Disclaimer: This blog is not written from Malicious purposes. It was designed to make people think.
So, on my daily stop at Derek Leman's blog, he point me to another blog, Ovadia's, Here:http://orgadol.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/the-messianic-liturgy-introduction/
Since Derek's wish is my command...I hurry to click and arrive at Ovadia's blog where I read quite an interesting, and ambitious plan from a convert who wants to teach Jews how to be Jews. Kind of like teaching the father how to make children....
Among others Ovadia writes: "I believe the way forward for Messianic Judaism is the way back to the roots of the broader, deeper, more ancient pattern of K'lal Israel, not forward into more of what Messianic Judaism has been doing the last 30-40 years."
Hmmm...And I thought that Messianic Judaism before 40 years was part of K'lal Church, not K'lal Israel?
In his ambitious plan, Ovadia, likes to rearrange a whole shopping list of Jewish liturgy (I wonder how this is going to play with Kinzer and the gang...)
One Item on Ovadia's list is the Siddur. In the Shacharit part of the siddur there is a blessing that goes like this:" Blessed are you Hashem our God, for not having made me a Gentile." I wonder what goes in Ovadia's and Derek's mind when they encounter this blessing every morning. Are they satisfied with a Judaism that has this in their liturgy?
I know that there is a rabbinic ruling for them to simply avoid saying the blessing, but I would like to know what goes in their minds and heart, also other converts?
"In the Shacharit part of the siddur there is a blessing that goes like this:" Blessed are you Hashem our God, for not having made me a Gentile." I wonder what goes in Ovadia's and Derek's mind when they encounter this blessing every morning. Are they satisfied with a Judaism that has this in their liturgy?"
ReplyDeleteDan, if you knew the HEART behind the blessing [or the heart behind anything in Judaism for that matter], you would know that it has NOTHING to do with Jews slighting Gentiles, nothing to do with any kind of racism, as you imply. Instead, Jews [Jewish men in particular] bless G-d for making them such that they are able to take on and fulfill the greater number of the commandments of HaShem, greater than a Jewish woman, greater than a slave, or a Gentile.
Gene,
ReplyDeleteKind of like "My father is bigger than your father..."
Personally, since I'm neither Jewish, nor a convert, I pray:
ReplyDeleteבָּרוךְ...אֲשֶׁר נָתַן גַּם־לַגּוֹיִם אֵת הַתְּשׁוּבָה לַחַיִּים.
based on Acts 11:18
Gene,
ReplyDeleteGive us a break...All you have to do is look at what is happening in Israel, where the Charedim are up in arms to expel Gentile children, some of them who were born in the country. For what reason? So they can "fulfill the greater number of the commandments of Hashem?" OY.....
Thanks Darren, a very good prayer.
ReplyDeleteTo fulfill the commandment of being thankful about not being a gentile, you must spit on at least one gentile thrice a day.
ReplyDelete" To fulfill the commandment of being thankful about not being a gentile, you must spit on at least one gentile thrice a day.
ReplyDelete"
Zion/Jeruz - I am surprised you would sink to antisemitism.
Gene,
ReplyDeletePlease stop with the red herring and toxic comments, and don't get personal. I did not let your comment go through.
Gene said: “Instead, Jews [Jewish men in particular] bless G-d for making them such that they are able to take on and fulfill the greater number of the commandments of HaShem, greater than a Jewish woman, greater than a slave, or a Gentile.”
ReplyDelete---
My reply:
For a Messianic believer, how does this fit in with the earlier chapters of Romans which make it clear that ALL, both Jew and gentile are equally unable to meet God’s requirements? That ALL fall short. ALL have sinned.
Basically that Jews are no more capable of fulfilling commandments than anyone else. Also, is it SUFFICIENT to fulfil a “greater number of commandments”?
IS it not the case that in breaking one ALL have been broken?
Surely God does not leave us with an acceptable pass level where we can scrape through with anything less than 100% obedience?
It’s not enough to achieve 51%, 75% or even 99%.
Even if Jews could achieve 99% and gentiles only 49%, in God’s eyes both have failed neither have shown greater compliance to the commandments than the other.
All I can add is thank God for Jesus.
Dan (and Gene):
ReplyDeleteI have no problem criticizing elements of the tradition. Anyone who reads Jewish literature knows that many traditions are not fixed or universal and there is room for differences.
So, I never said the "thank you for not making me a gentile" or "woman" for that matter.
I think they are both heinous. I think those who defend them are making excuses.
Is Orthodox Judaism xenophobic and chauvinist? You betcha. Modern Orthodox are keeping the good parts and weeding out the bad, so I am happy to see that trend and hope it continues.
Many religious traditions find unhelpful prejudices from the past within and the thing to do is repent, change, and keep the good traditions, not defend the un-defendable.
Derek Leman
Derek,
ReplyDeleteThanks. A very truthful and insightful response.
"I think they are both heinous. I think those who defend them are making excuses."
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing "heinous" about these blessings, Derek, if one knows their background and origins. Traditional Jewish women pray from the same siddur as men, without voicing indignation - they know that the blessings are tied to mitzvot. Of course, as just about everything in Judaism, the origins of most things are based on the Bible and have no more to do with xenophobia and chauvinism, than Yeshua telling disciples not to "be like Gentiles" (or even referring to Gentiles as "dogs"), or Paul telling Peter "We are Jews and not Gentile sinners"). The issue is CONTEXT.
We find the blessings first mentioned in the Tosefta (parallel work to the Mischah, containing opinions by the Tannaim (Rabbis prior to the years 200 c.e.)
Rabbi Judah says: A person must say three blessings daily: "Blessed... who did not make me a gentile; "Blessed... who did not make me an ignoramus"; "Blessed... who did not make me a woman.; "A gentile," because it says, "All nations are as nothing before Him; they are counted to Him as less then nothing and vanity" (Isaiah 40:17.) "An ignoramus," for an ignoramus does not fear sin. "A woman," for women are not obligated to perform commandments.
Of course, just as women are not obligated to many commandments, neither are the Gentiles.
So, we find that the very first blessings (about "nations") is based on Isaiah 40:17. G-d, of course, is not being xenophobic here either, is he? Voicing things in the negative was a common pattern of expression among the ancients.
No need to project our modern sense of political correctness on the sensibilities of the ancients and the reasons certain things were established unless we are prepared to also throw out seemingly racist and sexist sayings of our L-rd or the apostles out of New Testament as well.
@Gene, I am deeply saddened, I agree with you on this one < grin >.
ReplyDeleteI pray the fifteen blessings, and I am surprised that Derek thinks these are reserved for only "ultra-orthodox." The "modern orthodox" (who calls themself that, anyway?) that I know pray this as well, so I am not sure where you are coming from. These are mainstream blessings found in all Siddurim that are not conservative/reformed. It is in all ArtScroll as well as the new Koren Siddur.
This thread unfairly characterizes the fifteen blessings. So let's read them all:
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the Universe, Who gave the heart understanding to distinguish between day and night.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe for not having made me a gentile.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe for not having made me a slave.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe for not having made me a woman.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who gives sight to the blind.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who clothes the naked.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who releases the bound.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who straightens the bent.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who spreads out the earth upon the waters.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who has provided me my every need.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who firms man's footsteps.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who girds Israel with strength.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who crowns Israel with splendor.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who gives strength to the weary.
Blessed are you HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who removes sleep from my eyes and slumber from my eyelids…
That is a beautiful prayer.
Rick,
ReplyDeleteNo one is criticizing the 15 blessings, that is a stretch on your part. Growing up and understanding the nuances of religion and politics of Israel, one cannot escape the fact that the main aim of the charedim is to preserve the purity of the Jews. and if it takes discriminating against Gentiles, so be it.
The amazing thing is,they think that one move of the knife will erase you ethnicity and make you pure..Hallelujah!!!
@Dan, I understand your point, and I am well aware of the attitudes of some. However, I disagree with Derek's characterization of these blessings as "heinous." It seems to stem from ignorance of the origin of these blessings. The Talmud ties them to pure thankfulness upon arising; for HaShem's chesed and an opportunity to sanctify His Name in the world - they are positive, not negative.
ReplyDeleteTheir tone is the same as the Aleinu.
"The Talmud ties them to pure thankfulness upon arising..."
ReplyDeleteRight on, Rick...
I don't currently say those blessings as part of my prayers but I have in the past. Obviously, as a Gentile, I couldn't say "...for having not made me a Gentile", so I modified it to thanking God for having made me a Gentile according to His will.
ReplyDeleteI tended to avoid the one about women as a matter of principle, but I don't have a problem with anyone else saying the full list of blessings if, as you say, their intent it to elevate God through their use.
This is one of the problems with people saying such blessings who aren't familiar with them or their origins. There's a tendency to misunderstand what they mean.
James - if you need the prayer in English that I stated above, it is:
ReplyDeleteBlessed…who has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.
This is a beautiful prayer for those of us from the nations who identify with our Jewish brethren, and it is based on Acts 11:18.
"Blessed…who has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life."
ReplyDeleteBeautiful indeed. In fact, I may even throw this into my davening once in a while.
Interesting thread!
ReplyDeleteThere are other blessings that a convert cannot say:
ReplyDeleteאלוקינו ואלוקי אבותינו --Our God, and the God of our fathers....
שעשה ניסים לאבותינו--Who made miracles to our fathers.....
Wonder how the new FFOZ siddur project will handle this?
ReplyDelete"Wonder how the new FFOZ siddur project will handle this?"
ReplyDeleteWonder no more. I've seen the in progress version of the FFOZ siddur (at the UMJC conference) - they included all of the traditional blessing, including the "Blessed...who has not made me a Gentile," (and "not made me a woman" as well), but they also added "Blessed... who has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life," and I think an alternative blessing for women as well (along the lines "bless you for making to your purpose.") right below that.
I used to pray regularly from the FFOZ draft siddur as the only woman with a minyan of men at my former congregation -- some of whom chose not to acknowledge my presence (and one of whom literally left the room when I entered to avoid hearing me join the men in the Shema.) I have heard the author of said siddur defend the anti-gentile and anti-woman blessings as Gene did above.
ReplyDeleteTami, I don't know what kind of a minyan you used to attend, and if it was even "Jewish" (seems highly unlikely, which would mean that it's not a "minyan" in a traditional sense), but I attend an Orthodox shul every week and no men ever leave the sanctuary when women walk in or pray Shema - and there are a LOT of women present there every Shabbos. Granted, there's a semi-transparent mechitza separating men and women - which is a wonderfully helpful device that I've come to appreciate (especially useful for men) that really helps one focus on the task at hand - namely worshiping G-d.
ReplyDeleteAs far a siddur being anti-gentile or anti-woman - don't buy into this nonsense. In fact, one could make a far easier case (but again, false) that New Testament itself is FAR more anti-Gentile and far more anti-women than any Jewish siddur in existence! Remember Paul's words that women are not allowed even to speak in assembly, much less teach? Or how about Yeshua calling Gentiles "dogs" or Paul saying that "we a born Jews and not Gentile sinners"?
Do you know how many Gentiles seek conversions to Orthodox Judaism and even use the same siddur prayers you complain about? Why would they do that and how could they, if Jews are such an intolerant bunch of racists! Imagine KKK converting blacks into white members and blacks coming willingly in droves!?
As far as women go, in Judaism women play a far greater role than women do in any other religion, especially considering that the bulk of the Jewish life is said to take place at one's home, not synagogue. For goodness sake, in Judaism one must have a Jewish mother to be considered a Jew, while your father being Jewish doesn't matter!
BTW, check out my new blog: http://dailyminyan.wordpress.com/ - expect interesting stuff to be posted there.
Gene, I am not talking about a Jewish congregation. My former congregation is Beth Immanuel of Hudson WI. Perhaps you have heard of it; my family were founding members. There were rarely halachically Jewish men present at the minyan.
ReplyDeleteTami,
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming to my blog.
As a very uncomfortably pregnant woman I'd like to say --- There are MANY times I have thought my husband should take this blessing to heart 'Thanks for not making me a woman'... Being a woman is no walk in the park guys. How lucky - excuse me- blessed men are ... no painful childbirth, they can pretty much pee anywhere with minimal mess... no menstrual cycle... Yes, they typically fight in wars, but come on - what man in his right mind would NOT be thankful for being made a man and not a woman?!?!? Sheesh. What are you thinking?!
ReplyDeleteConverts to Judaism CAN say such phrases as "God and God of our fathers..". This was even written about by Maimonides, who said that the teacher of a convert named Obadiah should fast and ask for God's forgiveness for telling Obadiah the same thing. Converts have SPIRITUAL Jewish ancestors and, if we could all trace our families back far enough, I'm sure that we would all find converts in our ancestry. There are Indian, Chinese, and Ethiopian Jews, not just Jews of eastern European descent. Converts have provided Judaism with some its greatest scholars and our tradition blesses "Jews by choice," many of whom are more observant than those of us who are born into Judaism.
ReplyDelete