La obligación de la cuñada

Israel Surrenders the Temple Mount

This week’s question comes from Jeff:

I was surprised to hear that Judaism believes in reincarnation. I was told that in Jewish thought, reincarnation only happens under certain conditions. Is that true? If it is, what are these conditions and is there Biblical support of this?

The concept of reincarnation most likely predates the receiving of our Torah at Mt.Sinai 3300 years ago. Curiously there is no direct mention of reincarnation in the Torah. Nonetheless, the fact that the Zohar (attributed to the teachings of 2nd Century Mishnaic scholar Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai) mentions reincarnation explicitly (as we will see later), it falls within the pale of Torah Judaism, according to many authorities. Whether or not other cultures developed an independent tradition concerning reincarnation or it was disseminated to them by early Biblical figures, probably makes little difference. However, a brief explanation of the concept, which forms the center-piece of two major world religions, is worth mentioning to get a better grasp of the Jewish concept.

In Hinduism, it is believed that an immortal soul survives after death, spends a variable amount of time in another realm, and then becomes associated with a new body. Rebirth into the opposite sex or, under certain circumstances, into a nonhuman animal form is not only considered possible, but certain religious practices reinforce this notion. Of course, Hinduism includes the concept of karma, the idea that the conditions into which one is born are determined by one’s conduct in previous lives. (Not inconsistent with certain kabbalistic teachings), many Hindus believe life on Earth is considered undesirable, and an individual should engage in various religious practices in each life until eventually earning liberation from the cycle of rebirth, shedding individuality and ego, and achieving union with the infinite spirit ( nirvana ).

Buddhism shares some concepts with Hinduism but also has some significant differences. In particular, Theravada Buddhism, found in the southern parts of Asia, emphasizes the doctrine of anatta, or no soul, which states there is no enduring entity that persists from one life to the next. At the death of one personality, a new one comes into being, much as the flame of a dying candle can serve to light the flame of another. When an individual dies, a new personality is born, generally first into a non-terrestrial plane of existence followed later by a new terrestrial reality. (Interestingly, Talmudic and post-Talmudic sources discuss a heavenly repository for souls following this existence, where they remain until Techiat Hamesim, or the “Resurrection,” reuniting body and soul in this world) As in Hinduism, karma determines the circumstances of subsequent lives, so there is continuity between personalities but not persistence of identity. In fact, Theravada Buddhists prefer the term rebirth to reincarnation.

As mentioned above, the rationale behind reincarnation or transmigration in Judaism is dealt with in the Zohar in a long passage called Saba d’Mishpatim. The central idea is that reincarnation, or gilgul, has two purposes: a) to rectify sin; b) to acquire higher levels of soul. The former types of souls are the “old souls” referred to above, while the latter are “new souls,” which do not require rectification as such. Soul must be reincarnated either because of sin or because it failed to completely fulfill its obligations in Torah and mitzvot, or to assist another person (such as a wife for her husband). In extreme cases, a soul reincarnates solely to interact with one individual, a family, or community. Infant mortality is often explained in kabbalistically-guided Judaism as a way for either the parents to learn a profound lesson tailored made for them, or the soul of this child belonged to an otherwise saintly individual who was lacking some minor experience, which could only be fulfilled by returning for a month, six months or a few years.

In the aforementioned section of the Zohar on Parshas Mishpatim, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai began his discourse reciting the verse:

“These are the ordinances (‘mishpatim’) that you shall place before them…” (Exodus. 21:2).

The Targum translates this as “these are the judgments [‘mishpatim’] that you shall arrange before them.” This refers to the coordination of gilgulim [reincarnations, sing. gilgul] – the judgments of souls that must be reincarnated and return to this world to receive the consequences of their actions for which they have been judged and sentenced.

The entire discourse of Rabbi Shimon is rather lengthy and complex, and fascinating to study. Reincarnation was a serious topic to him. However, it’s not the purpose of this response to delve deeply into the minutiae of the Jewish reincarnation. My hope is that this serves as a citation of the source for the phenomenon and catalyst to encourage readers to investigate this traditional Talmudic and Zoharic passages to gain a better insight into this fascinating aspect of Judaism.

One later source who elaborates on this topic was Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-1572), also known by the acronym “Ari” or “Arizal.” He was one of the greatest kabbalists of all times, he founded a new school in Kabbalah – the so-called “Lurianic Kabbalah” – which is the basis of almost all mystical works that followed him. His chief disciple, Rabbi Chaim Vital, wrote several treatises of his master later called Kitvei HaAri, which were divided in various “Shaarim,” or “Gates.” Prominent among these works is a rather lengthy exposition on reincarnation called “Shaar HaGilgulim,” (Gate of Reincarnation).

Según tomado de, http://www.virtualjerusalem.com/judaism.php?Itemid=2438 el martes, 4 de nov. de 2014.

So you want to convert to Judaism? It’s not that easy
From JTA’s special series on conversion: Becoming a Jew isn’t easy; here is a breakdown of the options in the United States.
By Uriel Heilman

Conversion class at Beit Daniel
Beit Daniel in Tel Aviv purportedly has the biggest Reform conversion school in the world today. It is quite a claim to fame, considering Tel Aviv is hardly the world center of Reform Judaism. Photo by Nir Keidar

Dear Friend,

I understand you’re considering converting to Judaism. Shalom aleichem!

What sort of conversion would you like?

If Orthodox, the answer is no, no, no. Tradition dictates that prospective converts be rebuffed three times as a test of their true commitment.

For a more welcoming denomination, try Reform Judaism. In 1978, then-movement leader Rabbi Alexander Schindler called for discontinuing the custom of rejection and instead responding “openly and positively to those God-seekers whose search leads them to our door.”

This summer — 36 years later — the Conservative movement followed suit.

“Tradition has often not done much to encourage it. That must change,” Arnold Eisen, the chancellor of the movement’s Jewish Theological Seminary, wrote of conversion in a Wall Street Journal column in July. “Why? Because Judaism needs more Jews, and has a lot to offer them.”

Are Americans finding the call to Judaism appealing? We have no idea. None of the major Jewish denominations keeps comprehensive records on converts.

About 200 Orthodox converts per year are certified by the Rabbinical Council of America, but not all Orthodox conversions go through the RCA system. Likewise, the Reform movement’s collection of conversion certificates at the American Jewish Archives in Cincinnati — about 800-900 are added per year — is purely voluntary and not limited to Reform converts.

There is some survey data, however. The Pew Research Center’s 2013 poll of 3,475 American Jews counted 52 converts — 1.6 percent of respondents. Fifty-four percent of them identified as Reform, 27 percent as Conservative and 8.5 percent as Orthodox.

A 2011 community survey by UJA-Federation of New York found that fewer than 2 percent of interviewees identified as converts. Yet more than 5 percent said they were born outside the faith but considered themselves Jewish despite not having formally converted.

But quality is more important than quantity anyway, no?

So why are you converting? Is it for the argumentation? The jokes? Our secret gefilte fish recipe?

If it’s because you’re in love with a Jew, you’re in good company. Up to one-third of Orthodox converts and two-thirds of Conservative converts choose Judaism for this reason, according to rabbis involved in conversion programs. Conversion may be unnecessary if you’re open to a Reform wedding: Reform Judaism permits interfaith marriages, though roughly half of all Reform rabbis still abjure officiating at them.

Many non-Jews become “Jews by choice” because they’re spiritual seekers. Others are already involved in a Jewish community. Especially in the Reform movement, many converts are longtime community members who formally join the faith only after years spent married to a Jew, raising children as Jews and attending synagogue.

That doesn’t mean newbies aren’t welcome, of course. After 14 weeks or so in a Reform Introduction to Judaism course, you may be invited to join the Jewish people — even if you don’t yet feel fully Jewish.

“A more traditional approach to conversion might say you go through a period of study, you get tested and then you’re ready to convert,” said Rabbi Josh Bennett of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Mich., the largest Reform synagogue in the United States. “The Reform movement at Temple Israel argues that conversion is somewhere in the middle of the process.”

Just make sure you’re committed: Once you convert, there’s no going back (according to most opinions).

You can, however, go for more. In fact, a substantial proportion of Orthodox converts are one-time Reform and Conservative converts who want the imprimatur of an Orthodox conversion, or individuals raised as Jews who subsequently realized they didn’t qualify as Jewish according to traditional Jewish law, or halachah.
Ready to join? You’ll have to go before a three-judge religious panel called a beit din, declare your fidelity to the faith and probably take a dip in the mikvah — required by Orthodox and Conservative, encouraged by Reform.

Oh, and there’s the little matter of your foreskin. If you’re an uncircumcised male, you’re going to have to get rid of it — at least if you’re converting Orthodox or Conservative. If you’re already medically circumcised, they’ll make do with a symbolical drawing of blood from your place of circumcision, a ritual called called hatafat dam brit.

Ready to move on to some of conversion’s benefits? I thought so.

For one thing, you can have a Conservative or Orthodox wedding (assuming you get the corresponding conversion). Membership in the tribe also entitles you to Israeli citizenship. But beware: Depending on who converted you, you may be subject to some restrictions in Israel.

The Orthodox-controlled Chief Rabbinate in Israel does not recognize non-Orthodox conversions, so you won’t be able to marry a Jew there if you converted Conservative or Reform. Orthodox converts must prove their Jewish bona fides, and the Chief Rabbinate has been known to look suspiciously even on some rabbis affiliated with the Rabbinical Council of America.

Still interested? I hope you’re not in too much of a rush. Like a good brisket, conversion takes time.

Both the Conservative and Reform movements offer Introduction to Judaism classes throughout the United States that meet for about three hours weekly over the course of 14 to 18 weeks.

Adam Greenwald, a Conservative rabbi and director of the Miller Introduction to Judaism program at American Jewish University in Los Angeles, says he encourages prospective converts to have at least three months of “active Jewish living” before they take the plunge. Don’t worry: That doesn’t mean you have to commit to observing Conservative Judaism in all its facets.

“What I tell people is, in order to convert they need to be engaging with all of the areas of Jewish life,” Greenwald said. “If they say ‘this is how I currently reflect my Jewish commitments in my diet,’ and there’s some intentionality around it, that’s sufficient for our purposes.”

Orthodox conversion requires commitment to all of the Torah’s 613 commandments and the minutia of rabbinic law, so expect to spend a year or more studying with a rabbi or religious mentor.

“There has to be a sense there’s a fluency for how to live life as an observant Jew — Shabbos, kashrut, lifecycle, family purity, basic concepts of Jewish philosophy and history,” said Rabbi Mark Dratch, executive vice president of the Rabbinical Council of America. “There’s no expectation that a potential convert will know everything. That’s more than a lifetime challenge.”

Once you do convert, remember: You’re in good company. You’ll be joining the patriarch Abraham, the biblical Ruth and Sammy Davis Jr. Maybe you’ll even run into Gwyneth Paltrow at the mikvah.

Good luck!

Segun tomado de, http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-features/1.619493 el lunes, 3 de nov. de 2014.

THE LIGHTHOUSE
by Rabbi Eliyahu Fink
Rabbis, scandal, voyeurism – and protecting converts to Judaism from abuse
Converts are at the mercy of their sponsoring rabbi and at a vulnerable time in their lives. We are all responsible for ensuring they are not exploited.
By Rabbi Eliyahu Fink

A conversion class at Beit Daniel. Photo by Nir Keidar

Israeli Rabbinate to review conversions performed by ‘peeping’ D.C. rabbi.

The digital era has given society many gifts. Near the top of the list of those gifts is easy access to information and the rapid speed at which information can be shared. Perhaps this explains why it feels like scandals are reported in media at an alarming rate. Today it is nearly impossible to limit the reach of any given story: The Internet has created a global community in which we know and care more about people and events from every corner of the globe. As a result, we learn more about people behaving badly more often and more quickly than at any other time in history – including rabbis.

In recent days, Kesher Israel, a prominent Modern Orthodox synagogue in Washington D.C. and its community has been reeling from a terrible scandal. Their rabbi, Barry Freundel, was arrested on charges of voyeurism and it is alleged that he installed a camera in the equivalent of a women’s locker room where he filmed potential converts in varying degrees of undress before their ritual bath. Indeed, the shockwaves in the aftermath of this scandal reverberate well beyond the District and are being felt across the entire Jewish world.

Generally, rabbinic ‘scandals’ come in one of two varieties. Some scandals merely involve flawed human behavior that is only considered scandalous because of the stature of the rabbinic figure. If a non-rabbi would commit the same acts there would be no story. In my opinion, these are not scandals. Human beings behaving in a manner consistent with other human beings are not news. After all, rabbis are people too.

Rabbis are often subject to an artificially constructed angelic standard. This is the flip side of the coin that deifies rabbis and attributes clairvoyance or miracles to rabbis. Rabbis are viewed as being capable of the supernatural because they live supernatural lives and therefore, are not like the rest of us. They are a more perfect kind of person. Under this standard, the public feigns surprise when rabbis share their struggles or flaws with their followers and critics. After all, rabbis are supposed to be above the petty concerns of the masses.

Such standard is not fair or realistic and we are setting ourselves up for inevitable disappointment. Rabbis should be held to an achievable human standard.

The other kind of scandal – as appears to be the case in Washington – is when a rabbi commits an act that would be destructive or unethical regardless of one’s clergy status. Or alternatively, when a rabbi exploits his position of authority to manipulate or harm others. These scandals are worthy of our outrage.

We should be outraged whenever one person causes direct harm to another, and it is particularly egregious when one uses their position of authority to do so. That is not merely hurtful – it is the very definition of abuse. When a rabbi or any authority figure abuses others they forfeit their right to lead. Abuse causes deep spiritual and psychological damage and removing an authority figure who acts abusively prevents them from causing more damage in the future. Without power, the abusive rabbi loses access to victims and the potential harm is averted.

When people undergoing massive life changes on the scale of converting to Judaism they are particularly vulnerable. A person who decides to convert is typically working through a very challenging period of their life. Conversion is a very difficult process made even more challenging by its very nature – everything is new, everything is strange. No one converts twice. It’s a first – and last – time experience for every convert. Most importantly, the convert is at the mercy of her sponsoring rabbi and therefore fears upsetting the rabbi and running the risk of ruining the entire conversion process.

This scandal isn’t the first time we’ve heard of a rabbi exploiting his power in the conversion process. In 2009, it was discovered that a rabbi was exploiting potential converts for sexual favors. The outrage towards this rabbi was deserved and he was forced out of his position of authority. But as the details of the events at Kesher Israel emerge, it appears that the Orthodox establishment did not learn its lesson five years ago.

If found guilty, Rabbi Freundel will be held responsible for his misdeeds, but we, the Jewish community would also bear responsibility for allowing this to happen – again.

Taking advantage of a prospective convert is too easy to do and too hard to uncover once it happens. Will we learn our lesson this time or will we be complicit in another scandal in which a single rabbi is given too much unbridled power? Significant oversight of rabbis administering conversions that can prevent such abuse must be standard operating practice in the process. When power is granted and that power has been abused in the past, we have a duty to protect any potential future victims. This is true in any situation, but it is especially true when the potential victims of abuse are bravely volunteering to become part of the Jewish people.

The Torah enjoins us not to oppress the convert and also commands us to love the convert. American Orthodox conversion has now been rocked by two massive scandals of rabbis abusing potential converts in the last few years. Clearly we are not doing enough to prevent oppression and demonstrate our love towards converts. That needs to change immediately.

Según tomado de, http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/the-lighthouse/.premium-1.621147 el lunes, 3 de nov. de 2014.