Calendar
The Systems of the Jewish Year
- Select A Category:
You are in calendar If G-d Can Do It; You Can Do It!
If G-d Can Do It; You Can Do It!
The following Dvar Torah was dedicated by Mr. Stuart Teger of Southfield, MI. We bless him and his with a wonderful New Year!
G-d set you aside from all the nations of the world to be your G-d, so that you can walk in His ways� (Devorim 26;17)
G-d chose us to be able to walk in His ways. In simpler terms we can act like G-d acts; we can be kind like G-d is kind; we can forgive like G-d forgives; we can have the same type of mercy that G-d has.
One of the most basic differences between the Jewish belief and the Christian belief is that according to the Christians, G-d can manifest Himself as a human. According to Judaism man can act like G-d.
We have the potential to act like G-d! Man can be Godly and indeed has an obligation to do so. The Torah revealed that man was created in the image of G-d. That means that the human being has within himself or herself to act just like G-d, to �walk in His ways.�
The Talmudic Rabbis observed that acting kindly is so central to Judaism that the Torah itself begins with an act of G-d�s kindness and ends with an act of G-d�s kindness. It�s all about G-d�s kindness and how we can �walk in His ways�.
The Torah starts with kindness by telling us how G-d made clothing for Adam and Eve. The Torah ends with kindness by telling us that G-d Himself buried Moses.
My Rebbe Rav Scheinberg once asked why the Talmud chose the example of G-d making Adam and Eve clothing. Certainly there were earlier acts of kindness. He created the world, He created man; He gave man a wife; He put them in Paradise and on and on. That He made them clothing sounds almost small compared to the earlier generosities of G-d!
Rav Scheinberg taught: To create the world, man and his environment are acts of kindness but not yet acts of Godly kindness. After all G-d wanted a world and man. He was more than happy to provide everything that they needed. But then man sinned. He and his wife ate of the forbidden fruit and G-d evicted them from the Garden. When He removed them from paradise He brought pain and death to the world. In the midst of this rejection, G-d saw that Adam and Eve felt awkward in their nakedness and �He made them clothing�. This is an act of Godly kindness. G-d was betrayed and violated yet He responded with kindness.
We can �walk in His ways� and indeed we are commanded to do so. We can be Godly.
This is how it�s done. Find someone who you don�t like, perhaps someone who has hurt you or betrayed your friendship. Now think of something you can do to make that persons life easier or a bit more pleasant. At this point you will find yourself saying; �but I�m only human!� So remember, to be only human is to be created in the image of G-d. We are designed to be super human.
As we do kindness with those that are perhaps undeserving, we can turn to G-d and ask Him to do kindness for us and bless us with a new year full of G-d�s kindness and blessing.
View and leave comments • (1 comments so far)
View this article, and others like it, online at: http://www.torahlab.org/calendar/article/if_g_d_can_do_it_you_can_do_it/
