This week’s Torah portion, Ki Tisa from Exodus, presents the scenario of the Golden Calf, Moses arguing with God for the life of the Jewish nation, and a scenario where Moses’ plea seems to change God’s mind.
The classical theological construct representing God within Jewish thought is a triangle, with God simultaneously being represented as absolutely good, omnipotent (all powerful), and omniscient (all knowing).
Like a straw man, this theological construct seems to exist so that we can explore potential inconsistencies against it.
How does evil happen in a world where an absolute good God knows all and is all powerful?
Where is there room for the ‘free will’ that mankind claims to have?
Or, my favorite is, can God (who is presented in the triangle) learn from experience, and from interactions with us?
It’s a conundrum of sorts, for a being who can learn presents as one who does not (yet) know all.
However, a being who can not learn seems to be imperfectly stagnant and rigid- which flies in the face of God’s self-professed versatile nature, (as God presents to Moses at the Burning Bush).
I like to make these theological questions very personal, as, ultimately, any honest faith tradition needs to be.
Can you relate to an image of God who is able to learn, even if that suggests some vulnerabilities to the assumed ‘good’, ‘omnipotent’ and ‘omniscient’ paradigm?
Or, can you better relate to an image of God who is ‘perfect’ and ‘complete’, and thus, has no need to learn anything?
It’s a real question.
At Shabbat services tomorrow night, we will explore God together through prayer, sermon, and this amazing Temple Emanu-El community.
Shabbat Shalom,
