Comments on: The Unetane Tokef and Collective Responsibility http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/ Danya Ruttenberg's website Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:46:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Rabbi without a cause http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3478 Rabbi without a cause Thu, 28 Sep 2006 00:37:37 +0000 http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3478 It's important to remember that Tanach, as explained talmudically, gives at least four reasons for suffering: 1. Punishment suffered by the nation as a whole for national sin; 2. Punishment suffered by the individual for his/her own sin; 3. Punishment suffered by children for sins of their parents (which the children have continued, according to the talmudic note on this); 4. Suffering brought upon a person by circumstance. So my teshuvah/tefilah/tzedakah may take care of 2 and 3, and in part it may handle 1, but it's never going to handle 4. It’s important to remember that Tanach, as explained talmudically, gives at least four reasons for suffering:
1. Punishment suffered by the nation as a whole for national sin;
2. Punishment suffered by the individual for his/her own sin;
3. Punishment suffered by children for sins of their parents (which the children have continued, according to the talmudic note on this);
4. Suffering brought upon a person by circumstance.

So my teshuvah/tefilah/tzedakah may take care of 2 and 3, and in part it may handle 1, but it’s never going to handle 4.

]]> By: Jen http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3423 Jen Tue, 26 Sep 2006 22:46:37 +0000 http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3423 Oh honestly, I've been writing this one in my head the whole of RH, and you've beat me to it :) Oh honestly, I’ve been writing this one in my head the whole of RH, and you’ve beat me to it :)

]]> By: Rebecca Stern http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3361 Rebecca Stern Tue, 26 Sep 2006 12:45:31 +0000 http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3361 I think of this prayer as a wake up call. It's the only way I've been able to "come to terms" with its theology. To me, it's a reminder that this could be the year, or even the day, when we last have the chance to appreciate and live our lives, and do the tshuvah and giving that we have "planned" to do someday... so to me, it's a statement of how life is (fleeting), which then inspires us to act now.... a descriptive statement, followed by an imperative... I think of this prayer as a wake up call. It’s the only way I’ve been able to “come to terms” with its theology. To me, it’s a reminder that this could be the year, or even the day, when we last have the chance to appreciate and live our lives, and do the tshuvah and giving that we have “planned” to do someday… so to me, it’s a statement of how life is (fleeting), which then inspires us to act now…. a descriptive statement, followed by an imperative…

]]> By: yoseph leib http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3333 yoseph leib Mon, 25 Sep 2006 19:50:13 +0000 http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3333 right. MAavirin et roah hagezeirah, they take the bad out of the decree. Not that they need to or can change what actually happens. I feel like alot of the high holiday work is making peace with god and the world, clearing the self of all the resentments that can be let go of by apologizing for everything, taking responsibility in a way, and then letting go of blame. And whatever isn't atoned for has to change. right. MAavirin et roah hagezeirah, they take the bad out of the decree. Not that they need to or can change what actually happens. I feel like alot of the high holiday work is making peace with god and the world, clearing the self of all the resentments that can be let go of by apologizing for everything, taking responsibility in a way, and then letting go of blame. And whatever isn’t atoned for has to change.

]]> By: Josh Frankel http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3330 Josh Frankel Mon, 25 Sep 2006 18:47:55 +0000 http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3330 I happen to love U'netaneh Tokef, and the problem that you're discussing is not at all a problem if you read that paragraph in teh context of hte first one. There is in reality a far greater problem. The first paragraph discusses how everything is called into judgement, and how nothing, not even the angels, can justify their existence in judgement. Therefore, all of existence is simply the result of God's will and he can do whatever he wants. Therefore, he decrees, who will live and who will die, etc. Given that, the evil of the decree which we can affect is not the bad things that happen (ie. death, suffering, poverty) but the inheirent evilness of something that is entirely arbitrary. The question that the prayer begs is how can we make meaning out of a life that is only a gift and has no essential nature? The answer the paytan gives is - Repentence Prayer and Charity eliminate the evilness of the decree. Meaning, that even if life is entirely arbitrary, by doing the right thing, by doing good, we can give it meaning. That's pretty radical thought, not in step with most Jewish thinkers, but it is fascinating. I happen to love U’netaneh Tokef, and the problem that you’re discussing is not at all a problem if you read that paragraph in teh context of hte first one. There is in reality a far greater problem.

The first paragraph discusses how everything is called into judgement, and how nothing, not even the angels, can justify their existence in judgement. Therefore, all of existence is simply the result of God’s will and he can do whatever he wants. Therefore, he decrees, who will live and who will die, etc. Given that, the evil of the decree which we can affect is not the bad things that happen (ie. death, suffering, poverty) but the inheirent evilness of something that is entirely arbitrary. The question that the prayer begs is how can we make meaning out of a life that is only a gift and has no essential nature?

The answer the paytan gives is - Repentence Prayer and Charity eliminate the evilness of the decree. Meaning, that even if life is entirely arbitrary, by doing the right thing, by doing good, we can give it meaning.

That’s pretty radical thought, not in step with most Jewish thinkers, but it is fascinating.

]]> By: 1.5 opinions http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3326 1.5 opinions Mon, 25 Sep 2006 15:32:48 +0000 http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3326 I was thinking about this statement on first day Rosh Hashana. The fact is that, as you've translated it (that is, accurately), the statement never claims that the decree is passed over, but simply that the evil is passed over. The simple reading, then, might be that the bad decree is left unwritten, and a good decree replaces it. I would argue that even that is not the intent. Teshuva, tefilla, and tzedaka make an interesting group. Teshuva, though certainly peformed in relation to God, is an internal, personal process. Tefilla is a process that is carried out between a person and God. And tzedaka is the classic example of a mitzvah between people. So, there we have the religious life in a nutshell: the internal, the external with God, and the external with other people. I would put forth that the unetaneh tokef prayer is making a powerful statement about perspective. Live the religious lifestyle, and your perspective will be like that of Rabbi Akiva. Gam zu leTov. This, too, is for the good. Instead of praying that our situation change, we pray so that we can appreciate our situation. Its not so different than the very-commonly-mistranslated Baruch Dayan HaEmet bracha. This bracha does not call God "the True Judge," but "the Judge of Truth." The implication is that at the moment we hear bad news, we recognize that our perspective is a very limited one. We don't judge by truth. God does, and so we accept that judgement as, in some ways, positive. L'shanah Tova. I was thinking about this statement on first day Rosh Hashana. The fact is that, as you’ve translated it (that is, accurately), the statement never claims that the decree is passed over, but simply that the evil is passed over. The simple reading, then, might be that the bad decree is left unwritten, and a good decree replaces it. I would argue that even that is not the intent. Teshuva, tefilla, and tzedaka make an interesting group. Teshuva, though certainly peformed in relation to God, is an internal, personal process. Tefilla is a process that is carried out between a person and God. And tzedaka is the classic example of a mitzvah between people. So, there we have the religious life in a nutshell: the internal, the external with God, and the external with other people. I would put forth that the unetaneh tokef prayer is making a powerful statement about perspective. Live the religious lifestyle, and your perspective will be like that of Rabbi Akiva. Gam zu leTov. This, too, is for the good.

Instead of praying that our situation change, we pray so that we can appreciate our situation. Its not so different than the very-commonly-mistranslated Baruch Dayan HaEmet bracha. This bracha does not call God “the True Judge,” but “the Judge of Truth.” The implication is that at the moment we hear bad news, we recognize that our perspective is a very limited one. We don’t judge by truth. God does, and so we accept that judgement as, in some ways, positive.

L’shanah Tova.

]]> By: Rachel http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3320 Rachel Mon, 25 Sep 2006 13:29:57 +0000 http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3320 This is excellent and thought-provoking stuff; thank you. For a long time I found the unetaneh tokef prayer theologically problematic; over the last few years I have come to love it anyway, and to experience it again as powerful even though I don't necessarily accept its assertions as literally true. But I like what you're doing with it here, and this resonates for me a lot. This is excellent and thought-provoking stuff; thank you. For a long time I found the unetaneh tokef prayer theologically problematic; over the last few years I have come to love it anyway, and to experience it again as powerful even though I don’t necessarily accept its assertions as literally true. But I like what you’re doing with it here, and this resonates for me a lot.

]]> By: Chajms Sicht » Unetane Tokef http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3318 Chajms Sicht » Unetane Tokef Mon, 25 Sep 2006 13:26:48 +0000 http://danyaruttenberg.net/2006/09/25/the-unetane-tokef-and-collective-responsibility/#comment-3318 [...] Untane Tokef ist ein heiß diskutiertes (manchmal zumindest) Gebet in der nichtothodoxen Welt. Kann man es heute noch sagen? Entspricht das unserer heutigen Sicht auf G-tt, wenn wir tatsächlich an eine direkte Bestrafung glauben? Mir hat Untane Tokef immer einen Schauer über den Rücken getrieben und in diesem Jahr, in dem ich mit dem Tod vieler lieber Menschen konfrontiert wurde, noch mehr als bisher. Wir können nicht wissen, was vor uns liegt und vermutlich wollen wir das auch nicht wissen. Die Auseinandersetzung mit dem Text bleibt und von Jahr zu Jahr gewinnt er mehr und mehr Bedeutung und Emotionalität. Aber ich bin nicht der einzige, der sich öffentlich Gedanken darüber macht (vermutlich haben auch viele der Leser sich auch schon mit Untane Tokef beschäftigt). Danya Ruttenberg schreibt: The theology of the Unetane Tokef has always troubled me–how can we accept that prayer and repentance and tzedekah (acts of righteousness, usually translated as charity) are going to save us from earthquakes, car accidents, persecution? We know that lots of very good people suffer every day, and that many people who do horrible things prosper. One could write off the prayer as reflective of an era in which people found solace in trying to control their fate, but I think that’s unfair and dismissive of the liturgy. I’m not sure that I believe that, were we a perfect world of perfect souls, nobody would ever die young or suffer for any reason. That’s naive, and, in any case, I personally don’t conceive of G-d as a guy up in the sky with a roll of dice (or a “good” and “bad” list, like Santa Claus). But I do think that the Unetane Tokef prayer points at the ways in which we are–as a collective–responsible for our own suffering or for preventing it, for impacting the degree to which evil besets us. Hier alles lesen [...] […] Untane Tokef ist ein heiß diskutiertes (manchmal zumindest) Gebet in der nichtothodoxen Welt. Kann man es heute noch sagen? Entspricht das unserer heutigen Sicht auf G-tt, wenn wir tatsächlich an eine direkte Bestrafung glauben? Mir hat Untane Tokef immer einen Schauer über den Rücken getrieben und in diesem Jahr, in dem ich mit dem Tod vieler lieber Menschen konfrontiert wurde, noch mehr als bisher. Wir können nicht wissen, was vor uns liegt und vermutlich wollen wir das auch nicht wissen. Die Auseinandersetzung mit dem Text bleibt und von Jahr zu Jahr gewinnt er mehr und mehr Bedeutung und Emotionalität. Aber ich bin nicht der einzige, der sich öffentlich Gedanken darüber macht (vermutlich haben auch viele der Leser sich auch schon mit Untane Tokef beschäftigt). Danya Ruttenberg schreibt: The theology of the Unetane Tokef has always troubled me–how can we accept that prayer and repentance and tzedekah (acts of righteousness, usually translated as charity) are going to save us from earthquakes, car accidents, persecution? We know that lots of very good people suffer every day, and that many people who do horrible things prosper. One could write off the prayer as reflective of an era in which people found solace in trying to control their fate, but I think that’s unfair and dismissive of the liturgy. I’m not sure that I believe that, were we a perfect world of perfect souls, nobody would ever die young or suffer for any reason. That’s naive, and, in any case, I personally don’t conceive of G-d as a guy up in the sky with a roll of dice (or a “good” and “bad” list, like Santa Claus). But I do think that the Unetane Tokef prayer points at the ways in which we are–as a collective–responsible for our own suffering or for preventing it, for impacting the degree to which evil besets us. Hier alles lesen […]

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