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| 2017 Limited edition MetroCard Photo by Job Piston in the New York Times |
This week New York city's transit authority released some limited edition MetroCards with pointed questions about privilege created by artist Barbara Kruger. A version of the conceptual art cards reads, "Who is healed? Who is housed? Who is silent? Who speaks?" Kruger has expressed these questions through her art since 1991.
This particular MetroCard seems to echo recent news stories about sexual harassment. This extreme misconduct often is hidden (or enabled) when some voices are privileged and others systematically silenced. This MetroCard also seems to echo the arc of this week's Torah narrative, which is among the most profoundly complex interpersonally, emotionally, socially, culturally and nationally of all Torah.
Let's review the Torah narrative: It opens with divine messengers visiting Abraham, in what classic commentators see as a healing visit following Abraham's circumcision at the end of last week's Torah portion. Who is healed?
Who is housed? An angry mob confronts Abraham's nephew, Lot, asking that he turn over some male guests visiting his home. Instead of turning over the guests, Lot tries to appease the crowd by offering to turn over two of his daughters instead. Later, Abraham and Sarah have a son of their own -- second in line to Ishmael, the son Abraham had with Sarah's servant Hagar. Sarah asks Abraham to evict Ishmael. Abraham evicts Hagar and Ishmael.
Who is silent? Who speaks? For the second time in two Torah portions, Abraham asks his wife Sarah to pretend she is his "sister" as a way of protecting himself from a new king. Toward the end of the Torah portion, Abraham sneaks off early in the morning with Isaac to offer up Isaac as a divine sacrifice But he has not had any conversation about his plan with Sarah as either Abraham's wife or Isaac's mother.
Who is missing from these storylines? Missing is the reaction of Lot's daughters to being offered as a sacrifice by their father. Missing is how Sarah feels being passed off (again!) as Abraham’s sister instead of a wife and life partner. Missing is how Hagar and Ishmael feel being evicted by Abraham. Missing is how Sarah feels about Abraham sneaking Isaac out -- or offering him as a divine sacrifice.
So many vital, missing pieces. Each is a powerful reminder that everyone has a story, but not everyone has the privilege to share it. What isn't missing is male privilege. What isn't missing is an alert to the emotionally corrosive impact that male privilege on others. The social structures that reinforce and protect this privilege distort relationships.
One clarion voice on these themes is Rabbi Rachel Barenblat who blogs as Velveteen Rabbi. Barenblat was named by The Forward as "One of America's Most Inspiring Rabbis." I learned so much from her about these missing voices. Barenblat writes about the work of Jackson Katz of Stanford University's Clayman Institute for Gender Research. Katz, who wrote The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help. writes about an opening exercise he used when talking with college groups.
Katz draws a line down the middle of a chalkboard, putting a male symbol on one side and a female symbol on the other. Then he asks just the men, "What steps do you take, on a daily basis, to prevent yourselves from being sexually assaulted?" There is quiet. Some imagine it's a trick question. Sometimes, one of the young men will offer, "I stay out of prison." Others laugh. Often they acknowledge it is not something they think about.
Then Katz asks women the same question. Lots of hands go up. As the men watch in stunned silence, many women share the precautions they consciously take every day, such as "Watch what I wear." "Hold my keys as a potential weapon." "Don't go jogging at night." "Carry mace of pepper spray." "Don't make eye contact with men on the street." "Make assertive eye contact with men on the street." "Go out in groups."
Katz runs this exercise to bring awareness to men about their privilege and its impact on others. For him, bringing this awareness is a first step in addressing it toward eventually balancing it. The exercise also illustrates that everyone has a story, but not everyone has the privilege to share it.
Lest we despair about so many missing voices in Torah, Barenblat reminds us Torah scrolls forward in terms of narrative. Much later in Torah (Numbers 27) we are introduced to the daughters of Tzelophechad. Each is named - Machlah, Noa, Choglah, Milkah, and Tirzah - and their voices of protest are recorded. More than being recorded, their voices actually prompt a re-assessment by Moses. This leads to a change in the ancient community's laws of inheritance to include these daughters.
Torah scrolls forward not only to introduce us to stories of progress but also as a metaphor for progress. It scrolls forward to demonstrate society is not frozen; it is open to progress, growth, and change. But only if we act differently.
Progress will come when we break apart the structures of privilege that silence others. Progress will come when we open ourselves to hearing the voices of those who have been silenced. And we will know we have made enough progress when there are no longer obvious answers rooted in the questions, Who is healed? Who is housed? Who is silent? Who speaks?"
This particular MetroCard seems to echo recent news stories about sexual harassment. This extreme misconduct often is hidden (or enabled) when some voices are privileged and others systematically silenced. This MetroCard also seems to echo the arc of this week's Torah narrative, which is among the most profoundly complex interpersonally, emotionally, socially, culturally and nationally of all Torah.
Let's review the Torah narrative: It opens with divine messengers visiting Abraham, in what classic commentators see as a healing visit following Abraham's circumcision at the end of last week's Torah portion. Who is healed?
Who is housed? An angry mob confronts Abraham's nephew, Lot, asking that he turn over some male guests visiting his home. Instead of turning over the guests, Lot tries to appease the crowd by offering to turn over two of his daughters instead. Later, Abraham and Sarah have a son of their own -- second in line to Ishmael, the son Abraham had with Sarah's servant Hagar. Sarah asks Abraham to evict Ishmael. Abraham evicts Hagar and Ishmael.
Who is silent? Who speaks? For the second time in two Torah portions, Abraham asks his wife Sarah to pretend she is his "sister" as a way of protecting himself from a new king. Toward the end of the Torah portion, Abraham sneaks off early in the morning with Isaac to offer up Isaac as a divine sacrifice But he has not had any conversation about his plan with Sarah as either Abraham's wife or Isaac's mother.
Who is missing from these storylines? Missing is the reaction of Lot's daughters to being offered as a sacrifice by their father. Missing is how Sarah feels being passed off (again!) as Abraham’s sister instead of a wife and life partner. Missing is how Hagar and Ishmael feel being evicted by Abraham. Missing is how Sarah feels about Abraham sneaking Isaac out -- or offering him as a divine sacrifice.
So many vital, missing pieces. Each is a powerful reminder that everyone has a story, but not everyone has the privilege to share it. What isn't missing is male privilege. What isn't missing is an alert to the emotionally corrosive impact that male privilege on others. The social structures that reinforce and protect this privilege distort relationships.
One clarion voice on these themes is Rabbi Rachel Barenblat who blogs as Velveteen Rabbi. Barenblat was named by The Forward as "One of America's Most Inspiring Rabbis." I learned so much from her about these missing voices. Barenblat writes about the work of Jackson Katz of Stanford University's Clayman Institute for Gender Research. Katz, who wrote The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help. writes about an opening exercise he used when talking with college groups.
Katz draws a line down the middle of a chalkboard, putting a male symbol on one side and a female symbol on the other. Then he asks just the men, "What steps do you take, on a daily basis, to prevent yourselves from being sexually assaulted?" There is quiet. Some imagine it's a trick question. Sometimes, one of the young men will offer, "I stay out of prison." Others laugh. Often they acknowledge it is not something they think about.
Then Katz asks women the same question. Lots of hands go up. As the men watch in stunned silence, many women share the precautions they consciously take every day, such as "Watch what I wear." "Hold my keys as a potential weapon." "Don't go jogging at night." "Carry mace of pepper spray." "Don't make eye contact with men on the street." "Make assertive eye contact with men on the street." "Go out in groups."
Katz runs this exercise to bring awareness to men about their privilege and its impact on others. For him, bringing this awareness is a first step in addressing it toward eventually balancing it. The exercise also illustrates that everyone has a story, but not everyone has the privilege to share it.
Lest we despair about so many missing voices in Torah, Barenblat reminds us Torah scrolls forward in terms of narrative. Much later in Torah (Numbers 27) we are introduced to the daughters of Tzelophechad. Each is named - Machlah, Noa, Choglah, Milkah, and Tirzah - and their voices of protest are recorded. More than being recorded, their voices actually prompt a re-assessment by Moses. This leads to a change in the ancient community's laws of inheritance to include these daughters.
Torah scrolls forward not only to introduce us to stories of progress but also as a metaphor for progress. It scrolls forward to demonstrate society is not frozen; it is open to progress, growth, and change. But only if we act differently.
Progress will come when we break apart the structures of privilege that silence others. Progress will come when we open ourselves to hearing the voices of those who have been silenced. And we will know we have made enough progress when there are no longer obvious answers rooted in the questions, Who is healed? Who is housed? Who is silent? Who speaks?"
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