[Avodah] who is going to Gehenim

[Eliyahu Grossman]

While there are some Midrashim that say that the Tower of Bavel was built as
a rebellion, the actual language of the text in Berashit doesn't say it at
all. Would one say that Avraham was rebelling against Him, since it says
that EVERYONE was participating, so Avraham was making those bricks just
like everyone else? (Which is why some Midrashim have Avraham discover G-d
late, and some early in life). From the simple reading, they chose to build
something great, a common project, and G-d doesn't get angry, but says "Nah,
it's not appropriate at this time - zap!" Although the implications of why,
while embellished in stories, certainly give a lot of food for thought!

All the best.

Eliyahu Grossman
Efrat, Israel

Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:53:50 GMT
From: "kennethgmiller at juno.com" <kennethgmiller at juno.com>
Subject: Re: [Avodah] who is going to Gehenim


>--------------[Snip from Original Post]--------------<

R' Danny Schoemann wrote:

> I had an interesting thought. Japan had made their country "earthquake 
> proof" and AFAIK nobody got killed because of the quake - almost the 
> biggest ever recorded.
> What killed them was the Tsunami that followed, then the nuclear 
> trouble then the volcano that erupted and finally snow.
> Sort of "Tower of Babel" like; you think you can outsmart the RBSO, do 
> you?

RAM: I strongly disagree!!!

By the Tower of Bavel, they were explicitly rebelling against Hashem. I am
not aware of any such thing regarding Japan. On the contrary, making their
country earthquake proof is an admirable goal for the protection of their
countrymen.

Akiva Miller