A Halakhic Way to Embrace Intermarriage Part 3: The Consequences of Intermarriage

The Gemara cites another verse from the prophecy at the end of the book of Zechariah: “And the Lord shall be King over all the earth, on that day shall the Lord be one and His name one” (Zechariah 14:9). The Gemara asks: Is that to say that now He is not one? Rabbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina said: The World-to-Come is not like this world. In this world, upon good tidings one recites: Blessed…Who is good and does good, and over bad tidings one recites: Blessed…the true Judge. In the World-to-Come one will always recite: Blessed…Who is good and does good. There will be only one mode of blessing God for tidings. The verse states: “On that day shall the Lord be one and His name one.” The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the word one in this context? Is that to say that now His name is not one? Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: The World-to-Come is not like this world. In this world, God’s name that is written with the letters yod and heh is read as Adonai, which begins with the letters alef and dalet. God’s name is not pronounced in the same way as it is written. However, in the World-to-Come it will all be one, as God’s name will be both read with the letters yod and heh and written with the letters yod and heh...

(1) Lo, a day of the LORD is coming when your spoil shall be divided in your very midst! (2) For I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem for war: The city shall be captured, the houses plundered, and the women violated; and a part of the city shall go into exile. But the rest of the population shall not be uprooted from the city. (3) Then the LORD will come forth and make war on those nations as He is wont to make war on a day of battle. (4) On that day, He will set His feet on the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall split across from east to west, and one part of the Mount shall shift to the north and the other to the south, a huge gorge. (5) And the Valley in the Hills shall be stopped up, for the Valley of the Hills shall reach only to Azal; it shall be stopped up as it was stopped up as a result of the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah.—And the LORD my God, with all the holy beings, will come to you. (6) In that day, there shall be neither sunlight nor cold moonlight, (7) but there shall be a continuous day—only the LORD knows when—of neither day nor night, and there shall be light at eventide. (8) In that day, fresh water shall flow from Jerusalem, part of it to the Eastern Sea and part to the Western Sea, throughout the summer and winter. (9) And the LORD shall be king over all the earth; in that day there shall be one LORD with one name.

(10) Then the whole country shall become like the Arabah,from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. The latter, however, shall perch high up where it is, and shall be inhabited from the Gate of Benjamin to the site of the Old Gate, down to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses. (11) Never again shall destruction be decreed, and Jerusalem shall dwell secure. (12) As for those peoples that warred against Jerusalem, GOD will smite them with this plague: Their flesh shall rot away while they stand on their feet; their eyes shall rot away in their sockets; and their tongues shall rot away in their mouths. (13) In that day, a great panic from GOD shall fall upon them, and everyone shall snatch at the hand of another, and everyone shall raise their hand against everyone else’s hand. (14) Judah shall join the fighting in Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the nations round about—vast quantities of gold, silver, and clothing—shall be gathered in. (15) The same plague shall strike the horses, the mules, the camels, and the donkeys; the plague shall affect all the animals in those camps. (16) All who survive of all those nations that came up against Jerusalem shall make a pilgrimage year by year to bow low to the Supreme GOD of Hosts and to observe the Feast of Booths. (17) Any of the earth’s communities that does not make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to bow low to the Supreme GOD of Hosts shall receive no rain. (18) However, if the community of Egypt does not make this pilgrimage, it shall not be visited by the same affliction with which GOD will strike the other nations that do not come up to observe the Feast of Booths. (19) Such shall be the punishment of Egypt and of all other nations that do not come up to observe the Feast of Booths. (20) In that day, even the bells on the horses shall be inscribed “Holy to GOD.” The metal pots in the House of GOD shall be like the basins before the altar; (21) indeed, every metal pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holy to GOD of Hosts. And all those who sacrifice shall come and take of these to boil [their sacrificial meat] in; in that day there shall be no more traders in the House of GOD of Hosts.

...Rava thought to expound upon the correct punctuation and enunciation of the name of God during his public lecture before one of the Festivals. A certain old man said to him: The word forever is written in the verse: “This is My name forever [le’olam]” (Exodus 3:15) without the letter vav, such that it can be read le’alem, to conceal, meaning that the name should be concealed. Rabbi Avina raised a contradiction: It is written in the verse: “This is My name forever,” implying a requirement to conceal the name of God, and in the very next phrase it states: “And this is My memorial unto all generations” (Exodus 3:15), which indicates that the name of God is to be publicized and remembered by all. Rather, the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: I, i.e., My name, is not read as I am written. I am written with the letters yod and heh, and I am read with the letters alef and dalet.

(13) Moses said to God, “When I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers’ [house] has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is [God’s] name?’ what shall I say to them?” (14) And God said to Moses, “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh,” continuing, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites, ‘Ehyeh sent me to you.’” (15) And God said further to Moses, “Thus shall you speak to the Israelites: ה׳ the God of your fathers’ [house]—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you: This shall be My name forever, This My appellation for all eternity. (16) “Go and assemble the elders of Israel and say to them: ה׳, the God of your fathers’ [house]—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me and said, ‘I have taken note of you and of what is being done to you in Egypt,

+MY TRANSLATION

(1) (א) And Moses said to God "Here I came to children of Israel" etc. until "Go and assemble the elders" etc. (Exodus 3:13-16). After God promises Moses that He will be with him to save him from the hand of Pharaoh, [God] did not want to command him more regarding [how to deal with] Pharaoh and Egypt, rather to deal with the difficulty of the Israelites accepting Moses [as God's prophet].

(2) When Moses said [in Exodus 3:13] "When I come to the children of Israel and I will say to them that God of their fathers sent me," he means "After You, Hashem O God, send me I will come to them and say what I heard from Your lips, that the God of their ancestors sent me to strengthen them and inform them about their coming redemption. Without a doubt they will respond to me, 'What is God's name?' So please tell me what I should say to them since You only told me 'I am the god of your ancestors, the god of Abraham, the god of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' You did not tell me Your unique name. And God responded by saying "I will be what I will be."

(3) And you already know the opinion of the Rabbi, the Teacher (Ramban?), that Moshe Rabbeinu asked [God] how to prove first the existence of God and afterwards his (i.e. Moshe's) prophecy. [Rabbi, the Teacher] also [taught] that God explained His existence with this short saying - ehyeh asher ehyeh ("I will be that I will be") - since it contains the description and the one making the description in one word (i.e. ehyeh "I will be") with a connecting word. And the purpose of the connecting word, the intention being to mean "hanimtzah asher hu nimtzah - what is discovered is that which is discovered," as if to say that the existence of God is not discovered in any additional way outside of God's essence/nature.

(4) And as the Ramban wrote, he was very distressed since the Torah said the elders of Israel and their sages asked for claims and miracles proving the existence of God or if God's existence can be proven outside of God's essence, because as an Israelite prophet appears they asked for signs and miracles to the truth of his prophecy, but they did not ask from him philosophical proofs of God's existence and Unity.

(5) And Rabbi Ibn Ezra wrote that [Moshe Rabbeinu] asked [God] what is the appropriate name [for Moshe Rabbeinu] to use for the signs/miracles. And Ramban interpreted "What is His name?" to mean "did [God] send [Moses] by way of Judgement or Mercy?" And I have not seen an answer to this matter.

(6) And in the Midrash it is explained [as follows]: "Rabbi Isaac said, 'God said to Moses, 'Say to them 'I was, and now I am, and in the future I will be the one to come.'' Thus the text says 'ehyeh' three times." That is to say that all past and future are the present for the Creator because there is no change or division with him.

(7) And on this matter Rav Saadia Gaon taught "the text says 'ehyeh asher ehyeh' [to teach us] that God did not pass by nor will pass by because he is the first and the last, similar to what Ramban said.

(8) And for all [of these sages] it posed a difficulty that the text said "Thus shall you say to the children of Israel that 'Ehyeh' sent me to you," (Exodus 3:15) insofar as the text only says "Ehyeh" one time.

(9) And there it seems most likely to me that the correct way [to understand] this issue is that Moshe Rabbeinu apprehended why it was appropriate for Israel to suspect his prophecy, that is what is the level of his prophecy? Because during those days there were people who prophesied using demonic power and from angels of destruction. And from [these powers] they glorified themselves that they had the power of the stars as we find the prophets of Ba'al with the power of the sun, and the prophets of Ashera, with the power of the moon. And [these prophets] would be glorified that they had the ability of a different understanding, and also in regards to this there are different levels according to the levels of the mind by which the spoke.

(10) And out of this [context] Moses came with the words of God's message, thus it was appropriate for the children of Israel questioned Moses "Who is the one who drew bestowed upon him the ability to prophecy," because if he prophesied by way of demons or the stars they would not consent to abide by his prophecy. Thus it is appropriate to ask Moses "What is the name [of God]?" because the intention is not to know God's essence but rather to know if the person [prophesying] to them should be listened to, and to protect themselves if [he should] not [be listened to].

(11) And this is the point made by [King] Solomon when he said "Who went up to heaven?...What is his name and what is his son's name if you know it?" (Proverbs 30:4) to mean "who is this?" And there is no doubt that Moshe Rabbeinu asked this question to know the level of his prophecy and what part of the mind draws down prophecy among all the different parts of the mind, or if it is the serving angels who speak for God. And it is because of Moshe Rabbeinu's humility that he did not ask this of God directly but attached it to what the people would ask him [when he'd report his prophecy].

...(12) And Rambam already wrote in the introduction of his Mishneh [Torah] that "When a prophet comes to prophecy to Israel they ask him 'Who spoke to you?' And if he said that a star spoke to him or it was from one of the other gods, they would immediately stone him because they do not listen to any prophecy except from HASHEM alone.' And therefore it is a logical question for the Israelites to ask Moses "What is God's name?" in order to know who gave him the ability to prophecy.

(13) And God responded [with] "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh" in order to indicate [to Moses] that the One who spoke with him is not ministering angel, or a mazel, or a star in the sky, and not one of the angels/gods on high because all of them have different essences, and their essence and existence is solely dependent upon the One whose esixence is necessary, i.e. God, since God's existence is dependent upon God's self and not upon anything else.

(14) And he said "ehyeh asher ehyeh" because the letter alef at the beginning [of the word] is as if to say "ani ehyeh" (i.e. "I am/will be") because my existence will be solely dependent on my essence. Indeed all that is discovered other than Me cannot say "ehyeh asher ehyeh" becasue their existence is dependent on something other than themselves. Rather they should say "ehyeh asher hu sabati" (i.e. "I am for the purpose deemed by God") because their existence is related to the purpose [I set for them]. But for me, there is no such thing rather my purpose is to just be.

(15) It is correct [for God to be called] "ehyeh asher ehyeh" so that [Moses] can explain to them (i.e. the children of Israel) that the One who sends him is the original reason [since] the One who is blessed was not created by his creations. And in order to explain His purpose so that Moses would understand, after God told Moses this name God commanded Moses "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel 'Ehyeh' sent me to you" (3:14), as if to say (i.e. "Ehyeh" means here...) The One who is discovered by his own essence, and does not receive His essence from something else - He is the one who sent me to you.

(16) And behold it is not necessary to say [the full name of] "'Ehyeh asher Ehyeh' sent me to you" since what is required by God's name is [to prove] God's essence derives [only] by way of God's self. [Thus, the name] Ehyeh" [by itself] means "My essence and My existence is only derived by Me and not by any other reason.

(17) And at first [God] explained the [meaning] of "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh" and afterwards utilized the simple name "Ehyeh" since it encompasses all that is included [in the threefold "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh"]. This [interpretation] explains [how "Ehyeh"] is the appropriate metaphor (in this case, metaphor is synonymous with a "name") to describe [how to call God] but it is not a general principle [of how to call God]. And given how Moses needed to know for himself who was speaking with him - as well as how it was appropriate for the children of Israel to ask Moses who sent him - thus God said for Moses' sake "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh," and for the sake of the children of Israel God said to Moses "speak to the children of Israel, Ehyeh sent me to you."

(18) And since many children of Israel would not understand the finer point (עיון הדק) of this name (i.e. "Ehyeh"), God also commanded Moses "Speak more to the children of Israel - thus said the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob sent me to you. This is My name forever and this is my remembrance throughout the generations." [God wanted Moses to tell this to the children of Israel[ as if to say "If they don't understand how My essence is only derived by Myself alone, it is enough that they know that the God who chose Abraham and decreed his children to be exiled, and the God who chose Isaac and began exile on the day of his birth, and the God who chose Jacob and commanded him to go down to Egypt with his household and his children, He is the God who sent them and who would redeem them and take them out of their exile. And by way of this [explanation] they (i.e. the children of Israel will know and believe the One who speaks to you (i.e. Moses."

(19) And now [God] said "This is my name forever (לעלם) and this is my remembrance for generation to generation (3:15)" to express that [God's] name "Ehyeh" is God's name for the entire world, that is to say [it is the name that expresses] how God's essence comes from God's self, and how all other essences are dependent on something different than themselves, and this [is what the Torah means by saying] "This is my name forever" - my name being "Ehyeh."

(20) And indeed God's first name is "God of your ancestors" is the [what the Torah means by] "remembrance from generation to generation" since in every generation they will remember it was Mighty God who chose Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and will never forget this covenant with the patriarchs for all generations [to come]. And this is more than enough for the first 4 questions.

(21) And it is also possible to explain that "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh" [as follows]: When Moses asked [God] his name, God responded "What does it mean that they would ask about my name? [My] name will be what it will be, and they (i.e. the children of Israel) don't need to engage in the hidden things [about Me]." However, thus you shall say to them 'The One who said I am as Himself - that He is concealed and whose existence is not conceivable is the one who sent me to you. But the only thing they need to know is that I am the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

(22) And it is possible to explain "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh" as language like "I will be with you," as God said to Moses at the beginning of this section (Exodus 3:12). God said, "Why are you asking Me about My name? Didn't I already tell you 'I will be,' that is to say 'I will be with you?" And thus God commanded Moses to say [to the children of Israel] "Ehyeh ("I will be") sent me, that is to say "The One who said to me Ehyeh - because I will be (i.e. "Ehyeh") with you - is the One who sent me.

(23) And the rabbis (Pesachim 50) explained "This is my name forever (לעלם)." It is written as concealed (לעלם). God said "Not as I am written shall I be called." [God's name] is written with yud and hey, but it is read as alef and dalet. "On that day God will be one" (Zechariah 14:9). Is that to say God's name is not One? Rava explained this section in the study hall [saying] '"forever" (לעלם) is written - God's name will be One in this world upon good tidings, one recites: Blessed...Who is good and does good, and upon bad timings one recites: Blessed...the true judge. However, in the World-to-Come one will always recite: Blessed...Who is good and does good.

(24) And thus it is written in Chapter 10 Yochasin (Kiddushin 71a) Rabba bar bar Hana says that Rabbi Yohanan says: The Sages transmit the four-letter name of God to their students once a week, and some say once every 7 years. And the reason for once every seven years is because of what's written, "This is my name forever (לעלם)." [Though the last word is read as "forever,"] it is written as "hidden" (לעלם).

...(25) It seems from the teachings of the sages that the name God taught to Moshe Rabbeinu when he saw the burning bush was the single name of God (i.e. the correct pronounciation of the Tetragrammaton).

(1) When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, the people gathered against Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who shall go before us, for that fellow Moses—the man who brought us from the land of Egypt—we do not know what has happened to him.” (2) Aaron said to them, “[You men,] take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” (3) And all the people took off the gold rings that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. (4) This he took from them and cast in a mold, and made it into a molten calf. And they exclaimed, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” (5) When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron announced: “Tomorrow shall be a festival of HASHEM (6) Early next day, the people offered up burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; they sat down to eat and drink, and then rose to dance. (7) ה׳ spoke to Moses, “Hurry down, for your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have acted basely. (8) They have been quick to turn aside from the way that I enjoined upon them. They have made themselves a molten calf and bowed low to it and sacrificed to it, saying: ‘This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’”

(1) “In the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to strengthen and fortify him. (2) And now I will tell you the truth: Persia will have three more kings, and the fourth will be wealthier than them all; by the power he obtains through his wealth, he will stir everyone up against the kingdom of Greece. (3) Then a warrior king will appear who will have an extensive dominion and do as he pleases. (4) But after his appearance, his kingdom will be broken up and scattered to the four winds of heaven, but not for any of his posterity, nor with dominion like that which he had; for his kingdom will be uprooted and belong to others beside these. (5) “The king of the south will grow powerful; however, one of his officers will overpower him and rule, having an extensive dominion. (6) After some years, an alliance will be made, and the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to effect the agreement, but she will not maintain her strength, nor will his strength endure. She will be surrendered together with those who escorted her and the one who begot her and helped her during those times. (7) A shoot from her stock will appear in his place, will come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north; he will fight and overpower them. (8) He will also take their gods with their molten images and their precious vessels of silver and gold back to Egypt as booty. For some years he will leave the king of the north alone, (9) who will [later] invade the realm of the king of the south, but will go back to his land. (10) “His sons will wage war, collecting a multitude of great armies; he will advance and sweep through as a flood, and will again wage war as far as his stronghold. (11) Then the king of the south, in a rage, will go out to do battle with him, with the king of the north. He will muster a great multitude, but the multitude will be delivered into his [foe’s] power. (12) But when the multitude is carried off, he will grow arrogant; he will cause myriads to perish, but will not prevail. (13) Then the king of the north will again muster a multitude even greater than the first. After a time, a matter of years, he will advance with a great army and much baggage. (14) In those times, many will resist the king of the south, and the lawless sons of your people will assert themselves to confirm the vision, but they will fail. (15) The king of the north will advance and throw up siege ramps and capture a fortress city, and the forces of the south will not hold out; even the elite of his army will be powerless to resist. (16) His opponent will do as he pleases, for none will hold out against him; he will install himself in the beautiful land with destruction within his reach. (17) He will set his mind upon invading the strongholds throughout his [foe’s] kingdom, but in order to destroy it he will effect an agreement with him and give him a daughter in marriage; he will not succeed at it and it will not come about.

And therefore our practice is to be lenient. More than this was written in a teaching in the name of HaRav Mishpat Tzedek that Rabbeinu Moshe/Meir wrote that during this time when judgments aren't heeded, we do not excommunicate anyone, even those who are liable to be excommunicated due to committing grave sins, since, when it comes to observing judgements, the sages did not rule stringently lest they would prevent [Jews] from performing teshuva. All the more so in our generation in which foolishness shames people on these matters, and at times people cannot control their spirit and come to do [sins] that would lead to the death penalty, etc.