See [[GEN1405]] Genesis 33:10 seeing BOROJMV 207-8

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GEN1391 See [[GEN1135]] Genesis 22:5 stay BOROJMV 150-1

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GEN1394 Alone among God’s creatures, we humans underline our individuality by naming each other and ourselves. Each of us has a multitude of names. Some change with our age and status, so we started out as “baby” or “little one;” progress to “sissy” or “bro;” then answer to “sweetheart,” “darling,” “mommy,” “auntie,” or “dada;” and if we are truly blessed, make it to “Nana” or “Grandpa.” But we bristle if we hear the cruel “Uncle Tom” or “kike”—for these names foster an evil stereotyping, perpetuating ignorance and hatred, defaming the speaker as much as the person at whom they are hurled. More than 200 years ago, Jews living in Europe’s sprawling Hapsburg Empire were forced to take surnames by governmental fiat. Obviously the easiest thing to do was to maintain the Jewish custom of being known by the name of one’s father, so Isaac Ben Abraham became Isaac Abrahamson or Abramson. Jews could also take names that are common descriptives, which is why so many of us are named for the German words for black (“Schwartz”), white (“Weiss”), small (“Klein”), or large (“Gross”).   Or our great-great-great-great-grandfathers took their craft as their last name-hence “Silver,” “Gold,”   or “Diamond;” or more humbly “Schneider” (tailor), “Shuster” (shoemaker), or “Schachter” (shohet-ritual slaughter). Or they simply adapted to the name of the town that they lived in, so many of us answer to “Frankfurther” or “Warshow.” All these names tell us little about the character of those who hold them. A name becomes a “good name,” a shem tov, in the Jewish community when good deeds accompany it. Thus our first names or our Hebrew names may honor the memory of a well-loved relation, conveying the hope that we, as namesakes, will similarly live honorably. Jews by choice often take “Abraham” or “Sarah” as their Hebrew name, understanding that our first patriarch and matriarch where the first persons to heed God’s calling. Because of this, they became the ancestral fathers and mothers of all Jews.   Many Hebrew proper names recall an event. For example, the Torah tells us that “Israel” means “wrestling with God” and was the new name Jacob won from the angel he fought all night [this verse]. But it is our deeds that ultimately “name” us, for good or for ill. As R. Yose b. Hanina noted: People’s names fall into four classifications: some have fair names but have done foul deeds; others have ugly names but have done good deeds; some have ugly names to which their deeds correspond; and others have a good deeds to match their lovely names” Genesis Rabbah 71.3.   BOROJMV 228-9

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GEN1405 … realism… demands that we occasionally kowtow to important people. Certainly in a day when rulers held the power of life and death over their subjects, flattery was regarded as permissible, even reasonable. Consider the classic case recounted in the Mishnah. Agrippa, whom the Romans appointed king of Judea in the first century C.E., was the grandson of Herod the Idumean (a nation forcibly converted to Judaism) and his Jewish wife, Marianme.  Once during Sukkot, Agrippa read from the Torah to the people assembled in the Temple courtyard. “When he reached the words: ‘As King, you must appoint one of your Jewish kin,’ Agrippa’s eyes overflowed with tears. The people then shouted to him, “Fear not, Agrippa, you are our brother, you are our brother.’ But because of this flattery, certain Talmudic sages said, Jerusalem was later destroyed” Sotah 41a.  The Bible recounts another story about accepting flattery: the patriarch Jacob’s return to Canaan. After working for his father-in-law Laban for more than 20 years, Jacob finally is coming home. As he comes near to where he was raised, his scouts tell him that his brother Esau approaches with a retinue of 400 men. Jacob has not seen Esau since robbing him of his proper blessing.   He so fears this reunion that he worries for his children’s lives, taking elaborate measures to safeguard them. Yet when the brothers finally meet, Jacob unblushingly tells Esau, “To see your face is like seeing the face of God” [Genesis 32:8 – 9, this verse] in other words, if we perceive a situation to be life-threatening, then flattery—like almost everything else prohibited by Jewish law—is momentarily permitted. Over the centuries, various halakhists have posed more scenarios that permit flattery, including threats to one’s body or one’s assets. At the same time, they have suggested strategies to avoid lying: For instance, if you perceive a wrongdoing but decide not to protest, then try to say nothing at all. Or if you must speak up, limit yourself to the truth, even if that involves some exaggeration. Furthermore, if it is customary in your society to honor powerful people, follow the usual rights of homage, such as inquiring solicitously about their well-being. One authority go so far as to say that necessary flattery is permitted in this world, since the Bible states only that is eliminated in the world to come Entziklopediyah Talmudit, s.v. “Hanufah.”   Thus with regard to flattery, even Jewish law doesn’t try to give us ironclad, inflexible rules. The rabbis who formed our legal tradition knew that some areas must be left to personal discretion. Today, our congregational rabbi is available to give us counsel. So, too, is a literature of guidance created by our musarists. And we can also look to oral folk wisdom, like the Ladino adage that warns us: “Everyone’s friend is no one’s friend.” BOROJMV 207-8

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GEN1407 No matter what our review of God, all Jews agree with the ancient Hebrew lyricist: “The earth is Adonai’s and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants. For God founded it upon the waters and established it upon the floods” Psalm 24:1 – 2. And we humans are only God’s tenants. Or, if you prefer financial language, we are God’s fiduciaries, entrusted with God’s assets only if we also accept special mandates and accountabilities. Fiduciaries are expected to manage prudently and exercise good judgment, not for their own best interest, but for those of the owner. Good Jews will manage their wealth, in whatever amount, as God’s agents. That is how riches become a component of positive Jewish piety. Thus we may follow our patriarch Jacob’s lead and say: “God has shown me favor, and I have everything” [this verse] BOROJMV 116

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GEN1492 See [[GEN1558]] Genesis 45:1 withdraw BOROJMV 190-1

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