Judaism Unbound ShavuotLIVE 2024: Writing and Re-Writing New Torahs (Benay Lappe and Dan Libenson)

And thus is it written (Deuteronomy 29:9) "You are standing this day, all of you, before the Lord your God, your heads of your tribes, your elders and your officers, all the men of Israel." If not for (all of) these, who stood and fulfilled Torah in Israel, would Torah not have been forgotten in Israel? And if Shafan had not arisen in his time and Ezra in his time and R. Akiva in his time, would Torah not have been forgotten in Israel? And it is written (Proverbs 15:23) "A word in its time — how good!" The word that this one said is over and against all!

At first, when Torah was forgotten from Israel, Ezra ascended from Babylonia and established it. It was again forgotten, and Hillel the Babylonian ascended and established it. It was again forgotten, and Rabbi Ḥiyya and his sons ascended and established it.

(1) Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. (2) He did what was pleasing to GOD and he followed all the ways of his forefather David; he did not deviate to the right or to the left. (3) In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent the scribe Shafan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam to the House of YHWH, saying, (4) “Go to the high priest Hilkiah and let him weigh the silver that has been deposited in the House of YHWH, which the guards of the threshold have collected from the people. (5) And let it be delivered to the overseers of the work who are in charge at the House of YHWH, that they in turn may pay it out to the workers that are in the House of YHWH, for the repair of the House: (6) to the carpenters, the laborers, and the masons, and for the purchase of wood and quarried stones for repairing the House. (7) However, no check is to be kept on them for the silver that is delivered to them, for they deal honestly.” (8) Then the high priest Hilkiah said to the scribe Shafan, “I have found a scroll of the Teaching in the House of YHWH.” And Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shafan, who read it. (9) The scribe Shafan then went to the king and reported to the king: “Your servants have melted down the silver that was deposited in the House, and they have delivered it to the overseers of the work who are in charge at the House of YHWH.” (10) The scribe Shafan also told the king, “The high priest Hilkiah has given me a scroll”; and Shafan read it to the king. (11) When the king heard the words of the scroll of the Teaching, he rent his clothes. (12) And the king gave orders to the priest Hilkiah, and to Ahikam son of Shafan, Achbor son of Michaiah, the scribe Shafan, and Asaiah the king’s minister: (13) “Go, inquire of YHWH on my behalf, and on behalf of the people, and on behalf of all Judah, concerning the words of this scroll that has been found. For great indeed must be YHWH's wrath that has been kindled against us, because our ancestors did not obey the words of this scroll to do all that has been prescribed for us.” (14) So the priest Hilkiah, and Ahikam, Achbor, Shafan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess Huldah—the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe—who was living in Jerusalem in the Mishneh, and they spoke to her. (15) She responded: “Thus said YHWH, the God of Israel: Say to the one who sent you to me: (16) Thus said YHWH: I am going to bring disaster upon this place and its inhabitants, in accordance with all the words of the scroll that the king of Judah has read. (17) Because they have forsaken Me and have made offerings to other gods and provoked My anger with all their deeds, My wrath is kindled against this place and it shall not be quenched. (18) But say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of YHWH: Thus said YHWH, the God of Israel: As for the words that you have heard— (19) because your heart was softened and you humbled yourself before YHWH when you heard what I decreed against this place and its inhabitants—that it will become a desolation and a curse—and because you rent your clothes and wept before Me, I for My part have listened—declares YHWH. (20) Assuredly, I will gather you to your ancestors and you will be laid in your tomb in peace. Your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.” So they brought back the reply to the king.

(1) At the king’s [Josiah] summons, all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem assembled before him. (2) The king went up to the House of YHWH, together with all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests and prophets—all the people, young and old. And he read to them the entire text of the covenant scroll which had been found in the House of YHWH. (3) The king stood by the pillar and solemnized the covenant before YHWH: that they would follow YHWH and observe His commandments, His injunctions, and His laws with all their heart and soul; that they would fulfill all the terms of this covenant as inscribed upon the scroll. And all the people entered into the covenant.

(21) The king commanded all the people, “Offer the passover sacrifice to YHWH your God as prescribed in this scroll of the covenant.” (22) Now the passover sacrifice had not been offered in that manner in the days of the chieftains who ruled Israel, or during the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah. (23) Only in the eighteenth year of King Josiah was such a passover sacrifice offered in that manner to YHWH in Jerusalem.

(1) Josiah kept the Passover for YHWH in Jerusalem; the passover sacrifice was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month. (2) He reinstated the priests in their shifts and rallied them to the service of the House of YHWH.

(6) Having sanctified yourselves, slaughter the passover sacrifice and prepare it for your kinsmen, according to the word of God given by Moses.” (7) Josiah donated to the people small cattle—lambs and goats, all for passover sacrifices for all present—to the sum of 30,000, and large cattle, 3,000—these from the property of the king. (8) His officers gave a freewill offering to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the chiefs of the House of God, donated to the priests for passover sacrifices 2,600 [small cattle] and 300 large cattle. (9) Conaniah, Shemaiah, and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, officers of the Levites, donated 5,000 [small cattle] and 500 large cattle to the Levites for passover sacrifices. (10) The service was arranged well: the priests stood at their posts and the Levites in their divisions, by the king’s command. (11) They slaughtered the passover sacrifice and the priests [received its blood] from them and dashed it, while the Levites flayed the animals. (12) They removed the parts to be burnt, distributing them to divisions of the people by clans, and making the sacrifices to the LORD, as prescribed in the scroll of Moses; they did the same for the cattle. (13) They roasted the passover sacrifice in fire, as prescribed, while the sacred offerings they cooked in pots, cauldrons, and pans, and conveyed them with dispatch to all the people. (14) Afterward they provided for themselves and the priests, for the Aaronite priests were busy offering the burnt offerings and the fatty parts until nightfall, so the Levites provided both for themselves and for the Aaronite priests. (15) The Asaphite singers were at their stations, by command of David and Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, the seer of the king; and the gatekeepers were at each and every gate. They did not have to leave their tasks, because their Levite brothers provided for them. (16) The entire service of YHWH was arranged well that day, to keep the Passover and to make the burnt offerings on the altar of YHWH, according to the command of King Josiah.

(17) All the Israelites present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread [matzot] for seven days. (18) Since the time of the prophet Samuel, no Passover like that one had ever been kept in Israel; none of the kings of Israel had kept a Passover like the one kept by Josiah and the priests and the Levites and all Judah and Israel there present and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (19) That Passover was kept in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah.

(72) ...When the seventh month arrived—the Israelites being [settled] in their towns—

(1) the entire people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate [in Jerusalem], and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the Teaching of Moses with which YHWH had charged Israel.

(2) On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Teaching before the congregation, men and women and all who could listen with understanding. (3) He read from it, facing the square before the Water Gate, from the first light until midday, to the men and the women and those who could understand; the ears of all the people were given to the scroll of the Teaching.

(4) Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden tower made for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah at his right, and at his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam. (5) Ezra opened the scroll in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people; as he opened it, all the people stood up. (6) Ezra blessed YHWH, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with hands upraised. Then they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before YHWH with their faces to the ground. (7) Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites explained the Teaching to the people, while the people stood in their places.

(8) They read from the scroll of the Teaching of God, translating it and giving the sense; so they understood the reading. (9) Nehemiah the Tirshatha, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were explaining to the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to YHWH your God: you must not mourn or weep,” for all the people were weeping as they listened to the words of the Teaching. (10) He further said to them, “Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad, for your rejoicing in YHWH is the source of your strength.” (11) The Levites were quieting the people, saying, “Hush, for the day is holy; do not be sad.” (12) Then all the people went to eat and drink and send portions and make great merriment, for they understood the things they were told.

(13) On the second day, the heads of the clans of all the people and the priests and Levites gathered to Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Teaching.

(14) They found written in the Teaching that YHWH had commanded Moses that the Israelites must dwell in booths during the festival of the seventh month, (15) and that they must announce and proclaim throughout all their towns and Jerusalem as follows, “Go out to the mountains and bring leafy branches of olive trees, pine trees, myrtles, palms and [other] leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.” (16) So the people went out and brought them, and made themselves booths on their roofs, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the House of God, in the square of the Water Gate and in the square of the Ephraim Gate.

(17) The whole community that returned from the captivity made booths and dwelt in the booths—the Israelites had not done so from the days of Joshua son of Nun to that day—and there was very great rejoicing.

(18) He read from the scroll of the Teaching of God each day, from the first to the last day. They celebrated the festival seven days, and there was a solemn gathering on the eighth, as prescribed.

...Rabbi Akiva stated a principle: Any prohibited labor required for the offering of the sacrifice that can be performed on the eve of Shabbat does not override Shabbat; slaughter, which cannot be performed on the eve of Shabbat, overrides Shabbat.

GEMARA: The Sages taught a baraita with regard to the basic halakha governing the eve of Passover that occurs on Shabbat: This law was forgotten by the sons of Beteira, who were the leaders of their generation. The fourteenth of Nisan once occurred on Shabbat, and they forgot and did not know whether the Paschal lamb overrides Shabbat or not.

They said: Is there any person who knows whether the Paschal lamb overrides Shabbat or not? They said to them: There is a certain man in Jerusalem who came up from Babylonia, and Hillel the Babylonian is his name. At one point, he served the two most eminent scholars of the generation, Shemaya and Avtalyon, and he certainly knows whether the Paschal lamb overrides Shabbat or not.

The sons of Beteira sent messengers and called for him. They said to him: Do you know whether the Paschal lamb overrides Shabbat or not? He said to them: Have we but one Paschal lamb during the year that overrides Shabbat? Do we not have many more than two hundred Paschal lambs, i.e., sacrifices, during the year that override Shabbat? They said to him: From where do you know this? He said to them: “Its appointed time” is stated with regard to the Paschal lamb and “its appointed time” is also stated with regard to the daily offering, for the verse says: “Command the children of Israel and say to them, My offering, the provision of My sacrifice made with fire, for a sweet savor to Me, shall you observe to offer Me at its appointed time” (Numbers 28:2). From here we learn that the daily offering is brought even on Shabbat. Thus, the daily morning and afternoon offerings are brought on more than fifty Shabbatot over the course of the year, and two sheep are offered every Shabbat as additional offerings, for a total of more than two hundred sacrifices a year that override Shabbat. Just as the expression “its appointed time,” which is stated with regard to the daily offering, indicates that it overrides Shabbat, so too “its appointed time,” which is stated with regard to the Paschal lamb, indicates that it overrides Shabbat. And furthermore, it is an a fortiori inference: If the daily offering, the neglect of which is not punishable by karet, overrides Shabbat, is it not right that the Paschal lamb, the neglect of which is punishable by karet, should override Shabbat?

After Hillel brought these proofs, they immediately seated him at the head and appointed him Nasi over them, and he expounded the laws of Passover that entire day. He began rebuking them with words. He said to them: What caused this to happen to you, that I should come up from Babylonia and become Nasi over you? It was the laziness in you that you did not serve the two most eminent scholars of the generation, Shemaya and Avtalyon.

They said to Hillel: Our teacher, if one forgot and did not bring a knife on the eve of Shabbat and cannot slaughter his Paschal lamb, what is the law? He said to them: I once heard this halakha but I have forgotten it. But leave it to the Jewish people; if they are not prophets, they are the sons of prophets.

The next day, on Shabbat that was the eve of Passover, one whose Paschal offering was a lamb took the knife and stuck it in its wool; and one whose Paschal offering was a goat, which does not have wool, stuck it between its horns. Hillel saw the incident and remembered the halakha that he had once learned and said: This is the tradition I received from the mouths of Shemaya and Avtalyon.

Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: When Moses ascended on High, he found the Blessed Holy One sitting and tying crowns on the letters. He said before Him: Master of the Universe, who is holding You back? He said to him: There is a man who is destined to be after several generations, and Akiva ben Yosef is his name; he is destined to derive from each and every thorn mounds upon mounds of halakhot. He said before Him: Master of the Universe, show him to me. He said to him: Return behind you. He went and sat at the end of the eighth row and did not understand what they were saying. He felt faint. When he arrived at one matter, his students said to him: My teacher, from where do you derive this? He said to them: It is a halakha to Moses from Sinai. His mind was put at ease. He returned and came before the Holy Blessed One, and said before Him: Master of the Universe, You have a man like this and You give the Torah through me?! He said to him: Be silent; this is what arose in My mind. Moses said before God: Master of the Universe, You have shown me his Torah, now show me his reward. He said to him: Return. He went back and saw that they were weighing his flesh in a butcher shop [bemakkulin]. He said before Him: Master of the Universe, this is Torah and this is its reward? He said to him: Be silent; this is what arose in My mind.

Rabbi Ḥiyya was occupied with mitzvot, and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi thought: I will not hold him back. And this is when Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Ḥiyya argued. Rabbi Ḥanina said to Rabbi Ḥiyya: Do you think you can debate with me? If, Heaven forbid, the Torah would be forgotten from Israel, I would restore it through my analyses. Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him: I am working to ensure that the Torah will not be forgotten from Israel in the first place. For I bring flax and I plant it, and I weave nets. I trap deer, and I feed the meat to orphans, and I form scrolls from the skins of the deer. And I go to a town that has no teachers of children in it, and I write the five books for five children. And I teach the six orders to six children. To each and every one I say: Teach your order to your friends. And this is what Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi referred to when he said: How great are the actions of Ḥiyya. Rabbi Shimon, son of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, said to his father: Even greater than your works? He said to him: Yes. Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei, said to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: Even greater than the work of Rabbi Yosei, my father? Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to him: Heaven forfend. Such comments should not be made in Israel.

When Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Ḥiyya would debate, Rabbi Ḥanina would say to Rabbi Ḥiyya: Do you think you can debate with me? Heaven forbid! If the Torah were forgotten from the Jewish people, I could restore it with my analyses. Rabbi Ḥiyya said to Rabbi Ḥanina: Do you think you can debate with me, for what I do ensures that the Torah will not be forgotten by the Jewish people in the first place! What do I do? I go and sow flax seeds, and I weave nets with the flax, and I hunt deer and feed their meat to orphans. I create parchment from their hides, and I write the five books of the Torah on them. I go to a town and teach five children the five books, and I teach six children the six orders of the Mishna, and I say to them: Until I return and come back, teach each other the Torah and teach each other the Mishna. And that's what I do to ensure that the Torah will not be forgotten by Israel.