You Have A Choice

How many of you parents out there made rules for your kids that you knew were impossible for them to keep? Anyone? Did any of you come up with some crazy rule that said your 6 year old must drive themselves to school every day or that your teenager must wear a diaper and a pink tu tu everywhere they go? No, I suspect you made rules based on common sense and safety, and that perhaps you counseled your children on the consequences, either for or against, those rules. If we,as mere mortal parents, wouldn't do that( making crazy rules that is) why then do we accuse G-d, who is the ultimate parent of us all, of doing that very thing; coming up with laws that can't be kept?

On any given weekend, depending on your brand of religious observances, you will hear a multitude of sermons, based on the idea that you are inherently evil, from birth ,and that there is no way, without an intercessor, for you to keep the laws of G-d. Is this really true? Are you really suggesting that G-d is so twisted in His mind, that he would create us evil,give us impossible laws, and then punish us for something we can't help in the first place? Doesn't make any sense to me, but I will leave that up to you to decide for yourself.

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 speaking of the laws of G-d to Israel says:

Surely, This instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not to baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach. It is not in the heavens that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us that we may observe it?” Neither is it beyond the sea that you should say “Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us,that we might observe it?” No,the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart to observe it.

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 JPS edition.

For me, this is G-d telling the children of Israel that they indeed can keep His laws, if they so choose, because it has been placed in their hearts and in their mouths. If you read further on, or back a few chapters, it's no different then you, as a parent, warning your kids, of the possible consequences of their actions and that is really what it boils down to.

You have a choice in what you do. G-d's words not mine.

Of the 613 laws found in the Torah, first 5 books in the bible, most pertain to the priests and the temple and the sacrifices in the temple and can only take place in the temple within Israel. There are a few that pertain to family purity and women, the rest seem to be fairly common sense things. Such as ( uncle iggies revised edition) if you see a neighbors, or an enemies, animal in a ditch help get it out, and return it to it's owner. Be fair and impartial in your judgments, don't accept a bribe. If you have a flat roof, put a small wall around it so someone doesn't fall off. Treat you slaves well, treat your wife well...the list goes on.

The irony of all this is that none of them actually apply to Gentiles, according to Jewish Rabbis, with the exception of the 7 “laws of Noah” (which is a subject for another day) though I personally believe that the “Ten Commandments” should be for all people as well, as they have served as a foundation for the civilized western world.

The point is that you have a choice. You can choose to keep G-d's laws or you can refuse and deal with the consequences, it's your call, but you don't need a mediator, you just need to make a choice.

Shalom