A study of selected teaching methods in the Old and New Testaments

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Content A STUDY OF SELECTED TEACHING M ETHODS
IN THE OLD AND N E W TESTAMENTS
A T h e s is
P re s e n te d to
th e F a c u lty o f th e G rad u ate S ch o o l
The U n iv e r s ity o f S o u th e rn C a lif o r n i a
I n P a r t i a l F u lf i llm e n t
o f th e R eq u irem en ts f o r th e D egree
M a ste r o f A rts
by
U rven V ic to r W hite
J a n u a ry 19^3
UMI Number: EP65228
All rights reserved
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UMI EP65228
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This thesisj written by X\0 t I
................üaV.BJK..yiCI.QR..WHIXE..............................^ i *? 2 ci.
under the guidance of hXJSi...Faculty Committeej
and approved by all its members, has been
presented to and accepted by the Council on
Graduate Study and Research in partial fullfilT
ment of the requirements for the degree of
M a ste r o f A rts
. Hm....Jm...Deuel*. ..Æ r.#..
D ean
Date T&miary. X 9 . S . 3..................
Faculty Committee
Chairman
Ç M ................
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
! • THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED . . . 1
The problem ...................................... X
S ta te m e n t o f th e p ro b lem . ........................ 1
Im p o rtan ce o f th e s tu d y . . . . . . . 1
D e f in itio n s o f te rm s u sed . . . . . . . . . . Z
C o n te n t'^ c e n te re d t h e o r y ....................... 2
E x p e rie n c e d -c e n te re d th e o ry . . . . . . . . 3
A u th o r ita r ia n ap p ro ac h i n l e a r n i n g ................... 3
D em o cratic a p p ro ach i n le a r n in g . .................... 4
O rg a n iz a tio n o f re m a in d e r o f th e t h e s i s . . . 5
Review o f r e l a t e d s tu d i e s . . . . . . . . 6
I I . EDUCATION IN H O M E AND FAMILY LIFE OF ISRAEL,
EVALUATED AS A COMBINATION OF THE AUTHORITAR
IAN AND EXPERIENCE-CENTERED APPROACH IN
LEARNING.................................................... 3
C r e a tiv e m ethod ....................... 8
F am ily l i f e o f I s r a e l . . . . . . . . . 12
R e s p o n s ib ility f o r te a c h in g ...................................... l 4
T each in g m eth o d s............................ 17
I I I . PUBLIC WORSHIP OF ISRAEL—EVALUATED IN THE
LIGHT OF GROUP PARTICIPATION M ETHOD IN
LEARNING. ............................................................................ 24
iv
CHAPTER PAGE
Group p a r t i c i p a t i o n m ethod • • ............................. 2^
Need f o r b a la n c e d c o n t r o l ................................................ 20
F e a s t o f P a s s o v e r........................................................ 31
The T a b e rn a c le ................................................................. 35
The F e a s t o f T a b e r n a c l e s ................................. 4 l
The Day o f A tonem ent .................................. 44
IV . POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE OF JEWISH
NATION, EVALUATED IN THE LIGHT OF COM M UNITY
INFLUENCE IN CHARACTER EDUCATION............................. $C
G eo g rap h ic l o c a t i o n o f P a l e s t i n e . . . . . . $2
Type o f r e l i g i o n found i n new la n d .................... 53
Governm ent to be a th e o c ra c y . ............................. 56,
Laws o f th e S a b b a th . ....................... 59
V. GREAT JEWISH PERSONALITIES EVALUATED AS TEACHING
IDEALS IN PERSONAL-SOCIAL ADJUSTMENTS.................... 6?
Abraham . ................................. 71
M oses..................................................................................... 77
E l i j a h .. .. . ................................................................... 82
J e s u s o f N a z a re th . ......................................................... 88
V I. SU M M A R Y AND CONCLUSIONS......................................................... 9^
BIBLIOGRAPHY......................................................................................................... 10?
CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED
R apid p ro g re s s h a s b ee n made I n e d u c a tio n a l m ethod
and p ro c e d u re i n r e c e n t y e a r s . The new u n d e rs ta n d in g h as
g iv e n g r e a t im p e tu s to th e program o f C h r i s t i a n e d u c a tio n
and h a s made p o s s ib le much more e f f e c t i v e te a c h in g . Some
o f th e s e c o n c e p ts a r e e n t i r e l y new , b u t many have been u sed
a s f a r b ack a s B ib le tim e s . I n s tu d y in g th e B ib le w ith a
c r i t i c a l aw aren ess o f th e te a c h in g m ethods i n u se to d a y ,
much s i m i l a r i t y to m odern te c h n iq u e i s o b se rv e d and many
i n t e r e s t i n g co m p ariso n s a r e r e v e a le d .
I . THE PROBLEM
S ta te m e n t o f th e p ro b lem . I t i s th e p u rp o se o f t h i s
s tu d y to i n v e s t i g a t e th e te a c h in g m ethods in d ic a t e d i n th e
B ib le and to r e l a t e them to te a c h in g te c h n iq u e s i n u se
to d a y . F o u r p r i n c i p a l e d u c a tio n a l ap p ro ac h es have b een
c h o se n to be d is c u s s e d and com pared u n d er c h a p te r h e a d in g s .
Im p o rtan c e o f th e s tu d y . I t i s ju d g ed t h a t th e r e i s
a d i r e c t c o r r e l a t i o n b etw een th e e d u c a tio n a l m ethods and
th e e f f e c t iv e n e s s w ith w hich e a c h g e n e r a tio n h a s b ee n a b le
to p a s s on i t s c u l t u r e . The a ssu m p tio n i s t h a t an y te a c h
in g m ethod t h a t la c k s e f f e c t i v e n e s s w i l l soon be d is c a r d e d .
2
A p p a re n tly th e r e l i g i o u s c u l tu r e o f th e Je w is h r a c e
h ad some q u a l i t y t h a t gave i t a n u n u su a l perm anency, f o r
many o f i t s r i t u a l s have c o n tin u e d to be o b se rv e d down
th ro u g h th e g e n e r a tio n s . S in c e th e Je w is h p eo p le s t i l l
h av e a d i s t i n c t i v e r e l i g i o u s c u l t u r e , e f f e c t i v e m ethods o f
i n s t r u c t i o n m ust have b een u sed i n t r a n s m it t i n g t r a d i t i o n s
and o b se rv a n c e s f o r th o u sa n d s o f y e a r s .
The i n t e n t i o n o f t h i s p a p e r i s to show i n th e
m ethods s e le c te d f o r d is c u s s io n w hat p e d a g o g ic a l p ro c e d u re s
w ere fo llo w e d f o r th e e f f e c t i v e tr a n s m is s io n o f Je w ish c u l
t u r e and b e l i e f .
The s u p p o s itio n i s m a in ta in e d t h a t i f th e s e a n c ie n t
J e w is h te a c h in g m ethods w ere e v a lu a te d , th e know ledge
g a in e d would be o f v a lu e i n m odern r e l i g i o u s e d u c a tio n and
w ould a i d i n t r a n s m itti n g p a s t h e r i t a g e to th e grow ing
y o u th o f to d a y .
I I . DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED
W hile th e r e a r e a v a r i e t y o f t h e o r i e s c o n c e rn in g
th e le a r n in g p r o c e s s , two p r i n c i p a l ones engage o u r a t t e n
t i o n i n t h i s p a p e r. N e ith e r th e o ry e n t i r e l y e x c lu d e s th e
o th e r b u t th e em p h asis i s d i f f e r e n t i n th e c o n te n t- c e n te r e d
c u rric u lu m and th e p u p il- c e n te r e d c u rric u lu m .
Gont e n t - c e n t e re d th e o r y . I n th e c o n te n t- c e n te r e d
3
th e o r y th e o rg a n iz in g p r i n c i p l e i s th e s in c e r e d e s i r e to
a c q u a in t th e c h ild w ith th e c o n te n t o f C h r i s t i a n d o c tr in e
and h i s C h r i s t ia n h e r ita g e * The B ib le i s s tu d ie d a s th e
r e c o rd o f God* s d e a lin g w ith m an, and i s i l l u s t r a t e d from
e x p e rie n c e s i n p r e s e n t- d a y l i f e .
E x p e rie n c e -c e n te re d th e o r y . The m a te r ia l p re s e n te d
i n th e p u p il- c e n te r e d th e o ry u s e s th e l i f e e x p e rie n c e s o f
th e l e a r n e r a s a b a s i s , and r e l a t e s C h r i s t i a n t r u t h to
th e s e e x p e rie n c e s . The c h ild u se s th e B i b le , to g e th e r w ith
o th e r l i t e r a t u r e , t o se e w hat th e s e same e x p e rie n c e s have
m eant t o o th e r s i n th e p a s t and w hat th e y sh o u ld mean to
th e i n d iv i d u a l i n th e p r e s e n t.
V ie th c o n t r a s t s th e e x p e rie n c e d -c e n te re d th e o ry and
th e c o n te n t- c e n te r e d th e o ry :
The f i r s t f in d s th e o rg a n iz in g p r i n c i p l e i n a c q u a in t
in g th e l e a r n e r w ith and a d j u s tin g him t o some p a r t
o f th e h e r i t a g e and c o n te n t o f th e C h r is t ia n f a i t h .
. . . Thé seco n d f i n d s i t i n th e p r e s e n t l i f e -
e x p e rie n c e o f th e l e a r n e r , a s an in d i v i d u a l and a s a
m em ber.of a g ro u p , su ch a s th e home, c h u rc h , com m unity,
w orld.'*'
A u th o r ita r ia n a p p ro a c h l a l e a r n i n g . A u th o r ita r ia n
an d d e m o c ra tic a r e a l s o te rm s u sed to d i s t i n g u i s h
a p p ro a c h e s i n l e a r n i n g . The c o n t r a s t fo u n d i n th e s e two
1 P a u l H. V ie th , The C hurch and C h r i s t i a n E d u c a tio n
( S t . L o u is: The B eth an y P r e s s , 1 9 4 ? ), p . 145.
4
p r i n c i p a l te a c h in g - le a r n in g ap p ro a c h e s i s in d ic a t e d by
p
B u rto n ’s su rv e y o f b a s ic a s su m p tio n s and c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
i n th e s e a p p ro a c h e s . I n th e a u t h o r i t a r i a n a p p ro a c h , th e
s o c i a l l i f e and th e e x p e rie n c e o f th e c h i ld a r e bounded by
th e academ ic le s s o n u n d e r c o n s id e r a ti o n . The m ost im p o rta n t
th in g i s f o r th e c h i l d to l e a r n th o ro u g h ly th e s u b je c t t h a t
i s b e in g expounded. Any i n t e r e s t o f th e p u p il w hich i s n o t
sc h e d u le d i n th e c u rric u lu m sh o u ld be d is r e g a rd e d o r a t
l e a s t p o stp o n ed by th e t e a c h e r . T hus, th e id e a i s m ain
t a i n e d t h a t s u f f i c i e n t know ledge o f f a c t s w i l l e n a b le th e
l e a r n e r t o r e s o lv e th e s o l u t i o n o f b o th p e r s o n a l and s o c i a l
p ro b le m s•
D em o cratic a p p ro a c h i n l e a r n i n g . The d e m o c ra tic o r
e x p e r ie n c e - c e n te r e d a p p ro a c h c o n s id e r s th e i n t e r e s t s o f th e
c h i l d a s more im p o rta n t th a n th e sc h e d u le d s u b j e c t , th e re b y
m aking th e i n t e g r a t i o n o f p u p il p e r s o n a lity o f param ount
im p o rta n c e . The i n t e r e s t s o f th e l e a r n e r a r e c o n s id e re d a s
s ig n s o f grow ing a b i l i t i e s and a r e to be d e v e lo p ed by
a c t i v i t i e s t h a t w i l l c u l t i v a t e th e s e i n t e r e s t s . T h u s, i t
i s s e e n t h a t more v a lu e i s p la c e d upon th e m a s te rin g o f
p r i n c i p l e s and a p p ly in g them to d a i l y l i v i n g th a n upon th e
^ H. B u rto n , Thq G uidance o f L ea rn in g A c t i v i t i e s
(New Y ork: D. A p p le to n -C e n tu ry Company, 1 9 4 4 ), p . 222#
5
a c t o f m em orizing s p e c i f i c f a c t s . The c h i l d ’s s o c i a l
developm ent i s f o s t e r e d by th e t e a c h e r . The e d u c a tiv e
e x p e rie n c e i s th e s tu d y o f a problem and th e a r r i v i n g a t a
c o - o p e r a t iv e , c r e a t i v e s o l u t i o n f o r h im s e lf and o t h e r s .
I I I . ORGANIZATION OF REMAINDER OF THE THESIS
W ith th e s e two c o n t r a s tin g m ethods o f le a r n in g i n
m in d , th e a u t h o r i t a r i a n a p p ro a c h and th e e x p e rie n c e -
c e n te r e d a p p ro a c h , th e w r i t e r h a s p ro ceed ed w ith h i s in v e s
t i g a t i o n . The s tu d y h a s b een assem b led u n d er th e f o llo w in g
c h a p te r h e a d in g s w hich c o rre sp o n d w ith th e f o u r p r i n c i p a l
a p p ro a c h e s o f m odern r e l i g i o u s e d u c a tio n .
(1 ) E d u c a tio n i n th e home and fa m ily l i f e o f I s r a e l
h a s b een e v a lu a te d i n th e l i g h t o f th e a u t h o r i t a r i a n
a p p ro a c h b a la n c e d w ith th e e x p e rie n c e -c e n te re d ap p ro a c h i n
l e a r n i n g •
(2 ) The p u b lic w o rsh ip o f I s r a e l h as been e v a lu a te d
i n t h e l i g h t o f th e g ro u p p a r t i c i p a t i o n and d ra m a tic
m ethods o f l e a r n i n g , com bined to g e th e r i n a w e ll-d e v e lo p e d
sy stem o f i n s t r u c t i o n .
(3 ) The s o c i a l , p o l i t i c a l and econom ic l i f e o f
I s r a e l a s a n a t io n h a s been e v a lu a te d i n th e l i g h t o f com
m u n ity in f lu e n c e i n e d u c a tio n .
(4) T h ree p e r s o n a l i t i e s , re c o rd e d i n th e Old
T e s ta m e n t, h av e b een p re s e n te d and e v a lu a te d a s a d u l ts o u t
s id e th e fa m ily whose in f lu e n c e h as b een d e te rm in in g
f a c t o r s i n p e r s o n a l - s o c i a l a d ju s tm e n ts . A f o u r t h p e r s o n a l
i t y , re c o rd e d i n th e New T e sta m e n t, i s p re s e n te d a s th e
i d e a l - s e l f whose l i f e and d eed s have had u n iv e r s a l i n f l u
e n c e .
I n th e e x p l o r a tio n o f c e r t a i n p a r t s o f th e Old and
New T esta m e n ts th e te a c h in g m ethods and custom s w ere n o t
fo u n d t o be s t a t i c . R e se a rc h shows t h a t th e r e l i g i o u s
o b se rv a n c e s a s a te a c h in g medium, w ere in v e s te d w ith new
s ig n i f ic a n c e a c c o rd in g t o th e c u r r e n t n eed s o f th e p e o p le ,
y e t ea c h cerem ony a p p a r e n tly k e p t much o f i t s o r i g i n a l
sym bolism .
The r e l i g i o u s custom s and t r a d i t i o n s h av e g iv e n th e
Jew a proud h e r i t a g e , r e ta in e d th ro u g h many a d v e rs e circu m
s ta n c e s w hich n o rm a lly would h av e h ad a te n d e n c y t o e l im i
n a te th e c u l tu r e and th e d i s t i n c t i v e n e s s o f a r a c e .
IV . REVIEW OP RELATED STUDIES
T h is t h e s i s i s n o t a d e fe n s e o f any p a r t i c u l a r v iew ,
b u t r a t h e r a su rv e y o f te a c h in g m ethods used i n J e w ish l i f e
and an e v a lu a tio n made i n th e l i g h t o f m odern te a c h in g
m eth o d s.
I n v e s t i g a t i o n h a s d is c lo s e d t h a t th e a n c ie n t Je w ish
7
te a c h in g m ethods h av e a r e l a t i o n to c u r r e n t te a c h in g te c h
n iq u e s and th u s have im p o rta n t v a lu e s f o r th e te a c h e r o f
r e l i g i o u s e d u c a tio n to d a y .
S in c e th e r e i s no w ork known t o th e w r i t e r d e a lin g
e s p e c i a l l y i n a c o m p a ra tiv e way i n t h i s p a r t i c u l a r f i e l d ,
r e s o u r c e s i n r e l a t e d s tu d i e s have been com bined i n th e t e x t
u n d e r v a r io u s c h a p te r h e a d in g s , u s in g th e B ib le a s th e
p r i n c i p a l so u rc e o f in f o r m a tio n on Je w is h l i f e .
CH APTER I I
EDUCATION IN H O M E AND FAMILY LIFE OF ISRAEL, EVALUATED
AS A COMBINATION OF THE AUTHORITARIAN A N D
EXPERIENCE-CENTERED APPROACH IN LEARNING
I n t h i s c h a p te r a t t e n t i o n i s c e n te r e d on th e home
and f a m ily l i f e o f I s r a e l a s i l l u s t r a t i n g a r a r e com bina
t i o n o f r i g i d c o n t r o l on th e p a r t o f th e p a r e n t s , b a la n c e d
by sim p le g u id a n ce and an e x p e rie n c e ap p ro ac h i n th e l e a r n
in g p r o c e s s . The c o n n o ta tio n and o b je c ti v e s o f e d u c a tio n
a r e d is c u s s e d . The i n v e s t i g a t i o n i s r e p o r te d u n d er th e
h e a d in g s , C r e a tiv e M ethod, F am ily L if e o f I s r a e l , R e sp o n si
b i l i t y f o r T each in g and T each in g M ethods.
When th e r e l i g i o u s i d e a l s o f a g ro u p m ust be p a sse d
on to f u t u r e g e n e r a tio n s , th e problem i s how to p r e s e n t
a b s t r a c t i d e a l s to th e c h i ld . D e s ira b le h a b i t s a r e e s ta b
l i s h e d by h ig h i d e a l s and im a g in a tio n ; t h e r e f o r e , m o ral
e d u c a tio n i s e s s e n t i a l i n e a r l y l i f e . The f i n e s t way to
g iv e th e grow ing c h i ld su ch e x p e rie n c e s e a r l y i n l i f e i s
th ro u g h a w e ll-o r d e r e d home.
I . CREATIVE M ETHOD
The dynam ic, c r e a t iv e a t t i t u d e i n r e l i g i o n i s n o t a
p ro d u c t o f r e c e n t y e a r s , a lth o u g h men l i k e W illiam C. Bower
b ro u g h t i t i n t o o u r te rm in o lo g y . I n h i s r e c e n t book
d e s c r ib in g e d u c a tio n a s a c r e a t i v e e x p e rie n c e Bower sa y s
t h i s :
I t i s n o th in g l e s s th a n t;hq i n i t i a t i o n o f th e youqg
i n t o â c r e a t i v e p e r s o n a l and s o c i a l e x p e r ie n c e . I t s
te c h n iq u e s m ust be d e riv e d from th e p ro c e s s e s by w hich
p e r s o n a li t y i s a c h ie v e d .^
The p ro c e s s o f p e r s o n a l it y d e v e lo p m e n t, n a t u r a l l y ,
in v o lv e s th e s te p s i n th e p ro c e s s o f l e a r n i n g , i n o r d e r to
a t t a i n i t s a c h ie v e m e n ts: "The p ro c e s s o f le a r n in g lo o k s to
th e f o u r a c h ie v e m e n ts— know ledge, s k i l l , a t t i t u d e s and
2
a p p r e c i a t i o n s •"
T here a r e many ways i n w hich to d e f in e e d u c a tio n i n
th e r e l i g i o u s se n se b u t one b r i e f and co m p reh en siv e d e f i n i
t i o n i n p r a c t i c a l te rm s i s sim p ly th e m ethod a g ro u p use^
to c o n s e rv e i t s v a lu e s and to p a s s them on to i t s grow ing
y o u th .
E d u c a tio n i s a p r a c t i c a l p ro c e s s o f s o c i a l c o n t r o l by
w hich s o c ie ty se e k s to c o n se rv e i t s v a lu e s and a c h ie v e
m ents and to r e c r e a t e them i n i t s young.3
R e a liz in g t h a t C h r i s t i a n e d u c a tio n sh o u ld alw ay s
^ W illiam C la y to n Bow er, C h a ra c te r th ro u g h C re a tiv e
E x p e rie n c e (C h icag o : U n iv e r s ity o f C hicago P r e s s , 1 9 3 0 ),
p . 13#
^ J . M. P r i c e , and o t h e r s , A S urvey Q f R e lig io u s
E d u c a tio n (New Y ork: The R onald P r e s s , 1 9 4 0 ), p . 9 2 .
3 B ow er, o q . c ^ ^ . , p . 21.
10
h av e a d e f i n i t e se n se o f m is s io n and d i r e c t i o n , th e I n t e r
n a t i o n a l C o u n c il o f R e lig io u s E d u c a tio n h as fo rm u la te d th e
fo llo w in g s ta te m e n ts c o n c e rn in g th e o b je c tiv e s t h a t
C h r i s t i a n e d u c a tio n s e e k s to f o s t e r i n grow ing p e rs o n s :
• • • a c o n s c io u s n e s s o f God a s a r e a l i t y i n human
e x p e r ie n c e , and a se n se o f p e r s o n a l r e l a t i o n s h i p to
Him; • • • an u n d e rs ta n d in g and a p p r e c ia t io n o f th e
p e r s o n a l i t y , l i f e , and te a c h in g o f J e s u s a s w i l l le a d
t o e x p e rie n c e o f him a s s a v io r and L o rd , l o y a l t y to
him and t o h i s c a u s e , and w i l l m a n ife s t i t s e l f i n
d a i l y l i f e and c o n d u c t; • • • a p r o g re s s iv e and con
tin u o u s developm ent o f C h r i s t l i k e c h a r a c t e r ; , . .
th e a b i l i t y and d i s p o s i t i o n to p a r t i c i p a t e i n and
c o n t r i b u t e c o n s t r u c t i v e l y to th e b u ild in g o f a s o c i a l
o r d e r th ro u g h o u t th e w o rld , em bodying th e i d e a l o f
th e F a th e rh o o d o f God and th e b ro th e rh o o d o f man; • • •
th e a b i l i t y and d i s p o s i t i o n to p a r t i c i p a t e i n th e
o rg a n iz e d s o c ie ty o f C h r i s t i a n s — th e C hurch; * • • a n
a p p r e c i a t i o n o f th e m eaning and im p o rta n c e o f th e
C h r i s t i a n f a m ily , and th e a b i l i t y and d i s p o s i t i o n to
p a r t i c i p a t e i n and c o n tr ib u te c o n s t r u c t iv e l y to th e
l i f e o f t h i s p rim a ry s o c i a l g ro u p ; . . . to le a d grow
in g p e rso n s i n t o a C h r i s t i a n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f l i f e
an d th e u n iv e rs e and have th e a b i l i t y t o se e i n i t
God’ s p u rp o se and p la n , w ith a l i f e p h ilo s o p h y b u i l t
on t h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n ; . . • to e f f e c t i n grow ing
p e rs o n s th e a s s i m i l a t i o n o f th e b e s t r e l i g i o u s e x p e r i
en c e o f th e r a c e , p re -e m in e n tly t h a t re c o rd e d i n th e
B i b le , a s e f f e c t i v e g u id a n ce t o p r e s e n t e x p e r ie n c e .^
The c o n n o ta tio n o f th e p h ra s e "grow ing p e rs o n s " h a s
b een im p lie d by r e l i g i o u s e d u c a to rs to mean p u p ils o r s t u
d e n t s . The aim o f th e C h r i s t i a n e d u c a to r i s to d e v e lo p
G o d -c o n sc io u sn e ss i n th e p u p il and to e s t a b l i s h a v i t a l
r e a l i z a t i o n o f God th ro u g h p e r s o n a l e x p e rie n c e . A
^ The I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o u n c il o f R e lig io u s E d u c a tio n ,
C h r i s t i a n E d u c a tio n T oday, A S ta te m e n t o f B a sic P h ilo s o p h y .
' ■ pp . 1 6 -1 7 . _______________________________________________
11
r e l a t i o n s h i p n ee d s to be form ed by c r e a tin g i n " th e grow ing
p e rs o n s u n d er h i s c a r e , a r e a l i z a t i o n o f God th ro u g h p e r
s o n a l e x p e rie n c e ; and f u r t h e r th a n t h i s , to f o s t e r th e
r e l a t i o n o f f e llo w s h ip w ith H im ."^
The f o llo w in g s ta te m e n ts a r e made c o n c e rn in g th e
d e f i n i t i o n o f e d u c a tio n s • e d u c a tio n i s th e g u id a n c e
o f g row th . . . e d u c a tio n i s th e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f c o n t r o l
i n t o conduct* • * I n th e f i r s t d e f i n i t i o n , g u id a n ce
i s em p h asized r a t h e r th a n i n s t i l l i n g o f id e a s* I n th e
seco n d th e o r y , v o l i t i o n a l i s em p h asized r a t h e r th a n th e
i n t e l l e c t u a l a s p e c t o f l i f e . T h is id e a o f e d u c a tio n h a s a s
i t s g o a l , c o n d u c t, a s o lv in g o f l i f e ’ s problem s i n a c c o rd
an ce w ith dom inant i d e a l s . The m a jo r g o a l o f r e l i g i o u s
e d u c a tio n i s to e l e v a t e th e dom inant i d e a l s . The C h r i s t ia n
e d u c a to r se ek s to c u l t i v a t e a s o c ia l- c o n s c io u s n e s s . H ar
m onious l i v i n g i n a com munity depends upon th e u n s e l f i s h
a t t i t u d e o f i t s i n h a b i t a n t s ; a l l m ust f e e l an i n t e r e s t and
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r e a c h o th e r . E ach p e rso n n eed s to l e a r n
t h a t h e i s an i n d i v i d u a l , b u t a ls o h a s a s o c i a l r e la t i o n s h i p
^ A u sten Kennedy de B l o i s , D onald H. Gorham,
C h r i s t i a n R e lig io u s E d u c a tio n s P r i n c ip l e s and P r a c tic e
(New Yorks F lem ing H. R e v e ll Company, 1 9 3 9 ), p . 111.
^ P r i c e , and o t h e r s , o £ . c i t . , p p . l 4 , 15.
12
w ith o t h e r s .
As a l i v i n g and grow ing p e rs o n , e v e ry in d iv i d u a l
i s a n i n t e g e r , a co m p lete and l i v i n g e n t i t y . He can
s ta n d up i n th e m id s t o f th e w hole w o rld -g ro u p , and
" c o u n t f o r o n e ." B ut a s a n i n t e g e r , a p e rs o n h as
i n t e g r a l r e l a t i o n s and r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s , w hich l i n k
h i s l i f e w ith a l l o th e r l i v e s . 7
B eing a member o f s o c i e t y , i t i s im p o rta n t t h a t an a t t i t u d e
o f i n t e r e s t and sym pathy f o r o th e r p e rso n s be c u l t i v a t e d .
E d u c a tio n i s a c o n tin u o u s p ro c e s s and th e a t t i t u d e s
t h a t g o v ern a d u l t l i f e a r e draw n from e a r l y im p re s s io n s i n
l i f e . T h is i s e s p e c i a l l y t r u e o f r e l i g i o u s c o n c e p ts i n th e
l i v e s o f c h i ld r e n . R e a liz in g th e im p o rta n c e o f e a r l y
im p re s s io n s i n y o u th . Cope o b s e rv e s t h a t " R e lig io u s
e d u c a tio n — t h a t i s , th e developm ent o f t h e i r l i v e s a s
r e l i g i o u s p e rs o n s — g o es on a l l th e tim e i n th e hom e, and i t
8
i s e i t h e r f o r good o r f o r i l l . "
I I . FAMILY LIFE OF ISRAEL
T each in g i n th e home was a te c h n iq u e o f r e l i g i o u s
te a c h e r s w ith a v i t a l m essage th ro u g h o u t B ib le h i s t o r y , ^
n o t alw ay s c l e a r l y d is tin g u is h e d i n th e p a t r i a r c h i a l l i f e o f
th e e a r l y y e a rs o f I s r a e l ’s h i s t o r y b u t som etim es
7 de B lo is and Gorham, o £ . c i t . , p . 1 1 9 .
^ H enry F . C ope, R e lig io u s E d u c a tio n i n The F a m iiv
(C h ic a g o : U n iv e r s ity o f C hicago P r e s s , 1 9 1 5 ), p . 23.
9 D eu t. 6 :6 - 9 , R .S .V . 1952.___________ ‘ ___
13
overshadow ed by th e r i t u a l and fo rm a lism o f th e Temple w or-
The dynam ic a p p ro a c h was somewhat o b sc u red by many
o f th e r i t u a l s i n th e h ig h h o ly d ay s i n th e s o c i a l -
p o l i t i c a l l i f e o f th e Je w s, and t o th e c a s u a l r e a d e r th e s e
r i t u a l s seem to la c k i t e n t i r e l y . T h ere was a d i v i s i o n
o b se rv e d betw een th e p r i e s t l y o f f i c e and th e p r o p h e tic
m in i s t r y ; how ever, m ost o f th e r e a l te a c h in g o f r e l i g i o u s
b e l i e f was re s e rv e d f o r th e home and r e in f o r c e d by p u b lic
l e a d e r s •
Home te a c h in g i s i n f l u e n t i a l , and i s re c o g n iz e d by
le a d in g e d u c a to rs to d a y a s a v a l i d e d u c a tio n a l p ro c e d u re ;
so th e home i s o f p rim a ry im p o rta n c e i n th e e a r l y fo rm u la -
t i v e y e a rs o f l i f e .
The im p o rta n c e o f e d u c a tio n i n th e home i s c o n s id e re d
o f param ount v a lu e and "was th e f i r s t agency f o r r e l i g i o u s
t r a i n i n g i n th e h i s t o r y o f th e r a c e , a s i t i s i n th e l i f e
o f e a c h i n d iv i d u a l n ow .T he J e w is h p e o p le re c o g n iz e d
t h i s f a c t and u t i l i z e d home e d u c a tio n i n e s t a b l i s h i n g God-
c o n s c io u s n e s s i n d a i l y l i f e . The o b s e r v a tio n i s made t h a t
Ju d a ism "h as depended p r im a r ily f o r i t s p e r p e tu a tio n and
e x t e n t i o n , n o t upon p re a c h in g o r upon c r e e d s , o r upon new
P r ic e and o t h e r s , 0 £ . c i t . , p . 2$.
- — j ç
fo rm s o f w o rs h ip , b u t upon th e p e r s o n a l to u c h o f th e te a c h e r
an d th o s e ta u g h t. • • .
The home im p lie s a c o l l e c t i v e g ro u p o f p e r s o n a l i t i e s
w orking to g e th e r a s a u n i t .
The fa m ily may be d e fin e d i d e o l o g i c a l l y a s t h a t c r e a
t i v e i n t e r a c t i v e r e l a t i o n s h i p betw een p a r e n ts and
c h i ld r e n w hich d e v e lo p s th e p e r s o n a l i t y o f th e in d iv i d
u a l and p ro v id e s f o r grow th o f th e c u l tu r e and community
• • • What th e p a r e n ts a r e th e c h ild te n d s to become
and h o ld v a lu a b le .
The home and f a m ily l i f e o f a n c ie n t I s r a e l p r e s e n ts
a m ix tu re o f law en fo rc e m e n t p r e s c r ib e d by God and th e com
m u n ity w hich was t o be e n fo rc e d by th e f a t h e r a s h i s d u ty .
The Law means d u ty and i t i s som etim es s a i d , and
r i g h t l y s o , t h a t th e m o tiv a tin g w ord, th ro u g h o u t
th e e n t i r e c o u rs e o f Old T estam en t h i s t o r y , i s t h a t
o f D u ty .13
H I . RESPONSIBILITY FOR TEACHING
A se n se o f m o ra l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y had to be d ev elo p ed
i n th e home, s in c e i t was c o n s id e re d param ount i n b u ild in g
c h a r a c t e r and " f u ln e s s o f l i f e . "
The m o ral r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f th e i n d i v i d u a l to God and
t o h i s f e llo w man and to h im s e lf ; th e o b l i g a t i o n to do
P r i c e , l o c . g i t .
W esner F a lla w , The M odern P a re n t and th e T eaching
C hurch (New Y ork: The M acm illan C o ., 1 9 457, p . 15.
13 C ope, c i t . , p . 50.
-------------- R
r i g h t , b ec a u se God i s r ig h te o u s and b e c a u se th e p r e c e p ts
an d commands o f H is law a r e 'r i g h te o u s a l t o g e t h e r '; th e
v i r t u e s o f r e v e r e n c e , w o rsh ip and g r a t i t u d e to w ard God;
and u n q u e s tio n in g o b e d ie n c e to th e in n e r v o ic e o f con
s c ie n c e , w ere re g a rd e d a s th e e s s e n t i a l p r i n c i p l e s i n
th e t r a i n i n g o f a human s o u l tow ard c o m p le tio n o f
c h a r a c t e r and f u l n e s s o f life.-* -^
C h ild re n i n I s r a e l w ere g e n e r a lly re g a rd e d a s a
s p e c i a l g i f t o f G o d 's g r a c e ; w h ile s t e r i l i t y i n a woman was
deemed a s a f f l i c t i o n . 1^ When a c h i ld h a s th e trem endous
a d v a n ta g e o f b e in g " w a n te d ," th e p a r e n ts f e e l r e s p o n s ib le
f o r i t s w e lf a r e , b o th p h y s ic a ll y and s p i r i t u a l l y .
A c tu a lly , th e fo u n d a tio n s o f th e c h i l d 's s p i r i t u a l
h e a l t h a r e l a i d ev en b e fo re he i s b o rn . They a r e to be
fo u n d , f i r s t o f a l l , i n th e e m o tio n a l m a tu r ity o f th e
p a r e n t s , i n th e so u n d n ess o f t h e i r own p e r s o n a l and
s o c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s , and i n t h e i r a c c e p ta n c e o f th e
e x p e rie n c e o f c h ild b e a r in g and c h ild c a re w ith o u t f e a r
o r re se n tm e n t and w ith e n th u sia s m and d e v o tio n .
W henever p a r e n ts a c c e p t th e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t r a i n
in g a c h i ld a s a m o ral o b l i g a t i o n , th e o p p o r tu n ity f o r
l e a r n in g i s made e a s i e r i n th e home. The l e a r n e r f e e l s he
i s " a c c e p te d and b e lo n g s b e c a u se o f h i s own i n d i v i d u a l
17
p la c e and v a lu e s i n r e l a t i o n t o th e r e s t o f th e g ro u p ."
Cope, l o c . c i t .
I Sam. 1 :1 0 f f .
E liz a b e th M. M anwell and S o p h ia L. F a h s , C o n s id e r
th e C h ild re n (B o sto n : The B eacon P r e s s , 195D , p . 3#
^7 W hite House C o n feren ce R e p o rt, The D e lin q u e n t
C h ild (New Y ork: The C e n tu ry C o .) , p . 2$.
The fo u n d a tio n o f a s a t i s f y i n g l i f e i s to "be w an ted , lo v e d
and u n d e rs to o d ." As th e c h i l d d e v e lo p s , h i s sp h e re o f
a f f e c t i o n w idens w hich b e g in s w ith th e "m o th e r, f a t h e r , and
o th e r members o f th e f a m ily , and l a t e r e x te n d s to th o s e
o u ts id e th e fa m ily g ro u p . To th e in d i v i d u a l c h i ld t h i s i s
s e c u r i t y .
I n a n c ie n t I s r a e l a boy was c irc u m c is e d th e e ig h th
day^^ and u s u a lly g iv e n a name a s s o c ia te d w ith some rem ark
a b le e v e n t i n c o n n e c tio n w ith h i s b i r t h o r w ith some
esteem ed a n c e s to r o r r e l a t i v e . When th e boy came to th e
age o f p u b e rty he assum ed o b lig a tio n s t h a t made him a son o f
th e la w , u s u a lly a t a b o u t t h i r t e e n y e a rs o f a g e ; th e d e d i
c a t i o n co n firm ed h i s a c c e p ta n c e o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t y to th e
g ro u p , w h ile c irc u m c is io n gave him c e r t a i n r i g h t s a s a p a r t
o f th e J e w ish com m unity.
W hile c h i l d r e n , b o th g i r l s and b o y s , w ere n o t o n ly
t o be i n s t r u c t e d i n th e Law, b u t w ere u n d e r o b lig a tio n s
o f o b e d ie n c e , i t i s v e ry s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t a t p u b e rty
th e boy [an d to a l e s s e x te n t th e g i r l , b e c a u se h e r
o b l i g a t i o n s , a s w e ll a s h e r p r i v i l e g e s , w ere lim ite d ]
was to ta k e upon h im s e lf th e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f member
s h ip i n th e J e w is h com m unity.
W hite House C o n feren ce R e p o rt, l o c . c i t .
L oc. c i t .
G e n e sis 2 1 :2 -4 .
Theodore G. S o a re s , R e lig io u s E d u c a tio n (C h icag o :
The U n iv e r s ity o f C hicago P r e s s , 1 9 2 8 ), p . 253#
17
E a r ly t r a i n i n g i n th e home was d e s ig n e d to g iv e th e grow ing
c h i l d an u n d e rs ta n d in g and a p p r e c ia t io n o f h im s e lf a s an
i n d i v i d u a l , o f h i s p la c e i n th e home and o f h i s p a r t i n
th e s o c i a l and r e l i g i o u s l i f e o f th e p e o p le .
IV . TEACHING M ETHODS
The custom o f te a c h in g i n th e home was c l o s e l y t i e d
to th e n eed s and i n t e r e s t s o f th e fa m ily a s w e ll a s th e
i n d i v i d u a l . The hoys w ere ta u g h t tr a d e s and th e g i r l s th e
d u t i e s o f th e h o u s e h o ld . The o b je c tiv e s w ere to q u a l i f y
th e y o u th a s c o n t r i b u t o r s to th e im m ediate n ee d s o f th e
h o u se h o ld and to t r a i n th e c h ild i n a s k i l l t h a t would be
th e means o f l i v e lih o o d i n a d u l t l i f e . E v ery J e w is h f a t h e r
c o n s id e re d t h i s t r a i n i n g to be h i s d u ty and r e s p o n s i b i l i t y
b e f o r e God.
The te a c h in g m ethod u sed was th e e x p e rie n c e o f d o in g
th e t a s k u n d er s u p e r v is io n o f th e f a t h e r o r some o ld e r
p e r s o n , th e re b y p a s s in g th e t r a d e s down from g e n e r a tio n to
g e n e r a tio n . S h e r r i l l d is c u s s e s th e i n s t r u c t i o n i n v o c a tio n
a s a te a c h in g m ethod. I n e a r l y I s r a e l th e boys le a r n e d to
u se a s l i n g o r bow and a rro w , l a t e r , to d e fe n d and p r o te c t
th e f lo c k s and h e r d s . The g i r l s le a r n e d to co o k , s p i n ,
c h u rn and w eave, t h u s , b e in g p re p a re d to p ro v id e th e fa m ily
ÏS
w ith fo o d and c l o t h i n g .
L a t e r , a s th e p e o p le e s ta b l i s h e d perm anent hom es,
th e boys le a r n e d to plow , sow , h a r v e s t , c a re f o r th e v in e
y a r d s , make w ine and p o t t e r y , t o c a r p e n te r and to t a n h id e s .
Some o f th e s e s k i l l s became more s p e c ia liz e d and w ere done
f o r o th e r s i n th e com m unity, th e re b y e s t a b l i s h i n g a tr a d e
g ro u p . H ow ever, th e i n t e n t i o n was f o r e a c h fa m ily to be a s
in d e p e n d e n t a s p o s s ib le from o th e r g ro u p s f o r i t s m a in te
n a n c e .
The r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t r a i n i n g th e y o u th was
d i r e c t l y c h a rg e a b le to th e f a t h e r i n th e fa m ily a s th e
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f Je h o v a h God, e s p e c i a l l y f o r th e so n s o f
th e h o u se h o ld a n d , i n d i r e c t l y th ro u g h th e m o th e r, f o r th e
d a u g h te r s . Each member o f th e fa m ily was g iv e n a r e s p o n s i
b i l i t y e a r l y i n l i f e a s h i s o r h e r c o n t r ib u t io n to th e
w e lf a r e and h a p p in e s s o f th e h o u s e h o ld . The d a i l y t a s k was
made i n c r e a s i n g l y more im p o rta n t a s th e c h ild grew o l d e r .
T h is in fo rm a l p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n th e work by a l l members o f
th e f a m ily to su p p ly th e n eed s o f th e h o u se h o ld was a d i s
t i n c t m ethod o f t r a i n i n g .
L e a rn in g o f t h i s k in d was n e c e s s a r y i f a sim p le s o c i e t y
w ould s u r v iv e . . . . th e r a b b is came to te a c h t h a t a
Lew is J o s e p h S h e r r i l l , The R is e o f C h r i s t i a n
E d u c a tio n (New Y ork: The M acm illan C o ., 1 9 4 4 ), p p . 1 8 , 19*
......................... ^ ^ 19
f a t h e r had c e r t a i n d u tie s to h is so n ; one o f th e s e was
t o te a c h him a c r a f t , a p a r e n t a l o b l i g a t i o n p la c e d
a lo n g s id e th e d u ty to te a c h th e Law to o n e 's s o n s .
. • • Thus th e common n e c e s s ity f o r d a i l y work was
g iv e n a s o c i a l b e a r in g , and lin k e d w ith th e w i l l o f
God. In d e e d , i t h a s o f te n b een rem arked t h a t th e
f o u r t h commandment i s a b e h e s t to la b o r f o r s i x d a y s ,
a s t r u l y a s i t i s to r e s t f o r one d a y .23
A n o th er way o f te a c h in g and le a r n in g was th ro u g h th e
d i s c i p l i n e and c o n t r o l o f th e co n d u ct o f th e c h i ld r e n . I n
many o f th e s e d i r e c t i v e s th e r e i s an i n d i c a t i o n o f a h a r s h r
n e s s and s e v e r i t y t h a t would seem to m i l i t a t e a g a in s t th e
24
p ro p e r grow th o f i n d i v i d u a l i t y . Y et th e custom s w ere so
su rro u n d e d by r e l i g i o u s in f lu e n c e t h a t t h e i r s t a t u s was
changed t o m o ra ls , and i t was f ir m ly b e lie v e d by b o th
te a c h e r and p u p il t h a t th e y r e p r e s e n te d G o d 's w i l l . Thus
th e w i l l o f God was i n j e c t e d i n t o many o f th e common ta s k s
o f l i f e w here no a tte m p t was made to s e p a r a te th e s a c re d
from th e s e c u l a r .
As th e p r i e s t o f th e h o u se h o ld , th e f a t h e r r e g u la te d
th e l i f e o f ea c h i n d i v i d u a l e i t h e r d i r e c t l y o r i n d i r e c t l y ;
y e t th e d u t i e s he r e q u ir e d w ere g iv e n a r i c h sy m b o lic mean
in g t h a t removed much o f th e u n p le a s a n tn e s s . The o r i g i n i s
unknown o f some u n iq u e custom s used t o te a c h r e s p e c t f o r th e
f a t h e r , su ch a s s ta n d in g when he e n te r e d th e room.
23 i b l d . f p . 1 9 .
2* » Exodus 2 1 :1 $ f f .
^
I s r a e l Abrahams w r i t e s :
The Je w ish son s to o d i n h i s f a t h e r 's p re s e n c e , and
•n e v e r on any c o n s id e r a ti o n o c c u p ie d h i s s e a t o r l e f t o r
e n te r e d th e room b e fo re him . I n sy n ag o g u e, w h ile th e
f a t h e r was " c a lle d to th e Law," th e son r e v e r e n t l y ro s e
from h i s s e a t and rem ain ed s ta n d in g u n t i l h i s f a t h e r had
co m p leted h i s d u ty and r e tu r n e d to h i s p l a c e .
I t was ta u g h t t h a t h o n o rin g p a r e n ts was among th e
h ig h e s t v i r t u e s , and th e Law p u t i t i n a s p e c i a l c a te g o ry
w here th e rew ard f o r o b se rv a n c e was lo n g l i f e w ith many
o th e r im p lie d b e n e f i t s . "H onor y o u r f a t h e r and y o u r m o th e r;
t h a t y o u r days may be lo n g i n th e la n d w hich th e Lord y o u r
26
God g iv e s y o u ." T h ere was a r e s p e c t , m in g led w ith a f e a r
t o d i s p l e a s e , t h a t gave a wholesome atm o sp h ere to th e home
and k e p t i t w e ll r e g u la te d and o r d e r ly y e t w ith o u t th e
b l i g h t i n g f e a r t h a t d e s tr o y s p e r s o n a l i ty .
Abrahams c o n tin u e s :
The J e w ish view o f d o m e s tic ity showed i t s e l f i n
th e s u c c e s s w ith w hich l i f e was made lo v e a b le t o th e
c h i l d n o tw ith s ta n d in g th e r i g o r s o f th e d i s c i p l i n e to
w hich he was s u b je c te d . By a n i n f i n i t u d e o f d e v ic e s
h e was made t o lo v e h i s home and h i s r e l i g i o n . 2 /
T h is e s s e n t i a l f e e l i n g o f r e s p e c t f o r p a r e n ts w hich
e x i s t e d i n th e Je w is h home seem s to h av e en g e n d ered lo v e
I s r a e l A braham s, J e w is h L if e i n th e M iddle Ages
(L ondon: Edward G o ld s to n , 1 9 3 2 ), p . 139.
2^ Exodus 2 0 :1 2 , R .S .V . 1952.
A braham s, g g . c i t . . p . IV3 .
_ _ _ _ _ _ —
b etw een a l l members o f th e fa m ily group* The r e s p e c t f o r
p a r e n ts by c h i ld r e n em bodied th e o b l ig a t i o n owed Je h o v a h God
a s H is c h ild r e n ; a l s o , th e p a r e n ts a c c e p te d G od's C ovenant
w ith them i n th e same p a r e n t - c h ild r e la tio n s h ip *
* * . i f Ju d a ism had v i r t u e a t a l l i t d is p la y e d i t i n
th e home# . * * I t i s more d i f f i c u l t to o u t l i n e th e
r e l a t i o n s w hich p rev ail^ed betw een J e w is h p a r e n ts and
t h e i r c h ild re n * F o r h e re we a r e d e a lin g w ith an •
im p a lp a b le s e n tim e n t w hich p erv ad ed th e home and b u t
im p e r f e c tly m a te r ia l iz e d i t s e l f i n q u a in t and e n n o b lin g
custom s* The f u l l p a th o s o f lo v e w hich lin k e d a Je w is h
f a t h e r to h i s so n ca n n o t be s e t down i n w o rd s.
A t h i r d im p o rta n t te a c h in g m ethod o f i d e a l s was o r a l
29
t r a d i t i o n , th e p a s s in g a lo n g from f a t h e r to so n and from
m o th e r t o d au g h ter* E ach fa m ily was f ir m ly co n v in ced o f
G o d 's b le s s in g and le a d e r s h ip i n p e r s o n a l l i f e and i n fa m ily
l i f e * The p r id e o f th e gro u p was n o u r is h e d , and G o d 's le a d
in g i n th e p a s t was r e h e a rs e d r e g u l a r l y so t h a t th e g e n e ra -
30
t i o n t o come m ig h t be m in d fu l o f t h e i r h e r ita g e * The Law
o f God was h e ld i n th e h ig h e s t e s te e m , and th e f a m ily u n it
assum ed a p e r s o n a l o b l i g a t i o n to be w e ll-v e rs e d c o n c e rn in g
jits p r e c e p ts ; a l s o , th e h i s t o r y o f th e fa m ily was o f g r e a t
v a lu e i n m a in ta in in g a s ta n d in g i n th e community*
Even th e o r g a n iz a tio n o f th e synogogue s c h o o l d id n o t
I b i d *, p . 1 3 8 *
D euteronom y $ :1 ff*
D euteronom y 6 :^- f f *
22
r e l i e v e th e f a t h e r o f h i s o b l i g a t i o n i n th e home. The p e r
s e c u tio n o r th e b re a k in g up o f th e s o c i a l i n s t i t u t i o n s o f
th e com m unity, su ch a s th e s c h o o ls o r sy n o g o g u es, d id n o t
d e p riv e th e c h ild r e n o f t h e i r h e r i t a g e .
No a n c ie n t p e o p le re c o g n iz e d a s c l e a r l y a s d id th e
Jew s th e s u p e r io r w o rth o f e d u c a tio n a l p r o c e s s e s i n
th e p e r p e tu a tio n o f m o ral and r e l i g i o u s i d e a l s . The
r e l a t i v e perm anence o f th e J e w ish f a i t h th ro u g h many
g e n e r a tio n s was l a r g e l y due to s t r i c t i n s i s t e n c e upon
th e r e l i g i o u s t r a i n i n g o f y o u th .
The s tr o n g t i e o f o b e d ie n c e and lo v e i n a f a m ily o f
grow ing p e rso n s h a s b ee n re c o g n iz e d a s a m a jo r c o n t r ib u t io n
o f th e Je w is h r a c e t o c i v i l i z a t i o n , and e x p re s s e d by
C h a rle s F o s te r K ent:
The h a b i t o f o b e d ie n c e i s one o f th e f i n e s t c h a r a c t e r
i s t i c s i n f a m ily l i f e , and o b e d ie n c e t o p a r e n ts n o rm ally
becom es o b e d ie n c e to law i n th e c i t i z e n , one o f th e
s u r e s t bonds o f s o c ie ty and one o f th e m ost n e c e s s a r y
c o n d itio n s o f s o c i a l p r o g r e s s . 32
The im p o rta n c e o f p a r e n t a l a u t h o r i t y and o b e d ie n c e
was re c o g n iz e d to th e f u l l e s t e x t e n t i n th e f a c t t h a t th e
l i f e o r d e a th o f e a c h member was d e te rm in e d by t h e h ead o f
th e fa m ily *
T h is f a c t was so f u l l y re c o g n iz e d i n th e p a t r i a r c h a l
s ta g e o f s o c i e t y t h a t th e head o f th e f a m ily w ith in th e
3^ de B lo is and Gorham, o n . c i t . ^ p . 1 6 .
32 C h a rle s F o s t e r K e n t, J e re m ia h W hipple J e n k s ,
The^M aking^^ & N a tio n (New Y ork: C h a rle s S c r i b n e r 's S o n s,
23
t r i b e had th e pow er ev e n o f l i f e and d e a th o v e r th e
members o f h i s h o u seh o ld # I n p r a c t i c a l l y a l l e a r l y
s o c i e t i e s we f in d t h i s a u t h o r i t y o f th e p a r e n t and
th e o b e d ie n c e o f th e c h i l d i n s i s t e d upon a s fu n d a
m e n ta l .33
T h u s, i t i s s e e n t h a t th e home and fa m ily l i f e o f
a n c ie n t I s r a e l se rv e d a s a s u p e rb te a c h in g m ethod t h a t
c o rre s p o n d s i n many ways to w hat i s now term ed th e dynam ic
m ethod o f te a c h in g i n r e l i g i o u s e d u c a tio n . The te c h n iq u e s
u sed i n t h a t ag e and p r e s e n t- d a y te c h n iq u e s d i f f e r w id e ly
upon th e s u r f a c e ; y e t a b r i e f s tu d y r e v e a ls t h a t i n many
ways th e y w ere v e ry s i m i l a r and b o th p ro d u ce th e same
d e s i r a b l e r e s u l t s .
C o rp o ra te w o rsh ip h a s alw ay s b ee n an i n f l u e n t i a l
f a c t o r i n r e l i g i o u s g ro w th and d e v e lo p m e n t. The f a c t i s
re c o g n iz e d t h a t w henever a d u l ts and m in o rs p a r t i c i p a t e i n
w o rs h ip , e a c h b e n e f i t th e o t h e r . P a r t i c u l a r l y i s t h i s t r u e
o f th e Je w is h p e o p le who f o r c e n tu r i e s have w o rsh ip p ed i n
f a m ily g ro u p s ; t h e r e f o r e , i n th e fo llo w in g c h a p te r , th e
p u b lic w o rsh ip o f I s r a e l h a s b ee n i n v e s t i g a t e d and e v a lu a te d
i n th e l i g h t o f g ro u p p a r t i c i p a t i o n m ethod i n l e a r n i n g .
33 K e n t, ^ o c . c i t .
CHAPTER I I I
PUBLIC WORSHIP OF ISRAEL— EVALUATED IN THE LIGHT OF
GROUP PARTICIPATION M ETHOD IN LEARNING
I n t h i s s e c t i o n o f th e r e s e a r c h a n o th e r im p o rta n t
te a c h in g te c h n iq u e h a s b een n o te d and i n v e s t i g a t i o n made o f
how th e g ro u p p a r t i c i p a t i o n m ethod was used i n th e p u b lic
w o rsh ip o f I s r a e l . The f e a s t s and f e s t i v a l s o f a n c ie n t
I s r a e l w ere a u n iq u e c o m b in a tio n o f r e g u la te d r i t u a l and
i n d i v i d u a l p a r t i c i p a t i o n . The m a t e r ia l h a s been assem b led
u n d e r th e f o llo w in g t o p i c s : Group P a r t i c i p a t i o n M ethod,
Need f o r B alan ced C o n tr o l, F e a s t o f P a s s o v e r, T a b e rn a c le ,
and F e a s t o f T a b e rn a c le s .
I . GROUP PARTICIPATION M ETHOD
A cco rd in g to A l l p o r t , t r a i n i n g and e d u c a tio n a r e
n e c e s s a r y i n d e v e lo p in g s o c i a l b e h a v io r , f o r he s a y s , " I f
an y t r a i t depends a t a l l upon e x p e rie n c e and t r a i n i n g s o c i a l
i n t e l l i g e n c e d o es s o ." ^ The p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f e a c h i n th e
w o rsh ip cerem o n ie s d ev e lo p ed i n t e l l e c t u a l team w ork a lo n g
w ith i n s t i l l i n g r e l i g i o u s i d e a l s and m o ra ls . T hrough gro u p
^ Gordon W. A l l p o r t , P e r s o n a l i t y : 4 P s y c h o lo g ic a l
i l n t e r p r e t a t i o n (New Y ork: H enry H o lt and C o ., 1 9 3 7 ), p . ^26.
^ _
p a r t i c i p a t i o n th e n ee d s and r i g h t s o f o th e r s w ere s h a re d ,
th u s c r e a tin g an a l t r u i s t a t t i t u d e w hich i s a c o n t r ib u t in g
f a c t o r i n p e r s o n a l i t y i n t e g r a t i o n .
I n d iv id u a ls c a n be fo u n d "who have so c o m p le te ly
tra n s fo rm e d t h e i r o r i g i n a l s e l f - s e e k in g im p u lse s t h a t th e y
l i v e p r im a r ily f o r th e w e lf a r e o f o t h e r s ." The com pre
h e n s iv e o b je c ti v e o f th e J e w is h i n s t r u c t o r a p p a r e n tly , was
t o p ro m u lg ate th e r e l i g i o u s c o n c e p t t h a t Je h o v ah was th e
t r u e God o f w o rld re d e m p tio n . The im m ed iate o b j e c t i v e o f
J e w is h te a c h in g seem ed to be t h a t I s r a e l had b ee n c h o se n a s
a r e p o s i t o r y f o r d iv in e t r u t h s , and was to be u sed a s a
means o f tr a n s m i t t i n g th e c o n c e p ts o f th e L o rd .
H e a r, G I s r a e l s The Lord o u r God i s one L o rd , and you
s h a l l lo v e th e L ord y o u r God w ith a l l y o u r h e a r t , and
w ith a l l y o u r s o u l , and w ith a l l y o u r m ig h t. And
th e s e words w hich I command you t h i s day s h a l l be upon
y o u r h e a r t ; and you s h a l l te a c h them d i l i g e n t l y to
y o u r c h i l d r e n , and s h a l l t a l k o f them when you s i t i n
y o u r h o u s e , and when you w alk by th e w ay, and when you
r i s e . And you s h a l l b in d them a s a s ig n upon y o u r
h a n d , and th e y s h a l l be a s f r o n t l e t s b etw een y o u r e y e s .
And you s h a l l w r i te them on th e d o o rp o s ts o f y o u r
g a t e s . 3
T h u s, th e e f f e c t o f a r e l i g i o u s a t t i t u d e in f lu e n c in g a l l th e
p ro b lem s and a c t i v i t i e s o f e v e ry d a y l i v i n g r e s u l t e d i n
b u ild in g a n a t io n o f h ig h i d e a l s , and r e l i g i o u s s o l i d a r i t y .
2 l È i â * , p . ^»27.
BeateroQom y 6 : ^ - 9 , R .S .V .
26
The ta b e r n a c le and l a t e r th e T em ple, w ith a l l I t s
i m p l i c a t i o n s , sy m b o liz in g G o d 's p r e s e n c e , h i s c o n c e p ts , and
h i s g u id a n c e assum ed an i n t e r e s t i n g te a c h in g p r o j e c t . The
i n s t r u c t i o n c o n c e rn in g th e ta b e r n a c l e and th e f e a s t s
em bodied th e e le m e n ts o f c u l t u r e and a l l th e e t h i c a l v i r t u e s
w hich th e y o u th le a r n e d i n many in f o rm a l w ays, su ch a s con
v e r s a t i o n , p a r t i c i p a t i o n and i m i t a t i o n . T h u s, th e gro u p
l i f e in v o lv e d i n th e w o rs h ip , made f o r s o c i a l p ro g re s s i n
t h a t p e r s o n a l i t y developm ent i s a id e d th ro u g h human
c o - o p e r a tio n .
B ut th e g ro u p d o es n o t c r e a t e p e r s o n a l i t y ; i t makes
th e developm ent o f p e r s o n a l i t y p o s s ib le th ro u g h th e
i n t e r a c t i o n o f i t s e l f w ith th e new c a n d id a te b o rn i n t o
i t s l i f e . And p e r s o n a l it y i s c r e a t i v e , s e l f - d i r e c t i v e ,
i n i t i a t i v e . I t r e a c t s i n t u r n upon th e g ro u p ,
c h a lle n g in g i t s l i f e . T h is c o n tin u a l i n t e r a c t i o n makes
t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f s o c i a l p r o g r e s s .^
The in f lu e n c e o f group l i f e upon h a b i t s and i d e a l s
i s s i g n i f i c a n t . "M orals a r e fu n d a m e n ta lly g ro u p h a b i t s .
• . . The gro u p w hose p r a i s e and blam e r e a l l y a f f e c t us w i l l
m e d ia te t o us i t s own h a b i t s . i n g ro u p w o rs h ip , e a c h
i n d i v i d u a l f e e l s th e im p act o f th e h ig h e s t i d e a l o f th e
g ro u p ; t h e r e f o r e , th e o p p o r tu n ity o f m o ral ac h iev em en t i s
in c r e a s e d . "W o rsh ip , l i k e e v e ry o t h e r human e x p e rie n c e , i s
h
T heodore G e ra ld S o a r e s , R e lig io u s E d u c a tio n
(C h ic a g o : The U n iv e r s ity o f C hicago P r e s s , 1 9 2 8 ), p . 19
________ ^ p . 3 3 . __________________
........................... — --------------------------- 27
6
a s o c i a l p r o d u c t." C o n s id e rin g th e f a c t t h a t th e ex am p le,
th e m o ra ls , th e i d e a l s , and th e a p p r e c ia t io n o f o th e r s
a f f e c t th e c o n c e p ts o f th e i n d i v i d u a l , g ro u p w o rsh ip i n th e
ta b e r n a c l e a id e d i n c o n c e iv in g th e a t t r i b u t e s o f God more
c o n c r e te l y .
The g ro u p p a r t i c i p a t i o n m ethod i s w id e ly re c o g n iz e d
i n r e l i g i o u s e d u c a tio n a s a m ost e f f e c t i v e te c h n iq u e o f
te a c h in g b o th c h i ld r e n and a d u l t s . The m eaning o f ed u ca
t i o n , to " le a d o u t ," sh o u ld be th e g o a l o f a l l t e a c h e r s ,
and t h i s le a d in g m ust be b o th in d i v i d u a l and s o c i a l . The
c h i l d becom es t r u l y e d u c a te d a s he makes a g r a d u a l a d j u s t
m ent t o th e s p i r i t u a l h e r i t a g e o f h i s r a c e o r g ro u p . T h is
g ro w th w i l l d e v e lo p f a r m ore q u ic k ly th ro u g h h i s e x p e rie n c e
a s a member o f th e g ro u p th a n th ro u g h w hat he h e a r s o r
re a d s i n th e c la s s ro o m .
E d u c a tio n in v o lv e s g ro w th l a r g e l y p ro d u ced by w hat th e
i n d i v i d u a l h im s e lf d o e s . E d u c a tio n i s w hat you do w ith
y o u r s e lf t o a d j u s t l i f e to y o u r n eed s and th e n eed s o f
y o u r f e l l o w s .„ I t i s a l s o w hat you do to a d j u s t y o u r
s e l f to l i f e . ^
When th e s h a rin g and c o n t r ib u t in g o f e a c h f o r th e
good o f th e w hole e v e n tu a te s i n a gro u p d e c i s i o n , t h e r e
comes a developm ent o f p e r s o n a l i t y t h a t e n r ic h e s a l l .
^ I b i d . . p .
' W esner P a lla w , The M odern P a re n t and th e T each in g
C hurch (New Y ork: The M acm illan Go. , 1 9 ^ 8 ) , p . 8 7 .
28
T h ere m ast be some c o n t r o l e x e r c is e d by th e p e rs o n i n
c h a rg e , b u t t h e r e i s a s h i f t from a u t h o r i t y to le a d e r s h ip
and co m p u lsio n g iv e s way to g ro u p d e c is io n .
I I . NEED FOR BALANCED CONTROL
To some e d u c a to r s , freed o m to do a s one p le a s e s
seem s th e o n ly l o g i c a l p ro c e d u re p o s s i b le t o d e v e lo p s e l f -
d i r e c t i n g p e r s o n a l i t y . T h is i s commonly i d e n t i f i e d to d a y
a s a " l a i s s e z f a i r e " a p p ro ac h to e d u c a tio n . T h is o f c o u rs e
s ta n d s i n ex trem e c o n t r a s t to th e a u t h o r i t a r i a n a p p ro a c h .
D em o cratic e d u c a tio n on th e o th e r hand re c o g n iz e s th e
im p o rta n c e o f c o n t r o l b u t e x p la in s th e r o l e o f th e te a c h e r
a s c r e a tin g t e a c h e r - p u p il and p u p i l - p u p i l r e l a t i o n s w hich
e n c o u ra g e s e l f - c o n t r o l .
C r e a tiv e te a c h in g r e c o g n iz e s , th e n , t h a t freed o m
i s n e v e r synonymous w ith th e a b se n c e o f c o n t r o l . B ut
i t s e t s up a s th e g o a l th e d im in u tio n o f e x t e r n a l con
t r o l and c o e rc io n to th e lo w e s t p o in t and th e in c r e a s e
o f s e l f - c o n t r o l to th e h ig h e s t p o s s ib le e x t e n t . Con
t r o l t h e r e m ust b e ."
The g o a l o f th e te a c h e r sh o u ld be a minimum o f con
t r o l from th e o u ts id e im posed on th e c h i l d , and a maximum
o f s e l f - e x p r e s s i o n n o t i n c o n s i s t e n t w ith th e w e lf a r e o f th e
g ro u p . The a b i l i t y to d is c e r n and m a in ta in t h i s p ro p e r
8
A. J . W to. M yers, T each in g R e lig io n C r e a tiv e ly
(New Y ork: F lem ing E . R e v e ll C o ., 1 9 3 2 ), p . 128.
2 9
b a la n c e r e q u ir e s th e g r e a t e s t p e d a g o g ic a l s k i l l *
The m ores a r e th e th in g s t h a t by a l l means m ust be
done by e v e ry b o d y , and n e g a tiv e ly , th e r e a r e th in g s
t h a t by no m eans may be done by an ybody. T h ere i s a
g u id a n c e on th e p a r t o f th e p a r e n ts i n th e r e q u ir e d
b e h a v io r b u t i t i s th e g u id a n c e i n t o c o n fo rm ity w ith
th e gro u p p r a c t i c e . T h is i s n o t th e a u t h o r i t y o f d i s
c i p l i n e , i t i s th e a u t h o r i t y o f g t r a d i t l o n , o f custom ;
i t h a s a c e r t a i n i n e v i t a b i l i t y .
Such a b a la n c e i s w e ll i l l u s t r a t e d i n th e g ro u p
p a r t i c i p a t i o n en c o u ra g ed by th e Je w is h p a r e n ts and te a c h e r s
i n t h e i r com m unity l i f e and w o rs h ip . One o f th e d i s t i n c
t i v e f e a t u r e s o f e a r l y J e w ish l i f e was th e im p o rta n c e
a tta c h e d t o th e f e a s t s and f e s t i v a l s , t o g e th e r w ith a l l th e
r i t u a l s r e q u ir e d by th e c e re m o n ia l la w .
U n d o u b ted ly , th e avowed p u rp o se o f th e p a r e n ts was
to g iv e ea ch c h i ld i n s t r u c t i o n i n r e l i g i o u s m a tte r s t h a t
w ould te a c h c o - o p e r a tio n w ith th e gro u p w hich u lt i m a t e l y
w ould r e s u l t f o r th e good o f th e e n t i r e s o c i e t y . The law
c o n ta in e d g e n e ra l p r i n c i p l e s t h a t o p e ra te d f o r th e good o f
th e g ro u p b u t m ust be e n d o rse d by a l l i n o r d e r to r e c e iv e
th e maximum b e n e f i t . S in c e th e B ib le i s a r e c o rd o f G od's
d e a lin g w ith m an, i t may be r e f e r r e d t o a s G o d 's r e v e l a t i o n
to man.
The B ib le g iv e s us a b r i e f a c c o u n t o f w hat a s m a ll
g ro u p o f p e o p le i n a lim ite d a r e a o f e a r t h , i n a s h o r t
p e r io d o f tim e , th o u g h t o f th e w o rld p ro c e s s e s and th e
9 S o a r e s , o p . c i t . , p . 26.
e v e n ts i n w hich th e y w ere p a r t i c i p a n t s . I t i s m ore a
r e v e l a t i o n o f th e s e p e o p le th a n o f God, b u t i t h a s b een
one o f th e m ost s tim u la tin g r e c o r d s i n th e h i s t o r y o f
m an k in d , c a u s in g r e f l e c t i o n upon th e n a tu r e o f th e
w o r ld 's p ro c e s s e s and m a n 's p la c e t h e r e i n .
I n th e p a t r i a r c h a l p e rio d th e Law was g iv e n by th e
h ead o f th e g ro u p . L a te r th e r e v e l a t i o n God gave c o n ta in e d
many la w s , d e f i n i t e l y c o v e rin g v a r io u s a s p e c ts o f com m unity
l i f e a s w e ll a s th e r i t u a l o f w o rs h ip . Each o f th e s e
r e q u ir e d p a r t i c i p a t i o n by th e g ro u p , in c lu d in g th e grow ing
c h i l d r e n , w ith th e view o f m aking them f e e l an i n t e g r a l
p a r t o f th e g ro u p .
To make t h i s r e l i g i o u s i n s t r u c t i o n m e a n in g fu l and
v i t a l t o th e group th e r e was c o n s ta n t e n d eav o r t o im prove
th e te a c h in g te c h n iq u e s . Thus r i t u a l and s p e c i a l days o f
c e l e b r a t i o n w ere in tr o d u c e d to c r e a t e i n t e r e s t , to h o ld
a t t e n t i o n , and t o p a s s on th e r e l i g i o u s h e r i t a g e o f th e
R e lig io n h a s i t s m ajo r and m in o r fo rm s o f c e le b r a
t i o n , i t s r e g u l a r and s p e c i a l tim e s , p l a c e s , and
c e re m o n ie s . I n th e C h r i s t i a n f a i t h th e r e a r e many
cu sto m s t h a t a r e s h a re d by th e d i f f e r e n t s e c t s , b u t
e a c h one h a s s p e c i a l d ay s and ways o f c e l e b r a t i n g .
The Jew s h av e t h e i r l i s t o f h o ly d a y s , w ith a p p r o p r ia te
ce re m o n ie s f o r e a c h , and a l l o th e r r e l i g i o n s o f th e
w o rld have f e a s t s and f e s t i v a l s and w o rsh ip c u sto m s.
11
I b i d . , p . 1 1 9 .
..... 3 l|
I I I . FEAST OF PASSOVER
One o f th e e a r l y f e a s t s w hich c l e a r l y i l l u s t r a t e s
th e p r i n c i p l e o f g ro u p p a r t i c i p a t i o n i s th e F e a s t o f
P a s s o v e r. T r a d i t i o n a l l y , th e P a s s o v e r was r e l a t e d to th e
n ig h t when th e J e w is h p eo p le who w ere s la v e s i n E gypt made
p r e p a r a t io n to le a v e th e la n d o f b o n d ag e. Moses had b ee n
d ir e c t e d by Je h o v ah God to g iv e th e p e o p le e x p l i c i t
i n s t r u c t i o n s f o r th e e x o d u s, w hich in c lu d e d th e m arking o f
e a c h h o u se w ith th e b lo o d o f th e s l a i n lam b:
Then th e y s h a l l ta k e some o f th e b lo o d , and p u t i t on
th e two d o o rp o s ts and th e l i n t e l o f th e h o u se s i n
w h ich th e y e a t them . . . .
F o r I w i l l p a s s th ro u g h th e la n d o f E gypt t h a t
n i g h t , and I w i l l sm ite a l l th e f i r s t - b o r n i n th e la n d
o f E g y p t, b o th man and b e a s t; and on a l l th e gods o f
E g y p t I w i l l e x e c u te ju d g m e n ts: I am th e L o rd . . . .
The b lo o d s h a l l be a s ig n f o r y o u , upon th e h o u se s
w here you a r e ; and when I s e e th e b lo o d , I w i l l p a s s
o v e r y o u , and no p la g u e s h a l l f a l l upon you to d e s tr o y
y o u , when I s m ite th e la n d o f E g y p t. . . .
T h is day s h a l l be f o r you a m em orial d a y , and you
s h a l l keep i t a s a f e a s t to th e L o rd ; th ro u g h o u t y o u r
g e n e r a tio n s you s h a l l o b s e rv e i t a s an o rd in a n c e f o r
e v e r . ^2
The P a s s o v e r F e a s t h a s b een k e p t s in c e t h a t tim e
w ith th e em p h asis upon v a r io u s a s p e c ts o f i t s te a c h in g b u t
a lw a y s o b se rv e d a s a f a m ily c e l e b r a t i o n , o r i g i n a l l y ,
12 Exodus 1 2 :7 , 1 2 , 1 3 , 1%. R .S .V . 1952.
32
b e c a u s e th e b lo o d on th e d o o r p o s ts gave s a f e t y to th e
f i r s t - b o r n s o n , who was alw ay s th e p r id e o f th e h o u se h o ld
and th e f u t u r e h ead o f th e group* Q u ite n a t u r a l l y th e
e l d e s t son was soon g iv e n an im p o rta n t p a r t i n th e r i t u a l
o f c e l e b r a t i o n and was s e a te d n e a r th e head o f th e h o u se
a s a p la c e o f r e c o g n itio n * H ow ever, a l l th e c h i ld r e n o f
th e h o u se h o ld p a r t i c i p a t e d i n th e r i t u a l by a s k in g c e r e
m o n ia l q u e s tio n s a s i n s t r u c t e d by th e f a th e r *
On th e P a s s o v e r th e c h i ld was th e h e ro o f t h a t m ost
a n c ie n t o f d o m e stic r i t e s e x t a n t , a r i t e i n w h ich th e
d e p a r tu r e from E gypt was r e t o l d w ith w eeping and w ith
l a u g h t e r , to th e accom panim ent o f song and good c h e e r ,
th e b o y , l i k e h i s s i r e , q u a f f in g th e f o u r cups o f
w ine and f i r i n g a v o lle y o f q u e s tio n s a t h i s e l d e r 's
h e a d , w hich th e e l d e r r e jo ic e d to h e a r and a n sw e r.
The boys w ere en c o u ra g ed to do more th a n a s k q u e s tio n s
th e y w ere p ersu a d ed to a c t . The boy to o k a m at s a o r
u n le a v e n e d p a s s o v e r c a k e , bound i t i n a c l o t h , p u t i t
on h i s s h o u ld e r and s t r u t t e d p ro u d ly a b o u t th e room ,
i n sy m b o lic a l l u s i o n to th e e s c a p e from P h a ra o n ic
b o n d a g e .^3
One o f th e d i s t i n c t i v e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f th e F e a s t
o f P a s s o v e r was t h a t i t em p h asized w o rsh ip a t home r a t h e r
th a n a t th e synogogue w ith th e p r i e s t o f f i c i a t i n g . A t
t h i s s e a s o n , th e f a t h e r to o k h i s o r i g i n a l r o l e a s th e
p r i e s t o f th e h o u se h o ld and co n d u c ted th e cerem ony w ith in
th e w a lls o f h i s own hom e, " c o n tin u in g i n t o l a t e r d ay s a
^3 I s r a e l A braham s, Je w ish L if e i n th e M iddle Ages
(R e v ise d by C e c il R o th ; London: Edward G o ld s to n , 1 9 3 2 ),
p . 1 ^3 .
33
t r a c e o f th e f a m i l y - s a c r i f i c e i n w hich th e h ead o f th e
14
h o u se p la y e d p r e c i s e l y th e p a r t o f p r i e s t o f th e h o u s e ."
T h ere was much s i g n i f i c a n c e a tta c h e d to th e a n c ie n t
b l o o d - r i t e s o f th e P a s s o v e r and members o f th e f a m ily f e l t
bound t o g e th e r th ro u g h o b s e rv in g t h i s cerem ony. P rom inence
was g iv e n to th e p a r t o f th e cerem ony i n w hich th e f a t h e r -
p r i e s t s p r in k le d th e b lo o d on th e d o o r p o s ts f o r th e p ro
t e c t i o n o f h i s f a m ily , th e n assem b led th e h o u se h o ld
t o g e t h e r i n th e home t o o b se rv e th e cerem ony and th e m e a l.
I n th e s e fa m ily and t r i b a l s a c r i f i c e s we a r e t o o b se rv e
th e c h a r a c te r o f th e s a c r i f i c e a s p r e -e m in e n tly a f e s
t i v a l o f f e llo w s h ip e x p re s s e d i n a common m e a l. The
god b e in g a b l o o d - r e l a t i o n p a r t i c i p a t e d i n th e m eal
and f e llo w s h ip a s th e p re -e m in e n t member o f th e com
m u n ity .^ ^
A t o th e r tim e s f o r th e c e l e b r a t i o n o f f e a s t s , th e
f a m ily m ust go to th e Synogogue o r ta k e a p ilg rim a g e t o th e
T em p le, som etim es s e v e r a l days* jo u r n e y , b u t a t P a s s o v e r
th e y w ere " a t hom e."
The f a c t t h a t P a s s o v e r was alw ay s d i f f e r e n t from th e
o th e r s i n t h a t i t w as, a s i t s t i l l i s , a f a m ily and
home f e s t i v a l , w h ils t th e o th e r s w ere p ilg rim a g e f e s t i
v a l s , does n o t make i t n o n -C a n a a n ite , ev en th o u g h i t
may w e ll have b ee n th e o n ly f e s t i v a l w hich th e Hebrews
knew b e f o r e th e y e n te r e d C anaan.
R u d o lf K i t t e l , The R e lig io n o f th e I>eople ^
I s r a e j. (London: G eorge A lle n & Unwin, L t d ., 1 9 2 ? ), p . 93
Loo. e X t i
p .— 22........ - , .............. .............................................................................................
34
L a te r i n th e h i s t o r y o f I s r a e l i t became th e custom
t o e n c o u ra g e a l l w o rsh ip to be c e n t r a l i z e d a t th e Tem ple i n
J e ru s a le m . U n d o u b ted ly t h i s was in te n d e d to s tr e n g th e n th e
l o y a l t y to a c e n t r a l p la c e o f w o rs h ip , y e t ev en th e n
P a s s o v e r d id n o t l o s e i t s fa m ily c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .
Even when th e custom d ev e lo p ed o f s a c r i f i c i n g th e
P a s s o v e r a t J e ru s a le m , th e Lamb t h a t was s l a i n was
alw ay s e a te n away from th e Tem ple i n th e f a m ily c i r c l e
o r i n a h ir e d room by a gro u p o f f r i e n d s . I t was th u s
in c o n v e n ie n t r a t h e r th a n c o n v e n ie n t to b r in g th e
P a s s o v e r c e l e b r a t i o n i n t o su ch c lo s e c o n ta c t w ith th e
p ilg rim a g e f e a s t .
Not o n ly a t P a s s o v e r tim e b u t d u rin g th e d a i l y
r o u t i n e th e t a b l e i n th e J e w is h home was o f te n th o u g h t o f
a s an a l t a r , and th e co n d u c t o f th e c h i ld r e n was c a r e f u l l y
s u p e r v is e d . Abrahams com m ents, " I t was a com monplace to
c a l l th e t a b l e th e a l t a r o f God: h e n c e , aro u n d i t th e
Jew s m ust become p u re a s p r i e s t s . The e d u c a tio n a l e x e rc is e s
1 8
common a t m e altim e grew from th e same p r i n c i p l e . "
T h is comment i s made c o n c e rn in g th e e a tin g and
d r in k in g o f th e J e w is h p e o p le i n th e M iddle A ges;
The Jew d id n o t d r in k a t d in n e r w ith o u t f i r s t w ip in g
h i s m outh. He was v e ry m o d erate i n h i s e a tin g and
u n lik e th e o r d in a r y d in e r o f h i s d a y , f e l t i t d is g r a c e
f u l t o r i s e from th e t a b l e h eav y w ith fo o d , f o r
I b i d . , p . 95*
A braham s, o p . c i t .y p . 147.
■ 35
19
g lu tt o n y was th e w o rs t o f re p ro a c h e s*
T h u s, t h i s c o n s ta n t re m in d e r t h a t Je h o v ah God was
th e u ltim a te p r o v id e r o f d a i l y b r e a d , and t h a t ev e n e a tin g
was a sa cram e n t a b o u t th e a l t a r o f God, was a c o - o p e r a tiv e
e f f o r t i n r e l i g i o u s g ro w th . The m o ra l and r e l i g i o u s law
had d i r e c t a p p l i c a t i o n to l i f e s i t u a t i o n s w hich i s th e u l t i
m ate g o a l o f good r e l i g i o u s e d u c a tio n .
IV . THE TABERNACLE
I n a d d i tio n to th e a n c ie n t P a s s o v e r cerem ony, th e
law o u tli n e d s p e c i f i c a l l y th e human co n d u c t c o n c e rn in g th e
ta b e r n a c l e w o rs h ip . W hether o r n o t th e o r g a n iz a tio n o f th e
t a b e r n a c l e i s M osaic o r from a l a t e r d a t e , n e v e r th e le s s th e
te a c h in g v a lu e i s th e same i n th e gro w th and d ev elo p m en t o f
J e w is h y o u th .
M inute d i r e c t i o n s w ere g iv e n f o r c o n s tr u c tin g th e
t a b e r n a c l e , th e "T ent o f M e e tin g ," and th e m a t e r i a l was to
be c o l l e c t e d from th e c o n g r e g a tio n . A p p a re n tly , s in c e th e
p e o p le liv e d i n t e n t s , God m ust have h i s t e n t i n o r d e r to
d w e ll among them i n a r e a l i s t i c way.
And l e t them make me a s a n c tu a r y ; t h a t I may d w e ll i n
t h e i r m id s t. A cco rd in g to a l l t h a t I show you c o n c e rn
in g th e p a t t e r n o f th e t a b e r n a c l e , and o f a l l i t s
19
A braham s, l o o , c i t .
------------------------- 3 6 '
20
f u r n i t u r e , so you s h a l l make i t .
T h is new t e n t f o r God e n l i s t e d th e i n t e r e s t o f th e
e n t i r e fa m ily a s s e e n by th e women g iv in g o f t h e i r je w e ls :
So th e y cam e, b o th men and women; a l l who w ere o f a
w illi n g h e a r t , and b ro u g h t b ro o c h e s and e a r r in g s and
s i g n e t r in g s and a r m le ts , a l l s o r t s o f g o ld o b j e c t s , 21
e v e ry man d e d ic a tin g an o f f e r in g o f g o ld to th e L o rd .
22
The c o u r t , one h u n d red f i f t y by s e v e n ty - f iv e f e e t
a r e a , was s e p a r a te d from th e camp by h a n g in g c u r t a i n s o f
f i n e l i n e n s u p p o rte d by s i x t y p i l l a r s , tw e n ty on e a c h s id e
and t e n on e a c h e n d . The open sp a ce ab o u t th e e n tra n c e t o
th e g r e a t c o u r t was r e s e rv e d f o r th e f a m i l i e s , f o r o n ly
p r i e s t s w ere a llo w e d w ith in th e c o u r t p r o p e r . The w or
s h ip p e r b ro u g h t a s a c r i f i c e f o r h im s e lf and fa m ily i n t o th e
c o u r t e n tra n c e w here th e p r i e s t s r e c e iv e d i t i n G o d 's name.
The a l t a r s to o d j u s t i n s i d e th e c o u rt e n t r a n c e , and
h e re th e p r i e s t o f f e r e d th e s a c r i f i c e i n b e h a lf o f th e
f a t h e r and h i s f a m ily .
The l a v e r was a la r g e ta n k u sed f o r w ashing o f hands
by th e p r i e s t i n c o n n e c tio n w ith th e s a c r i f i c e *
The t e n t p ro p e r s to o d w ith in th e g r e a t c o u r t and was
f i f t e e n f e e t h ig h and f o r t y - f i v e f e e t lo n g , d iv id e d i n t o
Exodus 2 5 :8 ,9 . R .S .V . 1952.
I b i d ,^ 3 5 :2 2 .
22 I b i d . . 2 5 :2 6 ,2 7 .
37
tw o room s by a v e i l o r c u r t a i n . The tw o room s w ere known
a s t h e h o ly p la c e and t h e m o st h o l y . The h o ly p la c e c o u ld
b e u se d o n ly by c e r t a i n d e s ig n a t e d p r i e s t s ; t h e m o st h o ly
p la c e w as e n t e r e d o n ly by t h e H igh P r i e s t and b y him o n ly
o n c e e a c h y e a r on t h e G rea t Day o f A to n em en t.
The p r i e s t s w ere u s u a l l y b orn o f th e t r i b e o f L e v i,
b u t p r o p h e t s , s a g e s , ju d g e s and t e a c h e r s c o u ld be from any
t r i b e and i t w as t h e h op e o f t h e t r i b e , c la n o r f a m ily t o
h a v e o n e o f i t s own num bered among t h e f a v o r e d l e a d e r s .
Thus i t i s s e e n t h a t t h e know ing and o b s e r v in g o f t h e Law
p la y e d a n im p o r ta n t p a r t i n t h e l i v e s o f t h e J e w is h p e o p le
and was a m eans o f d e v e lo p in g r e a l l e a d e r s h ip .
The a v e r a g e f a m i ly who b ro u g h t an o f f e r i n g and s to o d
i n t h e o u t e r c o u r t lo o k in g i n th r o u g h th e c u r t a i n s t o t h e
a c t i v i t y o f t h e p r i e s t s m ust h a v e b e e n im p r e s s e d w it h t h e
h o l i n e s s o f J e h o v a h and a d e s i r e t o p le a s e Him m ust h a v e
b e e n im p la n te d i n e a c h h e a r t . A p p a r e n tly , a s a g ro u p
m em ber, e a c h f e l t a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i n m e r it in g G o d 's
a p p r o v a l.
I n m aking a f a m ily o f f e r i n g , u n d o u b te d ly , i t was
p o in t e d o u t t h a t J e h o v a h c o u ld be a p p ro a ch ed o n ly i n a
p r e s c r ib e d w ay, th r o u g h t h e s a c r i f i c e f o r s i n , b u t t h a t
e a c h c o u ld come and f i n d f o r g i v e n e s s i n t h e o f f e r i n g ,
o f th e e d u c a t io n a l p r i n c i p l e s l a t e r f o r m a liz e d by H e r b e r t
su c h a s , p r e p a r a t io n , p r e s e n t a t i o n , a s s o c i a t i o n , g e n e r a l i
z a t i o n and a p p l i c a t i o n can be s e e n i n th e gro u p p a r t i c i p a
t i o n o f th e f a m ily a t th e ta b e r n a c le w o rs h ip .
The law o f a p p e rc e p tio n p o in ts o u t th e n e c e s s it y o f
a s s o c i a t in g new id e a s w ith fo rm e r know ledge i f th e new
e x p e rie n c e i s to make an im p re s s io n . S in c e one o f th e
p r e r e q u i s i t e s o f le a r n in g i s t h a t o f h av in g i n t e r e s t
a r o u s e d , ^3 m o tiv a tio n to w o rsh ip and know God was a id e d and
s tim u la te d by th e r e a l i t y o f th e ta b e r n a c l e i n t h e i r m id s t.
I t p r e s e n te d a c o n c r e te im ag ery o f th e co m p reh en siv e o b je c
t i v e f o r w hich i t s to o d : to r e v e a l Je h o v ah and e s t a b l i s h
h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p to m ankind.
The h i s t o r y o f th e b ackground o f I s r a e l shows th e y
had b een p re p a re d f o r th e ta b e r n a c l e and s a c r i f i c i a l w orship!
s in c e th e y had b e e n accustom ed t o J e h o v a h 's g u id a n c e i n
bondage and i n th e w ild e r n e s s . They w ere f a m i l i a r w ith
a l t a r s and a n im a l s a c r i f i c e ; t h e r e f o r e , th e p e o p le re c o g
n iz e d G o d 's le a d e r s h ip i n th e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f th e ta b e r n a c l e
s a c r i f i c i a l dem ands. Even th e ta b e r n a c l e f u r n i t u r e a r r a n g e
m ent s i g n i f i e d th e e x a c t ap p ro a c h to w o rsh ip God. A s s o c ia
t i o n o f th e ta b e r n a c l e and i t s sym bolism h e lp e d to v i s u a l i z ^
God and h i s f o r g iv e n e s s o f s i n . The th e o r y o f
23
A l l p o r t , J 2p . c i t . , p . 201.
39
24
g e n e r a l i z a t i o n i m p l ie s t h a t s p e c i f i c h a b i t s a r e b a se d
u p on t h e p r e s e n c e o f a g e n e r a l id e a by w h ich t h e h a b i t s a r e
c o n t r o l l e d ; t h e r e f o r e , t h e a b i l i t y t o d e v e lo p i d e a s i n
g e n e r a l i s on e im p o r ta n t aim o f e d u c a t io n . I t i s ju d g ed
t h a t t h e u lt im a t e p u r p o se o f t h e t a b e r n a c le t e a c h in g was t o
m a n if e s t God i n a p la n o f w o r ld s a l v a t i o n th r o u g h a c h o se n
p e o p le . The e x p e r ie n c e o f t a b e r n a c le w o r sh ip m ust h a v e
g iv e n g e n e r a l k n o w led g e c o n c e r n in g t h e n a tu r e o f God and
r e m is s io n o f s i n th r o u g h s a c r i f i c e .
P erh a p s t h e g r e a t e s t o f a l l p e d a g o g ic a l f a l l a c i e s
i s th e n o t io n t h a t a p e r s o n le a r n s o n ly t h e p a r t i c u l a r
t h in g h e i s s t u d y in g a t t h e t im e . C o l l a t e r a l le a r n in g
i n t h e way o f f o r m a tio n o f e n d u r in g a t t i t u d e s , o f
l i k e s and d i s l i k e s , may be and o f t e n i s much m ore
im p o r ta n t th a n th e s p e l l i n g l e s s o n o r l e s s o n i n g e o g r a
phy o r h i s t o r y t h a t i s l e a r n e d .
The im p o r ta n c e o f s e l f - a c t i v i t y i n c o n n e c t io n w ith
t h e T a b e r n a c le dem ands i s r e c o g n iz e d i n t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f
c o n c r e t e m a t e r ia ls i n o r d e r t o v i s u a l i z e th e a b s t r a c t .
D oin g so m e th in g th r o u g h i n t e r e s t m o t iv a t io n i s a b e t t e r
m o tiv e i n d i r e c t i n g b e h a v io r th a n f o r c e .
When an i n t e r e s t sy s te m h a s b e e n form ed i t n o t
o n ly c r e a t e s a t e n s i o n a l c o n d i t i o n t h a t may b e r e a d i l y
a r o u s e d , le a d in g t o o v e r t c o n d u c t i n som e way
I b i d . , p .
E xodus 1 2 :2 ,3 # R .S .V .
J o h n D ew ey, E x p e r ie n c e and E d u c a tio n (New Y ork:
The M a cm illa n C o ., 1 9 3 * ), p . 4 9 .
■................................ ■■ 40
s a t i s f y i n g t o th e i n t e r e s t , b u t i t a l s o a c t s a s a
s i l e n t a g e n t f o r s e l e c t i n g and d i r e c t i n g any b e h a v io r
r e l a t e d to i t . 27
The im p o rta n c e o f r i t u a l and s a c r i f i c e a s a te a c h in g
medium i s n o te d i n o b s e rv in g th e l a s t i n g im p re s s io n made
upon th e p a r t i c i p a n t . When p erfo rm ed i n c o n n e c tio n w ith
w o rs h ip , O e s te r le y s t a t e s t h a t th e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f th e a c t
may be d i f f i c u l t to g r a s p , and som etim es th e " p e rfo rm e rs
th e m s e lv e s h av e c e r t a i n l y l o s t a l l know ledge o f t h e i r m ean-
28
i n g , a lth o u g h c o n tin u in g to p erfo rm th e m ." I n d e s c r ib in g
29
s a c r i f i c e s a s " v i s i b l e p r a y e r s , p r a y e r s i n a c t i o n ," th e y
r e p r e s e n t th e s e v i s i b l e o r is o n s : " th a n k s g iv in g , c o n f e s s io n ,
s u p p l i c a t i o n , a d o r a t io n , s e l f - d e d i c a t i o n . "3^ T h u s, th e
s a c r i f i c i a l sy stem o f th e Jew s p ro v ed to be an e d u c a tio n a l
ag en cy o f v a lu e i n a id in g p e r s o n a l r e l i g i o u s d ev e lo p m e n t,
and n a t i o n a l r e l i g i o u s s o l i d a r i t y . "The s a c r i f i c i a l sy stem
assum ed th e c h a r a c te r o f a n a t i o n a l e x p r e s s io n o f th e
d e s i r e f o r a s t a t e o f r e c t i t u d e i n a c c o rd a n c e w ith d iv in e
2 ' A l l p o r t , 2Ê* P i t . . p . 201.
W. Û. E. O e s te r le y , S a c r i f i c e s i n A n c ie n t I s r a e l
(New Y ork: The M acm illan C o ., ) , p . 6o7
29
Jam es Freem an C la r k e , Ten G re a t R e lig io n s
(B o sto n : H oughton M i f f l i n C o ., 1 8 8 7 ), V o l. I I , p . 239
3 ^ h o c , c i t .
________ 3 ^ 0 e s t e r l e y - ,- o p .— c i t .-.— p.-
-----------------------------------------------
V. THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
One o f th e m ost j o y f u l o f th e a n c ie n t f e s t i v a l s was
th e F e a s t o f T a b e rn a c le s som etim es known a s th e F e a s t o f
B o o th s . I t came a s a re m in d e r o f th e w ild e rn e s s w an d erin g s
and e x te n d e d f o r n in e d a y s . A p a r t o r a l l o f th e tim e was
t o be s p e n t l i v i n g o u td o o rs i n b o o th s c o n s tr u c te d by th e
f a m ily , and d e c o ra te d by l e a f y b ra n c h e s and tw ig s , and
co v e re d w ith f r u i t s and v e g e ta b le s r a is e d by th e f a m ily .
The p u rp o se o f th e g a th e r in g was to e n l i s t th e
i n t e r e s t o f th e fa m ily ^ ^ i n rem em bering G o d 's g o o d n ess i n
d e l i v e r i n g t h e i r f o r e f a t h e r s from th e bondage o f E gypt and
le a d in g them th ro u g h th e w ild e rn e s s w a n d e rin g . The h i s t o r y
o f th e f o r e f a t h e r s was r e c i t e d w ith s p e c i a l a t t e n t i o n g iv e n
t o e v e n ts o f n a t i o n a l h i s t o r y a t one tim e and f a m ily h is t o iy
a t a n o th e r .
No d o u b t, t h i s m ethod o f te a c h in g h i s t o r y made a
l a s t i n g im p re s s io n on th e Je w is h y o u th s in c e re s p o n s e s t h a t
b r in g s a t i s f a c t i o n a r e q u ic k ly and p e rm a n e n tly le a r n e d . I n
l e a r n i n g , th e im p o rta n c e o f r e l a t i o n s h i p i s r e c o g n iz e d .
A cc o rd in g to th e "law o f e f f e c t , "33 th e m ind h a s a te n d e n c y
3^ Hayyim S c h a u s s , The J e w is h F e s t i v a l s ( C in c in n a ti:
U nion o f A m erican Hebrew C o n g re g a tio n s , 1 9 3 o ), p . I 8 9 .
33 E . L. T h o rn d ik e , The P sy ch o lo g y o f W ants. In te i^ e st
and A t t i t u d e s (New Y ork: A p p le to n -C e n tu ry C o ., 1 9 3 5 ), p . 74.
42
t o r e j e c t th e u n p le a s a n t and t o r e t a i n th e p l e a s a n t .
The f i r s t two d ay s o f th e f e a s t o f ta b e r n a c l e s w ere
f u l l h o l id a y s , th e n e x t f i v e "week d ay s o f th e h o lid a y s ,"
th e n , th e f i n a l two d ay s h ig h h o ly d a y s . The c h i l d r e n to o k
p a r t i n p r o c e s s io n s c a r r y in g c a n d le s , b a n n e rs , and g i f t s a s
th e y w ent to th e Tem ple to w o rsh ip b e fo re Je h o v a h . The
f a m ily seem to p a r t i c i p a t e i n th e cerem ony.
And you s h a l l ta k e on th e f i r s t day th e f r u i t o f
g o o d ly t r e e s , b ra n c h e s o f palm t r e e s , and boughs o f
l e a f y t r e e s , and w illo w s o f th e b ro o k ; and you s h a l l
r e j o i c e b e f o r e th e LORD y o u r God se v e n d a y s . 3^
A u n iq u e f e a t u r e o f th e H oly Day cerem ony was th e
in c l u s i o n o f th e c h i l d r e n i n th e synogogue w o rsh ip on th e
f i n a l d a y . J u s t when t h i s custom began i s o b s c u re ,
a lth o u g h th e r e seemed t o be a te n d e n c y to p a r t i c i p a t e a s a
f a m ily tr o u p a l l th ro u g h th e a g e s .
As a r u l e th e y o u n g er c h i ld r e n w ere c o m p le te ly
ig n o re d i n th e w o rs h ip . The boys w ere o n ly in c lu d e d
fo llo w in g th e B ar M itzv ah w hich made them a "so n o f th e
commandment," u s u a lly a t th e ag e o f t h i r t e e n . H ow ever, a t
S u c c o th th e r e was su c h a demand f o r h av in g th e w hole fa m ily
in c lu d e d t h a t th e fo rm a lism and r e s t r i c t i o n s w hich w ere
u s u a l ly m a in ta in e d w ere s e t a s id e f o r th e jo y o u s o c c a s io n .
3** L e v i t i c u s , 23:W0 f f . R .S .V . 1952.
A lth o u g h on o th e r h o lid a y s and on th e S a b b a th , o n ly
a d u l t s a r e h o n o red by b e in g c a l l e d t o th e re a d in g d e sk
f o r a s c r i p t u r a l r e a d in g , on S im b ath T o rah even th e
y o u n g er c h i ld r e n a r e in c lu d e d i n t h i s cerem o n y .3 v
T h ere i s l i t t l e re c o rd e d c o n c e rn in g p la y among th e
J e w is h c h i l d r e n , y e t , a n e x c e p tio n a p p e a rs to h av e been
made when th e r i t u a l o f th e fa m ily f e a s t was o b s e rv e d . The
c h i l d r e n w ould h id e le a v e n and th e m o th er m ust f in d i t .
The bond o f fa m ily s o l i d a r i t y was made more s e c u re a s th e
c h i l d r e n , w ith s h o u ts o f l a u g h t e r , w atch ed th e m o th er p a r
t i c i p a t e i n th e game o f s e a rc h in g th e h o u se f o r th e f o r
b id d e n le a v e n .
When th e h o u se was b e in g s e a rc h e d f o r le a v e n on th e
p re v io u s n i g h t , th e boys p la y e d many a p ra n k . They
c o n c e a le d p a r t i c l e s o f b re a d i n c o r n e r s and g r e a t was
t h e i r g le e when th e y e lu d e d t h e v ig il a n c e o f th e
s e a r c h e r s , and tr iu m p h a n tly p ro d u ced th e in c r im in a tin g
m o r s e ls . When th e f e a s t o f ta b e r n a c l e s was o v e r , th e
boys made b o n f ir e s o f th e boughs and le a v e s w ith w hich
th e b o o th s w ere ro o fe d and r o a s te d a p p le s i n th e
f la m e s .3®
T h u s, i n t h i s u n iq u e h o ly s e a s o n known a s th e F e a s t
o f T a b e rn a c le s th e g ro u p p a r t i c i p a t i o n m ethod i n te a c h in g
i s c l e a r l y i n d i c a t e d . T here was a d e f i n i t e a tte m p t made to
v i s u a l i z e h i s t o r y by c o n s tr u c tin g b o o th s and t o e n l i s t th e
i n t e r e s t o f a l l th e g ro u p by d ra m a tiz in g th e w ild e rn e s s
35 I r v in g J . Rosenbaum , O scar T a rc o v , Your N eig h b o r
C e le b r a te s (C h icag o : D epartm ent o f I n t e r r e l i g i o u s Co
o p e r a t io n A n ti-D e fa m a tio n League o f B 'n a i B 'r i t h , 1 9 5 1 )» D
3^ A braham s, c i t . ^ p . l4 4 .
............ 4 4
w an d erin g s* They w ere co m p elled t o s u f f e r some in c o n v e n
ie n c e and h a r d s h ip p h y s i c a ll y by th e b r i e f s o jo u r n i n th e
ro u g h b o o th e s .
The v a lu e o f a c o n tr iv e d e x p e rie n c e i s re c o g n iz e d
a s h a v in g a n a d v a n ta g e o v e r j u s t r e i t e r a t i n g th e f a c t s *
D ra m atic p a r t i c i p a t i o n by th e g ro u p w ould v i t a l i z e th e
e v e n ts o f th e p a s t* Some c o n c e p tio n o f th e s u f f e r i n g and
h a r d s h ip en d u red by t h e i r f o r e f a t h e r s c o u ld be p a s se d on
to e a c h g e n e r a tio n by th e e d u c a tio n a l p r i n c i p l e o f p a r t i c i
p a t i o n . "We have a t l e a s t le a r n e d t h a t by m aking a p u rp o se
f u l re -a rra n g e m e n t Q f r e a l i t y — by a l t e r i n g and e d i t i n g
r e a l i t y f o r a p a r t i c u l a r te a c h in g p u rp o se — i t i s p o s s i b le to
37
d r iv e a l e s son home•"
V I. TEE D A Y OF ATONEM ENT
Somewhat i n c o n t r a s t to th e F e a s t o f T a b e rn a c le s was
th e m ore som ber and i n t e n s e l y r e l i g i o u s Day o f A to n em en t.
The b ack g ro u n d f o r t h i s h ig h h o ly d ay i s re c o rd e d i n
L e v i t i c u s :
And i t s h a l l be a s t a t u t e to you f o r e v e r t h a t i n
th e s e v e n th m o n th , on th e t e n t h day o f th e m o n th , you
s h a l l a f f l i c t y o u r s e lv e s , and s h a l l do no w o rk , e i t h e r
37
E d g ar D a le , A u d io -V isu a l M ethods i n T each in g
(New Y ork: The D ryden P r e s s , 1 9 5 0 ), p . o 2 .
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- — — ^ ç - 5
th e n a t iv e o r th e s t r a n g e r who s o jo u rn s among y o u ; f o r
on t h i s day s h a l l a tte n e m e n t be made f o r you; to c le a n s e
y o u ; from a l l y o u r s i n s you s h a l l be c le a n b e fo re th e
L o rd .
I t i s a s a b b a th o f solem n r e s t t o y o u , and you
s h a l l a f f l i c t y o u r s e lv e s . I t i s a s t a t u t e f o r e v e r .^
The Day o f A tonem ent was a l s o spoken o f a s a h o ly
c o n v o c a tio n .^ ^ T h is day was in te n d e d to be o f g r e a t
r e l i g i o u s and s p i r i t u a l v a lu e to th e Jew . I t came a t th e
c lo s e o f t e n d ay s o f h e a r t s e a rc h in g and was in te n d e d a s a
day o f p r a y e r , re p e n ta n c e and c o n f e s s io n w ith th e p u rp o se
o f b r in g in g a f e e l i n g o f " a t-o n e -m e n t" o r harm ony o f s p i r i t
b etw een a h o ly God and a s i n f u l p e o p le .
T h ere m ust be re p e n ta n c e and c o n f e s s io n o f s i n on
th e p a r t o f a l l members o f th e s o c i e t y . The custom o f
s t r i v i n g to r i g h t a l l w rongs a s f a r a s p o s s ib le and to se e k
th e f o r g iv e n e s s o f fello w m en b e fo re s e e k in g th e f o r g iv e n e s s
o f God i s a n a n c ie n t and hono red custom o f Ju d a ism .
B ut w h ereas f o r o th e r n a tio n s i t s e rv e d a s an o c c a s io n
f o r w ild m e rry -m a k in g , w ith g e n e r a l w ine d r in k in g , and
o b sc en e Day o f A tonem ent, o f g ra v e and s in c e r e contem
p l a t i o n o f m u tu a l f o r g iv e n e s s and r e c o n c i l i a t i o n , o f
a b s tin e n c e from fo o d and d r in k , from th e w earin g o f
s a n d a ls , from u se o f o in tm e n t and from m a r i t a l con
g r e s s .
^ L e v itic u s 1 6 :2 9 -3 1 . R .S .V . 1952.
39
Numbers 2 9 :7 . R .S .V . 1952.
L o u is F i n k e l s t e i n , The P h a r is e e s ( P h ila d e lp h ia :
Je w is h P u b lic a tio n S o c ie ty o f A m erica, 1 9 4 6 ), p . 5 4 .
The s p i r i t u a l v a lu e o f su c h a p u b lic c e l e b r a t i o n
c a n n o t be o v e r e s t im a t e d . S u ch g r e a t i d e a l s a s G o d 's h o l i
n e s s and m an 's s i n f u l n e s s n eed t o be r e v ie w e d i n o r d e r t o
k e e p a p r o p e r p e r s p e c t i v e on t h e p a r t o f b o th t h e c h i l d
and t h e le a d e r * T h ere was n o n e e n t i r e l y good o r h o ly and
t h e r e w as non e b eyond t h e r e a c h o f G o d 's f o r g i v e n e s s .
The p r i e s t s w ere f u l l y aw are o f t h e v a lu e o f o b j e c
t i v e sy m b o lism i n t e a c h in g a c h i l d n a tio n * The p r in
c i p l e s u n d e r ly in g I s r a e l ' s c e r e m o n ia ls a r e t h o s e o f
t h e p r o p h e ts : t h e h o l i n e s s o f J e h o v a h , t h e im p o r ta n c e
o f l o y a l t y t o h im , t h e d e f i l i n g c h a r a c t e r o f w rong
d o in g , and t h e n e c e s s i t y o f p u b lic c o n fe s s io n * ^ ^
I n s tu d y in g t h e s e O b s e r v a n c e s , t h e e d u c a t io n a l v a lu e
o f f e a s t s and c e l e b r a t i o n s w h ere a l l p a r t i c i p a t e d i s n o ted *
The y o u n g e r c h i ld r e n lo o k e d t o t h e o l d e r c h i ld r e n and t o
t h e p a r e n ts f o r i d e a l s and l i f e p a t t e r n s , and th e t e a c h in g
w as d on e i n a m ost e f f e c t i v e way* U nder su c h c ir c u m s ta n c e s ,
t h e c h i l d becam e a p a r t o f t h e r e l i g i o u s com m unity u n d er
d i s c i p l i n e *
I t i s im p o r ta n t t o n o te t h a t i n t h i s te c h n iq u e t h e
c h i l d e v i d e n t l y n e v e r f e l t h i m s e l f o u t s id e t h e
r e l i g i o u s com m unity; h e had e x h i b i t e d no im p a t ie n c e
t o assum e t h e l a r g e r r e l a t i o n s h i p , h e n e v e r f e l t ir k e d
b y t h e p e r io d o f t u t e l a g e a s i n v o l v i n g a d e r o g a to r y
s t a t u s ; h e was p e r f e c t l y s a t i s f i e d t o be a c h i l d member
o f t h e com m unity and r e a d y a t t h e p r o p e r tim e ; and
a f t e r due p r e p a r a t io n , t o b e prom oted t o f u l l s t a t u s .
C h a r le s F o s t e r K en t, The G reat T e a c h e r s o f
J u d a ism and C h r i s t i a n i t y (F o r t W orth: P o t t e r ' s Book S t o r e ,
1 9 1 1 ), p . 27.
^2 S o a r e s , ^ * g i t . , p* 253*
G re a t u se was made o f th e eye g a te a s w e ll a s th e
e a r g a te w hich i s good e d u c a tio n a l p ro ced u re* A ls o , th e
f a c t t h a t c o n s ta n t r e p e t i t i o n i n a s y s te m a tic and r e g u l a r l y
p la n n e d program m akes a l a s t i n g im p re s s io n upon a c h i l d i s
n o te w o rth y .
The p r i e s t s w ere a ls o f u l l y a l i v e to th e im p o rta n c e
o f te a c h in g th ro u g h th e ey e a s w e ll a s th ro u g h th e e a r .
They a p p e a le d e f f e c t i v e l y to th e a e s t h e t i c s e n s e and
t o th e s p i r i t o f w o rsh ip so s tr o n g i n th e e a r l y h i s t o r y
o f th e r a c e . To t h i s end th e y bound th e m se lv e s by c e r
t a i n c e re m o n ia l c u s to m s, su ch a s th e a c t s o f p u r i f i c a
t i o n and th e w ea rin g o f s p o t l e s s w h ite g a rm e n ts , w hich
i l l u s t r a t e d e f f e c t i v e l y th e h o l in e s s o f Je h o v a h and
t h e re q u ire m e n t t h a t h i s p e o p le sh o u ld be h o ly . By
a b s ta in i n g from c e r t a i n k in d s o f fo o d and from a l l
t h a t was u n c le a n th e y became c o n s ta n t o b je c t le s s o n s
b e f o r e th e e y e s o f th e p e o p le . ^
W hile th e s e f e s t i v a l s w ere v a lu a b le t o th e g ro u p a s
a w h o le , th e y w ere a l s o e f f e c t i v e i n t r a i n i n g th e grow ing
y o u th i n d i v i d u a l l y . A lth o u g h th e p rim a ry p u rp o se was to
p r e s e r v e th e t r a d i t i o n , i t a l s o s e rv e d a s a te a c h in g te c h
n iq u e f o r p e r s o n a l i t y developm ent and g ro w th . P e r s o n a l
g ro w th i s s tim u la te d i n th e i n t e r - a c t i o n o f group le a r n in g
and g u id e d by m a tu re s u p e r v is io n .
O n ly , i n v i t a l e d u c a tio n th e p ro c e s s o f c o n d itio n in g
m ust be l i f t e d to th e l e v e l o f s e l f c o n d itio n in g .
. . . The c o n d itio n in g i s done by some one o th e r th a n
th e p e r s o n , so t h a t he i s w rought upon by in f lu e n c e s
e x t e r n a l to h im s e lf . . . . He m ust . . . m o d ify h i s
^3
K e n t, o £ . P i t . y P» 2 8 .
own re s p o M e s i n a c c o rd w ith s e l f ch o se n v a lu e s and
p u r p o s e s . ^
The p u b lic w o r s h ip o b s e r v a n c e s o f I s r a e l a r e s e e n
t o h a v e g iv e n an e x c e l l e n t o p p o r t u n it y f o r a l l t o c o n tr ib u te
and t o s h a r e i n a common e f f o r t , th e r e b y a id in g b o th i n th e
i n t e g r a t i o n o f p e r s o n a l i t y and i n t h e p e r p e tu a t in g o f a
c u l t u r e . The r i t u a l s and s p e c i a l d a y s c r e a t e d an i n t e r e s t
m o t iv a t io n t o l e a r n t h e f a c t s o f t h e p a s t a s w e l l a s t o
t e a c h and t o p r e s e r v e a r e l a t i o n s h i p w it h God.
I n o b s e r v in g t h e F e a s t o f P a s s o v e r , t h e o b j e c t i v e ,
J e w is h h i s t o r y , w as a t t a i n e d by d r a m a t iz a t io n and v i s u a l
a i d . The t a b e r n a c le i n t h e i r m id s t s y m b o liz e d t h e p r e s e n c e
and dem ands o f God; a c o n s t a n t rem in d er o f t h e i r r e l a t i o n
s h ip t o Him. The o f f e r i n g s and s a c r i f i c e s prom oted s e l f
a c t i v i t y and ta u g h t t h e a b s t r a c t b y c o n c r e t e im a g e r y . So
a l l t h e s e s i g n i f i c a n t o b j e c t s and r e g u la t i o n s c o m p r ise d a
t e a c h in g m ethod t h a t p ro v ed q u i t e e f f e c t i v e i n s t im u la t in g
t h e c o - o p e r a t io n o f a l l . E ach i n d i v i d u a l , no d o u b t,
d e v e lo p e d a s e n s e o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t y a s a p e r s o n and a s a
p a r t o f a grou p i n p e r p e t u a t in g t h e i r r e l i g i o u s h e r i t a g e .
W hether t h e s e i n s t i t u t i o n s a r e o f p r i m it i v e o r i g i n
o r from t h e p o s t c a p t i v i t y a g e , t h e y r e v e a l t h e im p o r ta n c e
1 ,1 ,
^ W. C. B ow er, R e l ig i o u s E d u c a tio n I n t h e M odern
C hurch ( S t . L o u is : The B e th a n y P r e s s , 1 9 2 9 ), p . 13 0 .
- ^
o f t h e g rou p p a r t i c i p a t i o n t e c h n iq u e from a n e a r l y p e r io d .
T h ese same i n s t i t u t i o n s w ere p a s s e d down from g e n e r a t io n t o
g e n e r a t io n and a p a t t e r n was e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t i s r e c o g n iz e d
i n t h e c u l t u r e o f t h e J e w is h n a t i o n e v e n to d a y .
I n s tu d y in g t h e p u b lic w o r sh ip o f a n c ie n t I s r a e l and
n o t in g t h e l a s t i n g im p r e s s io n t h a t was i n c u l c a t e d i n t h e
l i v e s o f g ro w in g p e r s o n s by t h e f e a s t s and r i t u a l s , grou p
p a r t i c i p a t i o n h a s b e e n o b s e r v e d t o h a v e b e e n u se d a s a
v a lu a b le m ethod i n l e a r n i n g .
C h r is t ia n le a d e r s h a v e lo n g r e c o g n iz e d th e im p o r ta n c e
o f e n v ir o n m e n t i n an y program o f t r a i n i n g . The su r r o u n d in g s
i n t h e com m unity e n c o u n te r e d by g ro w in g p e r s o n s e f f e c t
c h a r a c t e r g ro w th and d e v e lo p m e n t. W ith t h i s i n m in d , t h e
i n v e s t i g a t i o n was r e p o r te d i n t h e n e x t c h a p te r u n d er t h e
h e a d in g ; " P o l i t i c a l , S o c i a l and E c o n o m ic a l L i f e o f J e w is h
H a tio n — E v a lu a te d i n The L ig h t o f Community I n f lu e n c e i n
C h a r a c te r E d u c a tio n ."
CHAPTER IV
POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE OF JEWISH NATION,
EVALUATED IN THE LIGHT OF COMMUNITY INFLUENCE
IN CHARACTER EDUCATION
I n t h i s c h a p t e r , t h e p o l i t i c a l , s o c i a l and eco n o m ic
l i f e o f t h e J e w is h n a t i o n h a s b e e n e v a lu a t e d i n t h e l i g h t
o f t h e r e c o g n i t i o n t h a t t h e com m unity h a s a trem en d o u s
i n f l u e n c e on g ro w in g p e r s o n s . The g e o g r a p h y o f P a l e s t i n e
and t h e ty p e o f r e l i g i o u s l i f e fo u n d e x i s t i n g a s t h e c h i l
d r e n o f I s r a e l e n t e r e d t h e P ro m ised Land h a v e b e e n ta k e n
i n t o c o n s i d e r a t io n . The new e x p e r im e n t o f g o v e r n m e n t, a
t h e o c r a c y , t o g e t h e r w it h i t s accom p an yin g p r o v i s i o n s h a s
b e e n d is c u s s e d a s t o i t s i n f l u e n c e i n d e te r m in in g t h e
n a t i o n a l l i f e o f I s r a e l . The la w s and r e g u l a t i o n s c o n c e r n
in g t h e k e e p in g o f t h e S a b b a th w ere i n v e s t i g a t e d a s f a c t o r s
i n f l u e n c i n g com m unity l i f e .
T e a c h in g , no m a tte r how w e l l d o n e , i s e i t h e r
a s s i s t e d o r h a n d ic a p p e d by th e t r a d i t i o n s and c u sto m s o f
t h e grou p a s a com m u n ity. C u lt u r a l e n v iro n m en t i s c o n
s id e r e d b y som e t o b e t h e m ost i n f l u e n t i a l f a c t o r b r o u g h t
t o b e a r upon p e r s o n a l i t y d e v e lo p m e n t. T h ere a r e many
t h i n g s t h a t th e com m unity g i v e s e v e n th o u g h a s a t e a c h e r i t
s u f f e r s from h a n d ic a p s . "At an y a g e l e v e l , l i k e w i s e , a
51
c h i l d 's s o c i a l b e h a v io r w i l l be m a rk ed ly in f lu e n c e d by th e
c u l t u r e and custom s t h a t s u rro u n d h im ," ^
The o b s e r v a tio n i s made t h a t a s th e c h i l d m a tu re s ,
th e e f f e c t o f s i m i l a r en v iro n m e n t w i l l v a ry . B ut i n d i c a
t i o n h a s shown t h a t new s i t u a t i o n s h av e a r e l a t i o n s h i p w ith
f a m i l i a r e x p e r ie n c e s . The in f lu e n c e o f c u l t u r e on s o c i a l
b e h a v io r i s q u ite e v id e n t and o f t e n e s t a b l i s h e s a mode o f
l i f e w hich i s tra n s m u te d to th e n e x t g e n e r a tio n .
T h ese o b s e r v a tio n s a l s o s u g g e s t how i t i s t h a t ways o f
b e h a v in g t h a t p e o p le o f one g e n e r a tio n have a d o p te d
by c h o ic e o r n e c e s s i t y come t o be a c c e p te d a s t h e
" n a t u r a l " mode o f l i f e and p a s s from t h i s g e n e r a tio n
t o th e n e x t . 2
The com m unity i s s e e n a s a co m p o site o f in f lu e n c e
from s c h o o l, c h u rc h , and p e r s o n a l c o n ta c ts o u ts id e th e
hom e, a l l m aking a c o n t r i b u t i o n t o p e r s o n a l i ty d ev elo p m en t.
When an in d i v i d u a l h a s made a d ju s tm e n t to a l l th e s e con
f l i c t i n g c o n d itio n s o f l i f e , he h a s le a r n e d a c o n c e p t t h a t
a i d s i n b e in g a u n if ie d p e r s o n a l i t y . B u s s e ll h a s s a id :
The com m unity knows b o th m ore and l e s s th a n th e
i n d i v i d u a l ; i t knows i n i t s c o l l e c t i v e c a p a c i t y , a l l
t h e c o n te n ts o f th e e n c y c lo p e d ia and a l l th e c o n t r ib u
t i o n s to th e p ro c e e d in g s o f le a r n e d b o d ie s , b u t i t
d o e s n o t know th e warm and in ti m a t e th i n g s ^ t h a t make
up th e c o l o r and t e x t u r e o f a n i n d i v i d u a l .^
^ A rth u r I . G a te s , and o t h e r s , E d u c a tio n a l P s y c h o l
ogy (New Y ork: The M acm illan G o ., 1 9 4 9 ), p . 130.
^ I b i d . , p . 1 3 1 .
^ B e rtra n d H a s s e l l , Homan to o w le d e e . I t s S cope and
L im its ( New Y ork: Simon and S c h u s te r , l ÿ » 8 ) , p . 3 .__________
_
I . GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF PALESTINE
I n c o n s id e r in g t h e p o l i t i c a l , s o c i a l and eco n o m ic
l i f e o f I s r a e l i t i s n e c e s s a r y t o r e c a l l t h e g e o g r a p h ic a l
s e t t i n g . P a l e s t i n e i s s i t u a t e d a t t h e c r o s s r o a d s o f
a n c ie n t c a r a v a n r o u t e s w h ich l e d from B a b y lo n and P e r s ia
i n t h e E a st t o t h e M e d ite r r a n e a n S ea i n t h e W est. The
N o r th -s o u th r o u t e w h ic h c o n n e c te d A s s y r ia and N o r th e r n
c o u n t r i e s w ith E gyp t i n t h e f e r t i l e v a l l e y o f th e N i l e
t r a v e r s e d P a l e s t i n e .
I n t h e s m a ll p r o v in c e m e a su r in g n o t o v e r s i x t y by
o n e h u nd red tw e n ty m i le s t h e r e w ere o n ly a fe w s e t t l e d
r o u t e s w h ich g a v e c o n t a c t w ith t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h e o u t s id e
w o r ld . The c i t i e s a t t h e s e c r o s s r o a d s had c o n t a c t s t h a t
o t h e r c i t i e s i n t h e sam e g e n e r a l v i c i n i t y d id n o t h a v e .
The c h i ld r e n o f I s r a e l , f o l l o w i n g t h e i r l e a d e r
M o se s , w andered f o r a lo n g tim e i n t h e w ild e r n e s s le a r n in g
some v a lu a b le l e s s o n s i n c o - o p e r a t i v e com m unity l i f e . The
Laws and I n s t i t u t i o n s had b e e n f i r m l y f i x e d a s t h e y moved
i n t o t h e P rom ised Land u n d er J o s h u a . T hey knew t h e i r own
h i s t o r y and w ere proud o f i t . M ost o f a l l t h e y w ere c o n
v in c e d o f G od 's l e a d e r s h ip i n t h e i r n a t i o n a l l i f e .
T h e se s t o r i e s a r e t o l d s im p ly , c o n c r e t e l y , and
d r a m a t i c a l ly . T h ey a p p e a l a s s t r o n g l y t o t h e m od em
r e a d e r a s t o t h e h e a r e r o f o ld e n t im e . The c h a r a c t e r
i s t i c s p o r tr a y e d a r e t r u e t o human n a tu r e i n an y a g e o r
53
r a c e » They v i v i d l y i l l u s t r a t e t h o s e e le m e n ts o f
s t r e n g t h and w e a k n ess w h ic h a r e th e i n s p i r a t i o n and
p e r i l o f a l l who a r e i n t h e str e a m o f l i f e . The
a c c o u n ts o f I s r a e l ' s e x p e r ie n c e s i n J e h o v a h 's s c h o o l
o f t r a i n i n g r e v e a l i n m a r v e lo u s ly c l e a r , d r a m a tic form
G o d 's e t e r n a l c h a r a c t e r and p u rp o se and t h e c o n se q u e n c e s
o f ig n o r a n c e and d is o b e d ie n c e
I s r a e l came i n t o a c i v i l i z a t i o n t h a t had a w e l l
e s t a b l i s h e d c u l t u r e . The C a n a a n ite s had lo n g b e e n a c c u s
tom ed t o o u t s id e i n f l u e n c e s , s o c i a l l y and i n d u s t r i a l l y , and
had " a lr e a d y a t t a in e d t o a c o m p a r a t iv e ly h ig h sta n d a r d o f
c u l t u r e ." ^ I n many w ays t h e J e w is h p e o p le had t o lo o k t o
t h e n a t i v e in h a b i t a n t s f o r le a d e r s h ip i n fo r m in g new
p a t t e r n s o f l i f e a s t h e y ch a n g ed from nomads t o s e t t l e d
r e s i d e n t s .
I I . TYPE OP RELIGION POUND IN NEW LAND
The m ain c o n c e r n o f t h i s r e s e a r c h i s n o t t o t r a c e
t h e d e v e lo p m e n t o f J u d a ism th r o u g h i t s v a r io u s s t a g e s from
t h e nom ad ic p e r io d t o t h e te m p le w o r sh ip i n J e r u s a le m b u t
r a t h e r t o exam in e t h e t e a c h in g te c h n iq u e em p loyed i n t h e
t r a n s i t i o n . The c o n f l i c t b e tw e e n t h e b a a l w o r sh ip o f
C h a r le s F o s t e r K en t, The G rea t T e a c h e r s o f J u d a ism
and C h r i s t i a n i t y ( F t . W orth: P o t t e r ' s Book S t o r e , 1 9 1 1 ),
p . 9 .
R u d o lf K l t t e l , The R e lig io n o f th e P e o p le o f
I s r a e l (London: G eorge A lle n & Unwin, L t d ., 1 9 2 5 ), p . 6 7 .
C anaan and th e r e l i g i o n w h ich t h e I s r a e l i t e s b ro u g h t from
S i n a i c r e a te d many p ro b lem s i n communal i n f l u e n c e b u t i t
p roved a l s o t o be a s t im u lu s t o t h e H ebrew f a t h e r s i n
u n i t in g t o g e t h e r i n t h e w o r sh ip o f Yahweh. The m o ra l p rob
lem came when le a r n in g th e a r t o f c r o p c u l t i v a t i o n from t h e
C a n a a n it e s , t h e I s r a e l i t e s a l s o le a r n e d from them " to
r e v e r e n c e t h e l o c a l b a a lim ^ t h e f e r t i l i t y s p i r i t s w hose
f a v o r w as n e c e s s a r y t o a s s u r e a crop #"^
The r e l i g i o n o f t h e Hebrew F a t h e r s , su c h a s Abraham ,
I s a a c and J a c o b , p la c e d t h e e m p h a sis o n a p e r s o n a l r e l a
t i o n s h i p w it h t h e d e i t y , on e God; " th e r e b y t h e th o u g h t o f
Yahweh a s o n e o f b a a ls o f t h e la n d w as c o n s c i o u s l y
7
r e j e c t e d ." T h u s, som e o f t h e a n ta g o n ism s ev o k ed by t h e
su r r o u n d in g e n v iro n m en t w ere s e e n i n t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f
t h e la n d i n i t s " a s s o c i a t i o n w ith t h e s a n c t u a r ie s o f ' h o ly '
Q
p r o s t i t u t e s , b o th m a le and f e m a le ," i n th e number o f g o d s
w o r sh ip p e d ; i n t h e " r io t o u s f e a s t i n g and d r in k in g t h a t
9
a cco m p a n ied c e r t a i n f e s t i v a l s . " T h ese i n f l u e n c e s had a
6
R. B. Y. S c o t t , Th^ R e lev a n ce o f The P ro p h e ts
(New Y ork: The M acm illan C o ., 19^*+), p . 2 6 .
^ K i t t e l , o p . c i t » , p . 80*
^ S c o t t , o p . c i t . , p . 27*
^ L oo* c i t .
55
te n d e n c y to change th e com m unity and i t s t r a d i t i o n a l
r e l i g i o u s te a c h in g .
C a n a a n ite n a tu r e w o rsh ip w ith i t s f e r t i l i t y c u l t s
was n e a r ly a s p ro m in en t i n e ig h th - c e n tu r y Ju d a h a s
i n I s r a e l . And i t i s c l e a r t h a t I s a i a h f e l t k e e n ly
t h e d e g e n e r a tiv e i i ^ l u e n c e o f th e s e c u l t s upon
J u d a e a n r e l i g i o n .
The r e l i g i o u s c o n c e p ts o f I s r a e l g r a d u a lly underw ent
a change p a s s in g th ro u g h th e "n o m ad ic, th e a g r i c u l t u r a l and
1 1
th e p o s t - e x i l i c p e r io d s " b u t th e s a c r i f i c e , a s a te a c h in g
m edium , was em ployed th ro u g h o u t th e h i s t o r y o f Ju d a ism .
F o r ex am p le, when th e I s r a e l i t e s liv e d i n th e w ild e rn e s s
th e y o r ig in a te d th e F e s t i v a l o f th e B ooths w hich was con
tin u e d b u t i t was in v e s te d w ith new s i g n i f ic a n c e when a s
a g r a r i a n s , th e y b ro u g h t th e f r u i t o f th e la n d a s an o f f e r
i n g .
Some s i m i l a r i t y o f th e C a n a a n ite c u l t u s can be se e n
i n th e l a t e r J e w is h r i t u a l s re c o rd e d i n th e Old T e sta m e n t.
* '
su c h a s th e " p e a c e - o f f e r i n g , th e s i n o f f e r i n g , th e m e a l-
o f f e r i n g and th e w h o l e - b u r n t - o f f e r i n g . N e v e r t h e l e s s ,
th e d e t e r i o r a t i o n o f th e Hebrew p eo p le^ ^ fro m th e s t r i c t
E lm er A. L e s l i e , O ld T estam en t R e lig io n
(New Y ork: A bing d o n -C o k esb u ry P r e s s , 1 9 3 6 ), p . 190.
11 W. 0 . E . O e s te r le y , S a c r i f i c e s i n A n c ie n t I s r a e l
(New Y ork: The M acm illan C o ., n . d . ) , p . 9 ^
1^ L e s l i e , p p . c i t .^ p . 4 l .
13 I K ings 14:23*
m o ra l code o b se rv e d I n th e d e s e r t , a p p a r e n tly n e c e s s i t a t e d
1^
a r e f o r m a tio n i n t h e i r p a t t e r n s o f co n d u c t and r e l i g i o u s
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n i f Ju d a ism was t o be tr a n s m itte d a s a
n a t i o n a l c u l t u r e . F o llo w in g th e r e f o r m a tio n , i t i s ju d g e d
15
t h a t p la c in g th e em p h asis a g a in on k e e p in g th e p a s s o v e r
s e rv e d a s a n e d u c a tio n a l ag en cy i n s tr e n g th e n in g th e fa m ily
s o l i d a r i t y and th e com m unity i n f l u e n c e .
I I I . GOVERNM ENT TO BE A THEOCRACY
W ith th e c o m b in a tio n o f a d ju s tm e n t to th e new
c o u n try and th e r e l i g i o u s c o n f l i c t th e c h i ld r e n o f I s r a e l
d e v e lo p e d a n u n u su a l s o c i a l , p o l i t i c a l and econom ic c u l
t u r e . I s r a e l 's form o f governm ent was u n iq u e and i s
re c o rd e d by Jo se p h u s who c o in e d th e word " th e o c ra c y " to
d e s c r ib e i t :
Jo s e p h u s c o in e d th e word th e o c r a c y to d e s c r ib e th e
governm ent i n s t i t u t e d a t S i n a i . 'O u r l e g i s l a t o r . • •
o rd e re d o u r governm ent t o be w hat I may c a l l by a
s t r a i n e d e x p r e s s io n a th e o c r a c y , a t t r i b u t i n g th e power
and th e a u t h o r i t y t o God' . . . Je h o v ah was th e h ead o f
th e n a t i o n . . . . I n him a l l th e pow ers o f t h e , s t a t e ,
l e g i s l a t i v e , e x e c u tiv e , j u d i c i a l , w ere united.*^®
I I K ings 2 3 s i f f .
L oc. c i t .
Jo h n D. D a v is , A D ic tio n a r y o f th e B ib le
( P h ila d e l p h ia : W e stm in ste r P r e s s , 1 9 2 4 ), p# 770*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------57
I n t h i s s y s te m , c e r t a i n I n d i v i d u a ls w i t h i n th e n a tio n ;
w ere u se d a s human in s tr u m e n ts t o make known J e h o v a h 's w i l l .
The j u d i c i a l was i n t h e h an d s o f t h e J u d g e s o f I s r a e l who
lo o k e d t o J e h o v a h f o r s o l u t i o n o f th e m ost d i f f i c u l t m a tte r s
L e g i s l a t i v e f u n c t i o n s w ere e x e r c i s e d th r o u g h M oses a s t h e
g r e a t la w - g iv e r and th r o u g h a p p o in te d p r o p h e t s . The la w
o n c e g iv e n c o u ld s c a r c e l y he r e s c in d e d ; i t c o u ld o n ly b e
i n t e r p r e t e d and e n la r g e d .
The e x e c u t i v e f u n c t i o n was th r o u g h w is e men o r
e l d e r s i n I s r a e l who t o g e t h e r w ith t h e J u d g e s made d e c i s i o n s
i n t h e l i g h t o f th e Law and t h e im m ed ia te i n f l u e n c e o f t h e
p r o p h e t s .
I t was i n t h i s f a v o r a b le a tm o sp h ere and t o m eet
u n i v e r s a l human n e e d s t h a t I s r a e l ' s s a g e s a r o s e .
In asm u ch a s t h e i r a p p e a l was n o t t o t h e n a t io n b u t t o
t h e i n d i v i d u a l , and a s t h e i r work was don e q u i e t l y and
u n o s t e n t a t i o u s l y , t h e y do n o t f i g u r e p r o m in e n tly i n
t h e r e c o r d s o f t h e O ld T e sta m e n t. O nly r a r e l y and
i n c i d e n t a l l y a r e t h e y r e f e r r e d t o i n th e l i t e r a t u r e
w h ic h com es from th e e a r l i e r p e r io d s . I n th e p o s t -
e x i l i c p e r io d , w hen t h e i r a c t i v i t y and i n f l u e n c e
r e a c h e d th e z e n i t h , t h e y a r e n o t o n c e a llu d e d t o i n
t h e h i s t o r i c a l r e c o r d s . T h e ir p r e s e n c e and w ork i s
e v id e n c e d o n ly b y t h e i r w r i t i n g s . I t i s e x c e e d in g ly
d i f f i c u l t , t h e r e f o r e , t o r e c o n s t r u c t t h e i r h i s t o r y
w it h any d e g r e e o f a s s u r a n c e .
The la w s o f t h e t h e o c r a c y w ere b u i l t o n t h e Ten
Commandments, w h ic h m ig h t be r e g a r d e d a s t h e fu n d a m e n ta l
la w o r c o n s t i t u t i o n , o r c o n s id e r e d a s a c o v e n a n t b e tw e en
K en t, p p . p i t . , p . 3 0 .
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Je h o v a h and p e o p le . The law s t h a t fo llo w e d w ere b y -law s o r
s t a t u t e s w hich i n t e r p r e t e d th e Law o f God i n t o co n d u c t f o r
d a i l y l i v i n g . T hese w ere te m p o ra ry and l i a b l e to change
p ro v id e d t h e r e was no c o n f l i c t w ith th e fu n d a m e n ta l law .
The co d es w ere n o t c a r e l e s s l y a rra n g e d b u t i n g ro u p s o f t e n
18
o r " h a l f o f te n " ;
(1 ) Laws r e l a t i n g to th e form o f w o rs h ip .
(2 ) Laws to p r o t e c t th e r i g h t s o f man.
(3 ) Laws to g o v e rn p e r s o n a l c o n d u c t.
(4 ) Laws c o n c e rn in g s a c re d s e a s o n s .
(5 ) The P ro m ise an n ex ed .
P r o v is io n was made i n a g e n e r a l law w hereby i f th e
p e o p le sh o u ld la c k f a i t h and need a v i s i b l e le a d e r o r k in g
th e y c o u ld s e t a b r o th e r o v e r them b u t c o u ld n o t s e t a
19
f o r e i g n e r o v e r them . The w hole sy stem o f g o v e rn m e n ta l
c o n t r o l was d ep e n d en t on th e u n d im in ish e d lo v e and f a i t h
f u l n e s s o f G o d 's p e o p le to th e Law and t o t h e i r ch o sen
l e a d e r .
The sy stem p ro v id e d f o r a p e o p le a s a c l o s e l y k n i t
com m unity w ith i d e n t i c a l n eed s w hich was n o t a p p l ic a b le
f o llo w in g t h e i r e n tr a n c e i n t o C anaan; t h e r e f o r e , u l t i m a t e l y
t h i s form o f governm ent began to f a i l i n i t s p u r e s t fo rm .
H ow ever, enough rem ain ed to g iv e I s r a e l a d i s t i n c t i v e
c u l t u r e t h a t p ro d u ced a g r e a t te a c h in g medium t h a t h a s l e f t
Jo h n D. D a v is , p p . c i t . , p .
19 D euteronom y 1 7 ;1 5 , R*S.V. 1952.
* - ^ 5 9
i t s im p r in t on s u c c e e d in g g e n e r a t i o n s .
L a te r i n t h e h i s t o r y o f J u d a ism , i t i s n o te d t h a t
t h e p r o p h e ts e n d e a v o r e d t o s t r e n g t h e n t h e r e l i g i o u s com
m unal i n f l u e n c e i n d a i l y s o c i a l l i v i n g . W ith u r g e n t
i n s i s t e n c e t h e p r o p h e ts rem in d ed them t h a t t h e i r r e l a t i o n
s h ip t o God was " n o t f o r m a l, m e c h a n ic a l, m a g ic a l, b u t
i n t e l l i g e n t , e t h i c a l and p e r s o n a l . T h e com m unity was
rem in d ed o f i t s p a s t h e r it a g e a s a p a r t o f th e c o v e n a n t,
"a l i v i n g s t r u c t u r e o f p e r s o n a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s w h ich t r a c e d
i t s i n c e p t i o n t o an h i s t o r i c o c c a s io n w hen t h e t r i b e s had
21
becom e ' I s r a e l * , t h e p e o p le o f Y ah w eh ."
T h u s, i n h e e d in g th e p le a o f t h e p r o p h e ts f o r t h e
c h i ld r e n o f I s r a e l t o p u t t h e i r c o n f id e n c e i n Yahweh who had
t h e pow er t o s a v e them from c a la m it y and who w an ted t o
a c h ie v e h i s p u r p o se th r o u g h th em , t h e com m unity s e r v e d
e f f e c t i v e l y i n t h e t e a c h in g o f r e l i g i o u s i d e a l s .
IV . LAW S OF THE SABBATH
The o b s e r v a n c e o f t h e S a b b a th d ay h a s b e e n a c h a r a c
t e r i s t i c o f t h e J e w is h p e o p le . A lth o u g h , d a y s o f r e l i g i o u s
o b s e r v a n c e a r e t o be fo u n d among o t h e r p e o p le y e t no o t h e r
20 S c o t t , p p . p i t . , p . 139*
L o c . c i t .
6Ô
n a t i o n h a s h e ld m ore s t r i c t l y t o on e p a r t i c u l a r cu sto m th a n
t h e J e w , i n k e e p in g t h e S a b b a th . A p p a r e n tly , th e S a b b a th
d id n o t o r i g i n a t e w it h t h e g i v in g o f t h e la w b u t a n te d a te d
i t .
A se c o n d grou p o f s c h o l a r s c o n te n d s t h a t t h e J e w is h
S a b b a th n e v e r had an y r e l a t i o n w it h B a b y lo n ia n
S h ab attu m and p h a s e s o f t h e m oon, b u t was from t h e
b e g in n in g , e v e n from t h e d a y s o f M o ses, i n s t i t u t e d on
t h e s e v e n t h d ay o f th e w eek a s t h e d ay o f r e s t . 22
The k e e p in g o f th e S a b b a th a s g iv e n i n th e B i b l e
r e c o r d p o r tr a y s a r e l a t i o n s h i p b e tw e e n th e J e w is h p e o p le and
t h e i r G od. I t p r o v id e d f o r b o d i ly r e s t , a p h y s i c a l demon
s t r a t i o n f o r t e a c h in g a s p i r i t u a l t r u t h .
And t h e Lord s a i d t o M o se s, ' S ay t o th e p e o p le o f
I s r a e l , "You s h a l l k e e p my s a b b a t h s , f o r t h i s i s a s i g n
b e tw e e n me and y o u th r o u g h o u t y o u r g e n e r a t i o n s , t h a t
y o u may know t h a t I , th e L o rd , s a n c t i f y y o u ."*23
The p u n ish m en t f o r n o t k e e p in g t h e S a b b a th , no
d o u b t, was c o n s t a n t l y p r o c la im e d and u se d a s an i n c e n t i v e
f o r c a r r y in g o u t i t s dem ands. The r e w a r d , b l e s s i n g and
p e a c e , was p ro m ised t o a l l who w ou ld h o n o r t h e " h o ly d ay o f
t h e L o rd ."
I f y o u tu r n b a ck y o u r f o o t from th e s a b b a th , from
d o in g y o u r p le a s u r e on my h o l y d a y , and c a l l t h e
s a b b a th a d e l i g h t and t h e h o l y d ay o f th e Lord h o n o r
a b l e ; i f you h o n o r i t , n o t g o in g y o u r own w a y s , o r
Hayyim S c h a u s s , The J e w is h F e s t i v a l s ( C in c in n a t i:
U nion o f A m erican Hebrew C o n g re g a tio n s , 1 9 3 8 ), p . 4 .
23 Exodus 3 1 * 1 2 ,1 3 . R .S .V . 1952.
.......
s e e k in g y o u r own p le a s u r e , o r t a l k i n g i d l y ; th e n you
s h a l l ta k e d e l i g h t i n th e L o rd , and I w i l l make you
r i d e upon th e h e i g h ts o f th e e a r t h ; I w i l l f e e d you
w ith th e h e r i t a g e o f Ja c o b y o u r f a t h e r , f o r th e m outh
o f th e Lord h a s sp o k e n ,
The o b se rv a n c e o f th e S ab b ath h ad two a s p e c ts o f
te a c h in g v a lu e . T h ere was th e n e g a tiv e demand o f th e la w ,
c o m p le te a b s tin e n c e from o c c u p a tio n a l w ork by man, s e rv a n t
and b e a s t . T h is c o n s ta n t r e - o c c u r r e n c e and r e p e t i t i o n o f a
day t h a t r e q u ir e d r e s t and c e s s a t io n o f d a i l y la b o r had a
te a c h in g v a lu e o f im p o rta n c e . The y o u th may n o t have u n d e r
s to o d a l l th e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f o b s e rv in g th e S ab b ath b u t i t
a id e d them i n a d o p tin g a r e l i g i o u s p h ilo s o p h y o f l i f e t h a t
gave m eaning t o d a i l y l i v i n g : "To b e l ie v e i n God a s a
s o u rc e o f s e c u r i t y and a s an a u t h o r i t y f o r l i v i n g a good
Remember th e s a b b a th d a y , to k eep i t h o ly . S ix
d a y s you s h a l l l a b o r , and do a l l y o u r w ork; b u t th e
s e v e n th day i s a s a b b a th t o th e Lord y o u r God; i n i t
you s h a l l n o t do an y w ork, y o u , o r y o u r s o n , o r y o u r
d a u g h te r , y o u r m a n s e rv a n t, o r y o u r m a id s e rv a n t, o r
y o u r c a t t l e , o r th e s o jo u r n e r who i s w ith in y o u r g a t e s ;
f o r i n s i x aa y s th e Lord made h ea v en and e a r t h , th e s e a ,
and a l l t h a t i s i n th em , and r e s t e d th e s e v e n th d ay ;
t h e r e f o r e th e Lord b le s s e d th e s a b b a th day and h allo w ed
i t . 2 6
I s a i a h 58:13,1*+. R .S .V . 1952.
E liz z a b e th M. M anwell and S o p h ia L. F a h s ,
C o n s id e r th e C h ild re n (B o sto n : The B eacon P r e s s , 1 9 5 1 ),
p . 183.
26 Exodus 2 0 :8 -1 1 , R .S .V .
Y et th e S a b b a th day was n o t In te n d e d t o be one o f
l i s t l e s s i n a c t i v i t y ; t h e r e f o r e , th e p o s i t i v e demands o f th e
law f o r i t s o b s e rv a n c e s m ust h av e made a p ro fo u n d im p re s s io n
on th e grow ing y o u th . The d ay c o u ld n o t be re g a rd e d o n ly
a s a d ay o f c e s s a t io n from d a i l y o c c u p a tio n b u t a s a day o f
a sse m b ly f o r w o rs h ip . The o b se rv a n c e s em bodied a way o f
l i f e , jo y o u s p a r t i c i p a t i o n by th e i n d i v i d u a l , th e fa m ily
and th e n a t io n ; th e re b y d e m o n s tra tin g th e u se o f c o n c r e te
m a t e r i a l s to te a c h th e a b s t r a c t . When th e p a r e n ts i n th e
f a m ily made much o f su c h a d a y , n o t o n ly s to p p in g w ork b u t
u s in g th e day f o r w o rs h ip , i t conveyed p o s i t i v e a s w e ll a s
n e g a tiv e te a c h in g to th e c h i l d r e n .
The c o n c e p t o f G o d 's h o lin e s s h a s l i t t l e m eaning to
th e grow ing y o u th a s a d o c t r i n a l b e l i e f and d o es n o t have
s u f f i c i e n t e f f e c t upon h i s c o n d u c t; h o w ev er, th e Je w is h
y o u th c o u ld l e a r n t h a t one day i n se v e n was d i f f e r e n t
b e c a u se o f s p i r i t u a l s i g n i f i c a n c e . R e la te d n e s s i s con
s id e r e d a n im p o rta n t c o n c e p t i n th e p sy c h o lo g y o f le a r n in g
and t h i s law i s o b se rv e d t o be i n o p e r a tio n i n te a c h in g th e
w o rs h ip o f God on th e S a b b a th d a y .
B ut th e m ost im p o rta n t e d u c a tio n a l p u rp o se i s to
s ti m u la te s tu d e n ts t o d is c o v e r r e l a t i o n s h i p s , to
o r g a n iz e i d e a s , and to b r in g e x p e rie n c e fro m many
s o u rc e s to b e a r on new p ro b le m s.
^ G a te s , and o ^ w s , c i t . , p . 3^1
— ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
T hese w o rsh ip m e e tin g s m ust h av e changed some i n
c h a r a c t e r a s th e p e o p le p ro g re s s e d from nomads i n th e
w ild e rn e s s to a s e t t l e d l i f e i n C anaan. Y et th e sy m b o lic
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f r e s t and w o rs h ip w ere so r e t a i n e d t h a t
th e y a r e m a n ife s te d i n th e J e w is h w o rsh ip to d a y . "W ith no
o t h e r r e l i g i o u s id e a o r i n s t i t u t i o n have th e Jew s i n f l u
en ced th e w o rld a s much a s w ith th e S a b b a th , a s e v e n th day
28
a s a day o f r e s t i n e a c h w e e k ." At c e r t a i n o c c a s io n s
t h e r e w ere f e s t i v e tim e s b u t alw ay s a s an a c t to h o n o r
J eh o v ah .
W h ils t th e s a c r i f i c i a l w o rsh ip o f th e S ab b ath was
m e re ly a d o u b lin g o f th e d a i l y w o rs h ip , t h a t o f th e
New M oon's Day form ed a l i n k b etw een th e o r d in a r y
w o rsh ip and i t s f e s t a l e l a b o r a t i o n a t th e y e a r ly
f e a s t s . . . .2 9
T h ere i s d a n g e r o f d e s tr o y in g i n i t i a t i v e and p e rs o n
a l i t y d evelopm ent i n u s in g f o r c e o r i n b esto w in g m a t e r i a l
re w a rd s a s a means o f co n d u ct c o n t r o l . Of c o u r s e , th e
u lti m a t e o b j e c ti v e " i s t o make th e d e s i r a b l e b e h a v io r i t s
own re w a rd . You em ploy th e rew ard i n o r d e r to m o tiv a te
e a r l y e n d e a v o r and c o n se q u e n t s u c c e s s . N o d o u b t, c a re
28 S c h a u s s , £ p . c i t . , p . 1 2 .
J . H. K u rtz , S a c r i f i c i a l W orship o f th e Old
T e sta m e n t (E d in b u rg h : T . < & T. C la r k , 1 8 6 3 ), p . 3 5 3 .
3^ G a rry C le v e la n d M yers and C a ro lin e C la rk M yers,
Homes B u ild P e rso n s ( P h ila d e lp h ia : D o rran ce & C o ., 1 9 5 0 ),
p . 1 9 2 .
" .....
h ad t o be ta k e n t h a t th e S a b b a th w ould n e v e r assum e a one
s id e d , a s c e t i c c h a r a c te r and p r o h i b i t th e d ev elo p m en t o f
th e s o c i a l n a tu r e o f man. Among th e g r e a t m a jo r ity o f th e
J e w is h p e o p le , "They e a s e d , i n many r e s p e c t s , th e r i g o r o f
th e S ab b a th r e s t and p re s e rv e d th e c h a r a c te r o f S a b b a th as
a day o f d e l i g h t and jo y ." ^ ^
I t i s m a in ta in e d t h a t p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n a l l th e s e
la w s , r e g u l a ti o n s and custom s s e rv e d a s a te a c h in g te c h
n iq u e i n a id in g th e y o u th to d e v e lo p a p e r s o n a l p h ilo s o p h y
o f l i f e , s o c i a l i n c h a r a c t e r a t f i r s t , a s th e y le a r n e d th e
r i t u a l s , b u t r e l i g i o u s i n c h a r a c t e r a s th e y g r a d u a lly
ap p re h e n d ed th e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f them .
The f i r s t a p p a r e n tly r e l i g i o u s re s p o n s e s o f c h i l d
a r e n o t r e l i g i o u s a t a l l , b u t w h o lly s o c i a l i n c h a ra c
t e r . They c o n s i s t a t f i r s t o f t r i f l i n g h a b i t s su c h as
bow ing th e h ead o r f o ld in g th e h a n d s , and so o n a f t e r
o f le a r n in g t o r e p e a t sim p le p r a y e r s o r hym ns. . . .
The r i t u a l s a r e le a r n e d b u t n o t t h e i r s i g n i f i c a n c e .3 2
T h u s, i n s p i t e o f co n fin e m e n t t o th e t r a d i t i o n a l a s
a n a t i o n , th e r e l i g i o u s sy stem d id a f f o r d th e d i s c i p l i n e
n e c e s s a r y f o r i n d i v i d u a l dev elo p m en t w ith in th e g ro u p ;
i n d i v i d u a l s ca n n o t "grow and d e v e lo p u n le s s th e y e x p e rie n c e
th e d i s c i p l i n e w hich comes from th e a d ju s tm e n t o f th e
3^ S c h a u s s , c i t . , p . 1 0 .
32 G ordon W. A l l p o r t , The I n d iv id u a l and H is
R e lig i o n (New Y ork: The M acm illan G o ., 1 9 5 0 ), p . 83
33
p e r s o n a l c la im s t o th e c la im s o f th e g ro u p a s a w h o le ."
G roup p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n w o rsh ip h a s a te n d e n c y to a id i n
m aking s o c i a l a d ju stm e n t*
I n a l a r g e f a m ily and i n a n eig h b o rh o o d o f c h i l
d re n o f v a ry in g a g e s , th e c h i l d who m in g le s f r e e l y
among a l l o f them p r o f i t s from th e s o c i a l a d a p ta
t i o n s he m ust m ake.
I t i s ju d g e d t h a t a s p i r i t u a l e l e v a t io n and a w e ll-
b a la n c e d s o c i a l l i f e " in v o lv in g o n e 's a t t i t u d e s and d eed s
35
i n r e l a t i o n t o o th e r human b e in g s ," i s d e riv e d from a
r e l i g i o u s b ack g ro u n d and e n v iro n m e n t.
The g ro w th o f th e r e l i g i o u s and s o c i a l d ev elo p m en t
o f th e J e w is h c u l t u r e i s e v id e n c e d i n i t s u n ity and p ro g
r e s s ; u n d o u b te d ly , th e communal te a c h in g a s d i r e c t e d and
g u id e d by th e custo m s o f th e g ro u p c o n tr ib u te d t o th e p e r
m anency o f a c u l t u r e w hich i s i n f l u e n t i a l ev en i n th e
p r e s e n t g e n e r a tio n . S p eak in g o f th e e a r l y w o rs h ip p e rs o f
Yahweh, i t i s s a id o f th em ,
They made o f th e r e l i g i o n w hich had n o u ris h e d
them and had d i r e c t e d t h e i r f i r s t s te p s i n f a i t h .
33 G e rtru d e W ilso n and G ladys W ilso n , S o c ia l Gi^qup
P r a c t i c e (B o sto n ; H oughton M i f f l i n G o ., 19*+9), p . 6 6 .
3^ G arry C le v e la n d M yers, and C a ro lin e C la rk M yers,
O P . c i t . . p . 122.
35 M anw ell and F a h s , c i t . , p . 182.
66
t h e m a tr ix from w h ic h J e w is h and C h r is t ia n c u l t u r e
c o u ld s p r in g
From t h e j u n i o r a g e , w h ere h e r o w o r sh ip i s a dom i
n a t in g f a c t o r i n d e te r m in in g c h o i c e s , and on th r o u g h a d u lt
l i f e , t h e " i d e a l - s e l f " i s a m o ld in g i n f l u e n c e . E d u c a to r s
a g r e e t h a t i d e a li s m i s fo r m u la te d by a s s o c i a t i o n o f i d e a l s
w ith p e r s o n a l i t i e s . T h e r e f o r e , g r e a t p e r s o n a l i t i e s o f t h e
J e w is h n a t io n a r e d is c u s s e d i n C h a p ter V and e v a lu a t e d a s
a d u l t s o u t s id e t h e f a m ily who t e a c h i d e a l s i n p e r s o n a l-
s o c i a l a d j u s t m e n t s .
^ W illia m C r e ig h to n Graham and H e r b e r t G ordon May,
C u ltu r e and C o n s c ie n c e (C h ic a g o : The U n iv e r s i t y o f C h ica g o
P r e s s , 1 9 3 b ) , p . 1 7 9 .
CHAPTER V
GREAT JEWISH PERSONALITIES EVALUATED
AS TEACHING IDEALS, IN PERSONAL-
SOCIAL ADJUSTMENTS
I n t h i s c h a p te r some o f th e g r e a t p e r s o n a l i t i e s o f
I s r a e l a r e o b s e r v e d a s t o t h e i r param ount c o n t r i b u t i o n i n
t h e l i g h t o f r e c e n t t e a c h in g t e c h n iq u e s w h ich c o n c lu d e t h a t
i d e a l s and p e r s o n s com plem ent e a c h o t h e r . T h ree c h a r a c t e r s
h a v e b e e n s e l e c t e d a s i l l u s t r a t i n g som e o f t h e i d e a l s t h a t
t h e t e a c h e r s o f I s r a e l e n d e a v o r e d t o i n s t i l i n t h e l i v e s
o f g r o w in g p e r s o n s i n t h a t a g e and t o p r o j e c t i n t o t h e
l i v e s o f t h e f o l l o w i n g g e n e r a t i o n s . W hether t h e t e a c h e r s
o f I s r a e l r e p r e s e n t p r e - e x i l i c o r p o s t - e x i l i c c o n c e p ts i s
o f s l i g h t s i g n i f i c a n c e i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e p u r p o se i n h a n d ,
v i z . , t o a n a ly z e t h e i d e a l s u l t i m a t e l y s e t b e f o r e I s r a e l .
T h ree O ld T esta m en t c h a r a c t e r s , Abraham , M oses and
E l i j a h w ere i n v e s t i g a t e d a s p e r s o n a l i t i e s o f n o b le i d e a l s .
W hether th e c h a r a c t e r s c h o s e n a r e a l t o g e t h e r h i s t o r i c a l i s
n o t t h e p o in t o f d i s c u s s i o n , b u t t h e f a c t t h a t t h e Jew s
b e l i e v e d them t o be h i s t o r i c a l and u se d them a s t e a c h in g
i d e a l s i n t h e i r s t o r i e s o f t h e p a s t i s th e b a s i s o f o b s e r
v a t i o n .
A n o th e r c h a r a c t e r , J e s u s o f N a z a r e th , w as c h o s e n t o
be d is c u s s e d a s a p e rs o n o f w o rth -w h ile I d e a l s . The s to r ie s
o f h i s lo v e , u n s e l f i s h n e s s , and d ee d s a s t o l d i n th e New
T estam e n t re a c h e s a p in n a c le o f id e a lis m and a c h ie v e m e n t.
U n d o u b te d ly , th e q u a l i t i e s w hich he p o s s e s s e d a r e o b je c
t i v e s f o r p e r s o n a l i t i e s o f a l l g e n e r a tio n s .
Y outh seem s t o lo o k upon c e r t a i n p e rs o n s a s ex a m p le s,
an d h o ld s them a s a n i d e a l who " a c ts l i k e a m a g n e t, a t t r a c
t i n g and d i r e c t i n g t h e i r b e h a v i o r . T h e fo rm in g o f t h i s
im age o f th e i d e a l - s e l f i s u s u a lly e n v is io n e d i n a l i v i n g
p e rs o n i n c lo s e c o n t a c t , su ch a s f a t h e r , m o th e r, te a c h e r ,
im p o r ta n t com m unity p e o p le o r h e r o e s .
The f a c t i s p o in te d o u t t h a t l e a r n in g a s a g o a l-
d i r e c t e d a c t i v i t y h a s f a r - r e a c h i n g r e s u l t s . The l e a r n e r
w i l l s t r i v e f o r a c h ie v e m e n t u n d e r h a r d s h ip i f a d e q u a te
m o tiv a tio n i s p r e s e n t , th e r e b y , th e g o a l becom es more
im p o rta n t th a n th e h a r d s h ip .
A c tu a lly , human b e in g s can t o l e r a t e c o n s id e r a b le
u n p le a s a n tn e s s o r annoyance a s im m ed iate a f t e r - e f f e c t s
o f re s p o n s e s i f th e y c o n s id e r t h a t th e s e r e a c t i o n s a r e
in s tr u m e n ta l to th e a tta in m e n t o f a h ig h ly v a lu e d
g o a l . 2
^ R o b ert J . H a v ig h u r s t , H ild a T a b a , A d o le s c e n t
nd P e r s o n a l i t y (New Y ork: J o h n W ile y and S o n s ,
I n c . , 1 9 4 9 ) , p . 7 0 .
2 A rth u r I . G ate s and o t h e r s . E d u c a tio n a l P sy ch o lo g y
(New Y ork: The M acm illan C o ., 19*+9), p . 3 1 ^ .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The g e n e r a l n a tu r e o f le a r n in g i s su c h t h a t t o ch a n g e
a s a p e r s o n , on e m ust l e a r n "new p a t t e r n s o f b e h a v io r a s a
3
m eans o f a t t a i n i n g h i s g o a l s ." The e m u la tio n o f t h e
p e r s o n a d o rn ed i s a f a c t o r i n fo r m in g t h e ch an ged p e r s o n .
The l e a r n e r e n v i s i o n s h i m s e l f a s t h e h e r o i n t h e r e l a t e d
s t o r y . The i d e a l s e l f i s form ed and becom es t h e g o a l o f
b e h a v io r . The a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e s t o r y m ust be w i t h i n t h e
g r a s p o f th e l i s t e n e r ' s m in d .
The s t o r i e s o f g r e a t l i v i n g m ust b e gra d ed t o t h e
e x p e r ie n c e o f t h e c h i l d r e n . The n o b le a c h ie v e m e n ts o f
p r o p h e t s , p r e a c h e r s , m i s s i o n a r i e s , s o c i a l r e fo r m s ,
w i l l n o t be e x p e r im e n ta l t i l l t h e r e i s a p p r e c ia t i o n
o f t h e c o n d i t i o n s w h ic h c a l l e d t h e s e men and women
i n t o a c t i o n .^
C o n s t a n t ly c i t i n g and e m u la tin g c h a r a c t e r t r a i t s w illj
e s t a b l i s h an i d e a l - s e l f im a g e . T h is m ethod o f t r a i n i n g h a s
b e e n fo u n d v e r y e f f e c t i v e i n g u id in g b e h a v io r d u r in g t h e
t r y i n g a d o le s c e n t y e a r s when t h e a v e r a g e p a r e n t seem s t o
f i n d c o n t r o l v e r y d i f f i c u l t .
The " id e a l s e l f " i s e s p e c i a l l y im p o r ta n t i n d i r e c t i n g
b e h a v io r and sh a p in g c h a r a c t e r d u r in g th e y e a r s o f
a d o le s c e n c e when m a jo r l i f e d e c i s i o n s m ust be made and
when p a r e n t a l ex a m p le and p r e c e p t a r e no lo n g e r
a c c e p t e d w ith b l in d f a i t h . 5
3 I b i d . . p .
T h e o d o r . @. S o a r e s , R e l i g i o u s E d u c a tio n (C h ic a g o :
The U n iv e r s i t y o f C h ic a g o P r e s s , 1 9 2 8 ) , p . 4 1 .
5 H a v ig h u r s t and T a b a , op* c i t . , p . 7 0 .
------------------------------------------------------------
H er o es o f e v e r y n a t io n and c u l t u r e sh o u ld b e p r e
s e n t e d i n a n a t t r a c t i v e and c o n v in c in g way b u t n o t n e c e s
s a r i l y a s p e r f e c t i n d i v i d u a l s . The e x tr e m e i n th e o t h e r
d i r e c t i o n w h ich c a l l s f o r c o m p le te d e f l a t i n g and f a i l u r e o f
a l l n a t i o n a l h e r o e s i s a l s o d e s t r u c t i v e . S in c e p e r s o n a l i t y
i n t e g r a t i o n i s h in d e r e d by f e a r o f f a i l u r e , i n s p i r a t i o n
r e c e i v e d by s e e i n g t h e a c h ie v e m e n ts o f o t h e r s i s b e n e f i c i a l .
Man m ust b e r e g a r d e d a s a w h o le ; and h e r e a l l y h a s b u t
o n e n e e d , w h ic h i s t o l i v e w h o lly and c o m p le t e ly .
. . . Man d o e s n o t l i v e by b read a l o n e , n o r d o e s h e
l i v e by b e a u t y , l o v e , p la y o r w o r sh ip a l o n e ; h e l i v e s
b y s a t i s f y i n g h i s w h o le s e l f , w h ich dem ands l o v e ,
r e s p e c t , p l a y , work and so o n , / i n p r o p o r t io n s p e c u l ia r
t o h i s i n d i v i d u a l p e r s o n a lit y .®
The p r o p e r b a la n c e seem s t o h a v e b e e n a c h ie v e d by
t h e J e w is h n a t io n s i n c e t h e y h a v e m a in ta in e d l e a d e r s and
r e t a in e d t h e i r d i s t i n c t i v e c u lt u r e and p r a c t i c e s down
th r o u g h t h e g e n e r a t i o n s . A p p a r e n tly , t h e i n d i v i d u a l h e r o
w as p r e s e n t e d w it h h i s a c h ie v e m e n ts and h i s f a u l t s b u t t h e
s p i r i t u a l s i g n i f i c a n c e o f su c h a l i f e w as g iv e n e m p h a s is .
I t seem ed t o be n o t w hat t h e y d id f o r p e r s o n a l g a in b u t
w hat t h e y d id i n t h e name o f J e h o v a h t h a t g a v e them p rom i
n e n c e i n J e w is h h i s t o r y .
I s r a e l had many l e a d e r s , p r o p h e ts and k i n g s , a l l
who made a c o n t r i b u t i o n i n t h e d e v e lo p m en t and
G ertru d e W ils o n and G la d y s W ils o n , S o c i a l Group
Work P r a c t i c e (B o s to n : H ough ton M i f f l i n C o ., 1 9 4 9 ; , p# 17*
71
p r e s e r v a t i o n o f J e w is h c u l t u r e i n t h e l i v e s o f t h e youth-»
Many c h a r a c t e r s i n J e w is h h i s t o r y c o u ld he exam in ed t o
a s c e r t a i n t h e v a lu e o f t h e i r i d e a l s i n c h a r a c t e r g u id a n c e ,
and t o e v a lu a t e t h e i r c o n t r i b u t i o n i n p r e s e r v in g t r a d i t i o n #
The p o s i t i o n i s ta k e n t h a t t h e e v e n t s i n t h e l i v e s o f th e
c h a r a c t e r s c h o se n f o r d i s c u s s i o n w ere u sed i n t h e p a s t by
th e p a r e n ts and t e a c h e r s a s s t o r i e s w it h t e a c h in g v a lu e i n
t h e l i v e s o f J e w is h y o u t h .
The q u e s t io n o f w h e th e r o r n o t t h e s e s t o r i e s w ere
h i s t o r i c a l i n e v e r y d e t a i l d id n o t c o n c e r n t h e
p r o p h e ts # T hey t o o k and u t i l i z e d them a s t h e y w ere
h an d ed down from t h e p a s t# The g r e a t and v i t a l v a lu e
o f t h e s e n a r r a t i v e s l a y i n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e y i l l u s *
t r a t e d im p o r ta n t and e t e r n a l p r i n c ip l e s # I n s t e a d o f
b e in g m ere r e c o r d s o f p a s t e v e n t s th e y th u s becam e
m o u ld in g f o r c e s i n t h e l i f e o f b o th t h e i n d i v i d u a l and
t h e n a t i o n , r e v e a l i n g J e h o v a h 's c h a r a c t e r and w i l l and
s h a p in g t h e r e l i g i o u s and e t h i c a l i d e a l s o f t h e r a c e # /
R e s e a r c h f o r t h i s p a p e r h a s assum ed t h i s p o in t o f v ie w and
a c c e p t s them a s p e r s o n a l i t i e s w h ose l i f e s t o r i e s a s
r e c o r d e d i n t h e B i b l e p o r tr a y i d e a l s ^ i c h w ere u s e d t o
i n c u l c a t e v i r t u e s i n t h e l i f e o f a g ro w in g c h ild #
I# ABRAHAM
Abraham i s known i n J e w is h h i s t o r y a s "Abraham who
7
C h a r le s F o s t e r K e n t, The G rea t T e a c h e r s o f J u d a ism
an d C h r i s t i a n i t y (F o r t W orth: P o t t e r ' s B o o k S t o r e , 1911)>
p# 1 0 ,
--------------- ÿ g
8
h ad f a i t h . " The s t o r y seem s t o i n d i c a t e t h a t a n in d iv id u a l
was c a l l e d by God t o le a v e h i s own c o u n try and fo llo w th e
le a d in g o f th e L o rd . By re sp o n d in g o b e d i e n tl y , Abram m ani
f e s t e d b e l i e f i n one God and acknow ledged p e r s o n a l g u id a n c e .
"Now th e Lord s a id t o Abram, 'Go from y o u r c o u n try and y o u r
k in d re d and y o u r f a t h e r 's h o u se to th e la n d t h a t I w i l l show
y o u .'
The c o n c e p t o f b e in g th e c h o sen p e o p le o f God came
from th e a s s u ra n c e t h a t th e d e s c e n d a n ts o f Abram would be a
g r e a t n a tio n and w ould e i t h e r be a b le s s in g o r a c u r s e :
" I w i l l b l e s s th o s e who b le s s y o u , and him who c u r s e s you X
10
w i l l c u r s e . . . . " T h e re fo re I s r a e l b e lie v e d t h a t th e
d iv in e p u rp o se o f God was to u se them a s a r e p o s i t o r y f o r
G o d 's t r u t h and t o k eep a l i v e J e h o v a h 's nam e.
I f th e u lti m a t e p u rp o se o f God was w o rld s a l v a t i o n
th ro u g h th e im m ed iate g o a l o f e d u c a tin g I s r a e l a s a ch o sen
p e o p le t o c a r r y o u t su c h a p la n , f a i t h f u l n e s s and o b e d ie n c e
m ust be i n s t i l l e d i n th e l i v e s o f i n d i v i d u a l s by te a c h in g
and p r a c t i c e . The f a t h e r s o f grow ing so n s c o u ld c i t e th e
f a i t h and o b e d ie n c e o f Abraham i n th e s to r y o f h i s
® G a la tia n s 3 : 9 . R .8 .V .
9 G e n e sis 1 2 : 1 . R .S .V .
10 I b i d . . 1 2 : 3 . R .S .V .
73
w i ll i n g n e s s to o f f e r up I s a a c , h i s pro m ised s o n , upon th e
a l t a r o f s a c r i f i c e u n to th e Lord* The rew ard o f su c h f a i t h
was G o d 's c o v e n an t t h a t gave p ro m ise s o f b le s s in g to h i s
p o s t e r i t y th ro u g h o u t a l l g e n e r a tio n s . U nder th e s e b l e s s
i n g s , m ost Jew s f o r g e n e r a tio n s c o n s id e re d h im s e lf fa v o re d
o f God^^ and h a s en d e a v o re d t o keep h i s r a c i a l , c u l t u r a l
an d r e l i g i o u s i d e n t i t y . J e w is h h i s t o r y i s l a r g e l y woven
th ro u g h th e l i v e s o f i n d i v i d u a l s .
The H e b ra ic p o r t r a i t o f man em erges i n e v i t a b l y from
th e p o r t r a i t o f God a s a c t i v e i n th e l i f e and e x p e r i
e n c e o f th e Hebrew com m unity. Nowhere i s man con
s id e r e d a s a b s t r a c t i o n , i t i s alw ay s th e l i v i n g com
m u n ity o f p e rs o n s o r th e in d i v i d u a l p e rs o n w ith w hich
th e Old T estam en t c o n c e rn s i t s e l f
As a com m unity l e a d e r , Abraham d e m o n stra te d th e
i d e a l o f p eace i n h i s d e s i r e to l i v e p e a c e a b ly w ith h i s
n e ig h b o rs a s i s s e e n i n th e s t r i f e b etw een th e herdm en o f
h i s c a t t l e and th e herdm en o f L o t 's c a t t l e . A l s o ,
u n s e lf i s h n e s s was e x e m p lifie d i n t h a t Abraham ch o se th e
h i l l s and th e b le s s in g o f God r a t h e r th a n m a t e r i a l p r o s p e r
i t y on th e w e ll-w a te re d p l a i n o f J o r d a n , th e re b y p la c in g
G en e sis 1 2 :1 f f .
12
G eorge P . Thom as, The V i t a l i t y o f th e C h r i s t i a n
T r a d i t i o n (New Y ork: H a rp e r and B r o th e r s , P u b l i s h e r s , 19*+5),
p . IB .
G en e sis 1 3 :7 > 8 .
7^
em p h asis on s p i r i t u a l v a lu e s w henever a c h o ic e had to he
m ad e.^^ T hese a r e exam ples how a b s t r a c t t r u t h s ca n be
ta u g h t c o n c r e te ly and im p a rte d t o o th e r s th ro u g h a p e rs o n
a l i t y when h e ld a s a n i d e a l .
I n o th e r p a s s a g e s o f th e B i b le , r e f e r e n c e i s made to
Abraham a s a n i d e a l . I n th e e x h o r ta tio n o f I s a i a h , Abraham
15
i s c i t e d a s an i n d i v i d u a l whom Je h o v ah c a l le d "my f r i e n d . "
As a b a s i s o f a s s u ra n c e t h a t th e n a t io n w ould r e t u r n from
c a p t i v i t y , th e p ro p h e t J e re m ia h m e n tio n s th e co v e n an t t h a t
16
Je h o v a h had made w ith A braham . The p ro p h e t I s a i a h h o ld s
Abraham a s th e i n s p i r i n g exam ple o f G o d 's c o n c e rn : "Look
t o Abraham y o u r f a t h e r and to B arah who b o re you; f o r %dien
he was b u t one I c a l l e d h im , and I b le s s e d him and made
him man. The book o f M icah c lo s e s h i s w r i tin g w ith th e
re m in d e r t h a t God was m in d fu l o f h i s t r u t h and m ercy a s h e
had p ro m ised them t o Abraham i n th e d ay s o f o ld : "Thou
w i l t show f a i t h f u l n e s s t o Ja c o b and s t e a d f a s t lo v e to
A braham , a s th o u h a s t sw orn to o u r f a t h e r s from th e days o f
G e n e sis 1 3 :9 f f .
I s a i a h 1 :8 -1 0 . R .S .V .
J e re m ia h 3 3 :2 5 -2 6 .
I s a i a h 5 1 :2 ,3 .
1® M icah 7 :2 0 .
N a tio n a l g r e a tn e s s h a s b een a c c r e d it e d t o th e Hebrew
n a t i o n and one re a s o n s t a t e d : . . due to th e c h a r a c t e r
19
o f i t s p e o p le . . The e d u c a tio n a l v a lu e o f fo rm in g an
i d e a l - s e l f i n e m u la tio n o f th e s e le a d e r s i s s e e n i n th e
p r o c e s s o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n : " I d e n t i f i c a t i o n i s th o u g h t to
be a l a r g e f a c t o r i n th e dev elo p m en t o f th e c h i l d 's p e rs o n -
20
a l i t y . . . The c h i ld a l l i e s h im s e lf e m o tio n a lly w ith
a h ig h ly r e s p e c te d and much lo v e d c h a ra c te r* By t h i s id e n
t i f i c a t i o n he s e e k s to im prove h i s own p e r s o n a l i t y and to
rem o d el h i s b e h a v io r a f t e r h i s i d e a l and to e m u la te th e
v i r t u e s h e ad m ire s i n h i s h e r o .
A n o th er s e r v ic e a b le c o n c e p t i s t h a t o f i d e n t i f i c a
t i o n . a p p lie d when one p e rs o n d e v e lo p s a n e m o tio n a l t i e
w ith some o th e r p e rs o n to su ch a n e x te n t t h a t h e
b eh a v es a s i f h e w ere t h a t p e r s o n .21
I n r e f e r r i n g to Abraham and o th e r s a s p e r s o n a l i t i e s o f
i d e a l s , th e p a r e n ts and te a c h e r s w ere em ploying th e p ed a
g o g ic a l p r i n c i p l e o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , o r i n o t h e r w o rd s,
e n c o u ra g in g y o u th i n th e e m u la tio n o f d e s i r a b l e t r a i t s i n
o t h e r p e r s o n s . Kent s a y s , "The n o b le s t i d e a l s i n e a c h
j . M. P r ic e and o t h e r s , A S u rv ey o f R e lig io u s
E d u c a tio n (New Y ork: The R onald P r e s s , 1 9 ^ 0 ), p . 2 o .
G ordon W. A l l p o r t , P e r s o n a l i t y : ^ P s y c h o lo g ic a l
I n t e r p r e t a t i o n (New Y ork: H enry H o lt and Company, 1 9 3 7 ),
p . 1 8 5 .
L oc. c i t .
76
s u c c e e d in g g e n e r a t io n a r e o f t e n t h u s c o n c r e t e l y em b odied
22
I n th e c h a r a c t e r o f som e n a t i o n a l h e r o ."
I t i s n o t u n r e a s o n a b le t o assu m e t h a t t h e i d e a l s o f
Abraham c o n t r ib u t e d a perm anent and l a s t i n g i n f l u e n c e i n
t h e n a t i o n a l l i f e o f I s r a e l . A p p a r e n tly , h e was n o t
r e g a r d e d a s p e r f e c t b u t a s r e m a r k a b ly c o n s i s t e n t i n e x e m p li
f y i n g t h a t w h ic h w as n o b l e s t i n I s r a e l ' s e a r l y i d e a l s . T h is
a s s u m p tio n i s draw n from t h e f a c t t h a t J e h o v a h 's u n iq u e
r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e c o v e n a n t p e o p le w as c o n fir m e d i n
2 if
Abraham .
H is t o r y o f a l l a g e s e v id e n c e s a te n d e n c y t o i d e a l i z e
n a t i o n a l h e r o e s ; t h e r e f o r e , i t i s n o t u n u s u a l t o c o n c lu d e
t h a t I s r a e l fo u n d i t b e n e f i c i a l i n i t s e f f e c t upon t h e r a c e
t o i d e a l i z e t h e men o f t h e p a s t . I n h i s b o o k . The M aking o f
a N a t io n , K ent s a y s , "The p o r t r a i t s o f n a t i o n a l h e r o e s ,
e v e n th o u g h t h e y a r e i d e a l i z e d , e x e r t a p o w e r fu l and w h o le -
25
som e i n f l u e n c e upon t h e n a t io n s who h o n o r t h e i r m em ory."
22
C h a rle s F o s te r K e n t, and J e re m ia h W hipple J e n k s ,.
The M aking o f a N a tio n (New Y ork: C h a rle s S c r ib n e r ’ s S o n s,
1 9 1 2 ), p . 3 3 .
G e n e sis 1 7 ff.
L oc. G i t .
K ent and J e n k s , c i t . , p . 3 3 .
— yyl
I
I I .
A n o th e r g r e a t le a d e r o f I s r a e l who was p ro m in en t i n
J e w is h H is to r y was M oses, th e e m a n c ip a to r o f h i s p e o p le .
Exodus h a s i t t h a t h e was b o rn o f s la v e p a r e n ts i n E g y p t,
s ig n i f y i n g a hum ble b i r t h . At th e r i s k o f e n d a n g e rin g th e
e n t i r e h o u s e h o ld , th e m o th e r d e f ie d th e k i n g 's d e c re e o f
k i l l i n g th e so n s o f I s r a e l and d e v is e d a p la n o f s a v in g th e
baby Moses by p u tt i n g him i n an " a rk o f b u lr u s h e s " and
f l o a t i n g i t down th e N ile i n h o p es t h a t th e E g y p tia n p r i n -
26
c e s s w ould r e s c u e th e baby o u t o f th e w a te r.
The p la n su c c e e d e d so w e ll t h a t Moses became th e
a d o p te d so n o f th e k in g . Upon d is c o v e r in g h i s r e a l id e n
t i t y , Moses had t o ch o o se b etw een th e g lam o r o f b e in g ro y
a l t y o r b e in g a n I s r a e l i t e s l a v e . T h e c h o ic e w hich he
made m arked him a s a y o u th o f co u ra g e and c o n v i c tio n .
A t te n tio n can be g iv e n t o th e f a c t t h a t b e in g o f hum ble
b i r t h i s no h a n d ic a p i n becom ing a l e a d e r . The e s s e n t i a l
f a c t o r o f s u c c e s s i s s e e n i n m aking th e r i g h t c h o ic e s
b e c a u s e o f h o n e s ty and f a i r n e s s . A ls o , i f th e J e w is h t r a d i
t i o n i s to be c a r r i e d o n , God m ust h av e men who w i l l sa y
28 '
l i k e M oses 'H e re am I ' ; a l s o , th e f a c t ca n be ta u g h t t h a t
26 Exodus 2 :1 0 . R .S .V .
27 L oc. P i t .
2® I b i d . , 3:*»------------------
p e o p le m ust re sp o n d to a c h a lle n g e i n s p i t e o f t h e i r p h y s i- j
29
c a l l i m i t a t i o n s .
E v e n ts i n th e l i f e o f M oses, su ch a s h i s r e t u r n i n t o
E g y p t, th e c o n t e s t w ith th e p o w e rfu l P h a ro a h , and th e
w a n d e rin g s i n th e w ild e rn e s s a r e a l l a d v e n tu re s f u l l o f
s p i r i t u a l le s s o n s d e p ic tin g th e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f God and man;
a l s o , th e p e r s o n a l i t i e s a r e s e e n to d is p l a y d e s i r a b l e
c h a r a c t e r t r a i t s . The w eak n esses and v i r t u e s o f man a r e
b o th ta k e n i n t o a c c o u n t w hich te n d s t o g iv e a b a la n c e
b etw een f e a r o f f a i l u r e and d a n g e r o f becom ing a p e r f e c t i o n
i s t .
G re a t h o n o r was c o n s id e re d to h av e b een besto w ed
upon Moses when God c a l l e d him to Mount S in a i and e n t r u s t e d
him w ith th e law and i t s e x e c u tio n .
The Lord s a id t o M oses, 'Come up t o me on th e moun
t a i n , and w a it t h e r e ; and I w i l l g iv e you th e t a b l e s
o f s to n e , w ith th e law and th e co m m a n d e n t, w hich I
h av e w r i t t e n f o r t h e i r i n s t r u c t i o n . '3 0
I n th e m a tte r o f e c c l e s i a s t i c a l a u t h o r i t y , a t t e n t i o n
i s draw n t o M oses. The p r ie s th o o d o r i g i n a t e d w ith th e
f a m ily o f M oses; a c c o rd in g to th e a c c o u n t i n Exodus i t was
h ead ed by A aro n , h i s b r o th e r . O e s te r le y s t a t e s :
A p r ie s th o o d o f a k in d w as, th e n , a n e c e s s it y i n
29 I b i d . , f f .
I b i d . . ^ { 1 2 .
791
e a r l y I s r a e l a s e ls e w h e re . W e h a v e , h o w ev er, a v a r i a n t
t r a d i t i o n a s to th e a c t u a l p e rs o n o r p e rs o n s who f u l
f i l l e d t h i s o f f i c e . The o f f i c i a l and g e n e r a lly
a c c e p te d th e o ry o f th e w r i t e r s o f th e Old T estam e n t was
t h a t th e p r ie s th o o d was i n th e h an d s o f th e f a m ily o f
M oses. He h im s e lf i s , in d e e d , th e f i r s t p r i e s t , and
h i s s u c c e s s o rs d e r iv e from him t h e i r a u t h o r i t y . 31
I t i s r e a s o n a b le to t h i n k t h a t b o th th e human v i r
tu e s and th e r e l i g i o u s c o n c e p ts o f th e l e a d e r , M oses, would
be a s o u rc e o f e m u la tio n f o r grow ing y o u th . The c o n c e p t o f
th e f a i t h f u l n e s s o f God can be ta u g h t a s i t i s e v id e n c e d
i n th e s t o r i e s c o n c e rn in g th e l i f e o f H oses a s t h e i r
l e a d e r w h ile i n bondage and l a t e r a s t h e i r p r i e s t .
And God h e a rd t h e i r g r o a n in g , and God rem em bered
h i s c o v e n an t w ith A braham , w ith I s a a c , and w ith
J a c o b . And God saw th e p e o p le o f I s r a e l and knew
t h e i r c o n d i t i o n .32
I n t r a n s m i t t i n g r e l i g i o u s c o n c e p ts , O e s te r le y
b e l i e v e s t h a t s p i r i t u a l a p p re h e n s io n i s p e rc e iv e d o n ly i n
r e l a t i o n to human r e s p o n s e ; and t h a t " e l e c t in s tr u m e n ts o f
God f i r s t come i n t o to u c h w ith Him; and th e y a r e th e means
o f d is s e m in a tin g know ledge o f H im ." I n t h a t l i g h t , Moses
i s g iv e n much c r e d i t i n re s p o n d in g to d iv in e p ro m p tin g ;
t h u s , he i s p o in te d o u t a s a fo re m o s t l e a d e r i n h e lp in g
W. 0 . B. O e s te r le y and T heodore H. R o b in so n ,
Hebrew R e lig io n (New Y ork; The M acm illan Company, 193Ô ),
p . 1^7#
Exodus 2 :2 ^ ,2 5 *
33 O e s t e r le y , £2* o i t . , p . 115*
e s t a b l i s h a m o n o th e is tic b e l i e f .
M oses, w ith a l l h i s l i m i t a t i o n s — and th e Old T estam e n t
m akes no s e c r e t o f them — was one o f th e s e e l e c t i n s t r u
m e n ts , p e rh a p s th e g r e a t e s t i n p r e - C h r i s t i a n tim e s ; f o r
h i s stu p e n d o u s im p o rta n c e i n th e h i s t o r y o f r e l i g i o n
i s s e e n i n t h a t h e to o k th e f i r s t and g r e a t e s t s te p
to w a rd s m o n o th e is tic b e l i e f t h a t th e w o rld had known.
E d u c a to rs need t o c a l l t o a t t e n t i o n th e im p o rta n c e
o f t r a i n i n g f o r a s p e c i a l t a s k , a s i s s e e n i n th e exam ple
o f M oses. I f Moses f e l t th e c a l l o f God to be a n em anci
p a to r ^ ^ o f t h e o p p r e s s e d , h e n eed ed t o have a n i n t e n s i v e
f a i t h i n Je h o v a h ; t h e r e f o r e , th e s o l i t u d e o f th e w ild e r n e s s
w ith " i t s lu r k in g f o e s and e v e r - p r e s e n t d re a d o f h u n g e r and
t h i r s t , d eep en ed h i s s e n s e o f n eed and o f d ep en d en ce upon
3 6
a pow er a b le to g u id e th e d e s t i n i e s o f m en." T h u s, th e
s t o r i e s a b o u t Moses d e p ic t a f o r c e f u l p e r s o n a l i t y w ith
c o u ra g e and pow er o f l e a d e r s h ip prom pted by a s e n s e o f
d u ty , and w ith th e b o ld s p i r i t and a b i l i t y to a ro u s e p e o p le
t o a c t i o n i n a s t r u g g l e f o r fre e d o m .
The id e a o f rew ard f o r f a i t h f u l n e s s to God, no
d o u b t, was p o in te d o u t a s a c o n t r i b u t i n g f a c t o r i n a c h ie v
in g th e g o a l; a l s o , t h a t t h e r e i s s a t i s f a c t i o n d e r iv e d from
O e s t e r le y , l o c . pi t .
E xodus 3 :1 f f #
K ent and J e n k s , o n . p i t . , p . 55.
81
w o r k in g tow ard a w o r th -w h ile g o a l . I f t h e J e w is h f a t h e r s
s o u g h t t o p a s s on t h e t r a d i t i o n t h a t God p r o p o se d t o r e v e a l
h i m s e l f i n w o r ld s a lv a tio n '^ th r o u g h I s r a e l , m o t iv a t io n t o
e m u la te t h e s p i r i t u a l le a d e r s m ust h e a r o u se d i n t h e grow
in g y o u th .
The f a c t t h a t M oses s e r v e d a s i n s p i r a t i o n f o r
r e b u i ld i n g and c o n s e r v in g t h e i n s t i t u t i o n s o f I s r a e l c a n be
s e e n i n su c h p a s s a g e s a s E z ra t h e a l t a r was a g a in s e t up i n
J e r u s a le m by t h o s e r e t u r n in g from c a p t i v i t y a s " M oses, t h e
man o f G od," had c o m m a n d e d . T h e te m p le w o r sh ip and
P a s s o v e r o b s e r v a n c e was a l s o r e o r g a n iz e d , u s in g s y m b o lic a lly
t h e p a t t e r n t h e y u n d e r s to o d J e h o v a h had g iv e n t o M o ses.
I n t h e w o r s h ip o f God r e c o r d e d i n t h e P sa lm s t h e
name o f M oses i s h e ld i n h ig h e s te e m a s s y m b o lic o f how God
w ou ld h o n o r and b l e s s a f a i t h f u l s e r v a n t . I n t h e P s a lm s ,
M oses i s m en tio n e d a s an exam p le o f on e i n whom J e h o v a h
t r u s t e d t o f o l l o w h i s le a d in g and t o k e e p h i s c o v e n a n ts :
"He made known h i s w ays t o M o se s, h i s a c t s t o t h e p e o p le o f
ifO
I s r a e l . " I n t h e r e c i t a l o f h i s t o r y i n p o e t i c form t h e
G e n e s is 1 2 :2 ,3 *
38
E z ra 3 :1 -3 *
3 9 I b i d . , 6 : 1 8 - 2 0 .
P sa lm s 1 0 3 :7 .
-------------- - g g
w r i t e r o f th e P salm s ev e n c r e d i t s Moses w ith s a v in g th e
n a t i o n from G o d 's w ra th by p le a d in g t h e i r c a u se b e f o r e
J e h o v a h , a r e f e r e n c e to t h e i r s i n o f r e b e l l i o n a t H o reb .
" T h e re fo re h e s a id h e w ould d e s tr o y them —had n o t M oses,
h i s ch o se n o n e , s to o d i n th e b re a c h b e fo re h im , t o t u r n
L.1
away h i s w ra th from d e s tr o y in g th e m ,"
I n d is c u s s in g th e c h i l d 's m o ra l d e v e lo p m e n t, one
a u th o r s t a t e s t h a t th e c h i l d 's " f i r s t h e ro e s a r e t h e p e o p le
h2
who p e rfo rm th e s t r i k i n g , d r a m a tic , p h y s ic a l e x p l o i t s . "
I t i s s u g g e s te d t h a t a s a c h i l d grow s o ld e r h e n e e d s to
become a c q u a in te d w ith a d m ira b le ty p e s i n w o rth -w h ile
b io g r a p h ie s . The a d m ir a tio n fo u n d i n h e ro w o rs h ip c a n be
u sed i n te a c h in g l o v e , c o u ra g e , and a l l d e s i r a b l e v i r t u e s .
The f a c t t h a t i m i t a t i o n p la y s a b ig p a r t i n m o ld in g p e rs o n
a l i t y i s r e c o g n iz e d . "A c h i l d 's p e r s o n a l i t y , and t o a l e s s
e x te n t a n a d u l t 's , i s fa s h io n e d i n p a r t th ro u g h i m i t a -
t i o h . "
I I I . ELIJAH
The n a t io n o f I s r a e l had num erous l e a d e r s , and many
I b i d . , 1 0 6 s23.
^ 2 M. V, O 'S h e a , Tfee C h ild : H is N a tu re and S i s
N e e d s. p . 9 2 . ^
3 A l l p o r t , a s . e l t . . p . 15 5 .
83
o f them came from among th e p r i e s t s , th e n o b i l i t y , and th e
a r i s t o c r a c y . From th e s e g ro u p s , many i n d i v i d u a l s f e l t
c a l l e d to be p ro p h e ts and to s e rv e God i n some s p e c i a l ta s k .
They w ere men endowed w ith s u i t a b l e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , "sim
p l i c i t y and d i r e c t n e s s , t h e i r d ra m a tic em p h asis on e s s e n
t i a l s , and t h e i r c l o s e , i n t e l l i g e n t to u c h w ith th e c o n d i-
t i o n s and p ro b lem s o f t h e i r d a y ."
Among th e g r e a t p ro p h e ts who m in is te r e d to I s r a e l
was E l i j a h , th e T i s h b i t e from G ile a d i n th e d e s e r t . The
r e c o r d im p lie s t h a t he su d d e n ly a p p e a re d on th e sc e n e a s an
a c t o r i n I s r a e l 's h i s t o r y ; a s p e c ta c u la r f i g u r e , f a m i l i a r
w ith s a c r i f i c e and h a r d s h ip s and p o s s e s s in g a commanding
p e r s o n a l i t y ; h i s p r e d i c t i o n t h a t a g r e a t d ro u g h t was
im m inent was s t a r t l i n g .
W e h av e s u f f i c i e n t e v id e n c e i n th e r e c o r d s t o
s u g g e s t t h a t h e was o f s tu r d y fra m e , o f i r o n c o n s t i t u
t i o n , o f ru g g ed and commanding p e r s o n a l i t y . W e f i n d
him a b le t o s u s t a i n a lo n g f a s t . He f r e q u e n tly s l e p t
w ith no o th e r r o o f th a n th e in d ig o dome o f h e a v e n . At
o t h e r tim e s th e c a v e s and f a s t n e s s e s o f I s r a e l w ere
h i s home.
E l i j a h i s v i s u a l i z e d a s b e in g d r a m a tic , t a l l and
e r e c t , w ith f a c e ta n n e d by th e su n and w in d . W earing s t o u t
I 4 .l1 .
K e n t, The G re a t T e a c h e rs o f Ju d a ism ^nd
C h r i s t i a n i t y . o n . c i t . , p . 1 9 .
J . W. G. W ard, P o r t r a i t s o f th e P ro p h e ts
(New Y ork: R ic h a rd R . S m ith , 1 9 3 0 ), p . 1 1 .
m
s a n d a ls and c a r r y in g a g n a rle d s t a f f , h e p o r tra y e d th e
" p i c t u r e o f r o b u s t and v i r i l e m anhood, w ith a d i s c i p l i n e d
w i l l and n e rv e s o f s t e e l . He was a p e r p e tu a l re b u k e t o
h6
l i f e a s he fo u n d i t . " Not a l l s t o r i e s h av e a s much o f
th e s p e c t a c u la r and d ra m a tic a s do th o s e re c o rd e d c o n c e rn
in g E l i j a h . I t would seem t h a t p o p u la r c o n c e p tio n deemed
him one o f th o s e men "who c o u ld p e rfo rm m ir a c le s , and f o r
whom m ir a c le s w ere p erfo rm ed by Y a h w e h . "^7 T h is f a c t ,
n a t u r a l l y makes him a f a s c i n a t i n g f i g u r e to y o u th .
E l i j a h 's s tr o n g c o n v ic tio n i n h i s g o a l and h i s d e t e r
m in a tio n and c o u ra g e i n a c h ie v in g i t i s a d m ira b le . F e e lin g
t h a t God had c a lle d h im , E l i j a h was m o tiv a te d by a n u rg e n t
s e n s e o f m is s io n w hich gave him f a i t h and i n s i g h t and th e
c o u ra g e t o a c t upon i t :
• . • to make p l a i n w hat had gone w rong. . • . The
n a t i o n had n o t o rd e re d i t s ways so a s to p ro d u c e t h e
f r u i t i n l i f e , c h a r a c t e r and a c tio n ^ w hich th e n a tu r e
o f i t s p ro fe s s e d r e l i g i o n dem anded.
I n th e f a c e o f o p p o s itio n and d a n g e r, E l i j a h p ro c la im e d h i s
m essag e and d e c la r e d th e n a t i o n m ust ch o o se b etw een God and
B a a l.^ ^ C o n fid en ce i s g a in e d from su ch a f o r c e f u l
I b i d . , p . 1 2 .
^7 R , B. Y. S c o t t , The R e le v a n c e o f th e P ro p h e ts
(New Y ork: The M acm illan C o ., 1 9 ^ ) , P*
I b i d . , p . 15 9 .
'*9 I K ings 1 8 :2 1 .
85
p e r s o n a l i t y and th e r e i s a te n d e n c y t o e m u late th e c o n d u c t.
S c o tt s a y s t h a t th e g r e a t p ro p h e ts b e lie v e d them
s e lv e s to be in s tr u m e n ts i n m aking known th e w i l l o f God.
"B ecau se th e y w ere m o ra lly c e r t a i n o f th e w i l l o f Yahweh,
th e y s to o d o u t b o ld ly a g a in s t th e pow er o f k in g s , th e
50
an ath em as o f p r i e s t s , and th e f u r y o f m o b s." I t i s judged
t h a t th e s e comments co u ld be s a id o f E l i j a h . I n th e s t o r y
c o n c e rn in g th e c o n t e s t w ith B a a l on Mount C arm el, E l i j a h 's
f a i t h i n h i s c a l l i n g a s G o d 's r e p r e s e n t a t i v e seem ed n e v e r
to w a v e r. F o u r h u n d red p ro p h e ts o f B a a l c o u ld n o t l i g h t
t h e f i r e on th e a l t a r o f s a c r i f i c e b u t when E l i j a h p ray ed
f o r v i n d i c a t io n o f h i s m e ssag e , th e p e o p le saw h i s f a i t h
51
re w a rd e d .
E l i j a h i s s e e n a s a n exam ple o f f a i t h f u l n e s s to a
g o a l when h e t r i e d c o n s ta n tl y to le a d I s r a e l to t r u s t i n
Je h o v a h ; h i s f i e r y e n th u s ia s m and h i s m ig h ty " v o ic e
52
r e c a l l e d I s r a e l t o h e r p rim a ry l o y a l t y to H o ses' G od."
A n o th e r d e s c r i p t i o n s a y s , " E l i j a h i s one o f th e m ost
53
a r r e s t i n g p e r s o n a l i t i e s i n th e Old T estam en t s t o r y . "
S c o t t , o p . c i t . , p . 52#
51 I K ings 1 8 :1 7 f f .
52 S c o t t , o p . c i t . , p . 67*
53 L oc. c i t .
■ ' - 8 6
The o p in io n m a in ta in e d i s t h a t much c r e d i t was g iv e n t o
E l i j a h f o r le a d in g th e p e o p le b ack t o th e i d e a l s and fo rm e r
c o n c e p tio n s o f I s r a e l 's r e l i g i o n . O e s te r le y s a y s o f E l i j a h :
He i s one o f th e m ost c l e a r l y m arked f i g u r e s i n th e
w hole o f th e Old T e s ta m e n t, and h i s p e r s o n a l i t y made
su c h a n im p re s s io n on h i s own and su b se q u e n t g e n e ra
t i o n s t h a t h e becam e th e t y p i c a l p ro p h e t to th e m ind
o f l a t e r I s r a e l . 5*^
I n d i c a t i o n shows t h a t th e te c h n iq u e o f r e f e r r i n g to
in d i v i d u a l s i n in f lu e n c in g th e i d e a l s o f grow ing c h i l d r e n ,
was u sed th ro u g h o u t th e h i s t o r y o f I s r a e l . Such a re m in d e r
i s g iv e n by M a la e h i.
B e h o ld , I w i l l sen d you E l i j a h th e p ro p h e t b e fo re
th e g r e a t and t e r r i b l e day o f th e Lord com es. And
h e w i l l t u r n th e h e a r t s o f f a t h e r s to t h e i r c h i ld r e n
a n d th e h e a r t s o f c h i ld r e n t o t h e i r f a t h e r s , l e s t I
come and s m ite th e la n d w ith a c u r s e . ??
T h is c lo s in g a d m o n itio n o f M alaeh i i n d i c a t e s th e in f lu e n c e
o f E l i j a h , w hich no d o u b t c o n tin u e d a s a s tr e n g th e n in g
f a c t o r o f th e f a m ily t r a d i t i o n th ro u g h th e i n t e r - b i b l i c a l
p e r i o d , th u s c o n t r ib u t in g i n p r e s e r v in g th e J e w is h fa m ily
i n s p i t e o f c e n t u r i e s o f a d v e rs e c o n d i tio n s . J e w is h t r a d i
t i o n h a s re c o rd e d i n many p a s s a g e s how th e a b i l i t y and
a c h ie v e m e n ts o f I s r a e l 's g r e a t le a d e r s w ere h e ld b e f o r e
th e p e o p le a s ex a m p le s. One w r i t e r s a y s , "Remember th y
5^ O e s te r le y and R o b in so n , o p . c i t . , p . l 8 6 .
M alaeh i R .S .V . 1952.
" ' - ----------------- g y
56
s e r v a n t s , A braham , I s a a c , and J a c o b ."
Many p a s s a g e s i n th e P salm s c o u ld be c i t e d .
0 o f f s p r in g o f Abraham h i s s e r v a n t , so n s o f
J a c o b , h i s ch o sen o n e s ' . . .
He i s m in d fu l o f h i s c o v e n a n t f o r e v e r ,
o f th e word t h a t h e commanded, o f th e
w ord t h a t he commanded, f o r a th o u sa n d
g e n e r a t i o n s , 57
th e co v e n a n t w hich he made w ith A braham . . . .
C o n cern in g Moses a s re c o rd e d i n th e c lo s in g s e c t i o n
o f M a la e h i; "Remember th e law o f my s e r v a n t M oses, th e
s t a t u t e s and o rd in a n c e s t h a t I commanded him a t H oreb f o r
58
a l l I s r a e i r
One o f th e im p o r ta n t re q u ire m e n ts f o r m a tu r i ty i n
p e r s o n a l i t y i s c h o o sin g g o a ls w hich " r e p r e s e n t an e x te n s io n
o f th e s e l f I n p la n n in g f o r th e f u t u r e , th e i n d i v i d u a l
h a s a n im age o f th e g o a l and p i c t u r e s h im s e lf a s th e im ag e-
i d e a l . G oals a r e f ix e d i n e a r l y m a tu r ity w hich makes
p e r s o n a l i t y c o n ta c ts im p o rta n t t o grow ing c h i l d r e n and
w ith o u t some s u s ta in e d g o a ls th e p e r s o n a l i t y d o es n o t
m a tu re . T h e r e f o r e , t h e te c h n iq u e o f t r a n s m i t t i n g th e
i d e a l s o f th e r e l i g i o u s le a d e r s i n t o th e l i v e s o f th e y o u th
5^ D euteronom y 9 :2 7 . R .S .V . 1952.
57 P salm s 1 0 5 :6 ,9 .
5® M a lae h i hih»
5^ A l l p o r t , £ p . c i t . , p . 2 1 3 .
I s ju d g e d to h av e b ee n an e f f e c t i v e m ethod to u s e i n p r e
s e r v in g Ju d a ism .
IV . JESUS OF NAZARETH
The m ost i n f l u e n t i a l and o u ts ta n d in g p e r s o n a l i t y i n
th e New T estam en t i s t h a t o f J e s u s o f N a z a re th . The
s t o r i e s c o n c e rn in g h i s l i f e im p ly th e s u p e r l a t i v e q u a l i t y
o f human v i r t u e s . No d o u b t, th e i n s p i r a t i o n g a in e d i n them
i s m ore e f f e c t i v e and w id e s p re a d th a n i n an y o th e r b io g r a
ph y .
I f th e c r i t e r i o n f o r ju d g in g a p e r s o n a l i t y o f w o rth y
i d e a l s i s by p o p u l a r i t y and a f o llo w in g , J e s u s may be c i t e d
a s b e in g o u ts ta n d in g . The New T estam en t r e c o r d m e n tio n s
t h a t v a s t m u ltitu d e s th ro n g e d a b o u t him :
And th e crow ds t h a t w ent b e f o r e him and t h a t
fo llo w e d him . . . And when h e e n te r e d J e r u s a le m , a l l
th e c i t y was s t i r r e d , s a y in g , 'Who i s t h i s ? ' And th e
crow ds s a i d , / 'T h i s i s th e p ro p h e t J e s u s fro m N a z a re th
o f G a lile e .'G O
J e s u s had d i f f i c u l t y r e s t i n g q u i e t l y b e c a u se h i s fam e
s p r e a d : " J e s u s w ith d re w w ith h i s d i s c i p l e s t o th e s e a , and
a g r e a t m u ltitu d e from G a li le e fo llo w e d .
The p e r s o n a l i t y o f J e s u s was su c h t h a t p e o p le o f
M atthew 2 1 :9 -1 1 .
M ark 3 :7 .
8 ^
v a r ie d b ack g ro u n d s re c o g n iz e d h i s pow er o f le a d e r s h i p : su c h
a s , th e r i c h young r u l e r 5^ ^ th e Roman c e n tu r ia n ;^ ^ P i l a t e ,
% 1 dL C s
th e g o v e rn o r; Z a c c h a e u s, th e t a x - c o l l e c t o r ; th e f i s h e r
men. O fte n tim e s , a s in c e r e m essage o f lo v e and u n d e r
s ta n d in g r e f l e c t s i n th e p e r s o n a l i t y o f a s p e a k e r , and
som ewhat o f a n a f f i n i t y i s evoked i n th e l i s t e n e r .
The o p in io n i s m a in ta in e d t h a t so m eth in g i n th e
p e r s o n a l i t y o f J e s u s was v e ry m a g n e tic and c o n v in c in g ,
6 7
s t i r r i n g th e e m o tio n a l e n e rg y o f h i s f o llo w e r s . A ccord
in g to th e r e c o r d , when J e s u s c a l l e d th e fis h e r m e n , P e t e r ,
A ndrew , Jam es and Jo h n t o be h i s f o l lo w e r s , a p p a r e n tly th e y
d id so w ith o u t q u e s tio n in g him ; a l s o , M atthew , s i t t i n g a t
th e r e c e i p t o f c u sto m , a r o s e and an sw ered th e c a l l im m edi
a t e l y . I n th e s t o r y o f th e c e n t u r i a n , th e le a d e r s h ip and
a u t h o r i t y o f J e s u s i s im p lie d i n th e c o n v e r s a tio n when th e
c e n t u r i a n s a i d , ". . . b u t s a y i n a w ord, and my s e r v a n t
s h a l l be h e a le d ." ^
Luke 1 8 :1 8 f f .
^3 M atthew '+:8 :$ f f .
Luke 2 3 :1 3 f f .
Luke 1 9 :2 f f .
M atthew 1+:18 f f ,
Jo h n B. M organ, C h ild P s y c h o lo g y , p . l 8 l ,
Luke 7 :1 f f .
J e s u s , th e c h i l d r e n 's f r i e n d , i s p o in te d o u t i n
r e a d in g th e p a s s a g e , " L e t th e c h i ld r e n come to m e, and do
69
n o t h in d e r them ; • . •" L e a rn in g o f b i s c o n c e rn f o r them
w ould a id th e c h i l d r e n t o a c c e p t h i s te a c h in g s and to
e m u la te h i s c h a r a c t e r t r a i t s . Exam ples o f h i s c o u ra g e i s
re c o g n iz e d i n su c h s t o r i e s a s d r iv in g th e money c h a n g e rs
7
fro m th e te m p le ; g o in g to J e ru s a le m to f a c e h i s en e m ie s;
and b e in g i n d a n g e r when he c o n fro n te d th e r e l i g i o u s o f f i -
. 1 72
c l a l s .
I n te a c h in g a le s s o n i n o b e d ie n c e , J e s u s c o u ld be
p r e s e n te d a s a n exam ple o f one who was o b e d ie n t to th e w i l l
and d e s i r e s o f a n o th e r ; f o r , he i n d i c a t e d t h a t h e was d o in g
73
th e w i l l and w ork o f h i s F a th e r . Luke w r i te s o f th e
co m p assio n o f J e s u s i n h i s a c c o u n t o f th e crowd who
g a th e r e d a b o u t him and s ta y e d so lo n g t h a t t h e i r h u n g e r was
ta k e n i n t o c o n s id e r a tio n ; a l s o , th e c o n c e rn f o r h i s p eo p le
i s o b se rv e d i n th e a c c o u n t o f J e s u s ' la m e n t o v e r J e ru s a le m .
The e d u c a to r a s c e r t a i n s t h a t i n t e r e s t i n o th e r s i s
M atthew 1 9 :1 ^ .
Mark X I; 1 5 f f .
M atthew 2 0 ;1 7 f f .
Mark 1 1 :2 7 f f .
^3 M atthew 2 6 :3 9 .
- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Ï
s tim u la te d i n p r e s e n tin g th e i d e a l s o f J e s u s a s d e p ic te d i n
th e s t o r i e s p o r tr a y in g h i s c o m p a ssio n , lo v e and sym pathy f o r
a l l p e o p le ; t h u s , a n im p o rta n t a c h ie v e m e n t i n e d u c a tio n a l
p ro c e d u re i s r e a l i z e d :
The c a p a c ity f o r sy m p ath y , f o r 's u f f e r i n g w ith* o th e r s
who a r e i n d i s t r e s s and b e in g r e s p o n s iv e to a n o t h e r 's
j o y s , i s v e ry im p o rta n t f o r i n d i v i d u a l a d ju s tm e n t and
f o r th e w e lf a r e o f s o c i e t y , / ^
J e s u s i s d is c e r n e d a s b e in g f r i e n d l y and h e lp fu l*
He was r e c e iv e d i n t o th e home o f Mary and M artha a s a
f r i e n d , i n t o th e home o f Z a c c h a e u s, and many o th e r homes*
H is u n d e rs ta n d in g o f human n a tu r e and i t s n e e d s , a p p a r e n tly
w ere r e c o g n iz e d , a s h i s h e lp and a i d w ere s o l i c i t e d w h erev er
he w ent* I n th e o p in io n o f P ip e r c o n c e rn in g J e s u s and h i s
o b j e c t i v e , h e s a y s , "H is o b je c ti v e was n o t to im p a rt i n f o r
m a tio n m e re ly , b u t to change and tr a n s f o r m l i f e * " ^ ^
The c o n fid e n c e and t r u s t o f Simon P e te r i n J e s u s i s
s e e n i n s e v e r a l i n s t a n c e s , one b e in g when th e m o th er o f
P e te r was i l l w ith a f e v e r . A n o t h e r in c id e n t o c c u rre d a t
t h e t r i a l o f J e s u s w hich p o r tra y e d t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p ; when
P e t e r r e a l i z e d t h a t he h ad d e n ie d h i s f r i e n d J e s u s . . he'
7^ G a te s , and o t h e r s , £ £ . c i t . , p . I*f2 .
75 13^ R, P i p e r , How Would J e s u s T each? ( E lg in :
D avid C. Cook C o ., 1931)> p . 5 l .
M atthew f f .
^
77
w ent o u t and w ept b i t t e r l y . " A g a in , P e te r d is p la y e d con
f id e n c e i n J e s u s when he was u n a b le t o c a tc h an y f i s h b u t
obeyed J e s u s ' command and s a i d , " 'M a s te r , we t o i l e d a l l
n ig h t and to o k n o th in g I B ut a t y o u r word I w i l l l e t down
78
th e n e t s . ' "
A p p a re n tly , th e c o n v e r s a tio n o f J e s u s , many tim e s
assum ed a te a c h in g p ro c e d u re . H is p h ilo s o p h y o f l i f e was
r e v e a le d th ro u g h h i s a c tio n s a s w e ll a s h i s w o rd s, th u s
im p ly in g t h a t h i s p h ilo s o p h y em braced d o in g a s w e ll a s h e a r
i n g . F o r ex a m p le , J e s u s ta u g h t t h a t th e c o n c e p t o f
f o r g iv e n e s s was b e sto w in g a b le s s in g i n s t e a d o f a c u r s e ,
r e t u r n i n g good f o r e v i l , and p ra y in g f o r th o s e who p e r s e -
c u te y o u . A tte n tio n i s draw n t o th e f a c t t h a t J e s u s
d e m o n stra te d th e c o n c e p t o f f o r g iv e n e s s when he p ra y e d as
8 1
he hung on th e c r o s s , " 'F a t h e r f o r g iv e them . '" . .
B e lie v in g i n good c i t i z e n s h i p , J e s u s an sw ered th e q u e s tio n
o f p ay in g ta x e s when h e ask ed f o r a c o in and s a i d , "Whose
li k e n e s s and i n s c r i p t i o n i s t h i s ? " and when th e y s a i d .
M atthew 2 6 :6 9 f f .
Luke 5 :5 .
79 M atthew ? :2 1 f f .
I b i d . .
Luke 23:3*t.
9 3
" C a e s a r 's , ” he s a i d , "B ender t h e r e f o r e to C a e sa r th e th in g s
8 2
t h a t a r e C a e s a r 's , and t o God th e th in g s t h a t a r e G o d 's ."
The f a c t t h a t J e s u s u sed com monplace s i t u a t i o n s i n p r e s e n t
in g l i f e i d e a l s made J e s u s a n o u ts ta n d in g c h a r a c t e r f o r an
i d e a l - s e l f . "When th e em p h asis i s p la c e d upon i n t e r e s t i n g
i d e a s , i n s t e a d o f upon m e a n in g le s s w ords o r a b s t r a c t sym-
b o l s , c h i l d r e n l e a r n e a s i l y and r e t a i n w e ll ."
So g r e a t was th e in f lu e n c e o f J e s u s a s an i d e a l t h a t
he becam e th e fo u n d e r o f a new r e l i g i o u s b e l i e f , known
to d a y a s C h r i s t i a n i t y . H is p h ilo s o p h y o f l i f e h a s b ee n
r e v o lu ti o n a r y i n ch a n g in g m o ra ls and e t h i c s , and f a i t h i n
him h a s become a re d e m p tiv e and r e v o lu tio n a r y e x p e rie n c e i n
th e l i v e s o f c o u n tle s s m il l i o n s i n a l l w alks o f l i f e .
" R e lig io n i s th e s e a r c h f o r a v a lu e u n d e rly in g a l l t h i n g s ,
and a s su c h i s th e m ost co m p reh en siv e o f a l l th e p o s s i b le
Bh
p h ilo s o p h ie s o f l i f e . "
Some o f th e im p r e s s iv e c o n c e p ts w ere: c o n c e rn in g
f o r g i v e n e s s , "Love y o u r e n e m ie s, do good to th o s e who h a te
85
y o u , . . ." c o n c e rn in g th e v a lu e o f l i f e , "F o r w hat w i l l
M atthew 2 2 :2 0 -2 2 .
3 Jo h n J , B . M organ, C h ild P sy c h o lo g y , p . 3 6 7 .
A l l p o r t , e l t . . p . 2 2 6 .
®5 Lake 6 : 2 7 .
. . . . . 9 ^
i t p r o f i t a man i f he g a in s th e w hole w o rld and f o r f e i t s
86
h i s l i f e ? " To f o llo w J e s u s a s th e g r e a t i d e a l em bodies
C h r i s t i a n p r i n c i p l e s a s th e g o a l o f l i f e w hich i s re c o g
n iz e d a s b e in g a dynam ic in f lu e n c e upon b e h a v io r , ch an g in g
b o th a t t i t u d e s and c o n d u c t. A d e e p ly m oving r e l i g i o u s
e x p e rie n c e i s n o t r e a d i l y f o r g o t t e n , b u t i s l i k e l y t o rem a in
87
a s a fo c u s o f th o u g h t and d e s i r e . "
T h u s, J e s u s i s e v id e n c e d to be an o u ts ta n d in g i d e a l -
s e l f b e c a u se o f h i s r e l i g i o u s a p p e a l and p h ilo s o p h y o f
l i f e . H is p e r s o n a l i t y t r a i t s im p ly p e r f e c t i o n and stim u
l a t e e m u la tio n from h i s f o llo w e r s . H is l i f e em bodies a way
o f l i f e and e x e m p lif ie s th e c o n c e p ts o f C h r i s t i a n i t y , su ch
a s lo v e , f o r g i v e n e s s , c o m p assio n , c o u ra g e , h u m il ity , t r u s t ,
and f a i t h . P a r e n ts and te a c h e r s acknow ledge t h a t much
b e n e f i t i s d e r iv e d fro m grow ing p e rs o n s a c c e p tin g g r e a t
i d e a l s when young i n l i f e .
M atthew 1 6 :2 6 .
7 A l l p o r t , 2E* P i t . , p . 226.
CHAPTER VI
SU M M A RY AND CONCLUSIONS
I n d is c u s s in g e d u c a tio n from th e s ta n d p o in t o f h av in g
c o n d u c t a s i t s g o a l, and s o lv in g th e p ro b lem s o f l i f e i n
a c c o rd a n c e w ith dom inant i d e a l s , th e m a jo r g o a l o f th e
C h r i s t i a n e d u c a to r i s s e e n to be t h a t o f s ti m u la tin g th e
d o m in an t i d e a l s by r e l i g i o u s e d u c a tio n . He se e k s to
d e v e lo p G o d -c o n sc io u sn e ss and t o c r e a t e a v i t a l r e a l i z a t i o n
o f God th ro u g h p e r s o n a l e x p e r ie n c e . A n o th e r o b j e c ti v e o f
th e e d u c a to r i s to d e v e lo p s o c ia l- c o n s c io u s n e s s .
R e s e a rc h was made c o n c e rn in g th e e d u c a tio n i n th e
home and fa m ily l i f e o f I s r a e l and h a s b een e v a lu a te d i n
th e l i g h t o f th e d y n am ic, e x p e r ie n c e - c e n te r e d a p p ro a c h i n
le a r n in g a lo n g w ith th e n e c e s s a r y g u id a n c e to g iv e th e
n ee d ed b a la n c e . E i t h e r one e n t i r e l y v o id o f th e o t h e r
becom es s e l f - d e f e a t i n g ; w h e re a s, a c o r r e c t i v e c o m b in a tio n
o f e a c h ad v an ces th e le a r n in g p r o c e s s . The r e s p o n s i b i l i t y
o f te a c h in g r e s t e d m a in ly upon th e p a r e n ts w ith em phases
on m o ra ls and r e l i g i o n a s th e f a t h e r ta u g h t i n d u s t r i a l a r t s
t o th e so n s and th e m o th e r ta u g h t d o m e stic a r t s to th e
d a u g h te r s •
The dynam ic te c h n iq u e s u sed i n th e f a m ily l i f e to
e n c o u ra g e m o ra l and s p i r i t u a l g ro w th a s w e ll a s i n t e l l e c t u a l
d ev elo p m en t p ro v ed to g iv e th e grow ing p e rs o n s i n th e home
a n e x c e l l e n t o p p o r tu n ity f o r s p i r i t u a l e n ric h m e n t w ith in th e
f a m ily l i f e * T h e r e f o r e , i t would seem t h a t th e a u t h o r i t a r
i a n and e x p e r ie n c e - c e n te r e d te c h n iq u e s a r e n o t m u tu a lly
e x c lu s iv e ; r a t h e r , th e y a r e co m p lim e n tary t o e a c h o th e r .
The c o n c lu s io n i s draw n t h a t th e c r e a t i v e , ex p erien ce-
c e n te r e d a p p ro a c h i n le a r n in g was m a n ife s te d i n th e J e w is h
f a m ily l i f e a s th e c h ild r e n w ere ta u g h t by th e p a r e n ts i n
th e home; ( 1 ) u s e f u l v o c a tio n s , ( 2 ) o r d e r ly c o n d u c t, and
(3 ) o r a l t r a d i t i o n s . T hese m ethods o f l e a r n i n g , c o u p led
w ith n e c e s s a r y a d u l t g u id a n c e , re p ro d u c e d a p r o g r e s s iv e
c u l t u r e and p e o p le w ith o u t e r a d i c a t i n g d i s t i n c t i v e q u a l i
t i e s * R e c o g n itio n i s g iv e n t o th e f a c t t h a t th e p e r p e tu a
t i o n and e x t e n ti o n o f Ju d a ism h a s b een due p r im a r il y to th e
r e l i g i o u s t r a i n i n g o f th e i n d i v i d u a l i n th e home by e s t a b
l i s h i n g G o d -c o n sc io u sn e ss i n s o lv in g th e d a i l y p ro b lem s o f
l i f e .
R e se a rc h h a s b een made c o n c e rn in g th e p u b lic w o rsh ip
o f I s r a e l and e v a lu a te d i n th e l i g h t o f th e g ro u p p a r t i c i
p a t io n m ethod o f le a r n in g * The c a r r y in g on o f p u b lic
w o rsh ip em bodied g ro u p p a r t i c i p a t i o n , th e r e b y , c o n c lu d in g
I
th e f a c t t h a t i n o b s e rv in g th e r i t u a l s t h e r e was ed u c a
t i o n a l v a lu e i n t r a i n i n g i n d i v i d u a l s o c i a l b e h a v io r and i n
p r e s e r v in g th e J e w is h c u l t u r e f o r f u t u r e g e n e ra tio n s * T h is
9 7
m ethod was i n w ide u se a s p a r e n ts co n d u c ted w o rs h ip b o th a s
a f a m ily g ro u p and i n th e l a r g e r c l a n . As th e y g a th e r e d f o r
c o r p o r a te w o rsh ip an a l t r u i s t a t t i t u d e was a c q u ir e d a lo n g
w ith i n s t i l l i n g r e l i g i o u s i d e a l s . T hese te c h n iq u e s w ere
fo u n d to need d e f i n i t e C o n tro ls t o make them m ost e f f e c t i v e
i n th e le a r n in g p r o c e s s .
The t a b e r n a c l e , P a s s o v e r , th e f e a s t o f t a b e r n a c l e s ,
and th e Day o f A tonem ent w ere s tu d i e d to d is c o v e r some o f
th e e d u c a tio n a l p r i n c i p l e s em ployed. I n th e p ro c e s s o f
le a r n in g and p e r s o n a l i t y , a t t e n t i o n i s draw n to th e i n t e n
s i t y o f a r e l i g i o u s g o a l. S in c e th e o b je c ti v e o f J e w is h
te a c h in g was to p ro m u lg a te t h e r e l i g i o u s c o n c e p t t h a t
Je h o v a h was th e t r u e God o f w o rld re d e m p tio n and t h a t I s r a e l
was to be u sed a s a c h a n n e l f o r t r a n s m i t t i n g H is d iv in e
t r u t h , th e ta b e r n a c l e i n t h e i r m id s t and th e o b s e rv a n c e o f
th e f e a s t s w ere fo u n d to be a p r o j e c t o f g r e a t e d u c a tio n a l
s i g n i f i c a n c e .
The t a b e r n a c l e a s a te a c h in g p r o je c t em ployed t h e
c o n c r e te to te a c h an a b s t r a c t , th e p re s e n c e and g u id a n c e o f
God. I t i s ju d g ed t o be a n i n t e r e s t m o tiv a tio n , a c t i n g a s
a s t i m u la t i o n to w o rsh ip and th e s a c r i f i c i a l dem ands
v i s u a l i z e d th e h o l i n e s s o f God, th e p ro c e s s o f re d e m p tio n ,
and w o rld s a l v a t i o n . I t i s e v id e n c e d t h a t th e w o rs h ip and
r i c h sym bolism gave o p p o r tu n ity f o r th e e n t i r e f a m ily t o
— ^ ^
ta k e p a r t I n th e p r e p a r a t io n f o r th e r i t u a l and s a c r i f i c e #
The c o n c lu s io n i s draw n t h a t th e e x p e rie n c e o f
t a b e r n a c l e w o rsh ip a id e d i n th e a b i l i t y to d e v e lo p g e n e r a l
id e a s w hich i s a n im p o rta n t aim i n e d u c a tio n #
Some o f th e e d u c a tio n a l f e a t u r e s m a n ife s te d i n th e
f e a s t s a r e s e e n t o be s e l f - a c t i v i t y , i n t e r e s t - m o t i v a t i o n ,
g o a l - d i r e c t e d a c t i v i t y , o b j e c t i v e te a c h i n g , d ra m a tic and
in te n s iv e # The p ro m in en ce o f s e l f - a c t i v i t y i s e v id e n c e d i n
th e f e a s t o f th e ta b e r n a c le s # P ro b a b ly i t i s th e b e s t
exam ple o f g ro u p le a r n in g s in c e th e e n t i r e f a m ily was
a llo w e d t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n th e b u ild i n g and d e c o r a tin g o f
th e b o o th s w hich s e rv e d a s re m in d e rs o f t h e i r f o r e f a t h e r s
w ild e r n e s s w a n d e rin g s . The c o n c lu s io n i s draw n t h a t a
c o n tr iv e d e x p e rie n c e i s o f more v a lu e th a n r e i t e r a t e d
f a c ts #
The f e a s t o f th e P a s s o v e r, a s a f a m ily g a t h e r in g ,
g av e en co u rag em en t f o r a l l members t o f e e l a p a r t o f th e
c e le b r a tio n # The te a c h in g o b j e c t i v e , le a r n in g J e w is h
h i s t o r y and b a c k g ro u n d , i s shown t o em ploy th e e d u c a tio n a l
te c h n iq u e o f d r a m a tiz a tio n and v i s u a l a id # A ls o , th e "law
o f e f f e c t , " i s o b se rv e d i n o p e r a t i o n , w h ereas th e mind h a s
a te n d e n c y to l e a r n q u ic k e r and r e t a i n lo n g e r th e p le a s a n t
e x p e rie n c e s o f l i f e #
On th e Day o f A to n em en t, th e em p h asis was concentrated
on th e c o n c e p t o f G o d 's f o r g iv e n e s s . W hile t h e r e was s i n
an d need a s a g ro u p , ato n em e n t was made f o r th e s i n s o f
e a c h i n d i v i d u a l i n th e c e re m o n ia l o b s e rv a n c e s . I n re c o g n i
t i o n o f th e h o l i n e s s o f God and th e s i n f u l n e s s o f m an, con
f e s s i o n and r e l e a s e fro m g u i l t i s re c o g n iz e d a s b e in g
t h e r a p e u t i c . C o rp o ra te w o rsh ip e n a b le d th e c h i l d r e n to
o b s e rv e th e a d u l t s i n t h e i r a d m ir a tio n o f J e h o v a h , th u s
l e a r n in g by i m i t a t i o n and ex am p le.
S in c e th e p u b lic w o rsh ip o f I s r a e l a llo w e d g ro u p
p a r t i c i p a t i o n , b o th w ith in th e fa m ily c i r c l e and i n th e
l a r g e r g a th e r in g o f th e c o n g r e g a tio n , th e c o n c lu s io n i s
draw n t h a t th e r i t u a l s w ere a n e f f e c t i v e te a c h in g te c h
n iq u e .
The i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f th e a b s t r a c t c o n c e p ts was
v i s u a l i z e d and made m e a n in g fu l and i n f l u e n t i a l i n g ro u p
w o rs h ip , th e re b y f u r t h e r i n g s o c i a l p r o g r e s s .
The e f f e c t o f th e com m unity on grow ing p e rs o n s h as
b e e n a f a c t o r w e ll re c o g n iz e d i n m odern r e l i g i o u s ed u ca
t i o n ; h e n c e , a n o b s e r v a tio n was made o f th e com m unity
i n f lu e n c e i n c h a r a c t e r e d u c a tio n i n th e e a r l y l i f e o f
I s r a e l i n th e law s t h a t w ere e n a c te d to prom ote r ig h te o u s
l i v i n g and r e l i g i o u s c u l t u r e . T h e r e f o r e , one s e c t i o n o f
t h i s t h e s i s d e a ls w ith th e p o l i t i c a l , s o c i a l and econom ic
l i f e o f I s r a e l a s a n a t i o n and was e v a lu a te d i n th e l i g h t
o f s o c i a l in f lu e n c e i n c h a r a c t e r e d u c a tio n .
I t i s shown t h a t th e in f lu e n c e o f c u l t u r e on s o c i a l
b e h a v io r o f t e n e s t a b l i s h e s a mode o f l i f e t h a t i s t r a n s
m uted t o th e n e x t g e n e r a tio n .
I t i s n o te d t h a t th e g e o g ra p h ic l o c a t i o n o f P a le s tin e '
on th e t r a d e r o u te s o f th e a n c ie n t w o rld gave many o u ts id e
i n f l u e n c e s , th e r e b y , m aking n e c e s s a r y many r e g u l a t io n s to
e n a b le th e J e w is h p e o p le to r e t a i n t h e i r d i s t i n c t i v e c u l
t u r e . A ls o , b e c a u se b a a l w o rsh ip was e n c o u n te re d i n th e
new l a n d , many s p i r i t u a l d e c is io n s had t o be made i n o r d e r
t o s e t a p a r t th e J e w is h n a tio n # I n fo llo w in g G o d 's l e a d e r
s h ip and o b ey in g h i s Law, I s r a e l a c c e p te d a g o a l - d i r e c t e d
a c t i v i t y w hich p a r t i a l l y a c c o u n ts f o r th e r e t e n t i o n o f th e
d i s t i n c t i v e n e s s o f th e J e w is h p e o p le .
The J e w is h governm ent was d is c u s s e d a s a th e o c r a c y
o r r u l e by J e h o v a h , e x e c u te d by w ise men o r e l d e r s i n
I s r a e l . The a u t h o r i t y o f God was re c o g n iz e d a s b e in g
r e v e a le d to c e r t a i n in d i v i d u a l s and a d m in is te re d by human
in s tr u m e n ts . The law s o f th e th e o c r a c y w ere b ased on th e
Ten Commandments and im p lie d a c o v e n a n t betw een God and H is
ch o se n p e o p le . The e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f t h i s g o v e rn m e n ta l
sy stem depended upon th e f a i t h f u l n e s s o f th e p e o p le a s a
g ro u p o r com m unity.
Among th e law s re c o rd e d p a r t i c u l a r a t t e n t i o n and
d e t a i l was n o te d c o n c e rn in g th e Laws o f S a b b a th o b s e rv a n c e .
K eeping th e S a b b ath p o r tra y e d a r e l a t i o n s h i p an d em ployed
p h y s ic a l d e m o n s tra tio n f o r te a c h in g i t . Two a s p e c ts o f
te a c h in g v a lu e i s s e e n i n i t s o b s e rv a n c e : n e g a tiv e demand
t o c e a s e from o c c u p a tio n a l w ork; p o s i t i v e demand t o o b se rv e
w o rsh ip o f th e L o rd .
I t i s p o in te d o u t t h a t th e r e p e t i t i o n and c o n s ta n t
h a b i t o f k e e p in g th e S a b b a th assum ed a te a c h in g te c h n iq u e
o f s i g n i f i c a n c e .
I t i s b e lie v e d t h a t th e la w s , r e g u l a t i o n s , and c u s
tom s o f I s r a e l f u r n is h e d a b a la n c e d and d i r e c t e d en v iro n m en t
f o r y o u th , and t h a t th e t r a d i t i o n s w ere s tim u la te d and
im p a rte d by communal l i v i n g .
S in c e th e te c h n iq u e o f te a c h in g th ro u g h p e r s o n a l i t y
ac h ie v e m en t h a s b e e n re c o g n iz e d a s an e f f e c t i v e m ethod o f
t r a n s m i t t i n g i d e a l s , th e c lo s in g s e c t i o n o f th e t h e s i s
d e a ls w ith g r e a t p e r s o n a l i t i e s o f th e J e w is h n a t i o n , and an
e v a lu a t io n was made o f a d u l t in f lu e n c e o u ts i d e th e fa m ily
i n m aking s o c i a l a d ju s tm e n ts .
The comment i s made t h a t to o r i g i d a d i s c i p l i n e may
h av e d e t e r r e d th e b e s t p ro g re s s i n le a r n in g on some o c c a
s io n s . H ow ever, th e ty p e o f c u l t u r e and r e l i g i o u s f a i t h
p a sse d on to s u c c e e d in g g e n e r a tio n s t e s t i f i e s t h a t e f f e c
t i v e te a c h in g te c h n iq u e s w ere i n u se a t t h a t tim e .
U n iv ersity o f S o u th ern C a lifo r n ia Llbrarv
^ IÔ 2
I n th e c lo s in g c h a p t e r , id e a lis m a s a te a c h in g te c h
n iq u e , c e n te r e d aro u n d th e f a c t t h a t young p e o p le , f o r
p ro p e r g ro w th and n u r t u r e , e n v is io n s a n i d e a l - s e l f o f one
who h a s b een o u ts ta n d in g i n t h e i r e s tim a tio n . T h e r e f o r e ,
th e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , o b j e c t i v e s , and s u c c e s s o f f o u r J e w is h
p e r s o n a l i t i e s w ere n o te d and e v a lu a te d .
The e d u c a tio n a l p r i n c i p l e in v o lv e d i n th e id e a lis m
m ethod o f te a c h in g i s th e f a c t t h a t th e dynam ic s te p i n
l e a r n in g i s th e m o tiv a tio n o f u r g e s ; s tr o n g p e r s o n a l i t i e s
a c t a s a s t i m u la tio n f o r th e l e a r n e r to r e - e n a c t th e same
v i r t u e s . T h u s, th e e m u la tio n o f a n i d e a l becom es a dom i
n a n t g o a l , w hich i s an e s s e n t i a l f a c t o r i n p e r s o n a l i t y
d e v e lo p m e n t•
I t i s p o in te d o u t t h a t th e J e w is h f a t h e r s u se d th e
s t o r i e s c o n c e rn in g A braham , Moses and E l i j a h a s a te a c h in g
te c h n iq u e s w h e re a s, e m u la tio n o f th e v i r t u e s p o r tr a y e d i n
th e i n s t r u c t i o n became a g o a l - d ir e c t e d a c t i v i t y t o th e
l e a r n e r . A tte n tio n i s draw n t o th e f a c t t h a t one o f th e
d a n g e rs e n c o u n te re d i n p e r s o n a l i t y id e a lis m i s t h a t t h e
im p e r f e c tio n w i l l be m ore i n f l u e n t i a l ; b u t i t i s p o in te d
o u t t h a t i n th e r e c o r d no c h a r a c t e r was p r e s e n te d a s b e in g
p e r f e c t b u t t h a t em p h asis r e s t e d upon a p re d o m in a tin g
v i r t u e i n t h e i r l e a d e r s h i p .
I n th e s t o r i e s p r e s e n tin g Moses a s an h o n o red
1 0 3
l e a d e r , f a i t h f u l o b e d ie n c e and m o ra l c o u ra g e w ere empha
s iz e d . A c h a lle n g e came t o th e y o u th th ro u g h M oses, when
a s a n a d o p ted so n o f th e P r in c e s s o f E g y p t, he ch o se to
i d e n t i f y h im s e lf w ith th e " p e o p le o f G od." I n an sw e rin g
th e c a l l o f God, Moses i s d e p ic te d a s th e g r e a t e m a n c ip a to r
and la w - g iv e r o f th e new n a t io n . T h u s, th e c o n c e p t was
form ed t h a t g r e a tn e s s and h o n o r was a c q u ire d th ro u g h
o b e d ie n c e , h u m i l i t y , and m o ral c o u ra g e i n d e fe n s e o f an
i d e a l . T hrough th e d ra m a tic f i g u r e o f E l i j a h , th e l e a r n e r
a c q u ire d th e know ledge t h a t ev en a p e rs o n o f hum ble b i r t h ,
d e d ic a te d t o a n i d e a l , c a n a c h ie v e i n c a r r y in g o u t h i s con
v i c t i o n s .
I t i s o b se rv e d t h a t th e e d u c a tio n a l p r i n c i p l e
in v o lv e d i n th e te c h n iq u e o f id e a lis m i s s e e n i n t h e
em ploym ent o f th e p r o c e s s o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w hich e d u c a to r s
a g r e e i s an im p o rta n t f a c t o r i n p e r s o n a l i t y d ev e lo p m e n t.
I n p r e s e r v in g th e J e w is h c u l t u r e , th e i n s t r u c t i o n
m ust embody th e r e l i g i o u s c o n c e p ts o f th e s e l e a d e r s ; su c h
a s , Abraham m a n ife s te d b e l i e f i n one God and acknow ledged
p e r s o n a l g u id a n c e when be obeyed God and l e f t h i s home i n
a c c o rd a n c e t o G o d 's c a l l . The l e a r n e r e n v is io n e d th e
rew ard f o r su c h f a i t h a s G o d 's c o v e n a n t o f b le s s in g to h i s
p o s t e r i t y th ro u g h o u t a l l g e n e r a tio n s . I n te a c h in g th e
e v e n ts i n th e l i f e o f M oses, th e l e a r n e r c o n c eiv e d some o f
th e a b s t r a c t a t t r i b u t e s o f God, su ch a s h i s h o l i n e s s , h i s
f o r g i v e n e s s , h i s dem ands and ju d g m e n ts. A ls o , E l i j a h m ani
f e s t e d su ch s tr o n g f a i t h i n d e l i v e r i n g th e w a rn in g s o f
Je h o v a h t h a t th e c o n d u c t o f th e l i s t e n e r s w ere in f lu e n c e d
by t h e m essage o f th e s p e a k e r .
The p in n a c le o f id e a lis m was ju d g e d to be t h a t d i s
p la y e d i n re v ie w in g th e p e r s o n a l i t y o f J e s u s , The s t o r i e s
o f h i s lo v e , co m p assio n and pow er, p o r tr a y th e s u p e r l a t i v e
q u a l i t y o f human v i r t u e s . H is in f lu e n c e was so g r e a t he
becam e th e fo u n d e r o f C h r i s t i a n i t y , a s s u c h , h i s f o llo w e r s
e s t a b l i s h e d a s t h e i r g o a l , th e e m u la tio n o f C h r i s t , The
e d u c a tio n a l p r i n c i p l e em ployed i n a d o p tin g C h r i s t i a n
v i r t u e s a s a g o a l i s th e s i g n i f ic a n c e i n th e i n t e n s i t y o f
a r e l i g i o u s g o a l. Such id e a lis m g e n e r a te s s u f f i c i e n t m o ti
v a t io n to th e l e a r n e r to ch an g e th e d i r e c t i o n o f l i f e and
to a d o p t h ig h e r o b j e c t i v e s .
The f a c t i s re c o g n iz e d t h a t th e f a i l u r e t o s tim u la te
th e l e a r n e r t o a n i d e a l i s u s u a lly th e la c k o f in a d e q u a te
i n c e n t i v e s . I f no m o tiv a tio n i s s t i r r e d , and no d e s ir e d
e f f e c t i s p e rfo rm e d , l e a r n in g h a s n o t ta k e n p la c e . S in c e
e d u c a tio n a l g u id a n c e a i d s i n o b ta in in g a s a t i s f a c t o r y r e a c
t i o n e v id e n c e shows t h a t th e J e w is h p e o p le i n th e e a r l y
h i s t o r y o f t h e i r r a c e d id u se e f f e c t i v e l y i n th e em bryonic
s ta g e c e r t a i n te a c h in g m ethods t h a t fo re sh ad o w ed e f f e c t i v e
te c h n iq u e s fo rm u la te d i n t h i s c u r r e n t a g e .
I t i s s e e n t h a t h ig h i d e a l s , o u ts ta n d in g c h a r a c te r s
and n a t i o n a l g r e a tn e s s w ere a c h ie v e d and t h a t th e fo llo w in g
m ethods w ere u sed e f f e c t i v e l y : ( 1 ) dynam ic m ethod o f
te a c h in g i n th e home l i f e o f I s r a e l ; (2 ) g ro u p p a r t i c i p a
t i o n m ethod o f te a c h in g i n th e p u b lic w o rsh ip o f I s r a e l ;
(3 ) communal m ethod o f te a c h in g i n th e s o c i a l and econom i
c a l l i f e o f I s r a e l ; (^-) i d e a l i s t i c m ethod o f te a c h in g
th ro u g h J e w is h p e r s o n a l i t i e s .
I t i s a s c e r ta in e d t h a t th e co m p reh en siv e o b je c ti v e
o f th e J e w is h i n s t r u c t o r was to p ro m u lg a te th e r e l i g i o u s
c o n c e p t t h a t Je h o v a h was th e t r u e God o f w orld re d e m p tio n ;
and t h a t th e im m ed iate o b je c ti v e was to i n c u l c a t e th e
c o n c e p ts o f d iv in e r e v e l a t i o n i n t o th e c o n d u c t o f grow ing
p e r s o n s , th e r e b y t r a n s m i t t i n g th e J e w is h c u l t u r e from
g e n e r a tio n to g e n e r a tio n . The a s s u m p tio n i s draw n t h a t
th e d i s t i n c t i v e n e s s o f Ju d a ism i s e v id e n c e d to d a y ; t h e r e
f o r e , w itn e s s in g t o th e e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f th e e d u c a tio n a l
m ethods i n th e d is c u s s io n a s em ployed i n th e t r a i n i n g o f
J e w is h y o u th i n p a s t g e n e r a tio n s .
S in c e th e t r a d i t i o n s and c e re m o n ie s handed down
th ro u g h th e c e n t u r i e s h av e r e t a i n e d much o f t h e i r o r i g i n a l
s i g n i f i c a n c e , th e y a r e a com m entary on te a c h in g m ethods
u se d i n th e p a s t a s re c o rd e d i n th e O ld and New T e s ta m e n ts .
B
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Creator White, Urven Victor (author)

Core Title A study of selected teaching methods in the Old and New Testaments

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Degree Master of Arts

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

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Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c39-362078

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Dmrecord 362078

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Rights White, Urven Victor

Type texts

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