Image from Shminhe
[This was first posted 2014; still relevant when we look at a troubled world in dire need of reminders from the Creator and Law-Giver.—Admin1.]
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Shakespeare first phrased it simply in the soliloquy of the Prince of Denmark . . .
“To be or not to be, that is the question.”
That famous opening line has resonated for centuries but really, who has bothered to read beyond the first line to find out what Hamlet’s dilemma was. . . well except perhaps for students of literature.
Just think about it.
Hamlet’s is hardly a dilemma; we simply exist or we don’t without our making any personal choice. We were conceived without our permission, we simply found ourselves participating in the development of a life—our life—as a result of our parents’ choice or sometimes, a mere consequence of a sexual union. We’re nurtured in the womb by one of our parents, the temporary life-sustainer—our mother—and, depending on how she decides to nurture us or how she takes care of herself during her pregnancy, we’re merely blessed recipients of her natural motherliness or in some cases, suffer from lack of motherly concern (uniquely a woman’s choice).
Back in the womb . . . at the very moment of our conception there is that ‘hold-your-breath’ phase when we are held hostaged by the conscious decision of the carrier, the impregnated female, our would-be mother in whose hands our fate hangs. While the Creator of Life had put that whole process of propagating human life on ‘automatic’ mode, yet decisions are left in the hands of responsible and unfortunately, irresponsible self-centered unthinking females. For a short while we might be relegated to the category of unexpected or unwanted pregnancy.
Whether or not we make it beyond the medical confirmation that biologically, there was indeed a successful fertilization of an egg by a sperm—-becomes the sole prerogative of ‘woman’. And if she so decides she will have this baby, then we are on our way to being born (thanks, mother)!
Until we reach the age of self-consciousness about free will, options and making choices, we are usually not held accountable. What that age is, differs individually. Some have childhood memories starting as young as five years old; perhaps earlier, though for sure there must be a subconscious memory existing from the time a baby is in the womb, for why else would pregnant mothers be encouraged to play music, stay positive, talk to the unborn child, their companion for nine months, that special connection and privilege fathers are deprived of ever experiencing.
Unfortunately depending on where we are born, we are not recognized as a ‘person’ by some legal/social/religious ‘authorities’ until we’ve managed to negotiate our way out of the womb and expressed and asserted our personhood with that primal cry.
Image from commons.wikimedia.org
So what is the question?
Enter Abraham Joshua Heschel, Jewish philosopher of the 20th century who proposes that Hamlet’s question is not THE question! If not, then what is?
“How to be and not to be? “
is ultimately the question.
And this is where TORAH comes in.
Once we do get beyond the ‘to-be-or-not-to-be’ decision of our mothers, we then start making choices for ourselves every stage of our lifetime, figuring out our pathway in life. If we are ever exposed to YHWH’s Manual for Living, then we go through the process of determining for ourselves whether or not we will hear, listen intently, internalize, then live out in action and deeds consistently each God-given truth we stumble upon or determinedly seek out.
TORAH is the answer to the question, “how then should we live?”
TORAH comes straight out of the mouth of the Creator, Designer of the only creature made in His Image and given free will. The TORAH Manual encompasses every aspect of living that is important for the well-being of the individual, his neighbor, his community.
If individuals lived alone, isolated from others, there would be no need for Commandments V-X. Who is there to dishonor, murder, commit adultery with, covet from, give false witness about and to whom?
As for Commandments I-IV, a man alone might resort to idolatry without divine revelation. How would man know how to relate to the True God and how would man even determine to count days according to the 7-day cycle and start resting on the 7th day unless informed by God Himself?
For that matter, more basic for physical existence is: how could man know the divine definition of “food” that is perfect for his body? All he knows is if it tastes good, I’ll eat it and suffer the consequences later. Isn’t that how we function until we discover that YHWH actually gave specific instructions in Leviticus 11 about clean and unclean animals? Medical science discovered only in the past century about the importance of hygiene, quarantine, purification to contain diseases that afflict mankind, and yet the Giver of Torah explained in detail how to be healthy and wise in all areas of living.
Man could not possibly guess what pleases God and cannot be held responsible unless informed. There is knowledge we can acquire after years of study, research and experience, but there is knowledge that comes only from the Creator, already given as early as the wilderness wandering of Israel.
What the Creator/Revelator gave to Israel is intended for all humans. There are time-bound, culture-bound parts of TORAH that were necessary only during the transition period of Israel from bondage to freedom that are included within the context of the transition period. Some were carried over to the promised land. Ultimately and basically, what is universal and timeless are the God-centered and other-centered commandments. Animals have not changed the purpose for which they were created; neither have germs. What was bad for human consumption then is still bad for human consumption today.
TORAH living is not a burden as one religion claims, but a blessing for humankind.
Surely what’s good for the Jew is good for the Gentile, though the God of Israel has specific requirements for Israel from the time the people/nation was ‘chosen’ for His specific purposes: that all humanity might know and worship HIM, that all humanity might live according to HIS Guidelines for Living, and that is the TORAH.
But is anyone hearing? Listening? Paying attention? Heeding?
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