Our hearts and prayer go out to all of those who are suffering due to the immense destruction and loss of life caused by Typhoon Haiyan that hit the Philippines earlier this week. Jewish tradition teaches that we have a responsibility to help those in need during times of trouble and distress. If you have not already done so, please consider making a donation today. There are many ways to donate to relief, but here are two options if you want to do so through a Jewish organization.
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee:
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In the beginning of this week’s parsha we have one of my favorite scenes in the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. As Jacob anxiously prepares to meet with his brother Esau for the first time since stealing his birthright and firstborn blessing, he sends his family out of harms’ way across the Jabbok river, and is left alone in the still of the night. It is in that moment that he has a strange encounter in which he wrestles with a seemingly divine being (God, an angel of God- the text is somewhat ambiguous) and refuses to let go until he receives a blessing. During the struggle, the angel tells Jacob that his name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel
ki sarita im anashim v’im anashim, v’tuchal-
for you have striven with beings, divine and human, and have prevailed.
I often use this narrative to talk about the idea that as Jews, we are meant to struggle, and wrestle with God and it is through that struggling that we develop a closer relationship with God. Faith is not easy. Judaism teaches that we can be angry with God, feel close to God, question God’s existence or wonder about God’s essence- but we must always strive to be in relationship with God. With that in mind, here are some questions to consider:
1. When was the last time that you thought about God?
2. When was the last time that you read about anything about Jewish theology? Are your opinions about God based on what you learned in Hebrew school many years ago, or do you have a more mature understanding of the complex Jewish teachings about the role of God in our life and in our world?
3. When was the last time that you spoke to you children, or your partner about God?
4. When was the last time that you prayed in order to connect with God?
If you are interested in reading more about this topic, here are a few books that I would recommend. Pick one, add it to you Hanukkah wish list, and start from there.
a. Artson, God of Becoming and Relationship, The Dynamic nature of
b. Cosgrove, Jewish Theology in Our Time
c. Kushner, When Children Ask About God,
d. Kushner, When Bad Things Happen to Good People
e. Sonsina, Syme, Finding God
f. Wolpe, Why Faith Matters
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, the Kotzer Rebbe, used to teach: Where is God? God is wherever we let God in? I challenge and invite you to take a few moments this week to think about God and the role that God plays in your life. When was the last time that you let God in? And how might you begin trying to wrestle with the role that God plays in your life?
As always, I am happy to discuss this topic with you. Please feel free to e-mail or call to set up an appointment and we can wrestle with this topic together.