This week's portion is best known for containing the story of the Golden Calf, one of the great spiritual tragedies in the history of the world. It remains an enduring mystery: how could the people turn away from God, so soon after the giving of the Ten Commandments, and the great revelation of His presence?
Sometimes there are similar tragedies in love -- a betrayal by one of the lovers in the course of courtship, which has no apparent purpose or explanation.
Amazingly, the reconciliation between God and the people of Israel creates an even stronger bond -- just as the reconciliation between lovers, if it is still possible, can create a relationship that is even stronger than it was before.
There is also the wonderful principle of the half-shekel census -- counting people by counting coins, rather than treating human beings like numbers. Unlike the lavish contributions to the Tabernacle, which reflected a person's means and willingness to pay, the half-shekel is a reminder that we are all equal in God's eyes, though we may have different talents or material means.
The additional reading (Kings I 18:20-39) tells the story of the Prophet Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Last year, on a visit to Israel, I saw the mountain where that confrontation is thought to have happened, as well as the Kidron Brook to which he pursued the false prophets.
This week’s portion launches the great story of Abraham, who is told to leave everything of his life behind — except his immediate family — and to leave for “the Land that I shall show you.”
There’s something interesting in the fact that Abraham is told to leave his father’s house, as if breaking away from his father’s life — but his father, in fact, began the journey, moving from Ur to Haran (in last week’s portion). His father set a positive example — why should Abraham leave him?
Some obvious answers suggest themselves — adulthood, needing to make one’s own choices, his father not going far enough, etc.
But I think there is another answer. Abraham (known for the moment as Abram) needs to establish his own household. This is not just about making one’s own choice, but really about choosing one’s own starting point. It’s starting over.
Sometimes we start over in fundamental ways even if much that surrounds us remains the same. Sometimes the journey we have to ...
The story of Noah is familiar; the details, less so.
Noah is often seen as an ambivalent figure. He was righteous -- but only for his generation. What was his deficiency?
One answer suggests itself: knowing that the world was about to be flooded, he built an Ark for the animals and for his own family -- but did not try to save anyone else or to convince them to repent and change their ways (the prophet Jonah, later, would share that reluctance).
Abraham, later, would set himself apart by arguing with God -- with the Lord Himself! -- against the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, saying that they should be saved if there were enough righteous people to be found (there were not).
Still, Noah was good enough -- and sometimes, that really is sufficient to save the world. We don't need heroes every time -- just ordinary decency.
Hi all -- as I noted last month, I'm going to be closing down my Locals page, at least for tips and subscriptions -- I may keep the page up and the posts as well, but I'm no longer going to be accepting any kind of payment.
Look for cancelation in the very near future. Thank you for your support!
