The Word of Trust
10 August 2008 - 10 אב 5768 by Huw
HERE IS THIS Story about Rabbi Eliezer Ben Hircanus, a student about St Paul’s age, that I’ve cited before. It’s an important tale from the Midrash because it explains the Midrash, the entirety of the Talmudic process by which the meaning of Jewish Law is expanded to include things not actually there. It lets us take this week’s readings and build on the readings from last week, when Jacob was named “he who wrestles with God”.
This oven was a new invention created by a certain man named Achnai. Achnai brought his new oven to the rabbinical court at the house of study for them to give his contraption their imprimatur and deem it appropriate for Jewish use. With the exception of Rabbi Eliezer, every sage at the house of study declared that the oven was un-kosher. Rabbi Eliezer brought forward every imaginable argument to try and convince the other sages that the oven was kosher, but none of his colleagues was convinced. Rabbi Eliezer was getting frustrated, and he shouted at them: “If Achnai’s oven is in fact kosher, as I say it is, then let this carob tree prove it!” And the carob tree flew out of the ground and landed a hundred cubits away. Unimpressed, the other sages retorted: “No proof can be brought from a carob tree.” Again Rabbi Eliezer implored them: “If the oven is kosher, then let the stream of water prove it.” And the stream of water flowed backwards. “No proof can be brought from a stream of water,” the rabbis rejoined. More frustrated than ever, Rabbi Eliezer cried out: “If the oven is kosher, as I say it is, let the walls of this house of study prove it!” And the walls began to fall inward. But Rabbi Joshua rebuked the collapsing walls saying: “When scholars are engaged in a disagreement over a point of Jewish law, what right do you have to interfere?” And the walls did not fall in honor of Rabbi Joshua, nor did they resume their upright position in honor of Rabbi Eliezer. Again Rabbi Eliezer said to the sages, “If the law agrees with me regarding the fact that Achnai’s oven is kosher, then let it be proved by heaven.” And a heavenly voice cried out: “Why do you rabbis argue with Eliezer? He’s always right in his interpretation of the law!” But Rabbi Joshua arose and exclaimed to the sky: “‘It is not in Heaven’ (Deuteronomy 30:12). One must follow the majority!” At that moment, the sages say, God laughed, saying “My children have defeated me! My children have overruled me!”.
The source for this telling is here.
The idea is clear: God doesn’t want his people to be stuck in a dead, literalist text. Yes, there are some Jews who are, essentially, biblical fundamentalists. But they are cut off from the main stream of the last 2000 years of evolution in their faith. There are some Christians who are, essentially, biblical Fundamentalists. But they are cut off from the main stream of the last 2000 years of evolution in their faith.
But that story of the Oven, itself a commentary, is not the end. It branches out into other stories: Here is talk from Daniel J.H. Greenwood on this same story. In Greenwood’s essay we discover that Eliezer is the brother-in-law of Gamliel - who was the teacher of Rav’ Sha’ul: whom many know as St Paul. Paul, too, entered into this debate. And I think today’s readings includes Paul’s commentary on the verse, on this story. Maybe Paul even knew of his fellow student’s debates?
“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say?
“The word is near you,
on your lips and in your heart”
Paul makes his own reading of the verse - fully in keeping with the rabbinic commentary - whereby it signifies Jesus.
לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם, הִוא
Lo ba-shamayim hu
The word - that is Jesus - is very near. Present and active in our lives and in our daily experiences. Not - as the rabbis show - as miraculous signs or as a literal interpretation of the text, but as a process of debate and evolution within the Community of Faith: as a process of (pardon the neologism) Israeling. Wrestling with God.
That Rabbinic story ends with the line, “My children have bested me”. That is not a show of disrespect: we take what God has given us and grow. That is, after all, the point.
