Kedoshim

When God Becomes an Excuse for Fear

The Danger of Confusing Transcendence with Habit

by: Rabbi YY Jacobson

Every evening I turn my worries over to God. He's going to be up all night anyway.

-- Mary C. Crowley

God loved the birds and invented trees. Man loved the birds and invented cages.

-- Jacques Deval

“Do not make yourselves gods out of cast metal (1),” the Torah instructs us in the portion of Kedoshim.

How could an intelligent person believe that a piece of metal is god? We could perhaps appreciate how ancient pagan societies attributed divine qualities to powerful, transcendent forces of nature, like the Zodiac signs, the sun, the moon, various galaxies, the wind, fire, water, etc. But why would a thoughtful human being believe god could be fashioned out of cast metal?

Even if we can explain how in the ancient, pagan world such an idea could be entertained seriously, how does this commandment in Torah –a timeless blueprint for human life - apply to our lives today?

I once encountered a beautiful interpretation to these words (2), which is profoundly relevant to the human psyche in all times. What this biblical verse – “Do not make yourselves gods out of cast metal” -- is telling us is not to construct a god of a lifestyle and a weltanschauung that has become like “cast metal;” one that is cast and solidified in a fixed mold.

A natural human tendency is to worship that which we have become comfortable with. We worship our habits, patterns, attitudes, routines and inclinations simply because we have accustomed ourselves to them and they are part of our lives. People love that which does not surprise them; we want to enjoy a god that suits our philosophical and emotional paradigms and comfort zones. We tend to embrace the fixed, unchangeable and permanent molten god.

Comes the Torah and says: Do not turn your pre-established mold into your god. Do not turn your habits, natural patterns of thought, fears, inclinations or addictions into a deity. Life is about challenge, growth and mystery. Never say, “This is the way I am; this is the way I do things, I cannot change.” Never think, “This is the world view I am comfortable with; any other way must be wrong.” Rather, you ought to muster the courage to challenge every instinct, temptation and convention; question every dogma, including dogmas that speak in the name of open mindedness, and are embraced simply because you fall back on that which you have been taught again and again. Let your life not become enslaved to a particular pattern just because it has been that way for many years or decades. G-d, the real G-d, is not defined by any conventions; let your soul, too, not be confined by any external conventions. Experience the freedom of your creator.

Judaism never articulated who G-d is and what G-d looks like. What it did teach us is what G-d does NOT look like: G-d ought never to be defined by any image we attribute to Him, hewn by the instruments of our conscious or subconscious needs and aspirations. In Jewish philosophy, never mind in Kabbalah and Chassidic thought, we never speak of what G-d is; only of what He is not: G-d is not an extension of my being or imagination (3).

The common Yiddish term for G-d used by some of the greatest Jewish mystics, thinkers and holy men is “Oybershter,” which means “higher.” Not Creator, not Master, not All-Powerful, etc, but “higher.” What this term represents is this idea: I do not know what He is; all I know is that whatever my definition of truth and reality, whatever my definition for G-d -- he is “higher” than that. All I know is that I do not know (4).

Thus, to be open to the G-d of the Hebrew Bible means to be open to never ending mystery, infinite grandeur, limitless sublimity and possibility; it is the profound readiness at every moment of life to open ourselves to transcendence. And what was transcendent yesterday -- can become a form of exile today. Transcendence itself must also be transcendent, for it too can become a trap, albeit a subtle and spiritual trap.

And that which remains of your ambitions and desires after you have faced all of your fears and challenged all of your defenses, that is where your will meets G-d’s will (5). At that point of complete humility and sincerity, you become truly one with yourself, one with the inner core of reality.

In the words of the Zohar (6), “No thought, no idea, can grasp Him; yet He can be grasped with the pure desire of the heart.”

~~~~~~~

Footnotes:

1) Leviticus 19:4.
2) Mei Hasheluach by Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner, Parshas Kedoshim, p. 118. The author was a brilliant and creative 19th century Chassidic thinker and master, and is known as the Rebbe of Ishbitz. He passed away in 1854.

3) This is a common theme in the writings of Maimonidies in his “Guide to the Perplexed.” See at length Likkutei Torah Parshas Pekudei and references noted there.
4) Sichas Shabbas Parshas Toldos 5751 (1991).

5) See at length Mei Hasheluach ibid.

6) See Zohar Vol. 3 p. 289b. Hemshech 5666 p. 57.

~~~~~

Comments

And Halacha?

Great article, but is Halacha not also a form of a fixed and "cast" G-d? Jewish law is often so rigid and fixed?!

Posted at 4/27/2009 2:34 PM by Ed

with gratitude

What a profound essay! I feel deep gratitude that you are making such teachings available to us, particularly during these difficult times.

Posted at 4/27/2009 3:00 PM by Elana Chaya

Wrong

You wrote: "Judaism never articulated who G-d is and what G-d looks like. What it did teach us is what G-d does NOT look like."

Ehhh? I always thought that G-d is kind, merciful, understanding, providing for us. He's the Creator, listens to and answers our prayers. Took us out from Egypt, gives prophecy, gave the Torah, will bring Moshiach, the G'eula. The 13 attributes of mercy and most of the 13 principles of faith are mostly what G-d is.

Posted at 4/27/2009 4:20 PM by Rabbi

Todah

I have often said, after studying in a very respected yeshiva - 'which is more important, the words on the page, or the person standing right in front of you...'

Posted at 4/27/2009 4:58 PM by Y

idolatry and icest

Sometimes the Talmud appears to make the inference that the prohibition against those "non-realistic" forms of idolary is really a conscioius indirection by way of warning against viloations of the incest laws.

Posted at 4/27/2009 8:27 PM by John W. McGinley

Question

But Judaism too describes G-d?! Jewish law also claims that G-d can be reached only via specific practices, rituals and actions?

Posted at 4/28/2009 12:05 AM by Me

Answering "WRONG"

Those are non physical attributes. Even to say that G-d is "merciful" etc. is a metaphor.

Posted at 4/28/2009 6:59 AM by PG

Sources

See also Beis yaakov and in Sod Yesharim for this idea.

Posted at 4/28/2009 9:14 AM by Chaim

Great Article

First of all in an attempt to answer Ed's question regarding Halacha representing a cast form of service. Halacha, Torah and Mitzvos is the way in which we finite creations can and embrace and forge a tangible relationship with an infinite God. The Halacha, as the Tanya clearly writes is Gods will and wisdom. Being the only way for a person to know on some level and love and fear God is through Torah and Nitzvos and that is our express purpose in this world then that does not constitute a cast form of service. Rather, what I feel Rabbi Jacobson in quoting the Mei Hashiluach was referring to was the manner in which people draw their own service based on what is written in the Torah. Some people feel the Torah is too lenient others feel that it is too stifling but who are we to have those feelings - unless we are serving ourselves like the Mei Hashiluach posits. Our focus must be on constant growth as prescribed by God Almighty not based on what we feel is right or wrong.

Posted at 4/28/2009 4:21 PM by Yochanan Gordon

When G-d Becomes an Excuse for Fear

Thanks so much for that great article. Please G-d the words will resonant with the person to whom I am forwarding it.
Mazel Tov and all good things in your new "abode."

Posted at 4/29/2009 12:30 PM by Helene - Pgh.

i dont see where it says in posuk about not casting G-d out of metal, in 19,4 it does notmention that...

Posted at 4/29/2009 12:38 PM by

Names of God tell us what He is

The Names of G-d found in the Tenach tell us Who He is and what He is like - YHVH tells me that He is the Creator; Elohim tells me that He is the Judge, Adonai Yireh tells me that He is the Provider.He revealed himself to Samson's mother as "Wonderful" which in Hebrew means miracle maker.
There are many places where G-d reveals Himself to us by the Name He calls Himself.

Posted at 4/29/2009 12:38 PM by Miriam

Moving

Thank you Rabbi for your insightful words - I met you several years ago at a retreat in the catskills. I appreciate receiving your weekly drasha and was particularly touched by this one.

May the Ribbono Shel Olam bless you with insight to describe the torah in ways that touch and enrich the lives of others and inspire them to live a life in line with Torah.

Posted at 4/29/2009 4:19 PM by Amy

To Question

“Do not make yourselves gods out of cast metal,” in 19:4. What don't you see? In the Hebre: אלקי מסכה לא תעשו לכם.

Posted at 4/29/2009 6:21 PM by Jacob

Question!

Dear Rabbi,
" never mind Kabbalah &
Chassidic ... " Would you please elaborate on this.

Abraham [Tone] Lechtzier

Posted at 4/30/2009 8:15 PM by Tone Lechtzier