On Other Gods
Save
Copy
Add to Collection
Export to Google Docs
ShareParasha for Ilé
My baby Ilé was born last year, on the last Shabbat before Rosh Hashana. This reflection on Nitzavim, the last parasha of the Jewish year, is for Ilé.
My baby Ilé was born last year, on the last Shabbat before Rosh Hashana. This reflection on Nitzavim, the last parasha of the Jewish year, is for Ilé.
Other Gods
I find it troubling the focus that this parasha has on punishment, when a person worships other gods. Especially given that Ilé is part of many peoples, with many different names for God, and different beliefs. I struggled as a kid raised Jewish in a multi-faith family, wondering if my relatives of other faiths were wrong for their beliefs.
I find it troubling the focus that this parasha has on punishment, when a person worships other gods. Especially given that Ilé is part of many peoples, with many different names for God, and different beliefs. I struggled as a kid raised Jewish in a multi-faith family, wondering if my relatives of other faiths were wrong for their beliefs.
We hear of the Israelites:
(כה) וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ וַיַּֽעַבְדוּ֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם אֱלֹהִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יְדָע֔וּם וְלֹ֥א חָלַ֖ק לָהֶֽם׃
(25) they turned to the service of other gods and worshiped them, gods whom they had not experienced and whom [God] had not allotted to them.
(כא) וְאָמַ֞ר הַדּ֣וֹר הָאַחֲר֗וֹן בְּנֵיכֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָק֙וּמוּ֙ מֵאַ֣חֲרֵיכֶ֔ם וְהַ֨נׇּכְרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָבֹ֖א מֵאֶ֣רֶץ רְחוֹקָ֑ה וְ֠רָא֠וּ אֶת־מַכּ֞וֹת הָאָ֤רֶץ הַהִוא֙ וְאֶת־תַּ֣חֲלֻאֶ֔יהָ אֲשֶׁר־חִלָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה בָּֽהּ׃ (כב) גׇּפְרִ֣ית וָמֶ֘לַח֮ שְׂרֵפָ֣ה כׇל־אַרְצָהּ֒ לֹ֤א תִזָּרַע֙ וְלֹ֣א תַצְמִ֔חַ וְלֹא־יַעֲלֶ֥ה בָ֖הּ כׇּל־עֵ֑שֶׂב כְּֽמַהְפֵּכַ֞ת סְדֹ֤ם וַעֲמֹרָה֙ אַדְמָ֣ה וּצְבֹיִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר֙ הָפַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּאַפּ֖וֹ וּבַחֲמָתֽוֹ׃
(21) And later generations will ask—the children who succeed you, and foreigners who come from distant lands and see the plagues and diseases that יהוה has inflicted upon that land, (22) all its soil devastated by sulfur and salt, beyond sowing and producing, no grass growing in it, just like the upheaval of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which יהוה overthrew in fierce anger—
Two Key Questions
I talked your grandparents and two of your aunts. I talked to Jews, atheists, Jehova Witnesses, Christians, and Santeros.
I talked your grandparents and two of your aunts. I talked to Jews, atheists, Jehova Witnesses, Christians, and Santeros.
-
Do you know people who believe in other gods? The answer was a resounding no.
-
All religions believe in the same god, but have different ways of talking about it
-
Many religions have different manifestations of good, but only one god. For example, Catholics have the trinity but there is only one god. Santeros have Olofi. Jews have the sefirot.
-
All religions believe in the same god, but have different ways of talking about it
-
Why was this put in the Torah?
-
Word of God
-
This is about power, wanted to maintain control and money
-
Misinterpreted
-
Word of God
(טז) וַתִּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־שִׁקּ֣וּצֵיהֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת גִּלֻּלֵיהֶ֑ם עֵ֣ץ וָאֶ֔בֶן כֶּ֥סֶף וְזָהָ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִמָּהֶֽם׃
(16) and you have seen the detestable things and the fetishes of wood and stone, silver and gold, that they keep.
Wisdom for Ilé
You, sweet baby, are a manifestation of god, just like a tree, the dirt on the ground, a squirrel or bunny in our backyard, or a constellation. The reason I think it's important to remember that God is one, is because god is in each and every one of us. Your great-grandmother Florence used to tell me it isn't so important to believe in God but to do good. That's the covenant with the divine, with the living world around you.
You, sweet baby, are a manifestation of god, just like a tree, the dirt on the ground, a squirrel or bunny in our backyard, or a constellation. The reason I think it's important to remember that God is one, is because god is in each and every one of us. Your great-grandmother Florence used to tell me it isn't so important to believe in God but to do good. That's the covenant with the divine, with the living world around you.
Deuteronomy 30:6 explains that when you uphold your covenant with god:
(ו) וּמָ֨ל יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖ וְאֶת־לְבַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ לְמַ֥עַן חַיֶּֽיךָ׃
(6) Then your God יהוה will open up your heart and the hearts of your offspring—to love your God יהוה with all your heart and soul, in order that you may live.
Many thinkers focus on this part of the parasha, Deuteronomy 30:11-14, which explains it is easy for Jews to uphold our covenant with god:
(יא) כִּ֚י הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לֹא־נִפְלֵ֥את הִוא֙ מִמְּךָ֔ וְלֹ֥א רְחֹקָ֖ה הִֽוא׃ (יב) לֹ֥א בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֤נוּ הַשָּׁמַ֙יְמָה֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ (יג) וְלֹא־מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲבׇר־לָ֜נוּ אֶל־עֵ֤בֶר הַיָּם֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ (יד) כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃ {ס}
(11) Surely, this Instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach. (12) It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” (13) Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” (14) No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.
Final Question
Why do some Jewish spaces continue to focus on the belief in one god as a unique characteristic of Judaism?
Why do some Jewish spaces continue to focus on the belief in one god as a unique characteristic of Judaism?
I'd love to continue the conversation. You can email me at respinola at aleph-ordination.org.
