tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355365167736602817.post6170369984236677065..comments2023-06-19T05:28:45.419-04:00Comments on Rambam, Maharal, the weekly parsha and other topics in Judaism: Moshe Going Out to Meet YisroE-Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327848648278849664noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355365167736602817.post-75765460462953024472011-01-24T16:52:48.353-05:002011-01-24T16:52:48.353-05:00I appreciate your taking the time to try and answe...I appreciate your taking the time to try and answer my problem. I can also appreciate your viewpoint and explanation. However, I do not see going out to greet your wife and children as a lack in modesty even for a king. I just don't understand how it could be a lack in modesty for him. <br /><br />A lack in modesty, ascertained by ones level of importance as seen in many places by Rabbis in the Gemorah not being able to work in the eye of the public and other such cases, is when someone does a certain action that would be disgraceful for them. It used to be that eating in public was only done by those found among the lower class. There are many such examples. <br /><br />However, what the Ibn Ezra is saying is that it would have been immodest, or inappropriate, for Moshe to go out and greet his family that he has been separated from for years. I don't understand why. Furthermore, it just makes Moshe appear to be arrogant because he thinks his own kavod is so important that he can't even go out to greet his wife and children. I do not think this is the Ibn Ezra's intent, just how it looks. <br /><br />Obviously, I am familiar with the idea that certain people have higher requirements for modesty on them than others. But, I do not understand why Moshe would not be allowed to go out and greet his sorely missed family and why that is deemed inappropriate.E-Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06327848648278849664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355365167736602817.post-34393082930216961222011-01-24T15:53:38.546-05:002011-01-24T15:53:38.546-05:00Thank you for your informative article on Parshas ...Thank you for your informative article on Parshas Yisro. I appreciate your working through both Rashi and Ibn Ezra, searching for the most accurate understanding of their respective viewpoints. Per your request, I would like to offer an alternative approach to the quoted Ibn Ezra. <br /><br />We all find ourselves steeped in a broader culture that focuses relentlessly on the pursuit of pleasure. This goal, at its core, is at odds with the Torah value of Kavod, or dignity. For example, the Rambam asserts that an exceedingly base person is not permitted to testify in a Jewish court (Aidus 11:5). One can achieve this status by eating in a public market. In contrast, one who exercises restraint and waits until he can eat in privacy lives with a sense of self-dignity that is expected from every Jew. It would be a fundamental misunderstanding to construe such a person’s delay in eating as being borne of anorexia, or that he is simply not hungry while in the market. His healthy sense of human dignity counters his urge to pursue instant gratification, ensuring in the process, that his humanity is preserved. One who values instant gratification more than basic human dignity, is suspect of being willing to compromise his moral obligations, and cannot be trusted to testify truthfully. <br /><br />Every created being has needs. This dependence is intimately bound to the very nature of having been created (Rambam Yesodei Hatorah 1:3). The transcendence of the mortal being, from the greatest of human aspirations, is the emulation of the Creator to whatever extent humanly possible, to become Godly. Therein lies the fundamental value of Kavod.<br />To the extent that ones creatureliness is apparent, there is a natural and uniquely human experience of embarrassment. Evidence of this can be found in the Halachic prohibition against staring at someone while they are eating, as it might be a source of embarrassment (Rambam, Brachos 7:6). Similarly, the term “Malbush” (rooted in “Busha” or embarrassment) for clothing evinces the same principle (see Shabbos 77b). A person who is so entirely engrossed in his needs and their pursuit is far removed from Kavod and risks compromising his humanity along with his dignity.<br /><br />The role of desire is significant, and even necessary within the Jewish world-view (see Sanhedrin 64a); however, the natural tension between Taivah and Kavod is dynamic, shifting as a person grows. The transition from dependant to benefactor might begin with the first assertions of independence, starting with a fetal kick, and culminating with the honored pillar of society whose philanthropic contributions touch many. It goes without saying that distortions of both Taivah and Kavod can have catastrophic effects on a person (Avos 4:28). <br />Not everyone's level of Kavod is the same. In fact, contrary to the irreverent hue dominating the egalitarian culture in which we are immersed, the Torah's value system appreciates the many gradations of Kavod. To accurately reflect these distinctions socially is a praiseworthy goal that can be seen in numerous classical sources such as Meseches Derech Eretz. <br /><br />It is difficult to suggest that the Ibn Ezra would accuse Moshe Rabbeinu of being arrogant when the Torah itself attests to his unparalleled humility (Bamidbar 12:3). To depict Moshe as emotionally challenged is evidently an inaccurate portrayal of the Ibn Ezra's commentary, and belies a fundamental lack of appreciation for the value of Kavod within the Jewish ethos. The level of Kavod an individual achieves in life is uniquely personal, and the consequences for his demeanor, activities, and interactions are likewise varied. Even if it is difficult to relate to on a visceral plane, the Ibn Ezra is describing the refined conduct that exemplifies a highly dignified person, such as Moshe Rabbeinu.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com