{"id":69238,"date":"2020-01-27T23:31:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-27T21:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=69238"},"modified":"2023-08-27T13:59:31","modified_gmt":"2023-08-27T10:59:31","slug":"uncircumcised-ears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/uncircumcised-ears\/","title":{"rendered":"Uncircumcised Ears!?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In our chapter, Jeremiah protests that no one is paying attention to his dire warnings: \u201cTo whom shall I speak, give warning that they may hear? Their ears are blocked, and they cannot listen\u201d (Jeremiah 6:10). Significantly, the Hebrew text uses a pithy expression to describe unhearing ears — \u201ctheir ear is uncircumcised — arelah oznam<\/em>\u201d). This literal translation of the Hebrew expression was adopted by the 3<\/span>rd<\/span> century BCE Jewish-Greek translation, followed by the early 17<\/span>th<\/span> century \u201cKing James\u201d English version and some other translations to this day. However, the Targum Jonathan of this verse is interpretive, using the Aramaic expression \u201citpashat udnehon<\/em>\u201d, which by comparison with other Aramaic usage suggests that \u201ctheir ear was obdurate\u201d, dull, stupid or even foolish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rashi on Jeremiah 6:10 states that \u201carelah<\/em>\u201d means \u201catumah<\/em> \u2013 sealed\u201d and adds that \u201cin every place\u201d this is the meaning of the Hebrew word \u201carel<\/em>\u201d [translated literally as \u201cuncircumcised\u201d]. It should be noted that elsewhere Jeremiah compares those non-Israelites who are \u201cuncircumcised (literally) with Israelites who are \u201cuncircumcised of the heart\u201d (Jeremiah 9:24-25. Compare Jeremiah 4:4 and Deuteronomy 10:16). This indicates that while \u201c<\/span>arel<\/span><\/em>\u201d primarily refers to the lack of circumcision of the physical foreskin but is metaphorically applied to other parts of the human body to suggest stubborn refusal to listen, accept and comprehend.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Rabbinic Sages note five biblical uses of the term <\/span>orlah<\/em> <\/span>\u201cforeskin\u201d, four referring to the human body and one referring to trees. Midrash Tanhuma Lekh Lekha 16 lists the four that refer to the human being:\u00a0 the \u201cflesh of your foreskin\u201d (<\/span>basar orlatkhem<\/em> <\/span>— Genesis 17:11 referring to the commandment of circumcision), the \u201cforeskin of the lips \u2013 <\/span>aral sefatayim<\/span><\/em>\u201d –Exodus 6:12 referring to Moses\u2019 speech impediment), the \u201cforeskin of your heart \u2013 <\/span>orlat levavkhem<\/span><\/em>\u201d \u2013 Deuteronomy 10:16 referring to Israel no longer being \u201cstiffnecked\u201d, \u201cthe foreskin of their ear\u201d \u2013 Jeremiah 6:10). Talmud Bavli 108a refers to also to the \u201corlah<\/em> of trees\u201d in comparing it to the \u201corlah<\/em> of flesh\u201d. It is noted that \u201cOn the eighth day will be circumcised the flesh of his foreskin\u201d (Leviticus 12:3) employs the same word \u201c<\/span>orlato<\/span><\/em>\u201d as in the verse referring to the prohibition of eating fruit from newly planted trees for three years, \u201c<\/span>ve-araltem orlato et piryo shalosh shanim<\/span><\/em>— you shall regard its fruit as forbidden three years\u201d (Leviticus 19:23). This linguistic link teaches that just as trees bear fruit, so to the human body can be said to \u201cbear fruit\u201d (see Genesis 1:28 \u201cbe fruitful and multiply\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n

Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer 29 adds an eschatological twist. In the future the Holy One, blessed be He, will remove the \u201cforeskin of the heart\u201d from Israel so that they will no longer \u201charden their heart\u201d to God, as it says: <\/span><\/p>\n

And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit into you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":69239,"id":69239,"title":"Jer6-ears","filename":"Jer6-ears.png","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Jer6-ears.png","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/uncircumcised-ears\/jer6-ears\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"jer6-ears","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":69238,"date":"2020-01-27 21:30:47","modified":"2023-09-02 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