Listening for the Voice of God
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ShareWhat does it mean to hear the voice of God? ...and what does it sound like?
Text 1:
This is a passage from the Bible (in the book of Kings) that tells a story about the prophet Elijah. At the beginning of this passage, Elijah is on the run after killing lots of prophets of the Canaanite god Ba'al as part of a competition to prove that Adonai is more powerful/ is actually the one true God. Anyway - the leader of the Ba'al worshippers is really angry about this and calls for Elijah to be killed. So... he's on the run:
וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֙קׇם֙ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־נַפְשׁ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֕א בְּאֵ֥ר שֶׁ֖בַע אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִיהוּדָ֑ה וַיַּנַּ֥ח אֶֽת־נַעֲר֖וֹ שָֽׁם׃ וְהֽוּא־הָלַ֤ךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ י֔וֹם וַיָּבֹ֕א וַיֵּ֕שֶׁב תַּ֖חַת רֹ֣תֶם (אחת) [אֶחָ֑ד] וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל אֶת־נַפְשׁוֹ֙ לָמ֔וּת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ רַ֗ב עַתָּ֤ה יהוה קַ֣ח נַפְשִׁ֔י כִּֽי־לֹא־ט֥וֹב אָנֹכִ֖י מֵאֲבֹתָֽי׃ וַיִּשְׁכַּב֙ וַיִּישַׁ֔ן תַּ֖חַת רֹ֣תֶם אֶחָ֑ד וְהִנֵּה־זֶ֤ה מַלְאָךְ֙ נֹגֵ֣עַ בּ֔וֹ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ ק֥וּם אֱכֽוֹל׃ וַיַּבֵּ֕ט וְהִנֵּ֧ה מְרַאֲשֹׁתָ֛יו עֻגַ֥ת רְצָפִ֖ים וְצַפַּ֣חַת מָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֣אכַל וַיֵּ֔שְׁתְּ וַיָּ֖שׇׁב וַיִּשְׁכָּֽב׃ וַיָּ֩שׇׁב֩ מַלְאַ֨ךְ יהוה ׀ שֵׁנִית֙ וַיִּגַּע־בּ֔וֹ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר ק֣וּם אֱכֹ֑ל כִּ֛י רַ֥ב מִמְּךָ֖ הַדָּֽרֶךְ׃ וַיָּ֖קׇם וַיֹּ֣אכַל וַיִּשְׁתֶּ֑ה וַיֵּ֜לֶךְ בְּכֹ֣חַ ׀ הָאֲכִילָ֣ה הַהִ֗יא אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יוֹם֙ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים לַ֔יְלָה עַ֛ד הַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים חֹרֵֽב׃ וַיָּבֹא־שָׁ֥ם אֶל־הַמְּעָרָ֖ה וַיָּ֣לֶן שָׁ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה דְבַר־יהוה אֵלָ֔יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ מַה־לְּךָ֥ פֹ֖ה אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃ וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ קַנֹּ֨א קִנֵּ֜אתִי לַיהוה ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י צְבָא֗וֹת כִּֽי־עָזְב֤וּ בְרִֽיתְךָ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתֶ֣יךָ הָרָ֔סוּ וְאֶת־נְבִיאֶ֖יךָ הָרְג֣וּ בֶחָ֑רֶב וָאִוָּתֵ֤ר אֲנִי֙ לְבַדִּ֔י וַיְבַקְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י לְקַחְתָּֽהּ׃ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר צֵ֣א וְעָמַדְתָּ֣ בָהָר֮ לִפְנֵ֣י יהוה וְהִנֵּ֧ה יהוה עֹבֵ֗ר וְר֣וּחַ גְּדוֹלָ֡ה וְחָזָ֞ק מְפָרֵק֩ הָרִ֨ים וּמְשַׁבֵּ֤ר סְלָעִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יהוה לֹ֥א בָר֖וּחַ יהוה וְאַחַ֤ר הָר֙וּחַ֙ רַ֔עַשׁ לֹ֥א בָרַ֖עַשׁ יהוה׃ וְאַחַ֤ר הָרַ֙עַשׁ֙ אֵ֔שׁ לֹ֥א בָאֵ֖שׁ יהוה וְאַחַ֣ר הָאֵ֔שׁ ק֖וֹל דְּמָמָ֥ה דַקָּֽה׃ וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיָּ֤לֶט פָּנָיו֙ בְּאַדַּרְתּ֔וֹ וַיֵּצֵ֕א וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הַמְּעָרָ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ ק֔וֹל וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַה־לְּךָ֥ פֹ֖ה אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃
Frightened, Elijah fled at once for his life. He came to Beer-sheba, which is in Judah, and left his servant there; he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush and sat down under it, and prayed that he might die. “Enough!” he cried. “Now, O ETERNAL One, take my life, for I am no better than my predecessors.” He lay down and fell asleep under a broom bush.
Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” He looked about; and there, beside his head, was a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water! He ate and drank, and lay down again.
The angel of GOD came a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” He arose and ate and drank; and with the strength from that meal he walked forty days and forty nights as far as the mountain of God at Horeb.
There he went into a cave, and there he spent the night.
Then the word of GOD came to him: “Why are you here, Elijah?” He replied, “I am moved by zeal for the ETERNAL, the God of Hosts, for the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and put Your prophets to the sword. I alone am left, and they are out to take my life.” “Come out,” He called, “and stand on the mountain before GOD.”
And lo, GOD passed by. There was a great and mighty wind, splitting mountains and shattering rocks by GOD’s power; but GOD was not in the wind. After the wind—an earthquake; but GOD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake—fire; but GOD was not in the fire. And after the fire—a soft murmuring sound. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his mantle about his face and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
Then a voice addressed him: “Now - why are you here, Elijah?” ...
Text 2:
This is a midrash (an ancient rabbinic interpretation) of the first verse of the 10 Commandments, "I, the Eternal, am your God." In it, the rabbis are wondering whether anyone has really heard the voice of God, and if they have, what they heard. They recall or imagine a conversation between skeptical people in the community and Rabbi Simlai, in which Rabbi Simlai challenged on the question of whether there is only one God:
(א) אָנֹכִי יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים ד, לג): הֲשָׁמַע עָם קוֹל אֱלֹהִים, הַמִּינִין שָׁאֲלוּ אֶת רַבִּי שִׂמְלָאי אָמְרוּ לוֹ אֱלֹהוֹת הַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בָּעוֹלָם, אָמַר לָהֶם, לָמָּה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְּתִיב: הֲשָׁמַע עָם קוֹל אֱלֹהִים, אָמַר לָהֶם, שֶׁמָּא כָּתוּב מְדַבְּרִים, אֶלָּא (דברים לד, ג): מְדַבֵּר. אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו, רַבִּי, לָאֵלּוּ דָּחִיתָ בְּקָנֶה רָצוּץ, לָנוּ מָה אַתָּה מֵשִׁיב, חָזַר רַבִּי לֵוִי וּפֵרְשָׁהּ, אָמַר לָהֶם: הֲשָׁמַע עָם קוֹל אֱלֹהִים, כֵּיצַד, אִלּוּ הָיָה כָּתוּב קוֹל יהוה בְּכֹחוֹ, לֹא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד, אֶלָּא (תהלים כט, ד): קוֹל יהוה בַּכֹּחַ, בַּכֹּחַ שֶׁל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, הַבַּחוּרִים לְפִי כֹּחָן וְהַזְּקֵנִים לְפִי כֹּחָן וְהַקְּטַנִּים לְפִי כֹּחָן. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁשְּׁמַעְתֶּם קוֹלוֹת הַרְבֵּה תִּהְיוּ סְבוּרִין שֶׁמָּא אֱלֹהוֹת הַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בַּשָּׁמַיִם, אֶלָּא תִּהְיוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁאֲנִי הוּא יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ה, ו): אָנֹכִי יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ.
(1) “I am Adonai your God, who took you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2). “I am Adonai your God” – that is what is written: “Has a people heard the voice of God [speaking [medaber], and lived?]” (Deuteronomy 4:33). The heretics asked Rabbi Simlai, they said to him: ‘Are there many gods in the world?’ He said to them: ‘Why?’ They said to him: ‘As, it is written: “Has a people heard the voice of God [Elohim]?”’ He said to them: ‘Does it say medaberim? Rather, it says medaber.’ His disciples said to him: ‘Rabbi, you rebuffed them with a smashed reed; what do you respond to us?’ Rabbi Levi then interpreted it, he said to them: ‘“Has a people heard the voice of God” – how so? Had it been written: “The voice of Adonai is with God's might,” the world would have been unable to survive. Rather, “the voice of Adonai is with strength” (Psalms 29:4) – this means, [God's voice is experienced] according to the might or strength of each and every individual, a young person in accordance with their might, the elders in accordance with their might, and little ones according to their might. The Holy One blessed be God said to the people Israel: Do not believe that because you heard many voices, perhaps there are many gods in the heavens, but rather, know that I am the Adonai your God, as it is stated: “I am the Adonai your God”’ (Deuteronomy 5:6).
Text 3:
And this is another interpretation of the same verse (from the beginning of the 10 Commandments) by a different set of ancient sages:
(א) ד"א אנכי יהוה אלהיך. אמר ר' חנינא בר פפא נראה להם הקב"ה פנים זעומות, פנים בינוניות, פנים מסבירות, פנים שוחקות. פנים זעומות למקרא, כשאדם מלמד לבנו תורה חייב ללמדו ביראה, פנים בינוניות למשנה, מסבירות לתלמוד, שוחקות לאגדה, אמר להן הקב"ה אע"פ שאתם רואין כל הדמויות הללו, אנכי יהוה אלהיך. אמר ר' לוי נראה להם הקב"ה כאיקונין הזו שיש להם פנים מכל מקום, אלף בני אדם מביטין בה, והיא מבטת בכולם, כך הקב"ה כשהיה מדבר, כל אחד ואחד מישראל היה אומר עמי היה הדבור, אנכי יהוה אלהיך כתיב, אמר ר' יוסי בר חנינא לפי כחן של כל אחד ואחד היה הדיבור מדבר עמו, ואל תתמה על הדבר הזה, שמצינו במן כשיורד לישראל וכל אחד מהן היה טועמו לפי כחו, הדיבור על אחת כמה וכמה, אמר דוד קול יהוה בכח (תהלים כט ד), בכחו אין כתיב כאן, אלא בכח, בכחו של כל אחד ואחד, בעולם הזה נגאלו ישראל ממצרים ונשתעבדו בבבל, ומבבל למדי, וממדי ליון, ומיון לאדום, ומאדום הקב"ה יגאל אותם ולא ישתעבדו עוד, שנאמר ישראל נושע ביהוה תשועת עולמים [לא תבושו ולא תכלמו עד עולמי עד] (ישעיה מה יז).
(1) Another interpretation (of Exod. 20:2): I AM ADONAI YOUR GOD. R. Hanina bar Pappa said: The Holy One appeared to them with an angry face, with a neutral face, with a friendly face, and with a laughing face. An angry face is for Scripture. When someone teaches his child Torah, they is obligated to teach him/ her with fear. A neutral face is for Mishnah. A friendly face is for Talmud. A laughing one is for Aggadah. The Holy One said to them: Even though you see all these likenesses, (according to Exod. 20:2) I AM ADONAI YOUR GOD. R. Levi said: The Holy One appeared to them as an image with faces on every side. If a thousand people were looking at it, it would be looking back at all of them. So it is with the Holy One. When God spoke, each and every person of the people of Israel said: The Divine Word has been with me [alone]. What is written (in Exod. 20:2) is: I AM ADONAI YOUR GOD (with YOUR in the singular). R. Jose bar Hanina said: It was according to the capacity of each and every person that the Divine Word spoke with them, and do not be surprised at this fact. Since we find in the case of the manna that, when it came down to the Israelites, each one of them savored it according to their own capacity or strengh (koach), how much the more [would the principle apply] with the Divine Word! David said (in Ps. 29:4): THE VOICE OF THE LORD IS IN POWER (koach). "In his power" is not written here, but IN POWER (bakoah), this means, according to the capacity/ strength (bakoah) of each and every person.
Text 4:
This is a commentary by a 20th/21st century Rabbi (who served as the Chief Rabbi of Great Britain). He brings together several concepts or images from earlier Jewish texts into a more contemporary understanding of what it might mean to hear the voice of God, today.
from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
...Judaism is not only a religion of doing-and-speaking; it is also a religion of listening. Faith is the ability to hear the music beneath the noise.
There is the voice of history that was heard by the prophets. And there is the commanding voice of Sinai, that continues to speak to us across the abyss of time...we have lost the habit of listening to the sound of transcendence, a voice beyond the merely human.
...Is there enough listening in the Jewish world today? Do we, in marriage, really listen to our spouses? Do we as parents truly listen to our children? Do we, as leaders, hear the unspoken fears of those we seek to lead? Do we internalize the sense of hurt of the people who feel excluded from the community? Can we really claim to be listening to the voice of God if we fail to listen to the voices of our fellow humans?
From time to time, we need to step back from the noise and hubbub of the social world and create in our hearts the stillness of the desert where, within the silence, we can hear the kol demamah dakah, the still, small voice of God, telling us we are loved, we are heard, we are embraced by God’s everlasting arms, and we are not alone.
Text 5:
Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan (from: The Meaning of God in Modern Religion), early-mid 20th century, Founder of Reconstructionist Judaism
"To become fully human, man has to achieve, on a self-conscious level, a process that operates on a non-conscious level, in all living things, namely, the synthesis of individuation and interaction, or of independence and interdependence. . . Accordingly, God as the power that makes for salvation is the cosmic process of organicity, which, in sub-human creatures, synthesizes individuation and interaction on an unconscious level, and in man, on a conscious level. The function of ethical religion is to translate this idea of God into a way of life that would result in a successful synthesis. Ethical religion is thus a means of character building."
