The Eilu Devarim

 

Proverbs 9:1-6

Prober 15 / Year B

As a boy, one of my monthly highlights was receiving a copy of the children’s magazine Highlighters in the mail.  Each issue contained stories, puzzles, experiments, jokes, crafts, and more.  Perhaps my favorite feature, and certainly the most memorable, was a cartoon about two boys – Goofus and Gallant.  As their names suggest, one boy’s actions were virtuous and respectful while the other’s were rude and selfish.  “Goofus turns on the TV when there are guests in the house.  Gallant turns off the television at once.”  And while the results of each’s behavior is never depicted, the message was clear: this is how good children behave and this is what a bad one does in the same situation.

Goofus and Gallant is a modern example of an ancient tradition known as wisdom literature.  It crosses cultural, national, and religious boundaries to do at least three important things:

· Provide essential instruction necessary for success in life for parents to pass on to their children.

· Set forth the wisdom and counsel of learned men and women known for sound judgment.

· Articulate in memorable form basic ideas and concepts to a generally illiterate society.

Hebrew wisdom literature operated at three levels. 

· The first was basic intelligence, often referred to as shrewdness.  Thinks about how many of Jesus’ parables revolve around shrew behavior. 

· The next level is good sense, sound judgment, and moral understanding. 

· The third level delves into the more profound questions of human life and destiny.  

It functions at these levels in one of two ways.  Either it is conservative, practical, and worldly wise, as we find in the Book of Proverbs.  Or, it is critical of conventional beliefs and offers radical alternatives, as we find in the Book of Job.

Hebrew writing regularly personifies wisdom, often as a woman as we see in today’s first reading.  Foolishness is also personified later in this same passage (verses 13-18) and the two should be read together.  Both wisdom and foolishness reach out to the simple.  Wisdom builds a lavish house, prepares a sumptuous meal, and goes to great lengths to invite people in.  Foolishness merely sits by the door of her house and calls out to whoever might be passing by, offering to them food she has stolen.  Ultimately, the meal offered by the foolish woman kills her guests while the meal offered by the wise woman leads to life – hence, its connection to the gospel reading and Jesus’ teaching whoever partakes of his body will have eternal life.

The Book of Proverbs makes a strong connection between wisdom and life:

· For whoever finds me finds life. (8:35)

· Long life is in (wisdom’s) right hand. (3:16)

· She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. (3:18)

Wisdom literature, then, is focused on personal well-being, which is intrinsically linked with being a part of one’s community in all the right ways.

In 2017, Rabbi Evan Moffic published a book called The Happiness Prayer.  Written over 2000 years ago, the prayer is known in Hebrew at Eilu Devarim, which means “These are the words.”  It is a beautiful example of Hebrew wisdom literature:

How will you find happiness in this world and peace in the world to come?  By learning these wisdom practices from your ancestors:

Honor those who gave you life

Be kind

Keep learning

Invite others into your life

Be there when others need you

Celebrate good times

Support yourself and others during times of loss

Pray with intention

Forgive

Look inside and commit

Rabbi Moffic says this prayer daily.  It has taught him happiness is not a destination, but found on the path itself.  It teaches happiness is a choice available to each of us.  It tells us prayer is not just something to get us through hard times.   It gives us lessons that are the essence of life itself.

Wisdom says,

“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.

Lay aside immaturity, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”