Parashat B'reishit: G^d loves us all greatly

Another post by my friend Moshe Mordechai

G^d loves us all greatly

Watch out for people and thoughts that portray G^d as angry or furious.

1)     He created the World for us, to do us good in the best possible way.

2)     He's a thousand times more merciful than strict.

3)     All Evil leads to good and if the end is good all will be good.

So there is no greater Benefactor and cannot be any bigger Giver than Him.

 

Sometimes the idea of G^d's wrath in Jewish circles could come from outside.

1)     According to most Christian outlooks, it's very hard to bring holiness to earth.

2)     Most Muslims learn that G^d is all powerful and Man just His pawn.

3)     Gentiles don't have Yom Kippur.

Three good reasons to feel a failure, tremendous guilt and see G^d as displeased.

We Jews should know better and teach the opposite to all.

 

It says nowhere in the Creation Story that G^d punished Adam and Eve.

Maybe He only pointed out the consequences of their actions.

Maybe he drove them out of the Garden for their own good (that they would not eat from the Tree of Life too, since the combination would have destroyed goodness).

Maybe they didn't commit any Evil. They disobeyed, but maybe for His sake, since they foresaw that such action would lead to billions of people serving Him.

Or maybe they did something stupid (in Judaism every Sin is just done in folly).

And then maybe they got a punishment, but as atonement to repair it.

G^d never inflicts pain because He's out of control or sadistic, Heaven forbid.

He made garments for Adam and Eve and clothed them.

 

Some people at some times in their lives need to learn to be in Awe for G^d.

Some people at some times in their lives need to learn to love G^d.

Most people need most of the times to be in trepidation & love with G^d all at once.

But whatever we need or do – He loves us, wants the best for us, is our Father.

Yes, He's also our King. But not an angry One – rather One to serve His people.

Yes, He needs us to serve Him, but for our good, our development and flourishing.

He's only teaching us. Each of us is unique and needs to learn specific things.

He's a loving, patient, capable, personable, humorous, fun Teacher.

No need to be scared. We can go to this School lifelong and love it.

Let's not forget to say thank You.

For our sake (building of character): He doesn't need us as much as we need Him.

But we are the apple of His eye: in general He's pleased with us. He believes in us.

He's our biggest Supporter, our most dedicated Fan, our proudest Relative.

 

Anger is in the eye of the beholder. When it helps us grow we should see it.

But when His irritancy would shut us down, we should ignore it.

A tree is known by its fruit. If anger just brings us down it can't be G^d's anger.

It has to be the Satan's, teaches us the Baal Shem Tov.

 

Have a good week and a great Month!

MM