“Only a Jewish community that permits and desires its members to be present in their particularity and totality can know in its fullness the relationship to God that it claims as its center.” Judith Plaskow, Standing Again at Sinai
1) What does it mean for a community to "desire its members to be present in their particularity and totality"?
2) How do we do this for members of our community?
3) How can we do it better?
2) How do we do this for members of our community?
3) How can we do it better?
שׁוּב מַעֲשֶׂה בְּגוֹי אֶחָד שֶׁבָּא לִפְנֵי שַׁמַּאי. אָמַר לוֹ: גַּיְּירֵנִי עַל מְנָת שֶׁתְּלַמְּדֵנִי כׇּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ כְּשֶׁאֲנִי עוֹמֵד עַל רֶגֶל אַחַת! דְּחָפוֹ בְּאַמַּת הַבִּנְיָן שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ. בָּא לִפְנֵי הִלֵּל, גַּיְירֵיהּ. אָמַר לוֹ: דַּעֲלָךְ סְנֵי לְחַבְרָךְ לָא תַּעֲבֵיד — זוֹ הִיא כׇּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ, וְאִידַּךְ פֵּירוּשַׁהּ הוּא, זִיל גְּמוֹר.
There was another incident involving one gentile who came before Shammai and said to Shammai: Convert me on condition that you teach me the entire Torah while I am standing on one foot. Shammai pushed him away with the builder’s cubit in his hand. This was a common measuring stick and Shammai was a builder by trade. The same gentile came before Hillel. He converted him and said to him: That which is hateful to you do not do to another; that is the entire Torah, and the rest is its interpretation. Go study.
- Standing on 1 foot, what is the essence of Judaism to you?
- The retreat is over, you're packing up to go home. What are three things you're putting into your bag that weren't there when you arrived?
- Today's theme is "Initiative". What is one (or more!) thing(s) you are committed to initiating for yourself or your campus community this year?
- Gratitude Circle: Share some words of gratitude toward another person here at the retreat. That person will share their gratitude about someone else here, until everyone has been mentioned.