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Discussion Guide For
A Faithful Heart
By Benjamin Levy

Discussion Guide by
Eric Eisenkramer

A Faithful Heart: Preparing for the High Holy Days is like a mosaic. Rabbi Benjamin Levy presents us with hundreds of beautiful gems of wisdom, each structured around a midrash called Maaseh Avraham Avinu, about Abraham the patriarch. When seen together, all of these small tiles merge into a larger picture that describes the early life of Abraham and engages us in the themes of the High Holy Days. Yet each single idea has profound meaning and can be explored on its own.

In this discussion guide I could only focus on a small number of ideas from the entire book. I encourage you to read through and discuss the questions below and the issues contained within them. Yet, whenever you see an interesting idea or comment, do not hesitate to stop and discuss it. The larger questions that guided my thoughts on this book can help when dealing with any of these "gems": How does Levy's comment fit in with the story as a whole and with Abraham's life? How does Levy's idea relate to the High Holy Days? What makes this comment particularly meaningful to you?

1. In the introduction, Levy writes that Jews in the past studied Maaseh Avraham Avinu as a way to prepare for the High Holy Days and to immerse themselves in the themes of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (page xiii). During what other times of the year do we study a text as preparation for a holiday or on the day itself? How can the study of a Jewish text help us prepare for the High Holy Days? The rabbis in the Talmud said that when we study Torah, God dwells among us (Pirkei Avot 3:2). How can our studying in preparation for the High Holy Days bring us closer to God?

2. Levy teaches that just as Abraham searches for God, we, too, seek God, especially during the High Holy Days (page xiv). Abraham serves as a model for us in the search for the Divine in our lives. Are there people in your life who have helped you search for God? Have you read about or known someone who then served as a model for you to better understand God?

3. Maaseh Avraham Avinu teaches that our prayers are not in vain, that God hears our pleas (page xiv). During the High Holy Days, when we spend so much of our time in synagogue, do you feel that prayer helps us connect to God? Does prayer bring us closer to other people?

4. Maaseh Avraham Avinu presents Abraham's youth and his journey from idolatry to a belief in God. What are some possible reasons that led Abraham to reject idolatry? If you were writing the story of Abraham's youth, what would you include in it? What kind of events would happen and what kind of thoughts would Abraham have as he searched for God in a society steeped in idolatry? (As your study of the midrash continues, compare your ideas about Abraham's youth to the incidents described in the book. Did any of your events or ideas parallel those in the text?)

5. As a midrash, Maaseh Avraham Avinu fills in gaps in Torah regarding Abraham's youth. Yet the material in Maaseh Avraham Avinu comes from around 100 BCE at the earliest, long after the Torah was codified. Does it pose a difficulty that the midrash added to the story of Abraham even though it was written many years after the Torah? How and why do we change stories as they move from one generation to the next? Why do you think the rabbis created Maaseh Avraham Avinu and so added to the narrative of Abraham in the Torah?

1. Abraham finds God and righteousness despite his idolatrous father, Terach. This is seen as a form of t'shuvah, repentance. Levy suggests that we too can do t'shuvah, no matter how everyone else around us may act (page 5). How can the High Holy Days give us strength to overcome the pitfalls of our modern age? How can the example of Abraham's rejecting idolatry help us deal with the temptations within ourselves?

2. In Maaseh Avraham Avinu, Abraham's mother abandons him in the cave. Similarly, Hagar abandons her son, Ishmael (Genesis 21), after Abraham expels the two of them from his house. Levy suggests that since Abraham had felt the pain of abandonment as a child, he would not easily send off Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness (page 9). How do you think Abraham's abandonment as a child would have affected him? Given Abraham's past painful experience, why does he still send off Hagar and Ishmael?

3. Why must Abraham undergo ten trials in his life (pages 12-13)? Why must he face such difficulty when he has great faith and follows the commands of God? Levy writes that Abraham's trials serve as a base of goodness so that God can later perform miracles for Israel in Egypt (page 13). Does Abraham's suffering in return for the redemption of his descendants seem like a fair arrangement? Would Abraham agree to this if he had a choice? Do we ourselves sometimes undertake a difficult situation so that our future descendants may benefit?

4. With the help of Levy's insights, compare the story of Abraham's birth in chapter 1 of A Faithful Heart to the birth of Moses in Exodus 1-2. What threats do both Abraham and Moses face? What role does each one's mother play in the respective stories? What role does God play in helping both Moses and Abraham? In their adult lives, why do Abraham and Moses prove so significant to the history of our people? Do their similar birth stories foreshadow their important futures?

1. Discuss Abraham's journey and discovery of God. How does he come to believe in a God that exists above nature? Why does Gabriel appear only after Abraham comes to the conclusion for himself that God must exist? Like Abraham, must we search for God as much as we wait for God to come to us? In our modern scientific world, must we make an effort to discover God for ourselves?

2. Read "A Parable of Observation" in the Gleanings section (page 19). How does this story relate to Abraham's discovery of God in nature? Does the order of our universe as described in our scientific laws show that it had to have a creator? Have you ever encountered the beauty of nature in a sunset or in the sound of a flowing stream and felt certain that only God could create such a wonderful world? What can we do to remember and celebrate God's creation of the world on Rosh HaShanah, the birthday of the world?

3. After the angel Gabriel comes to him, Abraham washes his face, bows down, and prays to God. Levy describes many ways in which Abraham's acts reflect worship customs on Yom Kippur in the time of the Temple (pages18-19). How is our High Holy Days worship today similar to what Abraham does when he encounters God? How is it different? Do we perform similar acts as did the patriarch? Do we have the same intentions as Abraham in how we worship God?

4. Levy writes that Abraham's immersion serves as a symbol for the process we all undergo during the High Holy Days. Just as Abraham comes out of the water transformed, so, too, can we find a new higher state of being during the High Holy Days by way prayer, t'shuvah, and good deeds (page 21). What can we do on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur to help us leave behind the past and work toward becoming better people? How can we spiritually immerse ourselves during the High Holy Days and so begin the new year cleansed and transformed?

1. Despite seeing his idols bow to Abraham's God, Nimrod maintains his idolatrous beliefs and sends Abraham and his father away. Levy notes that Nimrod's stubbornness in this episode echoes that of Pharaoh in Egypt, who would not let our ancestors go despite plague after plague (page 27). Why do both Nimrod and Pharaoh refuse to believe in God even though God has proven Himself to both of them? How can we get stuck, like Pharaoh and Nimrod, in our old, harmful ways? How during the High Holy Days can we do t'shuvah, turn from our old bad habits, no matter how powerful or ingrained within us they may be?

2. Review Abraham's encounter with Nimrod (pages 23-26). Does Abraham come across as a humble servant of God proclaiming God's message, or as an arrogant prophet who wants to see Nimrod removed from power? Does Abraham face Nimrod with prophetic fire, simple humility, or both? What can we learn from Abraham about standing up for our rights and dealing with people in powerful positions?

3. According to Levy, Abraham is a prophet when facing Nimrod because he challenges the power of the king and accuses Nimrod of breaking God's moral law. Like other prophets in the Bible, does Abraham put himself at personal risk when he challenges Nimrod? Name some contemporary prophets who stood up to unfair political or social conditions. Did they also risk or even lose their lives? What gives Abraham the courage to face Nimrod? How does the modern-day prophet find the strength to speak truth to power?

1. In describing Abraham's youth, Maaseh Avraham Avinu uses wonderful imagery to make the story all the more engaging. In this chapter, Abraham not only rejects idolatry but actually drags the idols face down in the dirt. Previously, Abraham suckled milk from the finger of Gabriel the angel, and during Nimrod's meeting with Abraham the king's idols actually bowed down to Abraham! Review these images and others used in Maaseh Avraham Avinu. What is your favorite image in the midrash? Discuss how the images and other literary devices in Maaseh Avraham Avinu make it a great story in addition to its being a religious text full of meaning. Why is it important for our religious texts also to be engaging stories?

2. Compare Abraham's personal discovery of God in chapter 2 to that of the woman in this chapter. What role do logic and intellect play in their finding God for both the woman and Abraham? Are there other ways to find God? Discuss how the woman demands both material and spiritual rewards for believing in God while Abraham accepts God unconditionally. Does her piety constitute a lower level of belief than that of Abraham? Does our Judaism leave room for more than one kind of faith in God? Where do you fit on this continuum, closer to the woman or closer to Abraham?

3. Review both "Idolatry Today?" and "Mitzvot as Idols" in the Gleanings section (page 44). Do we still practice idolatry today by holding up other ideals above God and morality? Is overemphasis on materialism and money the idolatry in twenty-first-century America? What other aspects of our culture can become idolatrous? In "Mitzvot as Idols," the Kotzsker Rebbe speaks out against any mitzvah that one does only for the sake of doing rather than with intention or devotion. Do you agree with the Kotzsker Rebbe? When does Judaism become a rote practice or a set of rituals with no meaning? Discuss the High Holy Days and how we can add more intention and devotion into our prayers and the whole holiday process.

4. Maimonides said that true t'shuvah involves both a searching confession and action: confession to God of the wrongdoing, and action by not committing the same transgression again when faced with the identical opportunity (pages 47-48). Does the woman whom Abraham converts fulfill Maimonides' model of repentance? How does she both confess her sin of idolatry and take action to not repeat it? Ingrained behaviors and ideas can be very difficult to change. We may say over and over again that we will not act in a certain way, but when put in a similar situation we repeat the same destructive act. What behaviors do we want to change on these High Holy Days? How can we do the t'shuvah described by Maimonides rather than repeat our past sins?

1. In chapter 4, the woman whom Abraham converted challenges Nimrod's power and the king kills her. Here, Abraham smashes Nimrod's idols, but Abraham is imprisoned and not immediately killed. Compare the murder of the woman (pages 41-42) and Abraham's imprisonment (pages 52-53). Why does Nimrod not kill Abraham outright? Does the king fear Abraham and God, and maybe even doubt his own power a little?

2. Write a short midrash of your own that explains why Nimrod, who is ready to kill Abraham for smashing the idols, decides instead to imprison him (page 53)? For example, your midrash could describe an argument between Nimrod and his wife or Nimrod and his advisers over Abraham's fate. Perhaps Nimrod consults the stars, since he is an astrologer, and, realizing Abraham's true power, decides to spare him. Be creative!

3. Examine "Hitting the Idols" in the Gleanings section(page 54). In this story, Abraham refuses to sell his father's idols and instead hits them with a mallet, presumably smashing them. Likewise, in chapter 4, Terach asks his son Abraham to sell idols to make money for the family. Instead of doing his father's bidding, Abraham mocks the idols. Does Abraham put his family in danger by not helping his father make money? Should Abraham's religious beliefs come before his family's needs? What should we do when personal ideals comes in conflict with our job or our means of support?

4. By defending his beliefs in God, Abraham not only goes against the wishes of his father but also puts himself in mortal danger. When Abraham smashes Nimrod's idols, the king first almost kills him and then imprisons him (page 53). Rabbi Levy suggests that Abraham's extremism and iconoclasm illustrate that sometimes we have to go to great lengths to fight evil and to bring morality into the world (page 56). Does being God's servant (like Abraham), acting morally, and living a Jewish life require such devotion and personal loss? How much of a sacrifice should Abraham be willing to make to defend God? How much should we try emulate Abraham and his devotion and sacrifice?

1. Levy draws a strong parallel between Abraham's binding upon the catapult and how he would later tie his son Isaac to the altar upon Mt. Moriah. In fact, Abraham could understand how Isaac must have felt since Abraham experienced his own "binding" (page 58). How does this element of Maaseh Avraham Avinu give us insight into the Akeidah, the story of the binding of Isaac? Does Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son seem more acceptable in light of his own Akeidah experience? On the other hand, would Abraham's past make him less likely to want to bind Isaac? How could Abraham put his son through such an awful experience, especially if Abraham himself knew how it felt?

2. While tied to the catapult and in great danger, Abraham faces three temptations, represented by Satan, Abraham's mother, and the angel Gabriel, to abandon God (pages

59-62). In my view, Satan is the part of Abraham that wants to save himself even if that means denying God. Abraham's mother is the strong pull of family and family loyalty that can make us give up on our higher ideals. Finally, Gabriel represents a power other than God who we might think can help us, but who is in fact subordinate to God. What other possible temptations could these three characters embody? Which do you think is the most difficult for Abraham to overcome? Do any of these three temptations-self-interest, false loyalty, or false power-appear in our lives? What other temptations do we face? How can the High Holy Days help us conquer our desires?

2. By the end of Maaseh Avraham Avinu, everyone believes in God except for Nimrod (page 66). Why does Nimrod remain stubborn in his disbelief, even after the miracle of the furnace's becoming a flower garden? Nimrod might represent our egos, the parts of ourselves that have difficulty doing t'shuvah, repentance, even when we know we are wrong and should change our ways. How can our own stubbornness and self-righteousness prevent us from moving to a new and better path?

3. Review "Abraham: A Part of Us" in the Gleanings section (page 68). Looking at the entire story of Abraham's youth, how does Abraham embody the restless search for meaning in life? What specific actions show Abraham looking beyond his society and for his ultimate purpose in life? When has Abraham's journey been your journey? When have you asked the question "Why am I here?" and how have you answered it? Has Abraham taught you anything about finding God and meaning in life?

1. In reviewing Maaseh Avraham Avinu as a whole, what did you learned from Abraham? What actions and thoughts of his should we try to emulate? What should we ignore or speak out against? Is Abraham a good model for a Jew in the twenty-first century?

2. What did this midrash teach you about the High Holy Days? How do you feel differently about prayer or t'shuvah as a result of reading this book?

3. If you could write Maaseh Avraham Avinu all over again, what would you change? Are there any elements of the story of Abraham's early life that you would modify?

4. What is your favorite image or literary element from this story? What part of this midrash sticks in your mind and will remain with you?

Philip Goodman, The Rosh Hashanah Anthology (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society 1992); and The Yom Kippur Anthology (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1997).

W. Gunther Plaut, The Torah: A Modern Commentary (New York: URJ PRESS, 1996).

Harvey J. Fields, A Torah Commentary for Our Times (New York: URJ PRESS, 1998).

Leonard Kravitz and Kerry Olitzky, Mishlei: A Modern Commentary on Proverbs

Leonard Kravitz and Kerry Olitzky, Pirke Avot: A Modern Commentary on Jewish Ethics (URJ Press, 1993)

In Pirkei Avot, the rabbis created a treatise on Jewish ethics that has been studied and revered for more than 1500 years. In this volume, Kravitz and Olitzky present the wisdom of the sages in a contemporary idiom with translation, commentaries, and essays.