בס"ד
On Thursday, 27 Av 5781 AM / 5 August 2021 AD, I visited the grave of Jesus of Nazareth in the Old City of Jerusalem. In fact the trip started many years ago, when I was a student in Rutgers College. Included in my social group were a number of non Jews some of which were church goers who had attended Catholic school. I was generally respected for my intelligence and knowledge of Judaism. They often engaged me in discussions about religion but had no desire to see me convert.
One day they asked me what I thought about Jesus. I replied that my knowledge of my own religion was inadequate and that I should first understand what the Jews believe before trying to figure out what are the beliefs of faiths not my own. My friends liked that answer and encouraged me in my pursuit of Judaism. The question though remained and got larger over time. The people I was dealing with were religiously sophisticated. They knew about the standard objections to the Gospels and the Jewish arguments against Christianity. The problem was that the debates had resolved nothing. What they wanted was that I personally should examine and evaluate the original texts. After that I would be capable of providing an answer.
I had spent many years in Torah study mostly in Geula and places like it. I had achieved a fundamental understanding of Jewish sacred texts including the Gemara. In addition I had gained some knowledge of the Haredi community and the mentality of the people. My studies had become repetitive and my relations with the people somewhat sour. In addition my lack of knowledge about the Gospels and Christmas was showing signs of becoming an irritant.
It was with this frame of mind I started my inquiry into Jesus. It took over forty years before I opened up the New Testament and it was just as well. Surprisingly it was not like the description of either its proponents or detractors. It cannot be truly understood unless a person has some dissatisfaction with Jews and Jewish practice. In addition a person must be fluent in Talmudic analysis and have some knowledge of the Kabalistic book the Bahir.
The Bahir is essentially a book of riddles and through figuring out the answer the student gains understanding and enlightenment. This is like the word in the Gemara אֵינִי meaning, is this so? or can it be? It is used when information given is so unreasonable that it cannot be taken at face value. What follows is an analysis which provides understanding and enlightenment. In fact there are many obvious inconsistencies in the Gospels that cannot be taken at face value but nevertheless yield truths and secrets when pondered carefully.
In short the story of Jesus of Nazareth is about a miracle worker who uses his ability to help people and draw them close to G-d. It is similar to the stories of the Baal Shem Tov and as a character Jesus resembles Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. In all three cases the hero is wise and benevolent but receives opposition and is widely scorned. The suffering of Jesus is similar to the death of Zecharia the prophet as told in the Tanakh and mesechta Gittin in the Talmud. A modern equivalent would be the jailing of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Lubavitcher Rebbe. The story is set in Judea and is about Jews and aimed at Jews. It is not an argument for today’s Chistianity, as Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”.
The Gospels are multifaceted with many themes. The main theme is the concept of being a child of G-d. It’s basically an exposition of Deuteronomy 14:1, “You are children of Hashem, your G-d”, (בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם). Jesus is considered the quintessence of this idea and this uniquely qualifies him to teach the lesson to others particularly the Jewish people. If a person loves their parents it tends to make the Gospels more pleasing. On the other hand, to the extent one has a streak of the wayward and rebellious son, it makes Jesus displeasing.
The lessons of the story are quite profound and Jesus in particular is very moving. Probably the most important part is the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). It is not long, only 2247 words. It’s inspirational and basically a piece of Jewish liturgy with blessings, prayer, and aphorisms:
Blessed are the low in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The Gospels do deal explicitly with halacha. The approach of Jesus is somewhat similar to that of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. However it is much different from the general approach of the Gemara, and the actual practice of halacha both at the time and as it is practiced today. But to go so far as to say that Jesus made shit out of the words of the wise would be a very big exaggeration. It is not appropriate that he or the Gospels should be hated by the Jewish people or regarded as idolatry.
The tomb is about a fifteen minute walk from Jaffa Gate and one must walk through the Arab market. I’d say that the chances of actual violence are low. However a rude encounter with an aggressive beggar or a shrewd storekeeper is a real possibility. Walking quickly and focusing on arrival at the destination helps, but personally I prefer to avoid these areas.
The crypt itself is in a church. The room is ornate, beautiful with a dark solemn atmosphere. Priests in their traditional garb kindly but firmly guard the decorum. One can take a picture but they are careful that it should be a place of sanctity and not a tourist site. It was somewhat like Grant’s tomb in Manhattan. It is very different from the tombs of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Rabbi Nachman of Breslav, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, or Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria. In solemnity it was like visiting the graves of the Ari z”l or Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, but far more formal.
To go to the grave itself there is a dress code. I was wearing shorts which was not permissible. I had brought long pants and asked a lay employee if there was a bathroom where I could change. He said it wasn't essential and cheerfully handed me a blanket to cover my legs. I was then permitted to go into a small room with one other person that housed the grave. I quickly said Ashre (אשרי - Psalm 145) and with that my time had expired and I was told to leave. I returned the blanket and asked if there was a charity box. I was directed to a plate in the back of the booth. I put ten shekels in it and the clerk gave me a couple of candles to light. I was well received and had a few short conversations. A priest came up to me and told me that I had been there long enough and asked me to leave. The room was not crowded. The experience was memorable, I am not inclined to become a Christian, but it did have a positive influence on my general outlook.
לע"נ האמא מלכה בת חיים ז"ל נלב"ע טז ניסן תשנ"ח
העלון ניתן לקבל בדואר אלקטרוני וגם באתר http://dyschreiber.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment