Sacks - I Have Something To Tell You. The Importance of Articulation of Acknowledgement and Admission and the Life Journey. A Meditation and Commentary on Psalm 32.

2010·10.7 MB·English

by  Joseph Baruch Sacks

"| Have Something to Tell You": The Importance of Articulation
of Acknowledgment and Admission and the Life Jaurney

‘A Meditation and Commentary on Psalm 32

A Professional Projact
Presented to the Faculty

Glaremont School of Theology

im Partial Futfiiment,
Of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Ministry

By
Joseph Banich Sacks

May 2010
#200
Joseph Baruch Sacks

ALL. RIGHTS RESERVED
his professional projece completed hy

JOSEVU BARUCH SACKS

hha been preveoned to aad accepted by the
Tagully of Clevemon! School of Thoalegy in
aval fuller of the reqpieemnls oF the

DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

Faculty Committee
Marvia A. Sweeney, Chairperson
‘Tami Schneider

Dean of the Faculty
Stsan 1. Nelo

May 2010
AgsTRAGT
“1 Have Something to Tell You": The Importance of Aticulation
of Acknawledgment and Admission and the Life Journey
‘A Meditation and Commentary on Psalm 32
by

Joseph Baruch Sacks

This project finds the growing neglect of Psalms, within the Jewish
‘community for personel reflection, communal study or personal prayer in favor of

other types of materi

ontemporary writers of various faiths for personal
reflection and rabbinic erature for communat study chosen usually to begin
discussion of a partcular sacalissue. Psalms used in prayer are ether glossed
over or celebrated musically with ite or na attention given to the psalm's
meaning

This thesis tries to show how Pealms served a the popular mental health
readers of ts day through study of ana particular psaim, Pratm 32. This psalm
posite that human beings grow and evolve through a three-stage process: one,
awareness thal one's perscnal anguish is nat primarily medicall-based
{allhough one may exhibil physical symptoms) bul emotionally- and spitually-
based; two, that one must undergo serious sett-eflection that leads to verbal
sharing with all appropriate cthers. including Gld (however understood): and
three, that upon daing so, one nat only feels an immediate sense of release and

relief but starts to tive more joyfully, a path that reaches an apex of sort in one’s
abilty to rein community and conbibute to ity sharing one's journey and
supporting others in theirs. This process is one that needs renewing throughout
‘one's Ife journey, and the more one fives faithful in response to this cal, the
more one can ive with deep satisfaction and gratification lor the git of ita

‘This thesis serves as 2 “Meditation and Commentary by leting the biblical
text itself and the presumed psalmist (distinc! ftom the author) speak of the
pealiists Ife, This meditation and commentary sick lowe to the text but ty to
focus on the spiritual moment and is implications even while remaining in
conversation with biblical scholarship, classical and curent,

The thesis will demonstrate the universal applcabilty of the psabmist's
jaumey by making an analogy to two distinct groups of people: those discovering
thal they have an addiction and must struggle toward recovery, on the one hand,

and those discovering that their sexual orientation or gender identity do not ft

societal "norins” and struggle to come out to live more fully and joyfully.

Finally this project attempts to chow that the process for an individuat
within a community may serve as an analogy to the process that communities

within a society may need to undergo.
Acknowledgments,

J am deeply grateful to the Claremont School af Theology for affording me
the opportunity to learn within the warm community and open environment where
| could grow personally, intellectually and spiritually

| pariculary wish to acknowledge Marv Smeeney. professor, mentor
guide and friend who continues to challenge and inspire me as a model not only
of erudition, caring, humility, and hurmor, but, above all, a model mensh. He
engaged me encuuragingly and helpfully throughout my time here, inside and
‘outside ofthe classroom and! healed my Academic Gommittee for this project,
particularly with the biblical scholarship that I attempt herein,

Tammi Schneier taught a number of classes that have helped re
tremendously in engaging the biblical text, and she graciously served as a
member of my Academic Cammitige, offering her genial and genuine support
‘and her always germane feedback on this project, paficulary with my thinking
through the Iinkages to worship and epirtualty

Kethuyn Greider served as a reader, and she particularly challenged me to
refleot more deeply on the psychological aspects of this project and an the
applications | have tied to make. Her attention to detall and to argumentation
"were especially helpful for me to bring more ofthe threads together.

My colleague and fiend Eli Shochet of the Academy for the Jewish
Religion, Califomia (AJRCA) also read an early draft ofthis project. He offered
me cogent feedback regarding the interplay ofthe personal and the scholadly

\within this paper, and he particularly inspired me to locate the relevant voices,
among the medieval Jewish philosophical masters.

The registrar, Jonnie Allen, went above and beyond in her encouragement
and help in ensuring {complete not only this project but this program. Her grace
and patience are Jobian

My close fiend Fran Lande gave of her indefatigable support and was
always generous wih her ears, head and heart to help me think through various
ideas | struggled with on many aspects ofthis project

Elaine Walker wairly gave of her fime, offering me her considered
feedback on the mechanics f research.

My mother, Rebecca Sacks, has unconditionally offered her lave, suppart
and encouragerent inal do, including all my efforts at CST and, especialy,
wth this project

Of course I bear fll esponsibility forall aspects ofthis project

Finally | must acknowledge my life partner, Steven Karas, who, in his
special way, prodded me and encouraged me. He and aur son Evan tolerated ali
the time | invested in his project, and they colebrats its completion for all the

right and for all the obvious reasons,
‘Table of Contants
Chapter Page
1. Introduction: The Need for Extended Reflection on Pealm 32... 1

My Connection to Psalm 32

This Paper—Why and What.

This Paper's Organization

A Preliminary Note on Language.

My Admission Matters—Transiation of Psaim 32.

2. Explaining the Psalm as a Whole: Mechanies Contibute to Meaning

Importance of Psalm 22. 16
Psalm Type. 17
Structure, 20

3. Looking Back on the Journey (Wy. 1-2:

From Awareness to Admission to Fargivenass, 22
LDavia. 22
Mash Life LeBS0N. sss cev on . . 22
Ashreifevolving people... ar

Quostions to ponder: 38
Ashrei._fo avonfEvalving People... accounts no distortion ..accce sc... 38
Pesha...Chet...AvonDefiance... Off Track...Distartion, a7
Nsui...K’sut..Jo yachshoviifted...back on track....accounts ne. 40
Excursus 1: Cain and Our Psalmist, al
N'suispesha, k’sui chata'sh...4o yach-shov io avonAuhose defiance
is ied, whose life is back on track... accounts no distortion. 46
Excursus 2: Abraham and Our Reputed Psalmist. 49
Vein b'rucho rnniyafand whose life-spirit contains no deceit. 61

4, The Three Stages of the Psalmist's Joumey (Vv. 3-P).ccr cannes 59
Stage 1: Getting to Awareness (Wv. 2-4) 80
Balu atsamay/ly bones atrophied cooenineeneee 8

Hecherash-t...b'sha-ageti ko! hayornd kept silent.
while | grumbled, constantly, . cee
Ki yomam vatayla fioh-bad alay yadechal

For day and night Your Hand weighed on me, cal
Hafach 'shadiiMy vitals dried up. 72
B’charvonei kaylteAsummers tomidlty 74
Stage 2: Getting to and Offering

‘Acknowledgment/Admission (V.5) 78
Excursus 3: Adam and Our Psalm 83
Va-avon’ io chisitiAMy distortedness | do not hide. a9
Amartil hereby declare. 90
(Odo alot admit... ae 95
P'sha'ay/My defiances. 88
Avon chatali/The distortedness of my straying 98
Selah, 88
Exouraus 4: The Artistry of Acknowledgment-—

‘Abraham, Our Psalmist and Moses. 98
‘The importance of verbal articulation: The Work of MIQ!OM.....e.0.n-104
Verbal Articulation and Jewish Tradition.,.-o-ssvsvie 104
Witten Articulation: The Work af Dr. James Pennebaker. a1
Indirect Admission: Verbal or Written 113
How Much Admission Is Appropriate to Make?

‘Yora, Ashamnu and Al Ghet. and Psalm 19... 119

‘Questions to ponder. conse 2431
Stage 3: Sharing the Feeling (Vv. 6-7). 492
Atzot/Therefore, 194
VitspatletLet (the kindness-seeking) examine thelr lives 196

Chasidkindness-striving.
Leif mitso/at the moment af discovering,

RaksTeuly.

‘Mayim rabiménighty waters.

Ata seiter I/You are a hiding place for me.

Mi-tsar tts-remi#rom narrow straits You release me.

Excursus 5: The Intertextuafity of Psalms 31, 32 and 27. 150
Rane’ faletveuphoric refrains of rescue. 184
5. Ihe Call ta Community (Vv. 8-11). , 6B

The Encouragement ta Others (Ww. 6-10), 156
Ashilcha vor-cha..patsa/share, offer, will not close.

Derechthe path...

Psalm 32 and Psalm 1

;eeetsa alocha einil will not close an eye ta your

Al th’yuS0) do act be.

K’sus Wferedfike a horse or mula,

Alth’yu k'sus k'fered._.K'rov ellecha/So da not be lke a horse or
mule...otherwise, not nearing you.

ba! Kro¥ itacha/otherwise, not nearing you.

Rebio mactiovim ta-rashal

‘Mighty are the sorrows of the wayward,

Excursus 6: Waywardness and Society,

Chesed y'sov'venuoving kindness surrounds them.
‘Our Psalm and the Thirteen Attibutes of Gld......
Admission, Faith and Trust
Trust and Loving Kindness...

‘Questions to ponder...

The Closing Call to Rejoice: A Motivational Chant (V.11)

Excursus 7: Psalms 32, 99, 97 and Yom
‘The Exemplary and the Upright.

ippur.

6. The Psalmist's Journey is Everyone's Journey: Specifie Applications,

First Application: The Psalmist and the Addict.

‘Second Application: The Psalmist and the Corning Gut Pracess

for GLET persons.

7, The Psalmist and Community,

Communal Use of the Psalm
‘The Psaimist's program,

Index of Hebrew Biblical Passages.
Index of Other Sacred Writings.
Index of Authors...

Bibliography.

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