You take the good, you take the bad,
you take them both
The Facts of Life Song, Lyrics by Alan Thicke, Gloria Loring and Al Burton source: lyricsondemand.com
the torah- as a role model source- is problematic. most revered figures have serious flaws; moses murdered a task master and jacob, in stealing brother’s birthright, deceived his father are two of the classics.
parents and teachers sometimes surgically extract biblical heroes’ good qualities when presenting them to children. ironically, biblical heroes’ moments of failure provide the best teaching opportunities on self-improvement.
in the torah portion eikev, moses-in continuing his deuteronomy speech- declares that “for the lord, your god, is god of gods and the lord of the lords, the great mighty and awesome god, who will show no favor, nor will he take a bribe. he executes the judgment of the orphan and widow, and he loves the stranger, to give him bread and clothing.”
can the master of universe be a role model?
while not many of us are capable of being awesome or mighty, there are times upon which we can be impartial. likewise, there are times when we can refrain from being influenced by our self interest when we cast judgment. likewise, there are times when we can be kind and friendly to others and show them hospitality. further, despite success and wealth, there are times that we can be compassionate and humble.
the argument that the master of the universe can be a role model, however, remains problematic. outside the obvious, notion of monotheism, the aspiration that someone could be god-like is troubling. the master’s greater sense is largely unknown. the torah, a book for humanity, does not fully explain the creator of the universe’s character. there is much mystery concerning his goals, motivations and thought processes. we can only speculate concerning supernatural acts. who can truly explain the flooding the world, the destroying cities in totality, and the delivering of plagues? we, as humans, will never know or appreciate the background story.
the torah- to some degree- solves this “role model” problem in circular fashion. moses’ description of the master of the universe incorporates the depiction of the master within the commandments. thus, the torah’s commandments- which dictate human conduct- replace the need for the master to be a role model. in the end, it is the torah itself ends up being the role model.
be well!!
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