(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (ג) כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֧ה אֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֛יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשַׁבְתֶּם־בָּ֖הּ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֑וּ וּכְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֶֽרֶץ־כְּנַ֡עַן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶתְכֶ֥ם שָׁ֙מָּה֙ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּ וּבְחֻקֹּתֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֥א תֵלֵֽכוּ׃
(1) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: (2) Speak to the Israelite people and say to them:I the LORD am your God. (3) You shall not copy the practices of the land of Egypt where you dwelt, or of the land of Canaan to which I am taking you; nor shall you follow their laws.
(ב) כְּשֽׁוֹשַׁנָּה֙ בֵּ֣ין הַחוֹחִ֔ים כֵּ֥ן רַעְיָתִ֖י בֵּ֥ין הַבָּנֽוֹת׃
(2) Like a lily among thorns,So is my darling among the maidens.
ד) רַב חָנָן דְּצִפּוֹרִי פָּתַר קְרָיָא בִּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים,
בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם עֲשָׂרָה בְּנֵי אָדָם נִכְנָסִין לְבֵית הֶאָבֵל וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶם יָכוֹל לִפְתֹּחַ אֶת פִּיו וּלְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים, וְאֶחָד מֵהֶם פּוֹתֵחַ פִּיו וּמְבָרֵךְ, דּוֹמֶה כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים.
בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם עֲשָׂרָה בְּנֵי אָדָם נִכְנָסִין לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶם יָכוֹל לִפְרֹס עַל שְׁמַע וְלַעֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה, וְאֶחָד מֵהֶם יוֹדֵעַ, דּוֹמֶה כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים.
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָזַל לְחַד אֲתַר
אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ פְּרֹס עַל שְׁמַע,
אָמַר לָהֶן לֵינָא חָכֵם.
עֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה.
אָמַר לָהֶן לֵינָא חָכֵם,
אָמְרִין דֵּין הוּא רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, דֵּין הוּא דְּאַתּוּן מִתְגַּלְגְּלִין בֵּיהּ,
עַל מַגָּן צָוְוחִין לֵיהּ רַבִּי.
נִתְכַּרְכְּמוּ פָנָיו. וְהָלַךְ לוֹ אֵצֶל רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא רַבּוֹ,
אָמַר לֵיהּ לָמָּה פָנֶיךָ חוֹלָנִיּוֹת,
תָּנֵי לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ צָבֵי מָרִי דְּיֵלִיף,
אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִין,
אִלְפֵיהּ.
לְבָתַר יוֹמִין אָזַל לְהַהוּא אַתְרָא,
אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ פְּרֹס עַל שְׁמַע, פָּרַס.
עֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה, עָבַר.
אָמְרִין אִתְחַסַּם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר,
וְקוֹרִין לֵיהּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר חִסְמָא.
רַבִּי יוֹנָה הֲוָה מַלֵּיף לְתַלְמִידוֹי בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים, אֲמַר יֶהֱווֹן גַּבְרִין בְּכָל מִלָּה.
Rav Hanan of Tzippori interpreted the verse as applying to the practice of Gemilut Hasadim (acts of lovingkindness).
Rabbi Eleazar came to a certain place and they said to him: Recite the blessings accompanying the Shema.
He said to them: I'm not learned.
They said: Act as reader.
He said to them: I'm not learned.
They said: Is this Rabbi Eleazar?! This is the one they boast about! It is nothing that he is called "Rabbi".
His face turned pale and he went to Rabbi Akiva his master.
He said to him: Why do you look ill?
He told him what happened.
He said: Do you want to learn?
He said: Yes.
He taught him.
After some time, he came back to the same place.
They said to him:Recite the blessings for the shema. He did.
They said to him: Act as reader. He did.
They said: Rabbi Eleazar has recovered the power of speech. They called him: Rabbi Eleazar Hisma [Rabbi Eleazar the Speaker].
Rabbi Yonah used to teach his students The Mourner's Blessing.
He said: Let them be masters of every word
Assignment for November 8th
I. Choose to explore/research one aspect of Tachanun
- History, including origin and development
- Literary composition
- Theology/Meaning
- Halakhot/practices including varying practices in different Jewish communities.
II. What is your experience of Takhanun? Do you find it challenging? Does it invite you into deeper prayer? How and why? What possibilities (if any) does it open up for you?
Write up to a page of notes for Part I and a paragraph on Part 2. You will be sharing your research in small groups on November 8th and creating a brief group presentation to the class.