[Avodah] Must we agree with the Torah?

[Micha Berger]

Cantor Wolberg wrote:
> one could also suppose that He warned us off it and not them, because
> He loves us more.

> That's the kind of comment that incites anti-Semitism.
> It's also the type of statement that fundamentalists of other religions
> articulate.
> To say He loves us more is an insult to all non Jews.

None of which makes it less true, though. It just makes it a difficult
truth for some people to live with. The problem I have is not with the
claim that Hashem loves us more (see below) but with the idea that Hashem
doesn't love others enough to provide all they need. I think a more
reasonable answer is that we are partnered with Him in a project they
aren't, and therefore need to be more careful and work beyond "merely"
being ideal people. A perfect person, Hashem's ideal for humanity, is
the Seven Mitzvos. Everything else is apparently to make us fit tools
to be the conduit of His Message to the species, not "just" to be as
perfect at being people as we can.

After the universal sentiment of "Yotzeir Or" or "HaMaariv Aravim",
the 2nd berakhah before Shema is "Oheiv Amo Yisrael". And this love
isn't a *consequence* of our keeping the Torah, but an unconditional
love that is the *cause* of our receiving it. Not the sequence:
    Atah vechartanu -- You chose us from among all the nations
    You loved us
    and found us to Your Liking / according to your Will (depending on
	how we define "Ratzon" here)
    and elevated us from among [the communities that speak] all the
	[other] languages
    and You sanctified us with Your mitzvos...
The love came first, then the mitzvos.

And we also have the mishnah in Avos 3:14, where Rabbi Aqiva says that
"man is dear for he was created in [G-d's] 'image', and it was more dear
that they were informed of this. Israel is dear because they were called
children of the Omnipresent... and it was more dear..."

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             One who kills his inclination is as though he
micha at aishdas.org        brought an offering. But to bring an offering,
http://www.aishdas.org   you must know where to slaughter and what
Fax: (270) 514-1507      parts to offer.        - R' Simcha Zissel Ziv