Several times in the Torah, G-d's wrath is aroused, and the Israelites are struck with a plague or threatened with destruction. Yet always either Moses or Aaron step in and intervene to stop or even prevent this loss of life. We might find the idea of G-d's wrath repugnant and disturbing. Why be so angry at the people yet again? We have to remember that our ancestors – not just our Israelite ancestors but most peoples in antiquity – attributed distressing events to G-d's wrath, just as they attributed good fortune to G-d's beneficence. If we are disturbed by the one, why not be equally disturbed by the other? If we see the beneficence as a metaphor, why not the wrath?
We have experienced many times in our lifetimes that when the balance of nature is sufficiently disturbed, the effects can ripple out and last long after the initial disturbance is over, like aftershocks in an earthquake. These aftershocks can cause great damage (as we have seen most recently in Haiti, Chile, China and other places, not to mention tsunamis, such as the 2004 tsunami that devastated parts of Southeast Asia. Hurricane Katrina is years past, yet the effects, both of the hurricane and of the human response (and in some cases, lack of response) are still being felt. The Gulf oil spill. Even the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill is not over - the environmental effects are still unfolding. In these events, the damage – the “wrath” - was not limited to the initial event but has impacted people's lives and will continue to do so. Once there has been a serious disturbance such as this, it isn't always easy to put the genie back in the bottle – or the oil back in the well.
In Pirke Avot chapter 5, we learn of the 10 things that were created in the twilight before the 1st Shabbat:
The mouth of the earth (that swallowed Korach and his followers),
The mouth of the well (that opened when Moshe hit the rock, some say Miriam's well),
The mouth of (Bilaam's) donkey (that enabled it to speak),
The (original) rainbow (during Noah's time),
The manna (which the Israelites ate for 40 years in the wilderness),
The staff (of Moses),
The shamir (a stone-cutting worm used to build the Temple),
The letters (of the alef-bet)
Writing (the process of writing)
The tablets (of the Law)
And some add, the original tongs, for you can only make tongs by using tongs
I'd like to update the 10 last minute creations as reminders for our time:
The mouth of the earth reminds us of the millions of people swallowed in earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, mine disasters.
The mouth of the well reminds us of the millions of barrels of oil contaminating our waters and sealife.
The mouth of the donkey reminds us to listen to voices that we might not otherwise hear.
The rainbow reminds us that the existence of our world is threatened not by G-d, but by ourselves.
The manna reminds us that there is enough food to feed the world if only we can develop the will.
The staff reminds us that we have many tools and should use them wisely.
The shamir reminds us that we have powers beyond our own hands, and we should use them for holy purposes.
The letters remind us that complex systems are made up of simple components.
Writing reminds us that we can keep records and hopefully learn from our mistakes.
The tablets remind us that after thousands of years, we are still not keeping even the most ethically based of the 10 commandments that are known in many cultures and religious traditions.
The original tongs – for you can only make tongs by using tongs – remind us to give thanks for the miracles that we have been given, whether by Divine beneficence or by our ancestors, many of whom wanted a better life for their children, just as we do today.
May we learn from these 10 creations that were created so far in advance to think about what we can create now to meet the needs of future generations, and may we learn from Moses and Aaron to be willing to step in and take action to stop the plagues of our day.
--
Hazzan Abbe Lyons
Cantor, Congregation Tikkun v'Or
