Sunday, December 18, 2011

We're only human, right?

I have recently heard many references to the fact that the patriarchs and matriarchs were people, but they were at the same time "greater than the average man". For instance, when Sarah causes Hagar to run away after she has been having a "higher than thou" attitude towards her, the text seems to imply that Sarah inflicted some sort of mental of physical pain on Sarah. However, many commentators suggest that since Sarah was one of the matriarchs and such a great person, that she never would have done something like that, and that she only instructed Hagar to conduct herself appropriately. There are a few situations like this in the Torah.
In contrast, there are situations like we see with Avraham. Avraham needs constant reassurance from G-d that G-d will follow through and give him land, wealth, children, and more. Avraham was a great person. How come he needed reassurance from G-d? It is true that he wanted reassurance because there were many setbacks which caused him to doubt that the promise would come true. But still, Avraham was more than the average person. A normal person would probably want reassurance, but Avraham was on a higher level than a normal person.
So here is my question. How is it possible that such holy people who were on such a high level still needed help and guidance like ordinary people? Please feel free to try and solve this puzzle!

1 comment:

  1. Wow, Emma, you have quite the dilemma. I think that because they were on such a high level, they had to deal with much bigger situations. For instance, ordinary people today might need reassuring that their clothes are appropriate or that they have studied enough for their exam or that they are ready for the play. People in ancient times who were on such high spirituality levels needed reassuring when it came to whether they were going to have a child so they can become a great nation or when they are severely outnumbered in a war and are in danger of losing. In short, people in those times had much bigger things to worry about so I think we should give them the benefit of the doubt when they need some reassuring. Though they were high in spirituality, they were still humans and it is part of human nature to need some reasurring once in a while.

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