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Re-edited 
    on July 24, 2013 ----------- In 
    this research - first completed 41 years ago - 
    I cannot update, how the central concept of "SIN" has to be radically 
    transmuted.
    Sin is "Suende" in German, which derives from "sondern"= 
    to separate.
    The actual "Suende" is "Denial", i.e. the separation between 
    Thinking and Feeling,
    i.e. the lack of awareness - by ignoring, overriding, repressing -
    of what I do not want in my life - a) feelings, b) needs, c) qualities, d) 
    greatness.
    
    These denied parts of myself do not simply disappear , 
    but survive in body and soul and all around me,
    they even attract more of the same denials, become monstrous, 
    produce evil doing, perpetration, or evil suffering, victimhood.
    
    The redemption from "Sin", i.e. from denial and "Lost Will"-
    and from there the redemption from suffering and death,
    begins with learning to feel, i.e. to accept, "to womb" what I feel, 
    
    to move it physically and then to understand...
    In other words: I can allow myself to feel unpleasant feelings, needs, qualities,
    only if I KNOW and PRACTISE - that every feeling, from the tiniest to the 
    biggest - 
    must be   V I B R A T E D ,  i.e. physically breathed, sounded, 
    moved,
    in order to heal and evolve, and then fulfill its task: to guide me and to 
    full-fill me.
    
    Once there was a quantum-leap in evolution, 
    when humans understood that there was a connection between suffering and doing.
    Since they knew from the beginning (unlike humankind today), that the many 
    and the one were tied together,
    their "solution" then was, to uproot the one evil-doer from the 
    community, so as to spare it the consequences.
    The next quantum-leap in evolution, was,
    when it was understood that this "solution" caused even more suffering,
    and they evolved the idea of "reproach and protest". 
    This, also, caused more damage than benefit. 
    
    The "solution" people then came up with, was not an evolution, but 
    a re-volution:
    it was to deny the connection between doing and suffering altogether 
    and to ignore the mutual guarantorship between the one and the many.
    As the present time-period shows, this was/is a horrendous denial, 
    yes the culmination of an absurd, monstrous illusion. 
    Now the time has come, to go down to the deepest roots of both: 
    the connection between doing/notdoing (=denial) and suffering,
    and the connection between me, the individual, and everybody else .
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         My PH.D.-Thesis, 1966-1982, delivered 
          in Hebrew to the Jerusalem University 1972 
        Original Theme,1966 : The Idea of VICARIOUS SUFFERING as an ANSWER to INNOCENT SUFFERING (i.e. my coping with the holocaust). Final Hebrew Title 1972: "The PERCEPTION of SUFFERING and SOLIDARITY with the SUFFERERS in the Thought of the Jewish Sages from the time of the second Commonwealth till the End of the Talmudic Era" (i.e. in Bible, Apocryphes, Qumran, New Testament, Talmud, Midrash) 
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           See 
              the overview of "MY BOOK" in the context of "MY LIFE's 
              HARVEST" 
 
 
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English Summary and Digests
  continuation 
  of Rafael Rosenzweig's translation of the original summary 
  of the PH.D. thesis delivered to the Jerusalem University on Purim 1972 
last update: 2003_04_16
DIGEST - Second Part, 
  SOLIDARITY WITH THE SUFFERER, Chapters 4-5
II.4 
  The Emissary's Solidarity with the Community according to the Sages' Judgment
  II.5 Identification with the Sinner
  II.5.1 Identification of the 
  emissary with the sinning community
  II.5.2 Identification 
  with the sinner as a characteristic of Israel after the destruction. 
   
What matters today is not the difference 
  between believers and unbelievers,
  but that between those who care and those who do not care.
  Abbe Pire, Nobel Price Winner for Peace, 1958
II.4 The Emissary's Solidarity with the Community according to the Sages' Judgment
 
  [There is no English equivalent to the Hebrew "Shaliah Zibbur": 
  "He who is commissioned by the community 
  to fulfill a special task for it". 
  
  Usually the term means the public reader of prayers in the synagogue. 
  In the Hebrew original I used it for all those persons in Israel 
  who were conscious of their responsibility towards their people.]
  
  1. Moses
  2. Elimelekh
  3. Jeremias
  4. Ezekiel
  5. David
  6. R. Yehuda Ha-Nasie
  7. R. El'azar ben R. Shimon bar Yohai: The falsification 
  of his personality
  in order to adapt him to the demand of solidarity.
The first consequence 
  of the teaching of solidarity
  is to be realized in the activity of the outstanding personality 
  and his relationship to the community. 
  The occurance itself - the outstanding personality, the "emissary" 
  - 
  is, in Israel, a result of the feeling of solidarity and of mutual guarantorship. 
  
  In this connection it has beeen impossible to do anything but to show, 
  with a number of examples, 
  how the solidarity of the outstanding personality did express itself, 
  or how it should have expressed itself according to the expectations of the 
  generations. 
Moses is 
  a prototype of a singular and solidary man. 
  Out of the many tales (Midrashim) about him, 
  I have selected a number proving
  that the base for solidarity of the outstanding personality 
  is the same as for any other individual: 
  the dependence upon the community, the need for the community.
  On the other hand, Moses exemplifies the evolution 
  which leads from the feeling of dependence to responsible action:
  "This matter, 
  the rescue of the nation, depends upon myself!"
Elimelekh 
  as an outstanding personality is especially interesting, 
  since he is a creature of the imagination of a number of generations of sages.
  What are the concrete expressions of the outstanding personality's solidarity? 
  
  The totality of expectations shows:
  a) he has to remain in the country, with his hungry community,
  and may not emigrate in order to save himself.
  b) He must support his community.
  c) He must ask compassion for his community and must extract it from its sorrow.
  d) He must warn the sinners,
  "that they may return from their evil ways".
  in order to prevent his community from suffering.
  Elimelekh's character exemplifies all these expressions of solidarity in a negative 
  way.
  He, Noemi's husband, and the father-in-law of Ruth, the Moabite, 
  did not fulfill any of these expectations.
  But exactly this disappointing imaginary emissary proves
  how widespread the expectations of solidarity from the emissary were at the 
  time.
The prophets Jeremiah 
  and Ezechiel provided practical proof
  for what solidarity of the community's emissary actually means
  and what its concrete expressions are;
  reproof, warning and protest in order to prevent suffering;
  identification, loyalty and solidarity in the time of suffering.
  The Bible bears unmistakable evidence regarding the two prophets, 
  and the sages deepened the understanding and sharpened the definition:
  "Wherever Israel sorrows, the righteous live with them 
  in sorrow!"
  
  The occurance of the community's emissary and of the outstanding personality
  did not end when "prophets" ceased.
  A prototype for the community's emissary druing the time of the sages themselves
  was Rabbi Jehuda Hanasie ( the "President"), 
  the "father of the Mishna".
  It is not by coincidence that he is, usually, simply referred to as "Rabbi".
  A good number of incidents showing his solidarity could be related, 
  but I chose a legend about Rabbi which has been kept alive by tradition. 
  Legends often give a truer picture of a man than does histsory.
  A special significance should be accorded to the legend about Rabbi's sickness,
  since, according to it, Rabbi was not solidary to begin with,
  but had to learn what solidarity means,
  and what identification with mentally and physically suffering beings is.
  The commentators and, possibly, Rabbi himself, regarded this as the "subjective" 
  purpose of his illness.
  The objectived aim - the good which Rabbi did to others by taking their place 
  in suffering - 
  is based, as a second and logically following phase, on the first one.
  Only a man who is subjectively conscious of his solidarity with beings in their 
  sorrow, 
  will be capable of objectively keeping sorrow from reaching them.
As shown by "Elimelekh", 
  not every outstanding personality followed the demand of solidarity.
  When the commentators met a historical and influential figure, 
  who lacked, for one reason or another, the basic solidarity with the community, 
  
  and, as a result, lacked also responsibility,
  they sometimes chose to falsify the record, in order to settle the man with 
  the character of an emissary.
  Such a falsification did occur already in the Bible, in regard to King 
  David.
  An unknown has done a masterpiece of falsification 
  in regard to Eliezer, the son of Rabbi Shim'on bar 
  Jokhai. 
  A man who was ostentatiously lacking solidarity in life,
  became THE emissary of Israel in the Agada.
  The mere absurdity of this falsification is, perhaps, a better proof 
  than a description of a truly solidary emissary
  of what was expected by the generations of Israel from an outstanding personality: 
  
  to accept Israel's suffering through identification and solidarity, 
  and to translate the feeling of solidarity into active responsibility,
  in order to have their nation avoid suffering.
II.5 Identification 
  with the Sinner
  II.5.1 Identification of the emissary with the sinning 
  community
  
  Solidarity in sorrow means also solidarity in 
  sin,
  for in many cases sorrow is the result of sin.
  It is, therefore, impossible to identify with the sufferers
  without readiness to identify with the sinners.
  The recognition of this condition became stronger in Israel after the destructions,
  and the solidarity with the sinner became a theme for both, discussions and 
  actions,
  even where the connection with suffering was not explicitly expressed.
It may be assumed, that 
  solidarity with sinners 
  was also realized and exemplified for the first time by Moses and the rest of 
  the emissaries.
  Later an unknown poet created the personality of 
  "the Lord's Servant" 
  as the prototype and the symbol of the community's 
  emissary 
  who is conscious of his nations' sins, 
  and who identifies with his nation's sinners. 
  These two characteristics - 
  consciousness of the evil and solidarity with the doers of evil -
  form a condition for the execution of the task of the emissary.
  This task is to reprove the members of his community 
  and to make them turn away from the path that will lead to calamity. 
In this connection it 
  is vital to point out 
  - the fatal falsification of the "Servant's" 
  poems, on which Christianity is based.
  The falsification which is titled "vicariousness in suffering"
  asserts that the "Servant", as 
  "he bears the sin of many" (Isaiah 
  53, 11-12),
  removes the responsibility for the evil done 
  and, therefore, removes the sinners' responsibility for their fate and for their 
  suffering.
  Already "John", from the Christian circles, was against the magic 
  explanation of the Messiah's death.
  According to John, his death is a proof for his solidarity and responsibility.
  The same consequence might be required from any man,
  as solidarity and responsibility link together not only the "good Shepherd" 
  and his "sheep",
  but also the disciple and his master,
  and equally each man and his fellow.
It follows from the original 
  meaning of the poem of the Servant,
  and also from the commentaries to the poem contained 
  in the sages' philosophy,
  that every "servant", every emissary, might act vicariously for the 
  rest of the community.
  This applies equally to Moses, according to the application of R. Simlai, 
  or to the "Wise of the generation" as applied by "Eliyahu 
  the Preacher".
  
  But the emissary does not replace anybody 
  as far as the responsibility for evil and suffering goes.
  His vicariousness is demonstrated 
  in his being conscious of his nation's evil
  [July 
  24, 2013: 
  Since I am on my way to leaving behind the entire concept of "vicariousness" 
  
  and replacing it with the concept of "being a pioneer"
  I want to stress this sentence:
  "His vicariousness is demonstrated in his being CONSCIOUS 
  OF his nation's evil"]
  and in his suffering caused by the forsight of the calamity which will be the 
  result from this evil.
  In addition to this, the servant also suffers from his frustration 
  in not being able to lead his nation back from evil doings, in order to avoid 
  the calamity,
  and from his nation's personal enmity towards himself.
  [July 24, 
  2013: This double "personal" suffering has been a learning stage:
  the enmity towards the "Servant" might be 
  a reflection of his own denials
  like the denial of his fears, pains, disbeliefs
  and a reflection of his judgments 
  against himself, against the people, against "God", 
  and against "right time". ]
  
  This suffering is a by-product of the Servant's 
  own life-work,
  but it is not a necessary result  
  [July 2013, nor a necessary by-product!!1].
  The value of the death of the emissary
  who identifies with the sinners
  is not in moving God's heart 
  or in achieving a magic atonement,
  but in moving the hearts of men.
  It is not God who will forgive the nations' sins,
  it's the nation which will return from its evil ways.
  He who identifies with the sinners 
  does not relieve them from their responsibility for their fate.
  The opposite is true:
  he calls them to be responsible for their ways
  and for the calamity which befells them.
Just as not all the emissaries 
  identified with the suffering,
  there were, according to the Agada, some who declined to identify with the sinners.
An outstanding expression 
  
  of the demand of solidarity with sinning Israel 
  can be found, again, in theology.
  
|  
         The terrible judging God of the apocalyptic ideologists has nothing in common with the "Shekhinah that dwells in Israel even when they are polluted".  | 
       
         [2002_09_20:  
      the very concept of the "Shekhinah", "Einwohnung", "Living-In", which is God's presence on Earth in female gender, is the personification of God's solidarity. ]  | 
    
 
  The God, as the emissary, is solidary with his 
  sinning children,
  as he is solidary with his suffering children.
  II.5 Identification with the Sinner
  II.5.2 Identification with the sinner as a characteristic 
  of Israel after the destruction. 
The second part of this 
  chapter deals with the question 
  of how solidarity with the sinners expressed itself between the common people 
  themselves.
  This type of solidarity becomes stronger in Israel only after the destruction 
  of the first temple [587 BC]. 
  Both in the daily confession 
  and in the parable of the "Four species of the festive wreath",
  which belongs to the annual holiday of the tabernacles (Sukkot),
  a characteristic feature of Israel's is appearant:
  the solidarity between those that "give fruit" and those "that 
  are barren",
  to say between "the righteous" and "the evils"
This solidarity, as well, 
  is based on mutual dependence  
  ("Without leaves - no grapes")
  and on the mutual guarantorship imposed by fate
  ("One sins, and all suffer").
  This doctrine is opposed to the usage of biblical society,
  which tried to escape being guarantors to the sinner by "uprooting" 
  him from the nation,
  and it is also set against apocalyptical individualism,
  which is defined by the illusion 
  that every one will be judged according to his own private actions alone.
  Without negating the apocalyptical dimension,
  the Mishna said against this kind of privacy 
  that "all Israel 
  will have a part in the coming world".
  Israel's characteristic also excells on the background 
  of the habit of the young Church 
  according to which the "solidarity with the sinners" ceased 
  as soon as a concrete sinner appeared on the scene.
The teaching of solidarity 
  with the sinner had important results in Israel's reality.
  Was it permissable to extradite a man in order to save the community on his 
  account?
  Solidarity with the individual, even if he is a criminal, served, in this case 
  as well, as the prevalent ethical measure.
  A serious conflict was created, at times, by this measure,
  but the very struggle of an emissary like R. Joshua 
  ben Levi proves 
  how vital was the principle not to extradite even one soul from Israel.
In view of this reality, 
  the New Testament's charge
  that the Jews extradited a Jew to the enemy's executioners 
  becomes less and less plausible.
  Of course - a very thin line only divides between solidarity and collectivism.
  When the prophet was named "Israel's Corrupter" 
  [Kings I, 18.17],
  this symbolized the people's approach to which quite 
  often the very man was subjected
  who wanted to improve the people's lot.
  But enmity and hate are one thing,
  and murder or extradition are something entirely different.
  The horror from the community's guarantorship created by the murder of innocents 
  was too formidable.
  But even if we suppose that, in Jesus' 
  case,
  fanaticism was stronger than that horror,
  the fanatics would have killed him with their own hands,
  as Jews from foreign countries did to Steven 
  [New Testament, Acts 7 end].
  Under no circumstances would they have extradited him 
  to the enemy.