IJII

For centuries, rabbis steeped in Torah and Halacha have served as the gatekeepers of the Jewish people. They have determined which non-Jews may join the Jewish people as converts.

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"And he turned this way and that way, and saw that there was no man."

When Moses saw an Egyptian taskmaster beating an Israelite slave, he looked around before striking the Egyptian down. This passage is usually understood to mean that he wanted to be sure that he would not be seen when he slew the Egyptian.

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Shalom. Here are a few reminders. We've had some good conversations on the new University Network discussion group, and I encourage you to enroll if you haven't already done so--and I encourage you to add your comments, raise your issues, and help make the discussion group a lively and worthwhile forum.

If you've enrolled on the discussion group but have not been receiving messages, please let me know asap. Today, you should have received the latest comment from Michael Makovi. 

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I once asked a member of our Congregation if he would attend our weekday morning minyan and become part of our growing "minyan team". He responded: "I would love to attend minyan, but I am not able to do so since I must be at my office early in the morning. With the Lord's help, I'll join the minyan in the future."

Some years later, when I learned that this gentleman had just retired from his work, I called him again, inviting him to attend our weekday morning minyan. He answered: "For all these years, I've had to wake up early to go to my office. Now that I'm retired, I can finally sleep late. So I'm not able to attend morning minyan now, but with the Lord's help, I'll join the minyan in the future."

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During the fall of 2009, the Illinois State Supreme Court ruled on the following case: Jewish grandparents wrote a last will and testament in which they specified that their entire estate was to be given only to those grandchildren who were married to a Jewish spouse.  Grandchildren who married out of the faith were disinherited.

This couple had five grandchildren, four of whom had married non-Jewish (and non-converted) spouses. The one grandchild who had married a Jewish spouse inherited the grandparents' total estate.  The four other grandchildren contested the will, arguing that the grandparents had no right to force their religious views on them and no right to cut them out of their will.

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"And Joseph said to his brothers: I am Joseph. Does my father still live?"

In re-uniting with his brothers, Joseph asked if his father was still alive. Yet, the brothers had already told him that Jacob was alive. Indeed, the rest of Joseph's words make clear that he knew Jacob was alive. So what is the significance of his question "does my father still live?" We need to understand Joseph's dilemma.

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During the middle ages, Jews lived in the island of Mallorca (Majorca) as in many other parts of Spain. With the vicious anti-Jewish persecutions of 1391 and shortly thereafter, open Jewish life came to an end in Mallorca. Those Jews who remained were forced to accept Catholicism.

In spite of their having converted to Catholicism, these "new Christians" were subject to ongoing humiliations. The "old Christians" referred to them with the pejorative term "Chuetas". The Chuetas were disdained because of their Jewish blood. No matter that they were now Catholics, the Chuetas were assumed to maintain Judaism in private; the old Christians shunned them, and certainly did not want to marry them.

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After their glorious victory and rededication of the Temple, the Hasmoneans established the holiday of Hanukkah to be celebrated by Jews for all future generations. The festival of lights is an occasion for thanksgiving to God, celebration of Jewish pride, remembrance of the importance of religious freedom. 

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I feel a profound sadness on learning of the passing of Professor Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi. He was one of the great teachers and Jewish historians of our era, having taught at Harvard and Columbia Universities, and having written so many important works.

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A young man--a convert to Judaism--shared with me some of his frustrations. He had sacrificed mightily to become Jewish. He became estranged from his biological family, many of whom have strongly anti-Jewish attitudes. He changed his lifestyle to conform to the dictates of halakha. He put up with insensitive comments from rabbis and members of the Jewish community. 

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