We established in part III of "The Struggle for Faith" that it is forbidden to trust in God when this trust contradicts God's purpose for the world. Since man must have the possibility of exercising freedom of will, there must be a natural order to the world. If not for the laws of nature, it would not be possible for man to make any moral decision, since he would never be able to know what the consequences of his decisions would be.
The Talmud in tractate Pesachim 8b gives an interesting example of the tension between trust in God and the natural order of things while simultaneously adding a new aspect to this problem.
While we've had to fight physical battles to ensure our survival, we must never lose sight of the fact that existence would be meaningless if not for the nation’s spiritual purpose.
When carefully studying the commandments of the Torah, it is most important to note the emotional sensitivity used by the text not to offend any of its readers. When discussing the "Eved Ivri" "the Hebrew Servant," the text states: "When you buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh year he shall go out into freedom for nothing" (Shemoth 21:1).
Two main expressions used for prophecy are "Zeh Hadavar," "This is the word," and "Koh Amar Hashem," "Thus says God." Why these two different expresssions?
We suggested in a previous essay that Israeli leaders, academicians and the Israeli public should find their way back to the synagogue and re-discover their neshomehs. But this is easier said than done. Many have entered and left without sensing any spiritual significance. In fact, many have entered and have been discouraged.
In one of its unusual passages, the Talmud (Eruvin, 21b) reports that King Salomon instituted the laws concerning the Eruv, i.e. "mixing of the realms" through which one is allowed to carry objects otherwise forbidden on Shabbath from one domain to another, private and public. At another occasion King Salomon instituted the ritual washing of the hands. Both decrees were received with divine favor and a heavenly voice issued and proclaimed: "My son, if your heart is wise, Mine will be glad, even Mine…" (see Mishleh 23. 15)
In an extraordinary statement in the Talmud, we get a glimpse of the frame of mind of the sages of Israel just after the destruction of the Temple when millions of Jews had been murdered and the complete breakdown of Jewish life in the ancient land of Israel had taken place:
"By right we should issue a degree that Jews should not marry and have children so that the seed of Avraham comes to an end on its own accord."(Baba Batra 60b)
Introductory Remarks
Thoughts based on Rabbi Cardozo’s introductory remarks before a lecture by Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks at the Cardozo Academy, 25 May 2003
If anyone would ever argue that traditional Judaism is guilty of too much dogma and too little imaginative thought, a closer look into the world of rabbinical insight into the idea of revelation would cure him of such ideas.
It has been our conviction, as stated in many of our other essays, that an unfaltering commitment towards human dignity is the foundation stone of Judaism. This is normally understood to mean that since Judaism includes many commandments in which man is asked to uphold and guarantee the dignity of his fellowman, it emphasizes God's love and respect for man as one of the highest values.
Essays on Jewish Thought
Rabbi Dr. Cardozo examines some of the most controversial topics in Jewish thought and law. Join in on this journey of discovery as Rabbi Cardozo makes a critical assessment of the Jewish belief system and discovers that the issues he once doubted are really the most profound expressions of Judaic wisdom.