Hebrew Political Correctness

So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. John 8:36 NASB

Free – Freedom is an important idea in the modern world, so important that there’s a blessing about it in one version of the Siddur.  Here’s the blessing from a Siddur:

But here’s the same blessing in the orthodox Siddur Ashkenaz:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא עָשַֽׂנִי עָֽבֶד

You will notice some changes at the end.  I have indicated the changes in red.  Why did they change this?  The answer is Hebrew political correctness.  The original blessing reads, “that You did not make me a slave.”  But “slavery” language is politically incorrect, so the conservative/reformed community changed the orthodox prayer.  “To be free” is substituted for “not be a slave.”

I must say that I was shocked when I realized this prayer was altered.  I thought the religious community of Israel wouldn’t play this game.  But I was wrong.  Cultural correctness affects everyone.

Nevertheless, the Bible does have something to say about freedom, but the Bible isn’t a politically correct document.  It’s God’s view, not ours.  So, let’s investigate this idea of freedom from God’s perspective.

We might want to be free, but release from the prison of yetzer ha’ra isn’t something we can accomplish alone.  God must intervene.  He’s willing if we’re willing.  That’s a big “if” because despite the fact that we say we are willing, and we think we are willing, to be really free we must be willing to submit.  Freedom is an oxymoron.  It requires exactly the opposite—slavery.  Oh, this isn’t forced slavery.  It isn’t ʿānâ ( עָנָו ), the oppression and slavery of captives.  This is voluntary slavery, the desire and willingness to put my life, my actions, my decisions, in the hand of another—in the hands of YHVH.  This is Exodus 21:5, when an ʿebed loves his master and wants to become a permanent servant of his lord.

It’s worth repeating: freedom is an oxymoron.  Freedom is God’s business.  Obedience is ours.

Don’t you suppose that Yeshua had this in mind with his cryptic statement?  In what way does the son make us free?  Through slavery to another master.  The master we have been serving is a despot.  He cares nothing for our well-being.  He cares only to be satisfied for himself.  He will do whatever is necessary to get his way.  We are but pawns in his plan—a plan that will eventually consume who we are intended to be in a maelstrom of indifference.

The new master is a benevolent Pharoah.  He is no less a ruler, no less an absolute sovereign, no less capable of determining who lives and who dies.  But he is faithfully benevolent.  As one of his slaves put it, “Not willing that any should perish.”  We serve Him with hope, not out of compulsion.  We are free—oxymoronically free.  As the rabbis often taught, a man is a slave to his desires until he submits himself to Torah.

Topical Index:  free, slave, politically correct, blessings, morning prayer, Siddur