Liel Leibovitz, How the Talmud Can Change Your Life: Surprisingly Modern Advice from a Very Old Book (W. W. Norton, 2023)

以下是給舊友的電郵節錄

I am confused. On the one hand, it’s because I am unfamiliar with the Rabbinic literature; on the other hand, the method the author uses to present his ideas involves a contemporary story, followed by stories from the Talmud of a similar nature, and then interweaving them into a cohesive narrative. This makes the idea quite difficult to grasp. However, I know that’s how the Talmud functions: legal and non-legal material are interwoven, and concrete precepts and illustrative stories are intertwined.

Another reason I am confused is how the stories end. I am not naïve and straightforward to believe in “and they happily lived there after.” But some stories are just weird. For example, the Bruriah Episode in which the Rabbi told his student to seduce his wife to prove his point. I know the very act itself has something to tell. Well, just my confusion. And Hillel told his disciples that he was going to perform a righteous deed, which turned out to be going to the restroom to defecate. I can’t stop thinking of a parallel in 莊子 道在屎溺. Though some stories are amusing, many stories in the book do not have happy endings.

There are aspects of this book that are well conveyed, for example, a community that not only helps people survive but also learn. Given that the bulk of the Talmud was written after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD70, one can only imagine where the strength of survival came from.

The chapter on friendship is excellent. It recounts the marathon conversation of CS Lewis and Tolkien. However, it revealed how this encouraging, soul-mate type of friendship turned cold, to the point where they no longer spoke to one another. Friendship fatigue? Jealousy? Deep-rooted religious differences? (Catholic vs Anglican).

This book turns out quite different from what I had expected. I’m not saying it’s not a good book, but I initially thought it would be a systematic introduction to the Rabbinic literature. While reading, I occasionally check on some of the terms and people this book mentions. The book could benefit readers if it had a glossary of the Rabbinic terms and people.

Quotable quotes:

“That transformational person, almost by definition, would have to be someone who was strong yet flexible, smart yet humble, determined yet sensitive, common yet exalted.”

“Self-doubt and humility are not only normal but desirable; without them, we run the risk of being devoured by vanity and pride. But self-doubt and humility are only useful if applied conservatively, so that they don’t overpower our innate potential and hamper us from becoming what we were meant to be.”

“A friend, … needed to do three things: help you study Torah, make sure you keep the commandments, and give good advice when needed.”

“The Talmudic model of friendship is an exercise in keeping disagreements simmering and then using the heat they generate to power larger cultural, political, spiritual, and social enterprises, to build rather than consume.”

“. . . havruta, a pairing of two people of equal intellectual capabilities yet very different sensibilities.”

“Rav and Shmuel grew closer the farther apart they were [physically]. . . . free to teach in his own chosen way. . . . Was there real warmth between Rav and Shmuel? Doubtful. Did Tolkien truly care for Lewis, not only as a brilliant reader and promoter but as an intimate? Maybe, and maybe not.”

“But they were also human, which meant that they ran the risk of eventually baser instincts, letting jealousy and acrimony seep in and take the place of camaraderie and shared purposes.”

“to asking questions because asking questions brings clarity, to resisting absolutes because only young children and zealots and machines think in binaries, to connecting to the basic and elemental empathy that reminds us that we’re all in this together, just walking each other home–the answer, too, is you.”

交了論文另一章給導師，希望毋須大加修改。現在動手修訂已發回評語的一章，大概要改的地方不太多，導師甚至親自改動了我的文句，我就照抄可也。

目前的學習生活是早聆聽上主的說話，以及溫習各種語文；下午讀與論文無關的雜書，晚上狀態最佳，環境最靜，用來修改論文。剛開卷的雜書也是舊友介紹的, Liel Leibovitz How the Talmud Can Change Your Life。已讀了一半，其實，還未有心得。他寫的方式是講故事為主，先一個現代故事，再一則Talmud故事，然後古今穿插，綜合說明。可能這種形式我不習慣，很難抓住重點。舊友說不知道猶太文化及傳統是不能發掘Talmud和Midrash的深意。我不能不同意，但書本表達的方式也可能是我難以明白之故。

她說讀的是 Complete Jewish Bible，是一位信耶穌的猶太人寫的。我曾經有過這書，但賣掉了，只保留電子版本。

我說，如果參考猶太觀點的話，我會看牛津大學出版的 Oxford Jewish Bible 及 Jewish Annotated New Testament，因為這兩書不是基督徒寫的，可以看到不同觀點，而且是學者寫的，有提供觀點來源，可自行溯源判斷是非，不會像某些人說這字亞蘭文這樣解，但字典卻查無其義。如果是文物文化背景, 我會參考 Zondervan 及 IVP 的 Background Commentary, 前者五巨冊，後者兩冊，但只能說有時有用。另外也找到了Strack-Billerbeck 編的 Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Midrash ，以前老師說這套書是以今律古，不可憑信，但看了 David Instone-Brewer 的導論，覺得其實可用，但要清楚編者用心而不應濫用。但 Talmud 畢竟是後期的編著，或者新約之前的第二聖殿時期的猶太文化背景更重要。

可以看的書太多，能看書的時間有限，財力、空間也捉襟見肘，我只能選自己可能讀懂的可靠書本。

At the end of the day, 上主不會考問你聖經知多少、能否洞悉宇宙奧秘、是否猜中何時地震、或者聽到上主快來的腳步聲。我覺得像聖小德蘭那樣，在平凡生活中實踐道理，才是真門徒。

申29:29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our children forever, to observe all the words of this law.
。上主要人知道的，應該毋須大費周章去領會吧。

今天讀完了St. Thérèse of Lisieux 的 The Story of a Soul, 開卷三個月，今天才讀畢。說實在的，讀的時候有點眼濕濕。

聖小德蘭是法國 Carmelite 修女，過的是隱修院的生活，終年24歲。The Story of a Soul 其實是她寫給院長的信，可視作自傳，另外也收錄了她給其他人的信。

聖小德蘭出身虔誠的天主教家庭，父親本想修道，但因為拉丁文不濟，被摒門外。婚後育有九名兒女，四名早夭，其他的都做了修女。

聖小德蘭在信中表達的信仰十分單純，在日常小事上實踐信仰，不外乎愛、包容、寛恕、服事… 我估這正是她吸引人的地方。太多的神學理論，只是眩人眼目；希奇古怪的神醫預言，或能引人入勝，但終究是微末小節，而且假的不少。

聖小德蘭「晚年」病痛纏身，但仍堅持盼望。聖保羅說:
2 Cor 12:9 … “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.(NRSVUE)

我覺得，聖小德蘭比那些神醫先知更接近上主。

Benedicta Ward trans. The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian Monks (London: Penguin Books, 2003)

舊友讀書甚多，推薦我看這本，說是入門版，我花了一段時間才讀畢，有點讀禪宗公案的味道。下文是寫給舊友的信的節錄，所以用了英文。

Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline was translated into Chinese in the early 1980s and began a whirlwind. People suddenly became interested in other spiritual traditions. I read the Life of Antony by Athanasius and one or two books of Nouwen at that time. But to be honest, I forgot them all.

Though the stories are grouped under topics, it is difficult to summarize systematic thoughts or practices on a specific topic. It seems to me that monks had their different ways of doing things. So, here are my random thoughts:

1. Their whole life seemed to be fighting against their sin.
2. They were very frank about their sins, from jealousy to fornication. Humility was the highest virtue.
3. They seemed forgiving and understanding. Repentant monks were readily accepted.
4. The cell was their centre of living as a hermit.
5. They lived on the minimum, and some acts seemed to go to extremes (clothing, shelter, food)
6. Flexible towards others but harsh on oneself.
6. Their community life seemed negligent.
7. Mentor-discipleship was the way to teach.

Highlighted sentences
“Keep your tongue and your belly under control.” (1.2)

“If anyone speaks to you on a controversial matter, do not argue with him. If he speaks well, say, “Yes.” If he speaks ill, say, “I don’t know anything about that.” Don’t argue with what he has said, and then your mind will be at peace.” (1.23)

“If a man sits in silence and hears the voice of a bird, he does not have quiet in his heart.” (2.5)

“Go and sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything.” (2.9)

“(Do not live in a crowd) because of the turbulence, he does not see his sins: but when he has been quiet, above all in solitude, then he recognizes his own faults.”(2.16)

“A brother asked Sisois, ‘What am I to do ? When I go to church, love for the brothers often makes me stay to the meal afterwards.’ Sisois said to him, ‘That is burdensome.'” (3.37)

“We ate their meal out of love for them, but when we are on our own let us keep our fast.” (3.40)

“The monk who cannot control his tongue when he is angry, will not control his passions at other times.”(3.49)

“I’ve been a monk for seventy years, and I’ve not been able to get a single day’s peace.” (7.5)

“…’I find that I am at peace, with no war between flesh and spirit.’ The hermit said to him, ‘Go and ask the Lord to stir up a new war in you. Fighting is good for the soul.'”(7.8)

“The character of the genuine monk only appears when he is tempted.” (7.13)

“An open treasury is quickly spent; any virtue will be lost if it is published abroad and is known about everywhere.” (8.19)

“If we always go to excess, the brothers quickly become exhausted. It is sometimes best not to be rigid.” (10.2)

“If the body is prosperous, the soul grows lean; if the body is lean, the soul grows prosperous.” (10.17)

” Evagrius said, ‘A wandering mind is strengthened by reading, and prayer. Passion is dampened down by hunger and work and solitude. Anger is repressed by psalmody and long-suffering and mercy. But all these should be at the proper times and in due measure. If they are used at the wrong times and to excess, they are useful for a short time. But what is only useful for a short time, is harmful in the long run.'” (10.20)

“But the great hermits have tested all these things, and they found that it is good to eat something every day, but on some days a little less. They have shown us that this is the king’s highway, for it is easy and light.” (10.44)

“‘Just as you can’t stop air coming into your lungs, so you can’t stop thoughts coming into your mind. Your part is to resist them.”(10.54)

A brother questioned Poemen and said, ‘How should a monk live in his cell?’ He said, ‘To stay in the cell is this: externally, to work with the hands, eat once a day, keep silence and meditate and, internally, to make progress by remembering your sins wherever you may be, and keeping the hours of prayer, and keeping a watch on the secret thoughts of the heart. If it is time to stop working with the hands, begin to pray and finish your work later in tranquillity. The aim of all this is to be with those who are good and to avoid the company of the wicked.'(10.64)

“Our body is the armour, our soul is the warrior. Take care of both, and you will be ready for whatever comes.”(10.75)

“If ever you oversleep in the morning, get up when you wake, shut the door and the windows, and say your psalms. For it is written, “The day is thine and the night is thine” (Ps. 74:16). God is glorified whatever time it is.”(10.101)

“One hermit visited another hermit and said during their conversation, ‘I’m dead to the world.’ The other said, ‘Don’t be so confident until you have actually died. You may say about yourself that you are dead, but Satan is not dead.'”(11.38)

“Some brothers asked Macarius, ‘How should we pray?’ He said, ‘There is no need to talk much in prayer. Reach out your hands often, and say, “Lord have mercy on me, as you will and as you know.” But if conflict troubles you, say, “Lord, help me.” He knows what is best for us, and has mercy.”(12.10).

“Antony was confused as he meditated upon the depths of God’s judgements, and he asked God, ‘Lord, how is it that some die young and others grow old and sick? Why are there some poor and some rich? Why are there those who are bad and rich and oppress the good poor?’ He heard a voice saying to him, ‘Antony, worry about yourself; these other matters are up to God, and it will not do you any good to know them.'”(15.1)

“Mathois said, ‘The nearer a man comes to God, the more he sees himself to be a sinner. Isaiah the prophet saw the Lord and knew himself to be wretched and unclean (Is. 6:5).'”(15.28)

“A hermit said, ‘I would learn rather than teach.’ He also said, ‘Do not teach too early, or you will have less understanding during the rest of your life.'”(15.81)

“A hermit was asked how it was that some people said they had seen angels. He answered, ‘Blessed is he who always sees his own sins.'”(15.87)

Coptic 是埃及文字，上承古埃及文，下啟…，沒有啟了，因為後來被阿拉伯文取代了，現在只用於宗教禮儀。

Coptic 用希臘字母表音，所以懂希臘字母的話，多認識六七個字母就可以看懂；因受到基督教的影響，所以 Coptic 有很多來自希臘文的 loan word。Coptic 有幾種方言，與古基督教文獻最相關的是 Sahidic 方言。

讀 Coptic，主要出路是研究埃及地區的基督教文獻，那裡是古代隱士的發源地，是後世修道院的濫觴，說不定學懂的話就可以去沙漠修道，了斷凡塵。

Coptic 主禱文

Ϧⲉⲛ ⲫ̀ⲣⲁⲛ ⲙ̀ⲫ̀ⲓⲱⲧ
ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡ̀ϣⲏⲣⲓ
ⲛⲉⲙ Ⲡⲓⲡⲛⲉⲩⲙⲁ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ
ⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ Ⲁⲙⲏⲛ.

Ϫⲉ ⲡⲉⲛⲓⲱⲧ ⲉⲧϧⲉⲛ ⲛⲓⲫⲏⲟⲩⲓ: ⲙⲁⲣⲉϥⲧⲟⲩⲃⲟ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ ⲡⲉⲕⲣⲁⲛ: ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲥⲓ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ ⲧⲉⲕⲙⲉⲧⲟⲩⲣⲟ: ⲡⲉⲧⲉϩⲛⲁⲕ ⲙⲁⲣⲉϥϣⲱⲡⲓ
Ⲙ̀ⲫⲣⲏϯ ϧⲉⲛ ⲧ̀ⲫⲉ ⲛⲉⲙ ϩⲓϫⲉⲛ ⲡⲓⲕⲁϩⲓ: ⲡⲉⲛⲱⲓⲕ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲣⲁⲥϯ ⲙⲏⲓϥ ⲛⲁⲛ ⲙ̀ⲫⲟⲟⲩ:
Ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲭⲁ ⲛⲏⲉⲧⲉⲣⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲛ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ: ⲙ̀ⲫ̀ⲣⲏϯ ϩⲱⲛ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉⲛⲭⲱ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ ⲛ̀ⲛⲏⲉⲧⲉ ⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛ̀ⲧⲁⲛ ⲉⲣⲱⲟⲩ:
Ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲙ̀ⲡⲉⲣⲉⲛⲧⲉⲛ ⲉϧⲟⲩⲛ ⲉ̀ⲡⲓⲣⲁⲥⲙⲟⲥ: ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲛⲁϩⲙⲉⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲁ ⲡⲓⲡⲉⲧϩⲱⲟⲩ:
Ϧⲉⲛ Ⲡⲭ̅ⲥ̅ Ⲓⲏ̅ⲥ̅ Ⲡⲉⲛⲟ̅ⲥ̅.
Ϫⲉ ⲑⲱⲕ ⲧⲉ ϯⲙⲉⲧⲟⲩⲣⲟ ⲛⲉⲙ ϯϫⲟⲙ
ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲓⲱⲟⲩ ϣⲁ ⲉⲛⲉϩ. Ⲁⲙⲏ

研究室裡有一本書的打印本，是林語堂的《從異教徒到基督徒》，大概是之前研究林語堂的研究生留下來的。我見這打印本是單面印的，有百多頁，背面仍是雪白無瑕，可供書寫，所以沒有棄掉。前幾天，偶然翻閱，於是就幾口氣看完了。

我好像讀過這書，是台灣版的，叫《信仰之旅》，可能是四十年前讀過的，但沒有追查是否同一書了，反正內容早已忘記了99.9%。林語堂出身基督教家庭，入讀上海聖約翰大學，英文比中文好，後來到哈佛，最後在德國來比錫取得博士。林語堂曾有意做牧師，好像還讀過一點神學，但後來出教，成為異教徒，在儒釋道之間遊走，最後又返回基督教。

不過應該沒有人會找林語堂去佈道會講見證的了，因為他最後皈依的，似是耶穌的教訓多過教會的道理，最末一章，仍然對教會、教義、神學等大加批判。

最後林語堂回歸基督教，並非被基督教的可信折服、或末日預言等懾服，而是被有愛心的教士降服。

看完了，可以用背面來做草稿紙了。

又:林語堂這書引了不少古書，我用現代的安全觀點看，發現孔孟妄議國政，老莊躺平不作為軟對抗，墨子尋釁滋事，諸子應一律下架，只保留法家著作，以法為教，以吏為師，配合由治及興的主旋律。

又又: 今天參加了個埃及文 Coptic 的網上班，僅八堂，以讀 Gospel of Thomas 為目標，且看有沒有得著。

2025.07.05 中國香港人民廣播電台云：
「律政司司長林定國表示，要培養下一代法治價值觀，最適合由從事青年事務人士及未來的教師著手，教育局或其他機構在提供有關國家憲法、基本法及國安法相關知識方面，已提供了很多書面教材及資料，但教師要警惕不要太依賴教材，變成「人肉錄音機」。

林定國出席法治教育領袖培訓計劃第三階段課程開課致辭時說，教授法治價值觀時，要有信念和信心，真誠相信這是好事，亦要有足夠信心，放膽去說，不會因怕說錯而少說一點，甚至依書直說。」

首先，我是過氣教師，不是他高度表揚的「未來的教師」。第二，他奉勸教師「要警惕不要太依賴(教育局及其他機構提供的)教材，變成「人肉錄音機」。」

假如我是「未來的教師」，我一定會做「人肉錄音機」，「甚至依書直說」。

教得正確，還是教得好，即使愚笨如我也一定會作出安全的選擇。

冬天已至，5點已日落，只會愈來愈黑暗…

「日薄西山，氣息奄奄，人命危淺，朝不慮夕。」(李密 陳情表)

最近回程時，又出現可以網上 check-in 但要到機場櫃位才能領取登機證的情況。這情況屢次出現，但又不是次次如是。

到了機鐵中國香港站的行李託運處，空無一人，我本來想自助，但被系統拒絕，走到櫃位，地勤小姐說我買機票時護照國籍只能填中國，不能填中國香港特別行政區，於是人手替我改動，才能給登機證。

我是根正苗紅的中國香港人，而系統實在有中國香港以及中國兩個選項，我如果選中國，入境不能用ETA，要簽證；選中國香港，才可以申請ETA；可是登機，又要填中國，怪哉！

剛才聽新聞，澳洲有中國香港學生因為被指護照國籍與報名資料不符，被拒考試。

我想，這也是悲哀。中國香港，中國；英國括號海外，英國，九七前出生的中國香港人的一種護照以及一張廢紙，都不是純種。

所以，現實的做法是，學習伊索寓言裡的蝙蝠，正如你我他都知道中國香港的大學學生國際化包辦全球四甲的原因，公然搞…, 但說不得。

懇請特區政府幫幫忙，中國香港護照入境紐西蘭時不能走自助通道，要排長龍到人手櫃位，但中國護照卻可以。請說好中國香港故事，讓中國香港人做超級聯繫人。

又及，中國香港教育局局長解釋中國香港學生創意思維低於全球平均時說，新加坡重視PISA，中國香港則平常心云云。其實，大家心知肚明，不敢，就是創意不足的主因，而不敢的原因，就不敢說了。

同學今早問我畢業後有何計劃。

大哉問!

首先，能否畢業始終是個問號；其次，即使真能順利畢業，也會是兩年之後的事。

雖然暫時體力尚可，但年紀是客觀限制，可做的事不多。如果沒有年紀、經濟、健康、居留條件等限制，當然最想再留學。

但考慮到實際情況，首先，一定要做點事，最好是有時間表的，以免迷失方向；其次，是找點工作，幫補生活費；第三，做義工(不是朝陽..)，貢獻社會。或者重操故業補習，或者教自己學過的外語，或者整理論文自資出版。想想吧，反正註定只有鐵達尼號可以上，登高望遠，與汝同針，好好享受末日的餘暉吧。

早前回中國香港，在水塘見的都是老人，或者這是我的出路；上午遊山，下午找點事情幹，最好有點收入，晚上閉門讀禁書，日復一日，直到…

大概用了三四天，把論文其中一章再次修訂，主要是補充一些尺牘的資料，減省一些外國人學中文的材料，整體方向沒有改變，字數也減不了多少。

今天起就修訂另一章，這一章是重中之重，寫作方式也可以千差萬別，希望導師不會要我大改。我主要是寫教會與官方的交往，有哪些問題，教會遇到問題的解決方法，以及方法是否有效。我的切入角度應該有點新意，主要是材料不同，所以先會寫寫我的方法為何可行，有何好處。至於具體教案，多數寫法都是據教務教案檔、方志等材料敘述成案，我的寫法會更草根，應該或者可能有所不同。我其實有很多時間修改，但這章計劃十一月才呈交，屆時，論文主要的部分都已呈上；明年二月再呈引言結論，五月全文最後一檢，十月呈交。美好大計是這樣。

近日天氣不穩，幾乎天天下雨；昨天今天早上陽光普照，午後又轉陰沉，人也變得沮喪。