Spirituality
TORAH PORTION
A Lesson Of Peace
From The Altar
Shabbat Yitro: Exodus 18:1-20:23;
Isaiah 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6.
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A
t the end of this week's
used.
Torah portion, Yitro, there
Likewise, Christianity, which is
are commandments con-
usually depicted as a religion of love,
cerning the construction of the altar
forgiveness and affirmation of life, has
used to worship God.
had a two-millennia history of murder
The verse (Exodus 20:22) states:
of heretics, inquisitions, crusades and
"And if you will make a stone altar
religious wars.
for me, do not build it of cut stone
Certainly, literary sources of any
because you have wielded
religion can say one thing,
your sword upon it and
be interpreted in any num-
desecrated it." We may
ber of ways and be imple-
not use stone cut with an
mented in ways to justify
iron tool to worship God
almost anything.
because iron instruments
And we may find a whole
are primarily used as
range of behavior "based
weapons and the use of a
on" these sources. How does
weapon-like tool desecrates
anyone know "what God
the altar.
wants"?
The Mechilta, the
Within Torah Judaism,
Rabbi Eliezer
Medrash Halachah on
also, there are various valid
Cohen
this verse tells us: Rabbi
interpretations that produce
Special to the
Shimon ben Elazar says:
different applications. There
Jewish News
"The altar was created to
are numerous religious and
lengthen the years of man;
political factions, each with
it is not proper to wield that which
its own particular point of view.
cuts short over that which length-
Having been in exile and lived as
ens." Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai
aliens for 2,000 years, the generally
says: "Behold it says (Deuteronomy
powerless Jewish communities were
27:6): "Build it (the altar) from whole
in no position to demonstrate the real
(SHLaiMos) stones — stones that
character of "their Judaism:'
bring peace (SHaLoM):'
With the establishment of the State
It would seem clear from the inter-
of Israel, we now have the opportunity
pretation of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar to put into effect our vision of "God's
and the play on words of Rabban
Nation:'
Yochanan ben Zakai that worshiping
Will it be one of militaristic nation-
and serving God should promote life
alism, of arrogance and self-righ-
and peace and decrease death and
teousness or one that demonstrates
warfare. Yet, how does one character-
the vision of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar
ize a religion?
and Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai, one
Certainly, there are numerous
that cultivates the priorities of life and
authoritative Jewish sources that seem peace?
to indicate that warfare, punishment,
This remains to be seen. ❑
death and destruction are also accept-
able and justifiable ways to do "God's
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation Or
will!'
Chadash in Oak Park.
Just look at the books of Joshua,
Judges and Kings in our Bible as well
Conversations
as the thrust of many verses and com-
Is it possible to characterize the
mandments in the Torah itself. Since
nature of any major religion? On
9-11, we have heard all kinds of char-
what basis? What determines
acterizations of Islam, ranging from
"what Judaism stands for"? Can
one end of the spectrum to the other.
each one of us make a differ-
Undoubtedly, it all depends on which
ence?
sources and which interpretations are
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January 24 • 2008
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