THE GOLDEN CALF AND YOM KIPPUR
This week’s Perasha, KI TISA addresses several issues. Among them, the episode of the golden calf. The people, impatient at the absence of Moshe for 40 days, think that Moshe is dead, and decide to replace Moshe with a calf that will lead them in the desert to reach the promised land. Of course this episode represented a most serious betrayal of HaShem and a return of the people of Israel to the most primitive forms of idolatry. HaShem tells Moshe that He wishes to eliminate the Jewish people and make Moshe the leader of a new one. Moshe intercedes, prays for the Israelites, defends them and tells HaShem that He will also have to eliminate him. At the end, on the day of Kippur (10 of Tishri), HaShem accepts the Tefila of Moshe and HaShem decides to forgive the people of Israel.
NUMBER ONE QUESTION
Then something else happened at that same event. After HaShem forgives the people of Israel, a “conversation” takes place between God and Moshe. God revelation to the prophets, including Moses, had always been a one way street, never a conversation: God communicates the Prophet a message, a vision. But this unique time Moshe initiates the dialogue and he asks God a question: “הראני נא את כבודך”, “Please, show me Your Glory”. The rabbis struggled to explain what was the meaning of Moshe’s question to God. The Sages, famously explained that Moshe was asking God a very poignant question: “Why bad things happen to good people?” למה צדיק ורע לו
If God is Almighty and Good, why does He allow the righteous people to suffer? For the man of faith, this is probably the toughest question .
If you do a brief Google search, as I did, and you write: “What would you ask God if you could ask Him anything?”
The number ONE question is ”Why is there so much suffering in the world? Why God does not prevent evil and suffering? “.
It seems that Moshe —or the Sages on Moshe’s behalf— was in a sense representing humanity in this matter.
THE TAPESTRY
Judaism is unique in recognizing that this question does NOT have a clear answer for mankind. But the Tora reveals to us, somehow, why we cannot get a response.
God’s way in administrating His justice surpasses our human intellectual capabilities. The Tora uses some sophisticated words to convey this impossibility: וראית את אחורי ופני לא יראו. “And you shall see My back, but My front shall not be seen”.
We will never be able to perceive the “front” of Divine justice, i.e., reality as God sees it. We will be limited to perceive “the back” of His intervention in this world.
The best example I can offer to understand these words is, ironically, a visual example: that of a tapestry. When you see the front of a tapestry you see a beautiful, harmonious and intelligent design. HaShem’s ways to administrate His justice is like the front of a tapestry: flawless. But when you look at the back of a tapestry, the design vanishes. You only see what seems to be “random” threads, lines, knots and loops and a chaotic mixture of colors.
We, human beings, are restricted for example by the limited time of our short lives and by the space of our physical dimension, to fathom God’s ways; we just perceive a zigzagging fabric which does not make much sense. No matter how much we will try, we will not be able to see God’s side: the front of the tapestry.
This week’s Parasha, KI TISA, addresses several issues, including the episode of the golden calf. The people, impatient with Moshe’s absence for 40 days, assume he is dead and replace him with a calf, which they believe will lead them to the promised land. This episode represents a serious betrayal of HaShem and a return to primitive idolatry. HaShem tells Moshe that He wishes to eliminate the Jewish people and make Moshe the leader of a new one. Moshe intercedes, prays for the Israelites, defends them, and tells HaShem that He will also have to eliminate him. In the end, on the day of Kippur (10th of Tishri), HaShem accepts Moshe’s prayer and forgives the people of Israel.
Then, at the same event, something else happens. After HaShem forgives the people of Israel, a “conversation” takes place between God and Moshe. God’s revelation to the prophets, including Moses, had always been a one-way street, with God communicating a message or vision to the prophet. But in this unique instance, Moshe initiates the dialogue and asks God a question: “הראני נא את כבודך”, “Please show me Your Glory.” The rabbis struggled to explain the meaning of Moshe’s question to God. The Sages famously explained that Moshe was asking God a poignant question: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” למה צדיק ורע לו.
If God is Almighty and Good, why does He allow righteous people to suffer? For people of faith, this is probably the toughest question. If you do a brief Google search, as I did, and search “What would you ask God if you could ask Him anything?” the number one question is “Why is there so much suffering in the world? Why doesn’t God prevent evil and suffering?” It seems that Moshe, or the Sages on Moshe’s behalf, was in a sense representing humanity in this matter.
Judaism is unique in recognizing that this question does not have a clear answer for mankind. But the Torah reveals to us why we cannot get a response. God’s way of administering justice surpasses our human intellectual capabilities. The Torah uses sophisticated language to convey this impossibility: וראית את אחורי ופני לא יראו. “And you shall see My back, but My front shall not be seen.” We will never be able to perceive the “front” of Divine justice, i.e., reality as God sees it. We will be limited to perceiving “the back” of His intervention in this world.
The best example to understand these words is, ironically, a visual example: that of a tapestry. When you see the front of a tapestry, you see a beautiful, harmonious, and intelligent design. HaShem’s ways of administering His justice are like the front of a tapestry: flawless. But when you look at the back of a tapestry, the design vanishes, and you see what seems to be “random” threads, lines, knots, loops, and a chaotic mixture of colors. We, human beings, are restricted by the limited time of our short lives and by the space of our physical dimension to fathom God’s ways. We can only perceive a zigzagging fabric that does not make much sense. No matter how much we try, we will not be able to see God’s side: the front of the tapestry.
