One of the outstanding features of medieval Spanish Jewry was the confidence to weave philosophical teachings into Biblical commentary. One of the exemplary voices in this genre was Rabbi Isaac ben Moses Arama, a 15th century Spanish Talmudist, Kabbalist and Bible commentator. Rabbi Arama's most famous work is titled Akedat Yitzhak, a brilliant commentary on the Torah blending classic Rabbinic sources and philosophy, particularly the works of the Greek philosopher Aristotle.
When quoting Aristotle, Rabbi Arama does so to illustrate a moral teaching and lesson that helps bring us to a deeper understanding of complex verses or narratives in the Torah.
In this week's Torah portion - Parashat Vayehi - the Book of Genesis comes to a close, and so does the life of the patriarch Jacob. In Chapter 49 of Genesis, Jacob gathers his sons around his death bed, and in poetic-prophetic language, tells them what lies ahead in their descendant's future.
When he speaks about Simeon and Levi, he has very difficult words for them:
"Simeon and Levi are a pair, their weapons are tools of lawlessness. Let not my person be included in their council, let not my being be counted in their assembly. For when angry they slay men, and when pleased they maim oxen. Cursed be their anger so fierce, and their wrath so relentless. I will divide them in Jacob, scatter them in Israel" (Genesis 49:5-7).
Jacob's harsh words about Simeon and Levi are his final reflection on their vengeful behavior against the residents of the town of Shekhem, in response to their sister Dina being raped. While they felt they defended their sister's honor, Jacob did not approve of their behavior, as he felt it was not appropriate for a prophet of God to be suspected of lending his hand to violence and pillage.
Since their behavior was so repulsive to Jacob, why did he force, or perhaps even pray, that Simeon and Levi should be "scattered in Israel"? Why spread their anger and zealousness?
In his Akedat Yitzhak commentary, Rabbi Arama addresses this question through the teachings of Aristotle:
Jacob here utters a truth which Aristotle has publicized in his Book of Ethics. He teaches that anger and temper, though undesirable qualities, may sometimes prove useful in arousing heroic behavior in human beings. Soldiers in battle are spurred to bravery and courage by anger and indignation. This idea is also expressed in the Bible, in the Prophet Isaiah, where God says: "My won arm brought victory, and My won rage was My aid" (Isaiah 63:5). In other words, anger in extremes is detrimental, but in moderation can be useful. Jacob had the same idea in mind. It was advisable that the qualities of anger and passion that had been concentrated in Simeon and Levi should be dispersed among all of the tribes of Israel. All of them would share some of it. A little spread everywhere would prove useful, but if concentrated in one place, would be dangerous.
Through the teachings of a Greek philosopher, Rabbi Arama transforms what appears like a curse from Jacob into somewhat of a positive blessing. He argues that their anger and passion had to be "scattered in Israel," for by scattering it and spreading it thin, the at times necessary qualities of zeal, anger and passion could actually serve as productive tools for all of the tribes of Israel. Anger, passion and zeal, when properly channeled and measured, could actually be a good thing. This is certainly not clear from the plain sense of Jacob's words, but Rabbi Arama does what many Sephardic- Spanish Bible commentators did so well: find deeper meaning, and even a life's lesson, in complex verses in the Torah, by employing wisdom from the library of world thinkers outside of Judaism.
Rabbi Arama's commentary is another brilliant reflection of the great teaching of Maimonides, the master of blending Torah, philosophy and science: "Accept the truth from whatever source it comes."
Concluding Note:
The above column brings us to the close of the Book of Genesis. In our reading the Torah "through Sephardic lenses," we have so far seen examples of three outstanding Sephardic medieval commentators (Nachmanides, Abarbanel and Arama), two brilliant philosophers and thinkers (Maimonides and Benamozegh), two Sephardic poems and liturgical pieces ("Avraham Avinu" in Ladino & "Et Shaarei Ratson" - the Akedah poem) and four 20th Century Sephardic Rabbis and leaders (Rav Uziel, Rav Nissim, Rav Shalem and Hakham Raful). Quite an illustrious group, and we've only covered Genesis! Still four more books of the Torah to go, and many more brilliant Sephardic minds through which to explore the Torah.
Stay tuned for next week, as we begin our Sephardic journey through the Book of Exodus. Until then, blessings and good wishes.
Shabbat Shalom