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February 23, 1952

And They Saw G-d: Various Ways of Seeing Him (1952)

Mishpatim
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Excerpts for B'nai Brith Lectures (1963)

When the ancient one had reached this point he paused, and the two rabbis prostrated themselves before him, wept and said: "Had we come into this world only in order to hear these thy words from thy mouth it were sufficient." Said he: "Associates, I did not begin to speak to you merely in order to tell you what I have told you up till now, for surely an old man like myself would not limit himself to one saying, making a noise like a single coin in a jug. How many human beings live in confusion of mind, beholding not the way of truth whose dwelling is in the Torah, the Torah which calls them day by day to herself in love, but alas, they do not even turn their heads."It is indeed as I have said, that the Torah lets out a word, and emerges for a little from her sheath, and then hides herself again. But she does this only for those who understand and obey her.She is like unto a beautiful and stately damsel, who is hidden in a secluded chamber of a palace and who has a lover of whom no one knows but she. Out of his love for her he constantly passes by her gate, turning his eyes towards all sides to find her. She, knowing that he is always haunting the palace, what does she do? She opens a little door in her hidden palace, discloses for a moment her face to her lover, then swiftly hides it again. None but he notices it; but his heart and soul and all that is in him are drawn to her, knowing as he does that she has revealed herself to him for a moment because she loves him.It is the same with the Torah, which reveals her hidden secrets only to those who love her. She knows that he who is wise of heart daily haunts the gates of her house. What does she do? She shows her face to him from her palace, making a sign of love to him, and straightway returns to her hiding place again. No one understands her message save he alone, and he is drawn to her with heart and soul and all his being. Thus the Torah reveals herself mo­mentarily in love to her lovers in order to awaken fresh…
Mishpatim Chasidim & Mitnagdim

Synagogue Sermon

Judaism's Open Secret (1972)

In preparing for the revelation at Sinai, Moses read the “Book of the Covenant” (from the beginning of the Torah up to that point) to the children of Israel. ויאמר כל אשר דבר ה’ נעשה ונשמע, “And they said: ‘all that the Lord hath spoken we shall do and we shall obey.’” Our tradition saw in these two words, naaseh ve’nishma, not just an indication of consent but a whole philosophy of religion. For the Tradition did not translate naaseh ve’nishma as “do and obey,” but as “do and understand.” It is the particular order of that expression, the priority of action to understanding, that was acclaimed by our Sages. They tell us that even God was overwhelmed: יצתה בת קול ואמרה מי גילה רז זה לבני שמלאכי השרת משתמשין בו? A divine voice issued from heaven and cried out, “Who revealed to My children this secret which only the ministering angels know of?”But we must be honest. If the Jewish tradition admires the response of naaseh ve’nishma and God was astounded that the secret is out, clearly we moderns are shocked for the opposite reason. The modern temper sees in this attitude a symptom of blind religion, of lack of understanding, of irrationality. Surely an intelligent person seeks to understand before he practices, he seeks to know before he commits himself.How then can we go along with Judaism’s enthusiastic approval of naaseh ve’nishma?We must understand that we here face two radically different approaches. The modern temper can be characterized as autonomous. Man himself must determine each act, each decision, each challenge. A demand must appeal to his intellect and to his emotion before he commits himself to it. He, man, is the measure of all things. What he does must issue from internal consent, and not be imposed upon him externally. Judaism, however, is theonomous. Naaseh ve’nishma implies not man as the center of all things, but God. It is the nomos of Theos, the law of God, to which we submit in humility. Judaism regards autonomy in religion as an act of intellec…
Mishpatim Parshat Shekalim

Synagogue Sermon

The Place of Jewish Law In Jewish Life (1954)

It is one of the most difficult tasks to explain to a modern layman the paramount importance of Jewish Law in Jewish Life. Jewish Law is known as the Halakhah, and it is derived from the word halikhah which means “going,” and the very name indicates that Jewish Law is both dynamic, moving, and that it is a “way,” that is: Jewish Law is the Jewish way of life. I say that it is difficult to explain the importance of Halakhah because of the contemporary prejudice as to what is meant by “law.” There are probably many who suspect that Jewish Law, like ordinary common law, is a highly specialized legal profession and is the private, sacred and exclusive domain of Jewish “lawyers” who happen to be called “Rabbis.” How far that is from the real truth. I wish I could reconstruct for you the attitude of our Jewish laymen of old towards Halakhah. I wish I could sufficiently well describe to you a typical Bet ha-midrash where Rabbis, students and laymen of all sorts delve into the great tomes of the Talmud with love, with holiness, with brilliant logic, and even with a sharp sense of humor. I wish you could hear the traditional sing-song in which the Talmud is studied. I wish some of you could enjoy the warm radiating beauty of a Halakhic argument; the Halakhah which encompasses every aspect of all of life; the Halakhah which analyzes even intimate prayer with the sharp eye of legal logic, and which makes of sharp, legal logic an intimate prayer.But barring these opportunities for personal experience with the Halakhah, let us discuss, tonight, in a very sketchy manner, some of the basic aspects of Jewish Law with which we should be acquainted. For tomorrow we shall read that portion which contains most of the civil legislation of the Torah first revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai. And let us do so with the mental reservation that this is only a rough beginning, that we shall come back to this important topic many a time in the future.May I, with your indulgence, discuss three m…
Mishpatim