For The Texts, They Are A Changing...

Yesterday during our afternoon prayer services (called Mincha in Hebrew), I found myself deeply connected to my experiences from 10 years ago. I sought out the ancient words in our siddur, prayerbook, for comfort and guidance. One selection in the Amidah, the 19 blessing central portion of Mincha, caught my eye (emphasis added):

And for wickedness, let there be no hope, / and may all the errant return to You, / and may the realm of wickedness be shattered. / Blessed are You, Adonai, whose will it is that the wicked vanish from the earth. -Mishkan T'filah

The idea of God eradicating wickedness from the world is a pretty awesome concept. I mean, let's face it: the world would be a much better place if all of the evil of the world, so much of it we felt 10 years ago, was gone.


Just because I know the Reform movement sometimes changes liturgy because of a slightly different, and more progressive, ideology than traditional Judaism, I decided to check the more traditional text of the same prayer (again, emphasis added):

For the slanderers let there be no hope, / and may all wickedness perish in an instant. / May all Your people's enemies swiftly be cut down. / May You swiftly uproot, crush, cast down / and humble the arrogant swiftly in our days. / Blessed are You, Lord, / who destroys enemies and humbles the arrogant. -Koren Siddur

The latter example is a much harsher text, but that is also because it is referring to something more specific than just eradicating the wicked. Curiously, this text originally was written as a response to the narrow-minded adherence to the ancient rites that split the Jewish world during the late Second Temple period. Further, it also suggests violent vengeance upon those who disagree with us.


One more time, just for fun-sies.


The text calls for God to "swiftly...crush" enemies and suggests violent vengeance upon those who disagree with us, specifically those who act out using God's name and teachings inappropriately.


One text invites God to get rid of wickedness. The other sub-textually invites us to use military force to enforce the word of God, more specifically, our accepted words of God the peaceful way we interpret them.


It's a challenging piece of text, no doubt. And I identify with the ideals of the first passage, no doubt. Yet it is important to acknowledge and embrace our historical tradition, even if we reject its ideals at the same time.