Tag: Divinity

Abraham’s Calling

weekly Torah reading: parasha Lech Lecha 5784

“Now the L-RD said unto Abram: ‘Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will show thee.’” – Genesis 12:1, JPS 1917 Tanach

According to the Midrash, Abraham arrived at the realization that there was only one G-d, Who was the Creator and Ruler of all things. He realized this monumental truth, based upon his rational inquiry into the nature of all things. Although his father was an idolater, and the land from where he was from was steeped in idolatry, he was a thinker extraordinaire, who went above and beyond the narrative norm, in search of the truth. Abraham pondered upon the brilliance of the sun that disappeared at night, and the moon that diminished at dawn. Therefore, Abraham realized that there must be a Creator the rules both the sun and the moon.

Another explanation given, as to how Abraham became the first monotheist, is based on a mashal (parable): A sojourner once passed a palace that had a candle burning inside. He asked himself, isn’t there someone in charge of this building? In like manner, Abraham thought to himself, that, surely, there must be someone in charge of the world. In response to Abraham’s inner question, H’Shem replied, “I am the Master of the world.” (Bereishis Rabbah 39).

Going beyond the plain sense of the midrash, the meaning may be further rendered as such: the candle in the mashal (parable) may be understood as symbolic of the soul. According to this rendering, then, Abraham was really asking, Who is the Lord of my life?  Abraham demonstrated that H’Shem was the L-Rd of his life, when in faith, because of his prior introduction to G-d, he responded immediately to G-d’s call. When Abraham was called by H’Shem, lech lecha, to go to a land that would be shown to him, he left everything behind him for the sake of the journey.

Creation Language

“The heavens declare the glory of G-d; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. – Psalms 19:1-2

G-d’s creation is interactive, in the sense that we can hear His voice echoed across the ages since the beginning of time. His words are everlasting, having the effect of bringing us into “right relationship with Him.” Over the course of one’s lifetime, we hopefully grow more mature, and increase in our understanding of the world. Yet, the beginning of wisdom is fear (awe, reverence, and respect) towards the L-RD. Therefore, we may know much, yet comprehend little of the universe, and its designs for the benefit of our spiritual growth. Pray that you will be enlightened to the wisdom from Above. May your soul flourish in His grace and bask in the light of His Presence. Amein.

Cling Ye, Cling Ye

parasha Va’etchanan 5782

“Ye that did cleave unto H’Shem your G-d are alive every one of you this day.” – Deuteronomy 4:4, JPS 1917 Tanach

During Moshe’s thirty-seven-day speech, he prepared B’nei Yisrael to enter the Promised Land. He cautioned them, admonished them, and reminded them in a tactful way of previous sins. Rather than naming the sins, he would mention the place where the transgression occurred.

One such instance that appears  more direct is when he mentions the matter of Baal-Peor, whereof H’Shem punished “all the men that followed the Baal of Peor,” a Midianite deity (Deuteronomy 4:3). He further mentions that those who cleaved to H’Shem, rather than follow the deity, “are alive every one of you this day” (Deuteronomy 4:4, JPS 1917 Tanach).

This juxtaposition makes it clear that those who did not transgress through idolatry and licentiousness were preserved by H’Shem, because they “cleaved” to Him. The Hebrew word used for “cleave,” in this instance, is “deveykus.” The word connotes a “clinging” to H’Shem in the sense of one who is dependent on Him for his sense of well-being.

Furthermore, deveykus is necessary for hitbodedus (Jewish meditation). Within the practice of hitbodedus, one pours out one’s heart to H’Shem, hoping for an answer to all of his prayers. Yet, in complete deveykus, one lives his life in constant acknowledgement of H’Shem. Furthermore, he is able to speak to H’Shem from within his heart in the quiet moments of the day. May we avoid the secular deities of modern society, so that we can cling to H’Shem in our own lives.

A Very Present G-d

The Decalogue Revisited: (Deuteronomy 5:1 – 26)

“The covenant made between G’d and the people at the time did not only include the generation which was an eye-witness to the revelation but that it included all the subsequent generations of Jews throughout the ages.” – R’ Bachya, on Deuteronomy 5:1, sefaria.org

“Future generations who were not present at the time this covenant was made will consider it binding for themselves and conduct themselves accordingly.”

– Sforno, on Deuteronomy 5:3, sefaria.org

פָּנִ֣ים ׀ בְּפָנִ֗ים דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה עִמָּכֶ֛ם בָּהָ֖ר מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֵֽשׁ׃

“Face to face the L-RD spoke to you on the mountain out of the fire.”

– Deuteronomy 5:4, JPS 1985 Tanach, sefaria.org

According to Sforno, the words פנים בפנים that are translated above as “face to face,” may be rendered, ”I have spoken to you revealing many different facets of Myself” (Sforno, on Deuteronomy 5:4, sefaria.org). Thus, perhaps, we may infer that this may be understood as a prooftext for the midrash (textual interpretation), concerning how it is “as if” the L-RD appeared at Sinai to the Children of Israel, like a many-faceted diamond, figuratively speaking, like a “vision within a vision” (R’ Bachya, on Exodus 33:11, sefaria.org).

The teaching inferred from this metaphor, for, indeed, there is no image that can be made of G-d, is that the Words of the L-RD that day were heard by the ears of the multitude of Israel at Sinai, according to the capacity of each individual to receive what was being said. Thus, we have a model, for the manner that we are able to receive the words of scripture today, as if each individual may receive what needs to be learned for the edification of the soul; consequently, this is like receiving a personalized message from G-d.