Spirituality

,Y,O.LIBERTY. AND THE PURPT:

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TORAH PORTION

The Flaws
Of The Faithful

2008 Escalade

Shabbat Ki Tisa: Exodus 30:11-34:35;
1 Kings 18:1-39.

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a deadline wasn't met or an employee
ur parshah this week
was less than professional.
contains one of the most
universally well-known and
But Jews, we tell it like it is. We were
stiff-necked. We did mess up. In fact,
memorable accounts within the book
we did so repeatedly. And
of Shemot. Sandwiched
not a single one of our
between the beginning
biblical heroes was without
and end of the parshah is
his or her well-documented
the saga of the first set of
flaws. The question is
tablets, the Israelites' folly
whether such honesty is to
with the golden calf, God's
our credit or to our discred-
wrath abated by Moses'
it? I submit the former.
pleas, Moses' wrath more
consequential than God's,
One of the more beauti-
the acquisition of a sec-
ful qualities of Judaism is
that none of us, including
ond set of tablets and the
Rabbi David
our most venerated leaders,
request of Moses to know
Casti glione
is expected to be a saint.
God more intimately than
Specia I to the
We are expected to be what
he had been allowed to up
Jewish News
we are, human beings.
to that point.
Judaism expects only that
It's great stuff — from a
we strive to do our best to rise above
movie-of-the-week point of view. But
the mundane toward holiness — to
it's not such a wonderful depiction of
sanctify moment and action through
the nascent Jewish people as a whole.
According to our sages, even after hav- observance and fealty to covenant.
ing been rescued from Egypt amid the Although we may take on different
levels of responsibility, all we are truly
signs and wonders of God's mighty
hand, we lacked sufficient trust in God asked to provide as individuals and as
a people is the committed dedication,
and God's servant Moses to carry us
the 40 days that they
by way of our brit
were out of our sight.
(covenant) with
Critics of our
God, to making a
difference with our
people, including
God, point to the
lives.
stiff-necked, weak-
That we show
willed character of
ourselves to be who
our forbears. And at
we are, warts and
the time, perhaps it was an accurate
all, in our most holiest of documents,
portrayal. But it is exactly this depic-
is testament to the overall accessibil-
tion, in a text open for the entire world ity of our faith as well as the idea
to see/hear, that our faith and recount- that true relationship between God
ing of history is distinguished.
and creation is possible and, more
Scripture, among other things, is
importantly, within the grasp of every
the stand-alone document that shares
human being. ❑
with its adherents, as well as the rest
of the world, the best of what a partic- David Castiglione is a rabbi at Temple Beth
ular faith has to offer. In many ways, it El in Bloomfield Township.
is like a brochure to the world, calling
all to come and see what it is all about.
Almost by definition, it is a docu-
Conversations
ment that highlights the positive, pro-
Consider some moments of lack
motes the grandeur and elevates even
of faith in the Bible (the Golden
the diminutive to noble status. Bring
Calf, for example) and some of
to mind any publicity brochure you
the flaws of the leaders (Moses
may have read lately? I imagine that
striking the rock). What others
you, as I, would be hard put to find
can you find and what strengths
anecdotes of when a job didn't go well,
ensued from them?

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February 21 • 2008

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