Many
a rabbi has instructed that the commandments (mitzvot) are more important than
the feelings behind them, because feelings can be altered. Yet, there seems to
be a constant struggle to reach the balance of what Latter-day Saints call
"faith and works." "According to rabbinic tradition the Torah
contains 613 mitzvot; 248 of them are positive commandments (the ‘do’
laws, e.g. Honor your father and mother) and 365 are prohibitions (the ‘don't’
laws, e.g. You shall not eat anything on the Day of Atonement)."
"Whatever the reasons for the commandments, it is clear that a person who
observes them carefully will constantly be aware of the presence of God in his
life. Indeed, the benediction with which the observance of most commandments is
to be prefaced explicitly points to its being in conformity with God's will. Judaism
insists on belief, faith and good deeds (which are also called mitzvot); but
by themselves they are not enough. The actual observance of the mitzvot, notwithstanding
the fact that it may occasionally cause inconvenience, is a prime doctrine of
Judaism." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
Spiritual Check up:
". . .the mid-19th century . . . outstanding rabbinical authority . . .
(Lithuanian) of his day, Israel Lipkin . . . felt that the Jews were seeing
Judaism as a ritualistic religion and were observing the mitzvot in a
mechanical manner and ignoring the fact that Judaism requires of man to be as
good and ethical as he can possibly be. He believed that this could be corrected
only by intensive study of texts which discuss the proper behavior required and
the way to achieve it; and he inaugurated a movement to make such study an
integral part of the curriculum of the yeshivot and to establish a small ‘musar
room’ in every neighborhood where people would go for a short period every
day to ‘check up on their spiritual well being.’" (Encyclopedia
Judaica Jr.)
How Is it Possible That God Allows His Creatures to
Suffer? Well-being is measured by comparing it
to the opposite. The principle of looking at opposites helps us to understand
affliction, trials of faith, tribulation, and the difficulties of life. Hence,
God in His wisdom lets us experience opposites so that we may learn to be more
like Him. Our focus must be on Him or we may lose hope. "One of the most
serious challenges to religion is the problem of suffering. If God is
all-powerful and good, as Judaism claims He is, how is it possible that He
allows His creatures to suffer?" "The rabbis of the Talmud and the
medieval Jewish philosophers were also troubled about the problem of suffering.
Some thinkers suggested that the innocent suffer in this world so that their
share in the world to come will be greater, but other philosophers rejected this
idea. Another solution suggested was that suffering comes on a man in order to
warn him to mend his ways and that ‘when a man sees that he is suffering, let
him examine his deeds.’ The rabbis of the Talmud believed that it is a great
religious virtue to bear one's suffering ‘with love,’ i.e., patiently and
without becoming rebellious." (Encyclopedia
Judaica Jr.)
What Can You Do to Prevent Suffering?
" . . . Judaism absolutely forbids inflicting suffering on other people and
even on animals. Also, no man may ignore the suffering of others but must do
everything in his power to help remedy the situation. This applies to physical
suffering, to poverty and to psychological suffering. Furthermore, no man has
the right to enjoy himself if the rest of the community is suffering."
"The sages of the Talmud spoke of poverty in terms of both good and evil.
On the one hand it is seen as an affliction which robs life of its joy and
deprives man of the leisure necessary for the study of Torah. On the other hand,
poverty tests a Jew's faith and induces him to be more pious. It also stimulates
generosity and sympathy in others." (Encyclopedia
Judaica Jr.)
What of the Righteous Who Suffer?
"Like the prophets, the rabbis were exceedingly perplexed by the problem of
the ‘righteous who suffers.’ Among the solutions they proffered was . . .
the righteous suffers on earth for the sins he committed, so that his reward
in the next world may be total and complete . . . also . . . yissurin shel
ahavah, afflictions of love, which explained the suffering of the one who
has not sinned as a measure, accorded by God, of increasing the reward of the
righteous in the world to come." (Encyclopedia
Judaica Jr.)
Do Jews Expect the Messiah to Suffer?
"In traditional Judaism, the Messiah will be a human being --- albeit it a
perfect one --- who will come and bring harmony to the world. He will not have a
divine aspect other than having been chosen by God for his task. The Hebrew word
for Messiah, mashi'ah, means ‘anointed’ and indicates that the
Messiah has been chosen by God. The coming of the Messiah therefore has come to
mean the redemption of the Jewish people and an end to its suffering and
tribulations." (Encyclopedia Judaica
Jr.)
Previous Lesson (35) "Be Ye Reconciled to
God:" Repeating the principle of
"sinking to new heights," I repeat a true story for this lesson. A
professor of religion went to the Western (wailing) Wall, microphone in hand,
and began asking religious Jews why they were chosen. One responded, "We
are chosen to suffer." Later, in making a point, about the suffering of the
Savior, the professor said, "No one is chosen to suffer other than the
Lord." Yet, the difficulties, calamities, and sufferings of the Jews will
ultimately bring them closer to the Lord who covenanted to remember and save His
people. Our sufferings bring us closer to understanding Him. Those that have the
highest responsibilities of serving Him often suffer greatly. They "sink to
new heights." ". . . all these things shall give thee experience, and
shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou
greater than he?" (Doctrine &
Covenants 122:7-8)
Ecclesiastes, Wise Maxims and Counsel on Life:
"‘Ecclesiastes’ from the Greek and ‘Kohelet’ in Hebrew, mean leader
or teacher of a group. The Book reveals the wisdom acquired by Kohelet on his
journey through life. He experiences joy and sorrow, faith and doubt, vanity and
humility, hypocrisy and truth. The struggle to find meaning and purpose in life
was as baffling for him as it is for us today. Kohelet arrives at the conclusion
that the true joy of life lies not in wealth nor in vain pleasure but in the
spiritual riches of fulfilling mitzvot, God's commandments. Love and
reverence for the Almighty help man to accept his fate and to overcome the
obstacles and temptation that continually beset him." (Encyclopedia
Judaica Jr.)
"Star of David," a Reminder of
Reconciliation: Once reconciled to God, the
adversity in life brings His peace. That gives a spirit of fulfillment,
completeness, and serenity that enables us to comfort and bless others in their
difficulties. The Apostle James’ admonition to "Draw nigh to God, and He
will draw nigh to you," reminds me of the explanation Rabbi Stanley Wagner
of Denver, Colorado gave of the "Magen David." It is actually two
interloping triangles, one pointing up and the other pointing down. Dr. Wagner
said, "It reminds us of our relationship to God and His relationship to
us." Letting God’s spirit permeate our every action will lead us to
living true religion. It conveys a spiritual sweetness that enlivens our souls.