We've already begun a discussion of what it means to be a bar or bat mitzvah. As you probably remember, it means to be someone who is obligated in the commandments.
But for the concept of commandments to make sense, we need two things; Those who are commanded (that's us, you and me both!); But no less important, of course there must also be a commmander!
So to enrich any and all discussion we will continue to have about being b'nei mitzvah, I'd like to spend some time thinking and talking about this Commander together.
Below are some of the thousands of passages we have in our TaNaKh which talk about what the Almighty meant to our ancestors, to further inform our discussion. (If you see anything you like, there is much, much much more where these came from. The whole TaNaKh can be said to be about the very nature of the Almighty, and what this meant to our Israelite ancestors!)
As we'll see, they did not all think of, or relate to the Almighty the same way as each other. Nor could they! And similarly, nor could or should we. What I want to do is read through them with an open heart, and hopefully you will all find something here that speaks to you, that you are interested in meditating more on, and looking into further.
(א) וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ מִשְׁמַרְתּ֗וֹ וְחֻקֹּתָ֧יו וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֛יו וּמִצְוֺתָ֖יו כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃
(1) Love, therefore, YHWH your elohim and always keep his charge, his laws, his rules, and His commandments.
This writer seems to think that there is an inseparable connection between loving the Almighty and keeping the Almighty's commandments.
What d you think of that? Could someone love the Almighty, and even show and express that love, without keeping the commandments? How so?
Wowza!!!! Can you imagine hearing the Almighty? (Perhaps some of you actually have. If so, we'd love to hear, if you're comfortable sharing! Did you ever feel like you hearing something, or experiencing, that some kind of a Higher Power had intended for you?)
As overwhelming as that experience might be, this person even then went on to see the Almighty! What do you make of his reaction?
(לא) וַיִּקְרָ֧א יַעֲקֹ֛ב שֵׁ֥ם הַמָּק֖וֹם פְּנִיאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־רָאִ֤יתִי אֱלֹהִים֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים וַתִּנָּצֵ֖ל נַפְשִֽׁי׃
(31) So Jacob named the place Peniel;
“For I have seen elohim face-to-face, yet my life has been preserved!”
(ב) כֹּֽה־אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה עֹשָׂ֑הּ יְהוָ֗ה יוֹצֵ֥ר אוֹתָ֛הּ לַהֲכִינָ֖הּ יְהוָ֥ה שְׁמֽוֹ׃ (ג) קְרָ֥א אֵלַ֖י וְאֶעֱנֶ֑ךָּ וְאַגִּ֧ידָה לְּךָ֛ גְּדֹל֥וֹת וּבְצֻר֖וֹת לֹ֥א יְדַעְתָּֽם׃ (ס)
(2) Thus said YHWH who is planning it, YHWH who is shaping it to bring it about, Whose name is YHWH!
(3) Call to Me, and I will answer you, And I will tell you wondrous things, Secrets you have not known.
What do you think about what Jeremiah said that the Almighty said to him? Have you ever put this to the test? What that might look like?
(יז) יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהַ֛יִךְ בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ך גִּבּ֣וֹר יוֹשִׁ֑יעַ יָשִׂ֨ישׂ עָלַ֜יִךְ בְּשִׂמְחָ֗ה יַחֲרִישׁ֙ בְּאַ֣הֲבָת֔וֹ יָגִ֥יל עָלַ֖יִךְ בְּרִנָּֽה׃
(17) YHWH your elohim is in your midst, A warrior who brings triumph. He will rejoice with you and be glad, will shout with you with jubilation! He will soothe with his love!
(ב) הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם מְֽסַפְּרִ֥ים כְּבֽוֹד־אֵ֑ל וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָ֝דָ֗יו מַגִּ֥יד הָרָקִֽיעַ׃
The heavens declare the glory of God, the sky proclaims His handiwork.
According to this author, even the very heavens cannot stop themselves from declaring to the whole universe about the glory of the Almighty!
What does this mean to you? Have you ever experienced the heavens, or something in the natural world, seemingly trying to cry out abut the Almighty's glory?
(לא) וְקוֹיֵ֤ יְהוָה֙ יַחֲלִ֣יפוּ כֹ֔חַ יַעֲל֥וּ אֵ֖בֶר כַּנְּשָׁרִ֑ים יָר֙וּצוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א יִיגָ֔עוּ יֵלְכ֖וּ וְלֹ֥א יִיעָֽפוּ׃ (פ)
(31) But they who trust in YHWH shall renew their strength As eagles grow new plumes: They shall run and not grow weary, They shall march and not grow faint.
Believe it or not, there is a recurring theme in the TaNaKh that in placing one's trust and hope and faith in the Almighty, you will soar like an eagle!
Here are beautiful lyrics to a poem based on this idea:
Oh human! Rise up to the heights, RISE UP!
For you have mighty strength! You have the wings of the wind! Wings of great-mighty eagles!
Don't you spurn them, lest they spurn you forever. Just seek them out, and they'll be found to you immediately!
(טז) וַיִּיקַ֣ץ יַעֲקֹב֮ מִשְּׁנָתוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָכֵן֙ יֵ֣שׁ יְהוָ֔ה בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וְאָנֹכִ֖י לֹ֥א יָדָֽעְתִּי׃
(16) Jacob awoke from his sleep and said,
“Surely YHWH is present in this place, and I did not know it!”
Have you ever been in a situation which, only after the fact looking backward, seemed like the Almighty's hand was present throughout?
Are there any physical spaces in your world that you love, where you feel a heightened closeness to the Almighty?
(ב) הִנֵּ֨ה אֵ֧ל יְשׁוּעָתִ֛י אֶבְטַ֖ח וְלֹ֣א אֶפְחָ֑ד כִּֽי־עָזִּ֤י וְזִמְרָת֙ יָ֣הּ יְהוָ֔ה וַֽיְהִי־לִ֖י לִֽישׁוּעָֽה׃
(2) Behold my saving-el ! I am confident, unafraid; For Yah, YHWH is my strength and might, And he has been my deliverance!
This verse might be familiar to some of you. (Hint: If we were currently in summer camp, we might have sung it together last night!)
Why might we sing this verse when we do?
(י) מִגְדַּל־עֹ֭ז שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה בּֽוֹ־יָר֖וּץ צַדִּ֣יק וְנִשְׂגָּֽב׃
(10) The name of YHWH is a Tower-of-Strength, into which the righteous one runs and is safe.
Check out the tower below. Can you imagine how secure you'd feel as if you were able to walk around, in every time and every place, with the conviction that you were enveloped all about by an impenetrable fortress?
(5) You shall love YHWH your elohim with all your heart and with your every breath and with all your might.
Here's another one which might be familiar.
Personally, I think that this is quite the tall order! How does one love something with every breath??? Is this even possible? How so? And if not, why would it be mandated?
(קה) נֵר־לְרַגְלִ֥י דְבָרֶ֑ךָ וְ֝א֗וֹר לִנְתִיבָתִֽי׃
(105) Your word is a lamp to my feet, a light for my path.
(ט) טַעֲמ֣וּ וּ֭רְאוּ כִּי־ט֣וֹב יְהוָ֑ה אַֽשְׁרֵ֥י הַ֝גֶּ֗בֶר יֶחֱסֶה־בּֽוֹ׃
(9) Taste and see how good is YHWH! ; Happy the one who takes refuge in him!
(י) יִרְאַ֤ת יְהוָ֨ה ׀ טְהוֹרָה֮ עוֹמֶ֪דֶת לָ֫עַ֥ד מִֽשְׁפְּטֵי־יְהוָ֥ה אֱמֶ֑ת צָֽדְק֥וּ יַחְדָּֽו׃ (יא) הַֽנֶּחֱמָדִ֗ים מִ֭זָּהָב וּמִפַּ֣ז רָ֑ב וּמְתוּקִ֥ים מִ֝דְּבַ֗שׁ וְנֹ֣פֶת צוּפִֽים׃
The judgments of YHWH are true, righteous altogether, (11) more desirable than gold, than much fine gold; sweeter than honey, than drippings of the comb.
