Religious Woke-ism

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I was reminded in an email today that Jews are about community. We must stick together in pain, success, loss, religion, even politics, be they right or left, right or wrong for the health of Israel. It’s about doing what we do together or, as I call it, going along to get along. But that seems rather lame. Especially in the light of so many Jews who do not support Zion at all. And in the light of those who have never read the Tanakh but swear that they are keeping the commandments given by God to Moses, when really what they call Torah is that which has been handed down by “holy men” and sages, perhaps modernized to fit the needs of society today. But that seems rather woke, and pardon me for saying so!

I mean, how can I enjoy a Shabbat meal keeping my mouth shut at the table with 10 other people who believe the government of Israel needs to be done away with and don’t mind saying so? When I hear friends spouting socialist ideas that they think are best for Israel, shall I keep quiet and let them carry on with their dangerous ideals? Shall I pretend to agree? So is this what it means to be a good Jew? So inside I am boiling over and I daren’t do anything about it! And I ask myself, since when was keeping peace with people who declare war against everything you believe in, the right thing to do? I say let there be a flaming argument, let there be war amongst friends before we head off as a mixed multitude to fight a real war!

I took a short class in Gemara about 15 years ago. It was definitely interesting, but I remember Tuesday night discussions at our synagogue in Tacoma, Washington where we looked at topics like stealing, lying, etc. The night we read about finding an item of value, lost by its owner, we read several rabbinic opinions. One stated that if the item was found on a beach with sand, there was no need to return it, even if you saw it fall from the hand of the one who lost it. There were at least two other opinions, but, this stuck in my mind as finding a loophole to be dishonest. The explanation was that since the person would never return to look for it, knowing full well that the tide would bury it, then it was right to keep it. Finders keepers, even if you knew who lost it!  And that didn’t set well with me.

Many of us believe that we came into this world with a sense of right and wrong instilled in our souls! Innocence often disappears when we justify things. And yet there is a promise that the Eternal will place His Covenant in our hearts someday.

“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith YHVH: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” – Jer 31:33

What I said in my introduction about going along to get along, about people becoming more and more woke in this generation…how can this work out for a holy life? I think not!–unless if we all have the laws of the Torah written in our hearts? And clearly humanity is not there yet.

Can going along to get along ever lead to righteousness? It doesn’t, not when the heart is full of self-justification. Today’s world is full of this.
How about the narcissistic birthday party where a Jewish woman works all day Shabbat preparing the house and getting things ready for a several course meal with 30 + guests to come in the evening to celebrate her birthday? Where did the blessing of the Sabbath go? How can anyone know what is right, and what is wrong if self is in the center of the picture? If what is important is what is good for me?

The prophet Jeremiah is pointing to a time after a nationwide repentance when hearts are filled with the love of the Eternal and love for mankind. It may have to start on an individual basis.

But how do we get there? Some say: “that is why we have rabbis.” “To keep us on the derech.” Yes, that is what has been and will be for humanity until something happens to make it otherwise. In Bible times, there were priests and Levites who had officials who decided on cases and later there was a Sanhedrin set up to judge the people. Today there are rabbis for Jews and ministers for Christians, and of course, other religions have their methods for keeping their congregants in line.

But frankly, Jeremiah, we are not on course yet! And I wonder if we will ever be. How many years of trying to fit in are we going to see before the world self-detonates or something happens so that we will get it right? When will we seek our Creator with all our hearts, admitting that we have been off the derech for too long? As a people, we have followed many things that seem to be traditions at best. What is the will of the Almighty God of the Universe? How do we find it? Will we all die thinking that we are serving Him when we don’t even know His name nor what He originally said? What a surprise it would be to wake up in the hereafter and find that most of what we were taught stemmed from the sick imagination of mystics and self-proclaimed leaders!

Can we know YHVH for ourselves? I believe with all my heart that when we seek Him, we will find Him, and we will be attuned to His desires for us.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith YHVH, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end. 12 And ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith YHVH, and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith YHVH; and I will bring you again unto the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” – Jer 29:11-14


But the first step? Maybe go read the Bible through for the first time. Without commentaries.



Ariella Golani

Man beneath an open Bible reading “THE HOLY BIBLE” and “AND YOUR WORD IS TRUTH.”

The Truth or Blind Consequences

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Which Religion? Or All Religions?

A middle-aged Mexican lady and her husband sat across from me in the clean swept patio of their little home. I could smell the beans bubbling in the clay pot on a wood fire. Hand made fresh tortillas were wrapped in cotton towels in preparation for the evening meal. We relaxed together and chit-chatted in their native language. After a while,  I asked them if they owned a Bible. The woman went inside their adobe house and took out a Catholic family bible that hadn’t been opened for years. They had it displayed in a place of honor as a symbol of their faith in God, Jesus and the Virgin Mary. They listened carefully for a few minutes as I explained how it was possible to read their Bible for themselves. I leafed through the Old Testament and read a verse to them which they had never heard. I was discussing how their religion had changed the Bible and they were visibly nervous.

The man started to stand up and his wife told me in her rich accented Spanish, “No podemos entender la Biblia por nosotros mismos. El sacerdote nos ensena todo lo que necesitamos saber para salvarnos. Él sabe mucho porque él ha estudiado el latino y el griego.” (We cannot understand the Bible for ourselves. The priest teaches us everything we need to know for our salvation. He knows a lot because he learned Latin and Greek.)

Three religious leaders standing on a coastal cliff above the sea
Three religious leaders stand together above a turbulent sea and seal-covered cliffs.

I knew the conversation was at an end and shook hands with them before I left with a few mangoes that they gave me from their tree. Discouraged again, I realized that the only ones who listened to me were those who were not so involved in their religion. They were considered secular and perhaps attended mass only once or twice a year.

Since my husband and I made Aliyah to Israel seven years ago, we see a similar pattern in Judaism. We hear: “Our rabbis have studied all the books of Talmud, Mishneh, Gemara, Kabbalah, Zohar and they read the Torah in Hebrew. Our “Holy Sages” have lighted the way for us and we learn from our rabbis so that we can understand the required Halakhah and can live the life of following the Holy Torah.” It’s the same story, different religion.

Several Protestant religions, including Mormons, JWs, Seventh day Adventists and perhaps others also claim prophets with increased light that explain the Bible. All religions claim to be the way to heaven. Understandably, the masses are hooked, understandably for those who have been taught that they have no right to think outside the box.

I continually ask why people have stopped thinking for themselves.  Is it true that the Eternal doesn’t speak to us individually any more? Is the Torah so hard to understand that we need dozens of books of commentaries to explain it? Why are people throwing out their reasoning capacities and replacing them with the thoughts of others? Is religion only a congregational thing under the guidance of leadership?– and not an individual connection with the Creator?

What about Islam? Has it not brow-beaten its own people into mass subjugation? — And for the most zealous, it has stirred them to commit violence on all those who do not accept their laws which lead to their own desire for world domination!

Karl Marx once said: “Religion is the opium of the people.” This becomes true when all individual thought is given up. People go along to get along. It helps to feel part of something bigger even if we have no individuality!  Have we taught our children to “shut up or put up” instead of questioning things? And why does it bother us if a child argues about things that are important to him? Are we too busy to listen? Too busy to explore his thoughts and carefully guide him where necessary and support him in his quest for truth about life?

Isn’t it true that religion has played a crucial role in opening the door to the woke world we live in today. Wokeness is the new religion and we well know how to play the game. Few are the men and women who stand alone while the crowds follow the leader and like lemmings fall off the cliff of reality.

How do we make a change? Is it even possible? Could study of the simple Bible (Tanakh) provide a possible basis for change?

As the world spins out of control into an oblivion of blind madness following that which even the sharpest do not understand, can anyone stop and get off the dooms-day train, and stand alone until they find others who have already done this?

Astrology according to the Rambam

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The following is an excerpt from a letter by Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon showing his position on Astrology. (Parenthesis are included where explanatory words help to understand the English). 

Moses Ben Maimonides Letter on Astrology 

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Bearded robed man pointing at a crossed-out zodiac chart

Letter as quoted from Ben Shahn, (commentator on Jewish Heritage, 1898-1969)

“Truth does not become more true because everyone agrees with it, nor less true even if everyone disagrees with it.” — Maimonides

Rabbi Moses, Ben Maimon, was, without question, one of the greatest philosophers of the Middle Ages. He was not only revered in his own time for the brilliance of his logic, but was also widely read throughout the Arab world and in Europe for centuries afterward. His ideas created an intellectual bridge between Aristotle and the so-called “Age of Reason,” between rationalism and the Talmudic tradition.

In the late 12th and early 13th centuries, he lived in the bustling metropolis of Fustat, then the capital of Egypt, where he had emigrated from Córdoba in southern Spain. Being both Jewish and part of the Arab world, he was able to draw upon both Hebrew and Arabic scholarship, as well as the classical texts of Greece and Rome.

Maimonides’ clarity of thought—and writing—remains utterly compelling today. For example, this is the man who wrote in his Guide for the Perplexed:

“Naturally, we like what we are accustomed to, and we are drawn to it (Astrology) … The same is true of a man’s opinions, which he has been accustomed to since his youth; he likes them, defends them, and avoids opposing opinions.”

He also said::

“In the realm of nature, there is nothing without purpose, trivial, or unnecessary.”

And in his role as a doctor:

“The doctor should not treat the disease, but the patient who suffers from it.”

As a sage in his lifetime, Maimonides’s advice was sought by other rabbis throughout the Arab world and the Mediterranean, from Yemen to Montpellier. One of his responses was to a query from scholars in southern France. It is often called The Epistle on Astrology.

It is important to remember that this was written at a time when astrology was widely accepted. French scholars questioned whether astrologers could truly predict the future accurately.

In this letter, Maimonides uses the word “science” to refer to a system of knowledge, I suspect, since our modern definition of that word didn’t quite fit. But Maimonides’ clarification of the difference between astrology and astronomy remains relevant today. There are many intriguing ideas in this text, in addition to his thoughts on astrology. For example, he makes it clear that the world is a rotating sphere and asks readers to consider the question of fate and the purpose of religion.

The following is a translation from the Hebrew by the Hasidic scholar Isadore Twersky.

September 27, 1194

“I perceive in this matter that, although its branches are many, they are all branches of the same tree, whose common root is: all the statements of ‘the astrologers, the observers of the stars’ (Is. 47:13)….

“Know, my lords, that it is not proper for a man to accept as trustworthy anything other than one of these three things.

“The first is something for which there is clear proof derived from human reasoning—like arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy.

“The second is something that man perceives through one of the five senses—as when he knows for certain that this is red and this is black by sight; or that this is bitter and this is sweet by taste; or that this is hot and this is cold by touch; or that one sound is clear and another indistinct by hearing; or that one smell is pleasant and another unpleasant by smell.

“The third is something that man receives from the prophets or the righteous. Every reasonable man should distinguish in his mind these things that he accepts as true and say: ‘I accept this by tradition (based on authoritative origins- Link Link) , this by sensory perception, and this by reason.’ Whoever accepts as true something that does not belong to these three categories, of him it is said: ‘The simple believe everything’ (Prov. 14:15).

“So you should know that fools have written thousands of books of nothingness and emptiness. Many men, old in years but not in wisdom, wasted their whole lives studying these books and thought that such foolishness was science. They came to believe themselves wise because they knew this ‘science’.

“The matter on which most of the world is mistaken—or all of it, except for a few individuals—is precisely this one I am warning you about. The great sickness and the ‘grave evil’ consists in this: that everything man finds written in books, he assumes to be true—and even more so if the books are old. And since many have studied them and discussed them, the imprudent man immediately concludes that they are words of wisdom…”

“This is why our kingdom was lost and our Temple was destroyed… because our ancestors sinned… by following the teachings of astrologers… thinking they were glorious and useful knowledge. They did not practice warfare or conquer lands… That is why the prophets called them ‘fools.’ And they truly were…”

“Know, my lords, that I myself have thoroughly investigated these matters… So-called judicial astrology… all its claims… are far from scientific; they are nonsense…”

“None of the truly wise men of the nations ever concerned themselves with this or wrote about it… except the Chaldeans, Canaanites, and Egyptians… But the wise men of Greece… mocked these ideas and completely refuted them…”

“And know that the true science of the stars is the knowledge of the spheres… their movements… eclipses… the phases of the moon… the length of the days… and many other amazing things… All this is undoubtedly true…”

“But the claims of astrologers are nothing…”

“Know also that all wise men agree that the world has a Ruler… There is, however, disagreement about his origin…”

(1) Some maintain that the world is eternal.

(2) Others that were formed from pre-existing matter.

(3) And others—like the prophets—who (say) they were created from nothing by divine will.

“Everyone agrees that everything in the world ultimately comes from God…”

“But they differ in terms of what happens to individuals…”

“Philosophers say that everything is by chance…”

“Astrologers say that everything is determined by the stars…”

“Both positions are false…”

“The true path is this: it is not chance nor the stars, but divine will… even if we do not understand its ways…”

“And know that one of the foundations of religion… is that man has free will… he can choose good or evil… there is no star that forces him…”

“In summary: the position of the astrologers is considered false by all men of science…”

“And even if you find ancient texts that seem to say otherwise… do not abandon reason proven by evidence…”

“A man should never abandon his reason…”

Las úlceras de Job, la angustia de Job

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¿Quien, realmente fue Job? Job Capítulo 2

Job 2:1-3:

“1. Hubo otro día en que los hijos de Dios vinieron a presentarse ante YEHOVA, y Satanás también vino entre ellos para presentarse ante YEHOVA.

“2 Y Yehová dijo a Satanás: «¿De dónde vienes?» Satanás respondió a Yehová: «De recorrer la tierra de un lado a otro, y de pasearme por ella.»

“3 Y Yehová le dijo a Satanás: «¿Te has fijado en mi siervo Job? No hay otro como él en la tierra, un hombre intachable y recto, que teme a Dios y se aparta del mal. Él se mantiene firme en su integridad, aunque tú me incitaste contra él para destruirlo sin causa.»

El intercambio inicial en la historia se repite, pero con una diferencia final. No se menciona el tiempo transcurrido entre las dos asambleas de los hijos de Elohim; parece que ocurrió poco después del primer ataque contra Job. Vemos, como antes, la asamblea celestial de los hijos de Elohim, donde cada uno se presenta ante el Eterno. Satanás también se une a ellos, igual que la vez anterior y con el mismo énfasis para mostrar que en realidad no está incluido como un “hijo de Elohim”, sino más bien como un infiltrado o usurpador. Afirma haber caminado por la Tierra o, dicho de otro modo, afirma ser el representante de nuestro mundo. No tiene buenas palabras para nadie, solo acusaciones contra el hombre más justo de la tierra: Job.

Y Satanás, como antes, está decidido a destruir al justo Job y a sembrar dudas sobre la sabiduría del Altísimo. Y de nuevo, el Eterno le pregunta: “¿De dónde vienes?”. Es como si Dios estuviera provocando a Satanás otra vez: “¿Por qué estás aquí? ¿Acaso no has causado ya suficiente daño?”. Él vuelve a mencionar a Job y Satanás lo acusa de juzgar injustamente a Job.

Job 2:4-6:

4 Entonces Satanás respondió al SEÑOR: «¡Piel por piel! Todo lo que un hombre tiene lo dará por su vida. 5 Pero ahora extiende tu mano y toca su hueso y su carne, y te maldecirá en tu cara». 6 Y el SEÑOR le dijo a Satanás: «Mira, está en tu poder; solo perdona su vida».

Las acusaciones de Satanás contra el Eterno tienen lugar ante los Hijos de Elohim. Son testigos del juicio de Job. ¿Cómo habrían reaccionado si Dios hubiera dicho: «¡Basta de acusaciones!» y hubiera expulsado a Satanás para siempre de la sala del tribunal? ¿Habría habido alguna duda en la mente de alguien sobre si el acusador tenía razón? Es casi como si Dios estuviera siendo juzgado y no Job. Puede que sea injusto preguntar esto, pero parece que Job era la prueba para el honor del Juez Todopoderoso del universo. Lo que Dios hiciera con esto determinaría, quizás para siempre, lo que el Universo pensara de Él. ¿Por qué importa esto? Si iba a ser tan perjudicial para la reputación de Dios, ¿por qué no destruyó simplemente a Satanás y, pum, desapareció para siempre? Entonces, ¿qué habría hecho el Universo? Podrían haber obedecido a Dios, pero ¿habría sido por amor y respeto? ¡Sin duda, el Eterno se encontraba en una situación difícil, sin margen de maniobra!

Lo que Dios debería haber hecho es un tema delicado para la reflexión humana. No queremos culpar al Eterno por jugar con la vida humana solo para salvar su reputación en el universo. Sin duda, es una pregunta difícil, y como humanos que también hemos sido puestos a prueba en ocasiones con aparentes injusticias, es fácil dudar de nuestra propia importancia —de que no somos más que polvo— de que no exista un Ser Supremo a cargo de lo que nos sucede… pero ante la disyuntiva de unirnos al acusador y su odio hacia todo lo bueno, esperemos pacientemente el desenlace y nunca flaqueemos en nuestra confianza en Hashem. Eso fue lo que hizo Job y lo que dijo después:

«Aunque me mate, en él confiaré» (cap. 13:15). Al final veremos cómo le fue.

Job 2:7-8: «Entonces Satanás salió de la presencia del SEÑOR y afligió a Job con llagas repugnantes desde la planta del pie hasta la coronilla. Job tomó un tiesto para rasparse y se sentó entre las cenizas».

Ahora Job sufre y trata de aliviarse rascándose las llagas y sentándose en un montón de cenizas.

Entonces su esposa se convierte en una tentadora:

Job 2:9-10: «Entonces su esposa le dijo: “¿Aún te aferras a tu integridad? Maldice a Dios y muérete”. Pero él le respondió: “Hablas como una mujer insensata. ¿Acaso recibiremos de Dios solo lo bueno, y no también lo malo?”. En todo esto, Job no pecó con sus labios».

Si consideramos a la esposa de Job y su profundo sufrimiento, podemos comprender por qué dijo lo que dijo. Ella había perdido tanto como Job. Los hijos de una mujer son fruto de su vientre y ella siente con mucha intensidad. Además, se encontraba prácticamente sin esperanza de recibir apoyo. Job parecía estar a punto de morir.

Sin embargo, sus palabras sirvieron para tentar a Job a dudar de la sabiduría de Dios, y en eso se equivocó. ¿Cómo sería posible contener las palabras en un momento así? Aun así, Job la reprendió simplemente por ser insensata (נָבָל nâbâl) y la instruyó sobre la importancia de aceptar tanto los buenos como los malos momentos. Si observamos la palabra hebrea anterior: נָבָל nâbâl, vemos el nombre del esposo de Abigail, quien odiaba a David y murió al enterarse de lo que ella había hecho para ayudarlo.

Es evidente que Job acertó al afirmar que debemos aceptar tanto el bien como el mal que provienen del Señor. No, no culpó a Satanás, sino que puso la fuente de todo directamente en manos del Creador. Y el versículo dice que, en esto, Job no pecó con sus labios.

Tras enterarse de la desgracia de Job, tres amigos de Job (Elifaz el temanita, Bildad el suhita y Zofar el naamatita) se reunieron y decidieron visitarlo (véanse los versículos 11-13). Permanecieron sentados en el suelo durante siete días, tiempo durante el cual no le hablaron mientras observaban su sufrimiento. Parece ser aquí donde se originó la práctica de la shivá (ver enlace).

Los tres amigos provenían de diferentes lugares de Oriente Medio. Quizás haya una razón para mencionar estos lugares. Temán es un lugar en Arabia Saudita, Shuhu es un lugar cerca del Éufrates en la actual Turquía, y Naamah es un lugar que antiguamente correspondería al sur de Canaán o, en la actualidad, a Judea y Samaria, conocida como Cisjordania para quienes no son sionistas. (Enlace). Cómo se reunieron es un misterio, pero tal vez el evento duró lo suficiente como para que las naciones vecinas se enteraran.

Map of Aramea and Edom in biblical times
Un mapa histórico profusamente ilustrado muestra Aramea, Edom, Israel, Judá y las regiones bíblicas vecinas.

Se menciona que Job era originario de Uz, una región de Oriente Medio, aunque su ubicación exacta no está clara. Podría tratarse del Néguev israelí o de parte de Jordania. Wikipedia. Uz era el nombre de un nieto de Sem. Se cree que Uz es un lugar en Aramea que recibió su nombre de Aram, hijo de Sem. Esta es la actual Siria. Otra posibilidad es que se encuentre en Edom o Arabia Saudita, pero la mayoría de las referencias bíblicas vinculan Uz con Aram o Aramea. (Enlace).

En cuanto a la descendencia de Job, es bastante incierto, salvo una posibilidad en Génesis 46:13 como uno de los hijos de Isacar, quien fue incluido entre los que emigraron a Egipto con Jacob durante la hambruna en la tierra de Canaán. ¿Vivió Isacar en Aramea? Tal vez. Moisés llama a Jacob un arameo errante en Deuteronomio 26:5 cuando instruye a Israel sobre la ofrenda de las primicias de la cosecha una vez que entraran en la tierra de Israel.

“Entonces declararás ante el SEÑOR tu Dios: «Mi padre era un arameo errante, y descendió a Egipto con un pequeño pueblo, y habitó allí, y llegó a ser una gran nación, poderosa y numerosa».”

Pero muchos detalles no cuadran para que Job fuera hijo de Isacar y hubiera viajado a Egipto con Jacob. Se acerca, pero no es exacto. Job era demasiado anciano cuando murió para haber vivido mucho después de la época de Abraham. Como ya se mencionó, Job no habría emigrado a Egipto como nieto de Jacob si todo esto le hubiera sucedido antes de partir, y la Biblia no lo menciona. Así pues, Job sigue siendo un misterio. ¿Es esta historia una parábola para todos nosotros? Quizás. Y me gusta pensar que está escrita así para que podamos aplicar las lecciones personalmente.

Boils! Job’s Anguish, Who was Job?

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Job 2, Chapter 3

Job 2:1-3:

 “1. Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. 

“2 And the LORD said to Satan, “Whence have you come?” Satan answered the LORD, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 

“3 And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against him, to destroy him without cause.”

The story repeats itself but with a final difference.

The time between the two assemblies of the sons of Elohim is not mentioned, it seems it happened soon after the first strike against Job. We see as before, the Heavenly assembly of the sons of Elohim where each presents himself before the Eternal. Satan also comes among them–same as last time and with the same emphasis to show that he is not really included as a “son of Elohim,” rather an infiltrator or usurper. He claims to have walked up and down on the Earth or in other words, claims to be the representative of our world. He has no good words to report about anyone, only accusations of the most righteous man on the earth–Job. 

And Satan, as before is determined to destroy righteous Job and to bring doubt upon the wisdom of the Most High. And again, the Lord asks him: “from whence do you come?” As if God is taunting Satan again, “why are you here, have you not done enough damage? He brings up Job again and again Satan accuses him of unfair judgment of Job:

Job 2:4-6:

“4 Then Satan answered the LORD, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.” 6 And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power; only spare his life.”

Satan continues to accuse the Eternal in front of the Sons of Elohim. They are witnesses of this trial of Job. How would they have reacted if God had said: “Enough” of your accusations, and banned Satan forever from the courtroom? Might there have been doubt in someone’s mind that perhaps the accuser was right? It is almost as if God was on trial and not Job. It might be unfair to ask this, but it seems that Job was the test for the honor of the Almighty Judge of the universe. What God did with this would determine, perhaps for all time, what the Universe thought of Him. Why does this matter? Why, if it was going to be so damaging to God’s reputation, did he not just destroy Satan, and poof, he is gone forever? So then what would the Universe have done? They might have obeyed God, but would it have been from love and respect? Indeed the Eternal was in a hard place with no wiggle room! 

What God should have done is a dangerous area for humans to contemplate. We don’t want to blame the Eternal for playing games with human lives just to save His reputation in the universe. It is definitely a hard question,  and as humans who have also been tested at times with apparent injustice, it is easy to doubt that we even matter– that we are mere dust anyway–that there is no Supreme Being in charge of what happens to us…but when faced with joining the accuser and his hatred of all that is good, let us patiently wait for the outcomes and never swerve in our trust in Hashem. That is what Job did and what he said later:

“Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” (ch. 13:15). In the end we will see how things worked out for him. 

Job 2:7-8: “So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD, and afflicted Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. “And he took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes.”

Now Job suffers and tries to relieve himself by scraping his sores and sitting in a pile of ashes. 

Job’s wife turns tempter:

Job 2:9-10: “Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God, and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”

If we look at Job’s wife and how much she suffered we may understand why she said what she said. She had lost as much as Job had. A woman’s children are the offspring of her womb and she feels very deeply. She also was left without much hope of any support. Job appeared ready to die at any moment. 

Yet, what she said was used to tempt Job to doubt God’s wisdom and in that she erred. How would it be  possible to restrain one’s lips in a time like this? Yet Job rebuked her simply as being foolish (נָבָל nâbâl) and further educated her about being willing to accept bad times along with the good. If we look at the Hebrew word above: נָבָל nâbâl, we see the name of the husband of Abigail who hated David and died upon hearing what she had done to help him. 

 It is very clear that Job did well in saying that we need to accept good as well as evil from the hand of the Lord. No, he didn’t blame Satan, he put the source of it all squarely in the Hands of the Creator. And the verse says that in this Job did not sin with his lips.

Upon this three of Job’s friends (Eli’phaz the Te’manite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Na’amathite) get together when they hear about Job’s calamity and decide to visit him. (see verses 11-13). They sit on the ground for 7 days during which time they do not speak to him as they observe his suffering. This seems to be where the practice of sitting shiva  (see link) began.

The three friends came from different places in the middle east. Maybe there is a reason for mentioning these places. Teman is a place in Saudi Arabia, Shuhu is a place near the Euphrates in modern day Turkey, and Naamah is a place that would correspond anciently to Southern Canaan or today, Judea and Samaria, known as the West Bank to non Zionists. (Link). How they all got together is a bit of a mystery, but perhaps the event was long enough that the surrounding nations heard about it. 

Job is mentioned as from the land of Uz which is somewhere in the Middle East, but the location is not clear. Maybe the Negev of Israel or part of Jordan. Wikipedia. Uz was the name of a grandson of Shem. Uz is thought to be a place in Aramea (named for Aram son of Shem). This is modern day Syria. The other possibility is Edom or Saudi Arabia, but the majority of Biblical references tie Uz to Aram or Aramea. (Link).

Where did Job live and who was he really?

As far as who Job descended from, it’s pretty sketchy, other than a possibility in Genesis 46:13, which some Bible scholars support the idea that he was one of the sons of Issachar who was included in those who migrated to Egypt with Jacob during the famine in the land of Canaan. Job is also mentioned in the genealogy of Jacob in 1 Chronicles 7:1. (Note: Most Bibles render the name Jashub or Yashuv in 1 Chronicles which is difficult to explain: for example why is the son of Isaacar called iov or Job in Genesis 46, and the same son in the lineage, called Jashub or Yashuv later in other places?) 

Did Issachar live in Aramea? Maybe. As mentioned above, Uz (Job’s country) is most likely located in Aram. Two schools of thought find him in Aram or in Edom. What seems to tie Uz to Aram if this is the same Job that the book is written about, is that  Jacob is called a wandering Aramean by Moses in Deu 26:5 when instructing Israel about bringing an offering from the harvest of the firstfruits once they entered the land of Israel: 

Map of Aramea and Edom in biblical times
A richly illustrated historical map traces Aramea, Edom, Israel, Judah, and neighboring biblical regions.

“Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous.”

But some things do not add up to make Job a son of Issachar who traveled to Egypt with Jacob. It is close, perhaps not exact. Was Job too old when he died to be alive much later than the time of Abraham? Is it possible that he is the same Job as mentioned in Jacob’s genealogy and went down to Egypt and lived part of his later life during Joseph’s rulership? So Job remains a mystery. Is the story a mere parable for all of us? Maybe. I like to think that it is written that way for us to apply the lessons personally. 

Something else that possibly ties Job to the lineage of Jacob is that Eliphaz, one of the three friends who tormented Job with accusations, was possibly a son of Esau.

The Chicago Bible Students website says: 

“We also read that Jacob had a twin brother called Esau, who had 4 sons, one of them named Eliphaz. (1 Chronicles 1:35)”

“Within the book of Job, we find both names. Job had three comforters, or friends, who came to talk with him; one man was called Eliphaz (Job 2:11). Thus, the relationship between Job and Eliphaz may be proven by connecting Genesis 46, 1 Chronicles 1, and Job 2. However, some may say that the people in the book of Job reference a different Job and a different Eliphaz. Are there any other scriptures which might further connect them? Yes!”

“In Eliphaz’s talk to Job he said, “What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?  With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.” Job 15:9,10”

“Eliphaz mentioned Job’s father, and he indicated that he knew him. He also mentioned that one of them (indirectly pointing back to himself) was older than his father. Eliphaz mentioned that he was older than Job’s father (Issachar), and that was very true. We remember that Esau married when he was only 40 years old (Genesis 26:34), and he took two wives. Jacob didn’t get married until he was about 70 years old. So of course Esau’s sons were older than Jacob’s sons. This was exactly what Eliphaz said – that he (Eliphaz) was older than his father (Issachar). So this scripture supports the assertion that the genealogy from Genesis is connected to Job.” 

There is one more thing connected to the name Job (Yov) versus Jashuv (Yashuv). Considering the meanings of name and the stories of name changes in Tanakh, ie: Avram/Avraham, Yacov/Yisrael, is it possible the Job’s name was changed, even in the literature, to represent what happened to him? 

Let’s have a look at the Hebrew:

From Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew dictionary:

 “אִיּוֹב ʼÎyôwb, ee-yobe’; from H340; hated (i.e. persecuted); Ijob, the patriarch famous for his patience:—Job. 

Jashuv

 “יָשׁוּב Yâshûwb, yaw-shoob’; or יָשִׁיב Yâshîyb; from H7725; he will return; 

Job’s life turned from being persecuted to a return to blessing at the end. In a way his very life portrays this name change. 

However possible, there is a lot of evidence to show that his name was never changed, for example in Ezekiel 14:14,20, he is still referred to as Job. 

There is one possibility and that is that in the masoretic text, there could be scribal errors. 

“Over centuries of hand-copying ancient Hebrew manuscripts, small visual or phonetic shifts occurred between similar-looking words. The Hebrew name Yashub (יָשׁוּב, meaning “he returns”) was lightly corrupted or miscopied in certain textual traditions into the spelling resembling Iob/Yov” (Link).

Preguntas y respuestas del capítulo 1 de Job

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Kneeling man in tattered robe beneath a large white question mark

Tras compartir el primer capítulo del libro de Job, alguien publicó preguntas en la página web. Algunas son muy buenas, mientras que otras son prácticamente imposibles de responder desde un punto de vista humano. Yo mismo me he planteado algunas de estas mismas preguntas en ocasiones.

El estudio y la comprensión de este libro dependen de nuestra confianza en la sabiduría del Creador y de nuestra fe en su plan para la humanidad y el universo. No soy Job ni el Todopoderoso, pero compartiré mis reflexiones con la esperanza de que ayuden a responder algunas preguntas. Aquí las presento para su lectura. Les invito a participar en la discusión con sus comentarios.

1. “Los hijos de Dios/Elohim, ¿eran estos los mismos hijos de Dios mencionados en Génesis 6?”

Según las Escrituras, los justos son llamados hijos de Dios. La historia de Génesis 6 se utiliza en el Libro de los Jubileos y en el Libro de Enoc para afirmar que seres celestiales (extraterrestres) vieron a las mujeres en la Tierra y descendieron para acostarse con ellas, fecundándolas y creando gigantes llamados Nefilim. (¿Quiénes eran los Nefilim? Este es un tema para otra discusión. Afirmar que ángeles o “hijos de Dios” de otras partes del universo codiciaban a las mujeres hermosas, en mi opinión, desprestigia a estos seres angélicos y, por lo tanto, permite la visión del mal en todo el universo, no solo en el planeta Tierra. Si los principios de la ley de Elohim fueran eternos, entonces los seres angélicos no participarían en la lujuria. He tratado este tema en un artículo sobre el diluvio y estas cuestiones. aquí.

2. «¿Qué hay de los daños colaterales causados ​​por la prueba de la fidelidad de Job? Murieron niños y sirvientes, se produjeron daños materiales, se rompieron relaciones. ¿Acaso las vidas perdidas fueron meros peones en la prueba? ¿No eran sus vidas tan importantes como la de Job? Entonces, ¿por qué la prueba requiere más vidas perdidas y más daños materiales solo para sacar lo mejor de Job?»

Vemos desastres en este mundo todo el tiempo. Este mundo no es el Paraíso, ¡aún no! El Eterno sabe por qué permite que las cosas sucedan. Sabemos por la historia que Job es la persona más justa de la tierra. ¿Eran malvados los demás? No lo sabemos. ¿Por qué tuvieron que morir? ¿Por qué tiene que morir alguien? A veces es mejor confiar. Hay momentos en que vemos morir a niños inocentes. Personas asesinadas sin otra razón que estar en el lugar equivocado en el momento equivocado (el 7 de octubre, por ejemplo). ¿Por qué Elohim no protegió a los inocentes? Eso es algo que no entendemos. ¿Podemos creer que, a la larga, los inocentes tendrán una vida futura? Yo elijo creerlo.

3. ¿Existe una gran responsabilidad (abrimos la posibilidad de un problema) al ser justos porque podemos ser sometidos a una prueba extraordinaria?

¿Acaso alguien sabe si son lo suficientemente justos? Quienes se creen justos pueden estar llenos de orgullo, lo cual no es propio de las buenas personas. ¿No deberíamos esforzarnos por ser justos de todos modos, independientemente de si provocamos que el Mal nos ataque? Los piadosos incomodan a los impíos. ¿Acaso debemos abandonar el mundo para alejarnos de los malvados? Debemos creer que estamos aquí para mejorar el mundo, como la levadura en la masa. A veces, una influencia divina transforma el mundo. ¿No vemos esto en la profecía sobre Israel llevando la luz a las naciones?

4. “¿Por qué estaba Satanás con los hijos de Elohim?”

Como les mostré (aquíEra un impostor. No era uno de los hijos de Dios. Se presentó como acusador y adversario del buen Job. No fue invitado a la asamblea.

También se oponía a los designios del Creador. Lo demostró dudando de su palabra y poniendo a prueba a Dios. ¿Quién se creía Satanás para dudar de la sabiduría del Dios Eterno que creó todas las cosas?

Deuteronomio 6:16 “No tentarás al SEÑOR tu Dios como lo hiciste en Masá.”

5. ¿Es cierto que para ser totalmente justo no se debe culpar a Satanás o al diablo por las desgracias que ocurren en la vida?

Si Dios tiene el control de su universo, de nuestro mundo y de todo lo que hay en él, y ha demostrado mediante su poder creador y su sabiduría divina que no hay nadie igual a Él ni a su juicio, entonces nada puede sucedernos a menos que se lo permitamos. ¿Podemos decir, como Job dijo más tarde:

Job 13:15 “Aunque me mate, en él esperaré; defenderé mis caminos ante él.”

Hay ejemplos de mártires y otros que murieron dolorosamente y que alabaron a su Creador hasta el final. Nosotros, como humanos, no vemos las batallas que se libran en los reinos celestiales. No vemos la lucha por demostrar que somos aceptables. Quizás todos tengamos problemas, como los que tuvo Job en cierta medida. ¿Podemos seguir confiando en Dios incluso cuando discutimos con él al respecto?

6. Perder a todos sus seres queridos (hijos) y la desconfianza de la esposa de Job fue una prueba extraordinaria.

Estoy de acuerdo en que esto es sumamente difícil. Pienso en quienes han abandonado a sus seres queridos para seguir la verdad. Nunca es fácil. En cuanto a la esposa de Job, me compadezco de ella, pues no solo perdió a todos sus hijos y su sustento, sino que también tuvo que soportar el sufrimiento de su esposo. Desconozco la razón de su muerte, salvo para decir que los designios de Dios escapan a nuestra comprensión.

7. ¿Por qué les pasan cosas malas a las buenas personas? 

¿Por qué, en efecto? Excepto para demostrar que hay quienes eligen estar del lado de la justicia sin importar el costo. Y quizás para refutar las acusaciones de Satanás de que los justos sirven a Dios solo porque saben «de qué lado les conviene estar».

8. Así pues, desde el punto de vista del libro de Job, el hecho de que uno afronte desgracias o desastres no significa que haya desobedecido o violado la Torá.

Esto es cierto.

9. ¿Sabía el Todopoderoso que Job pasaría la prueba?

Si el Todopoderoso conoce el futuro y la esencia misma de lo que somos, entonces creo que sí, Él lo sabía.

10. Parece que Satanás no creía en el Todopoderoso.

¡Estoy de acuerdo! Satanás volvió a dudar de Dios y, al parecer, quiso contagiar su duda a todo el consejo de los Hijos de Dios. Quizás pretendía destronar al Todopoderoso y proclamarse gobernante del Universo, tal como lo ha hecho en la Tierra.

11. Un pasaje dice: «Cayó fuego de Dios del cielo y consumió a las ovejas y a los siervos; solo yo he escapado para contártelo». ¿Acaso el Todopoderoso estuvo totalmente involucrado en poner a prueba la fidelidad de Job?

¿Acaso Dios no le dio permiso a Satanás para usar su poder? ¿Qué está escrito?

Job 1:11 «Pero ahora extiende tu mano y golpéalo en toda su gloria, y verás cómo te maldice en tu propia cara». 12 El SEÑOR le dijo a Satanás: «Muy bien, pues, todo lo que tiene está en tu poder, pero no le hagas daño». Entonces Satanás salió de la presencia del SEÑOR.

Entonces Satanás le dice a Dios que use su poder para atacar a Job, y luego, en el versículo 12, Dios le dice a Satanás que ha puesto a Job en sus manos, pero que no le ponga un dedo encima. Después, en el capítulo 2, como veremos más adelante, a Satanás se le permite afligir el cuerpo de Job, pero no matarlo. Entonces, ¿quién atacó? Aparentemente, a Satanás se le dio el poder de hacer lo que quisiera hasta cierto punto.

12. ¿Cuántas personas hoy en día viven vidas ejemplares como la de Job?

Espero y creo que hay muchas personas que viven vidas rectas. Creo firmemente que hay muchas que están protegidas por la protección del Altísimo. A veces no vemos la rectitud porque estamos cegados por nuestras propias limitaciones y defectos. A veces, simplemente no nos importa lo suficiente como para comprender lo que sucede.