Moses Views the Promised Land in the Middle of the Creation of the World (Oct 17, 2021)

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Ruach HaYam teaching presented by Penina Weinberg
October 17, 2021

At the end of the Jewish liturgical year, in the fall, after Yom Kippur, on Simchat Torah, Jews read Parashah V’Zot HaBerachah, which is the very end of Deuteronomy, the last book of the 5 books which make up the Torah, and which are read portion by portion though the cycle of one year. On the very same evening, Jews read the beginning of the Torah, Genesis 1:1–2:3. What does it mean to envision the end of the life of Moses as deeply connected to and leading to the Creation of the World? We will read the end of Deuteronomy and the beginning of Genesis and see how death and birth are connected; how ends become beginnings.
We will also read some 1st millennium Aramaic poetry about the death of Moses, including Jochebed mourning the death of her son and Moses talking to Adam. Time permitting, we may look at how Isis and Jochebed are similar and different in searching for their loved ones. Look for all these things to be showing up here if you’d like to read in advance. https://tinyurl.com/RuHay-Moses—Creation

 

Middle of banner is a 1912 painting “Moses Beholds the Promised Land” by Christian Rohlfs. We see a very strong character with dark skin and draped in red who stands face to face with the promised land.The artist combines a realistic portrayal with powerful colours and an expressive, almost brash technique.
Sides of banner are two ends of the six days of creation, as depicted in a 17th century Armenian Bible, preserved in the Armenian Patriarchate, Jerusalem. The first panel, upper left, shows God commencing to create the universe from chaos. In the second panel, middle left, the orb apparently represents God’s command “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3), actually a part of the first day’s work; while the arch in the background seems to be the “firmament in the midst of the waters” (Genesis 1:6). The creation of the Earth and its vegetation appears in the bottom left panel. On the fourth day, upper right panel, God made the stars, shown in the blue band as some of the zodiacal constellations, as well as the sun and the moon, seen in the panel’s upper corners. The fifth panel, middle right, vividly realizes God’s creation of the creatures in the sea and of the birds who “fly above the earth across the firmament of the heavens” (Genesis 1:20). Finally, God made the creatures of the earth, including mankind, on the sixth day, lower right. Among the animals shown in the sixth panel is the mythical unicorn, which has a single, long horn jutting from its forehead.

At 6:45 pm ET, meeting will be open for logging in, schmoozing and solving any technical issues. Study begins at 7:00 ET. We will go until 8:30 pm.
——>>>>>> Zoom login can be found in the Ruach HaYam study room. https://www.studywithpenina.com/ruach_hayam

——>>>>>> Only recognized names will be admitted to Zoom meeting. Please be sure to RSVP

Penina Weinberg is an independent Hebrew bible scholar whose study and teaching focus on the intersection of power, politics and gender in the Hebrew Bible. She has run workshops for Nehirim and Keshet and has been teaching Hebrew bible for 10 years. She has written in Tikkun and HBI blog, and is the leader and founder of Ruach HaYam.

*** Ruach HaYam https://www.facebook.com/groups/Ruach.HaYam/ study sessions provide a queer Jewish look at text, and are welcoming to LGBTQ+ and allies, to any learning or faith background, to all bodies, and friendly to beginners***