Tag-Archive for » Genesis 2:18 «

Difficult But Not Impossible

Saturday, May 07th, 2011 | Author:

It is for your destruction, O Israel, that you are against Me, against your help. Hosea 13:9  NASB

Help – Hosea is a prophet of puns.  His message is filled with word plays, allusions and odd constructions.  In some cases, no scholar today can definitively determine the meaning of Hosea’s words.  This verse is one of those very difficult occurrences.  You would know that there are a lot of problems as soon as you see all the italicized words in translation.  There aren’t really any verbs in this “sentence.”  Translators add them to help make sense of the passage.  In addition, there are problems with the word shihetka (destruction) and the preposition be (“against” in the above version).  Nevertheless, we still get the gist of the verse.  God is about to unleash the great irony of Israel’s history – destruction will come from the helper.

Dearman suggests that we should notice the comparison of this verse with verse 4.  In verse 4, YHWH is called the moshia of Israel, the savior of the people.  Here He is their ‘ezer.  In both cases, His actions are designed to rescue and deliver (yasha).  Once God found Israel in the wilderness and He cared for them.  Now He finds them in physical prosperity but spiritual emptiness.  He will care for them again, but the first occasion meant nourishing and flourishing; this time His care means destroying.

Before we apply this pattern to our lives, let’s look as far back as we can to see if the pattern isn’t true from the beginning.  God found Adam outside the Garden.  He put him in the Garden in order that Adam might enjoy all things delightful to God.  Adam lacked for nothing because God was his shepherd.  God even added a physical representation of His personal support and assistance, the ‘ezer kenegdo, Adam’s benefactor.  Like grapes discovered in the wilderness, God delighted in Adam and the ‘ezer and commissioned them to be His priests in the world.  But Adam and his ‘ezer overstepped the protective borders God put in place.  They converted God’s truth into personal morality and disaster befell them.  How would God restore them to His fellowship and communion?  The only way possible – by forcing them from the Garden of blessed delight into a world now riddled with ‘atsav, and world where death and destruction can become the tools of restoration.  Hosea is not so far from the Garden.  He stands at the entrance and beckons Israel to look where it came from.  He exhorts us to do the same.

In my experience, the irony of YHWH’s creative work is that He is both helper and destroyer.  When we align ourselves with Him, He supplies our every need and blesses us with fulfilled purpose.  When we oppose Him, He does not cease in His effort to bring us back into alignment since communion with Him is both beneficial to us and of enormous importance to Him.  But when we oppose Him, He opposes us, bringing destruction into our lives in order that we will not be entirely seduced by the appeal of self-edification.  In other words, He is for us and against us at the same time.  Which way He faces depends on us.

Topical Index:  ‘ezer, helper, destruction, shihetka, Hosea 13:9, Genesis 2:18

Obviously, there is a parallel between God’s actions toward Israel and the designed purpose of the ‘ezer kenegdo, the woman.  She also faces toward and away from her beneficiary, the man.  Paying attention to the way that God deals with His relationship with Israel provides considerable material for reflection on the way God designed the relationship between a wife and a husband.  If you haven’t studied this parallelism, you have missed something critical about God’s design.  You can start with my book, Guardian Angel.

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Order And Purpose

Saturday, September 25th, 2010 | Author:

And YHWH Elohim said, “It is not good the man being alone.  I will make for him an ‘ezer kenegdo.  Genesis 2:18

‘ezer kenegdo – The opening of the Bible is a declaration of God’s ordering the world.  He is completely in control of all creation.  His character is expressed in all that He does.  His rule governs all He makes.  Of course, this applies to human beings as well.  What we notice is that God’s ordered design always entails purpose.  There are no accidents in this universe.  Everything has a role to play, a purpose built into its design.  In fact, this interdependency is so apparent throughout creation that even atheists find it difficult to explain.  Order, design and purpose are so pervasive that no explanation of the world that ignores this fact can be considered valid.  Accident does not produce ordered complexity.

This structural fact of existence allows us to ask a fundamental question about the ‘ezer kenegdo.  If God makes everything for a purpose, what is the purpose of the ‘ezer kenegdo?  The text clearly tells us that God made (implying with intentional purpose) the Woman.  She was perfectly designed to fulfill His purpose.  So if we want to know what that purpose is, we need to look at this text from God’s point of view, not from the point of view of the beneficiary, Adam.

The text tells us that God was motivated to construct the ‘ezer kenegdo because of concern for the Man.  But motivation is not purpose.  Motivation explains why I make something, but that is not the same as what the creation does.  God loved Adam.  Adam was in need.  His condition was not good in a universe designed around what is good.  Therefore, something needed to be done.  God produced the ‘ezer kenegdo in order to do something that would supply the need He observed.

In the past we explored in detail the connection between “good” and God’s first instruction for living.  Very briefly, God recognizes that Adam cannot fulfill the instruction without someone who is specifically designed to act as the guide, boundary-keeper and supporter of the instruction.  The serpent attacks the ‘ezer kenegdo precisely because she is the guide, the boundary-keeper and the spiritual director.  She determines the direction the first couple takes.  Adam acknowledges his agreement with this purpose in his excuse for his behavior to God.  The crucial point is this:  the ‘ezer kenegdo is designed with a purpose in mind.  God made her that way.  It is His ordering of the relationship between a husband and wife.

What does this mean today, after the collapse of Eden’s delight and thousands of years of unordered living?  It means that if we are going to restore the world to the righteousness God intended, we will have to reorder the relationship of marriage.  We will have to recognize and practice the purpose of the ‘ezer kenegdo.  We will have to realize that she was designed as the guide, the protector, the provider of spiritual awareness, the one who sets the boundaries for God’s glory and our benefit.  Whenever we refuse God’s order, chaos follows.  That is abundantly clear here, where the basic relationship of life is on the line.  If you as a woman are not fulfilling your purpose as ‘ezer kenegdo, something is drastically wrong.  You know it.  You feel it.  Now you need to do something about it.  You were meant to be so close to God that your man sees God’s hand in your life and knows that he is blessed in you.  If you are a man, you need to let her be what she was meant to be, what she was designed to be and what you know she wants to be – for your benefit.  Take off the shackles of control and follow your guide.  Risk being blessed.  What have you got to lose except your pride?

Topical Index: ‘ezer kenegdo, purpose, order, Genesis 2:18

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Una Clase de Ayuda Especial

Saturday, May 30th, 2009 | Author:

Entonces el SEÑOR Dios dijo: “No es bueno que el hombre esté solo; le haré una ayuda [´ezer kenegdo].” Génesis 2:18


´ezer kenegdo – La Biblia no está escrita con números de capítulos y versículos. Esos fueron añadidos miles de años después. Desafortunadamente, esta añadidura frecuentemente separa nuestro pensamiento del texto para que no veamos la continuación de un pensamiento a otro. Una vez que removemos estos altos artificiales, cambia el contexto de nuestra interpretación. Ese es el caso de la introducción de ‘ezer kenegdo. Este mandamiento precede de inmediato la declaración de Dios sobre la necesidad del ´ezer kenegdo.

“De todo árbol del jardín puedes comer libremente, pero del árbol de conocimiento del bien y el mal, no deberás comer de él; por cuanto el dia que comas de el ciertamente morirás.” (Génesis 2:17).

¿Qué sigue después de esta advertencia? ¿Qué aparece después de la única prohibición que Dios le da a Abraham? La necesidad de un ´ezer kenegdo. El argumento procede de la prohibición concerniente al árbol del conocimiento del bien y el mal al requerimiento de una ´ezer kenegdo. Adicionalmente, toda la historia de la Caída se enfoca en el rol de la ´ezer kenegdo y el árbol. ¿Cómo podemos ignorar la conclusión obvia que el propósito del ´ezer kenegdo está de alguna manera conectado con el mandamiento de obediencia de Adán? ¿Cómo podemos ignorar la conclusión que el propósito de ´ezer kenegdo está de alguna relacionada al mandamiento de obediencia de Adán? Adán no necesita una asistente o colaboradora. La consigna del cuidado del Jardín, a ser fructífero, multiplicarse y la mayordomía de la tierra se da a los dos, hombre y mujer. Reciben las instrucciones de Dios por igual. Ese no es el caso de Adán cuando recibe la consigna y delega un poco de esa responsabilidad en su compañera fiel, Havvah.

Empero, el mandamiento que prohíbe comer del árbol del conocimiento del bien y el mal se da solo a Adán. La energía productiva de Adán no es la que necesita asistencia. Es su fidelidad a la obligación moral ante Dios. El necesita un protector.  Necesita a alguien cuyo trabajo es mantener al hombre en el camino correcto. Necesita a alguien que camine a su lado con el propósito expreso de apoyar su obediencia. Havvah juega ese papel. Havvah tiene un papel, pero no es el papel de sierva domestica, descarga sexual, asistente de producción o Vicepresidente de trabajos públicos. ¡Es el rol de sacerdote! Ella debe ser la que se asegura que Adán permanece fiel a Dios. Ella es quién se levanta entre el mandamiento de Dios y la obediencia de Adán, cuidándolo para que no se descarríe. La ayuda que provee ese para rescatar y salvar. En este rol, ella se convierte en el paralelo de la relación extraordinaria entre Dios e Israel. Dios es el protector, proveedor y rescatador de Israel en el mundo caído, pero esos son los únicos roles que Dios se atribuye después de la Caída. Para comprender el rol de ´ezer kenegdo, debemos ver la relación de Dios con el hombre antes de la Caída.

Para esta exploración, solo tenemos las más mínimas pistas, pero tendrán que servir. La palabra hebrea para “hombre” y “mujer” contienen historias dobles. Si, describen nuestra sexualidad, pero también implican mucho más. La palabra hebrea para “hombre” es zakar. Zakar tiene un homófono, otra palabra que se escribe exactamente igual en hebreo (Z-K-R) pero aparentemente tienen la misma raíz y significados diferentes. En este caso, zakar es un verbo que sugiere matices interesantes. El significado principal de zakar es el verbo “recordar.” Zakar describe la presencia mental que se lleva al corazón. En otras palabras, es el pensamiento que se convierte en acción. No existe mejor conexión entre estos dos elementos que el que se describe en el Salmo 103:18. “Para aquellos que guardan Su pacto y recuerdan Sus preceptos para cumplirlos.” El propósito de zakar no es de simplemente recordarnos algo. Es traer algo a mente para que actuemos. “Entonces recordar a Dios y la obediencia implícita se experimentan como una relación vitalmente necesaria, de la cual el hombre no puede ni debe escaparse” (Eising). Zakar es una acción “necesaria para la existencia humana”  y “un vínculo fundamental de recordatorio mutuo que une al hombre y a Dios.

¿Ves por que el homófono de zakar intriga tanto? ¿Es posible que al ser en la imagen de Dios como hombre (zakar) podría relacionarse a la necesitad del hombre de recordar quién es Dios y como se relaciona Dios a los hombres? EL hombre recibe un llamado a recordar – particularmente a recordar a Dios y su obligación con el Creador. EN este sentido, Adán carga la imagen de Dios como el que fue llamado a recordar lo que Dios dijo, quién es Dios y actuar según esta información.

¿Y que de la “mujer”? el hebreo nekavah también es otra historia. Es una combinación con zakari (hombre), las dos palabras demuestran que la imagen de Dios se carga en el complemento de estas dos. Pero es necesario que los seres humanos sean humanos. Pero nekavah también tiene su propio énfasis. En este caso, la palabra arábica no solo significa “traspasar, hacer hoyo,” sino también “señalar, separar, estipular como líder.” Estos significados también los encontramos en las Escrituras. Por ejemplo, un esclavo por vida (voluntariamente)  es marcado con un orificio en la oreja., Cuando recibe nombre, transfiere su identidad del orificio en la oreja al nombre que recibe. Adicionalmente, encontramos la palabra utilizada para describir el nombramiento a una posición de importancia. Finalmente, en Isaías 62:2, describe al que recibe un nuevo nombre (nakav), como algo  importante y de valor. Puede ser que nekavah como ´ezer kenegdo se nombra al oficio de distinción, y el rol que carga conlleva una nueva identidad y presenta la marca de esa identidad en su sexualidad. A fin de cuentas, es la “madre de todo lo vivo,” Cualquiera nacido de mujer debe encontrar su nueva identidad por medio de espacio o túnel de su cuerpo en el proceso de adquisición de un nuevo nombre.

¿Qué descubrimos de ezer kenegdo? El texto sugiere que es diseñada para el propósito específico de mantener la obediencia entre su hombre y Dios. Ella es su intercesor. Ella debe guardar la relación con el Creador, apoyarlo cuando abraza la dirección de Dios y oponerse cuando no lo hace. Ella es la ayuda-opuesta en la única área donde requiere atención adicional. No el trabajo, no en consignas que cambian al mundo, no en el dominio ni en la mayordomía – pero en el despertar espiritual y la obediencia. Sin ella, el hombre está en riesgo y profundamente vulnerable.

¿Es este el rol que imaginabas de la ´ezer kenegdo? Esto hace imposible ver a la mujer como ciudadanas de segunda categoría dentro del Cuerpo, ¿no lo crees?

Transición

El primero de Junio es la fecha de transición a la comunidad de suscriptores. Hemos recibido muchas solicitudes de permanencia gratuita, las cuales gustosamente concedemos. Son muy importantes para nosotros. Las personas que se han comunicado con nosotros y/o han decidido contribuir, con la cantidad que deseen y sean capaces de aportar – $1, si es la cantidad que pueden aportar – nos demuestran que éste esfuerzo es lo suficientemente importante para que tomen acción.

Las otras personas, mas de 200, que no se han comunicado ni han ofrecido aporte, saldrán del listado de suscriptores. Comprendemos que todos tenemos prioridades diferentes, no podemos aportar a todos los ministerios. Pero avanzamos hacia la formación de una comunidad en la que todos sentimos que es una prioridad. Esa es la comunidad que buscamos, comprometida con el estudio y con el resto de las personas que comparten esa pasión.

Si deseas saber por qué lo hacemos, cómo contribuir, o deseas unirte a la comunidad de suscriptores, presiona aquí.

Category: La Palabra de Hoy  | Tags: , , , , , ,  | Comments off

A Special Kind Of Help

Saturday, May 30th, 2009 | Author:

And said YHWH Elohim, “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make for him a [‘ezer kenegdo].” Genesis 2:18

‘ezer kenegdo – The Bible was not written with chapter and verse numbers. Those were added thousands of years later. Unfortunately, their addition often breaks our thinking about the text so that we don’t see the continuation of one thought into another. Once these artificial stops are removed, the context of our interpretation often changes. Such is the case with the introduction of the ‘ezer kenegdo. Immediately preceding God’s statement about the need for the ‘ezer kenegdo is this command:

“Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17).

What follows this warning? What follows the only prohibition that God gives Adam? The necessity of an ‘ezer kenegdo. The argument proceeds from the prohibition concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to the requirement for an ‘ezer kenedgdo. Furthermore, the entire story of the Fall focuses on the role of the ‘ezer kenegdo and the tree. How can we ignore the obvious conclusion that the purpose of the ‘ezer kenegdo is somehow connected to the command for Adam to obey. Adam doesn’t need an assistant or a co-laborer. The assignment to care for the garden, be fruitful, multiply and take stewardship over the earth is given to both male and female. They equally receive God’s directive. It is not the case that Adam is given the assignment and then delegates some of that responsibility to his faithful companion, Havvah.

However, the command prohibiting eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is given to Adam alone. It is not Adam’s productive energy that needs assistance. It is his faithfulness to God’s moral obligation. He needs a protector. He needs someone whose job is to keep him on the straight and narrow. He needs one who comes alongside for the express purpose of supporting his obedience. Havvah has a role to play, but it is not the role of domestic servant, sexual outlet, production assistant or Vice President for Public Works. It is the role of priest! She is to be the one who makes sure that Adam stays faithful to God. She is the one who stands between God’s command and Adam’s obedience, watching over him so that he will not go astray. The help she brings is the help of rescue and salvation. In this role, she parallels God’s ultimate relationship with Israel. God is the protector, provider and deliverer of Israel in the fallen world, but those are only roles God takes upon Himself after the Fall. In order to understand the role of the ‘ezer kenegdo, we must look at God’s relationship with human beings before the Fall.

For this exploration, we have only the barest of clues, but these will do. The Hebrew words for “male” and “female” contain double stories. Yes, they describe our sexuality, but they also imply something more. The Hebrew word for “male” is zakar. zakar has a homophone, another word that is spelled exactly the same way in Hebrew (Z-K-R) but which has an apparently different root and a different meaning. In this case, zakar as a verb suggests some very interesting nuances. The principle meaning of zakar as a verb is “to remember.” zakar describes a presence of mind that is taken to heart. In other words, it is thinking that becomes doing. There is no better connection between these two elements than what is described in Psalm 103:18. “To those who keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them.” The purpose of zakar is not simply to bring something to mind. It is to bring something to mind in order to act upon it. “Thus remembrance of God and the obedience it implies are experienced as a vitally necessary relationship, from which a man cannot and must not escape” (Eising). zakar is an action that is “necessary for human existence” and “a fundamental bond of mutual remembrance that unites God and man.”

Do you see why the homophone of zakar is so intriguing? Is it possible that being in God’s image as male (zakar) could be related to a man’s necessity to remember who God is and how God is related to men? Man is called to remember – in particular to remember God and his obligation to God, the Creator. In this sense, Adam bears the image of God as the one who is called to remember what God said, who God is and to act accordingly.

What about “female?” The Hebrew nekavah also has another story. In combination with zakar (male), the two words demonstrate that the image of God is carried in the complement of these two. Both are necessary for human beings to be human. But nekavah also has its own enhancement. In this case, the Arabic cognate not only means “to pierce, to make a hole,” but also “single out” and “appoint as a leader.” These meanings are also found in Scripture. For example, a slave for life (voluntarily) is marked by a hole bored in the ear. When he is given a name, his identity is transferred from the hole in the ear to the name he bears. Furthermore, we find the word used to describe an appointment to a high office. Finally, Isaiah 62:2 describes being given a new name (nakav) as something of importance and value. Could it be that the nekavah as ‘ezer kenedgo is appointed to an office of distinction, a role in which she carries a new identity and bears the mark of that identity with her sexuality. After all, she is the “mother of all living”. Everyone born of woman must find a new identity through the breach or tunnel of her body and in the process acquire a name.

What do we discover about the ‘ezer kenegdo? The text suggests that she is designed for the specific purpose of maintaining obedience between her man and God. She is his intercessor. She is to guard his relationship with the Creator, support him when he embraces God’s direction and oppose him when he does not. She is the helper-opposite in the only arena where he needs additional attention. Not work, not world-changing assignments, not dominion, not stewarding – but spiritual awareness and obedience. Without her, the man is at great risk and particularly vulnerable.

Is this the role you imagined for the ‘ezer kenegdo? This makes it rather impossible to think of women as second-class citizens in the Body, doesn’t it?

(I’m sorry that this one is so long.  I just couldn’t say what had to be said with less.)

Topical Index: ‘ezer kenegdo, woman, priest, intercessor, obedience, Genesis 2:18, male, female

Category: Today's Word  | Tags: , , , , , , ,  | 15 Comments

El Gran Riesgo

Friday, May 29th, 2009 | Author:

Entonces el SEÑOR Dios dijo: “No es bueno que el hombre esté solo; le haré una ayuda adecuada.”  Génesis 2:18


Kenegdo – ¿Estás preparado para hablar de riesgos? Ayer aprendimos que existe algo increíblemente importante en el suceso del diseño de la Mujer por Dios, la ´ezer kenegdo.

Dentro de éste diseño vemos la construcción de un poder y responsabilidad increíble – ¡y un riesgo aterrorizador! El desempaque de este significado requiere que reconsideremos toda nuestra apreciación cultural de la mujer, o por lo menos, de ésta mujer en particular. Para hacerlo, debemos salir de la influencia de nuestros patrones griegos. Debemos regresar a los orígenes – en hebreo.

El rabino David Freedman traduce la palabra ezer como “poder” o “fortaleza”. El traduce kenegdo no como “adecuada a él” sino como “igual a él.” Pero aun esto no es suficiente. El rabino Shlomo Riskin nos provee una modificación esencial.

El primer problema radica en el termino hebreo extraño, “Ezer kenegdo,” la frase que D-s utiliza para describir a la criatura que El proveerá para Adán para conquistar su soledad. La traducción literal es ayuda-opuesta.  Otras traducciones son “ayuda-conocida” o “una ayuda comparable”; términos que no reflejan plenamente la tensión interna de éste concepto. Rashi, al explicar la frase, escribe, “si el hombre  vale, entonces su esposa será una ´ezer (ayuda), y si no vale, será una ´kenegdo´ (contra él, una fuerza opositora).” A pesar del comentario de Rashi, una ayuda-opuesta es aun un término inusual. No es bueno que Adán esté solo. Pero ¿por qué Dios lo le crea simplemente una ´ayuda´ a él, por qué un ´opuesto´?[1]

La pregunta es crucial. El rabino Shlomo sugiere que la respuesta yace en algún lugar en la arena de la igualdad. “El esposo no está diseñado para controlar a la esposa. SI lo hace, ha perdido la posibilidad de descubrir su ´ezer-kenegdo.´ Y nunca será capaz de sobreponer su soledad social. ¡No debemos asociarnos con seres inferiores a quienes podemos   subyugar! (La frase “él la dominará” es un castigo y lamento lejano del ideal).” [2]

El rabino Walter Wurzburger señala que El Rav (rabino Joseph Ver Soloveitchik) “interpretó este versículo que Eva debía funcionar como la ezer kenegdo de Adán en el sentido que Eva no debía simplemente funcionar como la ayuda de Adán, sino que se suponía debía ayudarle al ser kenegdo, i. e., complementar a Adán al ofrecerle perspectivas opuestas. En una vena similar, el Rav invocó la dignidad especial de la mujer como explicación de la regla jaláquica de descalificar a las mujeres como testigos. El comparó su condición como la de un rey, incompatible con la dignidad real de ser sujeta a examinación cruzada.” [3]

Comentarios como estos de cierto ayudan a disolver creencias comunes que las apreciaciones rabínicas de la mujer son degradantes. Si el pensamiento rabínico considerara al ´ezer kenegdo como equivalente a la realeza, entonces deberían cambiar gran parte de nuestras creencias de la perspectiva.  Esta perspectiva se mantiene en línea con la posición de la mujer en la narrativa de la creación. Como el cumplimiento del orden creado, ella tiene un lugar muy especial. De hecho, el pensamiento rabínico sugiere que Havvah es la primera persona realmente humana. ¿Por qué es que los rabinos interpretan el relato de Génesis de ésta manera? Porque Adán es la creación del aliento de Dios animando el ´adamah, el suelo. Pero Havvah es el resultado directo de la construcción de Dios del material humano. Ella fue “nacida” del ser humano, no del suelo. Ella es la primera, ella es realeza y es la ayuda-opuesta.

Algo sumamente importante sucede en éste texto. Si pensabas que  tus ideas sobre el estatus, los roles y las funciones de la mujer se basaban en las Escrituras, pero no sabias nada sobre la ´ezer kenegdo, entonces quizás es hora de escarbar un poco más. Quizás debas pone a un lado tus asunciones y leer lo que dice el texto.

Mañana tendremos que escarbar aun más.

[1] Rabino Shlomo Riskin, “Prashat Bere’shit: ¿Una Ayuda Opuesta?” The Florida Jewish News, Octubre, 2003.

[2] Ibíd.

[3] Rabino Walter Wurzburger, Rav Soloveitchik Como Posek del Ortodoxismo Post-Moderno, Tradición 1994, en Moshe Shulman, Ortodoxismo Moderno en el Siglo 21: Lección VI: Moderación, Ética y Honestidad como Normas Jaláquicas, p. 2

Transición

El primero de Junio es la fecha de transición a la comunidad de suscriptores. Hemos recibido muchas solicitudes de permanencia gratuita, las cuales gustosamente concedemos. Son muy importantes para nosotros. Las personas que se han comunicado con nosotros y/o han decidido contribuir, con la cantidad que deseen y sean capaces de aportar  – $1, si es la cantidad que pueden aportar – nos demuestran que éste esfuerzo es lo suficientemente importante para que tomen acción.

Las otras personas, mas de 200, que no se han comunicado ni han ofrecido aporte, saldrán del listado de suscriptores. Comprendemos que todos tenemos prioridades diferentes, no podemos aportar a todos los ministerios. Pero avanzamos hacia la formación de una comunidad en la que todos sentimos que es una prioridad. Esa es la comunidad que buscamos, comprometida con el estudio y con el resto de las personas que comparten esa pasión.

Si deseas saber por qué lo hacemos, cómo contribuir, o deseas unirte a la comunidad de suscriptores, presiona aquí.

Category: La Palabra de Hoy  | Tags: , , ,  | Comments off

The Great Risk

Friday, May 29th, 2009 | Author:

And said YHWH Elohim, “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make for him a helper [kenegdo].” Genesis 2:18

Kenegdo – Are you ready to talk about risk? Yesterday we learned that there is something incredibly important happening in God’s design of Woman, the ‘ezer kenegdo.

Built into this design is awesome power and responsibility – and terrifying risk! How we unpack what this means requires us to rethink our whole cultural view of the role of women, or at least this particular woman. To do that, we must first step outside the influence of Greek patterns. We have to go back to the beginning – in Hebrew.

Rabbi David Freedman translates the word ezer as “power” or “strength”. He translates kenegdo not as “suitable for him” but as “one equal to him”. But even this is not quite enough. Rabbi Shlomo Riskin provides an essential modification.

The first problem is the strange Hebrew term, “Ezer kenegdo,” the phrase G-d uses to describe the creature He will provide for Adam in order to conquer his being alone. The literal translation is help-opposite. Other translations are “help meet” or “a help to match him” or “compatible helper”; terms which do not fully reflect the inner tension of the concept. Rashi, in explaining the phrase, writes, “if the man is worthy, then his wife will be an ‘ezer’ (a helper), and if he’s unworthy, she’ll be a ‘kenegdo’, (against him, an opposite force).” Despite Rashi’s commentary, a help-opposite is still an unusual term. If it’s not good for Adam to be alone, why doesn’t G-d simply create a ‘helper’ for him, why an ‘opposite’?

The question is the crucial one. Rabbi Shlomo suggests that the answer lies somewhere in the arena of equality. “Husband is not meant to control wife. If he does, he has lost out on discovering his ‘ezer-kenegdo,’ and he will never be able to overcome his social loneliness. We cannot partner with a lesser being whom we subdue! (The phrase “he shall control her” is a punishment and a far cry from the ideal).”

Rabbi Walter Wurzburger notes that The Rav (Rav Joseph Ber Soloveitchik) “interpreted the verse that Eve was to function as Adam’s eizer kenegdo in the sense that Eve was not simply to function as Adam’s helpmeet, but that she was supposed to help him by being kenegdo, i.e., complementing Adam by offering opposing perspectives. In a similar vein, the Rav invoked the special dignity of women as an explanation for the halakhic rule disqualifying women from serving as witnesses. He compared their status to that of a king, who, according to Jewish law, is disqualified from serving as a witness because it is incompatible with royal dignity to be subjected to cross-examination.”

Comments like these certainly help dispel the common Christian belief that rabbinic views of women are degrading. If rabbinic thought considers the ‘ezer kenegdo equivalent to royalty, then a lot of our thinking about the biblical perspective on women must change. This perspective is in keeping with the woman’s position in the creation narrative. As the fulfillment of the created order, she holds a very special place. In fact, rabbinic thought suggests that Havvah is the first truly human being. Why do the rabbis interpret the Genesis account in this way? Because Adam is the creation of God’s breath animating the ‘adamah, the ground. But Havvah is the direct result of God’s construction from human material. She is “birthed” from a human being, not from the ground. She is the first, she is royalty and she is the helper-opposite.

There is something really important going on in this text. If you thought your ideas about the status, role and function of women were based in Scripture, but you didn’t know anything about the ‘ezer kenegdo, then maybe it’s time to look a little deeper. Maybe you need to put your assumptions aside and read what the text really says.

Tomorrow we will have to dig even deeper.

Topical Index: ‘ezer kenegdo, corresponding to, woman, Genesis 2:18

________________________

Rabbi Sholmo Riskin, “Prashat Bereishit: A Help Opposite?” The Florida Jewish News, October, 2003.

Ibid.

Rabbi Walter Wurzburger, Rav Soloveitchik As Posek of Post-Modern Orthodoxy, Tradition 1994, in Moshe Shulman, Modern Orthodoxy in the 21st Century: Lecture VI: Moderation, Ethics & Honesty as Halachic Norms, p. 2.

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Double Preposition-alism

Thursday, May 28th, 2009 | Author:

And said YHWH Elohim, “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make for him a helper corresponding to him.” Genesis 2:18

Corresponding To Him – When Scripture uses an odd combination of words to describe something as important as Woman, we had better pay attention. And nothing is stranger than the way that the Torah describes the creation of Woman. She is called a helper-kenegdo. We know the first word, ‘ezer (helper). It absolutely does not mean assistant. It comes from a context of military aid, strength and rescue. In some sense, so far unidentified, a woman “saves” a man (but most men already know this, even if they can’t admit it). That, however, is just the beginning of the game.

The Hebrew text doesn’t use the word ‘ezer alone. The full concept is the ‘ezer kenegdo. Unfortunately, the addition of the word kenegdo only increases its opacity. That’s because kenegdo occurs only once in Scripture, right here. The root word behind this odd combination is neged. However, this is not a noun, a verb or an adjective. It is a preposition. That is very odd indeed. It’s kind of like saying that Havvah is a “helper before” or a “helper in front of”. The meaning of the preposition alone (neged) is determined by the context. It covers the range of before, in front of, corresponding to, against and opposite. Even more disturbing is the fact that here the preposition neged has been coupled with ki, another preposition that usually means “like” or “as.” Commentators have struggled with this combination. Clearly the words are critically important for understanding what God intends in His creation of Woman; but many scholars of the Christian tradition tend to either gloss over or ignore the second word.

The rabbinic commentary places more emphasis on the importance of the combination. Rashi suggests that the two-preposition conjunction means that the ‘ezer is both one who helps and one who opposes. Her role is indeterminate. It depends entirely on the context of the covenant relationship with her husband. If he is blessed and righteous, she is a helper. If he is not blessed and wicked, she is one who opposes. In other words, she is the perfect enemy. She is perfectly suited to act as the intimate guide for a man to stay connected to the Lord. And she is the perfectly opposed one when her man is tempted to have his own way. As ‘ezer kenedgo, she is both advocate and chastiser. She is ontologically equipped to “know” him since she came from him and she is designed to complete him. She carries the most powerful weapons men have ever known and has the ability to draw him to her in ways that nothing else can. When she is truly ‘ezer kenegdo, she protects her man as no other. But this glorious responsibility and awesome power comes with a terrifying risk. Understanding that risk waits for another day. In the meanwhile, we can begin to honor the special role that God designed into every woman.

Topical Index: ‘ezer kenegdo, perfect enemy, helper, opposite, Genesis 2:18

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Doble Preposicion-alismo

Thursday, May 28th, 2009 | Author:

Y el SEÑOR Dios dijo: No es bueno que el hombre esté solo; le haré una ayuda idónea.

Génesis 2:18


Ayuda Idónea – Cuando la Escritura utiliza una combinación extraña de palabras para describir algo tan importante como la Mujer, nos conviene prestar atención. Y no hay nada más extraño que la manera en que la Torá describe la creación de Mujer. Se le llama ayuda – kenegdo. Conocemos la primera palabra, ´ezer (ayuda). Definitivamente no quiere decir asistente. Viene de un contexto de ayuda militar, fortaleza y rescate. En algún sentido, hasta ahora sin identificar, la mujer “salva” al hombre (pero la mayoría de los hombres ya saben esto, aunque no lo quieran admitir). Pero ese es solo el inicio del juego.

El texto hebreo no utiliza la palabra ´ezer sola. El concepto completo es el de ´ezer kenegdo. Desafortunadamente, al añadir la palabra kenegdo solo aumentamos su opacidad. Eso sucede porque la palabra kenegdo solo aparece una vez en toda la Escritura, y es aquí. La palabra raíz detrás de esta extraña combinación es neged. Pero este no es un sustantivo, verbo o adjetivo. Es una preposición. Esto sí que es extraño. Es como decir que Havvah es una “ayuda antes” o una “ayuda delante de.” El significado de la preposición sola (neged) se determina por el contexto. Cubre el rango de antes de, delante de, correspondiente a, contra u opuesto. Es aun más perturbador el hecho que aquí la preposición neged ha sido unida a ki, otra preposición que usualmente significa “cómo” o “así.”  Los comentaristas han luchado con ésta combinación. Es evidente que las palabras son de importancia crítica para la comprensión de la intención de Dios con Su creación de Mujer; pero muchos eruditos de la tradición cristiana tienden a tapar o ignorar la segunda palabra.

El comentario rabínico ubica un énfasis especial en la importancia de la combinación. Rashi sugiere que la conjunción de las dos preposiciones significa que  ´ezer es tanto la que ayuda como la que se opone. Su rol es indeterminado. Depende plenamente del contexto de la relación de pacto con su esposo. Si él es bendecido y justo, ella es ayuda. Si él no es bendecido e impío, ella es la que se opone. En otras palabras, es la enemiga perfecta. Está perfectamente diseñada para actuar como la guía íntima para que el hombre permanezca conectado al Señor. Y es la oposición perfecta cuando su hombre siente la tentación de irse por su propio camino. Como ´ezer kenegdo, es tan abogada como castigadora. Está ontológicamente equipada para “conocerle,” por cuanto vino de él y está diseñada para completarlo. Ella carga las armas más poderosas conocidas por el hombre, capaz de atraerlo a ella de maneras que nadie es capaz de hacerlo. Cuando realmente es ´ezer kenegdo, protege a su hombre como nadie más. Pero esa responsabilidad gloriosa y ese poder sorprendente vienen con un riesgo aterrorizante.

Comprenderemos ese riesgo otro día. Mientras tanto, podemos comenzar a honrar el papel especial que Dios diseñó en cada mujer.

Transición

El primero de Junio es la fecha de transición a la comunidad de suscriptores. Hemos recibido muchas solicitudes de permanencia gratuita, las cuales gustosamente concedemos. Son muy importantes para nosotros. Las personas que se han comunicado con nosotros y/o han decidido contribuir, con la cantidad que deseen y sean capaces de aportar  – $1, si es la cantidad que pueden aportar – nos demuestran que éste esfuerzo es lo suficientemente importante para que tomen acción.

Las otras personas, mas de 200, que no se han comunicado ni han ofrecido aporte, saldrán del listado de suscriptores. Comprendemos que todos tenemos prioridades diferentes, no podemos aportar a todos los ministerios. Pero avanzamos hacia la formación de una comunidad en la que todos sentimos que es una prioridad. Esa es la comunidad que buscamos, comprometida con el estudio y con el resto de las personas que comparten esa pasión.

Si deseas saber por qué lo hacemos, cómo contribuir, o deseas unirte a la comunidad de suscriptores, presiona aquí.

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Balancing Act: Parts 1 & 2

Wednesday, February 04th, 2009 | Author:

This article gives more detail on the Hebrew view of ‘ezer.  I originally wrote it in 2006, but with the last week of Today’s Words focused on ‘ezer, I wanted to repost on my new website.

Balancing Act: Reflections on the Curse of Genesis 3

God’s curse after the Fall deserves another look. Typically, our focus on the subject examines the punishment God imposes. We see Adam fighting thistles and thorns in his effort to raise crops to survive. We feel the sweat as he works against the land, fighting in a world now turned hostile. We wince at the sound of Eve in childbirth, experiencing pain in what was supposed to be fulfilled pleasure. And then we read that fateful verse, “and he shall rule over you.” Images of the suppression of women throughout history come rushing into view. Women treated as possessions or worse. We imagine that all of this, including the supposed “Biblical” justification of male domination, is contained in God’s curse.

I think we may have missed the point. It’s time to look closer. more…

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The Capstone (2)

Monday, January 26th, 2009 | Author:

And said YHWH Elohim, “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make for him a helper corresponding to him.”  Genesis 2:18

Helper – What does an ‘ezer do today?  How does a woman exercise her role as ‘ezer in a world that operates after the Fall, a world where men seem to be in charge?  The answer is actually distributed throughout Scripture if you look for it.  Now that we know what God’s original intention was in the design of the ‘ezer, we should expect to find ‘ezer actions displayed wherever God’s redemptive activity reaches across the chasm created by the Fall.  And when we look, that’s what we see.

Consider the women that the Scripture designated as role models.  They don’t have the same prominence as men, but they are crucial nevertheless.  You might reflect on the lives of Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Hagar (isn’t it interesting that the first woman after the Fall to have a face-to-face encounter with God is an Egyptian slave?).  You could consider Miriam, Deborah, Ruth and Esther.  You should certainly spend some time reading the love poetry of the woman who is the principal spokesperson in the Song of Songs.  You might reflect on all those unnamed women who acted on behalf of the prophets.  You certainly must include Hannah.  Even the rabbis consider her prayer to be the epitome of true prayer before God.  And how about the mother of Moses or the valiant woman of Proverbs 31?

When you have catalogued the women of the Hebrew Scriptures, take a look at the women of the Apostolic writings (what we call the New Testament).  Look at their behavior, their courage, their daring, their unwavering support, their evangelism, their roles as teachers, apostles and prophetesses.  Then think about the way that Yeshua interacted with women.  His behavior is the standard for godly, responsible relationship in the redeemed community.  Did He ever act with superiority over women?  Did He ever diminish them, disparage them, refuse to include them, ignore them or act as though they had nothing of value to bring to the community?  Of course not!  In fact, one of the distinctive marks of Yeshua’s ministry was the fact that He deliberately included women.  No rabbi of the first century would have done this.  Mary and Martha both call Yeshua Rabboni.  This is a term of deep emotional endearment, a way of expressing their devotion to a man who saw them from God’s original perspective.  And, of course, there is Mary.  Her response to the angel’s announcement is a paradigm of submission to the will of God regardless of the consequences for her reputation, status and family honor.  No man shows more devotion to the Lord than Mary.

Finally, we come to the remarks of Paul and Peter.  Now most of us have at some time heard a sermon extolling the “God-ordained” hierarchy of men and women.  Some of us have heard men teach that women have a restricted role in the redeemed community.  Theologians carefully explain that this does not diminish the woman’s spiritual standing before God.  It simply delegates only certain roles and positions to men.  Unfortunately, our exploration of the Hebrew Scriptures leaves us with this critical question:  Is it possible for Paul and Peter to do violence to the Hebrew Scriptures?  Is it reasonable to conclude that these men, whose only “Bible” was the Old Testament, were so ignorant of the teaching found there that they could endorse anything except the vision of the redeemed community?  Could they have missed the impact of God’s design of the ‘ezer?

Let’s be frank.  Paul knew his “Bible” far better than you or I.  He was a native Hebrew speaker.  He was a Torah scholar.  He probably memorized the entire Hebrew Scriptures.  He spent three years being personally taught by the risen Lord.  Is it reasonable to think that he would say things that contradict what the Hebrew Scriptures say?  When we interpret Paul’s letters or Peter’s remarks without the foundation of the Hebrew Scripture, we are the ones who do violence to the text.  There is simply no way that these men could have proposed or endorsed anything that was inconsistent with God’s Word.  You cannot understand the New Testament without first understanding the Old Testament.

We need to be Hebrew thinkers before we can be Greek theologians.

Today you will have an opportunity to either act like an ‘ezer or allow an ‘ezer to play the role she was designed to perform.  If you fail to act or fail to allow, you will do violence to God’s design.  If you fail to act or fail to allow, you will endorse the Fallen world, not the redeemed community.  It’s up to you.  Today is the day to be Hebrew about it.

Topical Index: ‘ezer, helper, Rabboni

 

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