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Blaming G-d

Friday, 26 August, 2022 - 8:47 am

At some point in our lives, we inevitably blame G-d.

If something goes wrong, we sometimes blame others. Once in a while, we even blame ourselves.

But, when we are out of options, we simply blame G-d.

Even atheists sometimes blame G-d. “I don’t believe in G-d because G-d would never allow A, B or C to happen.” This is actually putting blame on G-d.

So, the inevitable question is, “Who does G-d blame when things go wrong?”

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In this week’s Parsha of Re’ei, the Torah enjoins us to “cleave to G-d” (Devarim/Deuteronomy 12:5).  The Sages of the Talmud interpret this commandment to mean that we must “cleave to His ways: bestow kindness, bury the dead, and visit the sick, just as the Holy One, blessed is He, did.”  After all, we cannot cleave to Him physically for he is not a physical being, so the mitzvah is to follow in His sacred and admirable ways.

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In G-d’s universe, he is in charge. If something goes “wrong” there is no one else to blame.

We have free will and can certainly negatively influence the world. But, that’s by design – so it’s not wrong.

The natural phenomena, the sequence of events, and the things we call luck – those are all by Divine design.

Ultimately, G-d cannot pass the buck. It’s His universe and He only has Himself to look at in the mirror.

Perhaps this is one lesson from the Torah’s message to cleave to G-d.  Try putting yourself in G-d’s shoes when you are seeking someone to blame.  Instead of searching for a scapegoat, you’ll be figuring out a way to plan better next time.

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