5783 Shavuot Tikkun at the Rembaum Institute of Temple Beth Am, Los Angeles
There are many sources for the different Jewish ways of understanding God and holiness. Tonight we will compare and contrast the dominant theologies of Genesis/Bereishit and Exodus/Shemot, before diving more deeply into Levitical theology (preceding the Holiness Code) and its implications for modern Jews.
Read the following excerpts from Bereishit. Turn to your partner, and using only this text without any outside knowledge, tell me about the God implied in this text.
Read the following excerpts from Bereishit. Turn to your partner, and using only this text without any outside knowledge, tell me about the God implied in this text.
(א) בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹקִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ב) וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹקִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֖ים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר׃ (ד) וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹקִ֛ים אֶת־הָא֖וֹר כִּי־ט֑וֹב וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל אֱלֹקִ֔ים בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֥ין הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ (ה) וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ לָאוֹר֙ י֔וֹם וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃ {פ}
(1) When God began to create heaven and earth— (2) the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water— (3) God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. (4) God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. (5) God called the light Day and called the darkness Night. And there was evening and there was morning, a first day.
(יז) וַֽיי אָמָ֑ר הַֽמְכַסֶּ֤ה אֲנִי֙ מֵֽאַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶֽׂה׃ (יח) וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ־ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יט) כִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו לְמַ֩עַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יי לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט לְמַ֗עַן הָבִ֤יא יי עַל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֖ר עָלָֽיו׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יי זַעֲקַ֛ת סְדֹ֥ם וַעֲמֹרָ֖ה כִּי־רָ֑בָּה וְחַ֨טָּאתָ֔ם כִּ֥י כָבְדָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃ (כא) אֵֽרְדָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה הַכְּצַעֲקָתָ֛הּ הַבָּ֥אָה אֵלַ֖י עָשׂ֣וּ ׀ כָּלָ֑ה וְאִם־לֹ֖א אֵדָֽעָה׃ (כב) וַיִּפְנ֤וּ מִשָּׁם֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ סְדֹ֑מָה וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם עוֹדֶ֥נּוּ עֹמֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י יי׃ (כג) וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַאַ֣ף תִּסְפֶּ֔ה צַדִּ֖יק עִם־רָשָֽׁע׃ (כד) אוּלַ֥י יֵ֛שׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר הַאַ֤ף תִּסְפֶּה֙ וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א לַמָּק֔וֹם לְמַ֛עַן חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים הַצַּדִּיקִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃
(17) Now יי had said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, (18) since Abraham is to become a great and populous nation and all the nations of the earth are to bless themselves by him? (19) For I have singled him out, that he may instruct his children and his posterity to keep the way of יי by doing what is just and right, in order that יי may bring about for Abraham what has been promised him.” (20) Then יי said, “The outrage of Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave! (21) I will go down to see whether they have acted altogether according to the outcry that has reached Me; if not, I will take note.” (22) The agents went on from there to Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before יי. (23) Abraham came forward and said, “Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty? (24) What if there should be fifty innocent within the city; will You then wipe out the place and not forgive it for the sake of the innocent fifty who are in it?
(ב) וַיֹּ֡אמֶר קַח־נָ֠א אֶת־בִּנְךָ֨ אֶת־יְחִֽידְךָ֤ אֲשֶׁר־אָהַ֙בְתָּ֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְלֶ֨ךְ־לְךָ֔ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּ֑ה וְהַעֲלֵ֤הוּ שָׁם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה עַ֚ל אַחַ֣ד הֶֽהָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
(2) “Take your son, your favored one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the heights that I will point out to you.”
(טז) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בִּ֥י נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי נְאֻם־יי כִּ֗י יַ֚עַן אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וְלֹ֥א חָשַׂ֖כְתָּ אֶת־בִּנְךָ֥ אֶת־יְחִידֶֽךָ׃ (יז) כִּֽי־בָרֵ֣ךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ֗ וְהַרְבָּ֨ה אַרְבֶּ֤ה אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּכוֹכְבֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְכַח֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־שְׂפַ֣ת הַיָּ֑ם וְיִרַ֣שׁ זַרְעֲךָ֔ אֵ֖ת שַׁ֥עַר אֹיְבָֽיו׃ (יח) וְהִתְבָּרְכ֣וּ בְזַרְעֲךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ עֵ֕קֶב אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ בְּקֹלִֽי׃
(16) and said, “By Myself I swear, יי declares: Because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your favored one, (17) I will bestow My blessing upon you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sands on the seashore; and your descendants shall seize the gates of their foes. (18) All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, because you have obeyed My command.”
Read the following excerpts from Shemot. Turn to your partner, and using only this text without any outside knowledge, tell me about the God implied in this text.
(ט) וְעַתָּ֕ה הִנֵּ֛ה צַעֲקַ֥ת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֣אָה אֵלָ֑י וְגַם־רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־הַלַּ֔חַץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִצְרַ֖יִם לֹחֲצִ֥ים אֹתָֽם׃ (י) וְעַתָּ֣ה לְכָ֔ה וְאֶֽשְׁלָחֲךָ֖ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְהוֹצֵ֛א אֶת־עַמִּ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
(9) Now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me; moreover, I have seen how the Egyptians oppress them. (10) Come, therefore, I will send you to Pharaoh, and you shall free My people, the Israelites, from Egypt.”
(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֱלֹקִ֔ים אֵ֛ת כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לֵאמֹֽר׃ {ס} (ב) אָֽנֹכִ֖י֙ יי אֱלֹקֶ֑֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֧ר הוֹצֵאתִ֛יךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֣֥ית עֲבָדִ֑͏ֽים׃ (ג) לֹֽ֣א־יִהְיֶ֥͏ֽה־לְךָ֛֩ אֱלֹקִ֥֨ים אֲחֵרִ֖֜ים עַל־פָּנָֽ͏ַ֗י׃ (ד) לֹֽ֣א־תַֽעֲשֶׂ֨ה־לְךָ֥֣ פֶ֣֙סֶל֙ ׀ וְכׇל־תְּמוּנָ֔֡ה אֲשֶׁ֤֣ר בַּשָּׁמַ֣֙יִם֙ ׀ מִמַּ֔֡עַל וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר֩ בָּאָ֖֨רֶץ מִתָּ֑͏ַ֜חַת וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּמַּ֖֣יִם ׀ מִתַּ֥֣חַת לָאָֽ֗רֶץ׃ (ה) לֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥֣ה לָהֶ֖ם֮ וְלֹ֣א תׇעׇבְדֵ֑ם֒ כִּ֣י אָֽנֹכִ֞י יי אֱלֹקֶ֙יךָ֙ אֵ֣ל קַנָּ֔א פֹּ֠קֵד עֲוֺ֨ן אָבֹ֧ת עַל־בָּנִ֛ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִ֖ים לְשֹׂנְאָֽ֑י׃ (ו) וְעֹ֥֤שֶׂה חֶ֖֙סֶד֙ לַאֲלָפִ֑֔ים לְאֹהֲבַ֖י וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֺתָֽי׃ {ס}
(1) God spoke all these words, saying: (2) I יי am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage: (3) You shall have no other gods besides Me. (4) You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image, or any likeness of what is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth. (5) You shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I your God יי am an impassioned God, visiting the guilt of the parents upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generations of those who reject Me, (6) but showing kindness to the thousandth generation of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
(ה) וַיֵּ֤רֶד יי בֶּֽעָנָ֔ן וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֥ב עִמּ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֥א בְשֵׁ֖ם יי׃ (ו) וַיַּעֲבֹ֨ר יי ׀ עַל־פָּנָיו֮ וַיִּקְרָא֒ יי ׀ יי אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃ (ז) נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֣ד ׀ עֲוֺ֣ן אָב֗וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙ וְעַל־בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים׃
(5) יי came down in a cloud—and stood with him there, proclaiming the name יי. (6) יי passed before him and proclaimed: “!יי! יי a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, (7) extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin—yet not remitting all punishment, but visiting the iniquity of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations.”
Read the following excerpts from Vayikra. Turn to your partner, and using only this text without any outside knowledge, tell me about the God implied in this text.
(א) וַיִּקְרָ֖א אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יי אֵלָ֔יו מֵאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אָדָ֗ם כִּֽי־יַקְרִ֥יב מִכֶּ֛ם קׇרְבָּ֖ן לַֽיי מִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה מִן־הַבָּקָר֙ וּמִן־הַצֹּ֔אן תַּקְרִ֖יבוּ אֶת־קׇרְבַּנְכֶֽם׃ (ג) אִם־עֹלָ֤ה קׇרְבָּנוֹ֙ מִן־הַבָּקָ֔ר זָכָ֥ר תָּמִ֖ים יַקְרִיבֶ֑נּוּ אֶל־פֶּ֜תַח אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ יַקְרִ֣יב אֹת֔וֹ לִרְצֹנ֖וֹ לִפְנֵ֥י יי׃
(1) יי called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying: (2) Speak to the Israelite people, and say to them: When any of you presents an offering of cattle to יי: You shall choose your offering from the herd or from the flock. (3) If your offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you shall make your offering a male without blemish. You shall bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, for acceptance in your behalf before יי.
(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ לֵאמֹר֒ נֶ֗פֶשׁ כִּֽי־תֶחֱטָ֤א בִשְׁגָגָה֙ מִכֹּל֙ מִצְוֺ֣ת יי אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֣א תֵעָשֶׂ֑ינָה וְעָשָׂ֕ה מֵאַחַ֖ת מֵהֵֽנָּה׃ (ג) אִ֣ם הַכֹּהֵ֧ן הַמָּשִׁ֛יחַ יֶחֱטָ֖א לְאַשְׁמַ֣ת הָעָ֑ם וְהִקְרִ֡יב עַ֣ל חַטָּאתוֹ֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר חָטָ֜א פַּ֣ר בֶּן־בָּקָ֥ר תָּמִ֛ים לַיי לְחַטָּֽאת׃ (ד) וְהֵבִ֣יא אֶת־הַפָּ֗ר אֶל־פֶּ֛תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֣י יי וְסָמַ֤ךְ אֶת־יָדוֹ֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַפָּ֔ר וְשָׁחַ֥ט אֶת־הַפָּ֖ר לִפְנֵ֥י יי׃ (ה) וְלָקַ֛ח הַכֹּהֵ֥ן הַמָּשִׁ֖יחַ מִדַּ֣ם הַפָּ֑ר וְהֵבִ֥יא אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ (ו) וְטָבַ֧ל הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־אֶצְבָּע֖וֹ בַּדָּ֑ם וְהִזָּ֨ה מִן־הַדָּ֜ם שֶׁ֤בַע פְּעָמִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יי אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י פָּרֹ֥כֶת הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ (ז) וְנָתַן֩ הַכֹּהֵ֨ן מִן־הַדָּ֜ם עַל־קַ֠רְנ֠וֹת מִזְבַּ֨ח קְטֹ֤רֶת הַסַּמִּים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יי אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְאֵ֣ת ׀ כׇּל־דַּ֣ם הַפָּ֗ר יִשְׁפֹּךְ֙ אֶל־יְסוֹד֙ מִזְבַּ֣ח הָעֹלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃
(1) יי spoke to Moses, saying: (2) Speak to the Israelite people thus: When a person unwittingly incurs guilt in regard to any of יי’s commandments about things not to be done, and does one of them— (3) If it is the anointed priest who has incurred guilt, so that blame falls upon the people, he shall offer for the sin of which he is guilty a bull of the herd without blemish as a sin offering to יי. (4) He shall bring the bull to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, before יי, and lay a hand upon the head of the bull. The bull shall be slaughtered before יי, (5) and the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood and bring it into the Tent of Meeting. (6) The priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before יי, in front of the curtain of the Shrine. (7) The priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of aromatic incense, which is in the Tent of Meeting, before יי; and all the rest of the bull’s blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
Excerpt from "Reclaiming Priestly Theology," Elsie Stern, Chapter 1 in Holiness in Jewish Thought, ed. Alan Mittleman (2018)
"The texts of Leviticus are not theological tractates. Rather, they are exempla of a genre of cultic instructions for cultic professionals. They tell the priests what they must do to keep the cultic system functioning properly. In other words, they are instruction manuals for priests. Instruction manuals are, by definition, instrumental. Their goal is to tell their readers how to use an object, not to describe an object's essence. A contemporary instruction manual for a microwave oven does not explain how microwaves work to heat the food...If one were to read the owner's manual for information about the nature of microwave technology, one would come up, like Wellhausen and Kaufmann do, empty."
"The texts of Leviticus are not theological tractates. Rather, they are exempla of a genre of cultic instructions for cultic professionals. They tell the priests what they must do to keep the cultic system functioning properly. In other words, they are instruction manuals for priests. Instruction manuals are, by definition, instrumental. Their goal is to tell their readers how to use an object, not to describe an object's essence. A contemporary instruction manual for a microwave oven does not explain how microwaves work to heat the food...If one were to read the owner's manual for information about the nature of microwave technology, one would come up, like Wellhausen and Kaufmann do, empty."
With this metaphor in mind, how would you infer the underlying theology of Vayikra?
Excerpt from The Sanctuary of Silence: The Priestly Torah and the Holiness School, Israel Knohl (1995)
"[Priestly Torah] assigns direct speech to God only when He communicates with Moses...in PT, we never find God employing the personal pronoun אני...[and] punishment is strictly impersonal. [...] The term ברית is limited in PT to the Genesis period. In establishing the ברית, God commits himself to rewarding his creatures if they observe the moral commandments. The revelation of the name of Yahweh to Moses signals the replacement of the covenant (ברית) by the pact (עדות) in the realm of Israelite faith. According to PT, the relationship between God and Israel is no longer defined through providence and recompense, nor is it related to the observance of moral laws and the practice of justice. The center of the religious life is henceforth to be the divine command - the עדות - demanding the worship of God without any expectation of reward - a worship completely detached from basic needs or the shaping of the social order. The universal moral covenant - the ברית - remains in force in the realm of relations between a man and his fellow man; it determines the Israelite social order as well." pp.169-173
"[Priestly Torah] assigns direct speech to God only when He communicates with Moses...in PT, we never find God employing the personal pronoun אני...[and] punishment is strictly impersonal. [...] The term ברית is limited in PT to the Genesis period. In establishing the ברית, God commits himself to rewarding his creatures if they observe the moral commandments. The revelation of the name of Yahweh to Moses signals the replacement of the covenant (ברית) by the pact (עדות) in the realm of Israelite faith. According to PT, the relationship between God and Israel is no longer defined through providence and recompense, nor is it related to the observance of moral laws and the practice of justice. The center of the religious life is henceforth to be the divine command - the עדות - demanding the worship of God without any expectation of reward - a worship completely detached from basic needs or the shaping of the social order. The universal moral covenant - the ברית - remains in force in the realm of relations between a man and his fellow man; it determines the Israelite social order as well." pp.169-173
Excerpt from "Reclaiming Priestly Theology," Elsie Stern
"[Jacob] Milgrom proposes that, even though the divine nature is not described in the priestly source, we can get at that nature by examining those things that are set in opposition to it. In other words, by analyzing the nature of the sacred pollutants, and positing their opposite, we can get at the nature of the divine that they threaten. According to Milgrom, the list of sacred contaminants: corpses, skin disease, house and cloth mold, childbirth and genital discharge are all linked in one way or another with death. If the sacred pollutants are death, then the numinous force that they threaten must represent life."
"The Priestly Torah gestures towards a God who is rigorously non-anthropomorphic and amoral. For many contemporary readers, nuclear energy provides an apt analogy. Like nuclear energy, the numinous God of the priestly source is an amoral, impersonal power whose presence can be enormously beneficial to the community. However, if the sacred 'clean room' is contaminated, the power ceases to generate life-giving energy or releases in a destructive form...The idea of a 'nuclear' God has the power to address contemporary experiences of the numinous without engaging the problems of anthropomorphism, theodicy and supernatural interventionism bound up in other pentateuchal theologies."
"[Jacob] Milgrom proposes that, even though the divine nature is not described in the priestly source, we can get at that nature by examining those things that are set in opposition to it. In other words, by analyzing the nature of the sacred pollutants, and positing their opposite, we can get at the nature of the divine that they threaten. According to Milgrom, the list of sacred contaminants: corpses, skin disease, house and cloth mold, childbirth and genital discharge are all linked in one way or another with death. If the sacred pollutants are death, then the numinous force that they threaten must represent life."
"The Priestly Torah gestures towards a God who is rigorously non-anthropomorphic and amoral. For many contemporary readers, nuclear energy provides an apt analogy. Like nuclear energy, the numinous God of the priestly source is an amoral, impersonal power whose presence can be enormously beneficial to the community. However, if the sacred 'clean room' is contaminated, the power ceases to generate life-giving energy or releases in a destructive form...The idea of a 'nuclear' God has the power to address contemporary experiences of the numinous without engaging the problems of anthropomorphism, theodicy and supernatural interventionism bound up in other pentateuchal theologies."
Final question:
Consider the interpretation that the priestly cult represented the biblical instructions for how to relate to a non-anthropomorphic God; we practice post-Temple rabbinic Judaism. How might we construct our own instruction manual for relating to a non-anthropomorphic God?