Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was a brilliant theologian, philosopher, as well as a fiery preacher (I could hardly resist the pun!). One of his most famous sermons was “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” which he delivered in 1741; in this revival sermon he used the metaphors of hellfire and brimstone to inspire his followers to repent before it was too late. One his most picturesque portions of his sermon went something like this:

• The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten I thousand times more abominable in his eyes than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. It is to be ascribed to nothing else that you did not go to hell the last night; that you suffered to awake again in this world, after you closed your eyes to sleep. And there is no other reason to be given, why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning, but that God’s hand has held you up. There is no other reason to be given why you have not gone to hell, since you have sat here in the house of God, provoking his pure eyes by your sinful wicked manner of attending his solemn worship. Yea, there is nothing else that is to be given as a reason why you do not this very moment drop down into hell.”

Gulp!

Now, let us turn to the present. Anyone reading Edwards’ speech probably must wonder, “What kind of God image is Edwards conveying?” Obviously he seems to relish depicting a deity who definitely hates sin. But if God takes sadistic pleasure in eradicating sinners and sin, how could anyone feel comfortable worshiping such a blood-thirsty deity?

One imaginative and creative American Jewish thinker, Rabbi David Blumenthal, in his book, Facing the Abusing God, claims that abusiveness is one of the fundamental attributes of the Divine personality.[1] Not only has the shepherd image been discarded by Blumenthal and many modern Jews, the dangerous image of God as an “Abuser” has taken its place in light of the Holocaust experiences and centuries of continuous Christian/Muslim oppression. [2]

Out of fairness to Blumenthal, we must be honest: Blumenthal merely states what many thoughtful Jews have long suspected about their God—but were afraid to candidly admit—God is abusive. Is it not any wonder why Blumenthal’s theology strikes a visceral note with so many voices of the modern Jewish experience? Unfortunately, his book characterizes the severity of how dysfunctional and destructive God-images can be when God is portrayed as the Abuser Supreme.[3]

Historically, rabbis since the days of the biblical writers generally associate Israel’s collective suffering as an expression of retribution, for failing to follow God’s holy commandments. The “wrath of God” theology, though ancient, is still very much alive regardless of religious ideation. After WWII, the Satmar Rebbe, Yoel Teitelbaum (1888-1979) insisted that the Holocaust occurred because the Jews adopted Zionism instead of the Messiah. By insisting on a secular redemption, Israel became “prey” to their Nazi tormentors.[4] Teitelbaum’s reasoning is classically simple and clear: If Jews suffer; it is because of their sinful ways and attitudes. This idea finds numerous examples in the Bible[5] and especially in daily liturgy, “On account of our sins we were exiled from our land, and far removed from our soil.”[6]

Rabbi Mordechai Gifter (1915-2001), a prominent 20^th century Orthodox leader, argues that the Holocaust should “become a source of inspiration and encouragement for us. We are assured that we do have a Father in Heaven Who cares for us and is concerned enough with our spiritual status to demonstrate His disfavor.”[7] Though many Orthodox and Hasidic Jews portray great courage in affirming their faith during the Holocaust, nevertheless, many regard the Holocaust as a punishment for not observing Torah study and mitzvot (precepts). Consider Rabbi Mordechai Gifter’s quotation from the Telshe Rav (rabbi):

At the time when the Nazis took the Telshe community to their intended slaughter at the lake nearby, the Telshe Rav said in a drasha (homiletic commentary): ‘If we will be scrupulous in kashrus, in Shabbos (the Sabbath), in taharos hamishpacha (laws of family purity), the enemy will have no dominion over us.’ And from that day on plans were changed; they were taken away from Telz and were confined in a ghetto. The entire community suffered no harm until the first breach in kashrus (kosher observance).[8]

Here is a personal anecdote to illustrate. Once at a Jewish singles event I attended at Congregation Beth Jacob in Beverly Hills, California, I heard a rabbi from the Jewish Learning Exchange speak about God and the Holocaust shortly after the Jewish holiday commemorating the destruction of the ancient Temple known as Tisha ‘b Av. One person asked the rabbi about something he heard from an Orthodox Rabbi:

• I heard that the reason the Holocaust occurred was because married Jewish women failed to cover their hair, and the Jews were consequently punished for that infraction. Is that really true? I really must know! The Rabbi thought for a moment and answered, “You can’t say that is true, yet you can’t say that it isn’t true either!”

Most of the Orthodox Jewish singles present did not find anything objectionable to this particular theological view. Those, like myself, who found this answer offensive, were ignored and later silenced by the speaker. The theology of retribution continues to be popular in many of the ultra-right Orthodox and Hassidic seminaries in Israel and abroad. But is it only an “Orthodox” problem?

In another recent interview, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef has frequently proclaimed that according to the Kabbalah, the Holocaust came to purge Jews of their generation’s sinful ways and attitudes.

• After all, people are upset and ask, “Why was there a Holocaust?” Woe to us, for we have sinned. “Woe to us, for there is nothing we can say to justify it,” he said. “It goes without saying that we believe in reincarnation,” continued Yosef. “It is a reincarnation of those souls. Our teacher The Ari said that there are no new souls in our generation…all the souls were once in the world and have returned. “All those poor people in the Holocaust. . . .” We wonder why it was done? There were righteous people among them. Still, they were punished because of sins of past generations.”

My Aunt Miriam is a remarkable woman; she is the sole Holocaust survivor remaining in our family. She was my father’s first cousin, who later married my father’s brother, Bernard. She attends the Beth Jacob Synagogue in Oakland. On one occasion a young rabbi came and spoke about the Holocaust to the Shul. He made it a point to criticize the Jews in Europe for not observing the mitzvoth (religious traditions) of our people. Aunt Miriam stood on her walker and asked the speaker, “Were you there in Auschwitz? What did small children do to deserve such a terrible death with their parents? I cannot believe in your kind of God.” The whole Shul stood up and applauded her, while the young Haredi rabbi “looked for a little “rabbi” hole in the ground to hide himself under,” so I was told.

Is such a belief limited to people who identify as “Orthodox”? Not necessarily. Across all religious denominations, whenever tragedy occurs to a person or a family, a common response is “Why pick on me, God?” or “What did I do wrong to deserve this?” Statistics have shown that religious victims of domestic violence often feel that God is punishing them through their husbands for some past sin. Rape victims are often made to believe (especially in court cases) that they did something to lure the offender into attacking them. This attitude is even reflected in the etymology of the English word pain which comes from the Greek word poine which signifies penalty. In other words, if there is pain, then it must serve as a penalty for doing a misdeed.

Obviously the God imagery invoked by Edwards and the Haredi/Hassidic rabbis certainly inspires a God of retribution and fear, but they cannot inspire a sense of love, security and healthy relatedness. Consider what Michael Shevack and Rabbi Jack Bemporad cleverly and comically dubbed this theological view of God as the “Marquis de God.”

• Wanted: Dominant deity for submissive person—must be into pain and bondage. Willing to inflict human suffering in pursuit of satisfaction—humiliation technique is a plus. Sense of humor not required. Inquire P.O. Box G.O.D . . . Get out the whips, the chains, the earthquakes and pestilence. It’s time for some good old-fashioned fun with a good old-fashioned God. Yes, this is the proverbial God of wrath—the Marquis de God—ready to show you how much he cares by punishing you, for the Marquis de God is simply a god who hates. This is a deity who despises sins and sinners with such a passion that he’ll murder in order to exterminate them. He forces his noblest creation to dance like a trained poodle on the brink of annihilation.[9]

In summary, metaphors of God may inspire relatedness and love of God; or they may cripple or even destroy a life of faith. Indeed, the metaphors we use to illustrate our relationship with God are of crucial importance.

Notes:

[1] David R. Blumenthal, Facing the Abusing God: A Theology of Protest (Louisville, KY Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993).

[2] During the medieval period, Jewish thinkers like Judah HaLevi and Maimonides interpreted galut (exile) as a time when God’s mercy has withdrawn, or in the words of Maimonides “they were left to chance” (Guide for the Perplexed, 3:51). Maimonides’s depiction accurately describes how a people who have been, raped, persecuted and battered, it was only natural for people to feel forsaken since the historical realities did not reveal a God that was present in their shattered lives. Jews have long suffered from “Battered people syndrome” and exhibit the same qualities a battered wife experiences.

[3] Blumenthal’s theology is a little reminiscent of Maimonides’ view of Divine Providence. Maimonides argues Providence always serves the function of divine retribution. All deeds are examined by Providence, which allots either their punishment or rewards (Guide, 3:17). Needless to say, this troubling perspective offers little balm to those suffering in a time of great social upheavals, where the Jew has been frequented targeted by his enemies..

[4] A clear account of this point of view is contained in Rabbis Yoel Schwartz and Yitzchak Goldstein’s Shoah (New York; Jerusalem: Artscroll, 1990), 127-141.

[5] See for example: Exod. 32:10; Num. 14:12 and Deut. 9:14, 19, et al.

[6] Musaph Service.

[7] Nisson Wolpin, A Path Through the Ashes (Brooklyn: Mesorah Publishers, 1986), 59.

[8] Ibid., 62

[9] Michael Shevack & Jack Bemporad, Stupid Ways, Smart Ways to Think About God. (Liguri, MS, 1993), 18.