"Halachic Concepts in Hassidic Thought, or, Hassidic Concepts in Halachic Thought" is a class that I have the honor of sharing with Rabbi Aaron Alexander this semester (www.zieglerpodcasts.com). It stemmed from a fantasy of mine to write a doctorate on this topic, but truth be told, it flourished into something that has brought us, and our students, far greater joy.
As an offering to our learning I would like to enlist the Ishbitzer Rebbe (Rabbi Mordechai Yoseph Lainer of Ishbitza, 1800-1853) to touch upon one more paradigm that time robbed us of: 'Grievances'.
One of the rabbinic headquarters to look at this topic is the Mishna - Bava Metzia 6:1: "One who hired workers (artisans) and they misled each other, only have grievances towards each other..."
The classic example brought in the Talmud on this Mishna is when a foreman hires workers and mistakenly quotes a smaller wage than originally offered to them by the contractor. So, for example, the contractor tells the foreman that he will pay the workers $20 an hour and he goes and hires them for $10 an hour, and they agreed to work for that pay. When payday comes they will be paid only $10 an hour, since they agreed to work for that wage, and they have grievances towards the foreman since they could've made double the money, but he is not liable to compensate them (nor is the contractor obligated to pay them $20 an hour, since they agreed to work for $10 an hour). Having grievance means that you have a justifiable claim, you have a reason to feel that you have been wronged, but there is no litigable process that can be enacted in the case!
Throughout both volumes of his writings, the Mei HaShiloach, the Ishbitzer Rebbe uses this paradigm as a relational stand between us and God. He takes a transactional paradigm that defines a relationship between two people and reads it as a theological paradigm defining our relationship with God! On the one hand we have a justifiable claim against God, and on the other hand, we can't take God to court, so-to-speak...
In the same way that Bava Metzia 6:1 is a 'headquarters' for the halachic understanding of the paradigm, our Torah portion is his 'headquarters' for this theological paradigm.
In a unique interpretive move, which is not common in Chassidic commentaries that habitually offers an observation on an individual verse or cluster of verses, the Mei HaShiloach primarily divides our parasha into two main sections and then each one into 5 subsections. The first section takes us from the beginning of the parasha till the end of chapter 22. In this section five different subjects are touched upon, each represent for the Ishbitzer Rebbe a different realm of grievance towards God. The second section is chapter 23 (he does not reflect upon chapter 24, the concluding chapter of the parasha). In this section we find a description of Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur and the three festivals. He will use each one of these holy times as a remedy for one of the grievances.
I confess, that as writing these words I have also found an answer to a grievance that one of my beloved fourth year Ziegler students had towards me last week: "For four years you keep on offering me questions to think about, don't you think I deserve an answer or two by now???" My answer to my student is: "The questions will help move you forward, the answers will pacify you, at best..." You can hear from this that I am much more interested in the grievances that the Ishbitzer raises towards God than his attempt to resolve my theological pain... It is these grievances that I share with you:
- Grievance due to living in a world that death and loss are our reality. How can we live in such a world? How could God have created it in such a way?
- Grievance of the Cohen that was born with a blemish that disqualifies him from serving in the Temple. He can eat from the sacrifices, but is not able to bring the sacrifice itself. He questions God, "You have planted me so close, and yet you don't allow me to serve..." It is important to point out that the grievance isn't about the blemish itself but about the challenge it poses to one who is born a Cohen. Being able to read only six pages an hour isn't a challenge of dire consequences unless you're an academic... Growing up as an orthodox woman whose desire to learn is what defined her I would question God: "How could you mold my soul is such a way (plant me so close) and then deny me of serving you (my gender as a blemish that denies me of service)?" It took me many years to see that gender is not a blemish, but rather a gift, and in the same way that once upon a time being left-handed was considered a blemish, the emergence of Orthodox female rabbis redefines reality.
- Grievance of the Cohen that was found impure while being at the Temple, and hence prohibited from serving or even eating from the sanctified meat. He questions: "I have done all that I can to serve you, I would do all in my ability to be able to serve. Why have I been compromised at this moment?" Imagine you have just concluded the Amida (the Silent Prayer) on Yom Kippur, you have confessed your transgressions and promise (God and yourself) to be better, kinder. At that exact moment you pick your eyes up from your prayer book and the one person in the community that has hurt you walks by. Your heart hardens for a moment, not being able to forgive. As the Cohen called out to God you call out: "I just finished my prayers, I was in such a focused moment, this person had to walk by me at exactly this moment???"
- Grievance because of blemished offerings. You make your way to the Temple with a gift for God and when inspected a blemish is found in the animal and it cannot be offered. You question God: "You have given me a gift why can I not be able to return it to You as a gift?" You have put your very best into a grant application just to be told that as wonderful as you are, your application is lacking and cannot be accepted.
- Grievance due to the fragility of the moment. When a 'thanksgiving' offering was brought to the Temple it had to be consumed on the day it was brought. One was not allowed to eat leftovers the next day. The Ishbitzer Rebbe questions: "How can it be that if today I can stand in the presence of God with faith, belief and trust, I can't be sure of the same feelings tomorrow?" Why is our religious state so fragile and unpredictable? When will I be able to rest in the faith that I've come to?"
In response to those that think that being a true believer means having answers that explain God's actions in the world, it appears that the Mei aShiloach is walking in the footsteps of the Rambam (Maimonides) at the end of the 'Laws of Embezzlement'. The Rambam asks of us to try to understand the ways of God to the best of our knowledge and ability "k'fi ko'cho," but when we reach a point of no return, he asks us to not make up stories, to not try to cover up for God, to make God look good "al yech'peh alav d'varim".
The shbitzer takes us one step forward. A disciple of the Ishbitzer Rebbe would be called upon not only to not create answers where they are not present, but rather, to hold on to the questions as an act of faith and true service.
May we find the strength to hold on to our questions as we walk with God.
May we find those to share this journey with as we enter this coming Shabbat.
Shabbat shalom.