The believer accepts that G-d loves us like a quintessential Parent loves like a child. The believer also accepts that G-d is fully
involved in the details of our human lives.
So how does the believer respond the specter of human suffering? G-d obviously knows about it, and is - for some unfathomable reason - allowing it. Should we just resign ourselves to G-d’s judgment? Might it even be blasphemous to ask G-d to intervene and change His own judgment?
In this week’s Torah reading, we read how the Jews made a tragic
mistake after they received the Torah at Mount Sinai. As they waited
for Moses to come down the mountain, the Jews fashioned a Golden Calf and began to worship it. They effectively repudiated the entire Torah they’d just received.
In response, G-d tells Moses that He will wipe out “this stiff-necked
nation” and make Moses’ family into “a great nation” instead.
What should Moses have responded? What can one possibly respond, especially to G-d??
After all, G-d loved the Jews and had brought them out of Egypt. But
they had made a terrible mistake and this was the consequence.
So Moses was silent.
Curiously, the Scripture continues and tells us that G-d then told
Moses “Now leave Me alone…” and I will pursue the path I have chosen.
The Talmud asks an obvious question: Why was G-d waving off a protest, when none seems to have existed? Who was bothering G-d?
No one. And that was precisely the problem.
By saying “leave me alone”, G-d was giving Moses a cue: Don’t just
stand there obediently, accepting what I say. How can you abide
people’s suffering without protest? Argue with Me!
G-d was teaching Moses a lesson. When the believer sees suffering in the world, he/she may not stay silent. It’s not holy to simply shrug
and say “whatever G-d allows is for the best”.
No. We turn to G-d and say: Please G-d. I know You are loving and I
know You are able to help. I also know that You want me to feel my
fellow’s pain, and You want me to storm the heavens for relief of that pain. You want me to care.
It's not blasphemous. On the contrary; it's who G-d wants us to be.
Believers never give up trusting G-d. They also never give up fighting
for His creatures.
ב"ה