{"id":36717,"date":"2018-07-09T18:49:49","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-1003\/"},"modified":"2022-02-24T09:01:14","modified_gmt":"2022-02-24T07:01:14","slug":"wall-1003","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-1003\/","title":{"rendered":"weekend-from-20220220-to-20220226"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"weekend","wall_id":"1003","date_from":"20220220","date_to":"20220226","book":"Genesis","books_group":"Torah","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"40126","color":"#f7f7f5","size":"2","name":"Genesis 11-15: The Weekly Video Summary and Overview ","post_title":"Genesis 11-15: The Weekly Video Summary and Overview","slug":"genesis-11-15-the-weekly-video-summary-and-overview","old_id":"40126","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"1003","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

https:\/\/youtu.be\/I0fggYzZozk<\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"929 Whiteboard Library","tile_main_caption":"Genesis 11-15: The Weekly Video Summary and Overview","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/I0fggYzZozk","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":false,"chapter_main_number":false,"date":false,"wall_id":"1003"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"102390","color":"#effaea","size":"2","name":"Vayakhel: Some Striking Shabbat And Shmita Parallels ","post_title":"Vayakhel: Some Striking Shabbat And Shmita Parallels","slug":"vayakhel-some-striking-shabbat-and-shmita-parallels","old_id":"102390","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":62571,"post_title":"Yaakov Bieler","slug":"yaakov-bieler","old_id":"62571","first_name":"Yaakov ","last_name":"Bieler ","description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University in 1974. He has lectured and written extensively on Modern Orthodoxy, and blogs daily at https:\/\/yaakovbieler.wordpress.com ","short_description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":62572,"alt":"","title":"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","width":141,"height":180,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler-141x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":141,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium-width":141,"medium-height":180,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium_large-width":141,"medium_large-height":180,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","large-width":141,"large-height":180,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","1536x1536-width":141,"1536x1536-height":180,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","2048x2048-width":141,"2048x2048-height":180,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","post_full_size-width":141,"post_full_size-height":180,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","home_baner-width":141,"home_baner-height":180}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"1003","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Just as the weekly Shabbat starkly reminds us who is the Creator and who is the Creature, shmita achieves a similar goal\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Parashat Vayakhel, although primarily devoted to the fabrication of the Tabernacle and its vessels, begins (Exodus 35:1-3) with a brief reprise of the commandment to observe the sabbath, already discussed in the Ten Commandments. While the sabbath applies to Jews wherever on earth they may find themselves, there is a \u201cspecial\u201d sabbath that pertains only to the land of Israel, \u201cShabbat Ha-aretz\u201d (<\/span>the sabbath of the land<\/span>) or shmita.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We see how the term \u201csabbath\u201d is used interchangeably between the seventh day of the week, and the seventh year of the Sabbatical cycle, in Parashat BeHar (Leviticus 25:2-6) and particularly in the rebuke of Leviticus (ibid. 26:34-5):<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Then shall the land make up for its sabbath years throughout the time that it is desolate and you are in the land of your enemies; then shall the land rest and make up for its sabbath years. Throughout the time that it is desolate, it shall observe the rest that it did not observe in your sabbath years while you were dwelling upon it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Although the \u201chuman\u201d sabbath entails a more extensive list of prohibited activities than the sabbath of the land of Israel. Compare Maimonides\u2019 descriptions of forbidden labors on Shabbat and shmita:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rambam, Mishneh Torah, <\/span>Hilchot Shabbat<\/em> <\/span>7:1<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u2026 1) plowing, 2) sowing, 3) reaping, 4) collecting sheaves, 5) threshing, 6) winnowing, 7) separating, 8) grinding, 9) sifting, 10) kneading, 11) baking, 12) shearing, 13) whitening, 14) beating, 15) dyeing, 16) spinning, etc. (to 49 labors).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And now his <\/span>Hilchot Shmita<\/em> <\/span>1:2<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u20261) sowing, 2) trimming,\u00a03) harvesting (grain,) and 4) harvesting fruit - both from vineyards and from other trees\u2026<\/span>
\r\n
\r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For an agriculturally-based society, prohibiting all activities designed to enhance the earth\u2019s productivity for approximately one year, constitutes a major sacrifice for Jewish land-owners and ultimately, consumers. However, such a sacrifice, albeit incredibly inconvenient, is required to illustrate that the land truly belongs to God, and as \u201clandlord,\u201d He can require us, the \u201clessees,\u201d to observe whatever restrictions He chooses to impose.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This idea is reminiscent of the contents of the first insight by Rashi in his Biblical commentary:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rabbi Isaac said: The Torah<\/span> should have commenced with the verse (<\/span>Exodus 12:2<\/span><\/a>) \u201cThis month shall be unto you the first of the months\u201d which is the first commandment given to Israel. What is the reason, then, that it commences with the account of the Creation? Because of the thought expressed in the text (<\/span>Psalms 111:6<\/span><\/a>) \u201cHe declared to His people the strength of His works.\u201d All the earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it and gave it to whom He pleased\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Just as the weekly Shabbat starkly reminds us who is the Creator and who is the Creature, shmita achieves a similar theological goal.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This year is the shmita year: Shmita means a sabbatical year for the Earth but also for ourselves, our communities, and our world. Each week we continue to share thoughts on how the weekly parsha can help guide our thinking around shmita themes of work and rest, wealth and debt, responsible land use, fair labor practices, private and public property ownership, and physical and spiritual revitalization.<\/em><\/p>\r\n

See here for more information on the Hazon Shmita project, and its blogs.<\/a><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":81608,"alt":"","title":"shmita","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","width":711,"height":708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","medium_large-width":711,"medium_large-height":708,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","large-width":711,"large-height":708,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","1536x1536-width":711,"1536x1536-height":708,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","2048x2048-width":711,"2048x2048-height":708,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","post_full_size-width":711,"post_full_size-height":708,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-422x420.jpg","home_baner-width":422,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"A Weekly Series: The \"Shmitah Parasha\" Blog","tile_main_caption":"Vayakhel: Some Striking Shabbat And Shmita Parallels","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"in conjunction with Hazon.org","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":81608,"alt":"","title":"shmita","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","width":711,"height":708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","medium_large-width":711,"medium_large-height":708,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","large-width":711,"large-height":708,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","1536x1536-width":711,"1536x1536-height":708,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","2048x2048-width":711,"2048x2048-height":708,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","post_full_size-width":711,"post_full_size-height":708,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-422x420.jpg","home_baner-width":422,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":false,"chapter_main_number":false,"date":false,"wall_id":"1003"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":3,"id":"35057","color":"#e0e9ef","size":"1","name":"New to 929? Welcome! ","post_title":"New to 929? Welcome!","slug":"new-to-929-welcome","old_id":"35057","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":false,"related_cahpter":"1","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

Hi -\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Welcome!<\/p>\r\n

929 is the number of chapters in the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, formative text of our Jewish heritage. 929 is a project dedicated to creating a global Jewish conversation around issues that unite and divide us, but always anchored in or inspired by Tanakh. 929 invites Jews everywhere to read Tanakh, one chapter a day, together with a website with creative readings and pluralistic interpretations, including audio and video, by a wide range of writers, artists, rabbis, educators, and more. Come join in the conversation!<\/p>\r\n

Each day, from Sunday to Thursday, you will land here on a new chapter, with the text of the chapter, an audio version, and many original materials about the chapter, including short posts with insights and comments, a playlist with podcasts lessons on the chapter, a Hebrew Corner with a word of the day, and a helpful summary of the major points of the chapter.<\/p>\r\n

Since this is the beginning of our second cycle (the first one lasted from July 2018 - Feb 2, 2022) all the material from the all the chapters is available \u2013 just click on the dropdown menu at the upper left. Fridays (\"Weekend\") are for summing up and catching up \u2013 there you can find some of the greatest hits of the week, and use the time to peruse chapters you may have missed during the week. And Shabbat is for what else? Taking a break \u2013 getting ready to start the new week with a new chapter.<\/p>\r\n

Want a video presentation of the project?\u00a0Just click.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

And if you want a look back at what the first cycle through was like - check out this\u00a0amazing video collation.<\/a><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":101464,"alt":"","title":"-61fd290df0ef2--61fd290df0ef4gen1 - siyyum video shot.JPG","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG.jpg","width":1357,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG-300x153.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":153,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG-768x392.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":392,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG-1024x523.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":523,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG.jpg","1536x1536-width":1357,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG.jpg","2048x2048-width":1357,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG-1200x613.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":613,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG-822x420.jpg","home_baner-width":822,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"New to 929? Welcome! ","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Click here for instructions...","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":101464,"alt":"","title":"-61fd290df0ef2--61fd290df0ef4gen1 - siyyum video shot.JPG","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG.jpg","width":1357,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG-300x153.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":153,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG-768x392.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":392,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG-1024x523.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":523,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG.jpg","1536x1536-width":1357,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG.jpg","2048x2048-width":1357,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG-1200x613.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":613,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fd290df0ef2-61fd290df0ef4gen1-siyyum-video-shot.JPG-822x420.jpg","home_baner-width":822,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"1","date":"20250831","wall_id":"1"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":4,"id":"102156","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"Reconstructing The (Ivory) Tower","post_title":"Reconstructing The (Ivory) Tower","slug":"reconstructing-the-ivory-tower","old_id":"102156","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":59587,"post_title":"Benjamin Morse","slug":"benjamin-morse","old_id":"59587","first_name":"Benjamin ","last_name":"Morse ","description":"Dr. Benjamin Morse studied religion and art history at Vassar, Oxford, and the Courtauld before completing a PhD in biblical interpretation. His dissertation reads the Hebrew Bible\u2019s \u201cmodern methods\u201d through the lens of painting and collage. His illustrated children\u2019s Torah, The Oldest Bedtime Story Ever, has won multiple awards.\r\nPhoto by Lenka Opalena.","short_description":"Dr. Benjamin Morse studied religion and art history, and is the author and illustrator of the illustrated children\u2019s Torah, The Oldest Bedtime Story Ever. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":59588,"alt":"","title":"Benjamin Morse by Lenka Opalena","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena.jpg","width":1069,"height":1576,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena-203x300.jpg","medium-width":203,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena-695x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":695,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena-695x1024.jpg","large-width":695,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena.jpg","1536x1536-width":1042,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena.jpg","2048x2048-width":1069,"2048x2048-height":1576,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena-814x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":814,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Benjamin-Morse-by-Lenka-Opalena-285x420.jpg","home_baner-width":285,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"11","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Or: How the liberal arts gave way to Babel\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Despite my thirteen years in higher education between 1989 and 2008, I did not clock until recently the distinction between critical thinking and critical theory. The purpose of a liberal arts degree, the course catalogues informed me when I applied to college, was to learn to think critically\u2014to question assumptions including one\u2019s own, to examine issues from multiple perspectives. There is hope in holding the totality of world views in balanced tension.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Doing a master\u2019s at Oxford, I thus felt lost being expected to hold firm <\/span>opinions<\/span><\/em> when I was still learning the ropes. I found my outsider way in the years that followed by applying feminist, psychoanalytic, and other critical theory to Hebrew texts. Though I employed words like \u201cproblematize\u201d and spoke of \u201cdismantling\u201d preconceptions, my comparative projects intended to establish consonance between ancient and modern practices. I was building bridges, not razing the whole Western edifice to the ground.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Babel story in Genesis 11 is about what happens when hubris and difference get the better of us. We degenerate into chaos and cannot hear one another across borders and online platforms. The babble today is more ideological than linguistic, even within our respective echo chambers. We use \u201cthe same language and the same words (v. 1)\u201d but file our dictionaries in different wings of the library.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Critical theory\u2019s aversion to analytic philosophy has done much to topple the liberal ivory towers. A hegemony that fetishizes otherness, claims language is oppressive, and calls reason terror, it reduces everything to a power dynamic. With the Socratic method canceled by subjectivity, some students choose silence over openly challenging today\u2019s orthodoxies. Meanwhile their peers slay professors for their \u201cnormative\u201d identities, casting their CVs to the realm of irrelevance. Think critically and criticize critical theory? Be the real radical and ask it to deconstruct itself? We\u2019re sorry, but you are out.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Babel lies between Noah and Abraham. It explains why a rainbowed universal covenant was not enough but is a warning to why tribalism is not enough either. It sets into motion an ideal: a father of the many who will need to hold their own under empires that will enslave them and try to tell them what to think. This pyramid here, those idols there. The ones who in a few generations are named \u201cwrestlers with God\u201d don\u2019t cave to monolithic thinking. They move. Their rabbis will write in the margins a totality of views to negotiate change.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cWhy is Abraham the first Jew?\u201d my friend\u2019s childhood rabbi asked. \u201cBecause he questioned God.\u201d Noah just took the shopping list and did what he was told, whereas Abraham cross-examined, \u201cWill You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty (Gen. 18.23)?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Educators, take courage. Stop making bricks and burning them hard (11.3). Acknowledge that critical theory has created a pandemonium of identity politics. Think critically when what\u2019s spoken in the name of justice apportions guilt without distinction. Build bridges, not silos. Be always an Abraham, never a know-it-all.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: courtesy of the author<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":102157,"alt":"","title":"-6211285f82c57--6211285f82c58Gen11-Babel - BMorse.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/6211285f82c57-6211285f82c58Gen11-Babel-BMorse.jpg.jpg","width":2048,"height":2868,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/6211285f82c57-6211285f82c58Gen11-Babel-BMorse.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/6211285f82c57-6211285f82c58Gen11-Babel-BMorse.jpg-214x300.jpg","medium-width":214,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/6211285f82c57-6211285f82c58Gen11-Babel-BMorse.jpg-731x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":731,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/6211285f82c57-6211285f82c58Gen11-Babel-BMorse.jpg-731x1024.jpg","large-width":731,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/6211285f82c57-6211285f82c58Gen11-Babel-BMorse.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":1097,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/6211285f82c57-6211285f82c58Gen11-Babel-BMorse.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":1462,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/6211285f82c57-6211285f82c58Gen11-Babel-BMorse.jpg-857x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":857,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/6211285f82c57-6211285f82c58Gen11-Babel-BMorse.jpg-300x420.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Reconstructing The (Ivory) Tower","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Or: How the liberal arts gave way to Babel","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":102157,"alt":"","title":"-6211285f82c57--6211285f82c58Gen11-Babel - 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Why Stop Here?","post_title":"The Universal Torah - Why Stop Here?","slug":"the-universal-torah-why-stop-here","old_id":"102154","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":96657,"post_title":"Jeff Jaffe","slug":"jeff-jaffe","old_id":"96657","first_name":"Jeff ","last_name":"Jaffe ","description":"Jeff Jaffe is the CEO of the World Wide Web Consortium at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Jaffe is also the author of Genesis: A Torah for All Nations (Gefen Publishing House) which can be found at https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Genesis-Nations-Jeffrey-M-Jaffe\/dp\/9657023181.\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Jeff Jaffe is the CEO of the World Wide Web Consortium at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is the author of Genesis: A Torah for All Nations. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":96658,"alt":"","title":"jeff jaffe","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe.jpg","width":1897,"height":2581,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe-220x300.jpg","medium-width":220,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe-753x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":753,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe-753x1024.jpg","large-width":753,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe.jpg","1536x1536-width":1129,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe.jpg","2048x2048-width":1505,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe-882x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":882,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe-309x420.jpg","home_baner-width":309,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"11","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Abraham will begin a new chapter\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Chapter 11 begins with the Tower of Babel and the dispersion. The biblical commentator <\/span>Kli Yakar<\/em> <\/span>interprets verse 1 (one language and few words, or the same language and the same words) to mean that initially there was to be unity of purpose toward bringing peace in the world. As I already <\/span>discussed in chapter 10<\/span><\/a>, the focus of the seventy nations was to unite for the forces of good. The initial motivation to build a tower was so that unified mankind could be together in one place, worshiping God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It didn\u2019t turn out that way. Among the tower builders were those who hijacked the mission and tried to use the unity to do battle with God. Quoting <\/span>Sanhedrin<\/span><\/i> 71a, \u201ccoming together of evil-doers is bad for them and bad for the world; dispersal of evil-doers is good for them and good for the world, and the reverse is true for the righteous.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This posting concludes a series of postings that summarize forty-two messages from the first eleven chapters of Genesis, as described in the book<\/span> Genesis: A Torah for All Nations<\/span><\/i><\/a>. One might ask why stop here \u2013 perhaps the messages continue throughout Genesis?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The simplest and most obvious explanation is that starting with chapter 12, the Torah focuses on the story of Abraham, the everlasting covenants between God and the descendants of Abraham, and the narrative leading into the Israelite exile to Egypt, redemption, and receiving the mitzvot.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There are two other indications that a major theme and section of the Torah ends with the conclusion of chapter 11.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Many commentators point out that although the final verse (verse 32) concludes with the death of Terach, he actually lived many years after the events of chapter 11, after Isaac was born, until two years prior to Sarah\u2019s death. Commentaries provide various reasons for his death being reported out of sequence.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But one very logical reason is that the Torah is trying to signal that the first eleven chapters are a unit, with a specific purpose \u2013 namely, to instruct all people about universal ethical behaviors. The Torah caps it off by finishing the major genealogies that lead up to Abraham, and then starting in chapter 12, there is an entirely new purpose.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There is an additional surprising demarcation that separates these eleven chapters from the rest of the Torah. Rashi has a text for the Torah in which the final letter of verse 32 is a backwards Hebrew letter <\/span>nun<\/span><\/em>. In <\/span>Shabbat<\/span><\/i> 116a, the Talmud states that a backwards <\/span>nun<\/span><\/em> can be used to separate portions of the Torah into different books. What clearer indication could there be that the first eleven chapters of Genesis represent an entity unto themselves with their own mission?<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":101406,"alt":"","title":"-61fbf071d2dad--61fbf071d2daegen1-nations flags people.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg.jpg","width":1920,"height":615,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-300x96.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":96,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-768x246.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":246,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-1024x328.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":328,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":492,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":615,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-1200x384.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":384,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-1311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":1311,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Universal Torah - Why Stop Here?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Abraham will begin a new chapter","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":101406,"alt":"","title":"-61fbf071d2dad--61fbf071d2daegen1-nations flags people.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg.jpg","width":1920,"height":615,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-300x96.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":96,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-768x246.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":246,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-1024x328.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":328,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":492,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":615,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-1200x384.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":384,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-1311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":1311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"11","chapter_main_number":"11","date":"20250914","wall_id":"11"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"374","name":"Humanity","old_id":"774"},{"term_id":"418","name":"Abraham","old_id":"818"}]},{"order":6,"id":"36718","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"The Three \"Bavels\": Babel, Babylon, Babylonia ","post_title":"The Three \"Bavels\": Babel, Babylon, Babylonia","slug":"the-three-bavels-babel-babylon-babylonia","old_id":"36718","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34011,"post_title":"Jeremy Benstein","slug":"dr-jeremy-benstein","old_id":"34011","first_name":"Jeremy","last_name":"Benstein","description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English. He is one of the founders of the Heschel Center for Sustainability. He writes the MiliMiliM - Hebrew Corner on the site, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34232,"alt":"","title":"Jeremy Benstein","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"11","type_929":"2","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Who are We? Three models for the 21st century Jew","post_main_content_content":"

The place name, \u05d1\u05d1\u05dc, bavel <\/em>can refer to: Babel, Babylon, or Babylonia. Each of these ancient \"Bavels\" suggests a model for the 21st<\/sup> century.<\/p>\r\n

The Tower of Babel (Genesis, 11:1-9) tells how ethnic diversity came into the world, bridging the gap between Noah & Sons, and the historic world of nations and cultures to follow. The dominant image is mutual incomprehensibility, and therefore dispersion, difference, and the loss of a sacred and political center.<\/p>\r\n

Which brings us to the second bavel<\/em>: Babylon. The Babylonians destroyed the First Temple and the city of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E, resulting in the First Exile. That experience is described poignantly in Psalm 137:<\/p>\r\n

\"By the rivers of Bavel\/<\/em>Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion\u2026 How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a foreign land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I remember thee not\u2026\"<\/p>\r\n

In the first story, Bavel<\/em>\/Babel was the center that was lost in that divinely instigated \"exile;\" here Bavel\/<\/em>Babylon is the destination they were exiled to<\/em>, after the loss of the sacred center. And as opposed to the babble of Babel, here the result is \u2013 silence; the inability to speak or sing God's songs, in that strange land. Indeed, without Jerusalem speech will be lost, with tongues cleaving to roofs of mouths, and the ability to speak one's identity and desires, gone.<\/p>\r\n

The first Bavel<\/em>\/Babel was an imagined site, invented to explain ethnic dispersion and cultural diversity, a world for whom the idea of a center has been declared anathema. The second Bavel\/<\/em>Babylon was a very real place, the exile an actual historical event, but underlying it too is an idea: a people with a once and future sacred center whose national and cultural identity can only be brought to fruition there.<\/p>\r\n

The third Bavel <\/em>is also a real place, but is not Biblical \u2013 it is Talmudic. It is the Bavel <\/em>of Babylonia (Iraq) which became a center of the Jewish world after the Romans quashed the Great Revolt of 135 C.E. Bavel\/<\/em>Babylonia became home to generations of sages in centers of learning such as Sura, Nehardea and Pumbedita (now Falluja), which were to remain so for close to a thousand years.<\/p>\r\n

The Babylonian Talmud (the Bavli <\/em>\u2013 \"of Bavel\"<\/em>) that developed there, is, along with the Bible, the foundational text of Judaism. And with it came the unprecedented reality of another center of legal and intellectual authority, which rivaled, and ultimately exceeded, that other<\/em> center in the Land of Israel.<\/p>\r\n

The rise of Bavel\/<\/em>Babylonia was a rejection of Ps 137: it moved Judaism itself from a circle, with the Holy Land at its center, to an ellipse, with two centers defining its orbit. And in creating a second vibrant center, Babylonian Judaism opened up the way for many more \"centers\" to come, throughout Jewish diasporic history.<\/p>\r\n

These three models \u2013 Babel, Babylon, Babylonia \u2013 represent three numerical possibilities for sacred centers in our lives:<\/p>\r\n