Torah Portion
From Awe To Intimacy,
A Relationship Deepens
human, but there is little content to the
relationship between mighty creator
and humble creature.
Chapter Two presents a wholly dif-
ferent picture. The verbs used to
describe God's activity are far more inti-
mate — God shapes Adam from the
dirt, breathes life into the shape and
have a problem with the High
plants
him in a delightful garden. In
Holidays: The dominant
this
account,
God is present to provide
metaphor of God as transcendent
detailed
instructions
about proper con-
King, judging all living creatures
duct.
God
senses
Adam's
loneliness, and
from a throne of justice, is an incom-
responds
by
creating
other
animals and
plete portrait of our relationship. The
then
Eve
for
his
companionship.
In
next step — apprehending
other
words,
the
second
cre-
God as loving and nurturing
ation
account
depicts
God
— is missed by the Jewish
not only as a master builder,
masses who don't return to
but also as a manager who
celebrate Sukkot and Simchat
remains involved in the life
Torah.
and development of the
These latter holidays
world.
emphasize God's role as pro-
Judaism has long
tector, allowing us, the mem-
embraced
both the notions
bers of a unique covenant, to
of
God's
transcendence
and
relax and rejoice with confi-
RABBI DANNY immanence. Without the
dence in our loving relation-
NEW NS
former, God would lack the
ship.
Special to
majesty
to inspire us.
This progression from awe
The Jewish News Without the latter, we would
to intimacy, dread to delight,
feel bereft of God's comfort.
is an essential motif in Jewish
• While some religions and
life. Repeatedly, our liturgy and litera-
philosophical
systems have veered to one
ture move us from seeing God as a
extreme
or
the
other, we have learned to
transcendent, distant deity, to an acces-
live
in
tension
between
the two.
sible refuge, attentive to our every
What
this
means
is
that
our faith
request. You see this in the prayer
should always be seen as a work in
"Adon Olam," which begins with a
progress, a progression from one station
ma
jestic Lord who exists outside the
to another. Maimonides taught that
bounds of time and space, but con-
one
starts from the posture of reverence
cludes with a remarkably tender note\as
(Yirat
Shamayim) and gradually grows
we sing, Adonai li v'lo irah — God is
toward
pure love of God and the Torah
mine, I shall not fear.
(Ahavat HaShem).
The late Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan wrote
But the latter ideal is not easily
that, in the Amidah, the words "melekh
attained,
and we continue to need the
ozer umoshiah umagein — King,
anchor
of
reverence as we strive to
helper, rescuer and shield" can be read
climb
the
heights
of spirituality.
as a spiritual progression. We first see
As
we
begin
the
Torah anew, may
God as a supreme king who may or
our relationship with God be as
may not respond to our petitions. But
nuanced and multi-faceted as our tradi-
the deeper our call gets, the closer and
tion has been. Then all Jews — expert
more active God becomes on our
or
novice, pious or peripheral — will
behalf until God literally becomes our
be
able to rejoice together with the
shield of protection.
Torah
and our covenant in the new
This dynamic is showcased in the
year. El
very first portion of the Torah, Bereshit.
There are many theories of why the
story of creation is repeated in chapters
one and two. Regardless of one's theol-
Congregation B'nai Moshe will hold
ogy, all readers can agree that the text is
two
family shabbat experiences on the
richer and more subtle for this repeti-
morning of Saturday, Oct. 25. From
tion. In the first chapter, God is com-
9:50 to 10:40 a.m. there will be a
pletely transcendent, uttering staccato
commands to fashion a universe, before Family Shabbat program for families
suddenly retreating into the passivity of with children in grades 5 and 6. From
10:40 to 11:30 a.m. there will be
Shabbat. God may bless the first
another service geared to families with
Danny Nevins is a rabbi at Adat
children of preschool-age through
Shalom Synagogue.
grade 2.
Shabbat Bereshit:
Genesis 1:1-6:8;
Isaiah 42:5-43:10.
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