Questions to Think About for every text:
- What is most striking to you about this text?
- Do you feel connected to what this text is saying?
- Is there something new you can learn from this text?
- What examples or texts can you compare this to?
- Do you agree or disagree? What is your interpretation?
(יד) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אִם אֵין אֲנִי לִי, מִי לִי. וּכְשֶׁאֲנִי לְעַצְמִי, מָה אֲנִי. וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו, אֵימָתַי:
(14) He [Rabbi Hillel] used to say: If I am not for me, who will be for me? And when I am only of myself, what am I? And if not now, then when?
- How do we judge political candidates?
- Does being Reform Jews require us to judge a candidate by their religious adherence? Do you believe this is generally a good or bad idea?
- Do your Jewish values influence your decision about which candidate to support?
- Based on your understanding of Reform Judaism, should Rabbi Hillel's quote apply to this election cycle? Would it affect how you would vote if you could?
“Judaism—any trace of haughtiness or aristocracy is foreign to it,” "The Jewish spirit is a social-democratic spirit down to its very essence"
-Moses Hess 1862.
“The folk socialism of the Jews, the noble spirit of the history of our people, the rule of the ideas of justice and human liberty in the spiritual development of Judaism, the spiritual quality which the Jews acquired over generations, their cultural consciousness and lofty aspiration for freedom—all these empower them to lead the fight for idealistic socialism.” - Chaim Arlosoroff
-Moses Hess 1862.
“The folk socialism of the Jews, the noble spirit of the history of our people, the rule of the ideas of justice and human liberty in the spiritual development of Judaism, the spiritual quality which the Jews acquired over generations, their cultural consciousness and lofty aspiration for freedom—all these empower them to lead the fight for idealistic socialism.” - Chaim Arlosoroff
“For the poor shall never cease out of the land" - Deuteronomy 15:11
Mishneh Torah 8
"You shall not harden... your heart, and you shall not shut your hand," and, "Do not stand by your brother's blood," and... provide for all, clothe or redeem them all.
Deuteronomy 26:5
And thou shalt speak and say before thy God: ‘A wandering Aramean was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there.'
"You shall not harden... your heart, and you shall not shut your hand," and, "Do not stand by your brother's blood," and... provide for all, clothe or redeem them all.
Deuteronomy 26:5
And thou shalt speak and say before thy God: ‘A wandering Aramean was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there.'
- What do our texts indicate about how Judaism views this election cycle?
- Does Deuteronomy 15:11 remind you of a current political issue? Has this been addressed by any candidates for President? In what ways?
- Does Mishneh Torah 8 remind you of a current political issue? Has this issue been addressed by any candidates?
- Does Deuteronomy 26:5 remind you of a current political issue? Why or why not? Has this issue been addressed by any candidates?
- Based on the texts, find out which which candidates fulfill the kavannah (intention) behind these texts...