On Line Study Texts

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SHAVUOT STUDY II:

Do we have innate knowledge of good and evil?

Was it necessary to have the ethical codes written down?

Within our tradition, we have asked these questions.

 

Consider the following texts and the questions that follow:

Text #1:

If the Torah had not been given, we would have learned from the ant not to rob, from the dove not to commit adultery, from the cat to be modest, and from the rooster to have good manners.

From Talmud, Erubin 100b

 

Text #2:

A few days before Shavuot, Moses gathered the Elders together and said: "These are the words which God will soon wish to command. Do you favor adopting them?"

They answered: "Why not? Haven't our fathers already adopted these rules of conduct before us? Jacob accepted God and removed idols. Joseph did not swear using God's name, and he prepared a Shabbat table. Isaac honored his father and made no protest when led to the sacrifice. Judah opposed killing Joseph. Joseph opposed adultery. Judah identified before his father the bloody shirt of Joseph and did not lie. Abraham refused to steal from Sodom. We shall be just as eager to accept God's words as were our fathers.

-from Pesikta Hahadash, Otzer Midrashim 489

Questions to consider:

Is Torah necessary?

Do we learn better from books or from animals and people?

Has learning laws led us away from learning from the natural world?

As we question the necessity of Torah, we might also consider how we have benefited from the words. The following text offers a parable.

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Text #3

When a ship’s passenger falls into the sea the Captain throws them a line, crying : "Grasp it tight and you will live!"

For the troubled seas of this earthly voyage God has given us the words of the Torah, so that we might hold on tight, attached to the Holy One, and live.

-from Tanhumah on Bamidbar

How has the Torah kept our people afloat?

Do we need the Torah in calm waters?

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 More Questions to consider:

1. Is Torah necessary according to text #1?
2. Does text #2 think that Torah is necessary?
3. How does text #3 understand "life without Torah"?
4. How do text #1 and #2 understand "life without Torah"?

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