1) How do we interpret the requirement that the fire must not go out? And, 2) Where does fire come from? Is it divine or engineered by humankind? ------------------------------------- Here are my thoughts:
1) This fire can be viewed as a reflection of man's relationship with God; or, in a metaphorical way, it could be seen as another symbol of man's brit with God. Regardless of its source, it must be maintained.
Plaut cites haggadic sources describing this fire as a "symbol of unquenchable devotion."
Berlin/Brettler remark that it "serves as a perpetual sign that the enshrined deity is being worshipped constantly." They observe that Nehemiah notes an obligatory tradition to make a regular "wood offering" to keep the altar aflame (Neh 10:35, 13:31).
2) Genesis teaches that all things on earth are divinely created. Even if we choose not to take a literal interpretation, we can see divinity in nature. So, for me, fire is divine in origin.
But, if we view fire as a symbol of man's brit with God, then it by definition comes with contractual obligations, similarly symbolized by man's continued fueling of the fire--with wood in the case of the altar fire in the Temple.
If this metaphor holds, how does this square with an instance where man automates his/her continuous obligation to maintain the ner tamid—our community’s representation of our collective brit--say with solar energy? Oddly, for me, this seems to push man's obligation to maintain the relationship or brit back onto God. That would seem to come with some risks. Lucky for our architect, he didn't have to consult our resident Torah "scholars"... :)
1) How do we interpret the requirement that the fire must not go out?
I'll speak for myself and say that I don't think it has anything (much) to do with man's devotion to God. Go into the temple when it's dark and there's nobody around and see how that light makes you feel. We still live in a world where we can carve out a place that is sacred, put a light there, and have absolute faith that it will not be disturbed. That's what is fantastic about the light; that it is timeless, that it has been there since before I was born and will be so long as there are people who want to secure our right to do so. It's about not letting the Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Russians, etc, get you down. Man doesn't need to keep a fire going to show his devotion, he just needs to show that he can have the choice of getting a fire going in his place of worship, that he will not let any harm come to it.
2)Where does the fire come from?
Man. We lit the fire and we maintain it. God would not have instructed us (make it a law...) to do something we are humanly incapable of doing or creating. Similarly, we don't normally ask things of God we are capable of doing ourselves, unless we're lazy communists, but seek his help in only the most deserving of circumstances. We understand we are mortals in this relationship, with certain capabilities, and God recognizes us as such, and directs us to do things that are within our realm of human capabilities.
I am reminded as I read these thoughtful and provocative postings that many civilizations have origin myths about the nature of fire. The Greeks, famously, tell the story of the mortal Prometheus who is punished for stealing fire from the Olympian gods. It's one way of acknowledging that human endeavors can actuate or replicate phenomena that exist in nature. Isn't that what technology is all about?
Re: JEB's last comment on technology...clever... I must admit that when I look out upon Nature, though, I typically respond internally with, "Wow" or "Isn't that beautiful". When I interact with technology, I often hear myself muttering other sorts of remarks...I sure hope for my sake I haven't been addressing divinity... To me, technology conjures up ingenious contraptions designed by (wo)man to improve his/her quality of life. To return to the fire on the altar, and to TunT's point, (wo)man can light the fire and certainly has been instructed to maintain it, but, I confess I still see that fire as a marker of our relationship with God. Extrapolating from the Temple's altar, this could be our ner tamid or even our Shabbat candles as we consecrate another of God's commandments every week in our homes. My question with the solar ner tamid in this context is that it seemingly pushes the obligation to maintain the fire (or relationship) back onto "God's sun" as opposed to some Rube Goldberg match-striking contraption. But, this is probably a digression.
Between the fire never going out and the ashes placed in a holy spot, I saw yesterday’s discussion in a wholly different light than the conversional traction our group followed. As a metaphor the light of the fire, the heat and the cleaning qualities are always to continue. It is our obligation to keep “the wood” burning: To study, to stay relevant, to progress. Lighting a fire at home, on a barbeque, or in the woods, its heat and longevity and contribution has two parts 1) quality of the raw fuel 2) the engineering of its application for the intended purpose. Here we are reminded of the same applications and limitations. The best of what we have (life) is offered every day, used (burnt) everyday, and placed in a holy place (our memory) everyday. In this way, the instruction is to not take a backward view of the direction in which we are going – forward. Nor are we to rest in attained satisfaction (a single blemish free livestock for offering in expiation) as an enduring legacy. Each day is new. As each day’s work is completed, the ashes are carried out – the community restored. The next day we are called to build upon what we’ve learned by confronting occurrences’ with education, experience, and excitement -- that we have the ability, therefore, the requirement to contribute.
Brian, that was beautiful. I know I will be accused of twisting your metaphor to shamelessly pitch the blog again...but, if "It is our obligation to keep 'the wood' burning: To study, to stay relevant, to progress", then in this post Temple cult day, by providing us with this new tool, Rabbi Blake is in effect enabling us to do so...without having to cut down any trees in the process.
You pose 2 Qs:
ReplyDelete1) How do we interpret the requirement that the fire must not go out? And,
2) Where does fire come from? Is it divine or engineered by humankind?
-------------------------------------
Here are my thoughts:
1) This fire can be viewed as a reflection of man's relationship with God; or, in a metaphorical way, it could be seen as another symbol of man's brit with God. Regardless of its source, it must be maintained.
Plaut cites haggadic sources describing this fire as a "symbol of unquenchable devotion."
Berlin/Brettler remark that it "serves as a perpetual sign that the enshrined deity is being worshipped constantly." They observe that Nehemiah notes an obligatory tradition to make a regular "wood offering" to keep the altar aflame (Neh 10:35, 13:31).
2) Genesis teaches that all things on earth are divinely created. Even if we choose not to take a literal interpretation, we can see divinity in nature. So, for me, fire is divine in origin.
But, if we view fire as a symbol of man's brit with God, then it by definition comes with contractual obligations, similarly symbolized by man's continued fueling of the fire--with wood in the case of the altar fire in the Temple.
If this metaphor holds, how does this square with an instance where man automates his/her continuous obligation to maintain the ner tamid—our community’s representation of our collective brit--say with solar energy? Oddly, for me, this seems to push man's obligation to maintain the relationship or brit back onto God. That would seem to come with some risks. Lucky for our architect, he didn't have to consult our resident Torah "scholars"... :)
David
1) How do we interpret the requirement that the fire must not go out?
ReplyDeleteI'll speak for myself and say that I don't think it has anything (much) to do with man's devotion to God. Go into the temple when it's dark and there's nobody around and see how that light makes you feel. We still live in a world where we can carve out a place that is sacred, put a light there, and have absolute faith that it will not be disturbed. That's what is fantastic about the light; that it is timeless, that it has been there since before I was born and will be so long as there are people who want to secure our right to do so. It's about not letting the Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Russians, etc, get you down. Man doesn't need to keep a fire going to show his devotion, he just needs to show that he can have the choice of getting a fire going in his place of worship, that he will not let any harm come to it.
2)Where does the fire come from?
Man. We lit the fire and we maintain it. God would not have instructed us (make it a law...) to do something we are humanly incapable of doing or creating. Similarly, we don't normally ask things of God we are capable of doing ourselves, unless we're lazy communists, but seek his help in only the most deserving of circumstances. We understand we are mortals in this relationship, with certain capabilities, and God recognizes us as such, and directs us to do things that are within our realm of human capabilities.
I am reminded as I read these thoughtful and provocative postings that many civilizations have origin myths about the nature of fire. The Greeks, famously, tell the story of the mortal Prometheus who is punished for stealing fire from the Olympian gods. It's one way of acknowledging that human endeavors can actuate or replicate phenomena that exist in nature. Isn't that what technology is all about?
ReplyDeleteRe: JEB's last comment on technology...clever... I must admit that when I look out upon Nature, though, I typically respond internally with, "Wow" or "Isn't that beautiful". When I interact with technology, I often hear myself muttering other sorts of remarks...I sure hope for my sake I haven't been addressing divinity... To me, technology conjures up ingenious contraptions designed by (wo)man to improve his/her quality of life. To return to the fire on the altar, and to TunT's point, (wo)man can light the fire and certainly has been instructed to maintain it, but, I confess I still see that fire as a marker of our relationship with God. Extrapolating from the Temple's altar, this could be our ner tamid or even our Shabbat candles as we consecrate another of God's commandments every week in our homes. My question with the solar ner tamid in this context is that it seemingly pushes the obligation to maintain the fire (or relationship) back onto "God's sun" as opposed to some Rube Goldberg match-striking contraption. But, this is probably a digression.
ReplyDeleteBetween the fire never going out and the ashes placed in a holy spot, I saw yesterday’s discussion in a wholly different light than the conversional traction our group followed.
ReplyDeleteAs a metaphor the light of the fire, the heat and the cleaning qualities are always to continue. It is our obligation to keep “the wood” burning: To study, to stay relevant, to progress. Lighting a fire at home, on a barbeque, or in the woods, its heat and longevity and contribution has two parts 1) quality of the raw fuel 2) the engineering of its application for the intended purpose.
Here we are reminded of the same applications and limitations. The best of what we have (life) is offered every day, used (burnt) everyday, and placed in a holy place (our memory) everyday. In this way, the instruction is to not take a backward view of the direction in which we are going – forward. Nor are we to rest in attained satisfaction (a single blemish free livestock for offering in expiation) as an enduring legacy.
Each day is new. As each day’s work is completed, the ashes are carried out – the community restored. The next day we are called to build upon what we’ve learned by confronting occurrences’ with education, experience, and excitement -- that we have the ability, therefore, the requirement to contribute.
Brian, that was beautiful. I know I will be accused of twisting your metaphor to shamelessly pitch the blog again...but, if "It is our obligation to keep 'the wood' burning: To study, to stay relevant, to progress", then in this post Temple cult day, by providing us with this new tool, Rabbi Blake is in effect enabling us to do so...without having to cut down any trees in the process.
ReplyDelete