בס''ד
I
have a principle that I try to keep to never to have an argument with someone
unless there is a possibility that this person will change their mind due to
the force of my reasoning. In our Parsha
Moshe takes on the seemingly unwinnable argument…..with Hashem. Hashem deems Moshe as worthy of leading the
Jewish people to salvation and Moshe endeavours to convince Hashem
otherwise. Firstly, what is Moshe
thinking to argue with Hashem, the omnipotent Creator of all existence? How does he have the audacity! And secondly, what is the point? Does he
really think he will be able to produce some point of contention that Hashem
had not yet considered?
An
amazing idea brought by Reb Shimon Schwab zt’l can be used to answer this
essential question that could be asked numerous times in the Torah, that of how
we understand how on occasion a mere mortal (such as Avrohom with Sodom)
seemingly legitimately debates with G-d.
Reb Schwab explains that in truth for us to ever question G-d or His
actions is fundamentally an impossibility.
How can we, as finite beings, questions the ways of One who is infinite
and omniscient! In essence we neither
have the right nor the capacity to even attempt to understand something so far
beyond the realms of our existence. And
yet there are times that we are given that right and allowed that inconceivable
privilege and they are alluded to whenever the Torah talks of Hashem descending
to us, as it does this week with the words he tells Moshe “And I have descended
to save them”. This is a sign that
Hashem has brought Himself down, as it were, to exist among us and is somehow
available and open to the possibility of man contesting His choices.
Throughout
the ages Jews have probed, analysed and contemplated the most difficult legal
and theological questions about Hashem and His Torah. That very notion, that we have been given
this permission, is a fact that in truth defies logic. Nonetheless at the giving of the Torah when
it states that “Hashem descended to Har Sinai”, Hashem not only gave us the
most precious gift of all, the guide to all of reality and its purpose, He also
gave us the possibility of questioning it and delving into it to plumb its
depths and immerse ourselves in its teachings.
The starting point is the knowledge of the absolute truth of the Torah and
we must accept from the outset that there will always be unanswered questions
and ideas that are simply beyond us, due to the reality of our nature versus
that of G-d. At that point we must just
recognize them as elemental truths. But
the ability we have been granted to challenge is something we should never grow
weary of nor take for granted. It is one
of many of G-d’s gifts and one we must cherish.
*May the perfection of Shabbos
provide all the answers we need*
לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם
לרפואה שלימה: שרה יעל בת ברכה אסתר
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