Editor's Letter
God's Grand Plan
G
od needs people to carry out the Divine plan for the But it's wrong to imagine God as a being that decides moment
world. The need is absolute. God doesn't work alone. by moment who should live and who should die. Matt cogent-
ly summed it up: "I need to be honest enough with myself to
God actualizes through us.
say that concept of God does not work for me:'
That's the kabbalistic understanding of the Covenant.
Neither does it work for me.
Simply put, God is incomplete without active human partici-
Turning to Kabbalah helps give direction. Said Matt:
pation in the world.
"Things like this make me search in Kabbalah for other ways
Therein lies the secret of what is
to imagine God — not God being responsible for this or that
Divinely possible. Without people,
act of suffering!"
God's possibilities cannot be realized.
Talk about a lunchtime topic!
Institute's Push, Pull
"I don't think God is up there
The Glazer Institute provided the right force field for the pro-
controlling the show; but I do think
vocative discussion. The institute was built on a foundation of
God is animated with what happens:'
challenging clergy to think beyond the pale in search of fresh
Daniel C. Matt told 300 guests over
teaching and sermon material. Rabbi Glazer felt that the corn-
lunch at the Rabbi B. Benedict & Ada
ing together of clergy in pursuit of understanding and mutual
S. Glazer Institute on Judaism for
respect would temper the hatred and prejudice permeating
Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Muslim
and Protestant clergy. The 65th annual Detroit during World War II.
The rabbi died in 1952 after 10 years at Beth El. He cham-
institute, moderated by Rabbi Daniel Syme, was held at
Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Township on Feb. 9. Matt's rivet- pioned civil rights, better mental health facilities and hous-
ing for the poor. And he was a devout Zionist. His wife, Ada,
ing theme: "From Kabbalah to the Big Bang: Ancient Wisdom
lived to 89 and died in 1999. She also contributed to societal
and Contemporary Spirituality."
enrichment.
Matt is a foremost scholar and author on
As I listened to Matt, I figured it would be
Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) and the Zohar
hard to define religion for such an eclectic
(the great mystical commentary on the Torah
mix of clergy. But he cultivated a meaning that
arising in 13th-century Spain). He brilliantly
echoed through Beth El's Handleman Hall.
laid out how these jewels of Judaism color
"Turning the ordinary into the holy," he said,
and enrich the entire spiritual universe. It's
"is sort of the agenda for religion!"
no wonder he spent 20 years as professor of
Jewish spirituality at the Graduate Theological
Uplifting Experience
Union in Berkeley. He continues to live in that
I walked away from this amazing lunch hour
southern California bastion of brainpower
feeling more secure in my belief that we learn
with his wife, Hana, and their two children.
equally from science and religion, that they
Matt also has taught at Stanford University
don't compete with but rather complement one
in Palo Alto and Hebrew University of
another, that we need to embrace the distinct
Jerusalem. He has written the definitive mas-
role of each, that it's not a one-or-the-other
terpiece, The Zohar: Pritzker Edition. The
Professor Dan iel Matt
proposition. Dr. Matt put it well: "Let's try to be
Stanford University Press has published the
first three installments of what is projected to be a 12-volume, humble enough to learn from both camps."
I found real inspiration in the comments of the Rev. Michail
annotated English translation of the Zohar. The work already
T. Curro of the Interfaith Center for Racial Justice in Warren.
is a pillar in the annals of Jewish thought.
He picked up on what Rabbi Glazer hoped for in 1942.
Rev. Curro said Matt reminded him of "the no-thing-ness
Imagery Of God
Comfortable on the spiritual roller coaster, Matt parts compa- of God and of how we continually try to limit God to what we
can understand."
ny with Kabbalah on the element of chance. While Kabbalah
"I loved the ideas presented, that it is through our acts of
doesn't acknowledge chance, Matt thinks it plays a significant
role; I do, too. So I was intrigued by his theory that God could kindness that we evoke relationship with God;' Rev. Curro
said.
determine everything precisely according to a game plan,
"Too often in Christianity, folks look to good deeds to bring
but doesn't. God actually cedes power so we have a chance,
about material blessing when what I think we all covet is a
an opportunity, to fail or succeed — to express our free will.
closer, or intimate, relationship with our Creator!"
I began to see reason in this view, that the lives of human
Doesn't that assessment of Christianity also apply in a gen-
beings are not predetermined.
eral context to Judaism? I
By now hooked on his insights, I pondered how he imag-
ined God as energy and matter still unfolding. "God is energy
animating all of existence rather than someone up there
deciding what to do:' Matt said. "So as life evolves, that itself is
: What role does God's energy
the tendency of God taking on form."
iv:
play in your life?
That form, however, takes shape in surprising ways. It's a
ti) Lai
dynamic unfolding, not set in stone or humanly predictable.
Z Z Does God somehow rule over
From that it's easy to deduce that God should not be held
0 .
a. life and death?
accountable for human inadequacies causing catastrophe or
suffering. Such events cause us to question the nature of God.
g
IA "
271 WEST MAPLE
DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM
248.258.0212
SUNDAY 12-5
MONDAY-SATURDAY 10-6
THURSDAY 10-9
Felon 22 2007
5