Random Ramblings
As I have repeatedly said, I have been listening almost daily to Modern Times, Bob Dylan’s new album. I try to listen to other things, but soon the shallowness of most of what I hear sends me back to this incredible work. I have much to consider about the album and its appeal to me, but that will wait for a more academic treatment. The first paper I ever wrote was an attempt at a scholarly treatment of Dylan’s “Desolation Row.” I still like that essay. And love the song still.
Anyway, last week I set out on my regular Sunday run—alas, about six or seven miles these days—and I strapped the iPod to my arm. I had placed about a dozen new songs atop Dylan’s Modern Times; I figured that about thirty minutes or so into the run I’d need to be charged by the sound of the opening notes of “Thunder on the Mountain.” But when I clicked the device on, it clicked right through the first dozen songs and began playing Dylan. I pushed the menu button and started again the playlist-of-the-day, “running songs.” The iPod clicked itself past the first dozen songs and again started playing “Thunder on the Mountain.” Now on this particularly colder morning I had placed the iPod underneath my gore-tex,; somehow, in the cold, the battery loses power, and so getting at the iPod this morning was not an easy feat. I stopped running. I took the gloves and the jacket off, unstrapped it from my arm, and turned the wheel again to begin the ‘running song’ playlist. And once again, the iPod clicked its way through the first dozen songs and urgently began “Thunder on the Mountain.” So be it, I said. It was a great run. Who says devices can’t learn.
The Rabbis say that whoever ascends the scaffold, if that person has great advocates he is saved, but if he doesn’t have great advocates, well, then he is not saved. What are our great advocates, the Rabbis ask? Repentance and good deeds. I can accept that. As Dylan says, “Gonna forget about myself for awhile, gonna go out and see what others need.” Yes.
But, the Rabbis continue: even if 999 persons argue for a man or woman’s guilt, if there be one who will argue in her/his favor, that person is saved. As proof text the Rabbis go to Job 33:23. Elihu, trying to comfort Job, says, “If there will be for someone but a single defending angel out of a thousand to declare a man’s uprightness on his behalf, then [God] will be gracious to him and say, Redeem him . . .” Forget the context: this is not a disquisition on Job. The Rabbi’s use of Elihu’s statement fits my theme perfectly, and though I can’t be that forgiving, I can yet aspire to it. If we are to be Holy by modeling God’s holiness, then this is certainly an attribute which will make me a better human being.
But then the Rabbis go even a step further. They quote Rabbi Jose, the Galilean. This scholar says that if 999 parts of the single defending angel are against the man, and only one part is for him, then still he is saved: “an advocate, one part of a thousand.” Of course, the presence of the argument in Talmud indicates that forgiveness is an issue in the society, but what a remarkable standard the Rabbis set. It’s a standard to which I can aspire.
Admittedly, even Hitler would find an advocate, and I can not think that the Rabbis are exonerating the devil. What they are asking is that we aspire toward a holiness we can never attain. Would Hitler had sought such holiness! And George Bush, too, I suppose!
Anyway, last week I set out on my regular Sunday run—alas, about six or seven miles these days—and I strapped the iPod to my arm. I had placed about a dozen new songs atop Dylan’s Modern Times; I figured that about thirty minutes or so into the run I’d need to be charged by the sound of the opening notes of “Thunder on the Mountain.” But when I clicked the device on, it clicked right through the first dozen songs and began playing Dylan. I pushed the menu button and started again the playlist-of-the-day, “running songs.” The iPod clicked itself past the first dozen songs and again started playing “Thunder on the Mountain.” Now on this particularly colder morning I had placed the iPod underneath my gore-tex,; somehow, in the cold, the battery loses power, and so getting at the iPod this morning was not an easy feat. I stopped running. I took the gloves and the jacket off, unstrapped it from my arm, and turned the wheel again to begin the ‘running song’ playlist. And once again, the iPod clicked its way through the first dozen songs and urgently began “Thunder on the Mountain.” So be it, I said. It was a great run. Who says devices can’t learn.
The Rabbis say that whoever ascends the scaffold, if that person has great advocates he is saved, but if he doesn’t have great advocates, well, then he is not saved. What are our great advocates, the Rabbis ask? Repentance and good deeds. I can accept that. As Dylan says, “Gonna forget about myself for awhile, gonna go out and see what others need.” Yes.
But, the Rabbis continue: even if 999 persons argue for a man or woman’s guilt, if there be one who will argue in her/his favor, that person is saved. As proof text the Rabbis go to Job 33:23. Elihu, trying to comfort Job, says, “If there will be for someone but a single defending angel out of a thousand to declare a man’s uprightness on his behalf, then [God] will be gracious to him and say, Redeem him . . .” Forget the context: this is not a disquisition on Job. The Rabbi’s use of Elihu’s statement fits my theme perfectly, and though I can’t be that forgiving, I can yet aspire to it. If we are to be Holy by modeling God’s holiness, then this is certainly an attribute which will make me a better human being.
But then the Rabbis go even a step further. They quote Rabbi Jose, the Galilean. This scholar says that if 999 parts of the single defending angel are against the man, and only one part is for him, then still he is saved: “an advocate, one part of a thousand.” Of course, the presence of the argument in Talmud indicates that forgiveness is an issue in the society, but what a remarkable standard the Rabbis set. It’s a standard to which I can aspire.
Admittedly, even Hitler would find an advocate, and I can not think that the Rabbis are exonerating the devil. What they are asking is that we aspire toward a holiness we can never attain. Would Hitler had sought such holiness! And George Bush, too, I suppose!
posted by Alan A. Block at 6:09 PM
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