Upload
lynne-bailey
View
214
Download
1
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Jesus and Leadership in a Jewish Environment
Dr. Faydra Shapiro
Leadership
• Teacher• Exemplar• Possesses Authority
To Teach and to Learn
• Disciples = תלמידים (talmidim) learners/students
• Comes from verb to learn: ללמוד (lilmod)
• Root - ד- מ ;also to teach; studies; Talmud] לteacher
Beyond just hearing
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
Luke 6:46-49
To whom may a man who has good deeds and has studied much Torah be compared? To a man who in building [lays] stones first [for a foundation] and then lays bricks [over them], so that however much water may collect at the side of the building, it will not wash away. Contrariwise, he who has no good deeds even though he has studied much Torah — to whom may he be compared? To a man who in building lays bricks first and then heaps stones over them, so that even if a little water collects, it at once undermines the structure.
Avot de Rabbi Natan 24:1
How to Receive Torah?
Yossei the son of Yoezer of Tzreidah would say: Let your home be a meeting place for the wise; dust yourself in the soil of their feet, and drink thirstily of their words.
Avot 1:4
In motionOnce Rabbi Ishmael, Rabbi Eleazar and Rabbi Akiva were walking along the road followed by Levi the net-maker and Ishmael the son of Rabbi Eleazar. The following question was discussed by them: ‘From where do we know that the duty of saving a life supersedes the Sabbath laws?’”
Mekhilta on Exodus 31:13
Torah Like Water
There is no water except Torah. Bava Kama 17A
Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. Deut 32:2
The words of Torah are likened to water, as it is written, O all who thirst, come for water, (Is. 55:1) Just as water goes from one end of the earth to the other, so does Torah go from one end of the earth to the other; Just as water is a life source, so is Torah a source of life; Just as water is free to all, so is Torah free; Just as water comes from heaven, so too is the Torah’s origin in heaven; Just as water makes many sounds, so is the Torah heard in many voices; Just as water quenches one’s thirst, so does Torah satisfy the soul; Just as water cleanses the body from impurity, so does Torah cleanse the soul….
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
Water of Life
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 4:13-14
More than the calf wants to suckle, the cow wants to nurse
Pessachim 112a
“I came to watch him cut bread and tie his shoes.”
Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Matthew 22:36-40
This is also TorahR. Kahana once went in and hid under Rab's bed. He heard him chatting [with his wife] and joking and doing what he required.
He said to him: One would think that Abba's mouth had never sipped the dish before!
He said to him: Kahana, are you here? Go out, because it is rude.
He replied: It is a matter of Torah, and I must learn.
Berachot 62a
By their fruit, you will know them…
Whoever possesses the following three traits is of the disciples of our father Abraham; and whoever possesses the opposite three traits is of the disciples of the wicked Balaam. The disciples of our father Abraham have a good eye, a meek spirit and a humble soul. The disciples of the wicked Balaam have an evil eye, a haughty spirit and a gross soul.
Avot 5:19
The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.
Luke 6:40
Who Asked You?It is taught: On that day R. Eliezer brought forward every imaginable argument, but the Sages did not accept any of them. Finally he said to them: "If the Halakhah (religious law) is in accordance with me, let this carob tree prove it!" Sure enough the carob tree immediately uprooted itself and moved one hundred cubits, and some say 400 cubits, from its place. "No proof can be brought from a carob tree," they retorted.
And again he said to them "If the Halakhah agrees with me, let the channel of water prove it!" Sure enough, the channel of water flowed backward. "No proof can be brought from a channel of water," they rejoined.
Again he urged, "If the Halakhah agrees with me, let the walls of the house of study prove it!" Sure enough, the walls tilted as if to fall. But R. Joshua, rebuked the walls, saying, "When disciples of the wise are engaged in a halakhic dispute, what right have you to interfere?" …
Again R. Eliezer then said to the Sages, "If the Halakhah agrees with me, let it be proved from heaven." Sure enough, a divine voice cried out, "Why do you dispute with R. Eliezer, with whom the Halakhah always agrees?" R. Joshua stood up and protested: "The Torah is not in heaven!" (Deut. 30:12). We pay no attention to a divine voice because long ago at Mount Sinai You wrote in your Torah at Mount Sinai, `After the majority must one incline'. (Ex. 23:2)“
R. Nathan met [the prophet] Elijah [3] and asked him, "What did the Holy One do at that moment?" Elijah: "He laughed [with joy], saying, 'My children have defeated Me, My children have defeated Me.'"
Baba Metzia 59b
END