[Avodah] sheasani yisrael

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Feb 03, 2021 at 01:02:59PM +0000, Rich, Joel via Avodah wrote:
> About 50 years ago if I recall correctly I heard R' N Alpert ZT"L say that
> the reason we don't say a bracha sheasani yisrael is that HKBH can only
> give us the opportunity to be so but it is up to us to make ourselves so.

Rabbi Yehudah, who authored an earlier version of the three berakhos
(goy, bur, ishah) and the rebbe of R Meir who wrote our version says
they are "who didn't make me" someone with fewer mitzvos. (Y-mi Berakhos
vilna ed. 63b) And the chiyuvim and issurim are there whether or not one
lives up to them. Maybe RMA is saying "she'asani Yisrael" would only be
a berakhah if a person is on the tzaddiq side of the beinoni line?

The Taz has an interesting argument (OC 46:4). He says that if the
berakhos were framed as "she'asani", a person might think that nakhriim,
slaves or women are less important creations. Rather, we say that while
having been created a woman would have been a blessing, I thank the
RBSO that I personally was given the role that has even yet more mitzvos
than that!

So, if RNA wants to build on the Taz, he could be saying the berakhah is
thanking G-d for not only creating me with the opportunities to fulfill
mitzvos of an X, but even more.


On Thu, Feb 04, 2021 at 07:39:20PM +0000, Joseph Kaplan via Avodah wrote:
> I'm not sure I understand. Aren't we taught that a Yisrael, even one
> who has sinned, remains a Yisrael? So each of us is a Yisrael by birth
> no matter what we do.

The way I spun RNAlpert's idea in reply to RJR's post, I avoid this question.
Yes, the person remains a Yisrael. But a sinful Yisrael. Like we tell the
prospective geir: Why not remain a non-Jew and earn a lichtiger gan eden
without all those duties and prohibitions?

In any case, there is also the difference between Am Yisrael and Adas
Yisrael. "Yisrael, af al pi shechata, Yisrael hu" refers to qedushas
Am Yisrael. What RYBS calls the qedushah of the community of fate. But
someone who isn't giving the eidus isn't a member of Adas Yisrael;
they aren't participating in the qedushah of the community of destiny.
The latter is used in the mishnah "Kol Yisrael yeish lahem cheileq le'olam
haba" followed by the list of koferim, minim, apiqorsim and mumarim who
don't. Because it is specifically all of Adas Yisrael who have a cheileq`
RNAlpert could have meant that the berakhah "shelo asani Yisrael" would
have meant "Adas Yisrael".

But I like my first suggested peshat more. Feels more like something
he actually would have said.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 I thank God for my handicaps, for, through them,
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   I have found myself, my work, and my God.
Author: Widen Your Tent                   - Helen Keller
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF