The more I participate in interfaith dialogue and become aware of the various religious approaches to understanding sacred texts, the more I am convinced of the uniqueness of the value and approach of midrash.
Midrash means “interpretation” and comes from the Hebrew root “leedrosh” which means “to seek.” This idea means that while Judaism’s core sacred scripture of the Hebrew Bible or Tanach is a foundational text for all of God’s teaching that flows throughout the generations, our sages never meant to accept its words or messages at face value, or take it literally. Midrash is the act of “seeking” a deeper understanding than just the words we read on the page or the scroll, and the assumption that “truth” or God’s Word is found in that act of seeking.
So, while the Torah or the many books of the Hebrew Bible as a whole form the basis of sacred scripture for not only Judaism, but also Christianity and Islam, those other faith traditions interpret those words and stories in a very different context than the rabbis of the 1st and 2nd century. It’s these sages, whom we call Chazal (an acronym meaning “the sages of blessed memory”), whose interpretations of the Hebrew Bible shape the core values, foundations, and teachings, that we know as Judaism. And…it’s important to emphasize “interpretations,” in the plural. We learn about how they understood the sacred text of the Bible through their interpretations and discussions found in the Talmud (which includes the Mishnah and Gemara). And, the amazing thing is that their interpretations, their midrashim often don’t agree with one another. They challenge each other, push one another to justify and explain their perspectives, and sometimes come to agreement and sometimes don’t.
The editors of the Talmud put together all of these rabbinic voices, discussions, and even arguments together on the page of the Talmud, as if to say, it’s not the conclusion or destination that they come to that is most important. It is the journey of the discussion that shows us where wisdom can be found. One can wade through pages and pages of discussion on a small item of ritual importance, going through many tangential stories and teachings on the way, as if to emphasize this point.
In the Talmud itself, they comment on this process of discussion and argument through the idea of makhloket shem shamayim – ‘an argument for the sake of heaven”:
“A controversy for Heaven’s sake will have lasting value, but a controversy not for heaven’s sake will not endure. What is an example of a controversy for Heaven’s sake? The debates of Hillel and Shammai. What is an example of a controversy not for Heaven’s sake? The rebellion of Korach and his associates [Numbers 16:1-3]. (Mishnah Avot 5:17)
The sages highlight the example of the rebellion of Korach as an argument that is NOT for the sake of heaven. Korach’s argument to weaken Moses’s authority came from his own agenda – his own self interest. He wanted to be the leader and while his argument that “everyone is holy” was consistent with the Torah, it was his self-centered motivation that was so destructive. When we are attached to being right, to be convinced that we know what is true, then any discussion we enter into will not be ultimately constructive. Our ideas may have merit – may have truth in them, but they are rooted in self-aggrandizement, and therefore do not promote the unity of God’s presence.
The example for an argument for the sake of heaven is the debates between Hillel and Shammai, both 1st century sages:
For three years there was a dispute between School of Shammai and the School of Hillel, the former asserting, “The law is in agreement with our views,” and the latter contending, “The law is in agreement with our views.” Then a voice from heaven announced, “these and those both are the words of the living God, but the law is in agreement with the rulings of the School of Hillel.”
Since, however, “both are the words of the living God,” what was it that entitled the School of Hillel to have the law fixed according to their rulings? Because they were kindly and modest, they taught their own rulings as well as those of the School of Shammai, and even more, they taught the rulings of the School of Shammai before their own. This should teach you that one who humbles oneself is exalted by the Holy One and one who exalts oneself is humbled by the Holy One. (Babylonian Talmud, Eruvin, 13b)
The two ideas articulated in this passage form foundational Jewish insights into the approach of midrash and coming closer to truth and God’s presence. First, even though Hillel and Shammai had opposing positions, both positions had value – both were “words of the Living God.” Multiple interpretations of the same scripture can have value. This sentiment is captured beautifully and humorously in the play/movie “Fiddler on the Roof.” The main character Tevye is in a discussion with others. One expresses an opinion, and Tevye says, “You’re right.” Another person expresses a contradictory opinion and Tevye thinks a moment and then says, “You know, you’re also right.” And a third person protests: “He’s right and he’s right – they can’t both be right,” whereas Tevye chuckles and says, “You know, you’re also right.”
The second idea expresses the reason for why the halachic rulings almost always went according to the school of Hillel. One can find value in multiple opinions but sometimes need to choose which opinion is going to guide behavior. The reason given for siding with the school of Hillel had nothing to do with Hillel’s ideas. It had nothing to do with the facts that Hillel used to back up his positions. It had everything to do with how the school of Hillel treated the school of Shammai. They were “kindly and modest” and always taught the perspective of Shammai before their own. Of course Hillel had their opinion, but found value in the other’s perspective and honored them.
This idea of midrash – that every teaching or perspective has multiple, even infinite interpretations is an authentic and natural outgrowth of a core principle of Jewish faith that is articulated in the Shema prayer that we say every morning and evening:
Listen Israel, Adonai is Our God, Adonai is One (Deuteronomy 6:4)
A radical but powerful understanding of this verse, expressed by our mystics, is that everything in the world is filled with God’s presence. Adonai is One means that God is the unifying principle and foundation of all of reality. And therefore, every opinion is a “word of the living God,” where value and meaning can be found in understanding the perspective in the proper context.
Living these teachings and this approach is radical in a time of toxic polarization and division. In a world where few people engage in real dialogue and instead, ideas and opinions are magnified through the internet and social media, most people receive news and information in their own ideological bubble, no listening or desire to understand differing perspectives is present. Instead, most people are convinced of the rightness of their own positions and the foolishness and immorality of others.
To take seriously that everything in reality has the Holy One at its foundation, means that every person is created in the Divine image. And, by being created in the Divine image, one’s words are also words of the Living God and need to be seen and heard. It means that I take the time to listen to people who have a different opinion than I do and seek to understand why they see things the way they do. Maybe through my deep listening I will gain a greater understanding of the context that they see the world and why our opinions are different. Maybe there will be something in their perspective that I hadn’t considered that will affect my own. But, more important than the individual ideas shared and expressed in the conversation, my desire to see and listen to another as an expression of the Holy One already affirms a more fundamental truth – that we are connected. Ultimately, it’s this affirmation and awareness of connection in relationship that is the deepest teaching of sacred scripture.