Torah Im Derech Eretz: Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer's Moriah pt 10: Avraham Emerges From the Ruins of Bavel

Moriah by Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer - August 30

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Meeting Purpose

To analyze Rabbi Breuer's philosophy on early human history and the Jewish nation's role.

Key Takeaways

• Two Tragedies: Human history is defined by two rebellions: Adam's individual arrogance and the Tower of Babel's collective totalitarianism.
• Avraham's Counter-History: Avraham was chosen to create a new history, a "state of God" (Medinat Elohim), by rejecting the flawed models of individual and collective authority.
• Nationhood vs. Religion: Judaism is fundamentally a nation (Am Yisrael), not a religion (Klal Yisrael). This distinction is critical to understanding its mission and was the basis of a major dispute between Breuer and Yaakov Rosenheim.
• Universal Mission: The Jewish nation's purpose is to be a "blessing to all families of the earth" by demonstrating a society whose authority is God, not man.

Topics

The Two Rebellions Defining History

• 1. Adam's Rebellion (Individualism):
  • Cause: Man's usurpation of divine authority.
  • Result: Removal of the divine presence (Shechina) from the world.
  • Consequence: The Flood (Mabul), which broke human pride but led to a new extreme.
• 2. Tower of Babel Rebellion (Collectivism):
  • Cause: A post-Flood inferiority complex → the individual was seen as nothing, society as everything.
  • Method: The first totalitarian state, built on the new technology of the brick, to "make a name for ourselves" (na'aseh lanu shem)—a name for the state, not for God.
  • Result: God's intervention created a confusion of languages, preventing a single, corrupt universal state and establishing the era of competing nations.

Avraham's Counter-History: The State of God

• The Call to Separation:
  • God commanded Avraham to leave his land, society, and family.
  • Rationale: To exit the flawed "general history" of totalitarian states (e.g., Nimrod's) and create a new, ideal society.
• The New Nation (Am):
  • Foundation: A "created nation" (Am Elokei Avraham) whose authority is God, not man.
  • Purpose: To be a "blessing to all families of the earth" by demonstrating a righteous society.
  • Core Identity: A nation (Am Yisrael), not a religion. This distinction is central to Breuer's philosophy and was the basis of a major dispute with Yaakov Rosenheim.

Next Steps

• Rabbi Bechhofer: Continue the discussion on Breuer's philosophy, focusing on the mission of the Jewish nation and the distinction between Am Yisrael and Klal Yisrael.

 

Torah Im Derech Eretz: Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer's Moriah pt 9: Adam Chose Autonomy Over God's Will

Fathom Summary

Meeting Purpose

To analyze Rabbi Dr. Isaac Breuer's philosophy on the state, religion, and the Jewish people's mission.

Key Takeaways

• Modern State's Origin: The modern state's separation of church and state is a Christian concept, stemming from early Christianity's focus on individual faith over societal engagement.
• The Jewish Mission: The Jewish people's purpose is to bring the "gospel" of divine justice to the world, serving as a historical protest against humanity's self-appointed authority.
• Adam's Original State: Adam was created with a divine image (Tzelem Elokim) and free will (Demut), intended to be a partner with God in creation.
• The First Sin: Adam's sin was an act of ethical rebellion—seizing authority to define good/bad and justice/injustice—which fundamentally altered history from harmony to strife.

Topics

State & Religion: A Modern View

• State's Scope: A country's authority is limited to governing acts, not beliefs.
  • It can mandate hand-washing for hygiene but not for religious ritual.
  • This ideal state is tolerant of all religions, ensuring peace among citizens.
• Breuer's Origin Theory: This ideal is a Christian concept.
  • Early Christianity focused on the individual's faith, not the state.
  • Its core message ("Render unto Caesar...") separated religious life from civic life.
• Marxist Critique: Religion is the "opiate of the masses."
  • It's a tool of the ruling class to suppress workers, offering "IOUs" for the afterlife instead of demanding justice now.
• Totalitarian State: The party is the religion.
  • It demands total devotion, competing for the hearts and minds of the people.
  • This leads to the suppression of all other religious expression.

The Jewish Mission & History's Trajectory

• The Torah's Narrative: The Torah begins with history, not law, because the Jewish people (Am Yisrael) are a historical phenomenon.
  • Purpose: To protest against history's flawed path and influence it toward divine will.
• Adam's Original State: Created with Tzelem Elokim (divine image) and Demut (free will).
  • Tzelem (Image): The independent self-realization that allows recognition of others and, ultimately, God.
  • Demut (Likeness): Free will, the choice between spiritual and material influence.
• The First Sin: A Rebellion of Authority:
  • Adam ate from the Tree of Knowledge, seizing the authority to define good/bad and justice/injustice.
  • This was a rejection of divine authority, replacing God's will with his own.
  • Result: History shifted from harmony to a struggle between divine and human will.
• The Jewish Solution: Humanity cannot define good/justice alone.
  • The Jewish people's mission is to bring the "gospel" of divine justice to the world.
  • This requires humility before God, as expressed in Micah 6:8: "Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God."

Torah Im Derech Eretz: Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer's Moriah pt 8: The State vs. Idolatry & Christianity

Fathom Summary:

To trace the historical evolution of religion's relationship with the state.

Key Takeaways

• Ancient Religion: A nationalized, state-sanctioned force with no conflict between religious and secular justice.
• Christianity: A messianic movement that, after its founder's failed return, became a Church. It separated religion from the state, offering only personal salvation and dismissing national law as irrelevant.
• Modern State: The state's power eclipsed the Church's. The French Revolution then introduced liberalism, making religion a private matter of conscience and separating belief from state-enforced law.

Topics

The Ancient State & Nationalized Religion

• A state requires three independent authorities for checks and balances:
  • Legislative: Determines laws (e.g., parliament).
  • Judiciary: Judges are independent, guided only by conscience.
  • Executive: The governing body (e.g., cabinet).
• Ancient religion was nationalized, serving as the state's official divinity.
  • This created no conflict between religious and national justice.
  • The state's priests were essentially civil servants.
• Example: The Tower of Babel was an attempt to create a universal, authoritarian nation. Its failure led to the "nationalization of divinity," where each nation adopted its own gods.

Christianity: From Messianic Hope to Church

• Christianity emerged from a historical "giving up of hope" after Rome's conquest proved the weakness of national gods.
• Core Beliefs:
  • Accepted the Jewish concept of a merciful Creator.
  • Rejected the concept of God as the "King of the nations" (Hashem Tzva'o).
  • Focused on personal salvation for the oppressed, symbolized by a single "son of man."
• Initial Stance: A messianic movement focused on an imminent end-of-days.
  • This led to a separation of religion and state: "Give to God what is God's, and to Caesar what is Caesar's."
• Evolution into a Church:
  • When the end-of-days did not arrive, Christianity became an institution.
  • It offered personal salvation for the afterlife, dismissing this world's affairs as a "veil of tears."
  • It mocked the importance of law, creating a gap between the "holy" and "profane."

The Modern State & Private Religion

• Medieval Power Struggle: The Church demanded supreme governance over states, leading to centuries of conflict.
• Reformation: Protestantism subordinated the church to the state, creating national churches (e.g., Anglican).
• Enlightenment & French Revolution:
  • The state's power eclipsed the Church's.
  • The French Revolution introduced liberalism, making religion a private matter of conscience.
  • Key Principles: Freedom of conscience and religious tolerance.
  • Rationale: Belief cannot be compelled; forced religious activity is unethical hypocrisy.

 

Torah Im Derech Eretz: Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer's Moriah pt 7: The Tower of Babel, Nations vs. Justice

Fathom Summary:

Moriah by Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer 

Meeting Purpose

Reviewing Rabbi Dr. Isaac Breuer's philosophy on the modern state.

Key Takeaways

• The Sovereign State as a "Tower of Babel": Modern states are a materialization of the Tower of Babel's "let us make a name for ourselves" ethos, making them the primary source of war by recognizing no law higher than their own.
• International Law Is Powerless: "International law" is not true law but an arbitrary arrangement, powerless to compel strong nations because it lacks a sovereign enforcement mechanism.
• Sovereignty Corrupts Justice: The state's claim to absolute sovereignty replaces justice with loyalty ("my country, right or wrong"), creating both internal social conflict and external war.
• The Democratic Dilemma: Democracy's attempt to temper sovereignty with a separation of powers (Montesquieu) is fragile, especially in states without a written constitution, as seen in Israel's current judicial crisis.

Topics

The Sovereign State & International Anarchy

• Breuer (d. 1946) views the modern sovereign state as a materialization of the Tower of Babel's "let us make a name for ourselves" ethos.
• This sovereignty makes the state the sole source of law, recognizing no higher authority.
• Result → International relations become a "society of nations" based on might, not law.
  • Treaties are mere ceasefires, not true peace.
  • "International law" is an arbitrary arrangement, not true law, because it lacks a sovereign enforcement mechanism.
  • This powerlessness is evident in forums like the League of Nations and the UN.

Sovereignty vs. Justice

• Breuer argues that sovereignty replaces justice with loyalty ("my country, right or wrong").
• This creates a "double war":
  • Internal: Social conflict from a lack of absolute justice.
  • External: War between states.
• Breuer's 1940s perspective contrasts with earlier optimism (e.g., Rav Kook, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch) about society's ethical evolution, recognizing that nationalism was not being superseded.

Types of States & Citizenship

• Breuer categorizes states by their national composition:
  • National State: Homogenous population; the state fully absorbs the nation's will.
  • Multi-National State: Multiple nationalities (e.g., Austro-Hungarian Empire); the state limits its will to benefit member ethnicities.
  • Covenantal State: A multi-national state formed by agreement among its constituent nations.
• Citizenship: A legal concept from the French Revolution intended to create unity by treating all people as equals.
  • Breuer's Critique: This ideal fails in practice, as states still grant different rights to citizens vs. non-citizens.

State Constitutions & the Democratic Dilemma

• Breuer identifies three constitutional structures:
  • Absolute State: Will is determined by a single leader (monarch, president).
  • Democracy: Will is determined by the people via a parliament.
  • Totalitarian State: Will is determined by a single party's ideology (e.g., Nazi, Communist).
• The Democratic Dilemma:
  • Democracy's attempt to temper sovereignty is the separation of powers (Montesquieu).
  • Purpose: To prevent the state's will from completely absorbing the individual.
  • Fragility: This system is vulnerable, especially in states without a written constitution, as seen in Israel's current judicial crisis.

Next Steps

• Continue the discussion, focusing on Breuer's concept of a "Torah state" and how it could function in the modern era.