Reckoning with God The Call November 30th, 2022

The Existential Map is Large-- not Defined by One Thing

(כ) וַיִּ֥בֶן נֹ֛חַ מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַֽיהוה וַיִּקַּ֞ח מִכֹּ֣ל ׀ הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה הַטְּהֹרָ֗ה וּמִכֹּל֙ הָע֣וֹף הַטָּה֔וֹר וַיַּ֥עַל עֹלֹ֖ת בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ (כא) וַיָּ֣רַח יהוה אֶת־רֵ֣יחַ הַנִּיחֹ֒חַ֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יהוה אֶל־לִבּ֗וֹ לֹֽא־אֹ֠סִ֠ף לְקַלֵּ֨ל ע֤וֹד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ בַּעֲב֣וּר הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֠י יֵ֣צֶר לֵ֧ב הָאָדָ֛ם רַ֖ע מִנְּעֻרָ֑יו וְלֹֽא־אֹסִ֥ף ע֛וֹד לְהַכּ֥וֹת אֶת־כׇּל־חַ֖י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִֽׂיתִי׃ (כב) עֹ֖ד כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ זֶ֡רַע וְ֠קָצִ֠יר וְקֹ֨ר וָחֹ֜ם וְקַ֧יִץ וָחֹ֛רֶף וְי֥וֹם וָלַ֖יְלָה לֹ֥א יִשְׁבֹּֽתוּ׃

Genesis 8:20-22

(20) Then Noah built an altar to יהוה and, taking of every pure animal and of every pure bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar. (21) יהוה smelled the pleasing odor, and יהוה resolved: “Never again will I doom the earth because of humankind, since the devisings of the human mind are evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living being, as I have done. (22) So long as the earth endures, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Summer and winter, Day and night Shall not cease.”

Coping with Crisis Spiritually

From the Diaries of Etty Hillesum

Early in 1942

“There are few illusions left to us,” “Life is going to be very hard […] We shall have to steel ourselves inwardly more and more.”

A few months later:

“The threat grows ever greater, and terror increases from day to day.” (Food was rationed; barred from transport systems, she had to walk everywhere wearing a star, her feet were always blistered, people disappeared.) “I draw prayer round me like a protective wall, withdraw inside it as one might into a convent cell and then step outside again, calmer and stronger and more collected again.”

On July 3rd 1942 she wrote:

“What they (the Nazis) are after is our total destruction. I accept it. I know it now and I shall not burden others with my fears. I shall not be bitter if others fail to grasp what is happening to us Jews. I work and continue to live with the same conviction, and I find life meaningful – yes, meaningful – although I hardly dare say so in company these days. Living and dying, sorrow and joy, the blisters on my feet and the jasmine behind the house, the persecution, the unspeakable horrors – it is all as one in me, and I accept it all as one mighty whole… ”

Hearing the Call

With God’s opening words to Abraham The Torah reminds us That the journey forward And the journey inward Are simultaneous and inseparable. This is the deep grammar of Lech Lecha".

Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld, from her installation as President at Hebrew College

https://hebrewcollege.edu/hebrew-college-presidential-installation-words-of-reflection-and-hope/

The Context for the Call

בראשית י״א:כ״ד-ל״ה

וַיְחִ֣י נָח֔וֹר תֵּ֥שַׁע וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־תָּֽרַח׃ וַיְחִ֣י נָח֗וֹר אַחֲרֵי֙ הוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־תֶּ֔רַח תְּשַֽׁע־עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה שָׁנָ֖ה וּמְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃ {ס} וַֽיְחִי־תֶ֖רַח שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֙וֹלֶד֙ אֶת־אַבְרָ֔ם אֶת־נָח֖וֹר וְאֶת־הָרָֽן׃ וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת תֶּ֔רַח תֶּ֚רַח הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־אַבְרָ֔ם אֶת־נָח֖וֹר וְאֶת־הָרָ֑ן וְהָרָ֖ן הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־לֽוֹט׃ וַיָּ֣מׇת הָרָ֔ן עַל־פְּנֵ֖י תֶּ֣רַח אָבִ֑יו בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מוֹלַדְתּ֖וֹ בְּא֥וּר כַּשְׂדִּֽים׃ וַיִּקַּ֨ח אַבְרָ֧ם וְנָח֛וֹר לָהֶ֖ם נָשִׁ֑ים שֵׁ֤ם אֵֽשֶׁת־אַבְרָם֙ שָׂרָ֔י וְשֵׁ֤ם אֵֽשֶׁת־נָחוֹר֙ מִלְכָּ֔ה בַּת־הָרָ֥ן אֲבִֽי־מִלְכָּ֖ה וַֽאֲבִ֥י יִסְכָּֽה׃ וַתְּהִ֥י שָׂרַ֖י עֲקָרָ֑ה אֵ֥ין לָ֖הּ וָלָֽד׃ וַיִּקַּ֨ח תֶּ֜רַח אֶת־אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֗וֹ וְאֶת־ל֤וֹט בֶּן־הָרָן֙ בֶּן־בְּנ֔וֹ וְאֵת֙ שָׂרַ֣י כַּלָּת֔וֹ אֵ֖שֶׁת אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֑וֹ וַיֵּצְא֨וּ אִתָּ֜ם מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ עַד־חָרָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם׃ וַיִּהְי֣וּ יְמֵי־תֶ֔רַח חָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים וּמָאתַ֣יִם שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּ֥מׇת תֶּ֖רַח בְּחָרָֽן׃ {פ}

Genesis 11:24-35

When Nahor had lived 29 years, he begot Terah. After the birth of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and begot sons and daughters. When Terah had lived 70 years, he begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Now this is the line of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begot Lot. Haran died in the lifetime of his father Terah, in his native land, Ur of the Chaldeans. Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves, the name of Abram’s wife being Sarai and that of Nahor’s wife Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah. Now Sarai was barren, she had no child. Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and they set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan; but when they had come as far as Haran, they settled there. The days of Terah came to 205 years; and Terah died in Haran.

The Call

בראשית י״ב:א׳-ה׳

(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יהוה אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃ (ב) וְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ֙ לְג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל וַאֲבָ֣רֶכְךָ֔ וַאֲגַדְּלָ֖ה שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וֶהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה׃ (ג) וַאֲבָֽרְכָה֙ מְבָ֣רְכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ (ד) וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ יהוה וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִתּ֖וֹ ל֑וֹט וְאַבְרָ֗ם בֶּן־חָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּצֵאת֖וֹ מֵחָרָֽן׃ (ה) וַיִּקַּ֣ח אַבְרָם֩ אֶת־שָׂרַ֨י אִשְׁתּ֜וֹ וְאֶת־ל֣וֹט בֶּן־אָחִ֗יו וְאֶת־כׇּל־רְכוּשָׁם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָכָ֔שׁוּ וְאֶת־הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֣וּ בְחָרָ֑ן וַיֵּצְא֗וּ לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אַ֥רְצָה כְּנָֽעַן׃

Genesis 12:1-5

(1) יהוה said to Abram, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. (2) I will make of you a great nation,And I will bless you;I will make your name great,And you shall be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless youAnd curse the one who curses you;And all the families of the earthShall bless themselves by you.” (4) Abram went forth as יהוה had commanded him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (5) Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the wealth that they had amassed, and the persons that they had acquired in Haran; and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in the land of Canaan,

Hevrutah questions:

1. What do you think the Ma'or Veshemesh means by "rote"?

2. How does that relate to there being many names for God?

3. What do you think this statement means? And means for you?

".....they should learn from the ancestors that each must worship God in his or her own way, and struggle to perceive his own reality, and not follow commandments through rote learning and observance. Therefore each individual must call Me by a name that is in accord with his or her own spiritual qualities."

Ma’or Vashemesh, Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Epstein, Krakow, Poland (1754-1823), Parashat ShemotThis was the holy path of Abraham our father, peace be upon him, who did not want to observe “a commandment that has been learned by rote” (Isaiah 29:13), that is, he did not want to learn from his father Terach to worship in an idolatrous manner. Rather, he wanted to ascertain reality through his own effort and his own capacity. So it was that at first he thought the sun was the Sovereign over everything. And then he saw it setting on one day, and on the next day, he saw it rising from the east just as on the previous day, and so he came to understand that the sun must also have a Sovereign and a Master. And so too with the moon and the stars and all of the planets – until he attained, from the depth of his own wisdom, an awareness of the Holy Blessed One, who is Sovereign and Creator of all. In the same way, when Isaac our father saw Abraham his father, he did not want to follow commandments that have been learned only by rote or by habit. So he too followed in Abraham’s path, and investigated the reality of Divinity according to his own holy path, until he perceived the reality of the Blessed Holy One. And similarly, Jacob did not want to follow commandments that have been learned only by rote or by habit, doing like the previous generation without coming to an understanding through his own intellectual and spiritual capacity. This is why there are many names for God. For everyone, must worship God in his or her own way and must find his or her own name for the Holy Blessed One. And so, Abraham our father, peace be upon him, whose worship was characterized by the attribute of love and kindness, and by the recognition of God’s greatness, called God “hagadol” (“the Great One”). And Isaac, whose worship was characterized by the attribute of awe and fear, called God “hagibor” (“the Mighty One”). And Jacob, in his own way, worshipped by calling God “hanora” (“the Awesome One”). This is the source of “hagadol, hagibor, v’hanora.” “The great, mighty, and awesome One”. This suggests that each one of the ancestors called God according to his or her own spiritual qualities and capacities. In this way, we come to explain what Moses said to the Blessed Holy One when he spoke of Israel asking for God’s name. When they ask what they should call You, they are asking what they should call You, given their own spiritual qualities, that they may be able to worship You according to those qualities. That is what it means when Moses asks: “What is His Name?” and “What shall I say to them? (Exodus 3:13) And God said to Moses, “Ehyeh asher Ehyeh. I will be what I will be. And He said, “So shall you speak to the children of Israel: Ehyeh [I will be] sent me to you.” (Exodus 3:14) The meaning of the name Ehyeh is: “I will be called by each person according to his or her own spiritual qualities.By this, God meant: “Say to them that they should not follow the commandments only through rote learning and observance. They should each learn from you to worship me with the name that reflects their own spiritual qualities. Therefore, God continued by saying, “The God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:15). God has a unique relationship with each individual. That is to say – they should learn from the ancestors that each must worship God in his or her own way, and struggle to perceive his own reality, and not follow commandments through rote learning and observance. Therefore each individual must call Me by a name that is in accord with his or her own spiritual qualities.

And so, after this, God said to Moses: “This is My name forever, and this is My memorial unto all generations” (Exodus 3:15). By this, God meant: “The nameEhyeh is a holy name, it is a name that is hidden and secret and wondrous and not yet revealed. And this is My memorial unto all generations – this is what it means to remember God – to teach that in each generation, including all generations to come, I will be called by each person according to his or her own qualities and capacities.

כולנו בני אברהםאנחנו כולנו בני אברהםאבל אנחנו גם הנכדים של תרח, אבי אברהםועכשיו אולי הגיע זמן הנכדים לעשותלאביהם מה שהוא עשה לאביוששבר את תרפיו ואליליו, את דתו ואמונתואבל גם זאת תהיה התחלת דת חדשה

We Are All Children of Abraham We are all children of Abrahambut we are also the grandchildren of Terah, Abraham‟s father.And now, perhaps, the time has come for the grandchildren to doto their father what he did to his fatherwhen he broke his statues and idols, his religion and faith.But this, too, will be the beginning of a new religion.Yehuda Amichai

Dianne Cohler-Esses

Part of Collections

Romemu: Beit Midrash