God's Feelings
Deuteronomy 32:26-27 R. Citrin led class
God is ‘in a hard place’.
This part depicts our God as having very human feelings: zealous, jealous and wants to be recognized.
The question: Should the Israelis win or loose against their enemies?
God uses the enemies as an instrument of punishment for their turning from God’s teachings. But that might just not work to really show God’s power. And it might work for the enemies to think that God of the Israelites is weak.
OTOH (on the other hand) If they win, then it shows God’s power but fails to punish the Israelites as planned and doesn’t really teach them to mend their ways.
And there is the other question - ‘why should God care what the pagans think?’
As Sandy pointed out this is the dilemma of the ‘carrot and the stick’ concept.
When incentives stop working then will the stick do more to teach the lesson?
James reminded us of all the previous times that Moses came to the rescue of the Israelites when God was about to give up on them. But we know that Moses will not be there next time.
R. Micah noted that the Talmud describes God’s typical day – definitely anthropomorphic - but it makes God one that learns and responds to both God’s needs and the needs of the people.
But this brings more questions:
Why does God need us?
Are we in God’s image? OR is God in our image?
Harve did an analogy to a new start up in Silicon Valley! - those who start the organization sometimes get to a point where they have to get rid of those that are straying from the objectives so that the organization can stay strong and reach the goals.
In our effort to continue to try to understand, as Job tells us in the prophets, we just don’t understand and that is the way it is.
There is the notion of ‘Hope and Despair’ - it is our tradition to maintain the ‘hope’ side of this equation.
And as the discussion came full circle we were reminded that God’s strength is reflected by the strength of the people who follow . . .
We sanctify God through our deeds.
God is ‘in a hard place’.
This part depicts our God as having very human feelings: zealous, jealous and wants to be recognized.
The question: Should the Israelis win or loose against their enemies?
God uses the enemies as an instrument of punishment for their turning from God’s teachings. But that might just not work to really show God’s power. And it might work for the enemies to think that God of the Israelites is weak.
OTOH (on the other hand) If they win, then it shows God’s power but fails to punish the Israelites as planned and doesn’t really teach them to mend their ways.
And there is the other question - ‘why should God care what the pagans think?’
As Sandy pointed out this is the dilemma of the ‘carrot and the stick’ concept.
When incentives stop working then will the stick do more to teach the lesson?
James reminded us of all the previous times that Moses came to the rescue of the Israelites when God was about to give up on them. But we know that Moses will not be there next time.
R. Micah noted that the Talmud describes God’s typical day – definitely anthropomorphic - but it makes God one that learns and responds to both God’s needs and the needs of the people.
But this brings more questions:
Why does God need us?
Are we in God’s image? OR is God in our image?
Harve did an analogy to a new start up in Silicon Valley! - those who start the organization sometimes get to a point where they have to get rid of those that are straying from the objectives so that the organization can stay strong and reach the goals.
In our effort to continue to try to understand, as Job tells us in the prophets, we just don’t understand and that is the way it is.
There is the notion of ‘Hope and Despair’ - it is our tradition to maintain the ‘hope’ side of this equation.
And as the discussion came full circle we were reminded that God’s strength is reflected by the strength of the people who follow . . .
We sanctify God through our deeds.
posted by Chavarah @ 7:00 AM
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