The Fast of the Tenth of Tebet

Tomorrow, Sunday, January 8th, we will observe the fast of Asara beTebet (10th of the month of Tebet). The fast begins at dawn and ends at dusk (in NY, the fast begins at 6:24AM or in some communities at 6:07AM, until 5:04PM/ 5:07PM).

The main event that we remember on this day is the siege of Yerushalayim by Nebukhadnezzar, king of Babylon. The siege of the city marked the beginning of the battle that finally destroyed Jerusalem and our first Bet haMiqdash in the year 586 before the common era. Hundreds of thousands of Yehudim died of starvation during the siege or were killed in battle, captured as slaves or sent as prisoners of war into exile in Babylon.

Like all fasting days, it should be dedicated to Teshuba (return, repentance). In the words of Maimonides (MT, Hilkhot Ta’anit, 5:1), during the days of fasting “we must remember our transgressions and errors, which are similar to the mistakes made by our ancestors.” These transgressions brought the destruction of our Bet HaMiqdash and the estrangement of the Shekhina, the presence of God, from our midst. The shortening of the distance between us and our Creator is in our hands. And a renewed closeness with Bore Olam will bring us closer to seeing our Bet haMiqdash, once again rebuilt.

There are two other events that we also remember on this day. The translation of the Tora into the Greek language (which occurred on the 8th of Tebet), and the death of Ezra haSofer (9th of Tebet).

On the 8th of Tebet, about 260 BCE, in Alexandria, Egypt, King Ptolemy ordered 72 Jewish scholars to translate the Tora into Greek. King Ptolemy tried to demonstrate the non-existence of a unified Jewish interpretation of the Tora, and thus to have an excuse to delegitimize Jewish tradition and humiliate the people of Israel. For this purpose, the Jewish Sages were placed in separate work rooms. Thus, thought the Greek monarch, it would be impossible for all of them to translate the biblical text in the same way. However, miraculously, all the sages translated every word of the Tora in the same way. The translation of the Tora into the Greek was considered by Jewish historiography as a very negative event. Why? Because the Hebrew Bible became from that time a book that the Gentiles boasted of fully understanding, even when they totally ignored the original language of the Tora, Hebrew, and the traditional Jewish interpretation. Three centuries later, the Septuagint paved the way for the advancement of a new oxymoron: non-Jewish “biblical” religions. As Timothy McLay explains, “the Jewish Scriptures as they were studied, read, and interpreted in the Greek language were the basis of much, if not most, of the New Testament interpretative context.” Unlike pagan cults, which were clearly antagonistic to the Tora, these new religions were supposedly based on the Tora. Ironically, the Bible was interpreted at will and whim to justify non-Jewish or even anti-Jewish ideas or beliefs “in the name of the Bible!” All this new trend caused countless tragedies for the Jewish people for centuries or millennia.

Another event we remember is the death of Ezra haSofer, which occurred on the 9th of Tebet. Seventy years after the destruction of the first Bet haMiqdash, approximately in 516 BCE, many Jews returned to Erets Israel with the encouragement of the Persian Emperor Cyrus (Koresh). A total of 42,360 Yehudim returned to Israel, led by Zerubbabel (see Ezra 2:64). Years later, in 457 BCE, more Jews made Aliyah led by Ezra the Scribe, who was assigned by the new Persian Emperor Artakhshasta as the spiritual leader of the Yehudim who came from Babel to Yerushalayim. Ezra had a very difficult mission. The Yehudim returning from Babel, where they were exiled for four or five generations, had already forgotten the Torah and its laws and had adopted many values of the Babylonian culture. Many Jews did not even know how to speak or read Hebrew. In Yerushalayim, Ezra established the Anshe Keneset haGedola, the first Jewish Parliament, a High Court composed of 120 Sages and Prophets. With them, Ezra set a number of resolutions to revive the study and fulfillment of the Tora and to re-educate the Jewish people. Ezra with his Court increased the public reading days of the Tora; composed the text of the Amida (main prayer) because people had forgotten how to pray with basic eloquence; implemented that the reading of the Tora be translated to Aramaic; adapted the names of the Hebrew months and the fonts of the biblical text (ketab ashuri), all of this to facilitate the study of Tora, etc. Ezra haSofer was considered by our rabbis as a second Moshe Rabbenu, and as the historical link between the written Tora and the oral Tora. The Tora, the rabbis explained, was forgotten during the long captivity of Babylon, and was recovered thanks to Ezra haSofer.

The Benefits of Physical Activity, According to Maimonides

הויאל והיות הגוף בריא ושלם, מדרכי ה ‘הוא, שהרי אי אפשר שיבין או יידע והוא חולה צריך אדם להרחיק עצמו מדברים המאבדין את הגוף, ולהנהיג עצמו בדברים המברים המחלימים

In the fourth chapter of MT, Hilkhot De’ot, Maimonides says that maintaining a strong and healthy body helps to prevent diseases, allowing us to serve HaShem with all our strength. “Being that maintaining a healthy and sound body is part of our service to God, since one can not understand or have knowledge of the Creator if he is ill, therefore, one must avoid everything that damages the body and get accustomed to what it is healthy and helps the body to get stronger. “ Hilkhot De’ot, 4: 1

In the same chapter, halakha 14, the celebrated rabbi and physician, explains the importance of regular physical activity.

Hilkhot De’ot 4, Halakha 14

“There is another principle with regards to physical well-being: As long as one exercises, exerts himself greatly, and does not eat to the point of satiation … he will not suffer sickness and he will grow in strength….”

This Halakha, written more than 800 years ago, sounds very familiar to our modern ears, and allows us to appreciate that our Rabbis had long known the basic principles of preventive medicine.

Maimonides also wrote, Hilkhot De’ot 4 Halakha 15

“… whoever feels idle and does not exercise, … even if he eats the proper foods and is careful to follow the rules of medicine, he will suffer pain [and disease] … and his physical strength will diminish.

I would like to share with the readers other advices from Maimonides, less known, where he also refers to the importance of physical activity. I will quote below the words of Maimonides from David J. Zulberg’s book, “The Life Transforming Diet”, a modern book of medical advice based entirely on the medical principles of HaRambam.

“Hippocrates [a renowned Greek physician, 460 – 370 BC, considered the Father of Modern Medicine] taught that exercise is the cornerstone of the preservation of health and the prevention of most illness. There is nothing that can substitute for exercise in any way” (p. 99)

“Without exercise diet alone is not sufficient for the preservation of health, and eventually medical treatment will be needed” (p. 100)

“…someone who is used to physical activity, even if he has a sick body or is old, is able to tolerate [illness and recover from it] better than a healthy person who is not used to physical activity” (p. 102)

This text is from a letter Maimonides sent to one of this patients

“As to what you mentioned, that you feel weak after exercises, the cause of this is the omission of regular exercises. If you resume exercising gradually, little by little, you will gain…strength and vitality…” (p. 102)

SEGULA FOR A GOOD HEALTH: Do not overeat, and do physical activity regularly.

SEGULOT: The Benefits of Physical Activity, According to Maimonides

הויאל והיות הגוף בריא ושלם, מדרכי ה ‘הוא, שהרי אי אפשר שיבין או

יידע והוא חולה צריך אדם להרחיק עצמו מדברים המאבדין את הגוף

ולהנהיג עצמו בדברים המברים המחלימים

In the same chapter, halakha 14, the celebrated rabbi and physician, explains the importance of regular physical activity.

Hilkhot De’ot 4, Halakha 14

This Halakha, written more than 800 years ago, sounds very familiar to our modern ears, and allows us to appreciate that our Rabbis had long known the basic principles of preventive medicine.

Maimonides also wrote, Hilkhot De’ot 4 Halakha 15

“Without exercise diet alone is not sufficient for the preservation of health, and eventually medical treatment will be needed” (p. 100)

This text is from a letter Maimonides sent to one of this patients

SEGULA FOR A GOOD HEALTH: Do not overeat, and do physical activity regularly.

The “segula” of Maimonides to enjoy good health

The indisputable reality is that our health depends on two major factors: 1. What the patient does to care for his health or to affect her own health. 2. What affects our health and is beyond our control. Of course, that which we can not control is in the hands of HaShem. Therefore, praying and asking HaShem to protect us from diseases and harmful physical conditions, and to help us heal ourselves when we are not well, is the most important factor in this equation.

We Jews believe that there is a strong interaction between the physician and HaShem. Being a doctor is one of the noblest professions, since this professional is like a proxy of God. In my own words: HaShem heals us through the doctors. When the surgeon operates, we believe that HaShem is guiding his hands.

That is why unlike other religions or cults, it is mandatory for us to visit the doctor periodically and put ourselves in the physician’s hands to preserve our health. ונשמרתם מאוד לנפשותיכם

Keeping ourselves in good health requires, first of all, routine medical controls, and especially when we have, or we suspect we have, any symptoms of a possible disease.

Maintaining a good health also involves keeping ourselves away from bad habits. For example, smoking. If I smoke, I can not expect HaShem to protect me from the consequences of tobacco. And I cannot expect the doctor to perform miraculous treatment on my lungs, while I’m still smoking.

In addition to avoiding bad habits, we also need to acquire “preventive” habits.

Many of those “segulot” to prevent diseases were formulated by haRambam, Maimonides, 800 years ago.

Maimonides, who in addition to being a great rabbi was also a famous physician, wrote an entire chapter on preventive medicine in Mishne Tora, Hilkhot De’ot, chapter 4. Anticipating the modern concept of “preventive medicine” by eight centuries, Maimonides referred to: diet, sleeping habits, physical exercise, hygiene, etc.

We’ll start by looking at what he said about eating habits.

The first thing we must improve, according to Maimonides, are our eating habits. Maimonides teaches us that we should eat in moderation. Eat to live and not live to eat.

In De’ot, chapter 4, halakha 2 Maimonides refers to overeating, in Hebrew, akhila gasa, that is, gluttony: “One should not eat until his stomach is full, but up to three-quarters of his total satisfaction.” In other words, it is not bad to stay a little hungry after we finish eating. It is actually a desirable habit.

We live in a time when most of us B”H do not have major problems with having food on our tables. In the United States, for example, the main problem related to public health is not malnutrition (lack of food). It is overeating, obesity, what has become epidemic and is said to be the number one health risk factor for millions of people.
Maimonides said it explicitly in 4:15: “Overeating (akhila gasa) is toxic to the body of any person. It is the main source of all diseases. Most diseases that afflict a person are caused either by eating harmful foods or by filling the stomach and overeating, even healthy foods. This was already suggested by King Solomon in his book of wisdom (Mishle 21:23): “Whoever cares for his mouth and tongue, keeps his soul from anguish”. “Cares for his mouth,” meaning, avoiding eating harmful foods or overeating. .. “.

I leave for the end the phrase that I consider to be the most comprehensive and practical of all Maimonides segulot, as far as the habit of eating.

4: 1 “Do not eat unless you are hungry.”

SEGULA: Repeat these words of Maimonides in Hebrew: לעולם לא יאכל אדם אלא כשהוא רעב ולא ישתה אלא כשהוא צמא Eating healthy and avoid overeating will help us to enjoy a good health.

(To be continued …)

SEGULOT: The infalible Segula of Abba Hilqiya

In Tractate Ta’anit, 23a, the Sages describe, through a real-life example, the conditions a person must have for their Tefilot (prayers) to be heard. Around the year 100 CE, there lived in Israel a very special man named Abba Hilkiya, who was the grandson of the famous Honi haMe’agel. Abba Hilkiya was famous because his prayers were always received by God.

During a year of severe drought, the prestigious Sages of Israel, the Tannaim, sent a delegation of two Rabbis to see Abba Hilkiya and ask him to pray for rain. Abba Hilkiya was very poor and worked in the fields. When the Rabbis encountered him, they greeted him, but to their surprise, Hilkiya did not respond to their greeting. The Sages also observed other extravagant behaviors: when he finished his work, he carried his tools and headed home. His outer garment, a kind of cloak or poncho, he carried folded over one of his shoulders, but instead of placing the work tools over the garment to ease the weight, he carried the heavy tools on the unprotected shoulder. Along the way, when he left the pasture and began walking along a path with thorny plants, he lifted his pants above his knees. When he arrived home, his wife came out to greet him, very well dressed and groomed. When they sat down to eat, he took out a piece of bread and divided it: he gave one piece to his wife, one piece for himself, and one piece to each of his two children. All this time, he still had not exchanged a word with the visiting Rabbis, who were astonished.

After finishing the meal, he called his wife and revealed that he knew the Sages had come to ask him to pray for rain. But, because of his extreme humility, he did not want them to attribute the rain to his prayers. Discreetly, the couple went up to the rooftop and began to pray, each one in a different corner. And as soon as they began praying, a cloud appeared on the side where his wife was praying. And it began to rain.

Abba Hilkiya came down from the rooftop and only then addressed the Sages. He said to them: “Well, as you can see, it has begun to rain. So if you came to ask me to pray, it seems it is no longer necessary.” The Rabbis said to him: “We know that you have prayed, and that it is thanks to your merit that HaShem caused the rain to fall. But before we leave, we would like to ask you some questions.” “Of course!” said Abba Hilkiya. The Sages began their questioning: “Why, when we greeted you, did you not return our greeting?” “Because I work by the hour,” he replied, “and it would not be fair to my employer for me to interrupt my work to start a conversation.” “Why didn’t you carry your tools on your garment and instead carried them on your bare shoulder?” Abba Hilkiya responded: “Because I cannot afford to buy my own cloak, and the one I use is borrowed, and if I used it to cushion the weight of the tools, it might get damaged due to my negligence.” “And why did you lift your pants instead of protecting your legs in the thorny fields?” “Because if the thorns tear my body, my body heals. But if my clothes tear, I would not have the means to replace them.” “And why was your wife so well groomed when she came out to greet you?” “Because my wife preserves her beauty exclusively for me: she knows that my eyes are only for her.” “And why did you not offer us to dine with you?” “Because I only had that piece of bread. And I did not want to falsely offer you to dine with me, knowing that you would refuse, and thus claim the credit for having invited you.” “And why did you go straight up to the rooftop?” “Because I did not want you to think that the rain came because of my merit.” “And why did the first cloud appear from your wife’s side?” “Because she has much more merit than I do. When a poor person comes to our house and asks for help, I give them a coin to buy food. But my wife always has some prepared food ready so that the poor can eat immediately and not faint from hunger.”

This is the very summarized story of Abba Hilkiya and his wife.

We thus see that, according to our Sages, there are individuals who have the gift that God listens to and answers their Tefilot.

This power does not depend on superstitions, magic, astrology, or amulets. According to our Sages, God heard this man’s prayers primarily because of his extreme honesty, integrity, and kindness. Secondly, because they did not use this “power” for their own material benefits, as they lived in extreme (and perhaps voluntary) minimalism. The Sages also highlight in this story the loyalty between Hilkiya and his wife and their constant concern for strengthening that “sacred” relationship between husband and wife. Both behaved with great simplicity, fled from fame and glory, and did not have a gram of vanity. And in the case of Abba Hilkiya’s wife, they highlight her material generosity and boundless sensitivity.

The Gemara teaches us this great lesson: there are no “tricks” or “shortcuts” for HaShem to hear and answer our Tefilot. The “segula” that matters most to HaShem, and the one that gives us the most merit for our prayers to be heard by Him, is our integrity, our humility, our Shalom Bayit, and our generosity.

These are the virtues that grant us the power to open the gates of heaven and have our prayers reach the Almighty.

Everything else is just bla bla 🙂.

What can we do so HaShem listens to our prayers?

“Segulot” are defined today as certain religious actions or acts that can influence the way HaShem behaves with us, responds to us, etc. Of course, we must be very careful not to trivialize this idea, because we can not make up Segulot or think that through certain superstitions we will ח”ו manipulate HaShem, thus imitating the worst ideas of pagan society.

Also, “Segulot” of doubtful origin must be taken with a grain of salt …

Therefore, in the next few days we will only present Segulot that are not controversial, that is, that are fully accepted in Am Israel; that can be examined under the magnifying glass of Jewish common sense, and which are based strictly on original and verifiable Jewish sources.

Let’s start with one of the most important Segulot: What should we do so HaShem listens, pays attention to, and ideally answers our prayers?

Every day we declare in the Amida, the most important prayer, ki Ata shome’a Tefilat kol pe, “You, HaShem -God- listen to the prayers of the mouths [of all those who pray to You ] “. The Rabbis of the Talmud did not say that it is necessary to wait for auspicious hours or astrologically positive times to pray, as did the pagan prophet Bil’am. In fact, we can and should pray to HaShem whenever we want (especially in order to thank Him!) or whenever we need it. And we can expect HaShem to listen to us at all times, and also to respond to our requests positively.

But there are exceptions. Sometimes, regardless of the merit of our request, HaShem does NOT listen to our prayers. These exceptions are strictly related to our behavior. If our behavior, especially with other people, is not appropriate, then our Tefilot will be rejected, and vice versa!

No one described this scenario better than the prophet Yesha’ayahu (Isaiah) when he said in the name of HaShem: (Chapter 1:15) “When you raise your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes [I will ignore you]. You would be offering many prayers, but I will not listen to them. “

Thus Yesha’ayahu tells us that sometimes HaShem ignores us and flatly rejects our prayers. Fortunately, Yesha’ayahu also explains to us in what circumstances HaShem rejects our prayers. At the end of verse 1:15 he says it explicitly. I will not listen to your prayers because “… your hands are full of blood.”

Yesha’ayahu denounced the hypocrisy of some corrupt people, who killed, robbed, cheated in their businesses, practiced bribery to corrupt justice, did not help the widows, did not defend the orphans or assisted the poor … and expected that HaShem would answer their prayers! Yesha’ayahu denounced that these people prayed and offered sacrifices to God, as if it were a form of a coercion, as if HaShem could be bribed. They had a very childish, immature and non-Jewish idea of God.

Yesha’ayahu then explained to them that there cannot be a divorce between what we do and the response of HaShem to our prayers. HaShem did not listen to the prayers of these people and rejected their sacrifices because their behavior was horrible. They came to Bet haMiqdash after doing all these immoralities and acted as if nothing had happened, or as if HaShem did not know what they actually did. Yesha’ayahu told them categorically: HaShem rejects the prayer of the corrupt.

But he also told them that they are not doomed forever. That if a corrupt person repents and improves his o her behavior, HaShem will accept him. In order for that situation to be reversed and for God to be willing to listen to their prayers, Yesha’ayahu told them what to do: (1:16-17)

“Wash yourselves, purify yourselves [from your evil deeds]. Stop doing evil, learn to practice righteousness, seek justice, defend the oppressed and fight for the cause of the orphan, plead for the widows.” Then HaShem, when He sees these good deeds, will listen carefully to your prayers.

Tomorrow BH will continue to see how the rabbis of the Gemara explained this same principle: that there is a solid relationship between our integrity and morality and the merit of our Tefilot being heard.

The Jewish Armed Resistance

As we explained yesterday, the of assimilation into Hellenic culture began a generation after the death of Alexander the Great (323 BCE). Its empire was divided among his three generals, and they began the advancement of Hellenization, that is to say, the movement so that all the people conquered by the Greeks embrace the Greek culture and religion. The Greeks introduced their beliefs and values throughout the world without any resistance: promiscuous pagan practices, idolatry, the idealization of outer beauty and the entertainment industry. All these new “values” were adopted quickly and enthusiastically by all the peoples of the Greek empire. Except for the Jewish people.

At first, the Greeks tried to assimilate the Jews thru nonviolent means. To do that, they focused their efforts on the most vulnerable people in society: the rich. Those who had more to lose. The Greeks threatened the rich with confiscating their entire fortune if they persisted in keeping Jewish practices. And they also tempted them by offering them tax reductions and aristocratic titles if they began to act completely as Greeks. Slowly many influential Jews assimilated. This situation reached its peak when during a Shabbat, Jason, a Cohen Gadol fully assimilated to the Hellenic culture, attended a sports competition in an Olympic stadium built next to the Bet haMiqdash, instead of directing the religious services in the Great Temple.

However, although many Jews followed the path of the Greeks, other Yehudim remained loyal to their faith.
In 169 BCE something occurred that would change the course of history. Antiokhus Epiphanes, the new emperor, decided that it was time to stop being good and persuasive with those obstinate Jews who still remained faithful to their religion. It was time to impose Greek values by force and eliminate the stubborn Jewish resistance. Antiokhus brought his armies to Yerushalayim. First, he forbade the Yehudim to offer the daily sacrifices in the Bet haMiqdash. Then he profaned our Bet haMiqdash, transformed it into a sanctuary for his idols and introduced his statues. He killed thousands of Jews who resisted and captured others and sold them as slaves.

In the year 167 BCE Antiochus decreed that practicing Judaism was considered a capital crime in the Greek Empire and would be punished with execution. Shabbat, Rosh Hodesh, Kashrut and in particular circumcision were banned. And the Jews were obliged to kneel in public every time they passed before a Greek idol.
At first, the Yehudim reacted passively. Thousands chose death rather than worshiping idols. Until someone decided to do something about it …

In one of their raids, the Greeks entered the city of Modi’in and ordered Matitiyahu HaCohen, the leader of the city, to offer a sacrifice to a pagan idol. The Greeks speculated that once the leader would offer a sacrifice to the Greek god, all the others would follow his example. And if the leader refused to offer the pagan sacrifice, they would kill him and put a Hellenistic Jewish leader in his place. They had done so in every Jewish city. But with Matitiyahu something different happened. In place of martyrdom (choosing to being killed instead of practicing idolatry) Matitiyahu fought and ended up killing those who brought the orders of Antiokhus. This heroic and unprecedented act, inspired the armed revolution of the Yehudim, led by Matitiyahu and his sons, against the tyrant Antiokhus.

With the help of HaShem, and after many heroic and difficult battles, the Yehudim defeated the mighty Greek army, and in the end, in 165 BCE, they purified and rededicated the Bet haMiqdash, and restored Jewish sovereignty over the land of Israel.

Rabbi Eliezer Melamed (Penine Halakha, Zemanim, 218-220) says that Antiokhus’s impatience was something “providential” (מן השמים) that pushed many Jews, especially those who assimilated, to fight for their religion. Rabbi Melamed says that if the Greeks had been more patient, the assimilation could have been much greater, and the consequences, ח”ו, could have been devastating. As it happened many times, when prohibiting the practice of Judaism, even assimilated Jews reacted and joined the rebellion.

LIGHTS, a Hanuka Story

In my opinion, this video from the 80’s, is the one that better and in more depth explains the history of Hanuka. One of the things I love the most about this video is that its narrative is significant for adults, because it has very intelligent symbolisms, as well as for children. Although the quality is far from being HD, I think it is worth seeing and analyzing it.

The beginnings of assimilation

When Alexander the Great came to Yerushalayim in 332 BCE, miraculously, he entered the city in peace. The Greek monarch was fascinated with the Cohen Gadol, the Tora and the valus of the Jewish people. Alexander, who was very smart and had been educated by Aristotle, was so amazed at the religion of the Jews that he offered to please their desires. The Yehudim did not ask for anything material, nor revenge of their many enemies, etc. They said: “We only ask that you allow us to live by our Tora in peace.”

Alexander agreed. A couple of examples: Alexander asked that an elite force be formed by Jewish soldiers, who would fight in his army. These soldiers would be allowed to fulfill their religion while serving in their ranks (Kashrut, Shabbat, etc.). There is documentation showing that Alexander the Great instructed his generals to excuse the Jewish soldiers from participating in the erection of a pagan temple in Babylon (E. Bickerman). A letter was also found where Alexander asks that a special oil be given to his Jewish soldiers in Antioquia, who refused to use the common oil (ta-me).

But over time, after a generation or two, the inevitable happened. The social and cultural contact between Jews and Greeks in Israel was friendly, daily and permanent. The Yehudim participated together with the Greek citizens in the arts, the market, and the army. There are documents from the year 259 BCE where we can see, for example, the abundant trade between the two peoples. The Greek language, which was the language of the market, came to replace the Hebrew language. The influence of the attractive Greek culture, modern technology and especially its sophisticated entertainment industry (sports, arts, theater) made a profound impact on the Yehudim of Erets Israel.

The book Yobelot (also known as בראשית זוטא) relates that as a result of the intense contact with the Greeks, many Yehudim “had already forgotten the religious precepts, stopped observing the Shabbat, ate the same foods as the Greeks and some, even married with them, and served their gods.” Many Yehudim also stopped celebrating Rosh Hodesh, that is, the beginning of Jewish month. Why? Because the Jewish calendar is solar and lunar at the same time, while the Greek calendar was just solar, and it was the civil and commercial calendar. Ben Sira, an author of that time (wrote his books around the year 190 BCE) which is sometimes quoted by the Gemara, denounced that many Yehudim were ashamed of their religion. The Jews participated in the famous Greek sports, in which the athletes had to compete being totally naked. There is evidence, in an ancient Mishnah in Pirqe Abot, that some Jews underwent a certain type of surgery to reverse their Berit Milah (מושך עורלתו), and thus be able to compete in athletic stadiums without the stigma of the circumcision (see Rambam MT, Teshubá 3: 6).

This tendency towards assimilation and abandonment of Judaism occurred, as is often the case today, not because the Jews were “forced” to abandon Judaism. Little by little many Yehudim left the Tora and were influenced by the Greek culture, their way of thinking and acting. Without the observance of the Mitzvot and without social barriers that protected them from integration into the Gentile society (Jews spoke Greek, dressed like Greeks and even had Greek names), little by little and perhaps without realizing it, they were losing their identity. ..

And all this occurred decades before Antiokhus Epiphanes (215 BC -164 BCE) established his decrees prohibiting Jewish practice.

Of course, not all Jews were assimilated. Many Yehudim, perhaps half or a little less, despite being integrated “commercially” with the Gentile society, still continued to fulfill the Tora and guarded the social barriers that prevented assimilation.

Thus, in the times of the Hashmonaim, the heroes of Chanukah (175-165 BCE) there were already two very distinct camps within the Jewish people: those Yehudim who had voluntarily assimilated or Hellenized (mityavnim), and on the other side those who remained faithful to their religion, unconditionally.

To be continued…

TENTH COMMANDMENT: Three ideas to overcome envy

1. Ostentation.

Envy can not be completely eradicated. But there is something we can do to minimize envy, or at least not to encourage it. We can behave with “humility” and act in the opposite way that a consumerist society proposes: avoiding exhibitionism of our material goods. We can refrain from boasting about the expensive vacations we take, and showing off the parties we celebrate or the clothes we wear, or in the car we drive. Learning to show less than what we have, is a valuable habit that is worth cultivating. I’m not referring here to living with austerity, which is a personal choice, but to avoid exhibitionism. I have the right to enjoy what HaShem allowed me to gain through my honest effort. But still, and especially in front of others, I must behave modestly and humbly, and never look down at those who have less than me. Especially, not falling into the trap set by consumer society, which encourages us to impress others and arouse their envy.

2. Which way should I look?

If envy is a natural instinct, impossible to eradicate, at least it must be channeled in a positive way. As we have already explained, there are areas of life in which envy, far from being negative can help us grow. For that, we must learn where to look. There is a pasuq (verse) of the Tora, which although it refers to an issue unrelated to envy, serves as a mnemonic reference on this sensitive subject. The Tora says that HaShem is our God, and that there are no other gods either “in the heavens and above, nor on earth and below.” Let’s apply this idea to the area of envy. “In heavens” means in spiritual subjects: knowledge, integrity, relationship with God, etc. In all these “heavenly” subjects, I must look upwards, that is, I can and must compare myself and “envy” the one who is better than I. Envy / admiration in these areas is the best incentive to stimulate our own growth. Also, I should aspire to have friends who are better than me in the “heavenly” areas. Watch them, admire them and “envy” them in a way that would lead me to imitate them.

On the other hand we have, “On earth, below” in earthly affairs, in all that has to do with material subjects, I must look down, that is, I must compare myself with the one who has less than I. If I have 10, I should not look at the one who is 15 and envy him or her. That attitude will only lead me to feel miserable and frustrated. I must look at those who have less than I do. I must think that Barukh HaShem (Thank God!) I have 10, which is much more than 9, 8 or 7. And when I compare myself with those who have less than I, I suddenly value much more what I have.

We must adopt the habit of “orienting” our eyes up or down, as we are talking about matters that concern the material or the spiritual.

3. Emuna.

Finally, the most important habit to overcome envy is Emuna, faith in HaShem. There are several levels of faith in God. First, of course, is the belief in Him, and all the theological and philosophical aspects related to His existence. Then, part of the Jewish faith is also to know that HaShem “masbia lekhol hai ratson”, feeds and maintains each one of His creatures according to His will, that is, to His determination. Emuna means the “acceptance” that HaShem is ultimately the one who determines how much we would have materially. In the context of envy, “Emuna” refers to this very high level of faith. To know that despite our maximum labor efforts, HaShem has the last word: He decides how much I earn, how much I have and how much I have left. And it is He who determines how much my neighbor makes and how much my neighbor has. Knowing, recognizing and accepting, for example, that if He wanted to, and despite my tremendous efforts, I could have much less than what I actually have (if ח”ו I get sick, or I have an accident, etc.). Knowing that HaShem is in charge, must inspire me with a great inner peace, He gives me what He considers that I deserve and need, and I accept it in peace. This thought is an integral part of the Jewish faith.

One last idea: Knowing, acknowledging and accepting that HaShem “is in charge” is exactly the message of the First Commandment. If the reader remembers it, we explain it as follows: “I, HaShem, I am your God”, means: “I, HaShem, I am in charge of you, as demonstrated by having set you free from Egypt, the house of bondage.” And if HaShem is in charge of what I have and what my neighbor has, envying my neighbor puts in doubt my belief in Him, or my faith in His justice or His judgment. To envy is to challenge the premise that ultimately HaShem is “Eloqekha”, my God, our God.

In this way we now conclude our learning of the Ten Commandments, seeing that the Last Commandment brings us back to the First, thus closing an important circle of Mitsvot that we must constantly remember.

תם ונשלם שבח לאל בורא עולם

TENTH COMMANDMENT: What Is The Opposite Of Envy?

וראך ושמח בלבו

Yesterday we explored the concept of “evil eye” and explained that the attitudes we have towards others in regards to envy or generosity are defined in Hebrew with expressions associated with the eyes. The “bad eye” (עין רעה) describes a lack of generosity or selfishness; the “eye of the wicked” (עין הרע) defines envy and jealousy; a “beautiful eye” (עין יפה) refers to the qualities of goodness and material detachment; and a “good eye” (עין טובה) defines altruism and nobility of character.

Let us focus in this last concept, “a good eye” to understand better the phenomenon of envy.

עין טובה: Envy is a recurring theme in the Tora. Ironically, almost all the brothers in the book of Bereshit, Genesis, from Cain and Abel to Yosef and his brothers, struggled at some point with envy. Feelings of envy appear in matters related to birthright, to parental attention for children, or competing for Divine attention.

The first brothers who succeeded in completely avoiding the phenomenon of envy are at the same time the last brothers who appear in the book of Bereshit: Ephraim and Menashe, the sons of Yosef. Ya’aqob Abinu blessed his grandson Ephraim before Menashe, who was the firstborn and should have been blessed first. Menashe accepted his grandfather’s choice, which had practical implications; the text does not indicate that he reacted badly or had any resentments toward his younger brother’s success. Thus the book of Bereshit begins with fratricide, one brother killing the other, and slowly progresses into fraternal harmony. In terms of overcoming envy, what could be better than accepting the success of the other?

In the next book of Tora, Shemot, we encounter Moshe and his older brother Aharon. HaShem reveals Himself to Moshe and orders him to deliver Israel from Egypt. At one point HaShem also instructs Moshe for Aharon to join him and assist him. At that point, the Tora expresses what will happen when Aharon meets Moshe: וראך ושמח בליבו, “And he [Aharon] will see you and he will rejoice in his heart”. It is important to note two signiciant aspects of this episode. First, the Tora is preparing its readers to understand that we are talking about feelings related to envy / altruism. Although no “eyes” are mentioned, the Tora uses a verb associated with sight: “And he shall see you.” Second, Aharon will rejoice “in his heart,” that is, internally, not as an external formality but in a truly genuine way.

Additionally, it is crucial to recall that Aharon was the older brother. Perhaps today we do not give much importance to this detail of birth, but in those times the elder brother was expected to be the natural leader of the family. And when this order was not preserved, the family harmony was on the verge of collapse. Aharon as the older brother should have been appointed as the leader who would set Israel free. Instead, his role was now to be his younger brother’s assistant, his shadow. However, not only did Aharon have no misgivings, and accepted his new role (as happened with Menashe), but Aharon also rose to a higher level: he was happy, joyful, for his younger brother’s assignment as a leader. And his joy was neither protocolar nor forced. It was a totally sincere and unconditional joy.

This is עין טובה, “the good eye,” the ability to rejoice over the success of others.

The “good eye” is the attitude completely opposed to envy. In fact, it is the best and most effective antidote against all the evils of envy. But having a “good eye” is not easy or very common, since it requires a very high level of spirituality and material detachment. Do you know people like that? It is uncommon to find many people with this type of altruism. Achieving this level of generosity can take a lifetime of hard work in the refinement of our character. But the effort is worth it, since mastering the virtue of a “good eye” is the best guarantee of a happy, elevated and fulfilled life.

Tomorrow, BH, we will finish our analysis of the Tenth Commandment “Do not envy” and we will see how we can gravitate towards the “good eye” level.