Chavarah- Jewish Community Learning

A blog of Jewish study and traditions. Notes from classes: Torah Study with Rabbi Marder, Toledot and Shabbaton as well as other details found of interest.

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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Doubt and Faith

Torah Study 3/27
Genesis 15:2-11
The Covenant Between the Parts - Brit bein HaBetarim

Avram has doubts and anxiety
Avram is reassured by God and this brings a bit of tranquility.

But in V 7-8 Avram is once again questioning God

God announces: I am Adonai who brought you out of Ur (parallel to what is to come later)

THE MEANING OF THE TETRAGRAMMATON
This is four Hebrew letters (Yod, He, VaV and He) called the "Tetragrammaton" relates to the verb TO BE.

Reference to Ur – Reference to Avram’s previous test in the furnace -
SR Hirsch – says that this is a foretelling of the future that Avram’s descendants will be enslaved. Just as he escaped from that furnace the decendants will escape from slavery.

Name of God: Adonai Elohim – why the Hebrew is said this way – the vowels in the tetragrammation say Elohim. These two major names for God only appear together 4 times in the Torah.

Teaching that these refer to the two aspects to God’s mastery:
  1. God can override the laws of nature.
  2. God’s power is seen through natural law.

Elohim – associated with Justice
Adonai – associated with Mercy
And the dual name shows the balance that must exist.

Time is united within God – God sees things in all points of time and thus sometimes we don’t see the balance of Justice and Mercy even if it is there.

When bad happens to you – consider what you might learn from it.
When bad happens to others – consider how you can help.

Avram is a questioner.

Book:
Genesis: The Beginning of Desire by Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg
Explores the character of Abraham in depth.
  1. he is praised for his ‘perfect’ faith
  2. he is always expressing doubts and questions.

The Jewish notion of faith – to question then to accept.

Faith is the dynamic process of wrestling with doubt

“Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.”
Helen Keller

Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.” Voltaire

“Any belief worth having must survive doubt”. Isaac Bashevis Singer




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