Dear Friends,
April 23rd commemorates the birth and death of legendary playwright William Shakespeare. Due to the dearth of Jewish characters in his works, the perception of Shakespeare’s attitude towards Jews is largely determined by Shylock – the money lender of The Merchant of Venice. For the most part Shylock is not portrayed as a sympathetic character. Though in one notable exception in Act III Scene I, Shylock defends his tribe on the grounds that essentially Jews people not unlike anyone else:
I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, heal’d by the same means, warm’d and cool’d by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, do we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.
On one hand we certainly share the biological characteristics of any other human such as mortality. But Shylock also includes seeking revenge – what could be considered an ethical behavior – as a matter of human nature. In the context of the play Shylock had reason to be bitter. In his rage and frustration, Shylock claims that since Jews are biologically indistinguishable from non-Jews that we must also be indistinguishable ethically as well.
On one hand Shylock’s justification is a logical non-sequitur but perhaps there is some validation for his conclusion. After all, as we read in this week’s parasha the Torah does prohibit revenge, but notably only against fellow Jews (Vayikra 19:18). Consider that we are commanded in perpetuity to “remember what Amelek did us [in attacking us] as we left Egypt!” (Devarim 25:17)
If there is a difference, I suggest it is in one’s motivation. Shylock sought his “pound of flesh” out of spite. His ego was hurt by Antonio and so he wished to hurt Antonio on return. There was nothing to gain by Shylock’s revenge in terms of self-preservation except for the basest of human instincts (thus the comparison with physical pain).
But the Torah teaches us to “be a holy nation because God is holy” (Vayikra 19:1). Our acts of vengeance are not of the spiteful nature, but rather those with aims to protect our spiritual nation from outside threats – hence the prohibition against internal revenge which would destroy the community from within.
Today it can be very easy to confuse righteous indignation with actual righteousness. For this we must remember that we are told to “be holy because God is holy” (Vayikra 19:1). Even our instinctive reactions of vengeance and hatred must be defined not by our primal ego, but through our spirituals selves. May we act in accordance with the Torah, and not simply as we like it.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Josh Yuter
P.S. Recommended Reading:
Shapiro, James. Shakespeare and the Jews. Columbia University Press, New York. 1997.
While most are familiar with Judaism as a religion of rituals or beliefs, there is also a component of civil law which is not as well known to the public. Some may be familiar with the “Bet Din” or “religious court” but its procedures and authority are usually shrouded in social and religious controversy. In this series Rabbi Yuter will be exploring the sources and laws behind the Jewish civil legal system, with its modern day applications.
Class meets Sundays at 9:00am following 8:00am Shaharit.
The Shabbat is one of the cornerstones of Jewish Life, but even many longtime observant Jews only know Shabbat as a litany of obligations and restrictions. In this series, Rabbi Yuter will explore the fundamentals of keeping Shabbat, focusing not just on the do’s and don’ts, but the reasons and sources behind them.
Classes meet Tuesday Evenings at 7:00pm.
Rabbi’s Corner – Sefirat HaOmer Edition
Dear Friends,
Now that we’re in the thick of Sefirat HaOmer (this Friday night we will count the 18th day of the Omer to be exact), I would like to answer some of the frequently asked questions surrounding this time.
The first issue is what to do if one forgets to count the Omer one night. If one remembers the following day, the omer should be counted, though without a blessing. If someone forgets to count for one complete day, there are two major opinions for how to proceed. All agree that one should try to continue counting, though there is a dispute as to whether or not a blessing should be said. There are merits to both sides, but my personal opinion follows those who say to count with a blessing.
For those interested, click here for a printable Sefirat HaOmer checklist.
http://www.yucs.org/~dwallach/jewish/omer.pdf
The second question which frequently comes up is what can and cannot be done during Sefirat HaOmer. Many Jews have adopted customs of mourning which vary among different communities, which only serves to confuse the general populace.
From a strict matter of halakha, there are no special prohibitions during the time of Sefirat HaOmer, since there is clearly no biblical verse nor rabbinic enactment to support any universal prohibition. Thus, any such restrictions would fall under the category of minhag or custom, which are primarily contingent on one’s community – assuming a communal custom has actually been established by the communal leader.
Jewish tradition perceives the time span of Sefirat HaOmer as an opportunity for spiritual growth as we metaphorically get ourselves ready to reaccept the Torah. For whatever special restrictions people choose to observe, it is essential to keep in mind this fundamental principle and make sure that our intention and kavannah are focused appropriately.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Josh Yuter
- To keep our mi-shebeirach list accurate and up to date we will be refreshing the names on our list every month. If you have the name of an ill person for our prayers, please fill out the following form: http://www.stantonstshul.com/links/add-a-mishebeirach/
- Rabbi Yuter is proud to announce the beginning of two exciting new shiurim series open to men and women of all backgrounds.
Sunday April 18th, 9:00am – The Jewish Civil Legal System
Tuesday April 20th, 7:00pm – Introduction to Shabbat
Follow @StantonStShul on Twitter
