Comparing secular teachers to the Amoraim?

A guest post by Lurker:

This past motzaei Shabbat, R. Obadiah Yosef ignited a political/media firestorm, as he is wont to do from time to time. In his weekly drasha, he referred to secular school teachers as "asses"
("חמורים"). This drew the umbrage of numerous figures across the political spectrum. Typical was Education Minister Yuli Tamir, who called the comment "rude, baseless, and offensive to tens of thousands of public servants who faithfully carry out their difficult work".

But were the rabbi's critics fair in jumping to the hasty conclusion that R. Obadiah was insulting the teachers? Perhaps not. Many people forget that R. Obadiah expresses his ideas in esoteric Talmudic idioms, that are not readily understood by the likes of am haaratzim like Yuli Tamir.

When the rabbi called the teachers "asses", it is quite possible that, in fact, he meant it as a compliment. Only a few days ago, one JBlogger asserted that when the angel told Hagar that her son Yishmael would become a "פרא אדם" -- a "wild ass of a man" (Bereishit 16:12) -- he was actually blessing Yishmael, by declaring that Yishmael would become a desert-dweller as "successful and resourceful" as a "wild ass". Perhaps R. Obadiah was alluding to this, as a way of praising the secular teachers for their success and resourcefulness.

And today, former Meretz¹ leader and noted Talmudic scholar Yossi Sarid, seeking valiantly to be dan l'kaf zkhut on R. Obadiah, brought a brilliant hidush in today's Haaretz (Hebrew version here) to support the thesis that R. Obadiah was actually complimenting the teachers by calling them "asses":

Who will explain to us now that the rabbi meant his statements as a compliment?
Lacking outstanding interpreters, I offer my services: Yosef is obviously basing himself on the Gemara, and the Gemara states² that "[R. Zeira said in Rabba b. Zimuna's name:] If the greatest of [the early ones; i.e., the Tannaim] were angels, then we [the Amoraim] are but human beings; but if the greatest of [the early ones] were only human beings, then we are [like] asses [and not even like the ass of (the Tanna) R. Hanina b. Dosa or of (the Tanna) R. Pinhas b. Yair, but rather like other asses]." If that is the basis, what is all the fuss about? [The Tannaim] were not angels, that is already clear. At most they were human beings, and that is no small accomplishment, either. Therefore, under the circumstances, as the generations are in decline, we are doomed to be asses. The rabbi did not mean to exclude himself from this rule, heaven forfend: He is also among the asses.

Sarid is to be congratulated for his illuminating clarification of R. Obadiah's words. I would take issue with only one point: Sarid suggests that R. Obadiah "did not mean to exclude himself" from Rabba b. Zimuna's classification of "asses", and that R. Obadiah, in fact, regards himself as "also among the asses". This is surely incorrect, as R. Obadiah would never be so presumptuous as to place himself in the same category as the Amoraic "asses". He would undoubtedly classify himself as something considerably less.

¹ Meretz is an Israeli political party; home to such haredi luminaries such as Tzvia Greenfield.

² TB Shabbat 112b:
אמר רבי זירא אמר רבא בר זימונא: אם ראשונים בני מלאכים, אנו בני אנשים; ואם ראשונים בני אנשים, אנו כחמורים, ולא כחמורו של רבי חנינא בן דוסא ושל רבי פנחס בן יאיר, אלא כשאר חמורים.
This is a statement made by an Amora, contrasting himself and his Amoraic peers with the Tannaim, who are referred to as "ראשונים" ("the early ones"). Note that the English version of Sarid's article incorrectly translates "ראשונים" as "our biblical ancestors". This error (corrected above) is certainly due to the am haaratzut of the Haaretz English editorial staff; not to Mr. Sarid.


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Painful Reality - The Banned Poem

Ahmed's Bunker

Ahmed's bunker has surprises galore: Grenades, rifles are hung on the wall.

Ahmed is planning another bomb! What a bunker Ahmed has, who causes daily harm. Ahmed knows how to make a bomb.

Ahmed is Ahmed, that's who he is, so don't forget to be careful of him.

We get blasted while they have a blast!

Ahmed and his friends could be wealthy and sunny, if only they wouldn't buy rockets with all their money.

The above poem was penned by a 10 year old boy from the Israeli town of Ness Tziona, yet banned at the order of Israel's Education Ministry.

The poem was written as part of a poetry competition and was included in a booklet printed by the Ness Tziyona municipality.

However, the YNET publication and Israeli Arabs found the poem racist and offensive; they claim it would lead to incitement and ill-will towards Arabs.

YNET and Arabs decided that the blame for such an offensive poem lies not at the feet of those who are in fact, creating bunkers of weapons and shooting rockets at Israelis. Instead of honestly facing the painful daily reality of Israel -- YNET condemns the poem for its accurate portrayal of reality by an innocent 10 year old Israeli. In fact, one should commend the 10 year old for his non-racist observations:

"Ahmed and his friends could be wealthy and sunny, if only they wouldn't buy rockets with all their money"

The child clearly doesn't hate Arabs and he plainly admits that they could live a much better life (and could we) if they wouldn't lob rockets at us daily. They would have plenty of fuel in the Gaza strip if they didn't try to constantly bomb the crossing terminals. They would have continuous electricity if they weren't actively trying to kidnap IDF soldiers, infiltrate into Israeli communities, smuggle thousands of weapons into Gaza from Egypt and Iran...and of course, releasing kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit wouldn't hurt.

YNET even brought this issue to the attention of Israel's Education Ministry...so who does YNET and the Israeli Arab community blame?

Ibrahim Abu-Shindi, who manages the Arab community center in Jaffa, said the blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the State and its leaders. "I'm not surprised by this story because all that Jewish children know from television is the Hamas man as a terrorist and a murderer."

According to Abu-Shindi, "the Education Ministry does not invest in bringing people together at all. There used to be a department for democracy and co-existence that did much to bring Arabs and Jews together, but it was canceled. They send Jews to meet their Jewish friends from America through the 'Taglit' project, but they never get to know the Arabs that live only a few meters away."

The poem, in his opinion, creates a problematic state of events. "Placing this poem in a booklet is very serious, and encourages other children who think like this boy. If you want to bring people together you need stories about encounters and hope, otherwise you encourage hatred."

Ah yes. It's the poem that encourages children to think that Ahmed and friends are trying to kill us. You wouldn't get that idea from watching TV, listening to the radio, or G-d forbid, speaking to residents of Sederot, Ashkelon, or the surrounding Israeli communities.

In fact, kudos to this child for even being aware of the problem.

The booklet's editor and poetry competition director Marika Berkowitz was surprised at the protests. "This is the boy's creation and this is what he wanted to express. Of course there should be a limit, but I think the there is no racism here. 'Ahmed' is a general term for the enemy. These are the murmurings of an innocent child.

"There has been no intention of harming the Arab sector, but rather a specific terrorist – Ahmed. We didn't want to offend a specific population and I don't see anything out of order in this poem. We have had Arab students compete in the competition in previous years."

Of course, the best line of all comes from the Education Ministry, "the local authority that published the booklet should have guided the students in a more correct manner through the schools. The district will investigate the issue with the local authorities."

Why let reality get in the way of Yuli Tamir's Re-Education Ministry's agenda?

(Poster's History)

hat-tip: Lurker.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד