COVENANT

COVENANT - PART 1

GOD=S COVENANT WITH HUMANITY

We have spoken about God. And we have spoken about humanity. Now it is time to ask the question - what is the relationship between God and humanity? With this question, we come to center of Biblical faith, the notion of covenant.

What is a covenant (in Hebrew brit, also pronounced bris)? A covenant is like a contract. Like any legal contract, there are two parties in a covenant. Each must make certain action commitments. For those who have studied law, a contract where only one side makes a commitment to something is not a valid contract. A contract always commits one party in consideration for the commitment made by the other party. Both sides must commit to something. In a sense, a covenant involves mutually assured promises.

A covenant is like a contract, but a contract is too legalistic, too non-emotional. Lawyers draw up contracts and both parties sign. If they are honorable, they will abide by the terms of the contract. A covenant is something more. There is a relationship between the parties. Perhaps the best example from our life is a marriage. Marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman. (I do not want to enter into the issue of gay marriage at this point.) There is certainly a legal, contractual aspect to a marriage. But hopefully a marriage is far deeper, involving mutual promises, commitments, and love.

Just as marriage requires a symbol, so a covenant requires a symbol. In marriage, the ring has become the symbol of the mutual promises of marriage. In Jewish law, a couple becomes married when a man places a ring on a woman=s finger before proper witnesses and says the traditional formula, and the woman accepts it of her free will. The ring represents the eternity of the commitment. (We also see another requirement of a proper covenant - free will commitment on both sides. Each party must have legal capacity to commit to the covenant. That is why marriage to someone below the age of consent, or marriage to someone unable to comprehend the meaning, is not legally valid.)

The central religious idea of the Bible is not simply that there is a God. Many faiths share a belief in God. The central religious idea is that God made a covenant with humanity. God made an agreement with all humans, each side making certain mutual promises and commitments. The agreement, like a marriage, is based on a mutual love. Then God made a second covenant with a particular people, known as the people Israel.

Let us begin with the covenant God made with all humanity. We can see this in the Bible in the Noah story, after Noah and his family left the ark. God made a promise to accept humanity for who they are. God would never again bring a flood to destroy the world. On the other side, God made demands of Noah, the father of all humanity. AWhoever spills the blood of man, by man shall his blood be spilled, for in the image of God did God create man.@ (Genesis 9:6) Humanity promised God that the killing of innocents would stop. (If only we could keep that promise.)

The Rabbis of the Talmud developed this idea into one of the most powerful in Jewish tradition. They taught that God gave Noah and his family seven laws. Humanity was to shun bloodshed, forbidden sexual relations, idolatry, theft, blasphemy, and cruelty to animals. Humanity was also to establish courts of justice. These laws, known as the Seven Laws of the Children of Noah, are central to the Jewish view of humanity. Jewish tradition does not seek converts. It seeks a commitment by every human being to certain fundamental ethical standards - respect for life, religion, family, property, the avoidance of cruelty, and the pursuit of justice. According to the Rabbis, any human being of any faith who follows these fundamental laws will have a place in the World to Come.

God made a covenant with humanity. God wants us humans to practice fundamental ethical laws. And God in turn has promised He will never destroy us. What is the symbol of this covenant? It is the rainbow. And here is where we receive some wonderful insights.

What is a rainbow? Light shines through water droplets in the sky which act like a prism, bending various frequencies at various angles. The light is separated according to colors. We see the various colors and think of them as separate and distinct. But behind them, hidden from view, is the original light, unified and one.

So it is with humanity. We are separate and distinct, each of us an individual. We may be male or female, Jew, Christian, Moslem, or Buddhist, white or black, young or old. But underneath there is a unity. If we can only reach beyond ourselves and carry out these fundamental ethical laws, we can touch the primordial oneness that unites every human being on earth.

Today I want to enter the heart of one of the world’s oldest and most enduring faiths – Judaism. What is the central idea of the Jewish religion – one that Jews of all stripes, Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform, can agree on? What is the message that has been part of Judaism from the Bible right up to modern new age Judaism? Is it simply belief in one God? That is something that Jews share with Unitarians, Moslems, and other monotheistic faiths. Is it simply that people must be good? One can be an atheist and believe in human goodness.

The heart of the Jewish religion is covenant. A covenant is a relationship based on mutual commitments and promises. God made a covenant with all humanity, symbolized by the rainbow. (We discussed this last week.) Then God made a second covenant with a particular people, known as the people Israel. (Israel was the name of our forefather Jacob. His name was changed to Israel after the famous Biblical story where he wrestled with an angel. The name means “wrestles with God.” We Jews are literally B’nai Israel the children of Israel.) Jews throughout their history have seen themselves as a people living under a covenant.

Covenant means mutual commitments and responsibilities. God had promised the people Israel that we would be as uncountable as the stars and through us would the nations of the world be blessed. God has also promised us a land. (Today the nation Israel is known as “the Promised Land.”) In return, we Jews promised to be loyal to God, to teach our children the ways of righteousness, and to obey God’s commandments. Different Jewish movements will differ on what God wants us to do under the covenant. An Orthodox Jew will emphasize a commitment to traditional halacha, or Jewish law. A Conservative Jew will see Jewish law as changing and open to reinterpretation. A Reform Jew will emphasize ethical living and social action. But all will agree that we Jews havecommitments under the covenant.

Some people use the phrase “Chosen People” to refer to the Jewish people living under the covenant. In truth, I hate that phrase. It is too easily open to misinterpretation; often it has led to anti-Semitism. I prefer to see the Jewish people as a Covenantal People. It entails special responsibilities and commitments. Historically Jews, when living by these responsibilities, have helped transform the world.

Just as the rainbow is the symbol of the covenant with all humanity, so circumcision is the symbol of the covenant with the Jewish people. Every Jewish male must be circumcised on the eighth day (unless delayed by illness.) Every male convert must be circumcised, or if already circumcised, must have a small scratch as a symbolic circumcision. These are absolute requirements of Jewish law, considered so important that they can even take place on Yom Kippur. This week we celebrate Hanukkah. Part of the rebellion of the Macabees against their Syrian-Greek overlords was when circumcision was outlawed. The Hellenists, with their belief in the beauty and perfection of the human body, were strongly anti-circumcision. It became a defining issue in the war between Greek and Jewish culture.

Why circumcision? The Torah never says. All I can do is speculate as to a reason. Allow me to share two thoughts on the reason for circumcision. Taken together, they go into the heart of the Jewish faith.

Reason 1 – The pagan world believed that nature was perfect. Even today, pagans speak of living at one with nature. We humans are simply part of nature. The Biblical insight was that we Jews were to break out of nature, if necessary, transform nature. Nature may be good, but our job is to perfect it. Perfecting nature begins with the symbolic act of perfecting our own bodies. Then we continue with our job of perfecting the world.

Reason 2 – We cannot transform the world until we learn to transform ourselves. Human perfection begins with self-control. And if there is any area where humans, particularly men, need self-control, it is the sexual drive. Without control in this area, families fall apart and men become mere sexual predators. Therefore, the symbol of the covenant is placed right on the organ that most needs self-control. “Ben Zoma taught, Who is strong? Whoever controls their appetites.” (Avot 4:1)

We now can get into the heart of the covenant between God and the people Israel. It starts with self-transformation through discipline and self-control. It continues with moving beyond the self to transform and perfect the world. To observe the religion known as Judasim is to constantly ask the question, “What are my obligations according to the covenant?”

We have spoken about two covenants. The first is the covenant God made with all humanity, symbolized by the rainbow. The second is the covenant God made with the people Israel, symbolized by the rite of circumcision. At the center of my religious vision is that both of these covenants are still valid. As a human being, I must live by fundamental ethical laws which reflect my relationship with God. As a Jew, I must live by the traditions of my people whose purpose is to transform the world.

The prophet Jeremiah introduced the notion of a new covenant. “Behold, the days come says the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; in that they broke My covenant, although I was a lord over them says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord, I will put My law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God and they shall be My people.” (Jeremiah 31 :30 –32)

The new covenant will not be like the previous one. It will be sealed in the heart rather than the flesh. In other words, the new covenant will not involve circumcision, but will be concerned with feelings and beliefs. Christianity developed the idea of this new covenant into a central pillar of their faith. The Hebrew word for the New Testament is Brit Hadasha, which means literally “New Covenant.” (The word “testament” comes from a Greek word meaning “covenant.”) Jews on the other hand, rejected the notion of a new covenant, at least until the Messianic Age. For Jews, the old covenant is sufficient. Therefore, Jews will not even use the terms “Old Testament” and “New Testament.” Instead, they refer to the Hebrew Scripture and the Christian Bible.

Through much of Christian history, the idea of a new covenant meant a rejection of Judaism and the Jewish people. If God made a new covenant, then the old covenant was no longer valid. The Jewish people no longer had a reason to exist. God had rejected the Jewish people. Sadly, this led to the long history of anti-Semitism which has plagued the Western World. Most of the tension of the last two millennia between Jews and Christians grew out of this Biblical idea of new covenant.

Today, I am very pleased to report that a new idea regarding covenant is taking hold among both Christians and Jews. It is leading to a new age of acceptance and understanding between the two Biblical faiths.

Many Christians have embraced the idea that Jews still live under a covenant with God. This entails special obligations and has the potential to transform the world. Rather than rejecting Judaism, these Christians encourage their Jewish neighbors to explore their own roots and embrace their own faith. Many of these Christians have become ardent supporters of the state of Israel, seeing it as the fulfillment of God’s covenantal promise.

What is intriguing is that many Jews have also embraced the idea of two covenants. Perhaps the leading advocate of this idea is Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, who speaks about a dual covenant of Judaism and Christianity. God has an eternal covenant with the Jewish people. God also has a covenant with Christians to take the fundamental ideas of the Bible and spread them to the world. Because of this second covenant, much of the world has come to embrace such Biblical ideals as One God, humanity created in God’s image, a vision of peace in the future, the pursuit of justice, compassion for the poor, the centrality of marriage and family, and the importance of rest once in every seven days.

Perhaps, with the holy and beautiful celebration of Christmas coming next week, it is important for us Jews to rethink how we envision Christianity. Perhaps we should see Christians as fulfilling a new covenant, one written on the heart rather than the flesh. By living according to their faith, Christians can spread the Biblical vision of justice, holiness, and peace to the world. As a Jew, I want to embrace my Christian brothers and sisters as they celebrate their holy day. Together, our faiths can transform the world as a kingdom of God.

COVENANT - PART 4

ISLAM

Last week I shared Rabbi Yitz Greenberg=s idea of a dual covenant. There is the original Biblical covenant God made with the Jewish people. Then there is a new covenant, written on the heart rather than the flesh, that became the basis of Christianity. Christianity has taken fundamental Biblical values and spread them to the nations of the world. Jews and Christians can become partners in perfecting this world as a kingdom of God. This is a new, fresh way of viewing the relationship between two great Abrahamic faiths, Judaism and Christianity.

This leaves a large question unanswered. Where does Islam, the third great Abrahamic faith, fit in? Do Moslems also live under a covenant with God? Do they have their own role in fulfilling God=s work under the covenant? How should I, as a rabbi, view the faith of my Moslem brothers and sisters?

Moslems would not use the word Acovenant@ to speak of their faith. Islam means Asubmission to God.@ Covenant is closer to the ideal of partnership with God. To submit to God is very different than acting as a partner with God. Moslems are much more likely to use the term Uuma, referring to a people who have submitted to Allah by following Mohammed=s revelation.

Having said that, traditional Islam still refers to both Jews and Christians as APeople of the Book.@ They see their own faith as a continuation of the vision given in both the Old and New Testament. And Islam carries on many of the highest ideals of these other Biblical faiths. We can see this by looking at the five pillars of Islam.

The greatest Biblical ideal is to proclaim the oneness and absolute sovereignty of God, Creator of heaven and earth. The first pillar of Islam is to declare the oneness of God, who they refer to as Allah. Of course, this pillar also claims that Mohammed was God=s prophet, an idea that Jews and Christians will not accept.

The Bible speaks of the importance of prayer, and relating to God on a daily basis. The second pillar of the Moslem faith is to pray five times a day. (I find it hard enough to maintain the Jewish tradition of prayer three times a day.)

The Bible speaks of the quest for holiness, both holy places and holy times. The third pillar of Islam is the Hajj, a pilgrimage to the Holy place of Mecca. Moslems have also accepted the notion of one holy day of rest in seven, keeping their Sabbath on Friday.

The Bible speaks of the importance of training ourselves in self-discipline and self-control. The fourth pillar of Islam is the fast during the day for the entire month of Ramadan. (I remember once buying an ice cream at a local shop during Ramadan, and speaking to the Moslem owner. I asked if he was fasting and he said, Aof course.@ I asked, AIsn=t hard to sell ice cream every day while you are fasting?@ He answered, AYou learn to train yourself.@ I tried to imagine what it would be like to prepare food while fasting on Yom Kippur.)

Finally, the Bible is very concerned with compassion towards the poor and those unable to provide for themselves. The fifth pillar of Islam is the centrality of giving alms. Taking care of the poor was central to Mohammed=s vision. It is based on the Biblical vision that every human, even the poor and rejected of society, are created in the image of God.

We can see from this that the Moslem faith has taken most of the highest Biblical ideals and spread them throughout the world. Today there are one billion Moslems in the world, and here in the United States it is one of the fastest growing communities. (Some claim it has already passed Jews in terms of number of adherents.) It is a faith that we cannot ignore. And it is a faith that, at its best, can help perfect the world as a kingdom of God.

This brings me to the central question many ask. What about all the evil done in the name of Moslem throughout the world? What about the Moslem extremists who attacked buildings in New York and Washington on 9/11, those who blew up night clubs in Bali and a train in Madrid, those who attacked and killed school children in Russia, those who behead innocent captives in Iraq, and of course, those who bomb busses and cafes in Israel. How can we say that Moslems are doing God=s work in the sight of such atrocities?

Every religion has the potential for evil. We can look at the Inquisition and the Crusades to see evil done in the name of the faith of Jesus. And even we Jews are not immune from evil done in the name of the laws of Moses. We can look at the mass murderer Baruch Goldstein who killed scores of Moslems at prayer, and the Jews today who have made a shrine of his grave. We all need to look at the evil tendencies in ourselves before condemning the evil in others.

Having said that, terrible atrocities are being down throughout the world in the name of Jihad. (The word Jihad actually means struggle, and refers to a personal struggle to perfect one=s self.) There are Moslems throughout the world who are horrified by the evils done in the name of their faith. Mahmoud Abbas, the new leader of the Palestinians, has already condemned the intifada as a terrible mistake. And recently there was a gathering of Moslem leaders in Cairo, Egypt, dealing with attempts to Reform the Moslem faith.

Islam is not going to disappear. It is a major faith, and properly practiced, it is a beautiful faith. Our goal must be to strengthen the voices of moderation and compassion within the Moslem world. (They do exist; I have personally spoken to many of them.) Through these voices of moderation, faith of Mohammed will join the faith of Moses and the faith of Jesus. Jews, Christians, and Moslems can become covenantal partners, perfecting this world as a kingdom of God.