#chasidus

@wenevergotusedtoegypt, that's a little harsh saying that its impossible for other gods that we don't worship to exist. Did Hashem not pass judgement on the gods of the Egyptians?

No, Hashem demonstrated that they were not in fact gods. When the Torah is referring to other gods, it means that people treat them as gods, not that they actually are gods.

If you’re interested in learning about this in more depth, it’s something that’s discussed quite a bit in chassidus and I could probably recommend some specific articles/shiurim to look into. But I’ll try to give a brief explanation. 

To put it most simply, Hashem is infinite. As soon as you say that there is another deity with any kind of power separate from Hashem, you are saying that there is a place where Hashem isn’t. That would mean that Hashem would be finite. That’s not the G-d of Judaism.

Slightly more in depth, though still only scratching the surface: Nothing truly exists except Hashem. As creations, we perceive ourselves and the world to exist because Hashem made it that way. But in absolute truth, we don’t exist separate from Hashem. In fact, Hashem is perpetually creating the world. The best analogy I’ve seen is to picture a river in your head. The moment you stop actively picturing it, not only does it not exist anymore, but it never existed in the first place. If Hashem would even for one moment stop creating the world, it would cease to have ever existed. 

The only reason we are able to perceive ourselves as separate from Hashem is that He essentially cloaks Himself through increasing levels of what’s known in kabbalistic terminology as tzimtzum, which becomes greater and greater as you descend (figuratively) from the highest worlds to the lowest, until this very lowest of the worlds, in which G-dliness is so far obscured that it’s possible for the creations in said world to not only perceive themselves as independent beings, but even deny Hashem’s existence. Hashem makes such a world because He wants us to have free will with regards to mitzvos, which is not possible when one is truly fully aware that Hashem exists (nor, indeed, is perceiving oneself as an independent being possible with full knowledge of Hashem’s existence).

(2/3 sorry) the reasons I hear people giving tend to be connected to God’s love/care for them and the fact that he created them and therefore they owe their existence, and for some the good things happening in their lives, to him. Again assuming I believe in God, none of those things were my choice, and I fail to understand why I owe respect to someone on that basis.

3/3 I am aware that Judaism is different to Xity etc in that it doesnt require or really want non-Jews to worship or follow its commandments, but if I understand correctly the Noahide Laws 1 and 2 still require everyone to extend unusual respect to God. (I’m not trying to be an annoying gotcha atheist - I just dont want to be missing some nuance in thinking about this on account of being surrounded by Xity and not having a deep knowledge of Jism. I understand if you have better things to do. TY)

I can definitely tell this is a genuine question and not a gotcha atheist situation, so thanks for elaborating. These details definitely clarified the angle from which to approach your question.

I’ll try to think of some readings that address this issue directly or indirectly, but in the meantime I’ll share some thoughts in my own words.

Your question (with these details elaborated) presupposes that there is G-d, and there is us. G-d created us, sure, but once created we’re our own beings, who may or may not owe any thanks to that external creator, that part being up for debate depending on whether He deserves it.

As a side point (I’ll get to the main issue next), the idea that because you didn’t ask for something, you don’t owe thanks to someone who gives it to you is, I think, easily disprovable if you just look at your relationships with fellow human beings. I didn’t ask my husband to pack my lunch every day - he just started doing it on his own initiative - but I think we can agree I’d be rude if I didn’t thank him for doing it. I didn’t ask my parents to pay for our plane tickets when we visited for Thanksgiving, but again, once they did so, it would be extremely rude not to thank them.

But on to the main point: to say that we owe G-d our existence isn’t a false statement; it’s true from a limited human perspective. But it’s misleading because it leads to the presupposition I mentioned above: that there’s G-d, and there’s us, separate independent beings living our lives. Thumbs up for creating me, G-d, but I’m just gonna live my life for me. Except at a deeper level, the idea that we owe our existence to G-d isn’t true at all. At that level, the idea that we exist isn’t true. There is a phrase in Hebrew, ein od milvado, which is often translated as “there is no one [i.e. no other gods] besides Him.” However, it is more properly translated as “there is nothing besides Him.” Not only are there no other deities, but the ultimate truth is that nothing except G-d has true existence.

Here you might say, “Um, hey, but if that’s true, who sent you this ask? Who is the ‘you’ who is answering it? I exist! You exist!” And again, that’s true from the limited human perspective. It’s just not true from the ultimate perspective. The best metaphor I’ve heard to explain creation vis a vis G-d is this: picture a river (or anything else) in your head. As long as you are actively picturing it, it has some level of existence. But the moment you stop actively picturing it, it ceases to exist in its entirety. That’s the world; that’s us. We only “exist” because G-d is perpetually, every moment, creating us (creation was not a one time act).

There are some very deep concepts here, with literally books and books written about them. But to simplify things greatly, the way creation is set up is as a series of descending (metaphorically, not literally) worlds. In each world, G-d conceals Himself progressively further. The world we exist (or rather, perceive ourselves to exist) in is called Asiyah, and it is the lowest of all worlds, which is to say, the one in which G-d is most concealed. It is only because of that high level of concealment that the created beings in this world are able to perceive ourselves as separate and independent beings. And it is only because of that concealment that free will is possible for us (angels, on the other hand, which are in the higher worlds, have no free will, because they are able to perceive G-d more clearly and thus there is no temptation whatsoever to do anything except that which they were created to do).

Ok, so great. G-d is hiding Himself from us down here so we can have free will. Cool. But why? Chasidus teaches us that the entire purpose of G-d’s creating this world was that He desires a dwelling in the lowest realm. What does that mean? A dwelling, a home, is (or should be, anyway) a place where the dweller feels welcome. So the entire purpose of the world’s, and our, existence, is to make G-d feel welcome in the world. And He even gave us clear instructions how to do that, also known as the Torah. 

Additionally, on a “selfish” level (coming from the perspective that the self even exists), a person’s G-dly soul (as opposed to their animal soul - explaining these is for another post) is literally a piece of G-dliness. When a person serves G-d, they are bringing joy to their own soul. When a person does the opposite, they are hurting their own soul, exiling it into impure spiritual forces. Because ein od milvado, when a person isn’t following Torah (or the Noahide laws, as relevant), they aren’t rebelling against an outside ruler. They are rebelling against the essence of their own being.

Chabad.org article by Levi Avtzon

In the Book of Exodus, we are introduced to Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro, wife of Moses and mother of their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer.

What Does “Zipporah” Mean?

Zipporah literally means “bird,” and just as the blood of a bird purifies a home that is covered in leprosy, Zipporah cleansed her father’s home from idols.1 Alternatively, just as a bird is admired for its beauty, so was Zipporah admired for her loveliness.2

How Moses Met Zipporah

Scripture describes how, after Moses protected Jethro’s daughters from shepherds who did not allow them to access the local well, Jethro “gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses.”3

The Midrash provides a fascinating backstory of how this union came to be. When Moses showed up in Midian and admitted to Jethro that he was fleeing from Pharaoh, Jethro—who was an advisor to Pharaoh at the time—threw him into a pit and left him there to die of starvation.

Zipporah had compassion on Moses and brought him bread and water. After 10 years, she turned to her father and said: “This Hebrew who has been jailed in the pit for the past 10 years, nobody has come around asking for him. [Hence, it is no longer dangerous to have him in our home.] If it is good in your eyes, Father, let us send for him and see if he is alive or dead!”

Jethro hadn’t known of his daughter’s kindness to Moses, so he was quite shocked: “Is it possible for a man to be locked up for 10 years and survive without food?”

His daughter replied: “Father, haven’t you heard that the G‑d of the Hebrews is great and awesome, and does miracles for them all the time? He saved Abraham from the fire, Isaac from the sword and Jacob from the angel who fought him. And how about this very Moses who was saved from the Nile and from the sword of Pharaoh? I’m sure that G‑d could have saved him now as well.”

Indeed, they went to the pit and found Moses alive, standing and praying to the G‑d of his fathers. He was taken out, cleaned, given a haircut and brought to the family table for a meal.

It was then that Moses asked for Zipporah’s hand in marriage. She had kept him alive and shown him great kindness.4

Another Midrash shares that when Moses first showed up in Jethro’s home, Zipporah felt a deep love for him. She asked her father to allow her to marry him, which he did.5

Zipporah’s Courageous Act

After Moses was informed by G‑d that he would be the redeemer of the Jewish people, Moses, together with his wife and children, left the comfort of Midian to travel down to Egypt where the Jews were enslaved. This was a risky journey, which Zipporah courageously joined.

One night, while they were staying in an inn, an angel of G‑d came to kill Moses. Zipporah realized that he was being punished for not circumcising their newborn son. (Moses had delayed the brit milah due to the rigors of travel.) In the words of the Torah:

Now he was on the way, in an inn, that the L‑rd met him and sought to put him to death. So, Zipporah took a sharp stone and severed her son's foreskin and cast it to his feet…6

Thus, with quick thinking, Zipporah saved her husband’s life by giving their son a brit milah. The leader and redeemer of the Jewish people was twice saved by this holy woman!

Staying Behind in Midian

As Moses neared Egypt, he was greeted by his older brother, Aaron, who reprimanded him for bringing his family along to Egypt: “We are pained by those already here, and you bring more people to this terrible situation?”7 Zipporah and their two sons Gershom and Eliezer traveled back to her father’s home in Midian. She would not see her husband and the Jewish nation for more than a year, until after the exodus and the splitting of the sea (and according to some opinions, the giving of the Torah at Sinai as well).

The next time we hear of Zipporah is when the Torah tells us that Jethro came to join the people of Israel.8 Together with him came his daughter and grandsons, Moses’ wife and children. The last time they saw their husband and father, he was an unknown and private man. Now, he was the leader of the Jewish people, “Moses, our Teacher.” This would demand tremendous sacrifice, as we find later in the Torah . . .

The Ultimate Sacrifice

In the Book of Numbers, we read: “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses regarding the Cushite woman he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.”9

According to tradition, the woman in question was none other than Zipporah.10

What were they saying about her? The Torah continues to say that they were actually not talking about her, but rather about their brother Moses: “They said, ‘Has the L‑rd spoken only to Moses? Hasn't He spoken to us too? [So why did he separate from his spouse, whereas we haven’t!]’”

What were they speaking about? Rashi tells us that Moses had divorced his wife:

How did she [Miriam] know that Moses had separated from his wife? R. Nathan says: Miriam was beside Zipporah when Moses was told that Eldad and Medad [newly appointed prophets] were prophesying in the camp. When Zipporah heard this, she said, “Woe to their wives if they are required to prophesy, for they will separate from their wives just as my husband separated from me.”

From this, Miriam knew [about it] and told Aaron.11

In truth, however, it was only Moses who was required to separate from his wife in order to be constantly “on call,” ready to speak to G‑d at any moment. Other prophets remained married and led normal family lives.

In the end, Zipporah made the ultimate sacrifice. Unlike every other prophet, her husband had to be in constant communication with G‑d, which did not leave room for anything else in his life. It was thanks to her kindness, courage and sacrifice that the Jewish people were gifted with the eternal leadership and influence of our greatest teacher: Moses.

FOOTNOTES

1. Midrash Rabbah, Bereishit 39:6.

2. Midrash Tanchuma, Tzav 13.

3. Exodus 2:21.

4. Yalkut Shimoni on Shemot.

5. Midrash Hashkem on Shemot.

6. Exodus 4:24.

7. Mechilta, Exodus 18:2.

8. Exodus 18.

9. Numbers 12:1.

10. Rashi on the verse.

Super interesting rambling at any rate, I really enjoyed reading your post. Do you happen to know any introductory literature to such themes, or is it more seminary stuff? I can say, I definitely relate and have had similar experiences with ‘bodily anxiety’. Thank you for sharing!